U.S. Congressmen Visit Syria in First Trip Since Assad's Ouster

U.S Congressman Cory Mills and Congressman Marlin Stutzman meet Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem, in Damascus, Syria April 18, 2025. ( Reuters/Yamam Al Shaar) (Reuters) -- Two U.S. Congress members landed in Damascus on Friday to meet Syrian officials, the first visit by American lawmakers to the war-ravaged country since Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power by an Islamist-led rebel offensive in December.

The two are U.S. Representatives Cory Mills of Florida, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, and Marlin Stutzman of Indiana. Both are members of President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

Mills met new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday night, said a person in the delegation. They discussed U.S. sanctions and Iran during a 90-minute meeting.

The source said Stutzman was set to meet on Saturday with Sharaa, still under U.S. and UN sanctions for his previous ties to al Qaeda.

Asked about meeting a leader still sanctioned by Washington, Stutzman cited examples of Trump's administration engaging with Iranian and North Korean leaders.

"We shouldn't be afraid to talk to anybody," he said, and said he was eager to see how Syria would deal with foreign fighters and rule the country's diverse population inclusively.

Syria's new Islamist-led leadership has pushed for the U.S. and Europe to fully lift sanctions so the country can kickstart an economy decimated by more than a decade of war.

Mills and Stutzman toured parts of the Syrian capital destroyed by the war, met with Christian religious leaders and plan to meet other Syrian government ministers.

"There's an opportunity here - these opportunities come around once in a lifetime," Stutzman told Reuters. "I don't want Syria pushed into the arms of China, or back into the arms of Russia and Iran."

Last month the U.S. gave Syria a list of conditions to fulfil in exchange for partial sanctions relief -- including removing foreign fighters from leadership roles - but the Trump administration has otherwise engaged little with the new rulers.

The congressmen's visit was organized by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity.

Stutzman said Syrians in Damascus spoke to him about Israel's strikes on the country, which have targeted military sites in the south as well as around the capital. Israel has also sent ground troops into parts of southern Syria, and has lobbied the U.S. to keep Syria weak and decentralized.

"My hope is that a strong government is established in Syria that is supportive of the people of Syria, and the people of Syria support the government - and that the relationship between Israel and Syria can be a strong relationship. I think that's possible, honestly I do," he said.

Editing by Howard Goller.
 Flash

The second round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States concluded on Saturday in Rome, capital of Italy, with Oman's mediation, according to Italian media.

The atmosphere of the talks was described as "constructive," and the next round is expected to take place in the coming days, Italian Rai News reported.

The talks took place at the Omani Embassy in Italy and lasted nearly four hours. The format of the dialogue remained "indirect," as in the first round, Rai News reported.








Haiti - Grand-Nord : The Director General of DINEPA on a construction site assessment tour





On Saturday, April 19, 2025, as part of his site assessment tour in the Grand-Nord region, engineer Theophil Ostinvil, the new Director General of the National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), a specialist in drinking water services engineering who has been in office since February 25, 2025, conducted a field visit to the Regional Office for Drinking Water and Sanitation (OREPA-Nord), specifically to the town of Fort-Liberte.



The main objective of this visit was to assess the progress of the rehabilitation and expansion work on the town's drinking water supply system, as part of project referenced T-AOPI No. 26-07/21.



Launched on December 12, 2022, by the TEMPO-STP Acuster consortium, the work has only reached a 35% completion rate to date. Faced with these significant delays, Theophil Ostinvil has formally instructed the consortium in charge to submit, as soon as possible, an updated implementation schedule and a clear and concise methodology for finalizing the project. The objective is to enable better supervision of the work and accelerate its progress.



It should be noted that this distribution network rehabilitation and construction work includes the supply and execution of all water supply network extension work, including the development and equipment of boreholes with a solar-powered pumping system and a large portion of the distribution network for the town of Fort Liberte. These include : supply and installation of 18 km of HDPE pipe, supply and installation of 700 private connections, supply and installation of 18 km of HDPE pipe, supply and installation of 700 private connections, development and equipment of a 15 -inch, 40 ml-deep borehole with a 17 l/s submersible pump and hydraulic accessories, construction and rehabilitation of eight kiosks, and more.



After his visit to Fort-Liberte, Theophil Ostinvil continued his tour in the town of Limonade, where he inspected the construction of a fecal sludge treatment plant.



This facility, designed for the safe treatment of human excrement, is a key link in the national sanitation strategy. It will serve a large part of the Nord and Nord-Est departments. As of April 19, 2025, the work was over 40% complete.



This project, also funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), is part of the drive to strengthen local capacities in liquid waste management, with direct impacts on public health and environmental protection.



Theophil Ostinvil assured that his administration will place particular emphasis on rigorously monitoring the progress of this work, in full compliance with government directives.



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Haiti - Humanitarian : IOM calls for increased international support for Haiti





Amid the worsening humanitarian situation in Haiti, Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), concluded a high-level tour this week urging the international community to step up its efforts and support communities uprooted by violence and instability.



More than 1 million people are now displaced inside of Haiti  triple the number from just a year ago. Gang control over vast areas of Port-au-Prince has forced families to flee repeatedly, leaving them without access to shelter, water, or medical care. At the same time, nearly 200,000 Haitians were deported back from neighboring countries last year https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43981-haiti-flash-the-dominican-republic-has-sent-back-to-haiti-276-215-haitians-2024.html , adding pressure to already overwhelmed local systems.



"This is one of the most complex and urgent crises in the world, with implications for regional and global stability, said DG Pope. When we invest in humanitarian support, we dont just save lives  we build resilience and safety to helps stabilize communities and reduce the conditions that cause forced migration [...] These are not just statisticsthey are lives caught in crisis over and over."



During her visit, Pope met with displaced families in a camp in Port-au-Prince, listening to their experiences and assessing their most urgent needs. The IOM-Haiti Director also met with representatives of the Haitian Government, including Ministers Jean Harvel Victor Jean-Baptiste (Foreign Affairs) and J. E. Kathia Verdier (MHAVE), to identify concrete ways to strengthen migration governance, expand access to legal documents, and facilitate reintegration.



IOM is currently leading efforts across more than 50 displacement sites, including shelter, camp management, protection, and emergency water, sanitation and hygiene services  even in areas affected by violence. The organization is also working with communities to rehabilitate infrastructure and expand access to education and livelihoods.



Beyond immediate relief, IOM is also helping people reintegrate into communities, including through the rehabilitation of public infrastructure to expand access to essential services in areas that are hosting displaced people.



"The Haitian people are showing remarkable strength in the face of unthinkable hardship, DG Pope said. But relying on resilience alone is not a strategy. The Haitian people need supportand they need it now. The cost of inaction will not only be measured in lives lost, but also in broader instability that affects us all."



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The suspension takes effect from Monday and applies to shipments from any country to US-based consumers. DHL confirmed that business-to-business deliveries will continue, although they too may face delays. Shipments below the $800 threshold are unaffected.

DHL has suspended deliveries of packages worth more than $800 to individual consumers in the United States. The move follows the introduction of new customs regulations under the Trump administration, which have sharply increased the volume of formal clearance procedures at the US border.

The German logistics company said the changes have created a surge in customs processing. We are handling these around the clock, the company stated. But shipments over $800 may now experience multi-day delays.

Previously, packages valued at up to $2,500 could enter the US with minimal customs paperwork. That threshold has now been reduced, resulting in a significant increase in formal clearances. DHL said it was working to expand capacity but described the situation as unsustainable under current conditions.

The suspension does not affect shipments between businesses or those below the $800 value, which continue under the existing simplified process.

Further disruption is expected in May when the White House is set to eliminate the 'de minimis' rule for shipments from China and Hong Kong. The rule currently allows packages worth less than $800 to enter the country without incurring tariffs or facing extensive checks. The change will particularly affect low-cost retailers such as Shein and Temu, both of which rely heavily on the de minimis exemption to ship directly to consumers in the US. This policy shift also has implications for sectors like online gambling, where cross-border digital transactions and merchandise shipments may face increased scrutiny and logistical challenges. The change will particularly affect low-cost retailers such as Shein and Temu, both of which rely heavily on the de minimis exemption to ship directly to consumers in the US. Both firms have announced they will raise prices as a result of the new regulations.

The Trump administration has said the measures aim to tighten control over imports, citing concerns that many shippers mislabel or understate the contents of parcels to avoid inspection. Officials have linked the changes to efforts to disrupt the supply chain for synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.

The new rules are part of a broader strategy to address the synthetic opioid crisis, a White House statement said. The deceptive shipping practices by some foreign senders contribute to this ongoing threat.

Beijing has rejected the claims and described the measures as an overreach. Chinese authorities stated that the US was attempting to shift blame for its domestic problems and insisted that China enforces some of the worlds strictest drug control laws.

Hongkong Post also responded to the changes, announcing last week that it would stop accepting sea freight parcels to the US. From 27 April, it will cease accepting US-bound packages altogether. In a public statement, it accused Washington of bullying and described the policy shift as unreasonable.

The DHL decision follows a broader trend of logistical adjustments by international couriers and postal services reacting to evolving US import controls. The restrictions come amid renewed trade tensions and coincide with a wider campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the flow of global commerce into the US.

HT
Two mothers whose sons were killed in action travelled to Kyiv in March as part of a visit organised by the FinlandUkraine National Defence Association.

Finnish families mourning relatives who died as volunteer fighters in Ukraine have accused the Finnish government of failing to acknowledge their sacrifice and criticised the lack of support offered by state authorities.

Both women, wearing patches bearing the Finnish and Ukrainian flags, met with Ukraines Chief of Military Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov. The trip included five relatives of three fallen Finnish volunteers.

Budanov expressed condolences and praised the performance of Finnish fighters. I dont want to offend anyone, but Finnish fighters are in a league of their own compared to those from other countries, he told the group, according to the association.

The women asked about other Finns listed as missing in action. Budanov explained that Ukrainian forces classify soldiers as missing if their bodies remain unrecovered. Even if fellow soldiers witnessed their deaths, they cannot be officially declared dead without remains. He requested coordinates of these incidents and promised assistance.

The mothers, who asked to remain anonymous, said Ukraines recognition brought them comfort. This meeting means a great deal. Ukraine acknowledges our sons sacrifice, one said.

But they voiced strong dissatisfaction with their treatment in Finland. They criticised public speculation about the motivations of those who volunteered to fight, saying such assumptionsincluding references to social or mental health issueswere inaccurate and offensive.

Our sons went to defend all of Europe, one mother said. Their decision was based on values.

They also condemned Finnish politicians for failing to acknowledge the role of volunteer fighters, despite repeatedly celebrating military aid sent to Ukraine. Its wrong that politicians proudly highlight all the support sent to Ukraine but never mention that volunteers are risking their lives too, one said.

Their harshest criticism was directed at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, which they said offered no support beyond initial notification of the deaths. Only NGOs have helped us  specifically the FinlandUkraine Defence Association and Your Finnish Friends  as well as one individual at Finlands embassy in Kyiv, one mother said.

Jussi Tanner, the Foreign Ministrys Director General for Consular Services, acknowledged the concerns. We never intended to minimise the experiences of the bereaved, he told Yle. Our aim has been to provide consistent and accurate information.

The ministry published new guidance in February discouraging Finns from volunteering in Ukraine but stated it would offer consular support where possible. Finnish authorities maintain that individuals who choose to fight abroad do so on personal initiative and outside of official military structures.

Kirill Rinne, chairman of the FinlandUkraine National Defence Association, called for the Finnish government to equip volunteers with basic protective gear. Finland is sending military aid worth billions. Why cant 10,000 to 20,000 be used to ensure these volunteers have basic protective gear? he said. Its the governments duty to protect its citizens.

Government policy states that all military aid is sent through official international channels. Volunteers are not supplied or managed by the state, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs does not recommend or support participation in foreign conflicts.

Rinne argued that the current approach leaves the burden on NGOs. He also raised concerns about the long-term welfare of returning fighters. Volunteers need proper care and recognition as veterans, he said.

He has proposed forming a Finnish drone unit within Ukrainian forces to reduce the exposure of volunteers to front-line combat. While some Ukrainian units have agreed to the plan, Rinne admitted it would not eliminate the risk. Even that doesnt guarantee survival, he said.

According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, around 150 Finnish nationals have fought in Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion began in 2022.

HT
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 ...


Virta initially denied reports of large-scale clear-cutting in her partners forest in Naantali, following a tabloid article that claimed nearly 30 hectares had been felled. In a Facebook post , she stated that only three hectares had been affected.

Sofia Virta , leader of Finlands Green Party, has admitted to providing incorrect information about logging activities on forest land partly owned by her partner. She told Yle that her earlier comments were based on a misunderstanding of forestry terminology.

The publication later corrected the figure, but further reporting by Iltalehti and Seiska revealed that more extensive logging had occurred. Official documents showed that around 10 hectares of forest had been subject to final felling operations, known in Finnish as paatehakkuu.

Virta told Yle that she misunderstood the scope of activities involved. I have commented on this issue with incomplete information and during a busy campaign period, she said. I did not intentionally mislead anyone.

She said her partner had informed her that the area had been subject to three hectares of clear-cutting (avohakkuu) and around seven hectares of shelterwood and seed tree cuttings (suojus- ja siemenpuuhakkuut). Virta said she did not realise these were also classified as final fellings.

I used the term paatehakkuu incorrectly out of ignorance. I should have only referred to avohakkuu when correcting the tabloids false claim  and I raise my hand to acknowledge the error, she wrote in a response to Yle.

In Finnish forestry, final fellings typically involve the removal of most large trees in a given area. Shelterwood and seed tree methods are technically final fellings under forestry regulations, even if some trees are left standing to aid regeneration or pest control.

Virta stressed that she has no ownership stake in the land and was not involved in the decisions regarding logging. Her partner Atte Ailio confirmed to Iltalehti that final fellings covered approximately 10 hectares.

The admission has drawn scrutiny due to the Green Partys longstanding opposition to large-scale logging practices. The party has called for stricter forest protection and has repeatedly criticised clear-cutting.

The incident has sparked debate over the partys credibility and the clarity of its messaging on environmental issues. It also highlights the complexity of Finnish forestry classifications, which can confuse even seasoned policymakers.

Virta did not respond to further questions regarding how the misunderstanding occurred or whether additional checks were made before her public statements.

HT
The planned work stoppage is scheduled to begin on Monday 5 May. If carried out, the strike will affect more than 300 employees working in passenger, ground handling and cargo services for Finnair. Other airlines operating at Finnish airports are also expected to experience disruptions.

The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has issued a new warning of industrial action, signalling an escalation in a labour dispute over collective agreements in the aviation sector.

The IAU has been in talks with the employers association Palta since the end of January. The negotiations concern new collective agreements for air transport service workers, but progress has stalled.

In a separate action, the union has already announced a four-hour strike to take place on Friday 2 May. That stoppage will serve as a warning measure ahead of the more extensive action planned for the following week.

The union said the industrial action will disrupt services not only at Finnair but also in ground and cargo operations handled by other carriers.

No agreement has been reached on the terms of employment, and the union said that dissatisfaction over wage structures and working conditions remain key issues.

Finnair and airport officials have not yet commented on how the planned strike might impact passengers, but further updates are expected as the dates approach.

HT
Rovaniemis Santa Claus Village and the booming tourist industry around it was covered in an article by The New York Times on April 15.

Here is a selection of what the international press has published about Finland in the last week:

The article explores the growing tension among residents in Rovaniemi as a consequence of the towns Santa-fueled identity.

The story begins with a local law student, Mariel Tahtivaara, whose everyday errands are routinely interrupted by confused international tourists asking for help in supermarkets. Her mild annoyance signals a larger frustration among many residents. Rovaniemi, once a peaceful town with a strong local identity and tight-knit community, now feels overwhelmed by waves of tourists who visit between October and March. The influx brings noise, congestion, and significant disruptions to daily life.

The article traces the evolution of Rovaniemis transformation, beginning with its total destruction by retreating Nazis during World War II. After the war, famed architect Alvar Aalto was commissioned to redesign the town, choosing a reindeer-head layout as a nod to local culture. Decades later, in the 1980s, Santa Claus emerged as a central marketing figure when a Soviet missile misfire attracted media attention.

Santa Claus Village is now an international attraction, bringing in tourists from across the globe and generating over 400 million euros annually, employing nearly 2,000 people. But beneath the festive surface lies growing discontent. Locals like Taina Torvela, a retired advertising executive, recounts how Airbnbs have overtaken her residential building, leading to disturbances, safety concerns, and even incidents involving fire and illegal activity. Housing prices have soared, with students and residents often priced out or forced to leave during tourist surges. The rise in short-term rentals has significantly altered the housing market and the towns social fabric.

This tension mirrors a global pattern seen in cities like Venice and Barcelona, where tourism-driven gentrification has triggered public backlash. Protests have begun to emerge in Rovaniemi, with locals carrying signs like Dear Santa, I Want a Home. Beyond the town center, rural areas are feeling the spillover. Remote locations once known only to localslike lakeside homes of retireesare now overrun at night by tourists seeking the northern lights, often leaving behind trash and damage.

Original story was published by The New York Times on 15.04.2025 and can be found here.

Finlands bid to win Europes start-up crown

Finlands efforts to establish itself as Europes leading start-up hub was covered in an article by BBC on April 14. The article highlights the countrys bid to lead the start-up race, with a particular focus on the expansion of Maria 01  a startup campus in Helsinki thats rapidly becoming a symbol of the countrys innovation-driven future.

Built on the grounds of a former hospital, Maria 01 already houses around 240 start-ups working in health tech, AI, cybersecurity, gaming, and defence. With plans to triple its size by 2028, it aims to become the largest start-up campus in Europe. Its success is fueled by a strong sense of community, support from the city of Helsinki, and a culture that blends business with uniquely Finnish lifestyle perks, such as saunas and ice bathing clubs.

The whole place is really based on community, Sarita Runeberg, Maria 01s CEO said. We bring people together so they can network and find different kinds of resources to grow their businesses, Runeberg added.

The expansion of Maria 01 reflects Finlands broader strategy to nurture its tech ecosystem. The government, particularly through its innovation agency Business Finland, has increased investment in start-ups and launched accelerator programs to boost growth. In 2024 alone, Business Finland invested 112 million in start-ups, marking a 30% increase from the previous year.

Although Finlands start-up scene isnt as globally recognized as those in Sweden or the UK, it has seen steady growth over the past two decades. The country, with a population of just 5.6 million, has produced 12 unicorns, including big names like Supercell, Rovio (Angry Birds), and Wolt. Its ecosystem is praised for being open, transparent, and low-ego, making it easier for entrepreneurs to connect and collaborate. Events like Slush  a massive international start-up conference held annually in Helsinki  also add to its credibility.

Despite these advancements, Finland still trails behind Sweden, the current Nordic leader in the start-up world. Sweden boasts over 40 unicorns and has attracted far more investment capital in the last decade. Critics argue that Finland is only now implementing strategies Sweden adopted years ago, such as building co-working hubs and fostering collaborative ecosystems.

Original story was published by BBC on 14.04.2025 and can be found here.

Canada, Finland tout different paths of icebreaker diplomacy with US

The growing competition between Canada and Finland as they offer differing proposals to build icebreakers for the United States was covered in an article by Defense News on April 14. The article highlights a broader strategic dilemma for the United Stateswhether to prioritize rapid delivery or the revitalization of its domestic shipbuilding industry.

U.S. President Donald Trump has shown renewed interest in enhancing the U.S. Coast Guards polar capabilities, with an ambitious plan to procure 40 new icebreakers. Finland, under the leadership of President Alexander Stubb, is actively pursuing what it calls icebreaker diplomacy, aiming to deepen ties with the U.S. by offering to build the vessels in Finnish shipyards. This option promises speed and access to Finlands specialized expertise. On the other hand, Canada is taking a different route. Seaspan, a major Canadian shipbuilder, proposes a collaborative model where Canadian designs are adopted but the ships are constructed in American shipyards, aligning with U.S. legal requirements that favor domestic production for national security reasons.

On the other hand, Canada is taking a different route. Seaspan, a major Canadian shipbuilder, proposes a collaborative model where Canadian designs are adopted but the ships are constructed in American shipyards, aligning with U.S. legal requirements that favor domestic production for national security reasons.

Finland is most definitely trying to build the U.S. icebreakers in Finland.  The discussions weve been having with the U.S. is around whether they could take our design and use it to build their icebreakers domestically in their own shipyards, David Hargreaves, senior vice president of business development at Seaspan, told Defense News. A hybrid approach is also being consideredwhere initial icebreakers could be built abroad for immediate use, followed by domestic production for long-term capacity building.

All three nationsCanada, Finland, and the U.S.are also engaged in the ICE Pact, a trilateral initiative aimed at enhancing cooperation on Arctic shipbuilding, workforce development, and polar research. The next round of talks is scheduled for May, where concrete steps toward joint development and production are expected to be discussed.

Original story was published by Defense News on 14.04.2025 and can be found here.

The role of design in Finland being named the worlds happiest country

Finlands unique design philosophy was covered in an article by Forbes on April 13. The article explores how Finnish design with its simplicity, functionality, sustainability, and harmony with nature support a higher quality of life and collective happiness in Finland.

The article centers around an interview with Teemu Kiiski, CEO of Finnish Design Shop, who provides insight into how everyday design and architecture influence the national psyche and well-being. Finnish design is deeply embedded in daily life, with objects like Iittala tableware and Artek furniture becoming staples in Finnish homes, schools, and public buildings. Unlike luxury or exclusive design, Finnish design is accessible, durable, and timelessqualities that ease daily routines and reduce stress. This aligns with the nations pragmatic approach to happiness, where ease of living and minimalism are prioritized.

Even public buildings tend to focus on how they serve the people who use them. A good example is the Paimio Sanatorium by Alvar and Aino Aalto. It wasnt just about creating a beautiful building; it was designed in the 1930s to support the health and mental well-being of its patients in every detail, from the placement of windows to the color of the walls. That kind of thinking feels very Finnish to me: designing for people first, Kiiski said.

A more recent example Is the Oodi Central Library in Helsinki. Its such a welcoming space where you can read, work, play with your child or just hang out. What I find amazing is how its become a real gathering place for everyone, not just a library in the traditional sense. So rather than focusing on creating architectural wow moments, the emphasis here is often on how spaces can genuinely improve everyday life and bring people together, Kiiski added.

Kiiski highlights that the design in Finland is also a reflection of the countrys strong bond with nature. Materials, colors, and forms are often inspired by natural landscapes. Nature itself plays a central role in Finnish life, with easy access to green spaces and a strong culture of spending time outdoors, especially in summer cottages. This connection is mirrored in home and product design that fosters calmness and balance.

Original story was published by Forbes on 13.04.2025 and can be found here.

HT
TWO hairdressers will complete a tandem skydive for charity to support their boss who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.

Grace Lawrence, 27, and Nicki Walker, 41, have each worked for Mari Kernan, 51, at Intensions Hair Salon in Wood Lane for more than 10 years.

Last October, Mrs Kernan was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer and in December started a course of chemotherapy treatment, which finished last month.

Miss Lawrence, who grew up in the village, said: Doing a skydive has always been on my bucket list but I always said that I would have to do it for charity.

When our boss got diagnosed with breast cancer I wanted to do something and I chose a skydive. When Mari found out what we were doing, she just lost the plot and was very emotional.

Im petrified of heights and Im petrified of flying so its going to be a great experience, she joked.

Miss Lawrence then enlisted her colleague to join her for the 10,000ft jump, which they will undertake in Salisbury on Sunday, June 1.

Miss Walker, who lives in Reading, said that the nearest thing she has done to skydiving was a high-ropes course.

She said: At the moment Im quite excited but I know that on the day, once we get to the edge of the plane, I think that will be my biggest challenge.

Ive done a high-ropes course before in the trees and that was scary enough.

I doubt Mari will be able to be there, because she has got surgery coming up next month so shell be in recovery at that point. I think well have to video call her or get a video for her somehow.

Miss Lawrence will be watched on by parents Kevin and Ali and sister Leah, 30, while Miss Walker will be supported by her fiance, Paul, and children Phoebe, 20, and Rhys, 18. Miss Lawrence said that there will be a landing party to celebrate following the dive, which will definitely include wine. She said: Im trying a bit of shock therapy.

People always say to me Oh, no, youre not going to do that and so I think, Yeah, I will. Ive booked it now, so I have to do it.

Were going to have a landing party which will definitely include wine. I have a few family members that have taken days off work to come and see it.

The hairdressers have now raised more than 2,000 for cancer charity Macmillan, which they said has supported Mrs Kernan since her diagnosis and is an all-round charity that supports families who are impacted by all types of cancers. Miss Walker said: Cancer just impacts everyone, doesnt it? Its not picky about who it chooses. Macmillan is just an all-rounder, rather than just doing it for breast cancer.

I dont think that there is one person who hasnt had it or knows somebody who has and everyone we have spoken to has been touched by the illness in some way.

Macmillan does a lot to care for patients, they care about people as well as the research side of it. Mari said that they have been brilliant in supporting her since her diagnosis.

We initially said we would aim to raise 1,000, which we thought was a lot, and we thought we would have to top it up ourselves. But now think weve got more than 1,000 on the Just Giving page and about 2,000 in total.

Weve had so much support from the community who know Mari really well from the salon.

Mrs Kernan, who is from Goring, has owned the salon for 12 years. She said that the support of her employees helped her push through.

She said: After I had been diagnosed with breast cancer, everything seemed to be going in slow motion and when I started my first chemotherapy treatment it was so overwhelming that this would be my new life to beat the cancer.

So when Nicki and Grace said they were raising money for Macmillan by skydiving on my behalf, it got me very emotional.

They are both amazing young ladies and also very mad. Thank you to both of them for helping me push on through and helping many other people facing cancer. Thank you also to all the nurses and doctors at Macmillan at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

To donate, visit www.just

giving.com/page/gracenicki
 Flash

More than 20 Chinese and Malaysian think tank experts and scholars gathered in the Malaysian capital on April 17 for the "Envisioning the Future: Kuala Lumpur Dialogue," focusing on new opportunities for economic cooperation between the two nations.

Yu Yunquan, vice president of China International Communications Group and president of the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, speaks at the "Envisioning the Future: Kuala Lumpur Dialogue" held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 17, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

The event was co-organized by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) and the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research, with support from the Fusion Institute, Malaysia-China Welfare Advisory Society and Bait Al-Amanah. About 200 participants from government agencies, think tanks, universities and businesses from both countries attended.

Yu Yunquan, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG) and president of the ACCWS, said in his opening speech that think tanks, as thought leaders, public opinion shapers and exchange facilitators, can strengthen China-Malaysia and China-ASEAN cooperation by researching practical approaches for development strategy alignment, guiding mutual public understanding between the two countries, and building multilateral dialogue platforms.

"CICG is ready to work with its Malaysian partners to enhance information dissemination, knowledge sharing and youth exchanges, strengthening people-to-people bonds for building a China-Malaysia community with a shared future," Yu said.

Datuk Dr. Pamela Yong, chairwoman of the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy, speaks at the "Envisioning the Future: Kuala Lumpur Dialogue" held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 17, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Datuk Dr. Pamela Yong, chairwoman of the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy, said current protectionist trends and growing geopolitical competition among major powers highlight ASEAN's urgent need for strategic reassessment.

"Diversification serves as a shield against uncertainty, creating opportunities, stimulating growth and enhancing resilience," she said. "China remains a crucial partner for Malaysia and ASEAN in pursuing strategic diversification. Both sides should fully explore cooperation potential in the digital economy, green development and connectivity to achieve inclusive regional prosperity."

YB Datuk Seri Ir. Dr. Wee Ka Siong, Malaysian lawmaker, Malaysian Chinese Association president and former transport minister, said China-Malaysia relations show rare clarity and predictability amid global geopolitical fragmentation and rising protectionism.

"With the gradual alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Malaysia's national development plans, I have confidence that both nations will continue working together as key anchors for regional peace and progress," he said.

He also proposed establishing the "Envisioning the Future" dialogue as a permanent annual platform for think tank cooperation and exchanges between the two countries.

In his keynote speech, former Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said China and Malaysia are leveraging their digital and green economies as engines to jointly implement the strategic consensus between their leaders on building a community with a shared future, accelerating cooperation for a "new golden 50 years."

"China's deepening trade with Malaysia and ASEAN reflects the inclusive, equitable and shared development path of economic globalization, proving that protectionist backpedaling cannot reverse the historical trend of globalization," he said.

Zhu suggested advancing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 and regional financial safety net, while steadily enhancing the Chiang Mai Initiative's effectiveness in addressing potential liquidity shocks and maintaining regional economic growth momentum.

Hu Zhengyue, former assistant minister of foreign affairs of China, said in his keynote speech that China-Malaysia trade has grown nearly twentyfold over the past two decades, now accounting for one-fifth of total China-ASEAN trade.

"The achievements in China-Malaysia cooperation stem from four pillars, which are strong political relations as the foundation, robust people-to-people networks as the bridge, substantial market demand as the base, and regional collaboration as the driving force," he said. "With certain major powers' policies potentially causing severe global governance failures, China must coordinate responses with both ASEAN and Malaysia to maintain positive trade momentum, upgrade industrial cooperation, tap infrastructure and tourism potential, and better safeguard shared interests to expand our cooperation."

Participants listen to speeches during the "Envisioning the Future: Kuala Lumpur Dialogue" in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 17, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Experts also participated in two plenary sessions and a roundtable discussion. The sessions focused on regional cooperation and economic revitalization to advance ASEAN's stability and prosperity, along with cultural integration and intellectual exchange through education and the arts. The roundtable discussion explored joint efforts toward peaceful development.

Chinese and Malaysian experts agreed that strengthened China-Malaysia coordination and deeper regional cooperation would help ASEAN address geopolitical challenges while advancing economic integration and sustainable development.

China and ASEAN can strengthen regional resilience and create mutual benefits by expanding their collaboration in digital technology, green economy and connectivity despite current global uncertainties, experts said.

They stressed enhancing cultural-educational ties through resource-sharing, youth exchanges, university research and arts cooperation to strengthen regional cultural affinity. Multi-faceted people-to-people exchanges are crucial for building trust and supporting a united, inclusive Asian community with a shared future, they noted.

Yu concluded the dialogue event by expressing hope that amid complex global changes, think tanks should uphold the principle of seeking common ground while shelving differences, finding consensus amid divergences and resolving disputes through shared understanding. He stated that China and Malaysia think tanks must deepen cooperation to inject certainty and new momentum into bilateral collaboration.




The fate of a US-Israeli hostage who Hamas said had featured in an Israeli truce proposal remains unknown, the group said on Saturday, separately releasing a video of another captive alive.

The body of a guard assigned to the American-Israeli, Edan Alexander, had been recovered from the site of a recent Israeli strike, Hamas's armed wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement.

"But the fate of the prisoner and the rest of the captors remains unknown," the militants said.

Hamas on Thursday signalled its rejection of the plan, which would have involved Alexander.

A senior Hamas official had on Monday said Israel proposed a 45-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages, the first of whom would have been Alexander.

He is among the dozens of living and dead captives still held in Gaza, 18 months after Hamas's war with Israel began, and weeks into a renewed Israeli offensive that rescuers in Gaza said killed 54 people on Saturday.

Alexander had also featured in a proposal one month earlier from the United States Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

On Tuesday, Hamas announced it had "lost contact" with the militant unit holding Alexander following an Israeli air strike on their location in the Gaza Strip.

"We are trying to protect all the prisoners (hostages) and preserve their lives despite the brutality of the aggression... but their lives are in danger due to the criminal bombing operations carried out by the enemy army," Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas's armed wing, said in a statement.

The Brigades on April 12 released a video showing Alexander alive, in which he criticised the Israeli government for failing to secure his release.

Alexander was serving as a soldier in an elite infantry unit on the Gaza border when Palestinian militants abducted him during their October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 58 remain in captivity in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that he believed "we can bring our hostages home without surrendering to Hamas's dictates", adding the military campaign in Gaza was "at a critical stage".

Israel resumed its intense air strikes and ground offensive across Gaza on March 18 amid disagreement over the next phase in a ceasefire that lasted two months.

Rejecting a new truce proposal, Hamas's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya on Thursday said the Islamist group sought a comprehensive deal including "halting the war" and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

An Israeli pullout and a "permanent end to the war" would also have occurred -- as outlined by then-US president Joe Biden -- under a second phase of the ceasefire that had begun on January 19 but later collapsed.

Since Israeli forces resumed their offensive, at least 1,783 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

On Saturday, Israel announced its first military fatality in the territory since the ceasefire's collapse.

Also on Saturday, the Al-Qassam Brigades released a video showing an Israeli hostage alive in Gaza.

Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum identified the hostage as Elkana Bohbot, who was abducted from a music festival during the October 7 attack.

In the footage, Bohbot is seen speaking in Hebrew into a landline telephone, urging a friend to take his wife to the White House to meet US President Donald Trump in an effort to secure his release.

It is the third such video of Bohbot, a Colombian-Israeli, since March 24.

The hostage forum released a statement from his family who were "shocked and devastated" after the video release.

"We are extremely concerned about Elkana's physical and mental condition -- everyone can see it," the family said.

Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night in a regular ritual calling for a deal for the hostages' release, a stance reiterated by the forum, which accused Netanyahu of having "no plan" for securing the captives' freedom.

"There is one clear, feasible, and urgent solution that can be achieved now: reach a deal that will bring everyone home -- even if it means stopping the fighting," the hostage forum said in a statement.

Hamas's October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,281 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, while Israel's military offensive since then has killed at least 51,157 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to data from both sides.
An Israeli military report on the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza admitted Sunday that mistakes led to their deaths and that a field commander would be dismissed.

But a probe found no evidence of "indiscriminate fire" by troops and maintained that some of those killed were militants. The Palestine Red Crescent denounced the report as "full of lies".

The medics and other rescue workers were killed when responding to distress calls near the southern Gaza city of Rafah early on March 23, days into Israel's renewed offensive in the Hamas-run territory.

The incident drew international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from UN human rights commissioner Volker Turk.

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders and a failure to fully report the incident," a summary of the investigation said.

Reserve Major General Yoav Har-Even, who led the investigation, accepted that troops had committed an error.

"We're saying it was a mistake. We don't think it's a daily mistake," he told journalists when asked if he thought the incident represented a pervasive issue within the Israeli military.

Those killed included eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defence rescue agency and one employee of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

Their bodies were found about a week later, buried in the sand alongside their crushed vehicles in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan area.

OCHA described it as a mass grave.

Younis al-Khatib, president of the Palestine Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has said an autopsy of the victims revealed that "all the martyrs were shot in the upper part of their bodies, with the intent to kill".

The military rejected his accusation.

"The examination found no evidence to support claims of execution or that of any of the deceased were bound before or after the shooting," the probe said, amid allegations that some of the bodies had been found handcuffed.

"The troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them," it said, adding that six of the 15 were "identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists".

It had earlier said nine of those killed were militants.

"The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," the probe added, without providing evidence that six of the men were militants.

Har-Even acknowledged that no weapons were found on the dead men.

The Palestine Red Crescent rejected the investigation findings.

"The report is full of lies. It is invalid and unacceptable, as it justifies the killing and shifts responsibility to a personal error in the field command when the truth is quite different," spokesperson Nebal Farsakh told AFP.

After the incident, the army said its soldiers had fired on "terrorists" approaching them in "suspicious vehicles". A spokesman later added that the vehicles had their lights off.

But a video recovered from the cellphone of one slain aid worker, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account.

The footage shows ambulances travelling with their headlights on and emergency lights flashing.

The military acknowledged an operational failure by its forces to fully report the incident, but reiterated earlier statements that Israeli troops buried the bodies and vehicles "to prevent further harm".

"There was no attempt to conceal the event," it said.

"We don't lie," military spokesman Effie Defrin said on Sunday.

The Red Crescent's Farsakh, however, said her organisation was denied access to the site for five days.

The military said a deputy commander "will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander in this incident and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

The military said there were three shooting incidents in the area on that day.

In the first, soldiers shot at what they believed to be a Hamas vehicle.

In the second, around an hour later, troops fired "on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances", the military said.

"The deputy battalion commander assessed the vehicles as employed by Hamas forces, who arrived to assist the first vehicle's passengers. Under this impression and sense of threat, he ordered to open fire."

The third incident saw the troops firing at a UN vehicle "due to operational errors in breach of regulations", the military said.

The probe determined that the fire in the first two incidents resulted from an "operational misunderstanding by the troops".

The UN said in April that after the team of first responders was killed, other emergency and aid teams were hit one after another over several hours while searching for their missing colleagues.

Mundhir Abed, a medic from the Red Crescent Society who survived the attack, told AFP he was beaten and interrogated by Israeli troops.

Another medic also survived, with the military confirming Sunday he was in custody.

"Since the incident occurred by mistake, as the report claims, why does the occupation continue to detain the paramedic?" Farsakh asked, adding they were only informed he was being held days later by the Red Cross and that "the occupation has not yet clarified" where.
April 20, 2025: Since August 2024, Russian efforts to expel Ukrainian forces from Kursk province made steady progress. Russia was so desperate that they hired 15,000 North Korean troops. The Koreans fought bravely but took heavy casualties. Eventually there were only a few hundred Ukrainian troops holding out in an ancient monastery. Russian forces were pressing on against the Ukrainians in the monastery, eventually forcing them out and back into Ukraine.

While in Russia the Ukrainians captured two of the North Korean soldiers. This was not easy because the North Koreans had been ordered by their leaders back home to kill themselves rather than be captured. Many did so, to spare their families retribution from the North Korean government.

The Ukrainians told their North Korean prisoners that they would not be identified. This would keep their families safe. In return, the North Korean prisoners would submit to questioning about the North Korean military and life in North Korea. The two soldiers revealed that they were trained more thoroughly and intensively than the Russian soldiers they worked with in Ukraine.

The two prisoners knew little about the war before being sent to fight in it. They then discovered a new world outside the very confined and restricted lives they led in North Korea. There, young men are conscripted into the army at 18 and serve up to ten years. During that time most have little or no contact with their families. Home visits are allowed only when a parent dies.

Many North Korean soldiers in Ukraine were able to obtain cell phones (most likely by trading some of their equipment for cell phones with corrupt Russian supply sergeants) and enough understanding of Russian to use the phones. This was a shocking and revealing experience. The phones enabled them to find out about a world they didnt know existed. They were shocked to find out how different life was in prosperous and democratic South Korea. Saying that out loud in North Korea was a criminal offense that often resulted in a long and often fatal time in a labor camp. It is likely that any of these North Korean troops who return to North Korea will be put in prison camps for the rest of their lives.

Before sending the Russians mercenaries, North Korea had made a lot of money selling the Russians weapons and munitions. This included 300 short range ballistic missiles and many thousands of tons of other weapons and munitions. Russia offered to barter with the North Koreans, offering technical advice for missiles, nuclear weapons and the nuclear submarine North Korea is building.

This all began when Ukrainian forces made an unexpected raid into Russias Kursk province on August 2nd, 2024. By early 2025 the Ukrainian forces were still in Russia and the Russians had brought in three brigades of North Korean troops to join the effort to expel the Ukrainians. Russia paid a lot of money to the North Korean government for these brigades but the North Koreans suffered heavy casualties and failed to force the Ukrainians out of Russia.

Russian civilians in the Ukrainian occupation zone noticed the absence of Russian forces prior to the raid on Kursk. When the Ukrainians invaded, they captured several hundred soldiers as well as civilians working for the military. Most of these were subsequently used to get Ukrainian prisoners released. While the Russians responded to the prisoner swap offer, they were still not in a fighting mood. A Russian official showed up and blamed the local authorities for the Ukrainian success. At the same time he said Russian military assistance was on the way. After many months the local civilians still had not received any help from their government. In contrast the Ukrainian occupiers were friendly and did not prevent local civilians from leaving the occupied zone.

Previous to the August incursion, Ukrainian forces had advanced into Russia several times but withdrew before any Russian troops showed up. In most of those cases, there were no Russian soldiers nearby to oppose an incursion. The dwindling, from casualties and desertions, Russian forces are barely able to cover the thousand kilometer front line. Most of the fighting is going on in eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to gain ground in Luhansk and Donetsk provinces where the war began in 2014.

Heavy Russian losses in Ukraine since 2022 are one of the reasons Russia was unable to move many troops and armored vehicles towards Kursk. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not expect such a bold Ukrainian attack into Russia and had little to say publicly. Instead he went off on a planned visit to another part of Russia while a few troops were sent to block further Ukrainian advances. Russian media were ordered to report little or nothing about the incursion. The media did publish vague reports of something happening in Kursk province, and most Russians were more afraid of their own government than they were of Ukrainian troops inside Russia. Putin enacted laws that punished critics of his policies in Ukraine. A few Russians were sent to prison and that was sufficient to frighten most other Russian critics.

Meanwhile Putin has his own problems dealing with the invading Ukrainians. Three years of fighting in Ukraine have severely depleted the Russian armed forces. There were not enough troops available to block the Ukrainian advance in Kursk. This was what the Ukrainians expected because Ukrainian military intelligence has monitored Russian soldiers using cellphones and interviewed Russia prisoners. Ukraine knew that there were not many Russian troops left in Ukraine and Russian morale was low.

Russia has not resorted to extreme measures to motivate their soldiers. In World War II methods were used to motivate reluctant troops that Russian does not believe will work 80 years after World War II. During World War II Russia resorted to ancient traditions when deadly force was necessary to encourage reluctant Russian soldiers. In 2022 Russian officers were expected to use deadly force on their own troops in order to ensure obedience. This was often used during World War II. During some major offensives secret police personnel would be brought in to operate machine-guns behind the troops who were taking part in a major offensive. The secret police machine-gunners fired on any Russian troops leaving the front-line forces. Many nations consider desertion in the face of the enemy to be treason, but they dont usually execute the traitorous deserters on sight.

After 2022, Russians in Ukraine found that they could not get away with using secret police methods. The troops involved shot back, or first. This meant there was no motivation to get reluctant Russian troops to move forwards. After three years fighting in Ukraine, Russian troops are often unable to motivate themselves into attacking. Even defending Russian troops would sometimes flee. The Ukrainians in Kursk were taking advantage of that and Vladimir Putin was receiving bad news he did not want to deal with.

Until some overdue reforms are made, these flaws will not go away. The fighting in Ukraine reminded Russian military and political leaders that the long delay is already working on needed reforms so, they hope, that the next time Russian troops are in combat they perform better and perhaps even win. There have been several rounds of unsuccessful military reforms since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. One of the major causes of that collapse was their unaffordable and largely ineffective armed forces. In post-Soviet Russia there are far fewer restrictions on criticizing the military. Most Russians have a very negative attitude towards conscription and the reforms underway because of the Ukraine War disaster are typical of several previous efforts to remedy problems that continue to resist any fundamental change.
Clark Art Screens Free Pastoral on Paper Film Series

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  This April and May, the Clark Art Institute hosts a series of films celebrating the Pastoral on Paper exhibition, with films that introduce some kind of conflict into peaceful landscapes in the rural United States, France, and Ireland.

All films are free and screened in the Manton Research Center auditorium on select Thursdays at 6 pm.

April 24

Days of Heaven (1978)

After accidentally killing his foreman at a steelworks in Chicago, laborer Bill, (Richard Gere) goes westward to the Texas plains with his girlfriend, Abby (Brooke Adams), and younger sister (Linda Manz). Posing as siblings, the trio find work in the wheat fields. To escape their life of toil, Bill convinces Abby to marry a wealthy but dying farmer (Sam Shepard). The ensuing love triangle binds the three together as they circle around the idyllic landscape. The lonely beauty of Terrence Malicks film pays homage to the paintings of Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth. (Run time: 1 hour, 34 minutes)

May 15

The Quiet Man (1952)

Both an exemplary and a unique example of director John Ford's use of landscape, The Quiet Man longs for an unregainable past, for tradition and ceremony, and for the peace and escape of an idyllic country. Set in the 1920s, the film stars Fords muse, John Wayne, as Sean Thornton, a recently retired boxer who has travelled from America to his birthplace of Innisfree to lay claim to his family farm. (Run time: 2 hours, 9 minutes)

May 22

Jean de Florette (1988)

This engrossing epic of greed and deception is set amid the bucolic splendor of the Provence countryside. Gerard Depardieu gives one of his great performances as the hunchbacked city slicker Jean, who is determined to make a success of the farm he has inheritedunaware that his new neighbor Cesar (Yves Montand) and his nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil) have launched a ruthless scheme to take control of the land for themselves. (Run time: 2 hours)



Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.
CHP Welcomes David M. Pascual to Board of Directors

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.  Community Health Programs (CHP)announced the appointment of David M. Pascual, Lead Partner at Studio Investments, as the newest member of its Board of Directors.

David brings a blend of expertise from his career as a retail, consumer brands, and technology sector leader.

David's executive experience as CEO, CTO, and CFO provides CHP with a unique perspective as it continues to seek innovative ways to better meet the community's healthcare and social service needs.

David holds an M.S. in Telecommunications Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He is passionate about job creation, nonprofit organizations, innovation, and technology-driven solutions. He brings a global perspective shaped by his extensive international experience. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, David has been a part-time resident of Stockbridge for decades.

"David's skillset, professional experience and community mindset make him a welcome addition to our Board," said Brian Drake, CHP

Board Member. "We are thrilled to have his insights and experience as we continue to serve and improve the health and well-being of our Berkshire community."
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Fans of Joe Wrights 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice have Emma Thompson to thank for one of its most memorable lines.

The big screen version of Jane Austens classic novel, which starred Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Darcy, is about to return to cinemas to mark its 20th anniversary.

To celebrate the films milestone birthday, Wright, who has since directed films such as Atonement, Anna Karenina and Darkest Hour, revealed how Thompson played a key role in creating one of the most loved moments in the script.

Midway through the film, Elizabeth discovers that her close friend Charlotte Lucas (Claudie Blakley) has accepted a marriage proposal from Mr Collins (Tom Hollander), the cringe-worthy curate who Elizabeth has previously rejected herself.

Defending her decision, Charlotte tells Elizabeth: Im 27 years old. Ive no money and no prospects. Im already a burden to my parents, and Im frightened.

She then warns Elizabeth not to judge her for opting for a stable, albeit loveless, marriage rather than chasing romance.

open image in gallery Charlotte Lucas' speech about her decision to marry for stability, not love, has become a fan favourite ( Focus Features )

In the years since the films release, the line has become a meme for fans of the adaptation, with many suggesting that it inadvertently captures the sense of dislocation felt by some millennial and Gen Z viewers.

In an interview with Mashable, Wright revealed that he and screenwriter Deborah Moggach approached Thompson, who had previously won an Oscar for her adaptation of Austens Sense and Sensibility, for some assistance with a little bit of the dialogue.

Deborah Moggach wrote the screenplay and did an amazing, amazing job, and then we asked Emma Thompson to help with a little bit of the dialogue, Wright explained.

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And I went round to her house, very nervous, with my little briefcase, and we walked up onto Hampstead Heath onto a hill. And she said, Sit down, take out your notebook and take notes.

open image in gallery Emma Thompson previously won an Oscar for her adaptation of Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility' ( Getty Images )

Then, Wright said, as she improvised scenes, [he] wrote them down. One of those scenes was Charlottes speech.

And I remember her just coming out with those lines and me scribbling them down, he said. And her ending with, Dont judge me, Lizzy, dont you dare judge me.

Wright revealed that he ended up almost crying at what Thompson had just miraculously come up with, and said that the scene continues to resonate with viewers because theres a truth to it all.

Pride and Prejudice will return to UK cinemas next week.
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George Clooneys latest hairstyle has sparked bemused reactions from fans.

Viewers noticed the change when the Oceans Eleven star sat down with US journalist Jake Tapper on 16 April to discuss the op-ed he wrote for The New York Times last year titled: I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee.

Although the conversation was about politics, viewers were distracted by the 63-year-olds new hair, which was notably dyed dark drown.

The Argo Oscar-winner has long worn his hair slicked back and grey, earning him a silver fox title among fans.

Screenshots from the CNN interview quickly went viral on social media, where fans questioned the reasoning behind his decision, with one person writing on Twitter/X: Very game show host-ey.

Another joked: First day at my new job dyeing George Clooneys hair, howd I do yall?

Clooney has good reason to back up his controversial style choice, though, given that he dyed his hair for his Broadway debut.

The actor is currently starring as American broadcaster Edward R Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck, based on the 1954 film of the same name.

First day at my new job dyeing George Clooneys hair, howd I do yall? https://t.co/ayU26Z8OsL  Viggie Smalls (@Viggie_Smalls93) April 17, 2025

For what its worth, Clooney is not a big fan of his new look either. He told Tapper: Its horrible. The only good news is that I can walk in the streets of New York and nobody recognises me. Its the craziest thing.

Speaking about his wifes reaction, Clooney said Amal Clooney hates it.

"Ive had this hair going for a bit and I hate it, he said. My wife hates it. She says, its not a good look on you.

During the interview, Clooney  a lifelong Democrat  discussed an op-ed he wrote last year in which he argued that then-President Joe Biden should drop out of the presidential race.

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In that context, Clooney spoke about the relevance of his play in todays political climate.

EEUU-ELECCIONES-BIDEN-CELEBRIDADES ( AP )

Speaking about his character, an American broadcast journalist and war correspondent who rose to fame as a radio host during World War II, the actor emphasised Murrows commitment to truth and journalisms role in preserving democracy.

"It doesnt matter what political bend you are on - when you hear things like, you know, We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and a conviction depends on evidence and due process of law, and we will not walk in fear of one another, he said.

We wont be driven by fear into an age of unreason, I think those are extraordinarily powerful words for who we are at our best.
April 20, 2025: In February there was a series of Palestinian bombings and attempted bombings directed at Israeli transportation systems, namely the buses that carry Israelis and Palestinians throughout the country. Someone, presumably Palestinian terrorists, planted bombs on three Israeli buses, which then exploded. There were no casualties. Israeli police and security forces conducted a search of other buses and trains and two additional bombs were found and deactivated. The Israeli Defense Forces or IDF was instructed to search the Palestinian West Bank for the usual suspects and speak with informants about the bus bombing. Israeli bomb technicians reported that all five bombs were virtually identical, indicating one bomb maker. Police searched for that person but were unable to locate the suspect.

This is yet another chapter in the troubles between Israel and their Palestinian neighbors. The two groups have never agreed on how to establish an independent Palestinian state. None of these proposals address the Palestinian demands that Israel must be destroyed before there can be peace. This violence has been going on even before Israel was founded in 1948.

As of 2025, the fighting continues with no end in sight. The February bus bombings were just another example of Palestinian resistance. Elsewhere, Israel has been more successful. Lebanon and Syria were hostile towards Israel until 2024 when Syria had an unexpected change of government with HST, a former Islamic terrorist group, and its charismatic leader conquering Syria in a week. The Assads, which had been ruling Syria for over fifty years, fled to Russia, along with the remaining Russian troops in Syria. Iranian forces were also expelled.

Iran helped found and long supported the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah. This group dominated southern Lebanon and parts of Syria for decades. In 2024 an Israeli effort to destroy Hezbollah partially succeeded. This victory took nearly a decade to plan. It will take years, if not longer for Hezbollah to be reconstituted. That may not happen because the new HTS government in Syria wants peace with Israel and peace in Lebanon. Israeli is still in southern Lebanon rooting out all the elements who want to attack Israeli and keep the Lebanese government out of the way, Israel will ask for an official or unofficial peace deal with Lebanon over the last sixty years groups of local and imported Islamic terrorists or opportunistic political groups have kept southern Lebanon in chaos. The Israelis recently eliminated a significant part of the causes of that chaos and are waiting for the Lebanese government and the Hezbollah remnants to cooperate in a new peace deal with Israel. Hezbollah, for ideological reasons, will not deal directly with Israel.

If Lebanon made a deal, as they have done in the past, they might be able to force Hezbollah to go along or be expelled. That depends entirely on Lebanons Christian and Sunni Arab factions cooperating, which is not at all certain. Theres no nearby refuge for Hezbollah, which has also lost access to its longtime patron Iran. Often forgotten is the fact that Israel has made peace with some of its neighbors. Egypt and Jordan were the first in 1978 and 1994. Now there are negotiations for peace with Lebanon and Syria.

Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza are still the two Palestinian governments that disagree on many issues. Fatah and Hamas agree that Israel must be destroyed and Jews expelled from the region before there can be peace. In the meantime, Hamas and Fatah both encourage violence against Israelis and Palestinian civilians.

Outsiders like the Saudis, EU and World Bank dismiss or trivialize the realities that Israel faces from Palestinian violence. They also assume that Hamas and Fatah can prevent their radical factions from violently disrupting any outside peace efforts. Some foreign donor nations, especially Moslem nations, are aware of the reality of the situation but keep silent. Contradicting the Saudis, EU and World Bank by pointing out the reality of the situation is ignored. What cannot be ignored by Israel is the growing Palestinian violence.

In 2023 there was more violence in the West Bank that required Israel forces to deal with. At first it was armed Palestinian groups fighting each other for dominance while organizing attacks on Israelis or in Israel itself. This led to a degree of fighting in the West Bank not seen since 2021, and might become the start of a new Palestinian offensive or intifada. This would be the third one. The first lasted from 1987 to 1993 while the second one was from 2000 to 2005.

Israel defeated the 2000 Intifada terror campaign by 2005. But as long as Palestinians had free access to Israel, the Fatah Palestinian government urged and encouraged Palestinians to attempt attacks inside Israel. The Israelis responded with tighter border controls which kept the terrorist threat low in Israel. Fatah insisted they had a right to keep trying to kill Israelis and, for over a decade, Arab and Western nations kept providing aid to the West Bank and Gaza despite the fact that more and more of it was used to support and encourage more terrorism against Israel. Some Palestinian leaders tried to describe the violence as an effort to defend Islam. The Palestinians were not very religious and their violence against Israelis was justified by their belief that Israel must be destroyed and Israelis driven from the region.

There were other problems, mainly involving corruption. This has led more donor states, Moslem and non-Moslem, to openly complain of Fatah misuse of aid money. Fatah denied it and continued their corrupt ways. The donors cut their aid, often to nothing. It was not just the Fatah support of terrorism but the growing Fatah corruption which meant a lot of the aid was stolen to enrich Fatah leaders. Palestinians also opposed the Fatah policy and Fatah was forced to tolerate more and more Palestinians renouncing terror to pass the background check and work in Israel. West Bank Palestinian jobs in Israel have become a crucial part of the West Bank economy, even more so than they were back in 2000. Palestinians were barred from those jobs for nearly a year after the Hamas October 2023 attacks against Israelis. Over 100,000 Palestinians depend on those jobs because the 20,000 0r so working in Israel have dependents who are destitute without that income.

The post-2000 ban on Palestinian workers was unpopular with many Israeli employers, but the threat was so great that Israeli employers had to pay more to import and hire non-Moslem foreigners for as long as there was a threat that Palestinian workers were likely to try and kill Israelis. Both Israel and the former or potential Palestinian workers knew that a growing number of those Palestinian workers could be trusted to work in Israel. Those who violated that trust faced prison or worse if they played any part in an attack. Anyone associated with these untrustworthy Palestinians had a more difficult time getting permits to work in Israel. The growth in the number of trustworthy Palestinian workers was something neither Israel nor Fatah wanted to publicize lest the Islamic radicals declare war on Palestinians working or seeking to work in Israel. This might trigger a civil war in the West Bank, something Fatah did not want but the radicals were less opposed to. There are Palestinian factions that believe chaos in the West Bank would spread to Israel and weaken Israeli power. This is a minority belief that ignores the Israeli ability to organize effective responses to Palestinian violence. Life inside Israel is peaceful. Most Palestinians wish they had a similar situation, and they would be correct if not for the endless supply of radical factions insisting violence is the solution.

For example, Hamas does not care about any form of collateral damage from forcing Palestinians working in Israel to cooperate with terrorists. Most Palestinians recognize that Hamas is committed to attacking Israel, which is why Hamas has had a hard time gaining political traction in the West Bank. Palestinians know that Hamas policies produce more poverty and casualties for Palestinians. The only thing that got Hamas control of Gaza during the last Palestinian elections in 2007 was the belief that Hamas would be less corrupt than Fatah. That was true in 2007 but became less so ever since. Hamas forbids working in Israel and punishes anyone who protested about Hamas corruption.

West Bank violence between Palestinians and Israelis living in the many Jewish settlements has been on the increase for over a decade. The upsurge in violence is the result of the Palestinian leadership calling for another intifada uprising in 2013. This was a side-effect of the rebellion in Syria and the 2011 Arab Spring revolutions in general. While some Palestinian leaders call for another intifada uprising, most Palestinians, especially those over 30, fear the economic consequences of that and warn the pro-intifada radicals that there is not a lot of popular support for another round of violence. Israel has shown they know how to handle this at little cost to themselves and great cost to the Palestinians.

All this is complicated by persistent American efforts to achieve a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinian peace talks never made much progress. The talks were held at the insistence of the U.S., which threatened to cut aid if the talks did not happen. American leaders are aware of Palestinian attitudes on peace with Israel but the U.S. still assumes that a peace deal is possible if you keep trying. For years Palestinian leaders have agreed to give peace talks a chance approach when speaking to Western leaders and reporters, but they then turn around and tell their followers that, of course, Israel must be destroyed and that there is no other solution.

For most Western leaders the disunity, corruption and general chaos within the Palestinian community is seen as a larger problem than a peace deal. That may be true, but without a positive attitude towards a peace deal, there wont be any peace. Despite all this, for over a decade many Palestinians have been talking about a Third Intifada as if more civil disorder will change anything. Peace is not on the agenda. Most Israelis and Americans agree. Even without a new intifada, casual violence in the West Bank kept increasing. This usually takes the form of young men throwing stones at Israeli soldiers or civilians. Israeli women and children are the preferred targets because they are the least likely to shoot back. Palestinian propaganda praises those who kill children just as much as those who killed soldiers or police. All are heroes of the Palestinian struggle to destroy Israel. This is becoming embarrassing for some Western nations when it was pointed out that their aid money was being used directly for some of this propaganda and to reward terrorists and the families of dead or imprisoned terrorists.

The recent West Bank violence was the result of Israeli security forces shutting down a major Palestinian effort to recruit, train and arm hundreds of Palestinians to carry out attacks against Israelis living in the West Bank as well as in Jerusalem and Israel in general. The Palestinian terrorism operation was real as Israeli troops encountered armed resistance as they approached locations where weapons and munitions were stored, and newly recruited Palestinians were trained and armed. These operations were shut down, but only after fighting between Israeli troops and armed Palestinians. Once the fighting is over the weapons and munitions are disposed of and the Israeli troops withdraw, taking Palestinian suspects with them. Israeli troops are wounded and at least one has been killed in these operations. This sort of thing had not been seen in the West Bank since 2002. Until recently Palestinian security forces kept the peace in the West Bank. The current growth of terrorist activity in the West Bank can be attributed to Gaza-based and Iran-supported terror group Hamas. There have been increasing Hamas efforts to establish operations in the West Bank. Most West Bank Palestinians want no part of this because similar activity in Gaza has brought nothing but poverty and trouble to the Palestinians living there.

The disruptive impact of small groups of radicals is a long tradition in the Middle East, especially after Islam was introduced over a thousand years ago. Islam is the only major religion whose scripture mandates continuous violence against non-believers, who are called infidels. The Islamic scriptures make it clear that the mere existence of infidels is a threat to Islam and these infidels must be attacked, no matter what the cost. Most Moslems ignore this aspect of their religion, at the risk of being declared a heretic if conservative Moslems near them decide to get violent and go jihad and make war on any Infidels within reach.

Many Moslems, including Gulf oil state Arab governments are openly seeking a way to reform Islam and eliminate this flaw which has been crippling Islam and killing Moslems for over a thousand years. This is a serious effort and one reason for making peace with Israel. The Islamic militants in Gaza and the West Bank oppose efforts to give peace a chance.
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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, director Joe Wright has shed some light on Mr Darcys iconic hand flex scene.

Wrights romantic-drama, which returns to cinemas to mark the milestone anniversary, stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennett and Matthew Mafadyen as Mr Darcy.

The famous moment occurs in the early stages of their budding romance, with Elizabeth preparing to leave Netherfield after spending weeks nursing her sister Jane (Rosamund Pike) back to health.

When the carriage arrives to take her home, Mr Darcy gives her his hand to help her into it. The camera lingers on their hands and as he walks away, the camera zooms in on his hand, which he flexes as if to shake off the intense moment.

The so-called hand flex has caused a stir on social media where fans of the film praised the moment as a perfect encapsulation of Mr Darcys repressed feelings at the time.

Focus Features, the production company behind the film, is now selling merchandise of the hand flex, including T-shirts and badges, to commemorate the milestone anniversary.

In a new interview with People, Wright  who also directed films including Darkest Hour (2017) and The Woman in the Window (2021)  confirmed that the moment would not have happened without Macfadyens improvisation.

It wasnt in the script, but that was an important moment in the book, Wright said. This sudden realisation, as they were parting, of what they meant to each other or the kind of disturbance they caused in each other.

the fact that pride and prejudice was released 18 years ago and they still ask matthew macfadyen about mr darcy and the hand flex https://t.co/LRDQPfTnxE pic.twitter.com/kTU4eeKrxn  sandra (@folkausten) July 24, 2024

Wright went on to explain that the moment shows that while Mr Darcy physically recognises his feelings for Elizabeth, his mind has not caught up yet.

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Our bodies are so much smarter than our minds often. Although their conscious minds are fighting against each other, their bodies are two magnets drawn to each other, Wright said. As they touch, even that little hand lifting helping her, which is pure etiquette of the period, somehow creates this kind of electronic shock wave through them both, and he has to shake it away.

In another interview with The New York Times for a piece solely focused on the hand flex, Wright said he has been humbled by the reception because it feels like its taken on a life of its own.

Emma Thompson improvised an iconic line from the film ( Getty Images / Focus Features )

Elsewhere, Wright revealed to Mashable the origins of another beloved moment  the line spoken by Charlottes character, in which she says: Im 27 years old. Ive no money and no prospects. Im already a burden to my parents, and Im frightened.

Wright revealed that he and screenwriter Deborah Moggach approached Emma Thompson, who had previously won an Oscar for her adaptation of Austens Sense and Sensibility, for some assistance with a little bit of the dialogue, which gave birth to the now iconic line.

Pride and Prejudice will return to UK cinemas next week.
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Nicola Coughlan has hit out at the forthcoming HBO adaptation of Harry Potter, saying she wouldnt touch it with a 10 ft pole.

The high-profile show announced the first of its cast last week, including the actors playing iconic characters such as Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Professor McGonagall.

Confirmed to star in the series so far are John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Nick Frost, and Paapa Esseidu.

One actor who will certainly not be joining the line-up is Coughlan, 38, who has been vocal in her criticism of JK Rowling who wrote the books that the franchise is based on.

Rowling, who has been criticised for her views regarding the transgender community, has been especially outspoken following the UK Supreme Courts ruling on the rights of trans women, which determined that transgender women could be excluded from definitions of woman under the Equality Act 2010.

Meanwhile, the Bridgerton star raised over 100,000 for trans charity Not A Phase in response to the judgment, saying she was disgusted and completely horrified by the decision.

Rowling has celebrated in the days following the ruling, prompting Coughlan to reshare an article headlined: This is a new low for JK Rowling.

The Irish actor captioned the post: Keep your new Harry Potter lads. Wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.

In an Instagram video posted after the ruling, Coughlan said: To see an already marginalised community being further attacked, and attacked in law, is stomach-churning and disgusting, and to see people celebrate it is more stomach-churning and disgusting.

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Keep your new Harry Potter lads said the actor ( Getty )

Nows the time to speak up and make your voice heard, she said.

Let your trans, non-binary friends and the community at large know that youre there for them and will keep fighting for them.

HBO has sternly addressed criticism of the adaptation after backlash for Rowlings involvement in the show.

In a statement given to Variety in November last year, a spokesperson for HBO said: We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter  the heartwarming books that speak to the power of friendship, resolve and acceptance.

JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.

In recent years, Rowling has faced a backlash from several key cast members of the original franchise after her controversial remarks about the trans community in 2020. Her relationship with these stars, as well as Harry Potter fans, have deteriorated amid the increasingly toxic debate.

Last month, Rowling appeared to take a swipe at original Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint on social media.

The writer, who once stated she would rather go to jail than refer to a trans person by their preferred pronouns, previously said she would not forgive the actors for criticising her opinions, telling them to save their apologies  and she has renewed hostilities with the trio once again on social media.

On Tuesday (18 March), when Rowling was asked: What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you? she responded: Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.

While the author added laughing-face emojis to indicate humour, the post has been widely interpreted as being aimed at Radcliffe, Watson and Grint.
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Eleven people, including three children and seven from the same family, died from a building collapse in a neighbourhood in north-east Delhi in the early hours of Saturday.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Delhi Fire Services were seen working alongside locals to rescue individuals trapped under the collapsed four-storey building.

CCTV footage from a nearby building captured the collapse that occurred around 3 am local time on Saturday, leading to a thick cloud of dust filling the street.

It felt like an earthquake. The floor shook beneath us, and before we could understand anything, everything was covered in dust, one resident, who lives in the adjacent building, told Indian news agency PTI.

We thought maybe something hit our house, but when we looked out, the entire building next to us had turned to rubble, he said.

Police say 22 people were inside the building at the time of the incident.

open image in gallery National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel carry a person on a stretcher after extracting them from the rubble ( EPA )

open image in gallery National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel extract an infant victim from the rubble ( EPA )

Eleven others who were injured were reportedly rushed to a local hospital after they were pulled out of the rubble.

open image in gallery People gather at the site of a collapsed building ( REUTERS )

The buildings owner, Tehseen (60), and six members of his family, including his son, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren, were among the 11 deceased.

One of Tehseens other sons  Aas Mohammad  was reportedly killed in the 2020 Delhi riots.

Others who lost their lives in the building collapse include brothers Danish (23) and Naved (17), as well as Reshma (38) and Ishaq (75), officials said.

open image in gallery National Disaster Response Force personnel and volunteers carry out rescue work ( AP )

The Delhi municipal corporation said in a statement that the building was 20 years old and not structurally stable.

open image in gallery Emergency personnel use a crane to remove a slab at the site of collapsed building ( REUTERS )

The buildings ground floor reportedly housed four shops, while families lived on the three floors above.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to those who lost their lives in the incident. Saddened by the loss of lives due to a building collapse in Dayalpur area of North East Delhi. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones, he said in a post on X.

The Indian prime minister announced an ex gratia of INR 200,000 ( 1,765) to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000 ( 441), he said.
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Incarcerating prisoners serving abolished indefinite jail terms described as psychological torture cost British taxpayers 145m last year, The Independent can reveal.

Analysis of official data lays bare the staggering cost of detaining more than 2,600 inmates still trapped on Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) jail terms, which have left prisoners languishing for decades  including for minor crimes.

This is on top of an estimated 1.6bn spent keeping IPP prisoners behind bars in the first 10 financial years since the cruel jail term was scrapped due to human rights concerns.

Experts have said it is fundamentally wrong and farcical that the government is continuing to spend hundreds of millions each year locking up prisoners on a sentence branded inhumane by the UN, while resisting calls to resentence them.

Shocking cases highlighted by The Independent include Leroy Douglas , who has served almost 20 years for stealing a mobile phone; James Lawrence , 38, who is still in prison 18 years after he was handed an eight-month jail term; and Abdullahi Suleman , 41, who is still inside 19 years after he was jailed for a laptop robbery.

Yusuf Ali was left emaciated after spending 61 days on hunger strike over his IPP jail term.

open image in gallery Clockwise from top: Leroy Douglas, Luke Ings, Liam Bennett, Wayne Williams, Abdullahi Suleman, Yusuf Ali, James Lawrence and Thomas White are all trapped on IPP sentences ( Samantha Ings/Margaret White/Mandy Lawrence/Jacqueline Ali /Handout )

At an average cost of 53,801 per prisoner, according to Ministry of Justice figures published this month, the state forked out an estimated 145,773,810 keeping these offenders in prison in 2024, while thousands of others were released after serving just 40 per cent of their jail term to ease overcrowding.

The controversial open-ended jail terms were introduced in a bid to be tough on crime in 2005. They were scrapped in 2012 due to human rights concerns, but not retrospectively, leaving those already jailed trapped until they can prove they are safe for release.

All but eight prisoners serving the sentence are now over-tariff, with almost 700 having now served at least 10 years longer than their minimum term.

Analysis of previous IPP prison populations and the average annual prices of housing prisoners shows costs spiralled to an estimated 1,620,790,062 in the first 10 financial years since the sentence was abolished.

open image in gallery Dr Alice Jill Edwards, the UNs special rapporteur on torture, has described IPP jail term as psychological torture ( UN Human Rights Council screengrab )

In the case of Thomas White , who was handed an IPP term for robbing a mobile just months before the sentence was axed, the state has likely spent over a half a million pounds keeping him locked up for 13 years, despite receiving a two-year tariff.

The 42-year-old has developed severe mental health problems  which a psychologist has blamed on the hopeless jail term  and last summer set himself alight in his cell as he lost hope of being freed. His heartbroken family are waiting to find out if he will finally be moved to hospital for psychiatric treatment.

His sister Clara said: Half a million pounds spent to mentally torture him  where is the rehabilitation? Hes ended up with a lifetime mental illness.

At least 94 IPP prisoners have taken their own lives in custody, according to campaigners, in what has been called an industrial-scale miscarriage of justice.

Successive governments have refused to re-sentence IPP offenders , despite calls from the justice committee and the UN special rapporteur on torture.

open image in gallery It is estimated that keeping IPP prisoner Thomas White in jail has cost in excess of 500,000 ( Margaret White )

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has allocated no dedicated funding to the refreshed IPP Action Plan, which is supposed to help IPP prisoners progress to release.

A spokesperson for campaign group United Group for Reform of IPP (UNGRIPP) said the damage done to those serving IPP sentences is irreversible.

The fact that alongside this damage, an extortionate amount of money is being spent to keep people in prison  potentially forever  is farcical, they added. If this money was spent on resentencing those on an IPP and supporting them back into the community, billions of pounds would be saved.

Reformed IPP prisoner Marc Conway, who was one of the heroes of the Fishmongers Hall terror attack, said it was fundamentally wrong that taxpayers cash is being spent keeping vulnerable prisoners locked up when they are years over tariff.

That money could be spent on getting people in the community and getting them help, he told The Independent.

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, accused ministers of having their priorities all wrong.

open image in gallery Marc Conway was among bystanders who helped to disarm terrorist Usman Khan on London Bridge before he was shot by police ( Supplied )

Its pretty shocking that successive governments have spent hundreds of millions a year on imprisoning people under a sentence the United Nations has described as a form of torture, he said.

The government is spending more each year on keeping these unjust sentences in place than they are on supporting the installation of solar panels on schools, hospitals and community facilities.

Labour peer Lord Anthony Woodley said the public would be shocked to learn that the government is ploughing so much money into the unjust jail terms.

The British public don't like injustice or wasting taxpayers' money, he told The Independent.

We should always remember that behind these numbers are real people, fellow citizens, who continue to be beaten down and wronged by the awful IPP sentence. I call on the government to resentence them now.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: This government will always put public safety first. It is right that IPP sentences were abolished, but those remaining in custody are there because the independent Parole Board has determined they are too dangerous for release.

The Lord Chancellor is working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure appropriate action is taken to support those still serving these sentences, such as improved access to mental health support and rehabilitation programmes, to help them reduce their risk.
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A British Airways crew member was found dead in a hotel room during a layover in the United States.

Distraught crew members cancelled the flight back to the UK after his body was discovered at the crews hotel in San Francisco on Tuesday.

The alarm was raised when the popular steward failed to turn up for the return flight to Heathrow 48 hours after arrival in the city.

The pilots left for San Francisco airport without him, while cabin crew and inflight managers waited for him in reception. When he failed to arrive, they were escorted to his room, where his body was thought to have lain undiscovered for two days. The cause of his death is now being investigated.

The flight was cancelled, disrupting the travel plans of passengers, who were accommodated in hotels before being booked onto a replacement flight.

A source told The Sun: There was no way the flight back from San Francisco could go ahead. Staff were in absolute bits at the sudden loss of their friend. The steward was a popular member of the team and this came as a bolt from the blue.

British Airways confirmed that the man was a member of the crew. In a statement to The Independent the airline said: Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of our colleague at this difficult time.
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Forty years after its cinematic debut in Back to the Future, the DeLorean DMC-12, famed for its gull-wing doors and brushed stainless steel exterior, remains a rare sight on UK roads. New figures reveal just 303 of these iconic vehicles are still registered in the country, a testament to their enduring appeal and collector status.

Originally manufactured in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland, in 1981, around 9,000 DeLorean DMC-12s were produced. Their unique design and subsequent Hollywood fame have transformed them into highly sought-after automotive treasures. The limited number remaining on UK roads underscores their rarity and the dedication of their owners to preserving a piece of cinematic and automotive history.

The company collapsed into insolvency the following year.

Some 303 DeLoreans are taxed for use on public roads in the UK, according to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency figures obtained by online auction platform Collecting Cars.

A further 114 have a statutory off-road notification, meaning they are likely to be gathering dust in garages.

Collecting Cars estimates a fully restored version could fetch more than 80,000 at auction.

It has sold just two DeLoreans since it began trading in 2019.

The most recent sold for 56,000 in 2022.

Collecting Cars chief executive Edward Lovett said: The DeLorean is an icon of pop culture which is still turning heads after all these years.

A combination of their scarcity and the Back to the Future phenomenon has pushed prices higher than people might imagine.

open image in gallery DeLorean cars feature gullwing doors (Ian West/PA)

Back in 1981, the sticker price was around 18,000, making it more expensive than a Porsche 911.

Today, a fully restored model treated to a film car replica conversion could attract bids in excess of 80,000.

Back to the Future  which opened in cinemas in the summer of 1985  catapulted DeLoreans into the public consciousness.

In the film, eccentric scientist Dr Emmett Doc Brown creates a time machine from a modified DeLorean, using plutonium to power a fictional gadget called a flux capacitor, which allows time travel once the car reaches 88mph.

Where were going, we dont need roads is a popular Doc Brown quote from the film.
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The King and Queen attended the traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle alongside other members of the royal family  though the Prince and Princess of Wales were notably absent.

Charles and Camilla smiled at members of the public who waited for their arrival at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle.

The King and Queen were joined by the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and other members of the royal family.

Camilla was presented with flowers before she and Charles walked over to members of the public and briefly greeted some of them.

open image in gallery The King and Queen Camilla, leave after attending the Easter Mattins service ( PA Wire )

However, William and Kate decided not to join the royals for the traditional easter Sunday service as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk.

Prince William told the King of his intention to miss the service, to "enjoy some extended time as a family over Easter", a source told The Mirror.

"They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school", the source added.

The couple missed the annual service last year after Kate was diagnosed with cancer. She is now in remission and slowly returning to public duties.

William and Kate have a country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate.

open image in gallery The Duke of York shakes hands with the Dean of Windsor during the Easter service ( PA Wire )

In a video last year revealing the princess had completed her chemotherapy, the family were shown enjoying the Norfolk countryside, walking through woods and playing on the beach.

Kate has previously said she has a spiritual connection with nature which gives her peace in a busy world, and how the natural world was her familys sanctuary over the past year.

Attending the service on Sunday was the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their son James  the Earl of Wessex, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

They were applauded by members of the crowd as they left.

open image in gallery The Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales spent time in Norfolk with family, instead of attending the Easter service ( PA Wire )

Andrew, the Duke of York also attended, with the Princess Royal, his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York and Annes husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

A member of the gathered crowd shouted Happy Easter, sir to Andrew as he left St Georges Chapel after the service.

He glanced at them before walking off with his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, who smiled and waved at well-wishers.
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If a general election were held today, Reform UK would be on course to win the most seats, but no party would be close to an overall majority, a new poll suggests.

Nigel Farages party would win 180 seats, with the Tories and Labour on 165 seats each, according to the More in Common survey of 16,000 voters. Sir Keir Starmers party would achieve an even worse result than it sustained under Jeremy Corbyn in 2019, losing 246 seats, the modelling claims.

Surveys conducted years away from a general election are unlikely to represent anything close to its result, because there is no way of predicting what the most important issues will be come polling day. Reform currently has just four MPs, having already lost one of the five elected last year.

But More in Common director Luke Tryl said the survey shows that British politics has fragmented to an unprecedented level.

open image in gallery Nigel Farages Reform would have the largest number of seats  but no majority, the poll says ( PA Wire )

The pollster warned that Sir Keirs general election coalition has splintered right and left, with 10 cabinet ministers predicted to lose their seats as a result and major losses expected in the so-called red wall, Scotland, and the South Wales valleys.

Among those who could lose their seats include deputy PM Angela Rayner, home secretary Yvette Cooper, defence secretary John Healey, energy secretary Ed Miliband, and health secretary Wes Streeting, the poll suggests.

With just weeks before Reform faces its first major test since Julys election, the poll, however speculative, will be a boost to Mr Farages ambitions.

open image in gallery The poll suggests Labour would fare even worse under Keir Starmer than under Jeremy Corbyn in 2019 ( PA Wire )

Nigel Farages Reform UK emerge as the biggest winners of this parliament so far, with our model suggesting they could well become the largest party in parliament, something almost unthinkable a year ago, Mr Tryl said.

Though the party remains a long way from being able to secure a majority, it is clear Reforms momentum is real, and the question is whether their new level of support represents the start of a path to government or a ceiling that Farages polarising brand finds hard to overcome.

Labour, meanwhile, having secured a historic victory, now find themselves on the wrong side of a disillusioned electorate frustrated at the slow pace of change and some of the governments early missteps.

open image in gallery Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner would lose their seats if an election were held tomorrow, the poll claims ( PA Wire )

More in Commons constituency-level poll also put Reform on course to narrowly take the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, following the departure of its former Labour MP Mike Amesbury after he punched a constituent.

Professors Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher warned that Labour has had one of the shortest political honeymoons and that it will struggle to hold off Reform in Runcorn.
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Emmanuel Macron is set to be granted a state visit before Donald Trumps expected trip in September, as Britain seeks closer ties with Europe under the Labour government.

The French president has reportedly received an invitation from the King to travel to the UK at the end of May, eight years after taking office. Few government and royal officials know the details of the engagement, which would be Mr Macrons first state visit to Britain, according to the Sunday Times.

It comes after the US leader suggested Buckingham Palace was setting a date for September for him to meet Charles when asked about reports that he was expecting to fly to the UK at the end of summer.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly insisted he does not need to choose between pursuing a closer relationship with Europe and strengthening US-UK trade.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will travel to Washington next week for meetings of the International Monetary Fund and is expected to speak with counterparts about the prospect of a wider economic agreement to mitigate the impact of Mr Trumps sweeping 10 per cent tariffs on all goods entering America.

open image in gallery Minister have also said Britain must look at co-ordinating better across Europe, including France, to protect its economy. Pictured are Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron. ( PA Wire )

However, ministers have also said Britain must look at co-ordinating better across Europe to protect its economy.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir and Mr Macron have been cooperating closely on defence, with plans for an Anglo-French-led coalition of the willing to defend any potential peace deal in Ukraine.

Back in February, Sir Keir handed Mr Trump what he described at the time as a truly historic personal invitation from the King for a second state visit when he visited the White House.

open image in gallery Donald Trump praised King Charles as he revealed the date for his second UK state visit - but the UK will host a visit from the French president first

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office last week, Mr Trump said: Theyre going to do a second, as you know, a second fest  thats what it is: a fest, and its beautiful, and its the first time its ever happened to one person.

And the reason is we have two separate terms, and its an honour  Im a friend of Charles, I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William, we have really just a great respect for the family.

Downing Street declined to comment.
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Ed Miliband has hit out at Nigel Farage, accusing him of spreading nonsense and lies by appearing to blame the governments net zero policy for the crisis in the UK steel industry.

In a strong criticism of his political rivals ahead of next months local elections, the energy secretary claimed that both Reform UK and the Conservatives were willing to spread falsehoods to further their ideological agenda.

The cabinet minister also warned that if an anti-net zero agenda was followed, it would not only risk climate breakdown but forfeit the clean energy jobs of the future in Britain.

In an article for The Observer referring to price rises that began in 2022, the former Labour leader wrote: Our exposure to fossil fuels meant that, as those markets went into meltdown and prices rocketed, family, business and public finances were devastated.

The cost of living impacts caused back then still stalk families today.

open image in gallery Ed Miliband says Nigel Farage is spreading nonsense and lies ( Getty )

Following government action to take control of British Steel from its Chinese owners earlier this month, Reform leader Mr Farage accused Mr Miliband, whom he has repeatedly referred to as Red Ed, of pursuing net-zero lunacy.

He said efforts to cut carbon emissions have made it harder to source coal required to keep blast furnaces at the companys crisis-hit Scunthorpe plant running after supplies were shipped from abroad last week.

The government has said that a Cumbrian coal mine, which critics claim it could have used as a domestic source, would not have produced the kind of material that would have been suited to British Steel.

Were living through a period of net-zero lunacy, something that the Conservatives signed us up to, wrote into law and believed in, as if somehow it was their new religion, Mr Farage told a campaign event last week.

And this, of course, is now being followed by Red Ed, who is the high priest of this who was determined to cover our agricultural land in Chinese slave-labour made farms, solar farms, and to despoil as much of our coastline as he possibly can.

He has also said the UK should be self-sufficient in oil and gas.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage is accusing Ed Miliband of net-zero lunacy ( PA )

Climate groups argue that the North Sea is an ageing basin where extraction of fossil fuels is expensive.

Mr Miliband said that both Reform and the Conservatives would make up any old nonsense and lies to pursue their ideological agenda and that breaking free of reliance on overseas supplies is also a matter of national security.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to reaffirm his governments commitment to clean power at an International Energy Agency conference this week in London.

Meanwhile, Mr Farage, who wants to abandon the commitment to achieving net zero by 2050, told The Sun on Sunday : This could be the next Brexit  where parliament is so hopelessly out of touch with the country.

Since becoming Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch has also cast doubt on the 2050 target previously passed by her own party, saying she believes it is impossible without a serious drop in living standards or by bankrupting us.

MPs passed an emergency law last week allowing ministers to take control of British Steel to prevent the closure of its blast furnaces and potential widespread job losses after talks with its owners, Jingye, broke down.

The Labour administration has said nationalisation is the likely outcome for the company but stressed the importance of finding a private sector partner because of the scale of capital required for steel transformation.

Votes for a total of 1,641 council seats across 23 authorities in England will take place on 1 May.
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Nigel Farage and Reform UK have found themselves sitting proudly at the top of various opinion polls since the general election on 4 July last year.

The latest Techne UK tracker poll for The Independent showed the party to be in joint first place with Labour, on 24 per cent each, two points ahead of Kemi Badenochs Tories.

But on 1 May, Farage and co will face their first big electoral test  which will reveal if the polls are genuine, or whether, when it comes to the ballot box, voters are less inclined to put their cross by Reform.

It is fair to say that May Day is also a serious first test for Keir Starmer as prime minister, and for Badenoch as Tory leader, but it is Farage  more than any other political leader  whose credibility is riding on this set of elections.

While multiple wins across the country will confirm the status of Reform as a serious political threat to its rivals, victory will also bring serious challenges. There will be questions about Farages style of leadership, and whether his party can actually be one of government.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage is about to lead his party into a potentially game-changing set of elections ( PA )

What victory could look like for Reform

As things stand, they are the favourites to win the Runcorn and Helsby by-election  and if they fail to do so, it will raise serious doubts as to whether Reform is capable of making a significant breakthrough in a general election.

Added to that, the partys private polling suggests it will win at least three of the mayoralties, with Tory defector Andrea Jenkyns leading the way in Greater Lincolnshire, former boxer Luke Campbell in Hull and East Yorkshire, and Alexander Jones in Doncaster.

Furthermore, Brexit bad boy millionaire Arron Banks cannot be ruled out of winning the West of England mayoral race.

The party also seems to be on course to be the biggest in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. On a really good day, they could win a majority on one or two of those county councils.

Turnout is likely to amount to around a third of eligible voters, but if Reform cannot achieve a good result with a more motivated voter base, they will probably not be able to sweep to power in a 2029 general election.

open image in gallery Rupert Lowe is in a dispute with Farage ( AFP/Getty )

The shadow of Rupert Lowe

In March, Farage ruthlessly dispatched one of his five MPs, Rupert Lowe, following allegations of bullying and threats against the party chair Zia Yusuf.

The decision to suspend Lowe on the basis of those allegations, though, came just 48 hours after the Great Yarmouth MP had given an interview claiming that Reform was still just a party of protest and describing Farages leadership style as messianic.

It fed into allegations made by others who had been ditched by the party, such as former deputy leader Ben Habib, that Farage is unable to work as a team and it is all about him as an individual.

While it is true that Farages presence during the general election last year more than doubled the partys vote share from 7 per cent to 15 per cent, there seems to be little space for collaboration with others.

Farage has denied this. But it is about to be tested in county halls and mayoral offices across England.

open image in gallery Reform UKs Andrea Jenkyns is the partys candidate for mayor of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority ( PA )

How Reform could fall prey to Monty Python politics

The Tory peer and renowned pollster Robert Hayward has warned of the danger to Reform if it gains power in various parts of England, saying the result could be something akin to that famous scene in Monty Pythons Life of Brian.

The scene he referred to involves the eponymous hero Brians attempt to join the radical Peoples Front of Judea, with its members sitting around complaining about the splitters in the similarly named offshoots the Judean Peoples Front and the Judean Popular Peoples Front.

In other words, Hayward envisages the party splitting and fragmenting into different groups. He noted: We have seen it with previous versions of Farage-led parties. Especially with Ukip in Wales, and even more so in Norfolk. They quickly turned on one another and fell apart.

The Brexit Party infamously split just before the 2019 general election, with a number of defectors urging people to vote Conservative.

One of the observations to emerge from the Rupert Lowe episode was that Reform, like the Brexit Party and Ukip before it, attracts people who have a more individualistic and less collective approach to politics.

open image in gallery Millionaire Brexit-backing businessman Arron Banks could win the West of England mayoralty ( PA )

Personality clashes

Already there are reports that Yusuf  the much-criticised chair of Reform  and Farage want to try to run council groups remotely from the partys headquarters, deciding on group leaders and so forth.

We have already seen whole branches of Reform expelled for refusing to accept dictats from the centre, and for having the temerity to try to select their own candidates. But with an electoral mandate behind them, it is hard to see Reform councillors being easily bullied by the partys central leadership, especially when faced with the demands of local politics.

The would-be mayors could pose an even bigger problem. Campbell has gone rounds in the ring as a boxer, Jenkyns is no shrinking violet, and Banks will not be taking instructions from anybody. The possibility of personality clashes is very much on the cards once the warm glow of victory fades.

open image in gallery There are reports that Zia Yusuf, chair of Reform, and Farage want to run council groups from party HQ ( PA )

Candidate vetting problems

While the party has tried to professionalise its vetting procedures and eliminate the issues that undermined it in the general election last year  and have proved in the past to be a nightmare for Ukip and the Brexit Party  there are still problems in that regard.

The candidate for Runcorn, Sarah Pochin, would provide a much-needed female presence in the current boys club of Reform MPs, but has issues from her past, having been reprimanded previously for abusing her role as a magistrate.

The Independent recently revealed how another candidate accused the late Queen Elizabeth II of scrounging.

Who knows what personalities are set to emerge in council chambers around England after 1 May.

open image in gallery Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (left) with the partys mayoral candidate for Hull, Luke Campbell MBE ( PA )

Credibility as a party of power

In order to win a general election in 2029, and for Farage to achieve his ambition of being prime minister, the party will need to prove itself competent to govern should it win power. So there will be a lot of scrutiny of Reform mayors, and even more of councils led by Reform.

If they turn out to be disastrous, then Reforms credibility will be particularly vulnerable, because the magnifying glass will be on its members performance in office  something that has so far not been properly tested. If council groups fall apart, or the party ends up expelling people for refusing to take instructions from HQ, then the sense of chaos and incompetence will harm its future prospects.

Reform could fairly argue that the problems in Labour-led Birmingham, with its uncollected rubbish and giant rats, should harm Starmers prospects equally. But, unlike Reform, both Labour and the Tories have long histories of government to fall back on.

open image in gallery There is already a whispering campaign against Tory leader Kemi Badenoch ( PA )

Badenoch and Starmer not off the hook

The local elections are a first major test not just for Farage, but also for Badenoch as Tory leader and Starmer as prime minister. Unfortunately for Farage, the probable failure at the ballot box of the two main parties is, as Hayward puts it, largely baked in. Expectation management has long been in play.

The Tories are defending 940 seats from a previous election that delivered them an unusually high number of councillors, so they know they will lose hundreds this time round.

Labour is already in midterm blues territory. Both are likely to point to a low turnout making the results meaningless.

It may be, though, that Badenoch will struggle to survive beyond May 2026, with a whispering campaign already against her, suggestions that Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly could replace her, and no sign of a Tory revival.

But win or lose, it will be Farage whose credibility is most at stake from what transpires on, and after, 1 May.
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Reform UKs by-election candidate supported means testing the winter fuel payment despite Nigel Farage describing the policy as vindictive, it has emerged.

Sarah Pochin, who is standing to replace Mike Amesbury in Runcorn and Helsby, backed the principle of making sure those that are in need get that payment but that those that dont need it dont get it.

We have so much else we need to spend our money on, like sorting out the adult social care issue, Ms Pochin added in a newly resurfaced video from 2017 shared by the campaign group Reform UK Exposed.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage with Sarah Pochin, Reform UKs candidate for the Runcorn and Helsby by-election (PA) ( PA Wire )

She claimed 800,000 people living in Spain were at the time in receipt of the winter fuel payment.

Ms Pochin, whose social media accounts were deactivated after her selection as Reforms candidate for the by-election, has also reactivated accounts showing her past support for the Conservative Party.

On her Facebook, the Reform candidate has shared pictures of herself with former Conservative prime ministers Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and Theresa May.

After being contacted by The Independent about the pictures, access to Ms Pochins account was again restricted.

A Labour source said: It seems that for everything Nigel Farage's candidate has said during this election, her past as a Tory and all they're responsible for, comes back to haunt her. How can the people of Runcorn and Helsby trust a word she says?

Ms Pochins past support for a means-tested winter fuel payment is at odds with Mr Farage and Reforms fervent opposition to Labours decision to withdraw it from millions of pensioners.

Since Rachel Reeves announced the change in July, which restricted the payments to those already claiming pension credit, Mr Farage has described it as cruel, vindictive and cynical.

open image in gallery Ms Pochin backed the principle of means testing the payment ( Independent )

In September he boasted that all five Reform MPs voted to save the payment, saying: New statistics show that Labour took the Winter Fuel Allowance away from 30,109 pensioners in Clacton.

Reform will continue to campaign against this vindictive policy, he vowed.

The promise raises questions about Ms Pochins support for the principle of means testing the payment when she was a member of the Conservative Party.

Ms Pochin previously served as a Conservative councillor in Cheshire East, before standing as an independent and then joining Reform.

A Reform UK spokesman said: Sarah was expressing a personal view that those living abroad should not be eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance to ensure that those who require it do receive it.

Sarah and Reform UK are opposed to Labours cruel cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance.

The revelation comes just days before the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which will see both Reform and the Conservatives attempt to overturn Labours 15,000 vote majority in what is considered to be a safe seat for the party. The area has been held by Labour for more than 40 years.

The by-election was called after ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury resigned following his assault conviction for punching a constituent.
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Labour rebels are doubling down on their opposition to Sir Keir Starmers benefit cuts despite ministers planning to offer spending on child poverty as a trade-off to win their support.

Dozens of Labour MPs are expected to abstain or vote against the 4.8bn welfare cuts, announced in Rachel Reeves spring statement, when they come before parliament.

Ministers and party whips held talks with concerned Labour MPs last week, and opposition to the plans is reportedly hardening.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer said the welfare system as it exists is economically and morally indefensible ( PA )

In a bid to minimise the scale of a rebellion, which threatens to be the biggest against Sir Keirs government yet, the government is planning to publish its long-awaited strategy to tackle child poverty shortly before the crunch vote.

The strategy will contain additional money for poor parents of under-fives, The Observer reported, with work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall believed to be looking at plans to support young children without going as far as scrapping the controversial two-child benefit cap.

But Labour MPs reacted with fury to talk of a trade-off, with outspoken backbencher Rachael Maskell telling the paper: You cant compromise with a trade-off under which you say you will take more children from poor families out of poverty by placing more disabled people into poverty. That simply cannot be right.

The government really does need to start listening to MPs, civil society and the population at large because there is really widespread opposition to these policies.

open image in gallery Labour MP Rachael Maskell is an outspoken opponent of the cuts ( PA )

Another rebel, Neil Duncan-Jordan, said he could not support a compromise or trade-off, adding: There is not a hierarchy of need.

The whole policy is wrong. It goes without saying that if these benefit cuts go through, I will be toast in this seat.

Mr Duncan-Jordan is one of nearly 100 Labour MPs who have a majority smaller than the number of disabled people in their constituencies who could see their benefits cut.

Another factor contributing to the scale of the expected rebellion is the fact that MPs will be asked to vote before seeing an assessment of how many people will be encouraged into work by the welfare cuts  the stated aim of the changes.

An assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will accompany Ms Reeves second Budget as chancellor this autumn.

Sir Keir has defended the benefit cuts, describing the welfare system as it exists as unjustifiable economically and morally.

The PM said last month: The welfare system as its set up, it cant be defended on economic terms or moral terms.

Economically, the cost is going through the roof. So if we dont do anything, the cost of welfare is going to go to 70bn per year. Thats a third of the cost of the NHS.

Thats more than the Home Office and our prisons combined. So were making choices here.

He said that most people say to me that they want more police officers on the beat and a criminal justice system working effectively.

Weve set up a system that basically says, if you try the journey from where you are into work and anything goes wrong, youll probably end up in a worse position than when you started.

And so understandably, many people say, well, Im a bit scared about making that journey. Therefore, were baking in too many people not being able to get into work.
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Justice Samuel Alito has slammed the Supreme Court for acting literally in the middle of the night as he criticized his colleagues for temporarily blocking the deportation of a group of Venezuelans held in a Texas prison.

In an early Saturday morning brief order, the justices told the White House it could not remove the Venezuelans from the Bluebonnet Detention Center under the Alien Enemies Act until further order of this court.

Justices Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the majority opinion.

The Trump administration has accused the group of being gang members and wants to deport them under the 18th-century wartime law.

Justice Samuel Alito said there was dubious factual support for granting an emergency appeal ( REUTERS )

In the dissent, Alito wrote that there was dubious factual support for granting the emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union.

A detailed explanation of the order was not given by the courts majority.

It has previously said that the deportations could only go ahead after those being removed had a reasonable time to contest it.

Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law, Alito said in the dissent.

Alito continued that the decision by the court was unprecedented and had been hastily and prematurely granted.

He insisted that it was not clear that the court yet had jurisdiction with the case still playing out in lower courts.

Trump tells Fox he'd love to send 'homegrown criminals' to El Salvador

The only papers before this Court were those submitted by the applicants. The Court had not ordered or received a response by the Government regarding either the applicants factual allegations or any of the legal issues presented by the application. And the Court did not have the benefit of a Government response filed in any of the lower courts either, Alito said.

The high courts ruling came after lawyers for the migrants asked the Supreme Court on Friday to block what they believe to be an imminent new wave of deportations.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the Trump administration has the authority to deport migrants under the Aliens Enemies Act.

However, it also ordered that the government provide detainees an opportunity to contest their removals in court districts nearest to the detention centers where they are being held.

Dozens of the men have been told that they are going to be removed under the Alien Enemies Act imminently, lawyers with the ACLU wrote in a Friday court filing.
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Defense secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of an upcoming military strike against the Houthi group in Yemen in a second Signal chat, which included his own wife and brother, according to The New York Times.

The paper says details, including flight schedules for the warplanes involved, were shared in the group chat on March 15.

The claims follow shock revelations last month that the upcoming strike was discussed by senior administration figures, including Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on Signal, a commercial messaging up, instead of using the high-security communications systems available to them.

The story came to light because Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, had accidentally been added to the chat.

open image in gallery Hegseth is said to have included his wife, his brother and his lawyer on the group chat ( REUTERS )

The new reporting claims that Hegseths wife Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, was included on a second Signal group chat about the Yemen attack, along with his brother Phil.

Jennifer Rauchet has accompanied her husband on official trips and Phil Hegseth works for the Department of Defense, but it was not clear why either of them might have been included in the planning for the airstrikes.

The New York Times also reports that Pete Hegseths lawyer, Tim Parlatore, was included in the group chat. The paper cites four people with knowledge of the chat for its reporting.

A U.S. official declined to comment when approached by the newspaper as to whether Hegseth shared detailed attack plans, but said there was no national security breach.

open image in gallery Pete Hegseth reportedly added his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, into the Signal chat titled Defense | Team Huddle. ( AFP via Getty Images )

The truth is that there is an informal group chat that started before confirmation of his closest advisers, the official told the Times. Nothing classified was ever discussed on that chat.

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

Hegseth created the Signal group named Defense | Team Huddle and was reportedly posting in it approximately the same time he shared the same details in the Signal group created by Waltz, people familiar with the group chat told the Times.

The defense secretary also used his personal phone to access the Signal chat, according to the newspaper.

open image in gallery Rauchet and Hegseth at a military parade in Warsaw, Poland, in February ( Getty Images )

In the days before the Yemen attack, aides reportedly warned Hegseth not to use the Defense | Team Huddle group chat to discuss any sensitive operational details. He was also encouraged to move discussions from his personal device to his government phone. But Mr. Hegseth never made the transition, the Times notes, citing people familiar with the Signal chat.

The chat included Hegseths senior advisers, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, according to the Times, who were recently fired after being accused of leaking unauthorized information. The pair denied the accusations in a joint statement posted on social media over the weekend.

Other members of the chat, in addition to Hegseths wife and brother, were not officials with any apparent need to be given real-time information on details of the operation, according to the outlet.

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot who lost both legs while on combat duty in Iraq, and who now sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called for Hegseths resignation.

open image in gallery It also emerged last month that Hegseth brought his wife Jennifer to two meetings with foreign military officials where sensitive information was discussed, according to the Wall Street Journal. ( AFP via Getty Images )

How many times does Pete Hegseth need to leak classified intelligence before Donald Trump and Republicans understand that he isnt only a f***ing liar, he is a threat to our national security? Duckworth wrote in a post on X. Every day he stays in his job is another day our troops lives are endangered by his singular stupidity, Duckworth added. He must resign in disgrace.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on President Donald Trump to fire Hegseth. The details keep coming out. We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk, Schumer reacted in a post on X. But Trump is still too weak to fire him. Pete Hegseth must be fired.

The Defense Departments acting inspector general is currently investigating the original Signal chat that accidentally included Goldberg.

In a letter to Hegseth earlier this month, Steven Stebbins said he will review whether the defense secretary broke any rules regarding the sharing of classified information.

It is unclear whether Stebbins had already uncovered the reported second Signal chat before the Times published its report.

US Navy launches missiles from warship to hit Houthi targets in Yemen

Last month reports emerged that Hegseth brought his wife to two meetings with foreign military officials.

The Wall Street Journal reported that sensitive information was discussed in both meetings, one with U.K. officials and another with NATO defense ministers, according to multiple people who were either present or had knowledge of the discussions.

His wife was said to have been present at a March 6 meeting at the Pentagon with Britains Secretary of Defence John Healy and Admiral Tony Radakin, head of the U.K. armed forces.

Beyond the Signalgate scandal, Trump himself has repeatedly been accused of mishandling secret information. In 2023 he was criminally charged over thousands of secret papers found by the FBI at his home in Mar-a-Lago, some of them stacked up in a bathroom. Trump pleaded not guilty before the case was dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon. Although the then-special counsel Jack Smith appealed her decision, the case was wound down when Trump was re-elected as president in November 2024.

Months after taking office in his first term, Trump shared classified Israeli intelligence with the Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and the Russian ambassador to the U.S. at the time, Sergey Kislyak, during a meeting in the Oval Office. Amid uproar, Trump insisted he had every right to do so.

And in 2019, Trump tweeted a classified satellite image of a failed Iranian rocket launch to his millions of followers, which he argued was his absolute right.
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A former aide to Jill Biden has warned the former first lady and former President Joe Biden to stay out of politics for the sake of the Democratic Party.

Michael LaRosa, who served as Jill Bidens communications director, was critical of the former presidents decision to return to the public eye after he made a speech tearing into the Trump administration last week.

If they had advisers who had their hand on the pulse of the Democratic Party or national politics, they would have understood the intense level of anger or indifference to them that remains inside our party and isnt going away anytime soon, LaRosa said in a recent interview withThe Hill.

I love both Bidens dearly, but staff loyalty means there is a responsibility to provide them with an honest situational awareness, especially when it comes to their public image, no matter how hurtful it is to hear, LaRosa added.

open image in gallery A former aide of Jill Biden has warned the former first lady and Joe Biden to stay out of politics. Her former communications director, Michael LaRosa, made the candid comments in a recent interview ( Getty Images )

Joe Biden made his first public address Tuesday since he left the White House in January.

LaRosa said the timing of Bidens return was a lovely gift for the White House, as President Donald Trump was on the defense after heavy scrutiny over his escalating trade war.

Bidens reemergence, while it changed very little in the news cycle, provided a detour for the president to distract his cadre of supporters with Biden taunts and blame, giving Fox News nearly 48 hours of fresh new programming, taking editorial aim at the former president instead of the current one, LaRosa told the outlet.

Bidens popularity when he left office was low and the former president has not fared better in the most recent polling. His net favorability rating among Americans is -19 points compared to -6 for Trump, according to YouGov.

open image in gallery Biden spoke to the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disableds national conference last week in what was his public address since leaving office. He attacked Trump and Republicans over Social Security and Medicare ( AP )

Its a heartbreaking and tragic ending to their time in public life, but its also the truth, and they should index the political realities into their decision making, LaRosa said.

In a speech to the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disableds national conference last Tuesday, Biden warned about preserving Social Security from Republican attacks.

They want to wreck it, so they can rob it, he said. Biden also criticized Republicans for trying to cut not just Social Security, but Medicaid.

His address follows Democrats attempts to recover from their brutal election loss, where Republicans not only regained the White House but also control of the Senate.

YouGovs polling suggested that former president Barack Obama was the most popular well-known politician in the U.S., with a net favorability rating of +22. Other popular figures included independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders (+12) and Republican former housing secretary Ben Carson (+6). The least popular in the poll were former Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell (-45), former vice president Dick Cheney (-32), Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (-31) and former New York governor and New York City mayor hopeful Andrew Cuomo (-30).
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As Donald Trump nears the end of his first 100 days in office, he has issued a record-breaking high of 124 executive orders, while signing a record-breaking low of just five new bills into law, and caused concerns among constitutional scholars.

These orders are extraordinary, not just in their number, but in their breadth, said Rory Little, a law professor at the University of California- San Francisco said at a recent panel discussion. The current state of affairs can be characterized I think with no exaggeration as a crisis, a challenge to the rule of the law in the United States.

Others in the panel noted how many of Trumps executive orders have pushed into areas typically run by states. Trump has set records for both his executive order tally and how few bills he has received from Congress. Instead, he has governed by his signature and targeted immigration, tariffs, diversity programs, education and a host of other areas. He has taken pen to paper to reshape America in his image with little resistance or pushback.

While some may legitimately applaud the policy goals that underlie some of these actions, I hope we can all agree these policy goals should be pursued lawfully, lest we end up living in the type of system envisioned by the president, where he is the only law, fellow professor Jodi Short said.

Having signed only five bills means that Trump has signed fewer into law at this point in his presidency than any new president in the last 70 years, according to government records. He is followed by Joe Biden and George W Bush, who had each signed only seven apiece at the same juncture.

open image in gallery Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday after announcing a 90-day pause on tariffs for 'more than 75' nations. As the president nears the end of his first 100 days, he has issued a record-breaking high of 124 executive orders ( AP )

According to the records, at the same point in his first presidency, Trump had signed 24 bills into law. Prior to that, in 2009, Barack Obama had signed 11 bills into law at the 100-day mark, and during his presidency, in 1993, Bill Clinton had signed 21 bills.

Trumps bills so far have included three Congressional Review Act resolutions overturning Biden administration regulations, the Laken Riley Act and a stopgap funding bill needed to avoid a government shutdown. A bill is a legislative proposal that becomes a law after it is passed and signed by the president.

In contrast, within his first three months back in the White House, Trump has already signed 124 executive orders, closing in on the totals issued by some of his predecessors during their entire terms.

In total, Biden signed 162 executive orders, Obama signed 277, Bush signed 291, and Clinton signed 364, according to the Federal Register. Trump, in his first term signed 220.

An executive order is a written directive, signed by the president, that orders the government to take specific actions to ensure the laws be faithfully executed, according to the ACLU. Such orders do not need the approval of Congress, but are open to legal challenge.

Executive orders mean that, as president, Trump can essentially tell federal agencies how to interpret, implement or enforce a law  as long as it is within their constitutional authority, and do not violate any federal laws.

open image in gallery Having signed only five bills means that Trump has signed fewer into law at this point in his presidency than any new president for the last 70 years, according to government records ( REUTERS )

Trumps 124 executive orders have already prompted dozens of federal lawsuits, challenging the constitutionality of the orders and the extent to which they are being used.

Executive orders can be an effective way to carry out policy while staying within the rule of law, an ACLU briefing stated. However, as weve seen with the Trump administration, they can also cause chaos, damage the democratic process and harm our must vulnerable communities.

Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen called out the administration for acting illegally and unconstitutionally in ways that weaken our democratic institutions. Others have claimed that the actions risk prompting a constitutional crisis.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not in the country lawfully. It was challenged by multiple immigrants rights advocates, an expectant mother and several states, resulting it being blocked temporarily by several federal judges.

Two days later, on January 22, Trump signed an executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs at government agencies, and later another aimed at similar programs in the military. Following a challenge by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from terminating or changing federal contracts, considered to be equity-related.

Despite its battles in the courts, the Trump administration has doubled down on the authority of the president and his orders. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously claimed the judicial branch was behaving erroneously, after several judges blocked various orders

"I would like to point out that the judges in this country are acting erroneously," Leavitt said in a Wednesday news briefing. "We have judges who are acting as partisan activists from the bench." Leavitt previously insisted that the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch.

Yet Trumps critics continue to argue that the intense volume of his executive orders amounts to, at the very least, an overreach, and, at worst, an unconstitutional abuse of power.

Congress is supposed to have the purse, Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University, told PBS News in 2019. It's supposed to run the money. Donald Trump now is doing something unprecedented by grabbing the funding from Congress and reallocating it in his own  with his own whims.

As recently as Tuesday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order targeting the law firm Susman Godfrey, describing it as an unconstitutional personal vendetta.

Frankly, I think the Framers of our Constitution would see this as a shocking abuse of power, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan said.
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Former White House chief of staff and Republican Party chair Reince Priebus waved off a GOP senators concerns about threats from Donald Trump supporters as the consequence of disagreeing with a popular president on Sunday.

Priebus was interviewed on ABCs This Week and responded to recent comments from Lisa Murkowksi, a centrist Republican senator from Alaska. She has broken with the president on the floor of Congress numerous times, most notably in 2017 when she and two other Republicans voted to sink a GOP proposal that would have gutted the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Earlier this year, she also opposed the nomination of Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense.

Murkowski, in a discussion with local business and nonprofit leaders in Alaska, was reported by the Anchorage Daily News as fearing retaliation, presumably from Donald Trumps supporters, over speaking out about the sweeping cuts to federal agencies being pursued by the White Houses DOGE initiative.

We are all afraid, Murkowski said, according to the news outlet. Its quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. And Ill tell ya, Im oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And thats not right.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke recently about violent threats she has received after various instances of breaking with the Republican mainstream to oppose Donald Trump or his administration ( Getty Images )

Trumps former White House chief of staff, now an ABC News contributor, responded on Sunday by calling such retaliation the consequence of having a different opinion than a very popular president.

He went on to describe Murkowski as a senator who does nothing but win elections after a half-hearted condemnation of the rhetoric she has faced: Certainly, rhetoric should calm down. But ... if shes talking about the retribution of going against the president and suffering at the ballot box, well, that's the consequence of having a different opinion than a very popular president.

But Murkowski was probably not speaking merely of political retaliation in the form of a primary challenge, which she has very recently said she does not fear coming from Trump or his DOGE deputy, Elon Musk.

More likely, she was speaking about the actual threats of violence that she and other opponents of Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats alike, have faced from his supporters. She has been the target of multiple cases of violent threats that led to arrests since the January 6 attack on Congress in 2021.

The news site RawStory reported in 2018 that Murkowskis Facebook page was inundated with violent threats of rape and sexual abuse after she voted against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court that year.

Another female Republican senator who expressed reservations about Hegseths nomination earlier this year was also subject to violent threats, according to her Democratic colleague Tammy Duckworth.

"Joni Ernst received so many threats and attacks outright, you know, threatening her, saying that they would primary her all the way through to threats against her own security," Duckworth told MSNBC.
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The death toll from drowning incidents caused by giant waves battering Australias east coast has risen to six.

A fisherman who was swept off the rocky shore was pulled from the sea but could not be revived, New South Wales Police said on Sunday.

Since Friday, Australias east coast has been battered by giant waves triggered by Cyclone Tam. In New South Wales, five people have drowned and another remains missing. One person has also reportedly drowned in the state of Victoria, according to local reports.

The Australian weather bureau had warned that large waves could batter the coasts of New South Wales and southern Queensland from Thursday through Saturday, with conditions expected to ease on Sunday.

Some parts of New South Wales may continue to experience strong winds until midnight on Monday, the bureau said.

Hazardous Surf Warnings are in place, highlighting that conditions could be dangerous for coastal activities like swimming, boating and rock fishing, it said in a post on X on Friday.

open image in gallery A tourist enjoys a sunny morning at Tamarama Beach as large waves crash against a rock in Sydney ( AFP via Getty Images )

Rescue teams  including local police, the Marine Area Command, and non-profit organisations such as Surf Life Saving NSW  have been working to save those swept into the sea, as well as to recover and identify the bodies of those who drowned.

Several people, including a 14-year-old boy, have been pulled from the water and admitted to hospital, NSW Police said.

Volunteer lifesavers and ocean lifeguards have carried out more than 150 rescues since Good Friday, according to Surf Life Saving NSW chief Steven Pearce.

open image in gallery Surfer waits for a large wave on Bronte Beach in Sydney on 18 April 2025, amid powerful swells hitting Australia's east coast ( AFP via Getty Images )

It would be the worst Easter drowning toll that we have seen in New South Wales on our record, Mr Pearce told ABC News.

Just the combination of hot temperatures, a long weekend, hundreds of thousands of people going to the coastline and an enormous swell that has impacted the coastline up and down, he said.

open image in gallery Visitors watch large waves crash against a rock on Bronte Beach in Sydney ( AFP via Getty Images )

Police have urged witnesses to come forward with information about the circumstances surrounding the drowning incidents.

Large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as crossing bars by boat and rock fishing, NSW police said in a post on X.

If on the water in general, a reminder to wear a lifejacket and have all safety equipment. Check local weather and if in doubt, dont go! the police force warned.
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A woman has been arrested after a boy died having allegedly eaten a poisoned Easter egg delivered to his family.

Luis Fernando, 7, became sick after eating the chocolate and was rushed to hospital in Imperatriz in the state of Maranhao, Brazil on Thursday.

The child was intubated but died within hours of arriving as police investigate claims the eggs were sent by a jealous ex-girlfriend of his mothers new partner.

Right after her son was intubated, his mother Mirian Lira began to show symptoms of poisoning with her hands turning purple and difficulty breathing, according to Brazilian broadcaster G1. The mother and the boys 13-year-old sister remain in hospital in a serious condition, police said.

The boy became sick after the family received the gift-wrapped egg from a motorcycle courier, alongside the message: "With love, to Mirian Lira. Happy Easter".

open image in gallery The eggs and a note that was delivered alongside ( Civil Police of Maranhao )

Naiza Lira, an aunt of the victim, told G1: "When the egg arrived, there was no identification of who had sent it, just the note and they didn't say who it was from.

She [Miriam] only received the call, the voice was of a woman, asking if she had received [the Easter egg]. She said 'yes I did, who is it?'

And the woman on the phone replied 'You'll find out who it is and she hung up.

It came as Maranhao Civil Police announced they had made an arrest of a 35-year-old woman travelling on an interstate bus leaving Imperatriz to her hometown of Santa Ines.

They seized two wigs, which they believe the suspect used to disguise herself when buying the chocolate in a supermarket.

A spokesman said: The initial investigations point that jealousy and revenge may have been the motivation for the woman to poison chocolate and send it to her family, given that the suspect is the ex-girlfriend of the current partner of one of the victims.

The Maranhao Civil Police analysed images from security cameras of Emperatriz's commercial establishment, where the suspect appears, who was wearing a wig, buying chocolate.

With suspicion, the civil policemen seized two wigs, chocolate remains, medicines and bus tickets, one of them was bought last Monday (14), two days before the family received the order that was taken by a motor taxi driver.

Samples of the Easter eggs were sent to forensics for analysis alongside blood samples from the family to identify if any poison was used.
Since his election to office, we have seen US president Donald Trump make the personal the political in a spectacularly cruel way. Almost on a daily basis, he has carried out revenge against his political opponents. He signed an executive order stripping federal security clearance from law firms who previously worked against him. He cut military aid to Ukraine after Volodymyr Zelensky dared to contradict him in the White House. He also revoked the security detail for high-profile critics like General Mark A Milley, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris.

Trumps strategy of relentless political payback has triggered a pervasive fear in the American political and business universe which has led to self-censorship and an unwillingness to challenge.

Trump has put academics in his sights too, telling Columbia University that if they failed to place one of their academic departments into receivership they will lose $400m in federal funding. He has put Robert Kennedy Jnr, an anti-vaxxer who for years was sneered at by the scientific community, in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services. Trumps administration has since cut billions of dollars from the National Institutes of Health.

Matters have grown so drastic that, on 31 March, 1,900 leading researchers accused the Trump administration in an open letter of conducting a wholesale assault on US science.

In these contemporary times, attacks against experts are not isolated to the US. Similar campaigns can be seen in Russia, Turkey and Hungary. But history tells us that it doesnt take much imagination for political retribution to turn violent with terrible consequences. In 1989, Irans ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwah calling for the murder of the author Salman Rushdie.

Experts are often the first to be silenced by authoritarian figures, especially in the world of academia and science. I examine one of the most egregious examples of this in my latest book on Adolf Hitlers vendetta against the most famous scientist in the world: Albert Einstein. The Fuhrer would hunt down dissenters and mete out the most terrible retribution to his enemies in the worlds of politics, art and science, and Einstein would feel this to full effect.

By the time Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933, Albert Einstein had won the Nobel Prize and achieved stratospheric acclaim for his scientific breakthroughs, including the publication of the formula e=mc2.

That same year, a booklet was published in Germany entitled Juden sehen Dich an, or Jews Are Watching You. Sanctioned by Nazi propaganda chief Josef Goebbels, the booklet contained the biographies of some of Germanys best-known Jews, including two pages about and two photographs of Albert Einstein. After each name was printed the word Ungehangt, or Not yet hanged.

This was no idle threat.

open image in gallery Benito Mussolini shakes Adolf Hitlers hand during the latters visit to Italy in 1938 ( Alamy )

On 30 August 1933, the German-Jewish philosopher Theodor Lessing, another of those included in the aforementioned booklet, was shot dead by two Nazis at his apartment in Marienbad, Czechoslovakia (today Marianske Lazne in the Czech Republic). It was one of the first Nazi political assassinations to take place beyond Germanys borders.

Lessings murder was widely reported around the world, including by The New York Times, which carried the story on its front page, under the headline Lessing, German Refugee, Slain in Prague; Attacks on Others Abroad Are Feared.

A week after Lessings murder, Einstein learned that the Nazis had also put his name on a hit list. Newspapers across Europe carried front-page stories that Hitler wanted the scientist assassinated. One of those to report the story was the London-based Daily Tribune, whose headline proclaimed: Price Placed on Einsteins Head. They even gave a precise number. The assassination was worth 1,000. Today, that would be valued at more than 400,000.

open image in gallery Nina Einstein, wife of Alberts cousin Robert, with her two young daughters  all three were murdered ( Anna Maria Boldrini )

Fearing for his life, Einstein took a boat to England and stayed in East Anglia for a few days. Not wishing to appear afraid, he allowed photographers to take pictures of him in hiding, sitting in a chair reading a book with two men close by, rifles in their hands. He then took a boat with his wife Elsa to the US, and moved into a house in Princeton, New Jersey.

Over the next decade, Hitler repeatedly ordered reprisals against his enemies. In June 1934, he orchestrated a retaliatory attack on the SA (the Nazi paramilitary organisation) whose loyalty he questioned. This purge, later called the Night of the Long Knives, resulted in the execution of at least 80 people, including the leader of the SA, Ernst Rohm.

Ten years later, following an attempt on Hitlers life on 20 July 1944, he chose to exact an even bloodier revenge to teach his opponents a lesson they would not soon forget.

Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg led a plot with the support of many of his army colleagues. Hitler had him arrested and executed. He had Von Stauffenbergs brother Berthold, who was also involved in the plot, hanged. But the punishment went further. Stauffenbergs wife was deported to the Ravensbruck concentration camp, his children were interned in special homes and a number of his adult relatives were also arrested and deported. The family members of other conspirators were similarly punished.

open image in gallery Robert and Nina Einstein, both of whom paid the price for Alberts support of the US war effort ( Anna Maria Boldrini )

Since medieval times, the Germans had a word for hurting family members for an act or crime committed by one of their relatives, it was called Sippenhaft, or kin liability. Eleven years into power, Hitlers thirst for revenge remained unsatisfied.

Top of his list was still Albert Einstein. His hatred for the scientist had if anything become further inflamed since the had repeatedly attacked the Nazi regime in the American newspapers. To make matters worse, Einstein had very publicly raised money for the US war effort by selling his famous scientific manuscripts. And he was also lending his expertise to the US military.

Albert Einstein was now an ocean away from the SS and the Gestapo as he lived full-time in Princeton, New Jersey. His immediate family was also beyond the clutches of the Nazi regime. His wife Elsa, stepdaughter Margot, sister Maja and eldest son Hans Albert were all safely in America. And his first wife Mileva and second son Eduard were tucked away in Switzerland.

There was, however, one close family member left in Nazi-occupied Europe: Robert Einstein. Robert and Albert were first cousins. They had grown up together in Munich, Germany and had lived in the same house for 11 years. They were like brothers.

open image in gallery Nina, Lorenza, Paola, Cici, Seba and Luce in Perugia ( Anna Maria Boldrini )

Their fathers, Hermann and Jakob Einstein, had run a business together in Munich in the 1880s. They provided electrification to beer halls, town squares and cafes. It had gone well until they over-reached and, after losing a big contract, went bankrupt. The Einsteins moved to Milan and started again. But once more the company went bust. From then on, the two families went their separate ways. Hermann stayed in Milan while Jakob relocated to Genoa.

While Albert had moved to Germany, soon attracting a name for himself, Robert had remained in Italy where he had graduated as an engineer and married an Italian woman. Together with his two daughters and three nieces, he moved into a beautiful villa outside of Florence. There, they ran a country estate, filled with vines, olive trees and peach orchards.

Like his famous cousin, Robert was a man of science. But he was not well-known. The local priest knew where he lived, as did the shopkeepers and some of the nearby farmers. For the most part, he kept his head down and tended his estate. This is where he was living in August 1944 when the order was given high up in the Nazi command to track him down as a punishment for his cousins dissent.

Albert Einstein had caused great harm to the Nazi regime. If they couldnt kill the world-famous scientist, they would do the next best thing: they would go after his first cousin in Italy.

open image in gallery Thomas Harding says his book recounting the Nazi regimes vendetta against the Einsteins is a warning for today ( Penguin )

But when the heavily armed German unit arrived at his home on 3 August 1944, they could not find Robert Einstein. So they brutally murdered his wife and two daughters, Luce and Cici, instead.

A few weeks later, Albert received a letter informing him of his Italian familys tragedy. No records have survived as to how he reacted. We do know how his sister Maja responded. She lived with Albert at the time he received the news and she said it gave her nightmares and she felt broken.

This is the tale I recount in my book The Einstein Vendetta. It is a dark story of how political animosity can turn into personal revenge. It is a warning for today  a warning of what terror authoritarian regimes can bring if left unchecked.

Whether it is the death of Putins opponent Alexei Navalny, who died after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" Arctic penal colony where he was serving a three-decade sentence. Or the poisoning of the Skripals who nearly died after a novichok attack in 2018, being an enemy of the Russian president carries a mortal danger. Elsewhere, dissenters may not lose their lives, but we have already seen how they can lose their jobs and their freedom too.

Once this starts, it is extremely hard to stop the cycle of revenge. Retaliation can morph into violent retribution, and this is not limited to Russia. The stabbing of Salman Rushdie, multiple assassination attempts against Donald Trump and the insurrection in the US Capitol, are three recent examples. It is also why the hunting down of a family carrying the name Einstein should never be forgotten.

The Einstein Vendetta by Thomas Harding (Penguin Michael Joseph, 22) is out now. You can follow Thomas Harding on X/ Twitter @thomasharding
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The sister of a British man who died in a Spanish holiday resort town has spoken of her fears he could have been murdered.

Brett Dryden, 35, was found dead in his Almeria flat with a four-inch gash to his head. Spanish police initially explained the father-of-ones death as a pulmonary embolism or a blood clot.

Police later told his family that his home in the small town of Mojacar, Andalusia had been robbed and an investigation into what happened is still ongoing.

open image in gallery Mr Dryden was found in his flat with a wound to the head ( Supplied )

The father-of-ones body was discovered on July 22, five years after moving to the resort Costa Almeria to run a legal cannabis club called The Dawg House.

Mr Dryden was found lying on the floor facing upwards next to a living room window by friends who had arranged to meet him.

His sister Shannen Adams told The Independent: Its hell on earth. Each day is a struggle.

His daughter misses him hugely, she talks about her daddy all the time. Its awful, the worst pain imaginable.

open image in gallery Brett moved to the resort five years earlier ( Supplied )

I dont think we will ever be at peace, but knowing whoever did this and for them to be held accountable would bring us a little closure at least.

There isnt a day that goes by when I dont think of him. He would have moved mountains for any of his family and friends, I know if this were the other way around. He was the life and soul of our family.

We wont ever stop until we get justice for our beautiful Brett, she continued. I spoke to Brett two days before his death. He had only just got back to Spain after being home visiting us in the UK.

open image in gallery His family believe he was killed after he was found with a four-inch gash to his head ( Supplied )

His grieving mother, Sandra Adams from Chester-Le-Street in County Durham, had flown over to Spain on her late sons 36th birthday to speak to locals and police about the night he died.

Neighbours told his family that three men were spotted on CCTV fleeing the scene of the death.

His designer glasses, cash and watch were also missing, prompting fears Mr Dryden could have been killed in a botched robbery.

His mother also claims she received a silent call from her son's phone hours after medics say he was already dead.

After tracking the mobile, she found it was being turned on and off and pinging from different locations across Spain.

open image in gallery Mr Dryden's family held a memorial walk on the Costa Almeria the week of his birthday ( Supplied )

She has flown her sons body back to the UK to undergo more forensic testing but the results were inconclusive.

In February Ms Adams told The Mirror about what happened when the family first raised their suspicions about her sons death.

We rang the police and said, Theres footage of people going into Bretts house and running away. I flagged up all these things and that we think it was murder, she explained.

After that they called us in and said, We need you and your husband to take a step back and let us deal with it now.

The investigation into the death is still ongoing with the Guardia Civil yet to comment on it publicly. The Independent has contacted the force for comment.

A court spokesman previously said: The investigation hasnt been suspended or closed. It is still open and this incident remains under investigation.

"The court is waiting for the Civil Guard to complete their full report and present their conclusions. For the time being theres nothing more we can say."

To donate to the family fundraiser for legal fees click here.
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Journalist Ksenia Lutskina served only half of her eight-year prison sentence in Belarus after being convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the government. She was pardoned after she kept fainting in her cell from a brain tumor diagnosed during pretrial detention.

I was literally brought to the penal colony in a wheelchair, and I realized that journalism has really turned into a life-threatening profession in Belarus, she told The Associated Press in Vilnius, Lithuania, where she lives.

Lutskina was one of dozens of journalists imprisoned in Belarus, where many face beatings, poor medical care and the inability to contact lawyers or relatives, according to activists and former inmates. She compared the prisons to those from the Soviet era.

The group Reporters Without Borders says Belarus is Europes leading jailer of journalists. At least 40 are serving long prison sentences, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

Lutskina had quit her job making documentaries for Belarus' state broadcaster in 2020 when mass protests broke out after an election  widely denounced as fraudulent  kept authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in power. Trying to set up an alternative TV channel to fact-check government officials, she was arrested that year, put on trial and later convicted.

Other journalists fled the country of 9.5 million and operate from abroad. But many have had to curtail their work after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration cut off foreign aid, a vital source of funding for many independent media.

"Journalists are forced to face not only repressions within the country, but also the sudden withdrawal of U.S. aid, which puts many editorial offices on the brink of survival, BAJ chair Andrei Bastunets told AP.

The 2020 crackdown

Lukashenko's brutal crackdown after the disputed election led to over 65,000 arrests between 2020-25. Thousands told of being beaten by police, opposition figures were jailed or forced into exile, and hundreds of thousands fled abroad in fear.

More than 1,200 people behind bars in the nation of 9.5 million are recognized as political prisoners by Belarus' leading rights group, Viasna. Its founder, Nobel Prize Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski, is among them.

Independent journalists have been swept up too, with outlets closed or outlawed. Lukashenko, in power for over three decades, routinely calls them enemies of our state, and vows that those who fled won't be allowed to return.

The raids, arrests and abuse of journalists have been unceasing for five years, but now they have reached the point of absurdity," Bastunets said, noting that families of journalists are being threatened. Families of some targeted journalists have asked rights groups not to talk publicly about their cases for fear of further reprisal.

Every month brings new arrests and searches, with almost all independent media leaving Belarus. The crackdown even hits those who switch their focus to nonpolitical content.

In December, authorities arrested the entire editorial staff of the popular regional publication Intex-press, which covers local news in the city of Baranavichy. Seven journalists were charged with assisting extremist activity.

Extremism is the most common charge used to detain, fine and jail critically minded citizens. Even reading independent media that's been declared extremist can result in short-term arrest. Working with or subscribing to banned media is seen as assisting extremism, punishable by up to seven years in prison. Websites of such outlets are blocked.

According to Reporters Without Borders, 397 Belarusian journalists have been victims of what the group deems unjust arrests since 2020, with some detained multiple times.

At least 600 moved abroad, the group said. Even then, many still face pressure from authorities who can open cases against them in absentia, put them on international wanted lists, seize their property inside Belarus and target relatives in raids.

Reporters Without Borders filed a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court in January, accusing Belarusian authorities of crimes against humanity, citing torture, beatings, imprisonment, persecution and forced displacement of journalists.

Beatings and isolation behind bars

Katsiaryna Bakhvalava, a journalist for Belsat, a Polish-Belarusian independent TV channel, was arrested while covering the 2020 protests. Initially convicted of disrupting public order and sentenced to two years. she was put on trial for treason while in a penal colony and convicted, with her sentence extended to eight years and three months.

Her husband, political analyst Ihar Iliyash, was arrested in October 2024 on charges of discrediting Belarus and is jailed while awaiting trial.

Now 31, Bakhvalava, has been placed in a punishment isolation cell several times and in 2022 was beaten, according to a former inmate.

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, a former political prisoner who fled to Lithuania, told reporters she heard that four prison guards had beaten Bakhvalava, who was crying and asking for a doctor.

Andrzej Poczobut, a correspondent for the influential Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and a prominent figure in the Union of Poles in Belarus, was convicted of harming Belarus national security and sentenced to eight years, which he is serving in the Novopolotsk penal colony.

Poczobut, 52, suffers from a serious heart condition and was placed in solitary confinement several times, sometimes for stretches of up to six months, human rights activists said.

At the end of March, his stay in a punitive cell unit  the harshest form of incarceration  was extended for six months. Attempts by Warsaw to intervene have failed and Poczobut has refused to ask Lukashenko for a pardon.

Also imprisoned is Maryna Zolatava, editor of Tut.By  once the most popular online news outlet in Belarus but shut down by authorities in 2021. Zolatava was convicted in 2023 of incitement and distributing materials urging actions aimed at harming national security, and sentenced to 12 years.

Parallels with 1984

Lukashenko extended his rule for a seventh term in a January election that the opposition called a farce. Since July, he has pardoned over 250 people, seeking to improve ties with the West.

Belarusian analyst Valery Karbalevich said Lukashenko "views political prisoners as a commodity. He is cynically willing to sell journalists and activists to Europe and the United States in exchange for easing economic sanctions and thawing relations. And this process has already begun.

Shortly after Trump began his second term, Lukashenko released two U.S. citizens and a journalist from the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a U.S. government-funded news outlet. Two more RFE/RL journalists, Ihar Losik and Ihar Karnei, remain imprisoned and were forced to record repentant videos.

Freed journalist Andrey Kuznechyk, who spent three years in prison, left Belarus for Lithuania.

The first day after my release, I looked at the list of journalists behind bars and I was shocked by how much it had grown during my imprisonment, he told AP.

Lutskina, the journalist who also fled to Lithuania, brought her 14-year-old son with her, saying he must learn to distinguish truth from lies. They both have read George Orwells dystopian novel 1984, which was banned in Belarus, and are finding surprising parallels with her homeland.

Belarus has turned into a gray country under a gray sky, where people are afraid of everything and speak in whispers, she said.

Lutskina, who is being treated for the tumor that caused her fainting spells, said she actually felt less fear in prison than her fellow Belarusians outside it.

They walk around with their heads down, she said, afraid to raise their eyes and see the nightmare happening around them, she added.
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Pope Francis spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday in a private and brief meeting as the pontiff recovers from pneumonia.

Vance, a Catholic who has clashed with the pontiff over the Trump administration's immigration policies, met Francis at the Domus Santa Marta for a few minutes to exchange Easter greetings, the Vatican said.

His motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate and parked near Francis hotel residence while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St. Peters Square. Francis, who has greatly cut back his workload to recover, delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

Pope Francis had a brief private encounter ... lasting a few minutes, in order to exchange good wishes on Easter day," said the statement.

After Easter Mass, the pope later appeared in St. Peters Square to greet crowds in an open-air popemobile.

Vances office issued a brief statement confirming the meeting, but offered no further details.

open image in gallery The motorcade of U.S. Vice President JD Vance is seen en route to the Vatican ( Kenny Holston/Pool Photo via AP )

The vice president, who has been visiting Italy with his family this weekend, met with the Vatican secretary of state and the foreign minister for more formal talks on Saturday. The pope did not take part in those discussions.

In a statement on Saturday, the Vatican said Vance and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, had cordial talks that included an exchange of opinions concerning countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners.

The pope and Vatican officials have criticised several of the policies of President Donald Trumps administration, including his plans to deport millions of migrants from the U.S. and his widespread cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programmes.

open image in gallery From left, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, his daughter Mirabel, his wife Usha, and their sons Ewan and Vivek ( Vatican Media via AP, HO )

Francis has called the immigration crackdown a disgrace. Vance, who became Catholic in 2019, has cited medieval-era Catholic teaching to justify the policy.

The pope rebutted the theological concept Vance used to defend the crackdown in an unusual open letter to the U.S. Catholic bishops about the Trump administration in February, and called Trumps plan a major crisis for the United States.

Vance has acknowledged Francis criticism but has said he would continue to defend his views. While he had criticised Francis on social media in the past, Vance has recently posted prayers for Francis recovery.

He attended Good Friday services in St. Peters Basilica after meeting with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni earlier in the week.
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Vladimir Putins unilateral ceasefire declaration  a bid to use Easter as a propaganda tool  was a deliberate waste of time intended to shift attention away from the Russian presidents original sin.

That sin  better understood as an international crime that led to more crimes against humanity  was the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, and the 2022 attempt at a full-scale Anschluss, along with the mass murder and deliberate targeting of civilians that followed.

Of course, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, has been quick to point out that Putin immediately ignored his own declaration.

The total number of violations by the Russian army of Russias own ceasefire promise throughout the day [Sunday] reached 2,935, Zelensky said.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed that there have been 444 shooting attacks by Ukraine since Kyiv said it would also observe the ceasefire.

The real issue here is that Putin has got us all talking about who violated what, and in relation to which ceasefire: Ukraine had agreed to another one, brokered by the US, which Russia also agreed to but didnt sign up for as the Kremlin wanted some tweaks.

open image in gallery Vladimir Putin has a history of breaking ceasefires, as Ukraine has repeatedly pointed out ( Reuters )

The ceasefire of 30 hours offered by Putin over Easter should be extended in recognition of the earlier non-agreement to observe a 30-day US-brokered ceasefire, Keir Starmer and others have said. The vain hope is that a down-weapons agreement can be parlayed into a longer-term peace deal.

But Putin has amassed close to 70,000 troops on Ukraines northern border, and may soon launch a renewed assault to carve away (at least) the chunks of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces that Russia has already captured. He might equally use those forces to have a go at Kharkiv, Ukraines second city, a half-hour drive from the border with Russia.

Any ceasefire now gives Russian forces time to resupply and reposition. Meanwhile, Putin has tried to sucker America, where secretary of state Marco Rubio has said the US might walk away in a matter of days from Donald Trumps efforts to secure peace.

Performative frustrations on the part of Trump and his administration over Russias real-world rejection of ceasefire terms can be bent into a new narrative, after the Easter ceasefire, that Ukraine has also been intransigent.

open image in gallery Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Putin of breaching the truce numerous times ( EPA )

The Trump administration is firmly on Russias side when it comes to the peace talks. So a sudden offer from the Kremlin of a unilateral ceasefire will have been welcomed by the White House, and is part of the duet Putin and Trump are playing. Trump pretends to be frustrated with Putin, Putin strokes away the irritation with a gesture that has no material effect on the war he started, but which Trump blames on Joe Biden, Nato, Europe, Zelensky  anyone and anything other than Putin.

Trump and Putin are holding the discussions in the space they have created  where they centre on how much of Ukraine Russia will get, and how much of Ukraines resources America will extract.

Ukraine wants future talks about ending the war to focus on how to get Russia out of its territory. Europes main concerns are protecting Ukraine and developing the military capacity to scare Putin away from his oft-spoken desire to force former Soviet-sphere nations in Eastern Europe back into Russias portfolio.

Thats much harder to focus on if, as Putin and Trump want, diplomatic and political effort is diverted into quibbles over fake ceasefires rather than winning the war against Russia.
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Ukrainians gathered together to mark Easter, with little faith in the possibility of a ceasefire with Russia as both sides accused the other of breaking a temporary truce.

Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral 30-hour ceasefire from Saturday evening to midnight on Easter Sunday, citing humanitarian reasons.

But Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Mr Putin of pretending to observe the truce while carrying out hundreds of artillery attacks on Saturday night, followed by more on Sunday.

Late on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said there had been 1,882 cases of Russian shelling, 812 of which involved heavy weaponry, according to his commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage," Mr Zelensky posted on social media.

open image in gallery An elderly woman prepares her Easter baskets to be blessed during celebration of the Orthodox Easter in Krasne village, Ukraine, on Sunday ( AP )

"However, there were no air raid alerts today. Hence, this is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend," he said, proposing that Russia abandon drone and missile strikes on civilian targets for at least 30 days.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, however, said there was no order from Mr Putin to extend the ceasefire.

Also on Sunday, Russia's defence ministry claimed Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire more than a thousand times, inflicting damages to infrastructure and causing civilian deaths.

The ministry said Ukrainian forces had shot at Russian positions 444 times while it had counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks, including on Crimea and the Russian border areas of the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump, posting on social media just before the truce ended, said "hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week". The US president has been pushing for a deal for several weeks and on Friday threatened to walk away due to a lack of progress.

In northern Ukraine on Sunday, dozens of Ukrainian civilians gathered outside the ruins of a damaged church to mark Easter, casting doubt on a stop to the fighting with Russia.

In the village of Lukashivka in the Chernihiv region, briefly occupied by Russian forces in 2022, parishioners of the damaged Ascension Church arrived early at a small makeshift wooden church built last year to cater to the needs of the faithful, holding traditional Easter baskets and cakes to have them blessed.

open image in gallery Priest Serhii Zezul blesses Easter baskets in front of a church destroyed in fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces during celebration of the Orthodox Easter in Lukashivka village, Ukraine, on Sunday ( AP )

As the sun rose, they stood quietly in the spring chill, the roofless silhouette of the wrecked church behind them, its pale walls scarred by shell fragments. The church's priest Serhii Zezul walked among them, shouting Christ is risen! as he sprinkled holy water over the baskets  his voice nearly drowned out by the hum of a nearby generator.

More people than usual gathered in the damaged churchs courtyard on Sunday. Some said they drove from cities to Lukashivka to mark Easter, fearing Russian forces might target large gatherings, especially after a recent string of missile strikes killed dozens of civilians.

For 26 years, 44-year-old Olha Rudeno attended church in the nearby city of Chernihiv, where she got married. But given the war, it's psychologically difficult for me to go where there are large gatherings in cities, she said.

open image in gallery Believers attend a ceremony of blessing Easter cakes and traditional food baskets after the Easter service in front of the St Andrews Church in the town of Bucha, in the Kyiv region, on Sunday ( REUTERS )

Mr Rudeno does not think a ceasefire with Russia will happen. Believing in a ceasefire is deceiving yourself. I don't know how much time has to pass for me to truly believe one is possible, she said.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, believers attended a ceremony of blessing Easter cakes and traditional food baskets in the town of Bucha in the Kyiv region on Sunday. It followed an Easter service at the St Andrew's Church.

Ukrainians also prepared Easter baskets to be blessed during celebrations of the Orthodox Easter in Krasne village.

Others were seen being sprayed with holy water by an Orthodox priest during an Easter service in Chernihiv early in the morning.

open image in gallery Priests bless Easter baskets during celebration of the Orthodox Easter in Lviv, Ukraine, on Saturday ( AP )

On Saturday evening, priests were blessing Easter baskets and reading prayers during a celebration of the Orthodox Easter in Lviv, Ukraine.

Doubt of a truce between Russia and Ukraine has deepened as US-led efforts have so far yielded no breakthrough. Moscow has effectively rejected a separate, comprehensive ceasefire proposal, backed by Mr Trump and endorsed by Ukraine, tying any agreement to a halt in Kyiv's troop mobilisation and Western arms supplies  conditions Ukraine has refused, fearing they would allow Russia to regroup and escalate.

My personal opinion is that there will be no ceasefire, said Mr Zezul. And even if there is one, there are no details on where it would apply. On the frontline, our soldiers are still fighting.

Still, Mr Zezul said that celebrating Easter among ruins reflects the resilience of faith during war. Despite everything, people still gather. They believe in something better. We are being reborn, we are standing back up. Truth always triumphs over evil. People believe that, they hope for that.

open image in gallery Priests read a prayer during celebration of the Orthodox Easter in Lviv, Ukraine, on Saturday ( AP )

The restoration of the original Ascension Church in Lukashivka, a 20th-century architectural landmark, would require at least hundreds of thousands of dollars, money the community does not have as the war rages on.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, about 530 churches across Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed, and at least 25 clergy members have been killed, according to Ruslan Khalikov, head of the Religion on Fire project, which monitors Russian war crimes against religious communities.

A destroyed church is a shattered soul of the community, Mr Zezul said. When churches fall, the heart and core that unite people begin to collapse.

open image in gallery A church destroyed in fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in Lukashivka village, Ukraine ( AP )

In his Easter message, Mr Zelensky reflected on suffering and the struggle to hold on to faith. Each of us has lived through such moments ... and you ask: God, why is this happening to us?

He also mentioned the deadly missile strike on Sumy during Palm Sunday, and the bombardments of Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, and other cities, saying people tend to turn inward when they cannot make sense of things.

Something invisible yet powerful within us doesn't let us give up. It shows us where to find the light, so we don't lose our way.
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Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed an Easter truce announced by Vladimir Putin on Saturday, saying Russian forces have continued with artillery fire.

Mr Putin ordered a 30-hour stop to military fire from 6pm Moscow time [GMT 1500] to midnight Moscow time on Sunday [GMT 2100], while warning Ukraine his troops would repel any violations of the truce.

His announcement, which came after US president Donald Trump warned of abandoning peace talks, was followed by accusations from Mr Zelensky that Russian soldiers were continuing to launch attacks.

Russian assault operations continue in some areas of the front and Russian artillery does not subside, Mr Zelensky wrote on social media on Saturday evening.

Later on Saturday night, in another social media post, Mr Zelensky, who said Kyiv would adhere to the truce, said attacks were continuing in the Kursk and Belgorod regions  both Russian areas where Ukrainian troops have crossed the border into.

open image in gallery Vladimir Putin declares unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine ( Reuters )

Hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist, wrote Mr Zelensky. Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leader's promise of silence. Russian drones are in use. In some areas, the situation has become quieter.

Earlier, Mr Zelensky said Kyiv would adhere to the truce, and said it would be ready to extending it beyond 20 April. He said that in March, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day immediate ceasefire after talks with the US, but it was rejected by Russia.

That proposal remained on the table, said Mr Zelensky, who wrote: Thirty hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance.

Responding to Mr Putin's announcement of a truce, Ukraine's foreign minister Andriy Sybiha said the Russian president cannot be trusted. "Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions, he wrote on social media.

The temporary truce was declared by Mr Putin at a meeting with his chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov. During the televised meeting, Mr Putin said: Based on humanitarian considerations... the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period.

open image in gallery Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will keep the peace ( AFP/Getty )

"We assume that Ukraine will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions."

In recent weeks, the US has been involved in direct talks with Russia and Ukraine over ending the war, which started when Russia launched an invasion in February 2022.

But patience appears to be running out for Mr Trump, who on Friday doubled down on Washingtons threats the US would abandon peace talks unless there were clear signs of progress.

He spoke shortly after secretary of state Marco Rubio warned the US may move on" from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal after months of efforts have failed to bring an end to the fighting.

Meanwhile, with the declaration of the 30-hour truce came the announcement from Russia and Ukraine that hundreds of prisoners were swapped on Saturday in the largest exchange since the war started.

Russias ministry of defence said that 246 Russian service members were returned from territory controlled by Kyiv and that, as a gesture of goodwill, 31 wounded Ukrainian prisoners of war were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers in need of urgent medical care.

Mr Zelensky said that 277 Ukrainian warriors have returned home from Russian captivity.

Earlier on Saturday, before the truce was announced, Russia said its soldiers had pushed Ukrainian forces from one of their last remaining footholds in Russia's Kursk region. Russian forces took control of the village of Oleshnya on the border with Ukraine, the ministry said.
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The Israeli military has admitted professional failures and breaches of orders over the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza last month.

An investigation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into the incident on 23 March found the deaths of the aid workers were a result of an operational misunderstanding. A commanding officer is to be reprimanded and a deputy commander to be dismissed, the military said.

The International Red Cross/Red Crescent called it the deadliest attack on its personnel in eight years. Eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers and a UN employee were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on emergency vehicles in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Footage showed the convoy of vehicles, with lights flashing and logos visible, pulling up to help an ambulance that had come under fire earlier  before the vehicles came under a barrage of gunfire that lasted more than five minutes.

Israel first claimed the medics' vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire but later backtracked after the footage emerged from a dead medics phone.

The Israeli militarys investigation found the deputy battalion commander assessed that the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants due to poor night visibility.

open image in gallery Footage obtained from the incident shows the ambulances, with lights flashing and logos visible ( Palestinian Red Crescent Society via AP )

The soldiers then bulldozed over the bodies along with their vehicles, burying them in a mass grave before they were later discovered by officials from the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society had claimed the killed medics were targeted at close range. Night-vision drone footage provided by the military shows soldiers were 20 to 30 metres away from the ambulances.

The Israel initially said nine of the 15 medics were Hamas militants. But as part of its investigation, the military now says, without providing evidence, that six of them were "Hamas terrorists". Hamas has rejected the accusation.

open image in gallery The bodies were found a week later by officials from the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent ( AP )

The investigation also found that the decision to crush the ambulances was wrong, but said that it was not an attempt to conceal the event.

Major General Yoav Har-Even, in charge of the militarys investigative branch, said the bodies and vehicles were removed from the road because the military wanted to use it for an evacuation route later that day.

No paramedic was armed and no weapons were found in any vehicle, Maj Gen Har-Even said.

The examination found no evidence to support claims of execution or that any of the deceased were bound before or after the shooting," the report said.

Israel said a deputy commander would be dismissed for providing an "incomplete and inaccurate report" of the incident.

open image in gallery A UN staffer, eight Red Crescent personnel and six Civil Defense workers were killed in the shooting by Israeli troops ( AP )

The statement on the findings concluded by saying the Israels military regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians. The one survivor from the incident was detained for investigation and remains in custody for further questioning.

Israel has previously accused Hamas of moving and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency vehicles, as well as in hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. It argues that this justifies the strikes on them. Medical personnel deny the accusations.

Israeli strikes since 7 October 2023 have killed more than 150 emergency responders from the Red Crescent and Civil Defense, most of them while on duty, as well as over 1,000 health workers, according to the United Nations.

Palestinians and international human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israels military of failing to properly investigate misconduct by its troops.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli military to intensify pressure on Hamas after the Palestinian militant group rejected a proposal for another temporary truce.

The Israeli prime minister said in a late-night televised address that while war came with a heavy price, Israel had "no choice but to continue fighting for our very existence, until victory."

Israel abandoned a ceasefire last month after seeking to extend a temporary truce that had seen 38 hostages released. Egyptian mediators have been working to restore the ceasefire.

However, Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages under a deal that ends the 17-month war. Israel says it will agree only to a temporary pause.

Israel has pounded Gaza with air strikes since the ceasefire collapsed. Palestinian health authorities said at least 50 Palestinians had been killed in strikes on Saturday.

open image in gallery Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, on Saturday ( AFP via Getty Images )

Since renewing its attacks, Israel has seized swathes of Gaza and ordered hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate in what Palestinians fear is a step towards permanently depopulating swathes of land. The Gaza health ministry says 1,600 people have been killed in the past month.

Palestinian health officials said the military had escalated its strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 92 people in the past 48 hours.

open image in gallery People take part in a protest in support of the release of all hostages kidnapped, in Mazor, Israel ( REUTERS )

On Friday, the Israeli military said it hit about 40 targets across the enclave over the past day. The military on Saturday announced that a 35-year-old soldier had died in combat in Gaza.

Hamas on Saturday also released an undated and edited video of Israeli hostage Elkana Bohbot. Hamas has released several videos over the course of the war of hostages begging to be released. Israeli officials have dismissed past videos as propaganda.

After the video was released, Mr Bohbot's family said in a statement that they were "deeply shocked and devastated," and expressed concern for his mental and physical condition.

"How much longer will he be expected to wait and 'stay strong'?" the family asked, urging for all of the 59 hostages who are still held in Gaza to be brought home.

The war was triggered by Hamas' 7 October attack on southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities.
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Nasa astronaut Don Pettit returned to Earth from the International Space Station  coincidentally on his 70th birthday  aboard the Russian Suyoz spacecraft early on Sunday morning.

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft carrying Mr Pettit and his crewmates  Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner  made a parachute-assisted landing on a Kazakh steppe at about 6.20am local time (1.20am GMT).

The trio returned after spending 220 days in space and orbiting the Earth 3,520 times, Nasa said in a statement.

They will spend time in the recovery staging city of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, after which Mr Pettit will board a Nasa plane to Houston, while Ovchinin and Vagner will travel to Star City, Russia.

Some space observers raised concerns about Mr Pettits health following his return, as Nasas live coverage of the landing was abruptly cut short after the 70-year-old astronaut was extracted from the capsule.

The awesome Don Pettit, who turned 70 today, appeared less than fully well on extraction from the capsule - hopefully nothing serious, Astronomer Jonathan McDowell wrote in a post on X.

Nasa said it is conducting routine post-landing medical checks, adding that Mr Pettit is doing well and in the range of what is expected following his return to Earth.

Mr Pettit is a spaceflight veteran and has completed four spaceflight missions, serving as flight engineer for Expeditions 71 and 72.

He is renowned for the variety of photographs he has taken from the space station, including those of rare space weather phenomena like dazzling auroras and strange flashes of lightning.

Nasa astronaut Don Pettit is carried to a medical tent shortly after return to Earth ( Nasa )

A recent video he shared on X from the International Space Station (ISS) showed dazzling green auroras glowing below the station as it flew over the southern hemisphere.

In another post on X, he shared a brief six-second video capturing flashes of upper-atmospheric lightning directly beneath the space station.

Nasa astronaut, Anne McClain, who is currently aboard the ISS, shared on X that his departure from the orbiting laboratory marks the end of an era.

Most of you are quite familiar with his mastery of the camera, the multiple settings and lenses he used over the past months to bring you all the incredible views of our shared home planet, Ms McClain said.

The auroras will dance, the stars will shine, and the moon will rise without him, but man  it just wont be the same, Ms McClain said.
JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday as the pontiff recovers from pneumonia.

The vice president and the pontiff met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta "to exchange Easter greetings," the Vatican said.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, previously engaged in an "exchange of opinions" with Vatican officials over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse.

The pope has previously refuted Vance's use of the "ordo amoris" ("order of love" or "order of charity), a theological concept, to justify the administrations approach.
Australia is just weeks away from a national election, and one of the starkest moments of the campaign came during a televised debate this Tuesday.

Asked whether climate change is linked to Australias worsening extreme weather, opposition leader Peter Dutton replied: I dont know because Im not a scientist.

For a nation that has faced record-breaking wildfires, devastating floods and rising heat, Duttons refusal to acknowledge the connection was more than evasive  it was dangerous. And it signalled something deeper: a slide toward the kind of climate denial and delay politics that have become Donald Trumps brand.

On 3 May, Australians will vote not just on who leads the country but on the kind of future they want: one that involves a transition to clean energy, already underway under prime minister Anthony Albanese, or Duttons Trump-style pivot towards fossil fuels and a nuclear plan that will take more than a decade to implement.

Though Dutton is smart enough to avoid explicitly denying climate change, and quickly tried to correct himself after the backlash, his proposed energy policy takes a page straight from the climate delay playbook.

He plans to spend US$380bn (286bn) transitioning Australia  the worlds sunniest and windiest country  to nuclear power, without building a single reactor for at least 12 years. In the meantime, his proposal would funnel public money into extending the life of ageing coal-fired power stations, crowding out renewables.

After reviewing the modelling from both major parties, I fear the contrast is stark: my assessment is that Duttons roadmap would result in nearly three times more coal power by 2050, compared with the governments existing plan, which prioritises renewable energy and emissions reduction.

But renewables arent the only thing under threat. During the campaign, Dutton suggested that Australias children are being indoctrinated by schools teaching about the climate crisis, while his deputy leader suggested on national radio that public schools that teach climate science could face funding cuts. Other party members doubled down, turning education into a front in Australias growing climate culture war.

Dutton has been in parliament for more than 24 years and has spent much of that time opposing, obstructing or delaying climate policy. He helped dismantle Australias first carbon-pricing system in 2014, and held senior roles in the coal-fired decade of Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison.

Albanese, by contrast, served in the Rudd and Gillard governments, which introduced carbon pricing. As prime minister, hes pushed to accelerate Australias energy transition while managing a fossil-fuel-heavy economy. His government has committed to shifting the source of the countrys electricity supply from more than 60 per cent coal to 82 per cent renewables by 2030  one of the most ambitious targets in the world.

Dutton and his party have not only vowed to scrap the 2030 emissions reduction goal, but have openly floated extending the life of coal plants, ramping up gas, and even withdrawing from the Paris Agreement altogether.

What became clear last week is that Australias climate wars are far from over. In fact, they may just be heating up, but what might once have felt like a licence for outright denial has become a tightrope tainted by the disdain in Australia for Trump.

Following Trumps election, many of the biggest donors to Duttons Liberal Party were demanding a Doge-like election campaign. This includes the mining magnate Gina Rinehart, whom Dutton considers a dear friend, and the incredibly well-funded think tank Advance Australia, a local cog in the international right-wing propaganda machine known as the Atlas Network.

In a speech late last year, Dutton promised Rinehart and many of the countrys biggest mining companies that his government would be the best friend the resource sector in Australia will ever have.

But for Dutton, a former cop with a hardline image hes now trying to shake, the US presidents recent decline in popularity has made this brand of Trump-lite politics especially challenging to pull off. At one stage in this election campaign, he promised to slash 41,000 staff and end work from home options for government workers, only to abandon the promise days later after widespread public condemnation.

Similarly, his partys suggestion that it would leave the Paris Agreement and Duttons own comments about climate change last week have both been subject to rapid clarifications after he realised that the public isnt looking for a Trump-style bluster campaign.

Dutton has also been relatively quiet about his partys energy policy, which has been met with far more scepticism than he might have hoped. When asked to describe it, he has been vague on details and often sought to emphasise the relative costs of the renewable energy transition rather than his embedded support for extending coal power until 2050.

While his policies substantially mirror those of Trump in the US, his recent delivery has sought to shift away from hard-edged support for fossil fuels, in an effort to avoid turning off suburban women and young voters, who could have a bigger impact on this election than other groups.

But that is also why climate delay has become the tool of choice for so many on the right of global politics. It softens the edges of policies that aim to achieve the same underlying goal: to continue our dependence on fossil fuels for as long as possible, and to undermine both the rapid, market-driven expansion of renewable energy and climate-sensitive policy. This is exactly what we saw last week, and what I expect to see until the election.

Like so many on the international right, Dutton has a vision for Australia that promises to rewind the clock, and gamble the countrys future on a strategy designed not to deny climate change entirely, but to spread doubt, distraction and delay. The only question now is whether Australians will buy into it.
Binance founder Zhao injects 60m into Irish firms using cryptocurrency

The Dubai-based businessman spent four months in a US prison for money-laundering

Changpeng Zhao, founder and chief executive officer of Binance. Photo: Reuters

John Mulligan Sat 19 Apr 2025 at 03:30

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has used almost 60m worth of cryptocurrency to invest in three of his Dublin-based firms, according to company filings.
Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon targets priority markets to protect Irish food exports

Focus of new trade diversification plan is mainly on Asian targets

US agri-secretary Brooke Rollins is given a Galway shirt by Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon

Fearghal O'Connor Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 03:30

The Government and its trade officials are targeting 17 priority markets for the expansion of Irish food exports, in order to protect the countrys agri-food industry from Donald Trumps trade war, Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has said.
ILCU boss says credit unions 1bn a year in mortgage lending will support people  not bank shareholders

CEO says credit unions will take 10pc of Irish mortgages, and will lend to small builders

David Malone, CEO of the Irish League of Credit Unions. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Fearghal O'Connor Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 03:30

Irish credit unions could soon be lending 1bn a year to Irish home buyers, in the process becoming a top-five player in the mortgage market, says David Malone, chief executive of the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU).
Ken Fisher: The Trump tariff turmoil is a sorry tale of misperceptions, markets and moronic maths

You usually make more money sitting on your hands than dancing on your feet

Donald Trump break silence in the Rose Garden on April 2. Photo: Getty

Ken Fisher Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 03:30

Dizzy yet? Donald Trumps tariff announcement turned markets upside down and economies inside out; it rocked investors, from Limerick to Louisiana.
Jean Marsh, who has died aged 90, co-created the historical domestic drama Upstairs Downstairs, and starred as the parlourmaid Rose Buck, a role that bridged three decades in her acting career.

The show was the joint creation of Marsh and Eileen Atkins, a close friend and fellow actress who, like her, came from a working-class background. The feline, green-eyed Marsh was then in her mid-30s, out of work, almost penniless and of no fixed address.

The pair accepted a job as house-sitters in the south of France, where they colluded on possible scenarios for a television series that could depict the working classes fairly.

They toyed with the idea of a drama focusing on the domestic staff of a household: About that time, in 1967, The Forsyte Saga was on and we kept asking: Who does the laundry in their house? Who does the cooking?

Back in England, and despairing of any further progress, Marsh called a television producer to pitch the idea. Within a few days London Weekend Television (LWT) had signed up the series, and production began in less than three months, with Marsh plundering Mrs Beetons Book of Household Management for background.

Master tapes spent almost a year in storage before finally being broadcast on October 10, 1971. Soon, LWT executives realised they had a hit on their hands.

Running for 68 episodes from 1971 to 1975, Upstairs Downstairs drew audiences of 30 million and was sold to 80 countries. In her role as Rose, plucky and generous head housemaid at 165 Eaton Place, Marsh received an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress and claimed to have been sent greater quantities of lustful fan mail than the beautiful girls on the show. The series won two Baftas and a Golden Globe.

Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh was born on July 1, 1934, in Stoke Newington, north-east London. Her mother, Emmeline, worked as a housemaid in a pub hotel; her father Henry was an outdoor maintenance man and printers assistant.

The family were creative and largely self-taught. Henry Marsh learnt to play the piano by ear, and when the young Jean fell ill with nervous paralysis, the parents enrolled her in ballet lessons as treatment. These were followed by classes in piano, singing and mime.

She left school at the age of 15 and began working as a dancer on film. Her first onscreen appearance was in Happy Go Lovely (1951), and she was the principal dancer in Wheres Charley? (1952).

From 1956 she began a steady career in television, including a role as a robot in an episode of The Twilight Zone (1959), and co-starred alongside Laurence Oliver in the American television adaptation of Somerset Maughams The Moon and Sixpence (1959). That year she also made her Broadway debut in John Gielguds Much Ado About Nothing.

From 1965 she took various roles in Doctor Who. On the big screen, she put in a brief appearance as Octavia in Joseph Mankiewiczs vast historical epic, Cleopatra (1963), starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Away from Upstairs Downstairs she secured a key role in Hitchcocks Frenzy (1972), as the secretary who finds her boss strangled to death. She negotiated a break from her contract with LWT to appear on the New York stage, in Alan Bennetts Habeas Corpus (1975). When Upstairs Downstairs finished later that year she returned to the US, playing Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Despite the widespread popularity of Rose Buck, some of Marshs most memorable work was in science fiction and fantasy. Return to Oz (1985) was a dark adventure film based on the work of L Frank Baum (creator of The Wizard of Oz), in which she played the dual role of a brutal psychiatric nurse and a witch with a detachable head.

Jean Marsh married, in 1955, the actor Jon Pertwee. They divorced in 1960. Though she lived with Albert Finney and Kenneth Haigh, both actors, and was in a 10-year relationship with the director Michael Lindsay-Hogg, she never remarried.
Central Dublin bus services have been disrupted for the third evening after a driver was threatened with a gun and warned his head would be blown off.

Bus services are being withdrawn today from the Mountjoy Square area of Dublin 1 for a third evening, as SIPTU members demand action on public transport security.

SIPTU said the route has been impacted after a driver was threatened in his vehicle by a man who appeared to be wielding a gun on Friday.

SIPTU bus driver committee president, Brendan McInerney, said: At approximately 11.10 pm on Friday night, an incident happened on a Route 13 bus parked on Mountjoy Square, as it waited to begin a journey. The bus was switched off and wasn't due to depart for a few minutes. The driver was sitting towards the back of the bus scrolling on his phone.

An individual got on the bus with a torch. It seems he believed no one was in the vehicle and may have intended robbing anything he could find in the cab. The driver approached the individual, as he thought he was an intending passenger, and advised him the bus was not departing for a few minutes.

"The individual exited the bus but then turned around to produce what appeared to be a gun and began motioning as if he was loading the weapon. He told the driver he would blow his head off but thankfully then departed the scene.

Dublin Bus fleet. Photo: Stock image

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 20th

Mr McInerney said the driver was extremely shocked and upset by the incident. The workers SIPTU representative relayed what had occurred. And from there, the union contacted Dublin Bus to instigate the agreed protocols for dealing with such serious incidents.

I also requested SIPTU member drivers to withdraw services from the Mountjoy Square area immediately, Mr McInerney said.  I have further requested that no drivers should terminate services in the area after 7pm at night until union representatives meet with management and agree appropriate actions to improve their safety.

SIPTU Sector Organiser John Murphy said the union is now calling on the Government to immediately act on its commitment and begin the establishment of a force in-line with that proposed in the SIPTU Travel Safe policy document.

This is yet another very disturbing and dangerous situation to occur on the public transport network, he added.

A Dublin Bus spokesperson confirmed routes 7/a and 13 will be unable to serve Mountjoy Square until further notice. The nearest stop available for route 7/a is stop 4725 on O'Connell Street, while the nearest stop for Route 13 is stop 261 on Parnell Square East.

Dublin Bus can confirm that an incident occurred involving one of our vehicles in the vicinity of Mountjoy Square late on Friday night. No customers were on board at the time, said a spokesperson.

We are providing full support to the driver involved and we are liaising with An Garda Siochana. We will continue to assist them in any way possible. As the investigation is ongoing, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.

The safety and security of our customers and employees has always been, and remains, our top priority. We have consistently lobbied for the establishment of a transport police since 2022, raising it directly with all political parties, senior civil servants and through formal submissions and stakeholder engagements. While the commitment in the Programme for Government is a significant and positive step, the key now is timely and effective implementation.
Tanaiste Simon Harris and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told social media giant Meta that a high-ranking official in the Department of Enterprise would be made available to act as a central contact point on issues around digital advertising regulations after the company flagged concerns.

Confidential meeting notes show they met with senior Meta representatives in Dublin last December and tried to appease the company by saying its continued investment in Ireland remains important.

Meta has been unhappy with European artificial intelligence (AI) and digital advertising regulations for some time.

The Governments assurances came at a time when Metas Nick Clegg was in Dublin for a series of meetings with key figures here, and as he was engaged in a lobbying campaign aimed at highlighting European regulation concerns. A record of Mr Cleggs meeting with Mr Harris, who was taoiseach at the time, and Mr Donohoe, shows he gave them an overview of issues arising for the company in Europe.

The note, released under Freedom of Information laws, suggests Meta was most concerned about AI regulatory delays. Meta has previously claimed new AI regulations, being introduced on a phased basis over the next two years, delay how digital operators use content shared online to inform and improve AI tools.

Those at the meeting  which included senior civil servants and Meta director of public policy in Ireland Dualta O Broin  also discussed digital advertising issues arising for the company.

The Taoiseach and minister outlined the importance placed on Metas investment in Ireland and acknowledged the concerns raised, states a Department of Taoiseach note from the meeting. The Taoiseach also agreed that, given the importance and cross-cutting nature of digital advertising regulation as an issue, a senior official in the Department of Enterprise would act as a central contact point.

Last year, the EU Court of Justice ruled social media companies must restrict how digital data collected from users visiting other websites is used for targeted advertising. The European Commission later found a Meta service enabling users to pay a subscription to remove personal ads breached European laws, despite Meta insisting the advertising model was compliant.

In November, the company was fined almost 800m by the Commission for breaking competition law by linking the Facebook Marketplace classified-ads service to its social network. The Commission said this created unfair trading conditions for other classified-ads operators.

Meta chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan, who replaced Mr Clegg in February, recently called for the EU to move away from an overbearing approach to tech sector regulation.

A briefing note prepared for Mr Harris before meeting Mr Clegg shows he went into the discussions with a key message to welcome accelerated innovation in the EU and the removal of barriers preventing companies from growing. Mr Harris also intended to highlight how Ireland is determined to maintain its position as a leading location for tech firms.

The ability to remain a key location has been brought into question in recent weeks because of global uncertainty around US-imposed tariffs.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Enterprise did not outline what dialogue its senior officials had with Meta since the meeting with Mr Harris and Mr Clegg, but she said there has been engagements with tech sector representative bodies about EU regulations.

As part of its strategy to enhance the EUs competitiveness, the European Commission has committed to a review of these regulations to ensure they are still fit for purpose, and to consider how they could be simplified to make it easier for companies, particularly SMEs, to comply, which Ireland welcomes, she added.
The Irish Coast Guard is coordinating a search for a missing man believed to have gone overboard overnight from a UK registered yacht off the Waterford coast.

It is believed the man went overboard 16 nautical miles south of Dunmore East in the Irish Sea.

"A 999 call was received last night by the Coast Guard Coordination centre in Dublin from the yacht requesting assistance, the Irish Coast Guard said.

Weather conditions are calm on scene at present.

Dublin Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) continues to coordinate rescue resources in the area, the Irish Coast Guard said.

This is being conducted with the Coast Guard helicopters R117, R116, a UK Coast Guard fixed wing, Dunmore Lifeboat, Kilmore Quay and Ballycotton Lifeboats.

Stock photo. Photo: Steve Humphreys/file photo

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 20th

More to follow...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), led by Secretary Kristi Noem, has issued a stark ultimatum to Harvard University: provide comprehensive records on the "illegal and violent activities" of its foreign student visa holders by April 30, 2025, or lose the ability to enroll international students. The demand, announced on April 16, 2025, marks a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration's crackdown on elite universities.

This threat accompanies the DHS's cancellation of two grants to Harvard worth over $2.7 million, part of President Donald Trump's broader freeze of $2.2 billion in federal funding to the Ivy League institution. The administration has accused Harvard of promoting "radical ideology," citing issues like antisemitism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and pro-Palestinian protests.

For Harvard, the potential loss of its foreign student program is a grave concern. International students, who make up a significant portion of its diverse student body, contribute substantially to the university's academic and financial vitality. Revoking this privilege could disrupt Harvard's global reputation and revenue streams, even with its $50 billion endowment.

Harvard responded defiantly, pledging to comply with legal obligations while refusing to compromise its autonomy. "We will not surrender our independence or relinquish our constitutional rights," a university spokesperson stated, hinting at a possible legal battle.

The DHS's demands are part of a wider Trump administration campaign targeting universities like Columbia and Princeton, with a focus on reshaping higher education to align with its ideological priorities. The requirement for visa holder data raises concerns about privacy, academic freedom, and the chilling effect on international students, who may face heightened scrutiny.

As the April 30 deadline looms, Harvard faces a high-stakes decision: comply with the administration's demands or risk losing a cornerstone of its global identity. The outcome could set a precedent for how far the federal government can go in leveraging visa policies to influence university operations.
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
Its like Ive won the lottery, my house would be of no value  residents relief as landmark Dublin 4 hotel wont house asylum-seekers

Department of Integration said property is no longer under consideration

An aerial view of the former Sachs Hotel site on Morehampton Road in Donnybrook

Niamh Horan Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 12:30

Dublin 4 residents have expressed relief after confirmation that the former Sachs Hotel in Donnybrook is no longer being considered as a centre for asylum-seekers.
Construction Industry Federation says people are being turned off applying

Almost 10,000 work permits were granted to non-EU nationals in the first three months of this year, indicating that the numbers coming to work here will be far in excess of last years total. However, the figures show there is a shortage of workers in various sectors across the country.

The number granted permits for the first three months of this year reached 9,897, with 1,095 applications refused and 230 withdrawn.

The number of permits being granted has jumped massively from a low of 3,863 in 2013 as the recession reached its peak. Four years earlier in 2009, as the recession was starting to take hold, the total was 7,962.

In the construction industry workers from outside the EU are urgently needed to relieve the housing crisis due to the shortage of units being built compared to the demand. But they are currently being delayed or turned off coming to Ireland due to a lack of synchronised efforts by two government departments, an industry watchdog claims.

The claims have been made by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), the sectors representative body, even though the number of construction workers granted work permits from outside the EU for the first two months of this year has more than doubled compared to the same period in 2024.

Construction industry needs skilled workers to build houses. Photo: Andrew Aitchison

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 20th

A total of 262 people were granted construction work permits in January, February and March last year, while 1,523 in total for 2024 were given the green light. For the first three months of this year, 577 construction work permits have so far been approved.

Sean Downey, director of the CIFs learning and development department, said that despite efforts by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to fast-track their entry into the country, the requirement by the Department of Foreign Affairs for visas from countries outside of the EU is delaying the process by as much as four months.

To us there seems to be no synchronised communication and work permit guidance between both departments. The Department of Foreign Affairs should be linking closer with Trade and Employment and construction companies which hold trusted employer status, Mr Downey said.

By having to wait four months to get a visa to work here, it is putting a lot of potential workers off coming to Ireland from such places as South Africa.

The Department of Trade held a very successful recruitment campaign there last year to encourage more skilled construction people to come here yet Foreign Affairs does not seem to be liaising with them. This obviously in return is impacting on housing units being built.

The payroll data, based on tax paid by workers, put the number working in construction at 143,100 in June last year, up from 133,300 at the end of 2022. The most recent Labour Force Survey data puts the numbers employed in construction at 171,000 but the State needs tens of thousands more to meet housing and retrofitting 2030 targets.

Mr Downey said this is creating a barrier to getting a very skilled workforce from South Africa, China and Russia here to help with the crisis.

Mr Downey made his comments as the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment released figures for the first two months of this year to the Sunday Independent which show the numbers of non-EU workers being granted work permits still continues to rise year-on-year.

Of the work permits granted for January and February 2,204 were issued to the Indian community, 692 to Brazilians, 656 to those from the Philippines, 475 from China, 272 from South Africa and 46 from Russia.

The sectors where most foreign nationals from outside the EU are employed are in construction and related industries, healthcare, agriculture and food, the service industries, technology and communication based companies.

Of the work permits granted for non-EU nationals in January and February this year, the highest numbers are based in Dublin with 3,295, with 550 in Cork and 297 in Kildare.

It is not unusual to have people speaking 20 different languages on a construction site now. You have the first wave of EU nationals coming here in the early 2000s but perhaps werent that skilled in the industry, Mr Downey said.

They in turn are subcontracting work out to others from their own countries and are bringing multiples of workers here from countries such as Romania, Moldova and Poland. However, it needs to be reiterated that Irish workers are still in the majority but there are steady numbers coming here from both inside and outside the EU.

A spokesperson for the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment said because of work permits not being needed by EU citizens it is impossible to ascertain the numbers of such nationalities working in construction and ancillary companies.

However, anecdotal evidence from large and small construction companies suggests thousands of workers are arriving from former Eastern Bloc countries such as Romania.

Many construction firms will not publicly speak about issues employing foreign workers in case it impedes them, said Mr Downey.
A foreman in the Naval Service told his superiors it was only a matter of time until somebody was killed or seriously injured because of what he said were unsafe lifting operations.

An internal email said the Defence Forces had not learnt [their] lesson after an earlier critical inspection by the Health and Safety Authority.

It said unauthorised and illegal lifting operations involving heavy loads had been reported without proper planning or supervision.

The message sent by a foreman said: It is now a matter of time until someone is killed or seriously injured by the action of personnel who are not competent to carry out rigging or plan lifting operations.

No request was made to this office for rigging support while these operations were carried out.

But the report was disputed by a senior officer who said the lifting of the ship generator had been done safely, and a suggestion that it was dangerous was a nonsense.

The emails were released in response to a Freedom of Information request for incident or investigation reports involving the Naval Service over the past two years.

Another set of records described a near-miss where a contractor could have been electrocuted and then joked about having been in worse situations.

An incident report noted how in February last year, power on a ship cut out and was restored through a back-up generator.

A Naval Service member said they had gone to investigate the problem and found somebody beneath a shore power box working with electrical cables.

Their report said: I asked him why he didnt tell me he was underneath this earlier so I could make the area safe to work in and minimise the risk of electric shock, and his response to that was, he has been in worse situations.

I pointed to the danger area signs located in the area and told him he could have seriously injured himself. His response was in a joking manner, and [he] shrugged it off.

The LE Eithne. Photo: Paul Sherwood

A report on an incident on a patrol mission in February 2023 detailed how naval personnel were about to board a fishing boat when a dangerous incident occurred. The member involved wrote: As I placed my right foot on the step of the ladder, the right-hand side of the ladder broke.

When the ladder broke, I placed my right hand on the guard rail of the vessel [and] the skipper of the [fishing vessel] grabbed my arm when he realised that the ladder was broken.

The most serious alleged safety breach, however, was highlighted in the report into lifting operations involving a generator and the LE Samuel Beckett ship late last summer.

An incident report said: Since no rigging personnel were involved in this lift, this operation was unauthorised and carried out by unqualified personnel.

A separate personal note from a chief rigger said he saw the generator suspended on equipment with under supports removed.

A follow-up incident report by a senior officer said, however, that the generator had never been left unattended and was only lifted for a brief time. He wrote: I wish to state clearly that I do not consider this to be a dangerous occurrence.

 Another safety report outlined the failure of an emergency generator on the LE Eithne during atrocious weather conditions in June of 2023.

Some of the documents were withheld under Freedom of Information laws on the basis they held details of weapons and how they were stored.
A 33-year-old prisoner has died of a suspected drugs overdose in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise.

The Irish Independent understands that he was found in his cell on the D landing of the Co Laois jail at around 11am.

The inmates sudden death is now the subject of multiple investigations.

He had been serving a sentence totalling three years and eight months for a variety of criminal convictions, the most significant being an assault causing serious harm offence.

His next of kin have been notified of his sudden death.

Midlands Prison, Portlaoise. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 20th

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Services said in a statement: The Irish Prison Service can confirm a death in custody at the Midlands Prison on 20th April 2025.

As with all deaths in custody, the Irish Prison Service, the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Siochana investigate where circumstances warrant. The cause of death is determined by the Coroners Office.

A prison source told the Irish Independent that there is nothing at this time to suggest that this tragic death is suspicious.

It is not known at this stage what drugs caused the inmates suspected overdose.

Like virtually all jails in the county, the Midlands Prison is suffering from a severe overcrowding issue with it being at 113pc of bed capacity on Friday with 1011 prisoners in custody at the facility which has a bed capacity of 891.

It is understood that the 33-year-old was sharing a cell with three other prisoners and gardai were called to the jail in the aftermath of his body being found.

He was last seen alive at 8.30am this morning, according to jail sources.
The Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising is marked in Dublin

The Proclamation of the Republic can still inspire the nation with its generous social and political vision, President Michael D Higgins said as he laid a wreath in front of the GPO to commemorate the Easter Rising of 1916 yesterday.

He was joined by Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris for the event, attended also by former President Mary Robinson, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill, Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain, and hundreds of members of the public.

After laying the wreath outside the GPO to commemorate those who died in the Rising, a minutes silence was observed.

The Proclamation of Independence, which was first read by Patrick Pearse 109 years ago, was read aloud by Captain Conor Gibbons while the Irish flag was flown at half-mast.

Commenting ahead of the ceremony, President Higgins said the men and women who participated in the 1916 Rising were inspired by the declaration of a Republic, and the dream of a better, fairer future.

The Proclamation of the Republic, which Patrick Pearse read out from under the portico of the GPO, offers elements of a generous social and political vision that can still inspire us, he said.

It called forth a Republic that would guarantee, religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities to all its citizens and be resolved to pursue the happiness and prosperity of the whole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, he said.

As we commemorate the Easter Rising, this ideal should continue to inspire us. The message was addressed to a world community that they might achieve not only independence, but its best exercise.

We are challenged by their message to address the issues of global poverty, the consequences of climate change, the conflict in so many places of the world that threaten the lives of civilians, and the erosion of basic rights.

I am sure that those who participated would have been proud of all of the Irish families who have offered our men and women to peacekeeping internationally, he added.

After the tricolour was raised to full mast again, the national anthem was played and the commemoration was ended with a fly-past by members of the Air Corps.

More than 160 members of the Defence Forces took part in the event, including bands who played during the commemoration.

For former Lord Mayor Nial Ring, the event was also important for family reasons because he had relatives who fought in the GPO.

My grandfather Joseph and his four brothers were part of the GPO garrison, so I feel it is important to attend. One of the brothers, Liam O Rinn, later translated the national anthem into Irish in late 1916, he said.

I always attend because it is so important to commemorate what the men and women of the Rising did. There was a great crowd and President Higgins brought gravitas and dignity to the event as always, he added.

Yesterdays event was the last Easter Rising GPO commemoration that will be led by Michael D Higgins as President whose second term ends later this year.
When Pope Francis opened the great bronze door at St Peters last Christmas Eve, marking the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Hope, he was looking forward to leading the Jubilee events of 2025.

He was already planning to meet and greet the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims travelling to Rome for the Holy Year. But God had other plans.

On February 14, the Pope was admitted to Gemelli Hospital with severe double pneumonia. He would remain there for five weeks in a critical condition.

We are told that on two occasions he was on the point of death. Even when discharged, it was clear that Pope Franciss road to full recovery and strength would be long and arduous.

However, the Jubilee Year of Hope continues, and the Holy Father appears determined to play his part, albeit from a wheelchair and with ready access to a supply of oxygen.

I recently visited an elderly woman who is similarly frail and dependent on medical care. She told me how much it meant to her to see Pope Francis making a great effort to appear occasionally in public and say even a few words of greetings and encouragement.

Do not allow yourself to be robbed of hope

It gives me hope, she said.

When I was ordained a priest, I chose for my ordination card a verse from Psalm 31: Be strong, let your heart take courage, all who hope in the Lord. In the years since 1987 I have been privileged to witness hope in the lives of many people  people who dare to hope even in the most difficult of circumstances.

I cannot imagine what it must be like to lose all hope. Sadly, we live in a world where too many people are tempted to despair  sometimes turning to alcohol, drugs or other addictions in order to escape their fears and disappointments.

Most disturbing of all is the tragic reality of suicide, which steals away life and leaves behind a terrible, open wound.

All the more reason then, as we journey through this Jubilee Year of Hope, to remember that we are an Easter people and to accept the call of Pope Francis to be pilgrims of hope.

His personal witness of serenely bearing daily suffering, pain and weakness, acts like a beacon of hope to many people who face illness, disability or personal problems  and who might otherwise be tempted to feel useless or give up.

Pope Francis, being a person of deep faith, is encouraging us to embrace suffering as a natural part of life and unite it with the suffering of Jesus on the cross for us all.

I remember, back in 2004, attending a general audience in Rome with Pope John Paul II.

It was the year before he died. And to see him hunched over, trembling with Parkinsons disease, barely able to lift his hand to bless the pilgrims, is something I will never forget.

For despite his obvious physical disabilities there was a twinkle in his eye  and he continued to give powerful witness to world peace, human dignity and resilience.

Someone said of Pope John Paul II at the time: He has shown us how to live, and now he is showing us how to die. Interestingly, like Pope Francis, he was fond of saying: Do not allow yourself to be robbed of hope.

Christian hope is much more than human optimism. It is hope that is forged in adversity which offers up the sufferings of each day, clinging to the cross of Good Friday with eyes fixed on Easter morning.

Christian hope confronts the difficulties of this life

It is a big challenge to be a communicator of hope in todays world, especially given the amount of extremism and the tendency in social media towards a polarisation of views.

With so much aggression, condemnation, distortion of the truth and fake news, we need to find ways of speaking the hope that can overcome fear, hatred, resentment and despair.

Last night at the Easter Vigil, in churches all over Ireland, the flame of the new Paschal candle was seen dispelling the darkness.

On this Easter morning, countless believers around the globe have been sent out from worship to carry the light of Christ into our suffering world.

Christian hope confronts the difficulties of this life with eyes fixed on our heavenly homeland.

It challenges us to action for peace and justice  and solidarity with those who are struggling.

Pilgrims of hope make a difference. They are energetic peacemakers; compassionate carers for the sick and the lonely; faithful stewards of Gods creation; generous helpers of the poor and the marginalised; and welcoming friends for those who are forcibly displaced from their homelands.

The story of Easter reminds us that the wounds of our world, whether inflicted by war, injustice, economic hardship, or personal grief, are not beyond healing.

Like the women at the tomb, who set out in grief and arrived at joy, we Easter people are called to be witnesses to the resurrection and sharers of the good news.

Christos anesti  Christ is risen.

Archbishop Eamon Martin is the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
A suspended cable car at the bottom of the hill at Castellemara di Stabia near Naples. Photo: PA Wire

A British couple died after a cable car wire in southern Italy snapped and the brakes failed when they were 20 seconds away from arriving at the top, it is believed.

Graeme (65) and Elaine Winn (58) were among the four people who died in the crash on Thursday at Monte Faito in the town of Castellammare di Stabia near Naples.
Trumps gang claims against wrongly deported man came from one unnamed informant

Source claimed Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been an MS-13 chequeo in New York, a city where he has never lived

US senator Chris van Hollen meets Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongly deported to El Salvador by the US administration. Photo: Reuters

Joe Sommerlad UK Independent Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 03:30







The Donald Trump administrations insistence that the Maryland resident deported to El Salvador by mistake is a member of the criminal gang MS-13 can be traced back to a single unnamed police informant, a review of court documents reveals.
On April 16, 2025, students, alumni, and faculty at the University of Delaware gathered to protest the abrupt revocation of visas for eight international students, a move attributed to the Trump administration's escalating immigration enforcement. The demonstration, reported by NBC Philadelphia, follows news that broke on April 10, 2025, of the federal government terminating the legal status of three current and five former students at the Newark-based institution, which hosts thousands of international students.

The visa revocations are part of a broader national crackdown, with at least 901 international students across 128 colleges and universities losing their visas in recent weeks, according to an Associated Press review. Many cases appear linked to participation in pro-Palestinian protests, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employing data analytics to scour students' social media histories and criminal records for grounds to revoke visas, NBC News reported.

University of Delaware officials expressed frustration, noting that the federal government provided no explanation for the revocations. "We are keeping our University community informed of related developments and actions we are taking," the university stated, adding that it has created a website to clarify what Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can and cannot legally do on campus. The university is also offering access to immigration legal counsel and other support services.

At the protest, students like Emma Abrams voiced demands for stronger university action. "What we would like to see is legal support for those students, we would like to see a cessation of working with ICE and other federal agencies," Abrams told 6abc Philadelphia. Critics argue the university's response has been inadequate, with some calling for Delaware to declare itself a "sanctuary campus" to protect students from ICE raids.

Mohammad Abdul Muqtedar Khan, an international relations professor at Delaware, warned of broader consequences. "Actions at the school and across the country against foreign students who are in the country legally will ultimately be harmful for America," he told NBC10. The revocations, often tied to a 1952 foreign policy statute or minor past offenses like DUIs, have sparked concerns about free speech and academic freedom.

The Trump administration's actions, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have targeted students for "acting counter to national interests," particularly those involved in protests against Israel's war in Gaza. This follows President Trump's campaign pledges for stringent immigration controls, with some conservatives accusing foreign students of intellectual property theft.

The University of Delaware's case mirrors incidents at institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Texas, where visa terminations and federal pressure are reshaping campus dynamics. As the affected Delaware students face uncertain futures, the protest underscores a growing resistance to what many see as an overreach of federal power. The university continues to monitor developments, but with no clear resolution, the fight for its international students' rights is far from over.
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Bet OTT Release Date: Netflix is betting big on manga fans this May with a brand-new live-action series based on the wildly popular Japanese series Kakegurui  Compulsive Gambler. Titled Bet, this fresh take is all set to stream globally on Netflix starting May 15. If youve enjoyed shows like One Piece or Avatar: The Last Airbender in their live-action forms, this ones for you.

What is Bet about?

Bet is set inside a prestigious boarding school for the global elite, where power isnt earned by grades or popularity but by gambling. Thats right. At this school, high-stakes gambling decides who stays at the top and who falls to the bottom. The story kicks off when Yumeko (Miku Martineau), a mysterious new student, walks into this cutthroat world. Shes calm, clever, and dangerously unpredictable.

She doesnt just want to win games but to shake up the entire system. And behind her wild bets is a personal mission for revenge. As she rises through the ranks, Yumeko finds herself at odds with the powerful Student Council and a whole host of sharp, scheming students. Every game is a battle of wit, risk, and survival.

A still from Bet | Credits: Netflix

Meet the team behind Bet

This English-language live-action version features a diverse and young cast led by Miku Martineau (Kate, Star Trek: Section 31) as Yumeko, Rami Khan as Rex, Ryan Sutherland as Suki, Eve Edwards as Mary, Ayo Solanke as Ryan, Dorial Giordano as Chad, Clara Alexandrova as Kira and Hunter Cardinal as Michael.

Bet is created by Simon Barry, the showrunner behind Netflixs Warrior Nun. He teams up with directors Jacquie Gould, Craig Wallace, and Joyce Wong to bring this vision to life. The series is produced by Boat Rocker Studios, with filming completed in Toronto during the Summer of 2024.

This isnt the first time Kakegurui has been adapted. The Japanese manga originally came out in 2014 and was turned into an anime by studio MAPPA in 2017. It even had a Japanese live-action version in 2019. Both versions are currently streaming on Netflix. But Bet is different. This is a Westernised, English-language version aimed at a broader global audience.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Kesari Chapter 2 OTT Release Window: Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday are in theatres near you with their highly anticipated historical drama. Released globally on 18th April this year, the film has earned Rs 17.25 crore in two days and holds a lot of hope for success. Heres everything you need to know about Kesari Chapter 2, including its expected OTT release window.

When and where to expect Kesari Chapter 2 online?

According to OTTPlay, Kesari Chapter 2 is likely to stay in theatres for about two months and might be streaming from June 20. However, an official confirmation is awaited. JioHotstar has acquired the streaming rights of this biographical drama. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, the plot of Kesari Chapter 2 is based on the book The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat.

Kesari Chapter 2s plot overview

The movie tells the story of C. Sankaran Nair (Akshay), a respected Indian lawyer who was part of the British government in India. At first, he's asked by the British to look into a brutal incident, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, hoping he'll side with them. But when Nair learns the shocking truth that General Dyer ordered his soldiers to open fire on thousands of unarmed people, he cant stay silent.

Driven by his conscience, Nair decides to take a bold stand. He sues the British government and General Dyer for the mass killing, openly challenging their version of events. Hes supported by a brave young freedom fighter, Pargat Singh (Krish Rao), and a passionate law student, Dilreet Gill (Ananya Panday). Together, they go up against Neville McKinley (R. Madhavan), a bitter Anglo-Indian lawyer who's out to protect the British and has a personal grudge.

The courtroom becomes a battleground where dark truths about British rule, media lies, and injustice are brought to light. Nairs fight for justice ends up inspiring a wave of patriotism and resistance across the country. Produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape of Good Films, this film is a spiritual sequel to Kesari (2019).

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
The Biggest Fan OTT Release Date: What happens when a cancelled Hollywood actress tries to reboot her career in her hometown and ends up facing her most obsessed fan? Thats the hilarious chaos at the heart of The Biggest Fan, Netflixs upcoming Mexican comedy film thats all set to premiere on May 1, 2025.

A Comeback with a catch

The Biggest Fan tells the story of Lana Cruz (Kate del Castillo), a once-famous actress who has just been cancelled by Hollywood. Desperate to bounce back, she returns to Mexico to take on a new movie role and prove she still has star power.

But just when things seem to be going her way, she meets Polly (Diana Bovio), a die-hard fan who knows everything about Lanas life... and doesnt know where to draw the line. What begins as admiration quickly turns into a nightmare, as Polly becomes a threat to both Lanas career and sanity.

Can Lana pull off a smooth comeback, or will Polly steal the spotlight and the peace from her life?

Still from The Biggest Fan | Credits: Netflix

Meet the team behind The Biggest Fan

Behind the camera is Maria Torres, known for her work on Anonymously Yours. Heres a list of the awesome ensemble coming your way:-

Kate del Castillo as Lana Cruz  Best known for her role as Teresa Mendoza in La Reina del Sur , Kate brings both glamour and vulnerability to the role of a star under pressure. She has previously worked with Netflix on Ingobernable and voiced animated hits like Maya and the Three.

, Kate brings both glamour and vulnerability to the role of a star under pressure. She has previously worked with Netflix on Ingobernable and voiced animated hits like and Diana Bovio as Polly  A scene-stealer known for The Manny and 1974: The Possession of Altair , Diana plays the overly enthusiastic fan who becomes a hilarious and unpredictable obstacle in Lanas comeback plan.

, Diana plays the overly enthusiastic fan who becomes a hilarious and unpredictable obstacle in Lanas comeback plan. Daniel Raymont as Paul Kitchener  You may have seen him in The Mosquito Coast or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt . Here, he adds to the films mix of quirky and chaotic.

or . Here, he adds to the films mix of quirky and chaotic. Emma Ramos as Carmen  Previously seen in The Resident, she joins the cast as someone from Lanas past who adds her own twist to the drama.

At 91 minutes long, The Biggest Fan keeps things fast, fun, and funny. One stars downfall. One fans rise. One very messy comeback. Get ready to laugh when this drops on Netflix.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Once again, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of the United States on Sunday, leading to a fresh wave of anti-Trump protests. The current protest is taking place just two weeks after a similar nationwide mobilisation.

From Washington, DC to San Francisco, the rallies were fueled by a strong sense of urgency, outrage and fear, as protesters condemned what they saw as civil rights abuses, executive overreach, and authoritarianism under the presidency of Donald Trump.

On Saturday, the event marked the second wave of anti-Trump protests in the country. According to the advocacy group 5051, over 700 events were organised, and the turnout was noticed in some cities, including New York and Chicago. However, it was smaller than the protests that took place on April 5.

Credit: X

'Shame' chants are echoing across US

Thousands of demonstrators rallied outside the White House, and they marched towards the Department of Homeland Security, protesting the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, who was a Maryland resident and was removed to El Salvador.

Garcia was removed despite a court ruling permitting him to remain in the United States. Amid this, the protestors chanted 'Shame!' and waved upside-down American flags.

According to a Toi report, Elena Rodriguez, a D.C. resident and an immigration rights advocate, said, "It feels like were past the Constitution." She also voiced her frustration over the government's action.

Mass protests happening across the United States against the Trump regime. Here you have New York, Florida, DC, Ohio.



All 50 states expected to have protests. #3E #Handsoff #FiftyFiftyOne pic.twitter.com/CG95OIbbku  Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) April 5, 2025

Know 5 reasons behind the protests

If you are still wondering why these protests are happening or what the actual reason behind the protests is,? Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Immigration crackdown: Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Washington Square Park to protest ICE raids in New York City. The protesters see this as unchecked immigration enforcement. The signs on their boards read, "No ICE in our state' and more.

2. Civil Rights and environmental rollbacks: The protests noticed in Jacksonville were against the rollback of LGBTQ+ rights and environmental protections. These protesters linked these problems under the broader theme of human and planetary rights being dismantled.

3. Deportation: One of the major reasons, also mentioned above, behind the cause of the current protests is the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia. The deportation was done despite a court ruling allowing him to stay in the US, and has now become a national issue.

4. Federal job cuts and Elon Musk's support: One of the initial causes behind the ongoing protests was the rallies in Austin and Palo Alto targeting Tesla and tech billionaire Elon Musk's support for Donald Trump's government.

5. Economic cuts and cuts to social security: The protests that took place in Chicago's Daley Plaza were focused on proposed cuts to Social Security and veterans' benefits.
Day by day, the traffic at Heraklion Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis" is increasing in view of the summer, and the beginning of another dynamic tourist season is recorded. Since 27 March, when the tourist season formally opened, flights to and from abroad have been steadily increasing, as from 23 foreign arrivals on the last weekend

of March, on the first weekend of April the number of foreign flights was 89, while on the weekend of 12-13 April the number of foreign arrival flights reached 127.

"From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, the number of flights at the airport is estimated to reach 290," Heraklion airport director Iakovos Ouranos told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), explaining that most of the aircraft are full of passengers.

"The first months of each tourist season are linked to the date of the Catholic Easter. In 2024, Easter was on 31 March so we can explain why there were more international passengers in March 2024 than in March this year. This year the Catholic Easter coincided with the Orthodox Easter on 20 April , so we expect arrival to be up this year," Ouranos explained, adding that "so far, since the beginning of the year, we have a passenger traffic that is 8.4% up."

The resulting data show that this season, the Nikos Kazantzakis airport will operate, especially during the summer months, at its limits. "Every year, its infrastructure and its employees of all institutions and specialties are tested. And this year as everything indicates, and barring any contingency, as tourism as you know is affected by many factors, will be a good year at the same high levels as last year, perhaps with a slight increase," said Iakovos Ouranos who pointed out that the months of July-August are still the months of peak traffic, where there is not much room for growth.

This year the countries that traditionally hold the first places at Heraklion Airport are expected to be the same: Germany, the United Kingdom and France. The Heraklion airport director stressed that in recent years, Poland has also been on the rise, as has the Netherlands, which is in the top five countries.

As far as the figures are concerned, the Heraklion airport director explained that after 2022, passenger traffic at Heraklion Airport is steadily above 8 million, with a peak in 2024 when it reached 9.34 million.

   iefimerida.gr
New evidence and revelations emerging about the Truth Team and the propaganda apparatus of Greeces ruling New Democracy (ND) party and the prime ministers office are now divulging a reality far beyond simple public opinion manipulation or character assassination of political rivals. What comes to light

is a murky, labyrinthine mechanism operating within the partyone that channels, in effect , illicit business funds into ND to cover its core operational needs.

The latest expose by the Documentonews.gr news site lays bare what appears to be a surreptitious path of indirect financing of ND through the business sectortransactions that, as widely understood, rarely occur without expectations of reciprocal benefit. The Blue Skies company seems to be at the center of this nefarious scheme, functioning as the partys informal treasurer, while the infamous Truth Team acted as its primary operative arm. Both entities were deeply intertwined, with Truth Team personnel listed on Blue Skies payroll alongside numerous ND memberssome of whom later ascended to ministerial roles.

More than half of the 57 employees who passed through Blue Skies payroll were, according to evidence, working full-time for New Democracy, with roles that extended beyond communications into critical government functions. One telling example is a key advisor to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself.

What is being exposed is a hidden financial networkcorporate money funneled discreetly into a political party. The revelations raise not only serious ethical and political concerns but also critical legal and tax-related issues, particularly in relation to Greeces laws on political party financing.

But the odious links and relationships run even deeper. Advisors to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, government ministers, officials from state agencies, and party operatives who have been working for ND for years are officially listed as employees of Blue Skies.

When contacted by Documento, company representatives claimed that these individuals are genuine Blue Skies employees and only engage with New Democracy in their spare time. However, this assertion defies logic. It is simply implausible to suggest that a top advisor who accompanies Mitsotakis on every official trip is doing so as a hobby in their free time.

Thomas Varvitsiotisthe son of former ND minister Yiannis Varvitsiotis and brother of Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, also a former minister under Kyriakos Mitsotakisalong with the other shareholder, Yiannis Olympios, provided the entrepreneurial cover for what amounts to a violation of democratic principles and the legal framework governing the operation of political parties.

The PredatorNew DemocracyV+O Triangle

A particularly striking detail is that the two co-founders of V+O were themselves victims of wiretappingdespite their close, multi-level collaboration with the Maximos Mansion. While Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympios were managing the communications strategy for all four systemic Greek banks and holding contracts with major corporate giants, they were also handling political communications and crisis management for the very individual who was surveilling them.

As Documento revealed in November 2022, both men were being monitored through the Predator spyware as well as by Greeces National Intelligence Service (EYP). Despite the gravity of these revelations, and their direct connections to New Democracy and their founding role in Blue Skies S.A., neither Varvitsiotis nor Olympios responded with legal actiona telling indication of their close ties to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

In 2020, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis officially announced the appointment of political strategist Thanos Bakolas as a senior advisor. The press release described Bakolas as a close associate of the Prime Minister for the past eight years. According to official records, Bakolas had been on the payroll of Blue Skies since 2016, only leaving in December 2019at which point Mitsotakis was already Prime Minister and brought him into the Maximos Mansion as of January 2, 2020.

Another example is Konstantinos Bardakas, who appeared on Blue Skies payroll in 2018 and 2019. According to media reports, Bardakas was known as Mitsotakiss Talibana fiercely loyal aide who accompanied him on every campaign tour, even being described as his guardian angel. Yet, under the companys version of events, we are to believe that he was simultaneously present at political rallies in Elefsina and Alexandroupoli, and working at the Blue Skies officesan assertion that defies any reasonable logic.

Other notable divs linked to Blue Skies are:

Konstantinos Kyranakis: From Blue Skies to Parliament and the Cabinet

Konstantinos Kyranakis, the current Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport following the March cabinet reshuffleand formerly Deputy Minister of Digital Governancehad a paid working relationship with Blue Skies from March 2016 until July 2019.

According to his official biography on the Hellenic Parliaments website, as well as his LinkedIn profile, Kyranakis served as New Democracys Deputy Press Spokesperson from September 2016 to February 2019.

Domna-Maria Michailidou: Between Cambridge, the OECD, and Blue Skies

Domna-Maria Michailidou, currently serving as Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, was on the payroll of Blue Skies from 2018 until July 2019. During the same period, she is also listed as a lecturer at the University of Cambridge and an economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Strangely, despite her extensive and detailed professional resumewhich outlines her academic and international experiencethere is no mention whatsoever of Blue Skies.

Orsaki Roussetou: The Mata Hari of Maximos

Orsaki Roussetou has been on the payroll of Blue Skies since October 2019 and remains listed there to this day. According to well-sourced reports, she is not engaged in online trolling, but instead serves as a translator within the team of renowned communications strategist Stan Greenberg, who has been in charge of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakiss campaign messaging.

Roussetou previously coordinated New Democracys strategic initiatives in London, as stated in her biography. In 2018, she worked as part of Mitsotakiss communications team during his pre-election campaigns. However, her official resume makes no mention of Blue Skies.

In 2022, she was elected to New Democracys Political Secretariat. She is known to be a close friend of Giorgos Gerapetritis and, according to media reports, enjoyed his political backing.

Konstantinos Doganis: The Operator Behind the Truth Team

Konstantinos Doganis has been employed by Blue Skies since October 2019 and remains on the companys payroll. He previously served as a special advisor in the press office of then-Prime Minister Antonis Samaras from 2012 to 2015.

Alongside Kimonas Benas, Doganis was part of the team led by Giorgos Mouroutis, who at the time headed the Prime Ministers press office. This group would later evolve into the infamous Truth Team, New Democracys propaganda unit.

In 2019, the same year he began working at Blue Skies, Doganis co-founded Render Media with Benaswho is also affiliated with Blue Skiesand in 2021, the duo launched a second company, Adjustment IKE.

Source: tovima.com
A 100-level student of University of Ilesa, Osun State, identified as Gbolahan Ojolo, died from electrocution.

Ojolo, a student of the Department of Business Administration, was said to have been playing a game on his mobile phone while it was charging when lightning struck during a thunderstorm on Friday.

In a statement on Saturday by Registrar of the University, Funso Ojo, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.

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He said: The management of the University of Ilesa, Osun State, deeply regrets to announce the tragic and untimely death of one of its students, Gbolahan Ojolo, a 100 Level student of the Department of Business Administration.0:00 / 0:00.

READ MORE: Student Electrocuted While Retrieving Ball In Osun

The unfortunate incident occurred in the evening of Friday, April 18, 2025. Gbolahan was electrocuted while playing a game on his mobile phone, which was being charged in his room at a private hostel located near the Prototype Engineering Development Institute (PEDI) junction. The electrocution was reportedly triggered by a lightning strike during a thunderstorm.

The Police have since commenced a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The University of Ilesa has also made necessary arrangements to support the family during this moment of intense grief and will continue to stand by them through this difficult time.

The entire University community mourns this painful loss and prays for the repose of Gbolahans soul. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, classmates, and the Department of Business Administration.
Former Minister of Defense, retired General Theophilus Danjuma, has called on Nigerians to take responsibility for their own safety amid insecurity challenge facing the country.

Mr. Danjuma warned that the escalating unrest across Nigeria, particularly in Plateau and Benue State cannot be resolved by government efforts alone.

Speaking during an Easter appreciation event in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State on Sunday, the former minister emphasized the need for citizens to adopt self-defense measures as a necessary response to increasing attacks by bandits and terrorists.

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He further urged communities to remain vigilant and proactive in securing their environments.

The elder statesman underscored the importance of community readiness, noting that without preparedness and unity, the country risks descending into further chaos.

READ MORE: Weve Failed You, Please Forgive Us  Gov Muftwang Begs Plateau Communities Over Attacks On Villagers

He said: If our people do not stand up and defend themselves, bandits and terrorists will take over our society.

It is now very clear that the government alone cannot protect us. We must stand up and defend ourselves, our families, and our lands before these criminals overrun the entire country.

His call for self-defence comes in the wake of renewed attacks in Benue and Plateau states, where several lives have been lost, and numerous communities have been displaced in recent weeks.
by Christopher Hall

Despite writing my doctoral thesis on Alexander Popes An Essay on Man, a work most notorious for its poorly optimized optimism, I am something of a natural pessimist. Pessimism is at the right moments a potent tool for clarity (as is, even I have to admit, optimism, though not surprisingly I think this is the case more rarely), and so it is disappointing that the moment when I could have used it the most, my generally bleak perspective on things failed me. During my Masters, the professor who would eventually become my thesis advisor told me that, given the pathetic job prospects, a Ph.D. was not a good idea. Well, in your mid 20s, no obstacle, current or future, seems like it can become an indurated part of your fate if you choose for it not to. I was neither ambitious nor greedy, and I was willing to work anywhere for peanuts; so, the jobs would be there. Well, they werent, and in the midst of massive writers block and a crisis of faith concerning what literary criticism actually does, my prospects for an academic career tanked. Im not sure if I can accurately say I should have listened as I am gainfully employed in a place where my degree is nominally required. But I dont teach literature. And the writers block quickly metastasized into readers block; I still read, of course, but the urgency is gone (and the multiple distractions of the internet age are not helping.). Ah well, there are worse things, etc., and what does one want with being well-read anyway?

I suppose the actual question Im wondering about is why I ever thought I could make being well-read a career. As the English degree craters, and the idea of the university itself is under assault in the United States and elsewhere, those of us who remain interested in literate culture are sensing in its decline some correlation with the current apoplexy, if not direct causation.

But I am allergic to any argument which is centered in the use of the humanities, at least if we understand use purely in the sense of useful. The disjunction between the use of the STEM disciplines and the uselessness of the humanities means that the world will stand study of the sexual habits of the pink fairy armadillo, not necessarily because it might lead to some new patent or product, but because it seems to be the price necessary to pay to keep science going. There can be no such argument for a study of sexual politics in Middlemarch. And the attempts to provide a use argument for the humanities have all, to my mind, fallen flat. The humanities make you a good critical thinker; is there any discipline out there that advocates for naivete among its practitioners? Hopefully there are not too many engineers out there taking everything they see at face value. The humanities make people better democratic citizens; well, if reading Rochester, Beckett, Byron and other assorted depressives and nihilists have made me a better citizen, I am not aware of how.

Conservatives  perhaps only the old sort of conservatives  may be fans of the civic virtues argument, while progressives want literature to help decompose the ideological structures they find in every corner of life. The issue, to my mind, with the moral use argument is simple: it demands that literature be about one set of things, when literature properly understood is about everything human (and a few non-human things as well, though always processed through a human perspective. Perhaps AI will change this.). This has also been my fundamental objection to the dominating focus of English faculties nearly everywhere; race, gender, and sexual identity are deeply important aspects of being human, but they hardly exhaust that experience. The objection will be that the politics of these matters demonstrate their foundational role in all human thought; always politicize/historicize, sure, but I wonder if I am the only one to think we are bound not to limit the subjects of literature. It concedes an important point to the enemy, because even if moral instruction, considered in the bluntest sense, is likely better generated elsewhere, it is a certainly that it is more digestible elsewhere. And that may be all that matters.

It may seem perverse to advance such objections at a moment when the lack of education seems a particularly dangerous form of social disease. Trumps beloved poorly educated have now returned his affection two-fold, and the conclusion that a better-read country could never have voted for this conspicuous stupidity is deeply tempting, though hardly a sure thing. And I fully understand the impulse behind any form of use argument; we cant very well just tell people were noodling around with novels and poems, can we? Theres public money at stake.

I dont want to appear as if I am advocating a return to aestheticism. I rather think it is time we rethink the meaning of use. Our thinking about use makes it nearly analogous with tool  an object or process that makes things easier, that leads to a more efficient and positive outcome. We would never associate tool with something that made things more difficult  a wrench made out of soft rubber, for example. But there is, of course, tremendous use for things which do make things more difficult. Going back to critical thinking, which is oriented to clarify, we could perhaps rather say that the sort of thinking which criticism teaches exists precisely to make things more obscure, or, paradoxically, to see the obscurity in everything.

Lets advance the Black Hole argument for the study of literature: we ought to study it because it is there and it is strange. We can go a little further; literature exists within the symbolic universe humans have created for themselves, but each individual work is a singularity, a hard knot of impossible matter, completely inscrutable at its centre, but subject nevertheless to multiple forms of investigation. The exact same can be said of human consciousness; I am deeply cautious about the current conversation concerning the idea that consciousness might be fundamental to the universe (one needs to very cautious about things one wants to be true) but the Hard Problem remains very relevant to the literary media which have proven to be the best representations of what it is like to have a mind.

I do admit to itching a bit when I hear someone saying we need to problematize something. We also need to get away from the idea that literature enchants while criticism disenchants, or any combination thereof. Kierkegaard, as he saw people buzzing about him making life easier, saw it as his mission to create more difficulties. We must occasionally render matters more esoteric than they appear. There are times when the world comes at us too clearly, and there is no denying that there is palpable pressure from the rest of society, and from the political realm, to see and state and praise the literalness of everything. The anti-tools which literature and the best criticism provide us with are opposed to this impulse.

I am not taking aim at those who find comfort in their favourite book, or feel they have found some truth within. It would take a hard  and determined  heart to keep at the study of literature and believe simultaneously that it was either meaningless or impenetrable to scrutiny. The symphony does not necessarily end when the chord resolves; each moment of clarity achieved from reading is hard-achieved, and never final, but this hardly means the clarity was false. Kants description of art as purposiveness without purpose perhaps best describes the motion of reading; we move forward and remain in the same place.

Every time I find an excuse not to read, not to finally pick up  insert the long, dense work of your choice, chances are pretty good I havent read it  I regret my participation in a world which seems to have lost its joy in obscurity. But I dont want to sound like a cranky 19th century anti-utilitarian, as I think the matter is more serious than the instances of practiced frivolity we need to stay sane. Consciousness itself, I think, participates in this motionless motion. At any rate, the instrumentality of modernity is causing us to lose the capacity for a complex inner life. There is a reason we dont use simple-minded as a form of praise.

There is another important element here; literary study must be associated with its own form of cognitive method that distinguishes it from anything in science, or any other discipline, really. This is another thing that has bugged me about the various defenses of the humanities and of English in particular; they all, in one way or another, seem to be pleading with the rest of the world to recognise that they too have a method which correlates in some way to something more scientific. While I cannot articulate precisely what this sort of thinking is  Ive been trying to here, likely without much success, and will try harder in a future essay  I am convinced that literary study must set out its own terms of method. Science will always do science better, and the current models of problematization, while getting closer to the mark, still fail to convince because they seem so firm in the moral quality of their conclusions.

Humanities departments will, it seems, shrink to the size of vestigial organs which exist as reminders of some previous state of relevance. Universities, interested in keeping up appearances and thus not quite willing to abandon them entirely, will allow token English departments with two or three professors and maybe a hapless graduate student. But as I think of the mere act of reading more and more as an act of resistance, I wonder if this might be the time to re-center the study of literature, and literature itself, as an anti-tool. Today we are going to make things more difficult, we might say. Perhaps well start with An Essay on Man

***

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At least five persons have been killed in a road crash that occurred along IfeIlesa road, in Osun state

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the horrible accident involved a Toyota Hilux and a trailer.

In a statement by Spokesperson for Federal Road Safety Corps, Osun Sector Command, Agnes Ogungbemi, disclosed that the crash occurred at about 10:15 am on Saturday, 19 April 2025, and was attributed to a traffic violation by the trailer driver, who drove against traffic.

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She added that a total of nine people were involved in the accident, including six male adults, two female adults, and one female child.

The statement reads: Five victims three male adults, one female adult, and one female child were confirmed dead at the scene. One female adult sustained injuries and was transported to Mayowa Hospital, Ipetumodu.

READ MORE: Student Electrocuted While Retrieving Ball In Osun

The trailer, identified only as a white Mark with no registration number provided, collided with a white Toyota Hilux with registration number FKJ691HZ, which is classified as a private vehicle.

The driver is presently in NPF custody and will be charged in court. The cause of the crash has been identified as route traffic violation (one-way driving).

Recovered from the crash site were personal belongings, including a small bag containing jewellery, several bags of clothes, and cash totalling N508,900. These items were handed over to family members at the scene.

The dead bodies have been deposited at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital mortuary. The vehicles involved in the crash have been taken over by the Nigerian Police Force, Edun-Abun Division.
No fewer than two persons, said to be actors have been confirmed dead after consuming rice, wine, and calypso at a house party in Owerri, Imo State.

It was gathered that the deceased actors whose names were not disclosed and others attended a house party after filming a movie on Friday.

A source, identified as Kaito Karisia told newsmen that the movie director who provided the rice and drinks was said to have gone to bed early and left the four guys and three ladies partying but woke up early Friday to turn off the generator and return to public power supply only to discover two dead and the other two gasping for breath.

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READ MORE: Imo Police Apprehend Three Suspected ESN Members, Recover AK-47, N10.3m

Karisia said that the two other male survivors were responding to treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital Owerri where they were rushed to.

He said: Their host (the movie director) offered them rice and everybody ate. He later presented them with a bottle of Calypso and wine but they only took a sip and never drank again. However, the two other guys who are now dead finished the drink.

Confirming the incident to PUNCH on Sunday, Spokesman of Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, noted that investigations had already begun to determine the cause of the deaths.

He said: Yes, the command is aware of the unfortunate incident of unnatural death. I can confirm that two people were pronounced dead while two were hospitalised.

The Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has directed the pathologist to conduct tests on the two deceased persons to ascertain the cause of their deaths. The command assures that investigations will be thorough, and the results will determine the next line of action on the matter.
A suspected armed robber was shot dead by men of the Kebbi State Police Command during a firefight in the Kamba District of Dandi Local Government Area, with a Beretta pistol loaded with three live rounds of ammunition recovered from the scene.

CSP Nafiu Abubakar, the state Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, April 19, when about four armed hoodlums barricaded Marina Road in an attempt to rob unsuspecting commuters.

After receiving a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer in Kamba assembled a combined team of police officers and local hunters to respond to the scene.

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READ MORE: Six Kidnapped Victims Rescued By Zamfara Police

A shootout followed, during which one suspect was killed, while the others are said to have escaped into the surrounding forest, suffering from gunshot wounds.

The state Commissioner of Police, Bello M. Sani, praised the courage and prompt action of the DPO, his team, and the local hunters, calling the operation another significant achievement in the commands continuous battle against banditry and violent crimes.

He also thanked members of the public for their prompt reporting of the incident and urged them to maintain heightened vigilance.

He added that security operatives are actively searching the forest and surrounding areas to capture the fleeing suspects and recover any additional weapons or bodies.

I am also calling on residents to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station.

The command remains committed to sustaining its onslaught against banditry and all forms of criminality to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, Sani emphasised.
Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to save Nigerians from the cross of pain, hunger and insecurity challenge in the country.

Speaking during Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, Kukah likened the suffering of Nigerians to Christs crucifixion.

The cleric also described the current climate as marked by a culture of brutality and savagery never witnessed in the history of our dear country.

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He said: Mr President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue. With a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil.

Mr. President, we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor initiated our collective crucifixion. However, Nigerians have been left bleeding and dangling on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for far too long.

READ MORE: Tinubu Appoints Popular Govts Critic, Bishop Kukah As Kaduna Varsity Pro-Chancellor

A dark pall of death hangs languidly from north to south. Every day, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held under the most inhuman conditions. Nigeria is reaching a breaking point.

While we agree that removing fuel subsidies was a necessary decision and acknowledge the availability of more domestic resources, the reality is that farming has become one of the most dangerous occupations in Nigeria for over a decade.

Mere palliatives are insufficient. What Nigerians need is sustainable access to food and security.

Make food security a constitutional right for all citizens. Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.

The structural deformities, iniquities, and corruption of our country must not be an excuse to lose hope. We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill. With the light of Christ, we can build a society that reflects the will of our Creator.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed for unity among Kanos political class, cautioning against allowing rivalry to tear apart the social fabric of the state.

The Vice President gave this charge on Saturday during a condolence visit to the Emir of Kanos palace following the death of the Galadiman Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sunusi.

While addressing those gathered including Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, APC chairman Abdullahi Abbas, and other notable politicians Shettima stressed the significance of fostering peace despite differing political ideologies.

It is a mistake for a state like Kano, which is respected at all levels of politics, to be divided or disrupted by political disagreements, he said.

The Vice President, who communicated in Hausa, emphasized Kanos unique influence across Nigeria, particularly in Northern affairs. He noted that the states stability plays a vital role in maintaining regional balance.

It is strongly in our interest to maintain a united front for the sake of Kanos future and the overall progress of our country, Shettima stated.

That is why I am delivering this message in Hausa, even though I am not a native Hausa speaker, but I have tried my best to make sure you understand me well.

Shettima also offered condolences to victims affected by recent insecurity in parts of the state, specifically in Shanono LGA, where there have been reports of kidnappings and violence.

He urged collective prayer and strategic collaboration to restore peace and ensure the safety of all citizens.

The visit served as both a show of solidarity and a subtle reminder of the need for maturity in Kanos charged political climate.
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has urged President Bola Tinubu to reinstate the suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The PDPs chieftain noted that this is the only way to uphold peoples mandate and restore peace in the state.

Recall that President Tinubu in March, suspended Governor Fubara, his Deputy, Ngozi Nma, and the States House of Assembly over political tension in the oil rich state.

The President in a nationwide broadcast, declared a state of emergency for six months, saying that Fubaras approach to end the crisis was not good enough.

READ MORE: Fubara Calls For Reconciliation, Unity, Support For Tinubus Govt Amid Political Crisis In Rivers

Speaking in an Easter message by his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, on Sunday, Mr. Secondus said that the activities of the Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, have set the state on a keg of gunpowder.

He said: The President should be guided by the voice of reason by restoring Governor Similaya Fubara, who has the mandate of the people.

The Sole Administrators activities have set Rivers State on a keg of gunpowder, and I weep for my state. Sadly, Rivers State has found itself on the ugly side of history over the control of Resources and the state by one man.

Easter period reminds us of brotherly love, peaceful co-existence, tolerance, honesty, humility, justice, equity and fairness to all without discrimination as contained in the Scriptures.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appealed for immediate intervention from the Federal Government following a deadly series of attacks on rural communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas.

The tragic events, which took place on Friday, saw over 50 individuals killed and many others injured in what has been described as one of the deadliest episodes of violence in the region this year. The attacks, reportedly carried out by suspected armed herders, have left hundreds displaced and entire communities in mourning.

Governor Alia, who visited the affected locations, expressed grief over the level of destruction. He emphasized the need for national collaboration in restoring peace to Benue and curbing what he described as organized and targeted violence.

While speaking to the press on Sunday, Alia said, Something drastic, has to come to play. Im calling on the federal government to support us, to come to our aid very promptly.

The governor met with community leaders, youth representatives, and security agencies in a bid to develop stronger response strategies.

He also held a closed-door meeting with traditional rulers and stakeholders to deliberate on a long-term plan to prevent such tragedies.

Local officials including the Chairman of Logo LGA and traditional leaders called for increased deployment of security forces and more proactive measures by both the state and federal governments.

They warned that continuous attacks could lead to a total breakdown of trust in governance if left unaddressed.

Meanwhile, federal lawmaker Solomon Wombo pledged legislative backing and cooperation with the state government to tackle the crisis.

The calls for action come amid rising concerns over the frequency of violent clashes in rural parts of Benue, a state long plagued by farmer-herder conflicts.
Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, former vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has advised President Bola Tinubu to refrain from seeking re-election in 2027, asserting that doing so would prove his political acumen.

Baba-Ahmed made this statement while speaking to journalists, highlighting his belief that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is destined to lose the upcoming presidential election.

Speaking to journalist on Saturday, he remarked, I expect Tinubu to throw in the towel if he is that smart politician that he turns out to be.

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This suggestion was part of a larger critique of the APCs track record and its failure to deliver on key campaign promises.

Baba-Ahmed pointed to the past electoral cycles and the APCs alleged manipulation of the political system, asserting that their actions have undermined public trust.

Baba-Ahmeds comments were a direct challenge to Tinubus leadership, as he described the APC as a lie and criticized the governments inability to address fundamental issues such as security, corruption, and economic development.

He pointed to the 2015 and 2023 elections, suggesting that these instances represented a pattern of political maneuvering rather than genuine leadership.

He further emphasised that Nigerias political landscape has shifted, with the electorate becoming increasingly disillusioned with the status quo.

I see APC losing this election. I see Nigerians somehow uniting, listening to what someone like me is saying that if you cannot practice this, democracy is not for you, and then Nigerians will decide to come out and practice democracy for the first time, and then bad leadership will begin to have no hiding place in Nigeria, he concluded.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has called on the North and Nigerians to be patient and support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Governor Sule, who is from Nasarawa State, made this call while speaking at the 2025 Nzeh Mada Festival in Akwanga, Akwanga Local Government Area of the state on Saturday. He emphasised that, whether Tinubu is seen as good, bad, or ugly, the former Lagos State governor will continue as president of Nigeria for eight years.

According to him, the North made a firm commitment that having been in the presidency for eight years, the South should have its turn to rule Nigeria.

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Sule, who is also the Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum, said: Some politicians will always create confusion if they fail to get what they want or achieve their targets.

As a junior governor then, some of the older governors told us that the best person for the presidency was Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

They told us Tinubu can transform Nigeria the same way he made Lagos an epicenter of business and commerce.

It was a challenging period but we worked hard to bring Tinubu into office.

Today, the same people, because they couldnt get what they were looking for, are criticizing Tinubu; that he is the worst President Nigeria has ever produced.

Well, whether he is the good, the bad, or the ugly, by the grace of God, we are bringing back Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue as president of Nigeria.

He added, So, we cannot do the contrary. We cannot say something today and say another tomorrow.

So, we have to be patient and support the President to do his eight years in office.

Meanwhile, Tinubu is currently in France, where he is observing a two-week working vacation. The Nigerian leader is expected to return to the country after the Easter celebration.
Atiku Abubakar, the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubus administration for its handling of Nigerias escalating security issues.

In a public statement issued on Saturda, Atiku accused Tinubu of lacking both the competence and the necessary ideas to tackle the countrys growing security crisis.

His remarks came in the wake of the tragic killings in Logo and Gbagir communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, where 55 people lost their lives.

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Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State confirmed the deaths, but Atiku claims that the president has shown little concern for the tragedy.

According to Atiku, Tinubu has been indifferent to the plight of Nigerians facing violence and insecurity, choosing instead to spend time in Europe rather than addressing the issue at home.

Atiku condemned the Tinubu administration, stating that it has repeatedly demonstrated an inability to handle the countrys security challenges.

He pointed out that while security experts, opposition leaders, and even members of the ruling party have raised concerns about the governments failure to address the crisis, there has been no substantial action taken.

In his statement, Atiku said: The Tinubu administration has proven, time and again, to be utterly incapable, wholly incompetent, and completely devoid of any coherent ideas for tackling Nigerias deepening security crisis.

This is not just my position it is a growing consensus among political opposition leaders, respected security experts, and even members within the ruling party who, though too timid to speak publicly, confess this uncomfortable truth behind closed doors.

Atikus statement highlights a growing frustration with the current leadership, emphasizing that while innocent lives are lost, the governments response remains lackluster and detached. His comments call for immediate attention and stronger action to prevent further bloodshed in Nigeria.

As the country grapples with increasing insecurity, Atikus words underscore the need for a president who is not only present but actively working to resolve the issues plaguing the nation.
by O. Del Fabbro

Why do we fight? That question has been asked by so many in the history of mankind: philosophers, psychologists, anthropologists, historians, sociologists, political theorists have come up over and over again with explanations as to why humans fight.

Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy at the University Massachusetts Boston, and founding director of the Applied Ethics Center, has in his recent book publication tried to answer that question in his specific, and very unique way: Glory, Humiliation, and the Drive to War.[1] Eisikovits main claim is that glory and humiliation are similar to a two-stroke engine, that is they are in conjunction with each other. To put it more simply: being subject to humiliation is so injurious that ending or reversing that state results in obtaining glory. The cycle of the two-stroke mechanism between glory and humiliation is what keeps the war machine running.

Until recently the German political scientist Herfried Munkler would have disagreed with Eisikovits. Especially Westerners live in post-heroic times according to Munkler. Drone warfare and more generally hybrid warfare allow societies to wage war without being explicit about it, and more importantly, there is no need for heroes anymore, if battles are fought remotely. Only lately, with the integration of drone warfare in classical warfare in Ukraine, has Munkler taken a step back and self-criticized his earlier statements. Eisikovits for his part is spot on, when he highlights how psychologically challenging remote drone warfare is for the pilots, and how they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).[2] Munkler believed that times had changed, that because wars in the 21st century are fought with new technologies and societies are more peaceful now, heroes are no longer needed and glory is of no importance anymore. Eisikovits proceeds the other way around. Wars might have changed technologically, but the drive to war has not changed.

Take for example Homeric glory. Achilles was made to fight and die a glorious death.[3] Skill, danger and courage, thats what Achilles has to prove. His glory is immoral, it is about performance. Modern asymmetric warfare has often been characterized as lacking this specific form of glory, because it lacks the character of the duel  contrarily to Achilles and Hector. Eisikovits, however, shows that this is not true. Physical skill, cunning and sophistication are very important to guerilla fighters for example, and glorious are the names of successful guerilla leaders such as Che Guevara or more recently Qasem Soleimani.[4]

But Achilles does not care about political achievements and honor for the Achaeans. In this sense, he thinks and acts completely different than Pericles, Thucydides hero of the Peloponnesian War. Periclean glory is a sacrifice for a greater cause, that is the well-being and survival of the city state Athens.[5] Not only is he glorious, who defends and dies for Athens, the city itself is glorious and its institutions and civic way of life. If the asymmetric fighting guerilla thus fights for a higher political (or even religious) cause  and thats what Che Guevara and his companions did for example  then Periclean glory can also be found in asymmetric warfare.

Starting from these examples, that is Achillean and Periclean glory, Eiskovits discusses more theories such as Cicero, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Hannah Arendt in order to come up with a theory of glory. What is glory then? Eisikovits defines it as a particularly elevated form of honor, esteem, or regard, that is, a supercharged form of recognition.[6] Glory is about immortality.

But what about the other phase of the two-stroke engine? What about humiliation?

Humiliation, similarly to glory, exists in real world examples: the Islamic State (ISIS) uses the humiliation Sunnis have faced at the hands of Shiites and Westerners in order to recruit new members.[7] The Egyptian-Syrian attack on Israel 1973 was justified by Egypts president Anwar Sadat, that the humiliation Israel had inflicted on the Arab armies in the Six-Day War of 1967 ought to be reversed. Similarly China: its rise in international relations, its projects in economic and infrastructure projects, such as the One Belt Road initiative, are best understood through a desire to let the past, the so-called century of humiliation, behind. And lastly, also Russias aggressive foreign policy  the annexation of Crimea, the destabilization of Western political systems and the war in Ukraine  is a response to Russias relegation to a second-rate power status after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

For all of them, Russia, ISIS and China, Eisikovits highlights that humiliation is bound to a feeling of lost status, a perception of lost ascendancy, of being removed of importance, a denied entitlement, the feeling of being replaced and a desire to take the lost status back. Russian and Chinese nationalism, ISIS leaders are in this sense ultra-conservative, nostalgic, and also reactionary.[8] Their revolutionary ideas are not about gradual reform, but trying to re-establish the status of the elite, to return to a mythically pure and innocent past. Turn back time, return to Eden, go back to how things were before. For Eisikovits, a more prudent conservatism, in the form of Edmund Burke, would be open to moderate change by making sure that key traditions survive. Humiliation is in this sense, according to Eisikovits, a feature of autocrats.[9] Democratic leaders do not depend on their image, but on their legitimacy of having been elected and the fact that they received a public mandate. Of course, a democratic leader can be humiliated in public as well, but his confidence lies in his democratic legitimacy. Autocrats do not have that, hence, they need to enforce a clean and pure image of themselves and defend it at all costs.

Lets stick with Russia for a while, as Eisikovits does, to showcase how a humiliated autocracy like Russia thinks and operates. For example, immediately after becoming president, Putin writes in the newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta: [F]or the first time in the past 200-300 years, Russia faces the real danger of being demoted to the second, or even the third tier of global powers. To prevent this from happening, we as a nation are to pull all our intellectual, physical, and normative resources together, thus ensuring that ours remains a first-tier nation. Our efforts must be united, coherent and constructive, for no one else would do this work for us.[10] Shortly after, in February 2000, he writes: Our priority is to restore the personal dignity of the people in the name of the dignity of the nation Russia has long ceased to be just a reduced map of the Soviet Union; it is a confident power with a great future and great people The past decade has brought dramatic changes to the consciousness of the people. Our citizens are not yet rich, but they are independent and self-confident Our army is emerging from a prolonged crisis with honor and is becoming ever more efficient and professional True, Russia has ceased to be an empire, but it has not wasted its potential as a great power It is unreasonable to be afraid of a strong Russia, but it should be reckoned with. Insulting us is counterproductive.[11] Grievance over a lost empire, phantom-limb pain. In this sense, Ukraine is betraying Russia, because Russia in fact was treating Ukraine respectfully, even though, in truth, according to Putin, Lenin created the nation of Ukraine, that did not exist before. Ethnic Russians in Donetsk and Luhansk needed to be protected from ethnic cleansing and humiliation. Humiliated Russia needs to protect those who are similarly humiliated. The special operation in Ukraine brings glory to Russia, in self-defence against the West and NATO. The two-stroke engine at work. For Putin, Peter the Great was not a conqueror and occupier, but returning and strengthening Slavic territories. In the same sense, Ukraine has to return to Russia and be strengthened. Ukraine has no identity, no history, no push for nationhood. Russia has not only been humiliated, now it needs to humiliate others.

Eisikovits does not critically reflect on the historical accuracy of Putins narrative, rather he remains on a descriptive level of how humiliation and glory are expressed, and lead to war. Nevertheless, his distinction between moderate and radical conservatism helps to better understand the aggressiveness of Russia. For, what the Ukrainians wanted, and still do, is not so much to become Westerners, rather they want to live a democratic free life  a life that is not possible under Russian rule or influence, but by being part of the European Union and NATO as a security warrant. Ukraines will for independence and self-determination is about agency. Anybody who is proud to live in a democracy, and believes in democratic principles, but thinks that Putin is right, is depriving himself of his own agency. In this sense, Ukraines case is no different than the one of Belarus or Georgia. Putins story of humiliation is that of an autocrat, a self-image of strength and power. Somebody who wants to nostalgically go back in time, and regain lost glory. Similarly, Mark Galeotti writes that Putin is a gut-level patriot who believes that Russia should be considered a great power not because of its military strength, its economy or for any other specific index, but because its Russia.[12] It is about security, yes, but it is also about respect and honour. Outsiders ought to treat Russia right, treat it better than they have previously.[13] Eisikovits is right: humiliation leads to the desire of gaining glory, war is the result. Putins war in Ukraine might be justified from his personal subjective point of view, but in the end it is nothing but a clash between democracy and autocracy.

I have focused mainly on Russia, Achilles and Pericles, but as already highlighted Eisikovits discusses in his book much more topics (just war theory, commerce and peace, women) and thinkers and examples of conflicts (Churchill, Machiavelli, Cicero, Clinton, Jefferson, Merkel, Junger, Hemingway, Levi, Montesquieu, Hitler and many more)

Nir Eisikovits book is not normative. He does not give a remedy that could free us from the two-stroke engine of humiliation and glory that leads to the atrocities in war. It is a good thing he has not done so. Too many have tried and failed. War is a very old human endeavour. What we learn from Eisikovits is: before trying to get rid of war, let us first understand its roots, its psychological, social and political dimension. Those of us, who thought that glory and humiliation are long gone, old-fashioned principles of war, are proven wrong.

[1] Nir Eisikovits 2025. Glory, Humiliation, and the Drive to War. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

[2] Eisikovits 2025, 63.

[3] Eisikovits 2025, 10.

[4] Eisikovits 2025, 67.

[5] Eisikovits 2025, 13.

[6] Eisikovits 2025, 32.

[7] Eisikovits 2025, 73-74.

[8] Eisikovits 2025, 112.

[9] Eisikovits 2025, 114.

[10] Eisikovits 2025, 169-170.

[11] Eisikovits 2025, 170.

[12] Mark Galeotti 2019. We Need to Talk about Putin, Penguin Random House, London, 72.

[13] Galeotti 2019, 72.

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Poetry is popping up in the Sharswood section of North Philadelphia. You cant miss it. Its right at your footsteps.

Shed some light, share some light

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We gotta see that we are here, really here,

Standing blessed, not cursed

Tall like trees

Not stuck or stagnant and erased

We see ourselves

Stickin and stayin, keepin and prayin

You know

Affirm the dreams and grow

 Gwendolyn Campbell / Nzinga

The poem is one of 18 resident-written verses that are being permanently etched onto the sidewalks of a neighborhood that was once one of the citys most troubled.

Not so very long ago the site of high crime, drug trafficking, poverty, and despair, the Sharswood redevelopment area is on the way to becoming a revived community of 1,480 mixed-income housing units. So far, 800 homes, both rental and privately owned, have been completed. Another 355 are nearly done.

The Sidewalk Poetry project is part of a partnership between Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Housing Authority to ensure public art plays a vital role in the citys $750 million Sharswood revitalization effort. And that the residents play an active role in the art in Sharswood. Many projects including murals are underway and more are planned.

In a development project as big as Sharswood, there was a lot of cement being poured. That opened up possibilities  and a canvas. The sidewalk poetry project, both intimate and inspiring, was born.

The idea of stamping the sidewalk with poems, Philip Asbury, Mural Arts director of community murals, said came from the creativity and the conversations with the community.

In a neighborhood of so many different people, channeling residents own words is a special and powerful kind of expression, but also a challenge.

Some people can express themselves fully in a community meeting with all their neighbors, but some folks might need some time to sit quietly and choose their words to best reflect their thoughts, Asbury said. I think art in general provides a different outlet, a different language, a different medium for people to express themselves and express the sentiments of their communities.

Enoch the Poet, a Philadelphia-based poet who operates trauma-informed creative workshops, helped bring the poems into existence. Three years ago, he led a multigenerational group of about 15 people in a poetry workshop.

The participants, who ranged from students to senior citizens, were asked to reflect on their relationship to their city, the support they felt it had or hadnt received. Their prompts were flower pots. They were asked to imagine the flowers that might have grown there, and write.

Some people felt very empowered by the city and thought that the city had a lot to offer, he said. And others did not, like one young man who felt supported by his friends but not his city.

He had mentioned how there isnt a lot of love in the city, even though its considered the City of Brotherly Love.

Yet, what struck the poet is how most people still had a real affinity for their city.

To have a room full of people with all these different experiences ... but then also still have a very shared foundation of wanting to be a part of the city and wanting see the city do better, as opposed to wanting to leave, he said, I thought that was very heartwarming.

For now, 18 poems from that workshop will be stamped onto the sidewalks of Sharswood, with several already completed. PHA president and CEO Kelvin Jeremiah said he would be willing to do more.

Some of the poems reflect the experiences of people who lived in the neighborhood at times when crime was high, hopes were low, and rebirth wasnt even on the table. Yet they survived to tell their stories, even flourished, Jeremiah said.

Thats a reason for pride and an inspiration for the new Sharswood residents coming in.

When you read the poems, youll see the so-called Philly grit and the resilience of people who inhabited certain spaces and places. Its quite telling, said Jeremiah, who likened the poems to Shakespearean sonnets.

Philly living is hard, another poem goes, But I like that its made me tough.
Most of the furniture American consumers purchase is imported, with Vietnam and China the largest exporters of furniture to the U.S. Read more

For shoppers, choosing a couch can feel daunting. What color? Size? Fabric? Style? Price?! What shoppers dont see is the equally complex web of questions on the other side of that couch. Where does it get made, who makes it, and out of what? And all of those answers can be upended by any number of factors, including, of course, economic policies like tariffs.

President Donald Trumps ever-changing tariff plan currently stands to impose taxes on many of the worlds major furniture manufacturers, making price increases for consumers very likely. But even companies that build furniture in the United States (a smaller but significant part of the market) are not immune from aftershocks. Most rely on varying amounts of raw materials  nuts and bolts, fabric, blades for cutting said fabric, recliner mechanisms, springs  made elsewhere; they also worry that frightened customers might decide now is not the time to buy a new couch.

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A look inside the furniture industry offers some advice for consumers  and a bit of a reality check about domestic manufacturing.

Most of our furniture comes from somewhere else

Theres a strong chance that much of the furniture in your home was manufactured abroad and then imported to the United States, especially if you used an Allen wrench to put it together yourself or if you were amazed at how inexpensive it was.

More than half of the furniture that American consumers purchase is imported. Vietnam and China are the largest exporters of furniture to the United States, especially when it comes to what the industry calls case goods  a range of furnishings for bedrooms, offices, dining rooms, and other pieces for storing items rather than people.

The reality is that theres not a lot of American case goods manufacturing left, says Ben Copeland, the director of sales and marketing at Copeland Furniture, in Bradford, Vt., which manufactures domestically and has annual sales in the lower-eight figures. (The U.S. furniture sales annually are between $120 billion and $125 billion, according to trade publication Furniture Today.)

Not the first time U.S. policies have hit the furniture industry

Vietnam started becoming a major player in the furniture market after the United States implemented antidumping measures on China and its furniture industry in 2004, a move designed at the time to strengthen U.S. manufacturers. Instead, many companies shifted their focus to Vietnam. Tariffs on China during the first Trump administration further solidified Vietnams stronghold.

This current tariff blitz has come with a large helping of whiplash for people in the furniture business. While Trumps plan initially included a 46% tariff on Vietnam, among the highest, the latest iteration has put a pause on these bigger numbers and instead places a 10% tariff on goods from all 75 nations aside from China. China, meanwhile, willsee a 145% tariff on imported goods.

American furniture industry not immune from tariffs

Trump has said tariffs will bring manufacturing back to the United States. There is a smaller but significant slice of furniture manufactured domestically, but those in the business will tell you they still rely on global suppliers.

Copeland Furniture, which makes furniture primarily with U.S.-grown hardwoods, is mostly insulated from the tariffs. However, the company globally sources some of its key components  like the hardware that brings it all together (such as nuts, bolts, and fasteners), as well as glass table tops and textiles. Because those are such a small sliver of the companys input for each product, the tariffs are not going to have a huge effect for us, Copeland says. If more of the furniture depended on products made abroad, then there would be no way to escape a significant price increase.

Upholstered furniture, such as couches and chairs, has more of a manufacturing presence in the United States. However, those items require more raw materials that are made internationally.

Norwalk Furniture Co. manufactures upholstered goods in its Norwalk, Ohio, factory. We try to be hyper local with what we source, says Tim Newlin, CEO of the company. But there are a number of components that  will be impacted, including recliner mechanisms, springs, and fabrics.

While Norwalk buys from nearly all of the domestic mills that make fabrics and leathers, the majority of fabrics are global, Newlin says. Even us trying to buy as much from the U.S. as we can, say 60% of the fabrics that cover our furniture and leathers come from all over the world, including countries such as China, Vietnam, Italy, Turkey, and India.

But companies like Copeland and Norwalk are just a slice of a much larger pie.

Michelle Hardy is the owner of Furnish, a store in Raleigh, N.C., that sells furniture manufactured in the United States. Working with sustainable companies that manufacture domestically is important to her on a personal level and as a key thread in her business story, but you just cant get away from the fact that there are gonna be pieces that you have to source from outside of the United States, she says. A lot of the smaller items in her showroom, such as rugs, lights, and decorations for shelves, come from abroad.

Tariffs will mean price increases  but it wont be uniform

Should the tariffs remain in place, theres absolutely no question that the price of furniture will go up, says Bill McLoughlin, editor in chief of the trade publication Furniture Today. Even before the tariffs took effect, price increase letters from suppliers to manufacturers and from manufacturers to retailers and interior designers were already sent out.

Hardy says she received notice from about half of her main manufacturers about price increases. They havent said how much theyre increasing and theyre also not saying specifically its because of the tariffs, she says, but she suspects it is related.

What a price increase looks like isnt necessarily as clear cut as, say, a 10% tariff on a country means a 10% across-the-board increase in furniture imported from that country. Nothing ever works that way, McLoughlin says.

Every step of the supply chain will be asked to eat a piece of the increase, he says. So the original factory will be asked by its customers to work out some pricing, some work-around. Then the company that imports it will be asked by its retailers to eat a piece of that. The retailers typically will eat a piece before they pass it on to the consumer.

Copeland Furniture has been through this process before. The first step anytime tariffs are issued, and this happened in 2017 as well, we go and negotiate with the suppliers to see if they will meet us in the middle, Copeland says. Then we take a bit of a haircut in our own margins on top of things, so possibly and hopefully  any increases would be maybe in line with kind of a predictable regular price increase rather than a drastic one.

Norwalk has been getting notifications from suppliers about price changes for longer than just the past couple weeks, Newlin says  Trump began announcing tariffs on countries at the end of January. When a fabrics price changes from the supplier, that offering gets moved into a different price grade for the consumer.

Luckily for Norwalk, its upholstered furniture is custom ordered. Then the consumer has to navigate and decide whether if they love it, theyll pay for it, or if theres another option less, theyll choose, he says. Its not as disruptive as someone who sells kind of finished goods, where theyve already got some made, theyve got a lot in play at a price. The whole things got to go up in price.

Indeed, the higher-end furniture isnt going to see as much fluctuation in pricing as the items with a lower price point, says Shannon Williams, the CEO of the Home Furnishings Association. Many pieces made with a lot of craftsmanship have already been using domestic products and labor. Its the cheap goods that come over on container ships from China that will be impacted.

Whats going to change for the consumer really depends  on where your retailer is buying your product. Some are still purchasing in China, some of them are working with U.S. companies that get all of the pieces individually from Vietnam, but then assemble here in the U.S. So theres gonna be a different fluctuation of costs.

Tariffs could have other effects on furniture besides price

McLoughlin doesnt believe a 10% tariff on any one country is sufficient enough to dramatically change behavior across an industry or entirely change where and how furniture makers acquire their raw and built materials. It wont cause consumers jaws to drop in response to price changes. Most retailers and manufacturers and factories can work within their existing operations to mitigate a 10% increase, he says.

But there could be other effects. Companies may refigure products or swap out for less pricey materials. Imagine so-called shrinkflation, when manufacturers provide less of everyday household items than before at the same price point, hitting the furniture market. A product that was 46 inches maybe now gets moved to 44, McLoughlin says.

If you need a couch, go ahead and buy it

After the industry boom during the pandemic, when customers saw long lag times, many furniture companies now have a glut of supply.

Theres a lot of retailers that have excess inventory right now, because sales have been light, that are ready to sell off what they have, Williams says. She believes that all of this backlog will prevent an immediate price hike on some furniture items.

But Newlin is worried that broader consumer uncertainty might make people wary about investing in furniture right now. If necessities like groceries cost more, for instance, that might cause people to rearrange their budget and reconsider buying a new recliner.

Hardy is already seeing that happen. We had a pretty great first quarter, but second quarter, everyones just put a hard stop on buying things, she says. I feel like Im just sort of holding on and closing my eyes and hoping for the best, which is just not a great business strategy.
A 5-year-old boy injured his hand after accidentally shooting a gun in North Philadelphia, police said.

Officers were at St. Christophers Hospital for Children Saturday when the child arrived in a private vehicle, with a laceration to his left hand, police said.

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Investigators later learned the boy and his 21-year-old sister had gone to a house on the 500 block of East Thelma Street, in the Feltonville section of the city, police said, and while there, the boy found a gun and fired it.

The child evidently was not shot but rather, according to police, injured his hand while handling the gun.

A 24-year-old man inside the home at the time was detained by police. It is unclear if the man owned the gun  details about which were not provided  or if he will be charged with any crime.

Police did not immediately provide the times of the shooting or when the child arrived at the hospital. They continue to investigate and charges are pending further investigation.
The songwriter and environmentalist Carole King writes that federal legislation to protect the Custer-Gallatin National Forest next to Yellowstone Park will "preserve wild places that will continue to give us a deep sense of our relationship to the universe." Read more

Whenever I visit Pennsylvania, Im always grateful to receive a warm welcome. I remember walking in Philadelphia near Rittenhouse Square on a day off when I tripped on a sidewalk made uneven by the roots of a very old tree. Several passersby stopped to make sure the stranger who had tripped was OK. Of course, they did. They were Pennsylvanians of goodwill.

Among such people in the commonwealth, Ive come to know U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, who represents Pennsylvanias 4th Congressional District.

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As an environmental activist and longtime advocate for preserving our nations wild places, I was heartened by the recent reintroduction of the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act by Dean and Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.

This visionary legislation in the House (HR 2420) and Senate (S 1198) will preserve 23 million acres of public land across Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming  land that serves as critical habitat for endangered and threatened species. Compare these protected 23 million acres to the land area of Pennsylvania, 44,741.7 square miles, about 28.6 million acres.

The bill, which is known by its acronym NREPA (say: Ner-EE-pa), was written by prominent scientists who lived and worked in the Northern Rockies, including John Craighead, named among the top 100 figures in conservation in the 20th century. When enacted, NREPA will establish biological corridors to connect the regions core wildlands into a functioning ecological whole that will sustain biodiversity. And, by preserving a vast, efficient, no-cost carbon storage system in the form of interconnected living trees and the soil beneath them, NREPA is a large-scale climate solution.

Without NREPAs protection, this is happening on national forest land owned by all Americans.

Taxpayers have been subsidizing clear-cutting in our national forests for decades with money allocated to the Forest Service. Often, such provisions are included in must-pass bills.

In recent years, billions have been allocated to facilitate wide-reaching commercial logging in American national forests under the guise of euphemisms such as restoration, wildfire risk reduction, strategic treatment, and hazardous fuels management.

Ill bet you and your neighbors could use some of that money in your community for healthcare, childcare, good quality schools, support for veterans, and so much more.

Let me be clear. Many of my neighbors in Idaho are Forest Service employees who maintain trails and outhouses, educate visitors about forests and species, and risk their lives to contain wildfires. I support those workers.

NREPA will save taxpayers money and preserve wild places that will continue to give us a deep sense of our relationship to the universe, fill us with wonder, and inspire generations to come.

The direness of the climate crisis demands action now, and the leadership of these legislators in introducing NREPA exemplifies the proactive stance we need from our elected officials.

I applaud Dean and Whitehouse for taking this action. I hope more of their colleagues in Congress are inspired to stand up to the coalition of the entitled and be fearless in fighting for people of goodwill and the planet that sustains us all.

Dear reader, I hope you, too, are inspired. Stay involved and never give up.

Carole King, an environmentalist, composer, lyricist, and author, has written or cowritten more than 100 songs that have appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. She is the winner of four Grammy Awards and the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. She is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame  first a songwriter and later as a performer.
Inmates inside their shared cell during a press tour of the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, in Tecololuca, El Salvador, in 2023. Read more

Abuses abound throughout the Trump administrations first few months, from wanton attacks on universities, law firms, federal workers, financial markets, allies, the media, and the rule of law.

But no malfeasance has been more grotesque than the imprisonment of immigrants without any due process, especially the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

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The 29-year-old father of three children, each with special needs, has been in the country for roughly 14 years, minding his business and paying taxes.

Abrego Garcia fled his native El Salvador, where his father was a police officer and his mother ran a food business, after the family faced death threats and extortion by a local gang.

Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally, but in 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from deportation because of a well-founded fear of gang persecution. He was issued a work permit by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and joined a union as a sheet metal apprentice.

Last month, Abrego Garcia was among the 238 Venezuelan and Salvadoran migrants deported to El Salvador without any due process. The Trump administration alleged they were all criminals  despite little evidence of criminal records or ties to gangs in most cases.

Abrego Garcia and the other deportees are being held in a high-security mega-prison in El Salvador known for its inhumane conditions, which include 65 to 70 inmates in a cell with no visitation, recreation, education, or enough bunks for everyone.

The Trump administration is paying El Salvador $6 million to house the deportees who have been effectively disappeared, as if we now live under a military dictatorship.

Indeed, the payment itself is likely a violation of human rights law. That is just one of the legal abuses Donald Trump has perpetrated since his return to office.

The Trump administration disobeyed a federal judges order to turn around the planes carrying the migrants to El Salvador.

The administration later admitted Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported due to an administrative error. Since then, Trump and his loyalists have played word games in court, ignored judicial orders, lied in public, and incredulously claimed they have no power to retrieve Abrego Garcia from the prison where they paid to send him.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court judges order that the administration facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the United States, but nothing has been done.

Instead, Trump debased the Oval Office by hosting El Salvadors former nightclub operator turned strongman president, Nayib Bukele, for a sham performance in which they both claimed to be powerless to comply with the courts and return Abrego Garcia. Several of Trumps loyal, toady cabinet members played court jesters by adding to the misinformation.

It was an absurd display of Kabuki theater that further diminished the United States global leadership and moral authority in the months since the twice-impeached, convicted criminal narrowly returned to power.

A federal judge said he found probable cause to hold the Trump administration in criminal contempt for ignoring his orders to turn around the planes carrying deportees to El Salvador.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg said he would hold contempt hearings regarding the administrations failure to allow the migrants to challenge their deportation. But dont look for the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute the matter, since it has lost its independence under Trump.

Boasberg, a conservative appointed by President George W. Bush, said he could appoint another attorney if the Justice Department fails to act. That will likely set off more rounds of legal tangling as Trump plays his favorite game of delay, delay, delay, while attacking the judge whom he called a radical left lunatic who should be impeached.

Meanwhile, the federal judge overseeing Abrego Garcias case ordered Trump administration officials to give sworn testimony explaining why nothing has been done to facilitate his return.

The Supreme Court has spoken, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis said.

But Trump  emboldened by the Supreme Court ruling last year that found he was largely above the law  is not listening.

During his Oval Office meeting, Trump urged Bukele to build five more mega-prisons because he was exploring sending U.S. citizens to El Salvador.

The homegrowns are next, Trump said.

As the Republicans in Congress remained quiet, and Trumps MAGA supporters cheered, a variation of Martin Niemollers lament about his early complicity in Nazism could be heard in the distance.

First they came for 
Des Kennedy, 42, grew up in Twinbrook, West Belfast. In 2012, he worked as an associate director on the musical Once, which ran for several years. He started working on the hit play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in 2015, which opened in Londons West End that summer before touring internationally, including on Broadway.

In 2024, he was appointed artistic director of the Everyman in Cork. Kennedy is currently directing Making History, by Brian Friel, at the theatre until April 26.

The Crucible

The first play I saw was Arthur Millers The Crucible at Belfasts Lyric Theatre. I was 13. I was in a youth club and my best friend told me she was in a play at the Lyric, so my dad, who was a bus driver, got the night off to take me to it. I didn't know anything about the play.

She was my age, so I expected it to be like a panto or a musical, but it was this amazing political drama. I fell in love with theatre that night. It was so scary, atmospheric and anger-inducing.

Even though the play was about the Salem witch trials, I could tell somehow the production was saying something about what was going on outside in the streets of Belfast in the 90s.

Closer

When I was 16, I became a member of the National Youth Theatre, so I got to go to London for a month. I remember getting to see Patrick Marbers Closer in the West End. It was the premiere. Imogen Poots was in it. Incredible writing  it felt very contemporary and sexy. Up until that point, I had always thought of plays being things from the past.

The Wooster Group

When I was about 17, I did work experience for the Belfast Festival at Queens. I got to work with The Wooster Group, a New York avant-garde theatre company. Willem Dafoe and Elizabeth LeCompte were in Eugene O'Neills The Emperor Jones.

It was a profound experience  extraordinary to be exposed to that kind of international work. It expanded my mind as to what theatre could be.

They deconstructed the play and created a postmodern version. It was mind-blowing, turning this classic play about slavery and race into a two-hander with video and multimedia and Japanese kabuki performance style.

The Wire

Michael Kenneth Williams as Omar in The Wire.

The Wire is the best TV show written, especially now given a world where people are so polarised about their beliefs and why things are a certain way. Its about society, but it takes a zoomed-out view of things like power, poverty and politics, and how it's all interconnected  how these systems into which we're born can define so much about the lives were forced to live.

And it's very entertaining. It doesn't patronise the audience. It's complex, almost Dickensian, with these characters living in poverty, but with big political messages about the breakdown of society.

Cult documentaries

I like documentaries about cults! I've watched everything you can name about the NXIVM cult. There are a couple of documentaries on Amazon Prime and HBO about it. NXIVM is an organisation for privileged people in the United States to do self-healing and wellness. They end up giving all their money to a guru whos manipulating and who takes advantage of them. There are sinister organisations within the organisation who punish their members. They're not the most sophisticated documentaries. There's a predictability about them, almost, but thats satisfying.

Meet Me in the Bathroom

Meet Me in the Bathroom is an amazing documentary about the Strokes and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and that wave of music  that Brooklyn, New York indie music scene that was happening about the year 2000.

It reminds me of my youth. It's a snapshot of those bands, as they were being discovered, with a lot of footage of the Strokes becoming a massive success, and how they were burnt out by their celebrity very quickly.

The Glass Menagerie

I love Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie. It's a beautiful play. John Tiffany's production at the Edinburgh Festival in 2016 had Cherry Jones playing Amanda. Bob Crowley who is a Cork designer created this amazing, very simple, spare set for the Wingfields apartment. I remember the emotional kick of it. It was kind of the perfect production of The Glass Menagerie. I don't think I can see another production, having seen that one in Edinburgh.

Tony Kushner

Tony Kushner is a favourite playwright of mine. I love American playwrights. He writes big political dramas, state-of-the-nation plays about America, well-structured with excellent dialogue, strong characters.

He wrote Angels in America, an amazing two-part play about the American Aids crisis in the 1980s. HBO made it into a miniseries.

Return to Oz

As a kid, a favourite movie was Return to Oz, the dark sequel to The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy has electroshock therapy to get her rid of the dreams she remembers having visited Oz. Its an off-the-wall, macabre movie.

Although its a Disney movie, it didn't do well when it came out. It was so dark and scary it put a lot of people off, but I remember enjoying being scared by the movie.

Cameron Crowe

A scene from Almost Famous.

As a youngster I loved Almost Famous, a Cameron Crowe movie with Kate Hudson about a rock band touring in America in the 1970s. Vanilla Sky is another favourite of mine, which is another Cameron Crowe movie. Hes a favourite director. He won the Oscar for Jerry Maguire. He's got amazing visual storytelling. He works brilliantly with music.

He's an excellent screenwriter as well. His stories always pack an emotional punch. Theyre not cold and distancing. They have warm, fully fleshed characters who you believe in and care about.

Tales of the City

Tales of the City are 10 novels written by Armistead Maupin. Theyre about young people living in San Francisco in the late 1970s, early 80s, and the Aids crisis and the sexual revolution in America.

I remember reading those when I was about 20 and not being able to stop. I flew through the series, including recent releases, which are sequels. They've been made into a TV series with Laura Linney. I found them quite profound.

Armistead Maupin.

Michael Cunningham

I love Michael Cunninghams novels. He's the American writer of The Hours, which was made into a film. It's set in three different time periods, with three heroines, a deconstructed version of Mrs Dalloway set in contemporary America.

One of the characters is Virginia Woolf, who Nicole Kidman played in the movie. Hes a very clever writer, one of those authors whose work I can't put down.

The Education of an Idealist

A memoir I enjoyed was Samantha Powers The Education of an Idealist. Shes an Irish woman  who grew up in Dublin  who worked for the Obama administration.

It was great to hear her journey with Obama, how she got to where she was, despite her background and the difficulty in her family growing up  that an Irish person got to the rooms she was in, doing the work she did, and learning about genocide denial along the way. It's a brilliant read.
In the 1980s, farmers in receipt of payments from the EU per head of sheep were inadvertently incentivised to stuff as many animals onto the hills as they could. The result, predictably, was ecological disaster across the uplands. Connemara was one of the worst affected regions. The hordes of animals ate all the natural vegetation, leaving only bare peat in many places, rare plants disappeared, silt washed into streams and rivers harming fish habitat.

The sheep themselves struggled to survive: up to 10% of them died, providing a boon for scavengers such as foxes and ravens, which in turn hastened the decline, and eventual disappearance, of ground-nesting birds such as golden plover, curlew and dunlin.

Writing in the 1990s, the ecologist Tony Whilde noted that clearly the interests of farmers, sheep and the environment will be best served by a new system which encourages and pays for a considerable reduction in the Connemara sheep flock.

Later, the EU abandoned headage payments and sheep numbers were reduced, but not to a sufficient degree that would allow recovery of the vegetation. An effective system for paying farmers for environmental stewardship never materialised and today Connemara is, against some stiff competition, one of the most degraded landscapes in Ireland.

Nestled within this lies Connemara National Park  Irelands smallest, at only 3,000 hectares. It is a significant draw for visitors, attracting 300,000 a year and is also the biggest State employer in the region. As such, the Park is a lynchpin of the local economy, not only through direct employment but through indirect procurement of local services, proving that an economy based on nature can be more lucrative than one based on sheep.

In March, in glorious sunshine, I visited the Park in the company of senior staff from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), the agency charged with its management.

Failed Coillte forestry on the boundary of Connemara National Park. Picture: Padraic Fogarty

Although the Park is small, it recently got a boost after the State purchased an additional 250 hectares to the south. While not much in itself, it signals an intention that the Park is in expansion mode. Chunks of land to the south and east, which were planted by State-forester Coillte (another ecological disaster) are also in their sights. This opens the possibility of rewilding on a much larger scale into the future, perhaps encompassing all of the 12 Bens Mountains and perhaps even Roundstone Bog to the south  a vision that was first mooted when the Park was originally formed.

Montbretia is a common invasive plant species in Ireland

The NPWS is also making good progress in eradicating alien invasive species and they aim to be the first Park to have all their nuisance plants, such as rhododendron and montbretia, under control this year.

Rhododendron ponticum) is a large perennial evergreen, acid loving shrub which is native to the Iberian Peninsula and Asia. It was introduced to Ireland during the 18th century as an ornamental garden plant. Since its introduction, Rhododendron has escaped into the wild and is particularly invasive in the west, north-west and south-west of the country. Picture: Dan Linehan

Connemara National Park is unusual in that overgrazing is noticeably less apparent within its boundaries than outside; there are no areas of bare peat for instance and there is still quite a lot of heather compared to the surrounding lands, which provides habitat for a number of pairs of nesting red grouse.

Nevertheless, grazing is a significant problem. Wild deer, sheep (grazing both legally and illegally) and invasive goats mean that even if the land is in better condition than elsewhere, it is still overgrazed. Park staff are making some progress in addressing this and fencing to exclude sheep is being installed. It is hoped that by the end of this year the entire Park will be encircled with a sheep-proof fence.

Trees grow in Connemara where grazing pressure is removed. Picture: Padraic Fogarty

However, given the damage caused by sheep in particular, the NPWS could be accused of sending mixed signals. The Park is home to a breeding project for an old race of sheep, the Cladoir, which pre-date the Scottish black-faced sheep that are today familiar from the hills.

While there is much merit in preserving old breeds of domestic animals, does this really need to be done inside our smallest National Park? It is sending a message that sheep farming in this region is somehow sustainable when in reality there is an urgent (and largely unacknowledged) need to remove sheep from the hills altogether (although the Cladoir here are kept within a paddock).

The NPWS claims that the Park has a Category II Protected Area rating from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) but this is misleading. The IUCN does not rate protected areas, it simply provides guidance on different management approaches. Category II implies large natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes.

In fact, the condition of the habitats in the Park is not assessed to any degree of accuracy as it is at least 20 years since any kind of ecological survey was undertaken. Action is hampered by difficulties in recruitment of key staff.

Connemara: Diamond Hill from the Parks HQ. Picture: Padraic Fogarty

It's 30 years since the damage from free-roaming sheep first became apparent. Rising awareness of the climate and biodiversity crisis should have, by now, forced the State to provide alternatives to farmers but even talking about this remains taboo in many quarters. It is a conversation we cannot afford to ignore in this way, especially when alternatives exist and would even improve the economy for loss-making sheep farmers.

The National Park is in a unique position to show how this can be done, but the NPWS (more widely) has been poor at telling its story. It needs to be more assertive and be the champion for a nature-filled society that many want it to be.
When John Kelly left a Famine-ravaged Ireland for America around 1867, he could never have envisaged that, almost 100 years later, his granddaughter would return to his home county of Mayo as a world-famous movie star and royal princess.

The state visit of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III to Ireland in June of 1961 was highly significant. It mattered to Grace as it fulfilled her dream of connecting with her roots  More than anything else in the world, I want to see Mayo, the county I think of as my own, shed said  and it was historically important as it marked the first ever visit by a head of state to these shores.

It put Ireland on the international map, started our enduring relationship with Monaco, and began to change our perception of the Irish diaspora  which further evolved with JFKs visit two years later. We were no longer peasants and paupers, we were presidents and princesses.

Five years earlier, Graces wedding of the century to Prince Rainier III of Monaco on April 19 , 1956, was watched by 30m people, with the guest list of those in attendance at the principalitys St Nicholas Cathedral reading like a whos-who of Hollywood celebrity and high-society privilege: Onassis, Hilton, Gardner, Grant.

The American movie stars exquisite dress  designed by MGMs Helen Rose, and handmade in that studios atelier over six weeks  has come to epitomise Graces timeless elegance and, along with the coveted Hermes bag that bears her surname, speaks to her enduring appeal.

While Grace may be remembered for her style, her luminous beauty, and her silver-screen success, it is perhaps less well-known that the Philadelphia-born actress had a cherished collection of literary works by Irish authors  including a first edition of James Joyces Ulysses, and a historically significant trove of Irish and Irish-American sheet music.

Grace began collecting these treasures after her 1961 visit, inspired by the connection shed felt to Ireland and the thrilling welcome shed received, as she put it afterward in a thank-you letter to then president Eamon de Valera.

Graces life was cut tragically short in September 1982 when the car she was driving careened off a cliff road  it is thought a stroke caused her to black out  leaving her with life-threatening injuries. She died the next day in a Monaco hospital. She was 52.

Keen to honour the princess devotion to her Irish heritage, a large Irish delegation attended the funeral in Monaco, headed by then president Patrick Hillery and his wife Maeve.

Since the historic state visit of 1961, Grace had visited Ireland seven more times, and had bought the land surrounding the ruins of her grandfathers cottage in Co Mayo, hoping to build a holiday home there.

In the year after her death, Pierre Joannon, the consul general to Ireland, wrote to Prince Rainier III, to suggest that the late princess deep connection to Ireland could be honoured through a library that would have, at its core, her treasured collection of Irish literature and sheet music.

Rainier warmly welcomed the idea, and on November 20, 1984, the Princess Grace Irish Library (PGIL) was inaugurated by the Monegasque ruler as a tribute to his wife and her love of Ireland and its culture.

In her speech on the day, Grace and Rainiers eldest daughter Princess Caroline said that her mother did feel like a European, because of her Irish roots, says Paula Farquharson, the Dublin-born director of the PGIL since 2021.

Farquharson, along with around 30,000 others, commutes daily from her home in France to work in the tiny principality whose borders encompass less than a square mile.

It just feels like Ireland, she says of the library, which is situated on a quiet street in Monacos old town, in a building that was once the home of Felix Gastaldi, a former Mayor of Monaco.

Everybody who comes in says that, because youre immediately struck by how personal it is and how Irish it is.

The library, while small, is mighty, and along with its Waterford crystal chandeliers; busts of Behan, Wilde, and Joyce; and paintings by Jack Yeats and Louis le Brocquy, has many rare treasures of Irish literature among its 9,000-odd volumes, as well as modern works and childrens books  Farquharson says theyve even had readings of Joyce for kids: We have the French version of The Cat and the Devil, so thats been really nice to have the younger generation meet James Joyce.

Much of Graces personal collection comprises volumes once owned by Tipperary-born Count Gerald Edward OKelly de Gallach, which she purchased from the Irish diplomats estate in the 1970s.

There are about 500 books in the Princess Grace Personal Collection, and over 1,000 music scores that she collected in the 70s, says Farquharson. The scores were a collection she bought from Michael ODonnell in Philadelphia, also a Mayo man who knew he would be future-proofing it by selling it to Grace.

ODonnells collection gives a wonderful fast-track history lesson Farquharson says, the songs lyrics and titles tracking the struggle for Irish independence and how that evolves in America and how America treats the Irish first wave, to the better times as the generations evolve.

The music, which includes When its Moonlight in Mayo, gets played at library sessions, Farquharson says  We dont keep a quiet library all the time! on a piano once played by A Clockwork Orange author Anthony Burgess, a close friend of Graces and one of the original trustees of the PGIL.

In the 1984 edition of the scholarly periodical, Etudes Irlandaises, Burgess wrote: One of the last public functions that Princess Grace attended was a dinner held in Monte Carlo in connection with James Joyces centenary  four months before she died.

I provided piano music for the dinner, all Irish songs, and the last memory I have of her is leaning over the piano and asking for a song about the Fighting Kellys.

An anecdote by a friend of Graces, Harriett Groote, which appears in the commemorative book overseen by

Farquharson for the PGILs 40th anniversary, also illustrates Graces love for the Irish tunes.

Groote says: HSH Princess Grace came to my house with a sheaf of music, Irish songs arranged for voice and piano. What fun for us both! We started with two songs, Rose of Killarney and My Wild Irish Rose. Her voice was lovely.

Farquharson says of the womens connection: They were both American, both had their young children at the same time in Monaco. They were preparing for a family concert. So just because [Grace] wasnt earning money at the arts or performing, it was very much still part of her.

Grace did perform again, though. On October 18, 1979, at the invitation of the 21st Dublin Theatre Festival, she did a one-night-only recital of Birds, Beasts and Flowers. Her interest in the arts began at an early age, not least because two of her paternal uncles were prominent in that arena. Walter Kelly was a vaudeville star, while George Kelly was a screenwriter, director, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

She really had her heart set on being in the arts and acting, because she was very young when she went to New York to study drama, Farquharson says. Eighteen-year old Kellys audition piece for admission to NYs American Academy of Dramatic Arts was a scene from her uncle Georges play, The Torch-Bearers.

After graduation, she supported herself in New York with modelling, theatre, and TV roles. Her big break, as Amy in High Noon, came in 1952, followed by an Oscar-nominated turn in Mogambo, a contract with MGM, an Oscar for The Country Girl in 1954, and a string of roles in movies that are now classics.

She wore her newly-acquired Cartier diamond engagement ring in her swan song, High Society, a remake of The Philadelphia Story. The role of Tracy Lord provided a full circle moment; shed performed it years previously for her graduation from drama school. In 1957, she told The New York Times: Being a princess is a role, just like any other, but this one has no curtain call.

Grace took her royal role incredibly seriously, dedicating herself to philanthropic and humanitarian causes, becoming an active patron of the arts, culture, and education.

[She had a] very tough role, handling multiple responsibilities, Farquharson says. Being a wife of a head of state, a princess, and a mother, which she took very seriously. She was very careful to keep her children sheltered from the intrusion of the press.

In 1964, Grace set up the Foundation Princesse Grace to support cultural and humanitarian causes.

Today, the library operates as a non-profit under its aegis.

In her tenure to date, Farquharson has opened the PGILs doors wider, and brought it into the digital age, which, she says, has allowed us to have a lot more exposure and across the world because lots of people still love Princess Grace.

The library, is a platform for Irish writers, actors, and musicians regularly hosting lectures and recitals. Twice a year, courtesy of the Ireland Funds Monaco, a bursary affords an Irish writer a month-long residency.

The Princely Couple's visit to the Kelly family's ancestral homestead in the townland of Drimula in Co Mayo. Picture: Princess Grace Irish Library Archives.

Theyre free to concentrate on their work and free to be inspired by their surroundings and have access to all the books, she says. And we, of course, try to integrate them into the community in Monaco so that they can really get a feeling for where theyre living and be inspired by that, because so many writers and artists have come down here over the years.

Cork-born writer Flor McCarthys residency coincided with last years 40th anniversary celebrations of the PGIL. Her book, The Presidents Letters, includes correspondence between de Valera and Grace following Devs 1962 gift of an Irish pony.

Babbling Brook is very happy in her new surroundings and Caroline is learning very quickly to ride her, Grace wrote, while her eldest daughter sent an accompanying note written in childish scrawl, Dear Sir, thank you, Love Caroline.

McCarthy honed in on these letters, Farquharson says, and through her collaboration with the actors of the Monaco-Ireland Arts Society, contextualised them and brought them to life in a performance at the library.

Theres something about the Irish, she says. And when youre in that room, its very natural and easy-going.

Grace transmitted that love and attachment to Ireland to her children, Farquharson says, remarking that Prince Albert II was in Ireland for the rugby before St Patricks Day.

The current head of state has been really supportive of the PGIL.

He has very close friends who also have connections to Ireland  Michael Flatley being one of them, Farquharson says. For Bloomsday 2024, Flatley loaned the library his collection of Joyce memorabilia.

Sixty years on from his parents historic state visit, Prince Albert II returned to Ireland for a three-day trip, unveiling a frieze in the Long Room of Trinitys Colleges Old Library in recognition of his 1m donation towards the librarys restoration.

Weve had collaborations with the library with Trinity, says Farquharson, herself an alumna of the Dublin university.

The best bit is that Im able to facilitate other people to do their job and to excel and produce. Its a knock-on effect  they go on to write books, they go on to write music, and they then make other people very happy.

Grace would surely approve.

See pgil.mc
From growing up in Dublin to working with Hollywoods biggest names, celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons has travelled the world and now, based between New York and LA, is always on the move. He opens up about moving to Paris at 17, unforgettable street food in Morocco, and why Ireland still feels like home.

Favourite childhood holiday memory

I used to go to Italy a lot as a child. We would stay in this beach town about an hour south of Rome and I just remember spending days on the beach, eating pizza. There was a stone oven pizzeria right on the beach and wed get pizza every single day.

Me and my Italian childhood friends would play in the park near the house  it felt like a dream. I have so many amazing memories of eating and swimming. Every day felt like the perfect summer.

My most memorable trip

Im not sure if it counts as a trip but when I moved to Paris at 17, it was such a huge moment for me. I remember it was raining when I landed. I was walking through the streets in the pouring rain, alone for the very first time, and I just remember thinking, This is it.

Andrew Fitzsimons: "When I moved to Paris at 17, it was such a huge moment for me."

Id waited for that moment my whole life. I couldnt wait to leave home and leave Ireland. It was the first time I felt like I was truly stepping into the life I wanted. I had just left my family and everything familiar behind and I was so excited.

Most surprising destination

I travel so much for my job  Ive been almost everywhere. But the place that surprised me most is probably Japan. Ive worked there a couple of times now.

Aerial view of Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Tower and modern skyscrapers in Tokyo.

Tokyo was pretty much what I thought it would be but the rest of the country is so beautiful.

Ive been to Kyoto and a few other cities and its honestly one of the most spectacular places Ive ever been in my life.

My favourite city

I actually live in both New York and LA, and I love them for different reasons. But my favourite city to visit is obviously Dublin. I love going to The Ivy for a cocktail and dinner by myself. I sit up at the bar, have dinner, and read a book  its kind of my little ritual. I also love the National Gallery in Dublin and, in the summer, chilling out on the lawn at Trinity College is just lovely.

Favourite hotel

In London, I love the Mandrake. I always stay in this suite they have thats all black  its very gothic, very Elizabethan.

The Mandrake in London.

Its beautiful, with a big bathtub in the middle of the room. The hotel has a cool vibe, a beautiful bar downstairs, and a wonderful restaurant.

Its kind of my go-to place when Im there.

Most beautiful country

I spent a lot of time in Morocco helping to launch a magazine there, around the time I was living in Paris. We travelled all over the country for shoots and its just incredible.

Theres nothing like barbecued lamb from the side of the street. The mosques are so beautiful. We saw one of the biggest mosques in the world, which had a retractable roof. The food, the souk  during the day, they sell everything, and the squares turn into food markets at night. You can get amazing, really cheap street food. Its like nothing else.

Favourite thing to do while travelling

Because most travel for me is work-related, I like to find a hotel with a nice bar because, if I have to take meetings or calls, I dont have to run around and try to find stuff in a city I dont know. The hotel is the first step but its the most important step.

I want to feel comfortable and happy when Im working because its usually crazy hours, so I want to feel like Im somewhere homey and nice.

Making sure that theres a great hotel bar and hotel restaurant, because if I only have two hours of free time in a couple of days because Im working, I can at least have friends or family meet me at the hotel and its still a nice experience.

I dont really travel for leisure very often. So making sure I have a beautiful hotel with a great ambience, a beautiful bar, and a beautiful male bartender wouldnt hurt either!

My bucket list trip

I want to go to the Maldives. I never really take proper vacations but Im going to start making them a priority.

Andrew Fitzsimons: "I think a scuba trip in the Maldives would be amazing."

I think a scuba trip in the Maldives would be amazing  if I can find the time this year, thats where I want to go.
The ongoing search for a man who fell overboard in the Irish sea has been suspended for the night.

The man, who was on a UK-registered yacht, was last seen about 30 km off the coast of Dunmore East, Co Waterford.
The Vatican celebrated Easter on Sunday without Pope Francis presiding, as the pontiff continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

In his place, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St Peters Basilica, celebrated the open-air Mass before thousands of people in St Peters Square on a chilly but sunny spring morning.

Francis, 88, has only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23, after a 38-day hospital stay.

He missed the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he was expected to make an appearance on Sunday, according to the Mass booklet and liturgical plans released by the Vatican.

Missionaries of Charity nuns arrive for the Easter mass (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Easter is the most joyful moment in the Christian liturgical calendar, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion.

This year, Easter is being celebrated on the same day by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, and has been marked by Russias announcement of a temporary Easter truce in its war in Ukraine.

Easter at the Vatican traditionally involves a Mass and the popes Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin for to the city and the world), a speech delivered from the loggia over the basilica entrance which is usually a roundup of global hotspots and human suffering.

It remained to be seen if Francis will appear to give the speech or just impart the apostolic blessing at the end.

Nuns wait for the start of the Easter mass in St Peters Square at the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Francis has sharply cut back his workload as he follows doctors orders of two months of convalescence and respiratory therapy to improve his lung function.

It still seems to require great effort for him to project his voice, and his breathing remains laboured.

Before Sunday, his biggest outing had been a visit to Romes central prison to spend Holy Thursday with inmates.

The visit made clear his priorities as he slowly recovers: to spend time with the people most on the margins.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has no choice but to continue fighting in Gaza and will not end the war before destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages and ensuring that the territory will not present a threat to Israel.

The prime minister also repeated his vow to make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.

Mr Netanyahu is under growing pressure at home not only from families of hostages and their supporters, but also from reservist and retired Israeli soldiers, who question the continuation of the war after Israel shattered a ceasefire last month.

In his statement, he said Hamas has rejected Israels latest proposal to free half the hostages in return for another temporary truce.

     ,   .

      ,    .

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     >> pic.twitter.com/kdw9mXFoOr  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) April 19, 2025

Hamas has said it will only free the remaining hostages in return for an Israeli withdrawal and a lasting ceasefire, as called for in the agreement that Israel ended.

Israeli strikes meanwhile killed more than 90 people in 48 hours, Gazas health ministry said on Saturday.

Israeli troops have been increasing their attacks to pressure Hamas to release the hostages and disarm.

Children and women were among the 15 people killed overnight, according to hospital staff.

At least 11 dead were in the southern city of Khan Younis, several of them in a tent in the Muwasi area where hundreds of thousands of displaced people stay, hospital workers said.

Israel has designated it as a humanitarian zone.

Palestinians mourn over the bodies of their relatives killed in an Israeli army airstrike, during their funeral in Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Mourners cradled and kissed the faces of the dead. A man stroked a childs forehead with his finger before body bags were closed.

Omar is gone, I wish it was me, one brother cried out.

Four other people were killed in strikes in Rafah city, including a mother and her daughter, according to the European Hospital, where the bodies were taken.

Later on Saturday, an Israeli airstrike on a group of civilians west of Nuseirat in central Gaza killed one person, according to Al-Awda Hospital.

Israels military in a statement said it killed more than 40 militants over the weekend.

Separately, the military said a soldier was killed on Saturday in northern Gaza and confirmed it was the first soldier death since Israel resumed the war on March 18.

People take part in a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages, in Tel Aviv (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Hamas armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said it ambushed Israeli forces operating east of Gaza Citys al-Tuffah neighbourhood.

Israel has vowed to intensify attacks across Gaza and occupy indefinitely large security zones inside the small coastal strip of more than two million people.

Israel also has blockaded Gaza for the past six weeks, again barring the entry of food and other goods.

This week, aid groups raised the alarm, saying thousands of children have become malnourished and most people are barely eating one meal a day as stocks dwindle, according to the United Nations.

The head of the World Health Organisations eastern Mediterranean office, Dr. Hanan Balkhy, on Friday urged the new US ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, to push the country to lift Gazas blockade so medicines and other aid can enter.

I would wish for him to go in and see the situation first hand, she said.

Palestinians mourn over the body of Kinan Edwan, two, killed in an Israeli army airstrike (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251.

Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive.

Israels offensive has since killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The war has destroyed vast parts of Gaza and most of its food production capabilities.

About 90% of the population is displaced, with hundreds of thousands of people living in tent camps and bombed-out buildings.

Frustration has been growing on both sides, with rare public protests against Hamas in Gaza and continued weekly rallies in Israel pressing the government to reach a deal to bring all hostages home.

Thousands of Israelis joined protests on Saturday pressing for a deal.

Do what you should have done a long time ago. Bring them all back now and in one deal. And if this means to stop the war, then stop the war, former hostage Omer Shem Tov told a rally in Tel Aviv.
A Soyuz capsule carrying two Russians and one American from the International Space Station landed on Sunday in Kazakhstan, ending their seven-month research assignment.

According to Russian space agency Roscosmos, the capsule carrying Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner and astronaut Don Pettit of US space agency Nasa landed on the Kazakh steppe near the city of Zhezkazgan at 6.20am (0120 GMT).
The Hobart resident said while it's somewhat common to find fossilised shark teeth in the area, he didn't expect to stumble upon one.

An Aussie was surprised to discover a semi-fossilised shark tooth on a beach in Tasmania's northeast last weekend. Source: Supplied

A very lucky Aussie man has made an exciting discovery while going for a stroll on a remote beach. The Hobart resident was wandering along the shoreline in Tasmanias northeast last weekend when he spotted the awesome find tucked into the sand.

Its the only shark tooth Ive found, the ecologist, who requested to remain anonymous, told Yahoo News Australia.

While fossilised megalodon teeth, and others from different species, are known to wash up on the same beach  which he declined to disclose to prevent people from hounding and decimating the place  the man said he honestly didnt expect to see one.

I had heard that they occur along that coast, so while I was aware of the possibility of finding one.I only intended to go for a stroll along the beach, he said.

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However, the shock really set in when he took a closer look at the smooth, black 45mm-long object sitting in the palm of his hand.

The condition its in really blew my mind, the man told Yahoo. While it has some weathering around the edges (its no longer serrated), its otherwise completely intact and very well preserved.

The 45mm-long great white shark tooth appears to have been buried for a very long time. Source: Supplied

Eager to find out who the tooth once belonged to, the Aussie posted photos online, drawing the attention of thrilled locals, and he contacted a palaeontologist for more information.

I suspect its a very old, fossilised, great white tooth, rather than a megalodon, he said. I'm certainly no expert, but it closely fits the size and aesthetic profile for a white.

Great white tooth has been buried 'for a very long time'

And it turns out hes correct.

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After looking over the images, Jeff Johnson, manager of ichthyology at Queensland Museum, told Yahoo the tooth is from a large great white shark (carcharodon carcharias).

It is quite worn, with all serrations abraded away, he explained. It has been buried under the substrate for a very long time, and at least semi-fossilised. We cannot estimate its age simply from viewing it.

Johnson said given that shark teeth are found quite regularly after rough weather exposes them, they are not particularly valuable.

Last week, a former Australia Post worker revealed she had stumbled upon a diamond-shaped gem while walking to one of the beaches on Flinders Island, also in the states northeast.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Chinas US Ambassador Calls for Resolution of Trade War, Signals Readiness to Combat if Necessary

Xie Feng, Chinas ambassador to the United States, has called on Washington to find common ground with Beijing and pursue a path of peaceful coexistence, while cautioning that China is prepared to respond to the intensifying trade war.

During a public event in Washington yesterday, details of which were shared on the Chinese embassys website, Mr. Xie emphasized that tariffs would wreak havoc on the global economy, likening the situation to the Great Depression and the tariffs imposed by the US in 1930.

Drawing on concepts from traditional Chinese medicine, such as the necessity to balance the opposing forces of yin and yang, Mr. Xie stated that harmony should be the guiding principle in the relationship between the two largest economies in the world.

A well-crafted traditional Chinese medicine recipe typically incorporates a variety of ingredients that strengthen each other, resulting in optimal therapeutic effects, he remarked.

We should aim for peaceful coexistence instead of a direct confrontation, and support one anothers success rather than becoming trapped in a lose-lose situation.

The trade conflict has effectively paralyzed the immense trade between the worlds largest economies, with tariffs exceeding 100% in both directions, alongside a range of trade, investment, and cultural prohibitions.

Chinas leading shipbuilding association criticized a US initiative to impose port fees on vessels connected to China.

While Japan, Taiwan, and others are currently engaged in discussions or preparing to negotiate with the US regarding President Donald Trumps Liberation Day tariffs, no high-level talks with China are in the works at this time.

On Friday, Mr. Trump mentioned that the US is having productive private discussions with China amidst the ongoing trade conflict.

By the way, we have nice conversations going with China, he told reporters at the White House. Its, like, really very good. He did not provide further details.

China has asserted that the US must demonstrate respect prior to any potential negotiations.

Mr. Xie reiterated Chinas opposition to the trade war and asserted that the country will retaliate against any nation imposing tariffs against it.
( Middle East Monitor )  Since the early days of the latest and ongoing phase of Israels genocide in Gaza, humanitarian aid has become a major weapon. It was on 9 October 2023 that the then Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a complete siege to be imposed on Gaza. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed, he announced. We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.

Human animals only exist in the minds of Zionists and their fake security narrative, of course. The reality is that Israel decided to completely deprive Palestinians of life, and there was no better way to complement their aerial bombardment of Gaza than starvation.

The rationale was that Palestinians would die, one way or another, or a combination of both.

A year and a half later, Israeli officials are still debating their warped concepts of humanitarian aid. Defence Minister Israel Katz announced yesterday that no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza until civilian companies are established. The announcement that the Palestinians remaining in Gaza might at some point receive humanitarian aid was met with opposition from other Israeli officials in the far-right coalition government.

As long as our hostages are dying in the tunnels, there is no reason for a gram of food or aid to enter Gaza, said Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. His statement made no recognition of the fact that the Israeli hostages are highly likely to be killed by the genocidal states relentless bombing.

Culture Minister Miki Zohar also opposed any transfer of humanitarian aid. Only hellfire for the perpetrators of terror until the last of our hostage brothers and sisters return home safely, he said. Genocide does not allow anyone to return home safely, so the premise Zohar speaks of is interminable.

Clarifying his statement, Katz said that, Israels policy is clear and no humanitarian aid is about to enter Gaza. In the current reality, no one is going to bring any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and no one is preparing to bring in any such aid.

What stands out from these comments is that Israeli officials have a fetish for starving Palestinians in Gaza.

The comments do not envisage an end to starvation, while Katzs statement on civilian companies and humanitarian aid only imply that bureaucracy will add to the deprivation of humanitarian aid. To put it briefly, Palestinians will either starve, or be killed by bureaucracy that starves, if they are not already killed by bombs.

Katz may define starvation as Israel policy, but it also denotes the fact that the international community is becoming comfortable with starvation being used as a weapon of war. Regardless of the millions pledged for humanitarian assistance, Israel is controlling the humanitarian paradigm and it has been doing so for quite a while. For the international community, humanitarian aid does not necessarily translate to actual aid, but rather the pretence of posturing and routine statements that have taken precedence over coordinated action to halt genocide by starvation.

Civilians are forced to either live in makeshift, overcrowded and unsanitary shelters, or in crumbling buildings, summarised the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations this month.

Of course, there is no mention of EU countries participating directly in genocide and forcing Palestinians to live in such conditions, because humanitarian aid and politics are entirely separate, or so we are told by the politicians who politicise humanitarian aid. No wonder the world is not screaming Genocide! in unison; Israels policy of starvation is actually supported by the current humanitarian paradigm.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor or Informed Comment.

Via Middle East Monitor
An Israeli military investigation concluded Sunday that its troops did not use "indiscriminate fire" in an incident that killed 15 Gaza emergency service personnel, but acknowledged failures and announced plans to dismiss a field commander.

The killings occurred in the southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of March 23, just days into a renewed Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled territory.

They sparked international condemnation, including concern about possible "war crimes" from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

Israel insisted there were six militants in the ambulances that came under fire near the southern city of Rafah on that day.

"The troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them," the military said in a summary of the probe.

"The examination found no evidence to support claims of execution."

Younis Al-Khatib, president of the Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, told journalists in Ramallah around two weeks ago that an autopsy of the victims' bodies revealed that "all the martyrs were shot in the upper part of their bodies, with the intent to kill".

The military acknowledged a failure on the part of its troops to fully report the incident, moving to dismiss the commander responsible.

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident," the army said.

It added that a deputy commander "will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander... and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

The probe also concluded that six of the victims were Hamas militants.

- 'Regrets' -

"Fifteen Palestinians were killed, six of whom were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists," the military said.

"The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," the probe added.

The incident occurred in the early hours when the emergency service providers were addressing distress calls from Palestinian residents near Rafah following an Israeli air strike in the area, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defence rescue agency and one employee of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees were killed in the incident, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

Days after the incident, the Israeli military said its soldiers fired on "terrorists" approaching them in "suspicious vehicles", with a spokesman later adding that the vehicles had their lights off.

But a video recovered from the cellphone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appears to contradict the Israeli military's account.

The footage shows ambulances travelling with their headlights on and emergency lights flashing.

The bodies of the killed men were found buried near the site of the shooting in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah city, in what OCHA described as a mass grave.
An Israeli military probe into the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza on Sunday acknowledged operational failures and said a field commander would be dismissed, but found there was no "indiscriminate fire" by its troops.

The medics and other rescue workers were killed when responding to a distress call near the southern Gaza city of Rafah in the early hours of March 23, just days after Israel launched a renewed offensive in the Hamas-run territory.

The incident has drawn international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

"The troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them," the military said in a summary of its findings.

It said "fifteen Palestinians were killed, six of whom were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists," revising an earlier claim that nine of those killed were militants.

"The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," the probe added.

Those killed included eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defence rescue agency and one employee of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

- 'Regrets' -

Their bodies were found about a week later, buried in the sand alongside their crushed vehicles near the site of the shooting in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan area, in what OCHA described as a mass grave.

Younis Al-Khatib, president of the Palestinian Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has said an autopsy of the victims revealed that "all the martyrs were shot in the upper part of their bodies, with the intent to kill".

The Israeli military, in the summary, said "the examination found no evidence to support claims of execution or that of any of the deceased were bound before or after the shooting," amid allegations that some of the bodies had been found handcuffed.

Days after the incident, the army said its soldiers fired on "terrorists" approaching them in "suspicious vehicles", with a spokesman later adding that the vehicles had their lights off.

But a video recovered from the cellphone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appears to contradict the Israeli military's account.

The footage shows ambulances travelling with their headlights on and emergency lights flashing.

The military acknowledged operational failure on the part of its troops to fully report the incident, but reiterated their earlier statements that Israeli troops had buried the bodies and vehicles "to prevent further harm."

"There was no attempt to conceal the event," it said.

- 'Failures' -

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders and a failure to fully report the incident," the army said.

It added that a deputy commander "will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander in this incident and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, who has repeatedly advocated for continuing the war in Gaza, said the commander's dismissal was a "grave mistake".

The military on Sunday said there were three incidents involving shooting in the area on that day.

In the first incident troops fired at a vehicle they identified as a Hamas vehicle.

In the second incident, an hour later, the troops fired "on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances very close to the area in which the troops were operating, after perceiving an immediate and tangible threat," the military said.

"The deputy battalion commander assessed the vehicles as employed by Hamas forces, who arrived to assist the first vehicle's passengers. Under this impression and sense of threat, he ordered to open fire."

The third incident saw the troops firing at a UN vehicle "due to operational errors in breach of regulations," the military said.

The probe "determined that the fire in the first two incidents resulted from an operational misunderstanding by the troops, who believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces."

"The third incident involved a breach of orders during a combat setting," it added.

Mundhir Abed, a medic from the Red Crescent Society who survived the attack, told AFP earlier he was beaten and interrogated by Israeli troops. One other medic has survived the attack and is reportedly in Israeli custody.
An Israeli military report on the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza admitted Sunday that mistakes led to their deaths and that a field commander would be dismissed.

But a probe found no evidence of "indiscriminate fire" by troops and maintained that some of those killed were militants. The Palestine Red Crescent denounced the report as "full of lies".

The medics and other rescue workers were killed when responding to distress calls near the southern Gaza city of Rafah early on March 23, days into Israel's renewed offensive in the Hamas-run territory.

The incident drew international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from UN human rights commissioner Volker Turk.

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders and a failure to fully report the incident," a summary of the investigation said.

Reserve Major General Yoav Har-Even, who led the investigation, accepted that troops had committed an error.

"We're saying it was a mistake. We don't think it's a daily mistake," he told journalists when asked if he thought the incident represented a pervasive issue within the Israeli military.

Those killed included eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defence rescue agency and one employee of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

Their bodies were found about a week later, buried in the sand alongside their crushed vehicles in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan area.

OCHA described it as a mass grave.

Younis al-Khatib, president of the Palestine Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has said an autopsy of the victims revealed that "all the martyrs were shot in the upper part of their bodies, with the intent to kill".

The military rejected his accusation.

"The examination found no evidence to support claims of execution or that of any of the deceased were bound before or after the shooting," the probe said, amid allegations that some of the bodies had been found handcuffed.

"The troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them," it said, adding that six of the 15 were "identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists".

It had earlier said nine of those killed were militants.

"The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," the probe added, without providing evidence that six of the men were militants.

Har-Even acknowledged that no weapons were found on the dead men.

The Palestine Red Crescent rejected the investigation findings.

"The report is full of lies. It is invalid and unacceptable, as it justifies the killing and shifts responsibility to a personal error in the field command when the truth is quite different," spokesperson Nebal Farsakh told AFP.

- 'No attempt to conceal' -

After the incident, the army said its soldiers had fired on "terrorists" approaching them in "suspicious vehicles". A spokesman later added that the vehicles had their lights off.

But a video recovered from the cellphone of one slain aid worker, released by the Red Crescent, appeared to contradict the Israeli military's account.

The footage shows ambulances travelling with their headlights on and emergency lights flashing.

The military acknowledged an operational failure by its forces to fully report the incident, but reiterated earlier statements that Israeli troops buried the bodies and vehicles "to prevent further harm".

"There was no attempt to conceal the event," it said.

"We don't lie," military spokesman Effie Defrin said on Sunday.

The Red Crescent's Farsakh, however, said her organisation was denied access to the site for five days.

The military said a deputy commander "will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander in this incident and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

- 'Breach of orders' -

The military said there were three shooting incidents in the area on that day.

In the first, soldiers shot at what they believed to be a Hamas vehicle.

In the second, around an hour later, troops fired "on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances", the military said.

"The deputy battalion commander assessed the vehicles as employed by Hamas forces, who arrived to assist the first vehicle's passengers. Under this impression and sense of threat, he ordered to open fire."

The third incident saw the troops firing at a UN vehicle "due to operational errors in breach of regulations", the military said.

The probe determined that the fire in the first two incidents resulted from an "operational misunderstanding by the troops".

The UN said in April that after the team of first responders was killed, other emergency and aid teams were hit one after another over several hours while searching for their missing colleagues.

Mundhir Abed, a medic from the Red Crescent Society who survived the attack, told AFP he was beaten and interrogated by Israeli troops.

Another medic also survived, with the military confirming Sunday he was in custody.

"Since the incident occurred by mistake, as the report claims, why does the occupation continue to detain the paramedic?" Farsakh asked, adding they were only informed he was being held days later by the Red Cross and that "the occupation has not yet clarified" where.
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Canberra author Tim the Yowie Man was quick to pull out his phone and record the mesmerising phenomenon.

Canberra author Tim the Yowie Man was walking around Lake Burley Griffin when he saw the 'weird' wave action. Source: Tim the Yowie Man

An Aussie man was wandering around his local lake one sunny morning earlier this month, as he had done a hundred times, when he spotted an unusual wave pattern on the surface of the water. Ive never seen the water move in such a weird way  sort of like a square-like pattern, Canberra author Tim the Yowie Man told Yahoo News Australia.

With barely a breath of wind at the time, and no boats or jet skis in sight, he was puzzled by what had caused the mesmerising scene on man-made Lake Burley Griffin. Footage shows the uniform waves lap against the concrete wall Tim is standing on, as the water just metres away remains strangely calm.

It was only in that spot, Tim said, adding the clear division prompted him to pull out his camera.

The tour guide later posted it online to see if anyone else had any ideas. The clip has since been viewed almost 700,000 times, with thousands of Aussies sharing their own opinions ranging from seismic activity to the Loch Ness monster.

Tim told Yahoo his best guess is that a fast boat had been in the area 10 minutes earlier.

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I cant think of anything natural that would create that, he said. The only thing I can think of is that a really fast boat was there some time before I was and then disappeared out of view, and this was somehow the wash created by it.

What is the 'unusual' wave pattern seen on the lake?

After reviewing the video, Dr Ruth Reef, the head of the Coastal Research Group at Monash University, told Yahoo the pattern in the water appears to be a small seiche, otherwise known as a standing wave. A seiche is a rhythmic oscillation of water in partially enclosed areas such as bays, harbours and swimming pools.

The wave pattern is a seiche, otherwise known as a standing wave. Source: Tim the Yowie Man

Dr Reef compared the natural phenomena to the water left sloshing in a bathtub after you get out.

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Thats really whats happened here in my opinion, she said. There was wind in the days before that footage was taken and the water was pushed towards one side.

Then the wind turned off, and for a few days afterwards youre going to see that kind of back-and-forth movement of water in the form of a wave called a seiche. It takes a while for that energy to dissipate.

Dr Reef said its not surprising that people often observe seiches as they walk on shorelines. What theyre seeing in the history of the wind, not the current wind, she explained, adding the light breeze Tim observed at the time had also created little ripples.

So you're seeing kind of two different wave patterns.

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As naturally and compulsively as bees build hives or beavers build dams, you tell stories.

When you unload your troubles at the end of the day, or declare your love, or argue a point, you tell a story.

You are the hero of your own story, and your life has whatever meaning the story gives you.

Author Neil Gaiman once retold a story from Ancient Egypt, of two brothers who were split apart by a treacherous woman.

After one died, the other travelled the Earth to find a way to bring him back, until finally  after many adventures  the two were reconciled.

That we could be moved by a voice from thousands of years ago is remarkable enough  but it gets better.

Years after reading the story, Gaiman chatted with an archaeologist recently returned from excavating ruins in Egypt.

Around the campfire at night, she said, the local Egyptians took turns telling stories, and one offered a tale he heard from his father. It was the same story of two brothers, passed down through four thousand years.

A good story outlives any other man-made thing, Gaiman said, so if we want to pass on something important, wed be wise to wrap it in a story that everyone will want to retell.

People who lived in the shadow of a dormant volcano could have simply warned their children that it occasionally erupts  but the more generations pass without another eruption, the more likely no one will believe the story enough to retell it.

If, however, they tell the heartbreaking tale of a maiden who fell into a forbidden love affair and was sacrificed to the fire in the mountain, everyone will want to pass it on.

And in the tale is the knowledge that the land itself is not as solid as it appears; every so often, the ground itself can shudder, that mountains can breathe fire and black snow  and what to do when it happens.

Nor are Egyptians even close to holding the record for the oldest stories; Australian Aborigines tell stories of the rising seas that seem to date from the last Ice Age. A peoples stories make them who they are, and until recently the Irish had the same traditions.

When Seosamh ODalaigh sat down with Peig Sayers of the Blasket Islands, she told him 375 stories, 40 of them epics. In rural Ireland, my neighbour Mary remembered, almost all communities had their own Peigs.

There was an institution called cortorach, Irish for visiting, and the people would visit each others houses, my neighbour Mary said.

It was huge in the country ... they would have a sennachai  a storyteller  and hed be spinning great yarns and tales, some of them the old, old stories. Some of them might be two thousand years old, really stories from prehistory  stories of Cu Chucullen and Meave, stories from long long ago. Senna is the Irish word for old, so a sennachai was telling the old stories. (It happened) at least once a week at least, and nearly every night at times, Mary said.

You can imagine it, the kitchen and ... a turf fire, and very warm, and the people gathered around listening to the sennachai telling his story ... And the children were supposed to go to bed but were allowed to stay up, and would listen to the sennachai, their eyes wide like saucers. Just as Homer could recite the Iliad and Odyssey  each perhaps 700 pages written down  from memory, so did storytellers in most traditional cultures. My neighbour Jack said his local sennachai could spin those stories so well that no one would go home until it was daylight.

One elder remembered his uncle Ned telling them stories of black Bran, Bran Dubh MacEchach, an ancient warrior from west Wicklow whose exploits are recorded in the annals of Ulster.

The literature, which has been preserved entirely by oral tradition, includes ancient legends, some of them older than Beowulf ... and a wealth of folklore, still only partly collected, wrote Moya Llwellyn Davies of the Blasket Islanders.

Today most of us were raised not with the stories of our families and places, but with stories sent to us from Britain or the USA, movies and pop hits and internet memes, the same ones as in any other country.

More and more, we think only the thoughts dictated to us from far above and far away.
Eva Osborne

Laura Angela Collins' connection to the Magdalene laundries could not run deeper.

Her grandmother, Angelina Collins, later renamed Angela, endured 27 years of forced labour under the Sisters of Charity.

Despite being recommended for a hysterectomy years before she died, it was never performed, and she continued working while unwell until she eventually died of ovarian cancer.

She was buried in a mass grave owned by the religious order, who, Laura says, still refuse to take responsibility for her death.

Laura's mother, Mary Teresa Collins, is a survivor of the industrial school run by the Sisters of Mercy, where her hair was roughly cut short, she was renamed Number 5, and suffered terrible abuse as a child.

Mary Teresa Collins (Laura's mother) in Rushbrook Industrial school

Laura's aunt was placed in the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home before being fostered and later adopted.

Both have lived with the trauma of these institutions, Laura said, while her other aunt, who was placed in the Sundays Well Magdalene Laundry at just 14 years old, later took her own life after "carrying the weight of the abuse she endured."

Now, Laura and her mother are fighting to get permission to remove her grandmothers remains from the mass grave  an act of justice which she says is "long overdue."

She said the council presented terms, and they met all but one: permission from the religious order who owns it. To this day, their pleas for permission remain unanswered.

"My nan, she was put into a Magdalene Laundry for 27 years of her life where, over 10 years before she died, she was recommended a hysterectomy and she was not given this treatment," she said.

"She was left to continue to work until she died of ovarian cancer and was put into a mass grave. So my mum, after being gagged during the Ryan Report (Child Abuse Inquiry), wanted to fight for her mum.

"She wanted to fight for the stuff that she had seen from the age of seven."

Brutal abuse

Laura explained that her mother would visit her grandmother in the Magdalene Laundry.

"Basically, while my nan was in the Magdalene Laundry for five years, she was refusing to sign adoption papers for her youngest daughter, called Bridget.

"It was only when they basically said, Look, weve got Mary in the industrial schoolif you sign these papersbecause Bridget at the time was being held in a foster placement and they wanted to adopt heryou'll get to start having arranged visits from Mary from the industrial school.

"That's when, from the age of seven, my mum started going into the Magdalene Laundry, where she saw her mum really withdrawn.

"Obviously she has her own experiences from within the industrial school. They were abusing her based on who her mother was, her identity, and where she came from.

"So after experiencing that and going to see your mum like that, she would associate it with pain.

"They would brutally abuse my mumtheyd call her all sorts of names and beat her. Terrible stuff that they inflicted upon children.

"So anyway, my mum went through this process and she was gagged, but she wanted to speak on the Magdalene Laundries, the Mother and Baby Homes, the County Homes."

For too long, Laura said, the religious orders that ran Irelands Mother and Baby Homes, County Homes, Magdalene Laundries and industrial schools have been allowed to escape accountability.

Last week, a report found only two of eight religious bodies linked to mother and baby homes offered to contribute to a survivor redress scheme.

Five bodies  the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; the Sisters of Mercy; the Legion of Mary; and the Church of Ireland  made no offer at all.

The negotiation was part of a bid to secure contributions from religious bodies toward the cost of the Government-established Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

Minister for Children Norma Foley expressed disappointment at the approach adopted by the majority of religious bodies to the redress scheme.

Laura detailed how disappointed she and her family were at how the Government responded to the findings of a Commission of Investigation set up in 2015.

The Commission examined homes run by the State and religious organisations where tens of thousands of unmarried women were sent to have their babies.

The Commission found that almost 170,000 women and children passed through the institutions from 1922 until the last one closed in 1998.

The investigation exposed the often harsh conditions and unforgiving regimes many women and children experienced.

Laura said: When the Magdalene apology came, my mum was sat in the Dail, and she was heartbroken.

"Absolutely heartbroken, because not only could they exclude acknowledging these women in the mass grave, they also excluded acknowledging circumstances like her being a visitorthe two hands of the mother-and-child abuse that always accompanied each other, especially in her case and many other cases that were present within Magdalene circumstances."

The women buried in these gravesincluding Laura's grandmotherwere excluded from the States 2013 apology for the Magdalene Laundries.

Laura and her two brothers beside her grandmother's mass grave

In 2013, then Taoiseach Enda Kenny apologised to the women who spent time in the Magdalene Laundries.

At the time, he said: "I, as Taoiseach, on behalf of this State, the Government and our citizens, deeply regret and apologise unreservedly to all those women for the hurt that was done to them, for any stigma they suffered as a result of the time they spent in the Magdalene Laundry."

However, Laura pointed out that no apology was offered for the dead women present in mass graves.

They excluded the dead women from the apology. My mum, she was heartbroken. She didn't know what to do," she said.

"There was no justiceno justice for her mum. There was no acknowledgement.

"What she ended up doing is she applied to Cork City Council to have her mother's remains exhumed from the mass grave.

"My mum, my family, met every conditionexcept the permission of the religious order."

To this day, Laura's family have still not received permission from the religious order to exhume her grandmothers remains from the mass grave.

"There's no justice, and when there's no justice, there really is no peace. Because my mum hasn't got peace."
Over half a million of outpatient appointments were not attended last year at hospitals throughout the country, figures released by the HSE through request by the Freedom of Information Act 2014 show.

The report detailed the figures of missed appointments, or DNAs (Did Not Attend), at each hospital in the country in 2024 and contained a breakdown by region. In total, there were over 525,320 appointments not attended last year.

In Kilkenny, the total number of missed outpatient appointments last year was 9,126. The total figure of DNAs in St Lukes General Hospital was 5,027, St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network had 3,783 and Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital had 316.

To put this into context, the current waiting list figures for St Lukes General Hospital alone stand at 6,537. Undoubtedly, for anyone stuck on these waiting lists for crucial services these numbers are incredibly frustrating to see.

At the top of the list for the most DNAs in 2024 was the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital with 48,007. St. James's Hospital followed with 40,000 and then Beaumont with 39,398.Outside of the Dublin area, University Hospital Limerick also recorded high numbers of missed appointments with a total of 24,659 as well as University Hospital Waterford with 26,522.

Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly all recorded a combined total of 17,419 unattended appointments last year also.

Such staggering figures perhaps hold most significance when compared to the number of people currently on waiting lists for often critical and life-saving health services across Ireland. According to the latest figures from the HSE, there are over 575,716 people on outpatient waiting lists nationally. Of these, 500,637 are adults and 75,079 are children.

READ NEXT: Seven projects in Kilkenny to share 500,000 under this year's Community Monuments Fund

When the total number of missed outpatient appointments are put side by side with the total number of those still enduring the never-ending waiting lists, the figures are not worlds apart. Had even the majority of these appointments been attended, then perhaps there would have been a considerable dent made in these enormous waiting lists.

To place this into further context, the Mater Hospital's number of missed appointments last year at 48,007 is almost 10,000 greater than their outpatient waiting list which currently stands at 38,254. Even worse, St James's figures from 2024 were almost double their current waiting lists of 23,950.

When asked to comment on the figures, the Mater pointed out that with a total of 291,495 patients attending the hospital last year, it is one of the busiest hospitals in the country. Additionally, they said: "It is worth noting that the community where the Mater Hospital is situated is recognised as an area of deprivation and many of the patients cared for have multiple morbidities and other social issues to contend with."

The hospital said they continue to encourage patient compliance with appointment attendance through a range of measures including sending appointment letters, text message reminders and validation of waiting lists to remove patients who no longer need appointments.

A spokesperson for St James's Hospital explained that the high figures in the report are indicative of the volume of patients they see and the complexity of patient cases. However, in a statement from the hospital, they said they will "continue to evaluate and examine future measures that can potentially reduce the number of missed outpatient appointments."

For those faced with limbo on these waiting lists, these figures can seem like a slap in the face. However, it is important to not shift the blame simply on the patients but to instead ask how can the system be allowing such vast numbers of missed appointments without raising concern and what is being done about it?

It cannot be expected that 100% of appointments be kept to: people's schedules change, things can happen, we can't always anticipate what comes next. We all accept that. However, over half a million appointments missed in one year is an extraordinary figure especially when it is held against our already extraordinary figure on waiting lists. So what is happening?

When asked to comment on the figures released by the HSE and the current situation with waiting lists in the country, the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill's office released a statement to say: "It is acknowledged that many patients are still waiting too long for hospital appointments and treatments." The statement continued: "The Minister for Health is conscious of the burden that this places on patients and their families."

The Minister's office pointed out the Waiting List Action Plan (WLAP) for 2025 was published in February which is designed to reduce the waiting times for patients and improve access to hospital care. So far, over 420 million has been allocated to the initiative. Part of this plan aims to address the issue of unattended appointments.

Some of these initiatives designed to target DNAs include two-way messaging systems. The Health Minister's office also added: "enabling and facilitating scheduled care reforms, through the use of technologies and tools, including in relation to SMS messaging re appointments, referral processes, robotic process automation, application of insights from behavioural science, and further roll out of the HSE patient application."

A spokesperson for the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, Marie McMahon, has described the current situation in the region as "absolutely frightening." Seven years ago this month, Maries husband died on a hospital trolley in UHL. When discussing the dire figures from the HSE, Marie emphasised the real people behind those numbers, saying "a lot of families have had horrific experiences."

For Marie, the writing is on the wall: "Obviously, the system is failing." She acknowledged the complex reasons as to why the number of DNAs could be so high, however, as she points out: "There needs to be some understanding as to why this is. Why are they not investigating? How much is that costing? There has to be a huge cost."

She also pointed out that the current system of sending out letters and telling people theyll be removed from the waiting lists if they dont respond within a short timeframe is not suitable as not everyone has someone who can advocate for them, if they are not in the position to do so for themselves.

Then theres also the issue of transport for vulnerable and rural people. Marie said: "If you dont have access to transport and you dont have someone to take you there, how are you going to get there? What are the provisions? Thats fine if you are urban based where there is a good transport network. But if you are rurally based, and a lot of Irish people are, then how do people get to their hospital appointment?"

Ultimately, in Maries opinion, these figures further demonstrate that "the system is broken." As Marie expressed, these latest figures are just one further example of a failure by the HSE in the broader picture of mismanagement of resources and treatment of patients wherein there will be "no accountability."
Police in Northern Ireland have issued an appeal around a blue backpack in their search for missing Mayo man George Brennan.

The 38-year-old from Claremorris was last seen on Wednesday, April 2 in Ballycastle, County Antrim, and his friends and family have not heard from him since.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is assisting An Garda Siochana in their search for Mr Brennan.

George Brennan, 38, from Co Mayo, was last seen on Wednesday April 2 in Ballycastle, Co Antrim (Family Handout/PA)

While he is missing from County Mayo in the, it is believed he may have links to the Causeway Coast and Glens area, and the Mid and East Antrim area.

On Saturday, the PSNI made a specific appeal in relation to the location of a blue-coloured backpack which Mr Brennan was seen carrying.

We would ask that anyone who believes they may have seen this backpack, or who has information as to its whereabouts, get in touch, they said.

READ NEXT: ALERT: Gardai issue urgent appeal to motorists as they attend multiple road crashes

Mr Brennan is described as being 62 in height and 100kg in weight. He has brown hair and blue eyes.

According to the PSNI, he had previously been seen on CCTV in the Spar shop in Moyle Road in Ballycastle on April 2.

At that time, he was wearing a black zip-up top, dark jeans, runners and was carrying a blue hiking backpack.

Another sighting of him, reported to the PSNI, indicated he was seen with a backpack hitch-hiking at the Lisnakilly roundabout outside Limavady, County Derry at around 4.45pm on Monday, April 14.

The caller said they saw the man get into a white van with writing on the side that was travelling in the direction of Ballykelly, also in Derry.

Mr Brennan's family is asking members of the public across the island of Ireland to share Georges photo and to appeal widely on social media to help raise awareness.
The Kilkenny Public Participation Network (PPN) represents community, voluntary, environmental, and social inclusion organisations in County Kilkenny. It connects local authorities with diverse community groups, fostering an inclusive community that encourages active citizen participation in local policy and decision-making.

Kilkenny PPN provides a structure for community groups to nominate and elect representatives to decision-making committees.

It supports member groups to grow, develop, and stay informed, acting as a channel of information between various local and national bodies and community groups.

When joining the PPN, community groups get to hear whats going on in Local Government, have their say in policy development and decision-making, receive information on policy consultations and funding opportunities, participate in networking opportunities, advertise events, receive free training, and much more, says Bortha Woudsma, the co-ordinator for Kilkenny PPN.

Read next: PICTURES - Kilkenny school welcomes loved ones for annual 'La na Muirnini'

Kilkenny has recently welcomed new communities from around the world, bringing rich cultural diversity. Theresa Delahunty, who is actively involved with Kilkenny Immigrant Services and Kilkenny Failte Isteach at the Fr McGrath Centre, and a former Kilkenny PPN representative, commented:

The PPN strengthens our community by bringing together the many groups working on behalf of the people. It provides an opportunity to network with and learn from other organisations and the free training opportunities are helping to build capacity among member groups. The PPN has given me a platform for engagement and a voice and input into policies that affect our community, in particular the new communities I work with.

Kilkenny PPN also played a crucial role in supporting displaced Ukrainians during the Ukraine War. Local communities, groups and government agencies work tirelessly to ensure newcomers feel welcomed and supported. Initiatives such as language classes, cultural exchange programs, and community events provided by Kilkenny PPN members play a crucial role in helping new residents integrate into Irish society.

Martin Brennan from the Kilkenny Twilight Group, which focuses on the needs of immigrants, ethnic minorities, disadvantaged, and disability groups, was previously nominated to represent the Kilkenny PPN social inclusion pillar on the Strategic Policy Committee 5 (Community, Integration, Cultural, Heritage, & Fire Services).

The PPN is invaluable for connecting with other community groups, he said. It offers opportunities to develop partnerships and friendships. It is very important if and when you can to be part of the SPC programme as it gives you an insight into how local government works and allows you to present your case and opinions on future policies that may affect your Community Group and our Districts plans.

Toluwani Akaehomen, from Nigeria, arrived in Kilkenny in 2001 and founded HerGenuityAfrika!, an organisation supporting entrepreneurship among females of African heritage and immigrant backgrounds.

Toluwani became involved with Kilkenny PPN and was nominated as its Social Inclusion representative on the Kilkenny County Councils Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). Inspired by her experience, she later ran as an independent candidate in local elections.

When new communities are given the opportunity to participate in decision and policy making, there is room to improve policies that are inclusive and supportive of an evolving society, she said. Representation is critical because it increases the self-esteem of new communities, gives their children a sense of belonging. Kilkenny PPN gave me an opportunity for participation and representation. We need more people who look like me at the decision-making table.

As society evolves, Kilkenny PPNs role in supporting new communities remains essential. By championing inclusivity, advocating for equitable access to services, and fostering community cohesion, Kilkenny PPN helps build a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

A key aspect of Kilkenny PPNs support for newcomers and collaborating organisations is their membership in the Local Community Integration Forum. The groups aim is to promote and support integration, equality, social inclusion, and civic participation for families and individuals coming to Kilkenny.

To learn more about Kilkenny PPN, visit www.kilkennyppn.ie. For more about the Kilkenny Community Integration Forum, contact integration@kilkennycoco.ie.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, stands for a portrait at E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, in March 2023.
Auburn, IN (46706)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
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Pupils from St Colman's NS, Stradbally and Scoil Mhuire Fatima, Timahoe recently received the sacrament of Confirmation at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Stradbally. The main celebrant was Bishop Denis Nulty, assisted by Fr David Vard, Administrator and Fr Sean Kelly, curate.

You can see three pages of photographs for this lovely family and community event in next week's Laois Nationalist newspaper, on sale from Tuesday next in all local newsagents and stores.
WHEN gardai carried out a search of a house in Laois, they uncovered a stun gun disguised as a torch hidden under a bed.

The defendant told gardai at the time that she didnt know that stun guns were illegal in Ireland and that she had it for a long time.

That was the evidence given at Portlaoise District Court last week when Agnieszka Bochenska from Cluain na Greine, Cloneygowan, Portarlington pleaded guilty to the possession of an offensive weapon at her home on 20 December last.

Defending barrister Paul Noctor said that his 51-year-old client had received the stun gun as a gift while she had been living in Poland. He said it was battery operated and had been kept in a cupboard for some time. He said that Ms Bochenska genuinely believed that it was not illegal to have one.

Judge Susan Fay said that if the defendant had 300 to contribute to the court poor box by 9 June that she would apply the Probation Act, if not she would convict Bochenska of the offence and fine her 500.
THATS a lot of reading! remarked a judge in a case where a woman pleaded guilty to the theft of 150 worth of newspapers.

However, it was her back story that offered a darker underlay to the proceedings.

Deanna Gill (26) with an address at Marina Court, Athy, Co Kildare but currently serving a sentence on unrelated matters, appeared at Athy District Court last week to answer this charge, as well as one of criminal damage to her next door neighbours front door.

The damage to the neighbours door was on 18 August 2021, while the theft was from Noonans Service Station on the Carlow Road on 31 August 2022.

She stole the morning newspapers, said Sergeant Dave Hanrahan, adding that she had two previous convictions at the time of the offences five since then.

Youd be reading all day! remarked Judge Desmond Zaidan.

Are you embarrassed? asked the judge, and the prisoner smiled sheepishly.

There was some level of intoxication, and they were recovered unopened, said Sergeant Hanrahan.

In mitigation, it was revealed that Ms Gills cousin was murdered in 2020, and the father of her two children was also murdered just six months later.

She has been on medication for depression and anxiety, explained her visiting barrister.

Two of her people got murdered within a couple of months? asked an incredulous judge.

August to January, said the barrister.

You couldnt make that up, the judge shook his head.

She has worked as a chef and she quite enjoys that, said her solicitor.

Whats your favourite recipe? asked the judge.

Shepherds Pie and roast dinner, smiled Ms Gill.

The judge then decided not to add to her present sentence and gave her the benefit of the Probation Act on both charges.
The Indego bike sharing program started in April 2015 in Philadelphia. Courtesy of Indego

The Easton area has some of the Lehigh Valleys most popular bike trails.

Why not provide low-cost bike rentals to make them even more accessible?
A speed ramp has been requested for a road into Abbeyleix, but Laois County Council says it may not be appropriate.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly described the danger at Blackhill Road, which connects to Rathdowney and Ballacolla.

"The speed is terrible, residents are taking their lives in their hands. Trying to turn into their houses is next to impossible.

"I think there are at least 30 or 40 cars an hour passing," he said.

He tabled a motion to the March meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking for increased traffic calming measures, and ramps.

The area engineer Wes Wilkinson said ramps are generally only built on urban roads.

"It wouldn't normally be appropriate in a rural area, but if there's something else we'll see what we can do," he said.

Cllr Fennelly suggests maybe a speed radar flashing sign.

Cllr Barry Walsh seconded the motion.

"It's an extremely busy road. This is a common issue throughout the county. maybe road markings might help," he said.

Cllr Fennelly said that road markings were done as well as extra signage.

"It's not hitting, the message is not getting through. It's down to poor driver behaviour," he said.

Read also: Abbeyleix restaurant loses appeal to convert to 'guesthouse' for Ukraine refugees

The Portlaoise Municipal District chair Cllr Paddy Buggy agreed.

"You're right, it's a disaster. I often drive that road with my tractor and trailor full of cattle," he said.
A Laois woman has made it through to the Miss Ireland final this June.

Errill student Robin Farrell will take to the Knightsbrook Hotel and Resort in Trim, Co. Meath for the final this June 14.

The Leinster Express/Laois Live spoke to Ms Farrell on her Miss Ireland experience so far.

"I'm 20 years old and I'm studying general science in Maynooth University, I'm currently in my second year," Ms Farrell explained.

Pictured: Errill woman Robin Farrell has made it through to the final of Miss Ireland 2025

"It's a very challenging course, in first year you are really thrown into the deep end, it pushes you beyond your limits," she said.

After university, Ms Farrell hopes to work in the area of cancer research.

"I would love to try make a difference in that area, everyone has someone who has had it," she explained.

Currently working in Lisduff Adventure Farm, Robin said that people are often surprised that she isn't studying childcare.

"I used to work in Dublin Vetinary, I'm working in Lisduff now. Everyone has been so supportive, they're all reaching out and cheering me on. I love the creche work, people are often surprised that I'm studying science while working with children, they always assume I'm studying childcare," she said.

Ms Farrell describes her Miss Ireland experience so far as extremely rewarding.

"What made me decide to apply was that I just decided to push myself outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to challenge the limits I had set for myself, and to use my voice to make a difference," she said.

"I want to empower young women, and to show them that the days of having to fit a certain mold are long gone, you can just be yourself and that's more than enough."

The Errill woman has been raising funds for two causes particularly close to her heart; Parkinson's Ireland and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

"I'm loving this whole experience so far, the girls are all so nice. No one is tearing each other down, we are all growing together."

Ms Farrell first applied in March of 2024, and has gone through many rounds of interviews and Zoom calls since. There is a touching meaning behind her chosen sponsor.

"I chose to ask Newbridge Silverware to be my sponsors, it was where my grandparents worked and met," she said.

Pictured: Robin Farrell, sponsored by Newbridge Silverware

"My grandfather worked there for over 56 years, and met my grandmother working there. My Mam worked there for a few years too, so there's a lot of meaning behind this sponsorship, it means a lot to me," she said.

The skill that Robin will display in the talent section of the night is particularly unique: Ms Farrell holds a 3rd Dan black belt in Taekwondo, and will lead a demonstration.

"I have been practicing taekwondo since the age of five, I first started it in the weekly classes held in Scoil Bhride Rathdowney," Ms Farrell explained.

"I think it's a very important skill to have, I have my six year old niece starting it too. It has helped me with my confidence, it's all about stepping into that zone."

Robin praised her family, friends and the local community for their fantastic support on her Miss Ireland journey.

"Mam has been so helpful with everything, between helping me practice for my interviews and just being so supportive. Dad has been brilliant, he's been driving us up and down to Dublin. As a man, he has no real idea of the details, but he's so proud and telling everyone," she laughed.

"My sister Christine has been so good to me too, and people in work are so good. Even people I meet out and about are so lovely, asking what they can do to help. They're all so interested in the competition, a lot of them don't know much about it," she said.

Between dress rehearsals and photo shoots, a lot of the month of May will be spent preparing for the final night on June 14.

"I think if people are ever debating doing something like this, they should do it," she said.

"No matter what age you are, if you want it, go for it. Chase your dreams and stand out for what you stand for. Don't be afraid to jump in and go for it," Ms Farrell finished.

Best of luck to Laois woman Robin Farrell in the Miss Ireland Final on June 14!
Tractors, trucks, cars and bicycles are all welcome to a Laois charity run on Sunday, May 4 on the Bank Holiday weekend.

It is in aid of a South African humanitarian mission by Clonaslee trio Ray Delaney, Pat Carroll and John Joe Heaney.

Pat spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"We would love to see people from the local surrounding areas in Laois and Offaly coming to support it. There has been nothing like this in Clonaslee in recent years. I am in the Clonaslee High Nelly club and they are helping us out, so if anyone want a High Nelly bicycle for the run they will provide it," he said.

The trucks and cars will go on a route taking in Rosenallis, Mountmellick and Killeigh. The tractors will tour out the Tullamore Road to Killurin and Killoghy. The bicycles will take a more local route.

Afterwards there will be tea and sandwiches and a charity auction in a marquee in the square, with MC RockOnPaddy and live music.

The men are heading back to South Africa this year with the Mellon Educate Building Blitz, to build a school for children in the poverty stricken black townships. They have gone multiple times in the past. Read about their trip in 2023.

"It's an eye opener. It's my third trip. I get a real buzz out of it. You see people with absolutely nothing, yet the kids are always in good form. They have hardly enough to eat, they get breakfast and lunch in the schools. Education is the way forward for them, no doubt in the world. Seeing what we built when we return, I can see that the kids definitely benefit," Pat said.

Read also: Fasten your seatbelt as airline crew supervisor joins Laois Rose

Each volunteer has to raise 4,250 each which is used for flights, accommodation and building materials.

They are also taking donations of scrap and clothes.

Registration is from 1:30 pm. Runs start from 3 pm. Tractors and cars 20 and trucks 30. All funds will be put towards Mellon Educate. Contact Ray Delaney 087-299-6778, Pat Carroll 087-254-5187, John Joe Heaney 087-649-2038.
A councillor claimed Portlaoise has bus shelters before it has established routes while the rest of the county cant get bus shelters.

Independent Cllr Ben Brennan accused the council of putting the cart before the horse in Portlaoise. We have bus routes and we have no bus shelter, he said.

Although he didnt specify a location in Portlaoise, Cllr Brennan said, I cant understand why you put bus shelters where there is no bus run.

He said there are established bus routes outside Portlaoise where shelters are needed. In order to get the bus they have to wait 10, 15 minutes and it could be spilling rain, said Cllr Brennan. .

He said its the same craic again, Portlaoise gets everything.

He tabled a motion asking: that Laois County Council contact TFI(Transport Infrastructure Ireland) to erect three bus shelters, two in the Swan and one in Newtown on the R 430.

In a response from the Active Travel Roads Department, the council said: Upgrade works were completed in 2024 at both bus stops in The Swan. Presently, no further funding allocation is available at this time.

Newtown is programmed for bus stop enhancements over 2025/2026 and a bus shelter will be considered for installation as part of the design process.

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran seconded the motion and said the shelters were needed. She requested a breakdown of the price of a bus shelter, something she had done at a previous meeting.

Acting Director of Finance, Julie Bergin, said she would follow up on the request.

READ ALSO: Car drove on wrong side of road in Portlaoise

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming said bus shelters should be automatically installed when bus stops are selected.

The issue was discussed at a monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.
Commuters parking in E-vehicles spaces at Portlaoise train station are going to landed with fines, Laois County Council has warned.

Their new 92 space carpark beside Portlaoise train station, opened in November 2023 to take motoring commuters off the road and into public transport, is full up by early morning.

This is tempting drivers of non-electric cars to park in the only empty spaces, the ten spaces marked out for E-vehicle chargers.

Eight of the ten E-parking spaces are for slow charging, making them ideal for Dublin commuters with E-cars to park in all day. The remaining two are fast-charging.

Director of Services Simon Walton said abusers of the spaces will be ticketed, especially the fast charging spots.

"Those eight are less used than any other. However is an offence for anything other than an E-vehicle to park in them. There is a particular demand for the two fast charging spaces. If you don't have an E-car, I'm confident you will get ticketed. The message is these need to be available 24 seven for fast charging," he said.

The council director also said there is no way those spaces will be converted to normal spaces.

This is despite the fact that commuters who prepay the 30 monthly charge arrive to find no space to park, a situation highlighted at the March council meeting by Cllr Conor Bergin.

"I am conscious of the lack of demand for the eight slow charging spaces. Laois County Council has an obligation in the Climate Change Act so we provided ten spaces. There is absolutely no proposal to changed them. That is one of the principals on which the state provided funding for this carpark," he said.

"People who purchase the monthly tickets and then arrive early enough and can't avail of a space, we are conscious of that. But buying the monthly ticket does not guarantee you a place. People do have the option to go in and pay daily," he said.

The carpark shares a site with the Goldencroft social housing development.

He spoke after Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald tabled a motion asking for monitoring of the use of the electric charging spaces in Portlaoise, especially at the train station.

"I got requests from local taxi drivers about cars left in the slow charge spaces for hours. How many hours are people allowed to park in E-vehicle spots?" she asked.

Mr Walton said they are for people getting the train to Dublin, "it's an all day carpark," he said.

Some of the slow charge points can however be converted to the more popular fast chargers, Mr Walton said.

"It's a good sign that it's full everyday, it's a great service. It's full to the brim, you'd wonder where people went before," Cllr Fitzgerald added.

The use of electric charging spaces in Portlaoise will now be monitored by council staff, as she requested.

The 92 space public carpark on Railway Street was opened 17 months ago, in a long awaited venture by Laois County Council that was hoped to solve parking shortages at the busy Portlaoise train station. It costs anything from 2 for 2 hours, to 30 for daily parkers, prepaid per month. Video and story from official opening
A pilot scheme to test smart crosswalks in the Athy Municipal District (MD) was suggested by a local councillor.

Fianna Fail Cllr Brian Dooley made the suggestion at the latest MD meeting earlier this week (April 14). He appeared at the meeting by virtual means.

For his motion, Cllr Dooley requested for Kildare County Council (KCC) to install "smart crosswalks in the town of Athy in areas where there are large numbers of pedestrians crossing busy roads / streets, ideally at the Railway Station, the back square to the Shackleton Museum, Leinster Street and Woodstock Street".

His motion was seconded by his party colleague, Cllr Veralouise Behan.

In response, KCC told Cllr Dooley via its report at the meeting that there are currently no resources for the provision of pedestrian crossings in the county.

Cllr Brian Dooley, Fianna Fail. Photo credit: fiannafail.ie

"The request has been added to a list of similar requests that shall be examined if resources become available," KCC explained. "It should be noted that any proposed pedestrian crossing infrastructure must comply with current Irish regulations / guidelines."

Cllr Dooley in turn told KCC that he understood that it had a lack of funding available at present.

However, he reiterated that smart cross walks "are an excellent feature".

Cllr Dooley also asked: "Could we look at getting a costing [for this project] and possibly [implement] a pilot scheme?"

He then asked the other councillors who were present for their support regarding the potential implementation of a pilot scheme, possibly in "a region within Athy or Castledermot".

"Let's be first movers on this," Cllr Dooley added.

Cllr Veralouise Behan also told KCC: "Brian is right, it sends a message of safety out to pedestrians."

SIMILAR MOTION

Cllr Dooley also submitted a separate motion at the meeting which also referred to smart crosswalks.

He motioned for KCC to place speed ramps "along the road beside Castledermot GAA", and to provide "a raised pedestrian crossing and flashing amber / traffic or smart crosswalks".

This motion was also seconded by Cllr Behan.

Echoing its other report, KCC once again told Cllr Dooley that there are currently no resources for the provision of pedestrian crossings in the county.

"The request has been added to a list of similar requests that shall be examined if resources become available," KCC added.

Cllr Dooley replied that he noted KCC's response.

READ NEXT: Kildare people asked for views on new public park beside River Liffey
The harp is well-known for its elegant look and the various ear-pleasing tones it can produce, and many would consider it to be an honour to have it so closely associated with Irish culture.

It is for this reason that harp music fans will likely be delighted to hear that a celebratory concert which will pay tribute to Irish harp music is scheduled to take place in Newbridge next month.

According to the organisers of the event: "Some of Irelands most celebrated musicians in traditional, classical, and early music join forces with award-winning visual artists to present 'Ceol Arsa Clairsi'  a concert experience that is both musically and visually immersive."

"This unique event showcases Irish harp music by composers such as Turlough Carolan, Thomas Connellan, and Ruairi Dall O Cathain, with historically informed arrangements drawn from original Irish and Scottish sources.

"Audiences will experience the rich sounds of gut-and wire-strung instruments of the period blended seamlessly with traditional instruments and, of course, the Irish harp."

"Accompanied by striking and atmospheric video imagery, this concert is a true feast for the senses," the organisers concluded.

The performers at this concert will include: Cormac Breatnach on susato whistles; Steve Cooney on guitars; Aisling Ennis on the Irish harp; Malachy Robinson on the viola da gamba; and Eamon Sweeney on early guitars, lute, and bandora.

Visuals will be provided by Helen Barry and Cormac O'Connor.

'Ceol Arsa Clairsi' will take place inside the Riverbank Arts Centre on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 8pm.

Tickets 18 to 20.

For further information, you can visit https://www.riverbank.ie/event/ceol-arsa-clairsi/.

READ NEXT: The latest LEINSTER LEADER is out across Kildare now!
Appeals for assistance in locating two people who were reported missing in recent days have been stood down, gardai have confirmed.

Separate appeals were issued after Maria Silaeiva, 17, and Milandzi Sathekge, 33, vanished from their homes in County Down and Kilkenny.

In the case of Maria Silaieva from Dromore in County Down, she was reported missing on Holy Thursday and on Saturday, gardai said they believed she was in Dublin having travelled there from Dundalk in County Louth.

Milandzi Sathekge from Dunamaggin in Kilkenny was at the centre of an urgent appeal on Sunday morning. He was last seen at around 5am on Saturday and gardai had expressed concerns for his wellbeing.

In separate updates, issued this Easter Sunday, gardai have now confirmed that there has been a positive outcome in each case and that both appeals have been stood down.

READ NEXT: Investigations underway after inmate dies from suspected drugs overdose at Midlands Prison

While no further details have been disclosed publicly, gardai say both Maria and Milandzi have been located 'safe and well'.

They have thanked members of the public and the media for their assistance during the appeals.
Certain bus services in Dublin city centre continue to be impacted in the wake of an alleged threat against a bus driver by a man who appeared to be wielding a gun, a union has said.

Siptu said that a bus on Route 13 was parked on Mountjoy Square at around 11.10pm on Friday while it was waiting to start a journey.

Siptu bus driver committee president Brendan McInerney said an individual boarded a bus which was switched off and not due to depart for a few minutes.

He said that after being told this by the driver, the man initially exited the bus before turning around and producing what appeared to be a gun and began motioning as if he was loading the weapon.

Mr McInerney said: He told the driver he would blow his head off but thankfully then departed the scene.

He added: The driver was extremely shocked and upset by the incident.

Mr McInerney said he requested Siptu member drivers to withdraw services from the Mountjoy Square area immediately.

I have further requested that no drivers should terminate services in the area after 7pm at night until Union representatives meet with management and agree appropriate actions to improve their safety.

Siptu sector organiser John Murphy said: This is yet another very disturbing and dangerous situation to occur on the public transport network.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment for the creation of a force with powers of arrest to police the public transport network.

The establishment of this body is a matter of urgent importance to our members.

We are renewing our call to meet with the Minister for Transport Darragh OBrien to discuss the establishment of this force in as short a time frame as possible.

Services remained impacted for a third consecutive day by Sunday night.

A Garda spokeswoman said it had received a report involving a suspected firearm.

She added: No injuries were reported. Investigations are ongoing.

Dublin Bus confirmed there was an incident on Friday night, adding that no customers were on board.

The company said it is providing full support to the driver involved and liaising with An Garda Siochana.

A spokesman added: We will continue to assist them in any way possible.

As the investigation is ongoing, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.

Dublin Bus said it is actively working to address the issue of anti-social behaviour and is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for customers and employees.

Routes 7/a and 13 are not serving their terminus at Mountjoy Square until further notice.

The nearest stop available for Route 7/a is on OConnell Street while the nearest stop for Route 13 is on Parnell Square East.

The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.
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A SPECIAL quiz night to benefit the Sarsfield Homecoming Project was held in Limerick in memory of a young girl who was passionate about history.

The quiz night was held at Clancy's Bar in Pallaskenry, in memory of Alexandria (Alex) Fitzgerald, age 19, who tragically passed away last year.

Alex was a student of Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry. She had developed a keen interest in the Sarsfield Homecoming Project, a project aiming to locate and repatriate to Limerick the remains of Irish national hero Patrick Sarsfield.

Only a few weeks before her passing, Alex had organised a very successful fundraising event in support of the project.

To honour her memory, Alexs family chose to organise a similar event, in the form of a quiz night, in aid of the project which was so dear to her.

READ ALSO: Four historical buildings in Limerick allocated over 250k for upkeep

In a heartwarming display of affection for Alex, over 100 people replied to the call and gathered in Pallaskenry and raised over 4,000.

The Fitzgerald family said: As a family, we are grateful to everyone who supported the fundraiser and helped honour Alexs memory in such a meaningful way.

Her dedication to the Sarsfield Homecoming Project is something we are extremely proud of. We would like to mention a special thank you to Gerri, Vincent and Breda for all the tremendous work they put into organising the quiz.

We are thrilled with councillor Hartigans support of the project and express our heartfelt thanks to him.

Lastly, we would like to thank all of our neighbours and friends for their everlasting support. It is evident that Alex held a special place in their hearts, just as she does in ours.

Adding to the generosity of those who attended the quiz, Cllr Tommy Hartigan decided to make a further 1,000 donation out of his discretionary fund.

He said: I told myself that, if elected, I would do something to honour Alex and this family for their strength. So I asked myself what Alex would want me to do, and the answer became clear.

In terms of the Sarsfield Homecoming Project, Dr Loic Guyon, project director and head of the Department of French Studies at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) and Honorary Consul of France, said: Alex embodied the very reason why the Sarsfield Homecoming Project has been a rewarding endeavour since I launched it back in 2020.

Seeing young people like Alex not only develop an interest in the history of their country but also mobilise themselves and, beyond them, an entire community to help fund a project like ours is extremely touching. This is why the project has been dedicated to Alexs memory.
The Village of East Auroras annual one-day summer music festival will be different this year  that is, if it goes on at all.

Festival organizers have paused planning of the charity music concert  previously known as EA MusicFest but this year going by the name Heart of Music Festival  after the East Aurora Village Board approved the events permit with special conditions, including requiring the festival to end by 8 p.m., and police and fire departments to secure mutual aid from other agencies to help staff the June 7 festival.

This comes after the villages police and fire chiefs raised concerns about the size and footprint of the event, as well as public safety issues that come with dealing with large groups of drunken people at the festival.

Christopher Welch, president of the Heart of Music Festival board of directors, is hoping the East Aurora Village Board will reconsider some of its conditions such as the time of the festival, which was approved to run from noon to 8 p.m. Festival organizers proposed a 2 to 10 p.m. timeline and Welch believes 1 to 9 p.m. is a fair compromise. In previous years, it ended at 11 p.m.

If the board does not amend the time of the festival, Welch said it will be canceled.

Unfortunately, some of the restrictions on this years permits are really detrimental to the venues, so were just having a hard time figuring out if this is financially feasible anymore in East Aurora, Welch said in an interview with The Buffalo News.

East Aurora residents pushing for all-day music festival, similar to Hamburg's East Aurora village officials were talking Monday night about the success of last weekends Taste of East Aurora event when two residents pitched their ambitious plan for an all-day East Aurora Music Festival, similar to what Hamburg does, but on a smaller scale. Were pretty much in the planning stages and really want to start small and keep it

East Aurora is not the first Western New York municipality to grapple with preserving a popular festival while balancing community safety concerns.

Elected officials in the City of Tonawanda discussed similar issues about the size and scope of Canal Fest, as well as the extra burden and overtime cost it puts on the police force. After nearly voting to cancel the festival in 2024, the Tonawanda Common Council agreed to still host the event on its side of the canal this year, but the Council shortened the festival to six days from eight. In North Tonawanda, Canal Fest will remain at eight days and host the carnival rides and games.

The first EA MusicFest was in 2013 and over the next decade, grew to include 50 bands performing at bars, restaurants and other venues across the village, attracting more than 10,000 people. All profits are donated to nonprofit organizations and charities in the East Aurora area. According to the festival website, EA MusicFest has donated around $1 million over the past decade.

EA MusicFest founder John Venezia ended the event after last year, citing the lack of cooperation from certain entities and negativity from village residents on social media, according to a Facebook post.

After Venezia stepped down, MusicFests board decided to change the festivals name and continue as a smaller event, capping tickets at 7,000 with concerts at 12 venues, down from 14 last year, Welch said.

After hearing from Police Chief Patrick Welch and Fire Chief Aaron Denz about the public safety concerns during its April 7 meeting, the East Aurora Village Board approved the festivals permit as long as it ends by 8 p.m., venues that host bands close by 10 p.m. and the police and fire departments get help from other agencies, among other stipulations.

At the boards next meeting on Monday, the police and fire chiefs will report back about their efforts to find mutual aid and a final determination will be made on whether the festival can move forward.

One major concern from first responders is the tailgating as people park near venues where they can still hear, and sometimes see, the performances, and drink alcohol they brought from home, Chief Welch said. This is allowed because East Aurora does not have an open container law that prevents people from drinking alcohol in public spaces. Many of the tailgaters do not purchase a festival ticket.

The police chief estimates the music festival has drawn between 15,000 and 20,000 people into the village and the large number of people and vehicles makes it difficult for emergency vehicles, especially fire trucks and ambulances, to get through.

We end up having issues with people congregating and becoming intoxicated outside of the venues, Chief Welch said. So our big goal this year is to drive down on that tailgating and minimize that as much as possible and try to basically encourage people to be inside the venues.

The village plans to restrict parking to leave side streets open for emergency vehicles and prevent tailgating. The police department will bring in tow truck companies to remove vehicles that are parked illegally, Chief Welch said.

The alcohol-heavy environment also causes problems, especially later into the night. Thats why the village wants the festival to end earlier and for participating bars to close by 10 p.m.

This event puts an unnecessary strain on an already manpower-limited fire department, East Aurora Fire Department Lt. Dennis McCarthy Jr. said during the board meeting. I will admit that during the day, the event has usually been calm but turns into a lawless mess once the sun goes down.

On Wednesday afternoon, Chief Welch said he has reached out to a few other police agencies and is confident that he will be able to secure additional assistance for the day of the festival.

Christopher Welch said he and the other festival organizers are willing to work with the village to address these concerns. But he has concerns that the conditions are too restrictive and will hurt the charities that receive donations and the vendors that rely on the income from event.

Anytime you get this many people together, youre always going to have issues and we try to solve those, Welch, the festival organizer, said.

For example, the festival hires a private security company to work at the venues, check bags and monitor the shuttle buses that take attendees around the village. Last year, organizers hired 50 security guards. This year, they plan to have 70.

Organizers are willing to sell fewer tickets, even though they will lose about $80,000, Welch said, because the village was concerned the event had grown too large. They say they are also willing to end the festival earlier to cut down on late-night issues that come with groups of people who have been consuming alcohol all day, but 8 p.m. is too early.

Welch said the economic impact of the festival is huge, bringing between $500,000 and $700,000 to the community.

For a lot of these businesses, this event is critical to their success, Welch said. Mom-and-pop shops, they work on razor-thin margins.

Anthony Amabile, owner of Riley Street Station restaurant, said during the board meeting that the festival helps his staff make money and is a boost to his business financially. But he and several other owners of venues for the festival said they are willing to do what it takes to make the event safe and manageable, including closing down early.

The ninth hour is not fun, said Joe Morcelle, who owns The Bar at Main and Hamlin. The first eight are great times. As a bar owner, Im OK with closing.

Christopher Welch is also skeptical that the fire department will seek out the requested assistance, as members of the all-volunteer department publicly said they do not support the festival.

Denz did not respond to a message from The Buffalo News requesting an interview for this story. But at the most recent Village Board meeting, the chief said his firefighters and EMTs do not want to work the event.

If the event is given the green light during Mondays board meeting, festival organizers will have a little less than seven weeks to sell 7,000 tickets and book dozens of musical performances.

If not, Welch said other towns have reached out and offered to host the music festival.

We as a board would have to decide if moving it to another town to continue doing good for the greater Western New York community was something that we wanted to do, he said.

Festival organizers already have selected 11 local charities to donate to this year, Welch said, including Universal Possibilities, a nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live independently.

Ive seen the concerns from the community about how the music festival evolved and in ways that I think made people uncomfortable, said Deborah Flynn, vice president of the organization. These guys are taking the time to rightsize it in the right way and yet theyre giving back to our community. I cant imagine a better win-win for us as a community.
A BULGARIAN man who was set to help another accused throw pure cocaine with a potential street value of over 105m from a ship into the Shannon Estuary will be sentenced next month.

Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard that the people supposed to collect the 21,604,891 worth of cocaine on a flat stretch of water near Glin never arrived and the drugs were seized when the ship docked in Foynes Port.

Nikola Penchev, aged 33, of Veliki Preslav, Bulgaria pleaded guilty to a number of drugs offences including possession of cocaine with a value over 13,000 for sale or supply.

Lily Buckley BL, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Detective Garda Adrian Cahill on Wednesday.

Garda Cahill confirmed to Ms Buckley that Customs received confidential information regarding the MV Verila, sailing under a Maltese flag, due to come into the port at Foynes on December 19, 2023.

The court heard 12 bales of cocaine, broken up into 306 packages, weighed 308.6 kilos. The drugs were found in an air-conditioned room on the poop deck of the ship.

Garda Cahill said this was a restricted area and Mr Penchev, who was the second engineer and officer, had access to the area which was for authorised personnel only.

A fellow Bulgarian on board - Kamen Petkov, aged 36, of Apartment 15, Varna Street, Vladaskav, Varrevciuk, 131 Bulgaria - was jailed for 10 years last December over the importation of 21,604,891 worth of cocaine. Judge Colin Daly said Mr Petkov facilitated organised crime intentionally for a significant reward of 150,000.

READ MORE: Cocaine with a street value of 105m seized in Limerick was hidden under beds

Mr Penchev told gardai that he saw the packages and asked Mr Petkov what was in them. The accused said Mr Petkov told him that cocaine was brought aboard in Brazil and dont tell anyone as the drugs people were dangerous and his family would be in trouble.

Garda Cahill said the two men went to the gym daily together.

Mr Penchev told gardai Mr Petkov enlisted him with the concealment of cocaine and to help move the drugs from its secret location to the deck for it to be thrown overboard. Mr Penchev was to be paid a few thousand by Mr Petkov when he got back to Bulgaria.

The two men were ready to throw the drugs overboard at a location near Glin that Mr Petkov had on an app. However, the people never arrived to collect the drugs so they moved the cocaine back to the air conditioned room on the poop deck.

Mr Penchev said he was afraid for his life not to help.

Garda Cahill said there is no evidence the accused was involved in the preparation or loading of the cocaine.

Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, who represented Mr Penchev, said the roles of the two men were fundamentally and radically different.

He said one was premeditated, highly-organised and well-renumerated while his clients relationship was used by another person amid a background of fear.

Mr O Lideadha said his client has pleaded guilty and apologises. Counsel said Mr Penchev was doing well in prison where he is on remand, is an excellent father and husband, and lived an exemplary life until this matter.

Judge Colin Daly said he has "much to consider" and put sentencing back to May 2.
ROBOTS clashed and creativity soared as more than 100 primary school students from across Munster competed in the tenth annual Analog Devices Primary Schools Robotics Competition in Limerick.

Killoughteen National School from Newcastle West emerged as the 2025 champions following a high-energy day of building, programming, and battling custom-designed sumo robots at the Analog Devices campus in Raheen.

Following two days of exciting semi-finals on March 20 and 21, which saw participation from 280 students from 80 primary schools across Munster, the top 32 schools advanced to the grand finale. The selected schools included 19 from Limerick, six from Clare, five from Tipperary, and two from north Cork.

Teams comprising 5th and 6th class students from these schools gathered early on Saturday, April 5 to construct and program their robotic creations. Each team collected points for teamwork, design, and innovation as well as creativity in the poster showcase.

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The afternoon saw the culmination of their efforts as the robots entered the ring for a sumo-style showdown. Parents, teachers, and friends cheered on the children during the competitive finale, where additional points were awarded for wins and draws in both the pool stages and throughout the knockouts.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the competition and for the first time, the programme has expanded beyond Limerick, welcoming schools from across Munster to engage in the popular hands-on STEM learning and friendly competition.

The competition kicked off in January, with participating schools receiving complimentary robotics workshops, where teamwork, and a passion for STEM were encouraged.

Fiona Treacy, managing director, Industrial Automation at Analog Devices, announced the winners, saying: Analog Devices is delighted with how our Primary School Robotics Competition has evolved as we continue to champion STEM education. With 2,240 students from across Munster taking part this year, it has been incredible to witness their enthusiasm, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork.

In the lead-up to competition day, Analog Devices partnered with LearnIt to deliver complimentary robotics workshops to all registered primary schools. Over the past ten years, Analog Devices has enabled nearly 9,000 students to participate in these workshops, where they learn to build and program a robot using LEGO.
Meta Platforms Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg and JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon were among eight other top executives who sold their shares before US President Donald Trump announced the reciprocal tariffs on April 2, 2025, reported the news agency Bloomberg.

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The news agency, citing Washington Services data, showed how top executives like Zuckerberg and Dimon were among the many who cashed in their shares before Trump started a trade war between the United States and other world nations.

Here's how many shares executives sold 1. Mark Zuckerberg: Meta Platforms Inc.'s Chairman and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, sold 1,102,945 shares or nearly 1.10 million shares for a total of $733,483,827 or $733 million in the first three months of 2025.

As per the report, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, along with its foundation, were selling their shares steadily throughout the months of January and February. This stake sale was carried out under a 10b5-1 plan which was implemented by Zuckerberg himself in August 2024.

During the highly volatile market sessions after Trump's tariff announcement, Mark Zuckerberg's net worth dropped to its lowest level of $178 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.

2. Safra Catz: Safra Catz is the CEO of Oracle Corp, sold 3.8 million stock options which are worth $705 million in January when the company's stock was up $180 apiece.

Catz has reportedly maintained a relatively small holding in the company compared to her overall fortune.

3. Nikesh Arora: Nikesh Arora is the CEO of Palo Alto Networks Inc., and has sold a total of 2,365,196 or more than 2.36 million shares, which are worth $432,371,610 or more than $432.37 million.

Arora is a former SoftBank Group executive who has been selling Palo Alto Networks stock options at the beginning of every month. The monthly stock option sales continued their pattern in April, which brought the total value of the stock sold to over $565 million, at an exercise cost of $100 million, as per the report.

4. Max de Groen: Max de Groen is the director of Nutanix Inc., sold 5.5 million shares, which are worth a total value of $409,805,000 or $409.80 million. Max de Groen is also a partner at Bain Capital, along with his role as the cloud-computing company Nutanix.

5. Chuck Davis: Chuck Davis is the director at Axis Capital Holdings Ltd, who sold a total of 4,373,673 or 4.3 million shares, which are worth a total of $399,999,882 or $399.99 million. Davis also serves as the co-CEO of Stone Point Capital, along with his role as the director of Axis Capital.

6. Stephen Cohen: Stephen Cohen is the President of Palantir Technologies Inc. The company's insiders cashed out over $4 billion last year.

Cohen sold 4.06 million shares, which is worth $337,239,916 or around $337.23 million. The company's stock has nearly doubling from mid-January to mid-February and is up 24 per cent in 2025.

Also Read | China ready to import more Indian goods amid Trump tariffs

7. Jamie Dimon: Jamie Dimon is the Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., sold 866,361 shares worth $233,776,513 or $233.77 million, on February 20, 2025.

On April 14, the CEO also sold an additional 133,639 shares worth $31.5 million. This move brought his total value of the stake sale to over a quarter of a billion dollars.

8. Eric Lefkofsky: Eric Lefkofsky, the Chairman and CEO of Tempus AI Inc., sold more than 4 million shares, which is worth $231,462,927 or $231.46 million. The CEO has his 10b5-1 plan, which sells 1 per cent of his stake in the company per quarter, cited the news agency quoting a company spokesperson.

9. Ted Sarandos: Ted Sarandos, the Co-CEO of Netflix Inc., sold a total of 199,063 shares, worth $194,880,917 or $194.88 million. As per the news agency's report, Sarandos' new 10b5-1 plan mandates selling 199,063 shares before February 2026.
New Delhi: In 2018, Greaves Cotton Ltd, an engine manufacturer that traces its origins back to 1859, sensed an opportunity in the countrys nascent electric two-wheeler market. And that made it do something unusual for an auto ancillary companyit entered the world of vehicle manufacturing, acquiring a majority stake in the Ratan Tata-backed electric scooter maker Ampere for 77 crore. Within a year, the Mumbai-based company increased its stake for a total investment of over 120 crore.

Down south, the Murugappa Groups Tube Investments of India Ltd had entered the electric vehicle (EV) segment back in 2008 with a scooter brand, but exited quickly in the face of poor demand. Eyeing the electric three-wheeler segment, the Chennai-headquartered finance-to-fertilizers conglomerate entered the market again in 2022 through TI Clean Mobility Pvt. Ltd. The subsidiary started selling its vehicles under the brand name Montra, and within two years managed to raise over 2,500 crore.

Also in 2022, the nearly three-decade-old automotive seat and interior maker Pinnacle Industries Ltd entered the electric bus and three-wheeler market through EKA Mobility. The Pune-based company, which has mainly worked as a supplier to commercial vehicle makers and manufacturers of some specialty vehicles, tried to cash in on the electrification wave through a partnership with Dutch conglomerate VDL Group.

Things havent quite gone quite as well for Greaves Cotton, Tube Investments of India and Pinnacle Industries since they crossed over into making EVs. While EV sales have skyrocketed between 2020 and 2024from less than 100,000 to close to two millionthe three companies have been bleeding, with combined losses of close to 1,600 crore since they began this journey.

Sales of Greaves Electric Mobility Pvt. Ltd, the electric mobility business of Greaves Cotton, have more than halved in FY24. Greaves Cottons share price, meanwhile, has trailed the benchmarkthe shares have risen 52% since it entered the electric market in October 2018, well below the 121% surge in the Nifty Auto index (as of 17 April).

Tube Investments of Indias share price has declined by 4% since its advent in the EV market, whereas the Nifty Auto has surged by nearly 63%.

The EV gold rush, which started before the covid-19 pandemic, saw many companies, old and new, take their chances. The participation of this auto ancillary cohort was, however, rather surprising. The auto components industry is worth 6.14 trillion and all three companies have made plenty of money there. Indeed, companies in the sector have never sought to compete with their customers before.

So, what changed?

Fear of losing out

The component makers actually got into the EV space to cash in on a rising trend, especially since their internal combustion engine (ICE) customers were either absent or not present in a big way in the market before the pandemic, Shruti Saboo, director at India Ratings and Research, said. But the reality of the market is changing now."

The auto component manufacturers were also worried about their future. ICE vehicles require hundreds of components, much more than EVs. A 2024 International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology study pointed out that EVs could have 45-84% fewer parts than an average ICE vehicle. In an electric future, ICE suppliers could find themselves with much less business if they stayed put doing the old.

As the EV transition picks up in the country, component players will have some uncertainty and fear as supply chains will shift from the traditional ICE models," said Amit Kaushik, managing director at Urban Science, an auto analytics firm.

View Full Image It is easier to assemble an EV because it has far fewer components.

Third, EV-making is a tad less complex than ICE from a hardware point of view. It is easier to assemble an EV because it has far fewer components. Easier assembly, in turn, implies less investment in complex engineering processes.

Compared to ICE vehicles, where partnerships are needed for the powertrain (the capability to generate power and transmit it to the wheels), EVs can be offered to customers after assembling fewer components. There is, of course, a need to make the components work together with the technology of the vehicle, but that is relatively easier as compared to an ICE vehicle," said Jaideep Wadhwa, managing director at Sterling Gtake E-Mobility, a component manufacturer.

A tough ride

As the EV market started to grow after the pandemic, Greaves Electric Mobility started to witness good growth. The brands two-wheeler sales crossed 100,000 units in financial year 2023 (FY23), while revenue surged 115% to 1,125 crore, as per its draft red herring prospectus.

The going was good until it wasnt. Revenue nearly halved in FY24 while losses increased from 19 crore to 691 crore. In total, the companys losses from FY22 till the first half of FY25 were close to 900 crore, as per the prospectus.

Greaves Electric made up just over one-fifth of Greaves Cottons revenue in FY24. The sales volume of its flagship two-wheelers more than halved to less than 50,000 during the year. The company also makes three-wheelers, including electric models, and sales in that segment provided some relief by growing to over 13,000 from nearly 7,000 in the year-ago period.

But, in FY24, the companys electric scooter production plummeted within a year to just a tenth of its total installed capacity as demand fell. It has three plants in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

Losses have also piled up in the EV businesses of other component makers. Pinnacles EKA Mobility, whose order book stands at over 3,500 units, also continues to face challenges on the financial front. On a revenue of 53.1 crore, it recorded a loss of 32.3 crore in FY24, as per its filing with the Registrar of Companies.

TI Clean Mobilitys three-wheeler sales grew to 6,110 units in FY25 from 2,848 in the year-ago period. But the company had incurred losses, cumulatively amounting to 650 crore from the date of incorporation in 2022 till the end of the October-December period last year, as per portfolio management firm Marcellus Investment Managers.

TI Clean Mobility, nonetheless, remains ambitious. We have aggressive plans both in the passenger segment as well as in the cargo segment, which we will seed in quarter 4 and scale up our volumes starting April onwards," Jalaj Gupta, managing director, said during Tube Investments of Indias earnings call on 4 February.

The company wants to rake in $1 billion in revenue from the EV business by 2029. Asked about the rationale behind getting into the space and competing against legacy companies, Vellayan Subbiah, non-executive vice chairman at Tube Investments of India, said, I think that the market is just beginning to play out, and were still in very early days in terms of how the market will play out."

Incumbents have an advantagegeographic presence in terms of dealerships and distribution.  Vellayan Subbiah

One of the key planks, Vellayan believes, is its presence in segments such as the electric heavy truck, where no other company has a presence. However, it is cognizant of the threat it faces from the legacy lot.

Incumbents have an advantage in terms of presencegeographic presence in terms of dealerships and distribution," Vellayan said. But I do feel that we will be able to overcome that and get to our stated internal market share target."

Mint approached all the three component companies for comments. They did not provide clarifications.

The empire strikes back

To be sure, legacy automakers, which had steered clear of EVs until a few years back, have become very aggressive in the space today. Bajaj Auto Ltd, TVS Motor Co. Ltd, Hero MotoCorp Ltd, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Tata Motors Ltd, among others, have all become very active in the segment.

Bajaj Auto launched three EV models in the three-wheeler space last month. Also last month, Hero MotoCorp announced a 525 crore investment in Euler Motors to enter the three-wheeler space. In the two-wheeler segment, Bajaj, TVS and Hero have rapidly increased sales over the last year. Bajaj recorded growth of 114% in two-wheeler EV sales in FY25 while TVS recorded 30% growth the same year.

Given the fact that every EV segment is now witnessing the entry of legacy manufacturers in both the passenger and commercial vehicle space, some analysts believe it will be difficult for brands that havent traditionally been in the original equipment manufacturing space to hold their market share or expand.

Distribution challenge

While the barrier to enter the EV business is lower compared to the ICE segment, some operational issues are the samedistribution and service are two of them. In the initial years of EVs, when the scale was low, players did not think about the after-sales service network and distribution," Sharma explained.

But such networks are now critical to succeed. In September 2024, Mint reported that Ola Electric had been receiving nearly 80,000 complaints every month, and its service centres were struggling to keep pace. In October, Reuters reported that the ministry of heavy industries has called for an audit of the companys service centres for delayed and unsatisfactory after-sales service and inaccurate invoices.

For the auto component players, which have traditionally worked with a limited number of customers, establishing and running such networks wont be easy.

Although the barrier to entry is lower, the barrier to success for players traditionally in the B2B (business-to-business) segment is higher. Its not easy to have a vast distribution network, which an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) needs," Wadhwa said.

The learning curve

Building EVs can be a good strategy to learn how to cater to OEMs changing needs. However, to enter the market quickly, some players brought over Chinese technology for the Indian EV market. This was not a long-term or sustainable situation," said Sunil Kaul, chief technology officer of the ANAND Group, an auto components manufacturer. In the longer term, those who develop their own technology and innovate, working closely with customers, and understanding as well as fulfilling their requirements, will be the component leaders in this space."

For instance, the Murugappa Groups Tube Investments of India is investing in research and development to work on electric components and battery packs. The company has expanded its research and development team to over 250 people to build in-house capabilities to develop motor control units, a key part in an EV.

I do believe that it is going to be a significant advantageboth on the hardware and software frontfrom a cost perspective, because those components are significant in terms of the BOM (bill of materials)," Vellayan noted in the earnings call cited earlier.

Component players are also entering partnerships to develop the technological capabilities needed to manufacture EV components. Greaves Cotton has inked a partnership with UK-based Eta Green Power Ltd to use its electric powertrain solutions. Meanwhile, its retail arm, Greaves Retail, has inked a technology transfer agreement with Tsuyo Manufacturing, an EV component maker.

There appears to be a broad consensus among analysts that investing in core capabilities to make them more electric could be a game-changer for auto ancillary companies.

Facing consolidation

While legacy players would once shy away from making big bets in the electric space, they appear to now be fully invested in the transition.

Bajaj Auto, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Ltd and Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd face each other in the electric three-wheeler lane, while Bajaj and TVS Motor are locked in a tight race at the top in the two-wheeler space with Ola Electric Mobility Ltd.

With legacy players sure of electric technology, they are going to increase their share of the market. Consolidation is always a reality after a few years of a disruption," said Ashim Sharma, senior partner and group head of business performance improvement consulting at Nomura Research Institute.

The electric three-wheeler market is going to consolidate. In the next couple of years, we would like to capture an additional 10% market share in the passenger segment," Samardeep Subandh, president, intracity business unit, Bajaj Auto, told Mint after the launch of Bajajs EV models last month.

The electric two-wheeler space has already seen increasing consolidation, with the top five players constituting nearly 90% of sales last year.

In the coming years, industry watchers do not expect more component makers to transition into EV manufacturing.

About 80-90% of players in the space will face significant heat on their financials as legacy players will sweep the market with their products," an industry consultant working with component players said. The future isnt that bright for players who havent traditionally been in the OEM space. The small ones do not have a moat or brand recognition to survive."
For such a load-bearing scene, it moves with lightness and grace. A young woman arrives at an inn in a Chinese village. She orders food and wine but is interrupted by a group of men spoiling for a fight. She obliges, slashing and pirouetting until theyre all on the floor. This scene, along with everything else in Come Drink With Me, was a major influence on the modern wuxia film, swordplay epics derived from Chinese history and folklore. While wuxia stories had been adapted for the screen since the silent age, King Hus 1966 film was a sensation for producer Shaw Brothers, the midpoint in their pivot from female-leaning melodramas to male-centric martial arts films.

Cheng Pei-pei must have felt a sense of quiet pride seeing Zhang Ziyi lay waste to a tavern in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). She was the girl with the sword in Come Drink With Me, all of 19, trained as a ballerina. It was her ticket to stardom, even though the genre soon became the province of male action stars (even Chang Chehs Golden Swallow, a 1968 sequel to Come Drink With Me, reduced her prominence in favour of male leads Jimmy Wang Yu and Lo Lieh). But Ang Lee was a huge admirer of King Hu, and when he decided to make his first wuxia film, he borrowed freely from the master. If the tavern fight is an update of Come Drink With Me, the spectacular duel in the tall trees is inspired by a similarly buoyant sequence in A Touch of Zen (1971). He also asked Pei-pei to play the supporting role of villain Jade Fox.

Twenty-five years on, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is itself approaching classic status. It was nominated for 10 Oscarsincluding Best Picture and Directorand won four. Its a remarkable synthesis of styles, a martial arts entertainer with the emotionalism of a Merchant-Ivory film, built around two romances, one halting and delicate, the other tempestuous and sweeping. Lee based the film on a 1942 novel by Wang Dulu set in the 19th century. When Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-fat), a master swordsman of the Wundang school, asks his partner Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to give his prized 400-year-old sword to a benefactor of theirs in Beijing, it sets in motion a series of events. First, Shu Lien meets Jen Yu (Ziyi), a governors daughter whos unenthused about her impending marriage into a wealthy family, but is fascinated by stories of martial artists like Li Mu Bai. That night, the sword is stolen by a masked thief, who fights off Shu Lien and vanishes over the rooftops.
I have claimed business losses two years ago under the old tax regime. I carried them forward in my last year Income Tax Return (ITR), again under the old regime. In the current assessment year, I am planning to switch to the new regime. Can I carry forward the losses reported in the old regime last year? New tax regime was made the default tax system for individuals from the last assessment year 202425, unless they opt out of it to choose the old regime. Taxpayers with business income must tread carefully, especially those carrying forward business losses or unabsorbed depreciation from earlier years while picking between the old and new regime this year.

Also Read: Wealth transfer: How the next generation can preserve it As per Section 115BAC(2) of the Income Tax Act, taxpayers cannot set off carried-forward business losses or depreciation if they relate to deductions that are not allowed under the new regime. These deductions include additional depreciation under Section 32(1)(iia), investment-linked deductions (e.g., Sections 35AD, 35(1)(ii)/(iia)/(iii), 33AB, 33ABA) and chapter VI-A deductions (except 80CCD(2), 80CCH(2) and 80JJAA). Any losses that are not linked to the above, which includes regular business expenditure or basic depreciation (under Section 32(1)(ii)) can still be carried forward and set off, even under the new regime.

Here are two practical scenarios of business losses that can be carried forward in the new tax regime. One, a trader incurred loss due to regular expenses like rent, salary, electricity etc. The nature of these deductions is normal business expenditure, and hence the losses that arose on deducting these expenses can be carried forward. Another example is a freelancer claiming unabsorbed depreciation on a laptop (normal rate).

Also Read: Why DSPs Kalpen Parekh has dialled up on hybrid funds Now, here are two practical scenarios where carrying forward of losses wont be allowed in the new regimea) a manufacturer claimed loss due to additional depreciation on machinery and b) a startup claimed deduction under Section 35AD, which is a capital investment and hence not allowed.

Taxpayers must analyze their carried-forward losses item-wise. If substantial past losses relate to now-disallowed deductions, switching to the new regime may forfeit their set-off. In such cases, one can still opt out of the new regime by filing Form 10-IEA on or before the due date of return.

However, if the losses pertain to standard business operations or normal depreciation, the new regime does not bar their set-off.

Also Read: Are small cap mutual funds still risky? This is what March 2025 stress test reveals all you need to know The new regime offers lower tax rates but fewer deductions. Hence, a comparative tax computationfactoring in eligible lossesis essential.

Bhawna Kakkar, chartered accountant and founder, Kakkar & Company, Chartered Accountants
A police constable was shot dead by his colleague in a shocking incident at the Bettiah police lines in Bihars West Champaran district late on Saturday night. The tragedy unfolded following a heated altercation over an argument regarding the latters interaction with one of theirs's wife.

According to police officials, Constable Sarvjeet Kumar opened fire on his fellow officer, Constable Sonu Kumar, using his service rifle. The attack occurred around 10:20 pm inside the police barracks, with Sarvjeet reportedly firing 11 rounds, fatally wounding Sonu, who died on the spot.

Both men had recently been transferred from Sikta police station to Bettiah police lines just two days prior to the incident and were known to have been close friends, often attending each others family functions.

Also Read | Woman CISF constable shoots self with service pistol in IGI airport's washroom

Superintendent of Police Shaurya Suman explained that tensions had escalated after Sarvjeet became uncomfortable with Sonus communication with his wife. Despite previous warnings, a confrontation on Saturday night quickly spiralled out of control.

After the shooting, Sarvjeet initially evaded immediate arrest by climbing onto the roof of the barracks, but was eventually apprehended by fellow officers. The weapon used in the attack, an INSAS rifle, was seized at the scene.

Senior police officials, including Sub-Divisional Police Officer Vivek Deep, confirmed that 11 empty shells were recovered from the site, and Sonus body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

During questioning, it was learnt that the two had known each others families and frequently attended each others family functions. However, tensions arose recently when Sarabjeet grew uncomfortable with Sonu Kumars interactions with his wife. During interrogation, Sarabjeet said that he had objected to Sonu speaking with his wife. He said he had warned Sonu earlier, but a heated argument on Friday night escalated, leading to the shooting, SP Suman said.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the police ranks, with Sonu Kumars last rites performed with state honours after tributes were paid at the police lines.
Easter, one of the most significant events in the Christian calendar, will be observed this year on April 20. For more than two millennia, this day has been marked by Christians across the world as the celebration of Jesus Christs resurrection, three days after his crucifixion. It is a festival of profound faith, renewal, and spiritual victory, and its message continues to inspire hope amid darkness for millions globally and in India.

Unlike Christmas, which is fixed on December 25, the date of Easter changes every year. Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. This calculation means it can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.

Easter 2025: The sacred story of Resurrection The events leading up to Easter are remembered during Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem to a cheering crowd. This is followed by Maundy Thursday, which marks the Last Supper, where Jesus dined with his disciples before his arrest.

Also Read | Weekend food plan: Duck Mappas and Bacalao recipes for Easter

Good Friday is a day of solemn reflection, recalling Jesuss trial, crucifixion, and death at Golgotha. Churches conduct prayer services, read the Passion narrative, and hold Stations of the Cross to honor his suffering. The mood is quiet, respectful, and filled with spiritual introspection.

But it is Easter Sunday that brings the faithful together in celebration. It marks the moment when, according to scripture, Jesuss tomb was found empty, and he appeared to his followers aliveforever altering the path of Christianity.

Easter is celebrated by a wide range of Christian denominationsRoman Catholics, Protestants (including Anglicans, Lutherans, Baptists, and Pentecostals), and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.

Roman Catholic churches typically begin Easter with the Easter Vigil on Saturday nighta dramatic and deeply symbolic service that starts in darkness, followed by the lighting of the Paschal candle to signify Christs light returning to the world.

Protestant denominations may hold sunrise services, reflecting the Gospel story of women arriving at Jesuss tomb early in the morning. Orthodox services are often held at midnight, filled with chants, incense, and liturgical drama.

Easter in India Indias Christian community celebrates Easter with unique cultural and regional traditions. While Christian populations are more concentrated in Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Northeast states such as Nagaland, Mizoram and others, Easter is marked by the faithful all over the country, from bustling metros to quiet hill stations.

Churches across denominations are decorated with flowers and candles. The Easter Mass or Sunday service is attended in large numbers, with congregants dressed in whitethe colour of resurrection. Hymns, Gospel readings, and sermons about hope and redemption mark the occasion.

Lent, which precedes Easter, is observed through fasting, abstinence, and prayer. Many families avoid meat, alcohol, and festivities during this 40-day period. Easter thus becomes a joyful break from spiritual discipline, celebrated with home-cooked meals, community feasts, and sweets like plum cakes, marzipan eggs, and hot cross buns.

In India, Easter also fosters interfaith and intercultural harmony, with non-Christians often participating in Easter events, reflecting the pluralistic fabric of Indian society.
Former Inspector General (IG) and Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka, Om Prakash, was found dead in his Bengaluru residence in the HSR layout area under mysterious circumstances on Sunday.

Cops discovered Prakash's body with several injury marks, raising suspicion of foul play. Police have begun questioning his wife, Pallavi, and his daughter, a PTI report said.

Prakash's body was found lying in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storied residence in the upscale society. Pallavi had informed the police about the incident, the report said.

What preliminary probe says Reports indicate that the retired DGP had previously expressed concerns about threats to his life to some close associates. Police suspect the involvement of a close family member in the incident.

Prakash's body has been taken to the hospital for a post-mortem examination.

While talking to ANI, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand said, Today afternoon around 4-4:30 pm, we got information about the death of our former DGP and IGP Om Prakash. His son has been contacted and he is giving a complaint against the incident, and based on that, an FIR will be registered. After the case is registered, a detailed investigation will be carried out. Immediately, there are no arrests. Initial investigation suggests that things might be internal in nature. It seems that some sharp weapon has been used, which caused so much blood loss that it led to death.

A PTI report also quoted Additional Commissioner of Police Vikash Kumar Vikash as saying that Prakash's son gave a police complaint based on which the process of registering FIR is on. However, the FIR has not been filed yet.

To a question about the 'murder', the police officer said, There is a physical assault. A weapon has been used. There is blood loss. We will get the details after further investigation.

No arrests have been made so far. Police has secured the building.

The 68-year-old IPS officer from the 1981 batch, hailed from Champaran, Bihar and had an MSc in Geology. He began his career as an additional superintendent of police in Harapanahalli, then Ballari district, and later served in various places.
US Vice President JD Vance will arrive in India on Monday, April 21 for his first ever official visit to the country, along with his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their three children.

JD Vance's official visit to India comes amid the 90-day-tariff pause window. Vance and his family will be in India for four days.

The US Vice President will be accompanied by at least five senior US officials, including representatives from the Pentagon and the State Department, stated reports.

Also Read | US Vice President JD Vance to cover Delhi, Jaipur and Agra during India visit

Here's the complete itinerary of the US Vice President's visit:

JD Vance India visit: Date, time The Ministry of External Affairs stated that JD Vance and his family will be received at the Air Force Station, Palam, at 10:00 am on Monday, April 21.

Where will JD Vance stay in Delhi? The Vance family will be staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel in Delhi, mentioned a report by TOI.

JD Vance India visit full itinerary

Shortly after landing in Delhi, Vance and his family are expected to visit the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple and a market selling traditional Indian crafts, stated reports.

Date Event Monday, April 21 JD Vance and family to land in India, Delhi Monday, April 21- 6:30 pm JD Vance to meet PM Modi for dinner and a formal meeting at 6:30 pm IST at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg Monday, April 21- 9:30pm JD Vance and family expected to land at Jaipur International Airport. They will be received by Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma and the Governor. The family will then proceed to the Rambagh Palace for their stay Tuesday, April 22 JD Vance to begin his Jaipur tour with a visit to Amer Fort. He is also likely to visit Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and other locations Tuesday, April 22, afternoon JD Vance to attend a special program at the Rajasthan International Centre Tuesday, April 22, evening JD Vance to attend meetings with Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma and the state's governor Wednesday, April 23 JD Vance and family to take a trip to Agra. They will visit the iconic Taj Mahal, and Shilpgram, a market known for Indian art and crafts Thursday, April 24 Vances to depart India at 6:40 am IST

Why JD Vance is visiting India? Vance is set to visit India for bilateral talks on economic, trade and geopolitical ties. India and the US are working towards a bilateral trade agreement with the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.

What JD Vance will discuss in India? JD Vance and PM Modi's discussions are expected to cover topics like energy diversification, with the US offering support for India's energy sourcing through investments in nuclear technology, as per multiple reports.

Also Read | JD Vance meets Italy PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome, will celebrate Easter at Vatican

In a statement, the White House shared: "The VP will discuss shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country."
The last time Daniel D.J. Granville was seen by the public was on March 11, when he participated in a news conference about a drug bust. That is the same day local news media reported that he crashed his county-owned pickup truck into seven parked vehicles on the Lower West Side of Buffalo the prior year.

Two days later, Granville was out sick. He has been out on paid sick leave ever since.

Sheriff says video, citations against Granville 'changes a lot' regarding investigation The Buffalo News spoke with Erie County Sheriff John Garcia, County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Christopher Scanlon this week about the investigations into Daniel "D.J." Granville, who crashed his county-owned pickup into seven parked vehicles in Buffalo last year.

Erie County payroll records indicate that Granville has remained out on sick leave for the past five weeks, since March 13, and still has five-and-a-half months left in his sick time bank.

The countys official payroll records do not indicate that he has been placed on any other kind of paid leave, and the union contract governing the use of sick time has requirements for its extended use. Granvilles lawyer, Terrence Connors, confirmed to The Buffalo News that Granville is not on administrative or disciplinary leave.

From everything I have learned, Chief Granville is one of the most highly regarded officers in the entire Western New York community, Connors said. This is a cops cop, someone who is working hard 24/7, and thats probably why he has all that accrued sick time.

Granvilles working status has been a subject of interest, given his role in the crash last year. Buffalo police officers responded to the scene shortly after 11:30 p.m. on April 11, 2024, after Granville crashed the Sheriffs Office pickup truck he was driving into seven parked vehicles.

Video obtained by The Buffalo News showed him driving away from two cars his vehicle struck. The only legal consequence he faced was for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, which was later reduced to a jaywalking charge.

Following internal investigations, the Niagara County District Attorneys Office requested last week that the Buffalo Police Department cite Granville for three instances of leaving the scene of an accident.

Five Buffalo police officers also were recently placed on nondisciplinary administrative leave in relation to last years crashes. Granvilles sister-in-law was the supervising Buffalo Police officer on the scene. The matter was not publicly reported until local news media broke the story in March.

The Buffalo Police Departments internal investigation into the incident remains open, as does the Sheriffs Offices internal investigation. Neither investigation appears to be concluding imminently, based on responses by Buffalo Police Commissioner Alphonso Wright, who gave a statement on Thursday at a meeting held by the Common Councils Police Oversight Committee.

We would be doing the public a disservice by rushing the investigation, Wright said.

Buffalo police keeping quiet on Granville as prosecutors' and internal probes continue Buffalo police brass were tight-lipped when they appeared before city lawmakers Thursday to face questions about how the department handled the investigation into a top Erie County Sheriff's official who crashed into seven parked vehicles on the West Side.

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia has said his offices investigation remains dependent on the citys.

While Granville remains out on paid sick leave, he continues to accrue wages at his regular rate of $52.26 an hour. His sick leave status also allows him to continue accruing more sick time and more vacation time while out on sick leave. Under the terms of the Police Benevolent Association contract, he accrues another 7.7 hours of vacation time and another 4.62 hours of sick time for every two-week pay period.

Granville has been with the Sheriffs Office since 2008 and has more than 1,300 hours remaining in his sick time bank. All unused sick time carries over from year to year, to a maximum of 1,800 hours.

Connors said he would not discuss Granvilles physical condition, but any accrued sick and vacation time Granville continues to receive is a function of a union contract that he did not set. He also said Granville does not wish to remain off-duty.

Hed get back to work if he can, but he wants to abide by the investigation, and primarily to be able to respond to Sheriff Garcia, Connors said.

The countys contract with the Police Benevolent Association states that after a person has been out sick for more than four consecutive working days, the employee is required to submit a physicians affidavit showing incapacity and inability of the employee to perform his duties and provide information regarding the employees expected return-to-work date. While the contract requires a doctors certification to be provided to the countys personnel commissioner, in practice, compliance with such sick time paperwork procedures would fall to Sheriffs Office administrators for enforcement.
A language consultation panel of the Maharashtra government on Sunday opposed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' decision to make Hindi compulsory from first standard in schools.

The panel's chief Laxmikant Deshmukh has written to CM Fadnavis requesting him to revoke the decision which made teaching Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 to 5 in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English, a HT report said.

A Government Resolution (GR) issued on April 17 mentioned Hindi as a third language will be compulsory from Class 1 to 5 from the next academic year and the new syllabus as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will be implemented for Class 1 in 2025-26.

Also Read | Hindi becomes mandatory as 3rd language in Maharashtra for Classes 1-5 under NEP

The GR said the policy would be implemented in 2026-27 for Class 2, 3, 4 and 6. While for Classes 5, 9 and 11, the policy would be implemented from 2027-28, and for Classes 8, 10 and 12 it would apply from 2028-29.

Shiv Sena opposes decision Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that his party will not allow making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra after the state government decided to make Hindi a mandatory third language for students of classes 1 to 5.

Addressing an event of the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, the workers' wing of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Thackeray said his party has no aversion to the Hindi language but asked why it is being forced.

NCP (SCP) calls it a conspiracy Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MP Supriya Sule on Saturday called the decision a consipracy to finish the SSC board.

While criticising the government's compulsory Hindi decision, Sule said, I have said earlier that this decision has been taken in a hurry. Marathi is the soul of Maharashtra, and it will continue to be number one. There is a lot of work to do in the field of education, and Marathi language must be the first language. I think this step is a conspiracy to finish off our SSC board.

Also Read | Hindi imposition row: Puducherry govt orders shops to display names in Tamil

Sule went to say that Marathi is the soul of Maharashtra, and the decision has been taken in a hurry.

Fadnavis defends decision After receiving flak from the opposition and other parties, CM Fadnavis defended his government's decision to make Hindi compulsory as a third language in schools. He asserted that while Marathi is non-negotiable and must be learned by all, learning additional languages remains a personal choice.

Speaking to the media, Fadnavis, expressing surprise at the opposition to Hindi and the growing preference for English, warned that any challenge to Marathi will not be tolerated.

"Marathi language is compulsory in Maharashtra; everyone should learn it. Additionally, if you wish to learn other languages, you can do so. Opposition to Hindi and promotion of English is surprising. If someone opposes Marathi, then it will not be tolerated," CM Fadnavis said.

What is the National Education Policy (NEP) The NEP aims to create an education system that contributes directly to transforming the country, providing high-quality education to all, and making India a global knowledge superpower.
At least 25 people were injured during an event on Sunday in Maharashtra's Jalna district, an official has said.

As per the official, several devotees were injured after a mandap or a stage erected for a religious event in Jalna district collapsed due to strong winds.

According to a report by PTI quoting the official, 13 people have sustained serious wounds and are being treated at Jalna district general hospital, while the remaining twelve are admitted to the rural health centre in Hasnabad.

However, an ANI report said that the Jalna district hospital received 16 patients who had sustained injuries to their head.

The 'mandap' fell on the people. Till now, 16 people have come to the hospital. We don't know whether any more are coming or not, Dr Nitin Pawar, in-charge district surgeon, was quoted as sauing by ANI.

The doctor however clarified that none of the injuries were serious.

Sixteen people have gotten wounds on their heads. None of them is in a critical situation. We have done their CT scan, he was quoted as saying.

Jalna mandap collapse The incident took place in Wazirkheda village in Bhokardan tehsil at 1pm when a large crowd of devotees had gathered to listen to a 'Shiv Mahapuran' discourse by Santosh Maharaj Adhavne, the official quoted by PTI said.

The temporary mandap, erected with the help of iron rods, collapsed due to strong winds. Its covering fell on the devotees gathered below, the official said.

Forer Zilla Parishad member Ganesh Phuke said the event continued after the injured were sent to hospital and the mandap was re-erected. The discourse, which began on April 18, will continue till April 25, and more than 5000 devotees had gathered this afternoon, Phuke added.

11 dead in Delhi building collapse At least 11 persons died and 11 others were left injured in a building collapse in Delhi's Mustafabad earlier.

Seven of the dead were from one family -- owner of the building, Tehseen, and six from his family.

The incident occurred around 3 am when a 20-year-old four-storey building collapsed in Shakti Vihar, Mustafabad.
Amid a tariff war with China, United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Beijing has reached out to Washington a number of times since he hiked a blanket China tariff to 245 per cent. Donald Trump also said that both US and China are talking to each other to deal with the trade war.

Speaking at the Oval Office, Donald Trump said, Yeah, we're talking to China. I would say they have reached out a number of times.

When asked if he has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Donald Trump said, I've never said whether or not they've happened. It's just not appropriate.

And when pressed to reveal if Xi Jinping has spoken to him, Donald Trump said, You'd think it was pretty obvious that he has, but we will talk about that soon.

While the US President Trump has slapped new tariffs on friend and foe alike but has reserved his heaviest blows for China, with new levies of up to 145 per cent on many Chinese imports even as Beijing has retaliated with duties on US goods of 125 per cent.

As a retaliatory action as per the White House, Donald Trump's new levies mean that the tariffs on certain Chinese goods are as high as 245 per cent.

What did China say on 245 per cent US tariff? Donald Trump had earlier said that in this trade war between China and the Us, it was up to Beijing to come to the negotiating table to discuss ending their the tiff. Following this, China warned Washington to stop threatening and blackmailing.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, If the US really wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop exerting extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing, and talk to China on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit.

China's position has been very clear. There is no winner in a tariff war or a trade war. China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to fight.

Also Read | US restaurants survive on cheap Chinese caviar; but that may change soon

China Commerce Ministry also said in a statement that it noted that the cumulative tariffs on some individual Chinese exports to the US have reached 245 percent under various designations.

The United States has instrumentalized and weaponized tariffs to a completely irrational level, the ministry said, adding that China would ignore the US's utterly meaningless tariff numbers game.
Donald Trump made a social media post wishing Easter, which turned out to be a rant about radical left lunatics, weak and ineffective judges, Sleepy Joe Biden and people who allegedly cheated in the 2020 Presidential elections.

Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

He then went on to attack the judges and the law enforcement officials of the US, and sarcastically wished them on Easter.

Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten!

Trump also extended his sarcastic Easter wishes to Joe Biden, calling him sleepy and accusing him of allowing millions of criminals to enter the US.

Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing, he wrote.

Trump in his post also ranted about people who seemingly cheated during the 2020 elections, where he lost, wishing them on easter with love and sincerity.

But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter, he said.

Donald Trump made another Easter post too Donald Trump's sarcastic Easter wishes post came minutes after he made a seemingly normal one on Truth Social.

In his first wish, Trump wished people an Easter full of peace and joy.

Melania and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Easter! Whether you are heading out to Church or, watching Service from home, may this day be full of Peace and Joy for all who celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. HE IS RISEN, he wrote.
The Trump administration is reportedly contemplating the closure of nearly 30 United States embassies and consulates worldwide, marking a significant potential shift in Americas diplomatic posture. According to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN, the proposal recommends shuttering 10 embassies and 17 consulates, with the majority of the affected posts located in Europe and Africa, but also including missions in Asia and the Caribbean.

Among the embassies earmarked for closure are those in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan. The consulates recommended for closure include five in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as posts in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and South Korea.

The document suggests that the responsibilities of these closed missions would be assumed by neighbouring embassies, thereby consolidating the United States overseas presence.

The proposals form part of a broader anticipated overhaul of the State Department, driven by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency. This initiative is aimed at dramatically reducing the size and cost of the federal governments international operations. Notably, the document also advises reducing the American diplomatic footprint in Iraq and Somaliacountries that have been central to US counterterrorism effortsand resizing other missions, possibly by implementing FLEX-style posts with minimal staffing and consolidating consular support at larger missions such as those in Japan and Canada.

Also Read | The Trump tariffs are tilting the scales in the Coke vs. Pepsi battle

At present, it remains unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has given formal approval to these recommendations. The administration has only announced ambassadorial nominees for two of the embassies slated for closureMalta and Luxembourg. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on the leaked document or the broader plans to downsize, urging enquiries to be directed to the White House as budget deliberations continue.

The potential closures have sparked concern given the vital role embassies and consulates play in providing consular services, supporting American citizens abroad, and serving as key instruments of US foreign policy, particularly in an era marked by strategic competition with global powers such as China.
US President Donald Trump has expressed strong confidence that a trade deal with the European Union is imminent, reassuring that the deal will "100% happen" to avoid a looming 20% tariff set to take effect this July. However, as the US administration continues to implement sweeping tariffs, including those targeting China, experts suggest that China may attempt to intervene in the US-EU trade negotiations, potentially undermining Trumps efforts. Heres what experts speaking with Fox News Digital have to say about the ongoing trade dynamics between the US, EU, and China.

Trump's confident stance amid tariff tensions President Trumps recent remarks about the US-EU trade deal underscore his belief that the agreement will be concluded soon, with the EU eager to avoid the 20% tariffs set to be imposed on various goods starting in July. These tariffs come as part of Trumps broader strategy to protect American industries, including steel, aluminum, and automobiles, which has reshaped global trade dynamics.

However, this aggressive trade approach has caused a rift between the US and its traditional allies in Europe, with many in the EU questioning the reliability of the US as a long-term trading partner.

China eyes opportunity in US-EU strain As Trump ramps up his global tariff initiatives, particularly a staggering 245% tariff on imports from China, Beijing is looking to take advantage of the growing friction between the US and the EU. According to experts interviewed by Fox News, China may see an opportunity to weaken the USs negotiating position with Europe by offering attractive trade deals to the EU.

Elaine Dezenski, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted that while European leaders may face political pressures to maintain strong relations with the US, the idea of pivoting towards China might prove tempting, despite the inherent risks. Given the electoral politics in Europe, it may be hard for some European leaders to appear weak with Trump. Making a pivot to Chinarisky though it iscould be tempting, Dezenski stated.

Chinas pitch: 1.4 billion consumers vs US buying power One of Chinas primary points of leverage in negotiations is its vast domestic market. Dezenski explained that China could entice European nations by promising to increase imports of EU goods, tapping into a consumer base of 1.4 billion people, which could be a more compelling offer than the smaller, wealthier US consumer market. While there is considerable mistrust of China within Europe due to long-standing trade imbalances and concerns over Chinese economic practices, the allure of Chinas market is undeniable.

However, Dezenski also emphasized that the Trump administration's tariffs have left Europe uncertain about the USs reliability as a trading partner, making it harder to rebuild trust in the US. Trumps aggressive global tariffs have angered traditional allies, and rebuilding that trust may be difficult, she said.

Challenges: Chinese dumping and EU resistance While China may attempt to woo Europe with promises of increased imports, it faces significant resistance due to long-standing concerns about dumping. Dumping refers to the practice of selling goods in foreign markets at artificially low prices, often below production costs, to gain market share. The EU has accused China of dumping products such as solar panels, electric vehicles, and consumer electronics in European markets, which has led to a string of trade disputes.

In a recent phone call with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized Chinas critical role in preventing trade diversion caused by tariffs, especially in sectors already dealing with global overcapacity. Despite the potential for increased trade with China, these concerns over dumping remain a significant barrier.

Chinas trade deficit with the EU According to Dezenski, the China-EU trade imbalance is likely to remain a key obstacle for European leaders, who have been critical of China's market practices.

China has resisted opening its markets, favoring domestic producers, Dezenski explained. However, China will face increasing pressure to address massive trade imbalances.

Experts: EU-China trade cant replace US market Analysts argue that neither China nor the EU can afford to sideline the US market, no matter the friction.

EU and China cannot offset the U.S. market by expanding exchange between each other. Not by a long shot, Steve Yates, a senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, was quoted as saying by the news report.

With both the EU and China, it is the enormous draw of the U.S. consumer market that provides the fuel for growth, Yates said. That is the powerful leverage that President Trump is wielding in these negotiations.

Also Read | Zuck, Dimon among others who sold shares ahead Trump tariffs
The United States Vice President JD Vance will undertake an official visit to India from April 21 to 24 and will arrive in New Delhi on Monday.

The Ministry of External Affairs said that he will be received at the Air Force Station, Palam, at 10:00 am. A formal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled at 6:30 pm, the same day at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

On Tuesday, April 22, Vance will travel to Jaipur, while on Wednesday, April 23, Vance will visit Agra.

Concluding his visit, Vice President Vance will depart from India on Thursday, April 24, at 6:40 am.

Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, on the upcoming visit of Vance, had said that India has a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership with the US, and when such a high-level visit takes place, all issues of importance are discussed.

"This is an Official Visit. He will be meeting the Prime Minister. And with the United States of America, we have a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership. So, when you have that level of partnership with any country, obviously you will discuss all relevant issues," Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing on Thursday.

Jaiswal added that India was very certain that the visit would give a further boost to India-US bilateral ties.

"And with America, with the United States, of course, our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of human endeavour... forms part of our bilateral engagement. So, all these issues, bilateral issues will be discussed. And we are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties," he said.

The Office of the Vice President in a release last week had said, "Vice President JD Vance and the Second Family will travel to Italy and India from April 18 to April 24. The Vice President will discuss shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country."
London is set to host critical behind-the-scenes talks this week that could determine whether the war in Ukraine moves toward a ceasefire or drags on indefinitely.

Ukraines defense minister is nearly fully aligned with US President Donald Trumps proposed cease-fire framework aimed at ending Russias invasion, according to a senior Trump administration official quoted in The New York Post.

The plan, presented in Paris this week by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and two special envoys, is reportedly 90% acceptable to Kyiv.

Ukraine signals conditional support Ukraines defense minister Rustem Umerov has been reviewing the Trump proposal with concerns primarily over territorial definitions in a potential cease-fire deal.

According to the senior US official, according to The Post, Ukraines main hesitation centers on whether the ceasefire lines would reflect a temporary military reality (de facto) or formal recognition of Russian occupation (de jure).

This coming week in London, we want to make a determination for a full and comprehensive cease-fire, the official said. The intent then is to have [discussions] with the Russians and then say, OK, this is your best and final offer, to find out where both sides are at.

I think part of the concern theyve got is on the land  just what they call de jure and de facto,' the Trump administration official said. De facto mean we recognize the Russians occupy this land, but we dont say [Ukraine is] going to give it up forever. De jure means we acknowledge that [the Russians] take in this land and well never see it back again.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains firm in refusing to recognize any Russian-occupied land as part of Moscow. However, he has reportedly shown openness to a ceasefire based on current front lines, which would see Russia controlling about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Russia's response remains uncertain Moscow is yet to formally respond to the Trump peace framework, and officials acknowledge the Kremlin could reject the plan altogether. In that case, the US administration is preparing to shift the burden of maintaining European security back to its allies, the news report stated.

Trump is ready to walk away from the table without Moscows buy-in, the official was quoted as saying, adding that responsibility would then fall on Americas European partners.

Incentives for Moscow: Sanctions relief and frozen assets To entice Russia to the negotiating table, Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff may offer potential incentives, the news report stated.

The United States may offer Moscow incentives such as sanctions relief and partial access to the $300 billion in frozen Russian assets in European banks to coax it to the table.

The carrot, for the Russians, is a look at, How do we reduce the sanctions that are currently on the Russians? the senior official noted. The other is, How do you handle the frozen Russian assets  that $300 billion that sits in Brussels, what happens with those, as well?

Next steps in London As the Trump team prepares for high-level consultations in London, their goal is to lock in Kyivs final position and begin discreet outreach to Russian officials, as per the report. The goal is to establish clear positions from both sides and determine whether a full cease-fire agreement is viable  or whether the US should abandon the process.

Also Read | Russia, Ukraine confirm largest prisoner swap as Putin declares Easter ceasefire
Merely hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared an Easter ceasefire to stop bombing Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian strikes have not stopped in the border regions of Kursk and Belgorod. Ukraine said Russia violated its own Easter ceasefire and maintained its artillery fire and assaults on the frontline.

In a statement on social media, Zelensky said, Kursk and Belgorod regions - Putin's Easter statements did not spread to this territory.

Fighting continues, Russian strikes continue.

While the Russian Easter truce is meant to last until midnight on Sunday, April 20, air-raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, indicating violence.

Ukrainian governor of southern Kherson region Oleksandr Prokudin alleged that since the truce, Moscow had launched several drone strikes.

The Russian Easter truce The order to halt all combat over the Easter weekend came after months of efforts by US President Donald Trump to get Moscow and Kyiv to agree a truce.

On Friday, Washington even threatened to withdraw from talks if no progress was made.

Today from 1800 (1500 GMT) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce, Vladimir Putin said earlier Saturday in televised comments.

Vladimir Putin also had said the truce for the Easter holiday celebrated on Sunday was motivated by humanitarian reasons.

He said he expected Ukraine to comply but that Russian troops must be ready to resist possible breaches of the truce and provocations by the enemy.

While Zelensky responded by saying Ukraine would follow suit, and proposed extending the truce beyond Sunday, he also accused Russia of having already broken its promises.

If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly  mirroring Russia's actions, he said.

And just hours after the Easter ceasefire was announced, Ukraine has accused Russia of violating it and continuing its strikes and assault in the border regions.
A one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to hold on Sunday (April 19), with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of violating the truce with hundreds of attacks. The brief pause in hostilitiesmeant to last until midnight Moscow timewas marred by artillery fire, drone strikes, and frontline skirmishes, dashing hopes of a peaceful holiday.

There were no other commands, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS, confirming that Putin had not ordered an extension of the ceasefire.

Zelensky: Russia faked Easter ceasefire Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of merely pretending to observe the ceasefire, saying Moscow launched 67 assaults between midnight and 8 p.m. local time on Sunday.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, Zelensky posted on X. It is only about favorable PR coverage."

He added, If Russia does not agree to stop drone and missile strikes on civilians for at least 30 days, it proves they only want to prolong the war and destroy lives.

Russia: Over 1,000 ceasefire violations by Ukraine Russias Defence Ministry countered the narrative, claiming Ukraine broke the ceasefire more than 1,000 times and caused civilian casualties through drone and artillery attacks. It alleged that Ukrainian forces fired 444 times at Russian positions and launched more than 900 drones, including strikes on Crimea and border regions like Bryansk and Belgorod.

As a result, there are deaths and injuries among the civilian population, as well as damage to civilian facilities, the ministry said in a statement.

Trumps peace push at risk The ceasefires collapse underscores the fragility of ongoing US-led peace efforts. President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warned on Friday that the US may abandon peace negotiations if theres no clear progress.

Zelensky: We will act symmetrically Zelensky made it clear that Ukraine will match Russian actions on the battlefield. The Ukrainian army is acting  and will continue to act  in a fully symmetrical manner, he posted.

Despite the violence, Zelensky urged Ukrainians not to give up hope: We know what we are defending. We know what we are fighting for, he said in a holiday message from Saint Sophias Cathedral in Kyiv.

Also Read | Zuck, Dimon among others who sold shares ahead Trump tariffs
A new town justice was appointed in West Seneca last week, following the resignation of a judge who had been in the role just four months.

The West Seneca Town Board unanimously named Chelsea MacDonald to the position on April 14. She replaces Justice Paula Eade Newcomb and will be on the ballot in November to seek a full term.

But some West Seneca residents are not happy with the boards decision to appoint MacDonald, questioning her experience and a lack of transparency in the process the board used to select her.

This is the second time in about four months that the Town Board has had to appoint a new justice. Newcomb was sworn in to the role in December to replace Justice Jeffrey Harrington, who was elected as a Family Court judge in November.

During the boards most recent meeting, council members voted to accept Newcombs resignation, then approved MacDonalds appointment.

The board moved up the two resolutions pertaining to the town justice position to the beginning of the meeting, before the public comment period. Typically, that is when residents have the opportunity to share their thoughts about the resolutions the board will be voting on.

While Supervisor Gary Dickson was reading the resolution to appoint MacDonald, someone from the audience called out and asked if there would be public comment before the board voted on the appointment.

Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. We are not at that point right now, Dickson said. Excuse me, you are out of order. Would you please sit down?

The resolution states that MacDonald was born and raised in West Seneca and is a highly qualified candidate for this role.

Her professional background reflects a strong and consistent commitment to justice, including her advocacy of victims of domestic violence through Child and Family Services and later with the Erie County District Attorneys Office, the resolution reads.

The resolution further states that MacDonald currently practices law in West Seneca and is respected by her peers and the community.

Ms. MacDonald is well-prepared and eager to serve the residents of West Seneca as Town Justice, the resolution reads.

According to her LinkedIn account, MacDonald studied criminal justice at Niagara University and graduated from Cooley Law School in Michigan in 2022. After graduation, she worked as an associate attorney at the Buffalo law firm Gibson, McAskill & Crosby for about two years, then as an attorney with the Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo in West Seneca since December.

This is an outrage, someone from the audience called out as MacDonald joined the Town Board members for a photo at the front of the room after they voted to appoint her.

Later in the meeting, during the public comment period, people questioned why the board decided to move up the vote on her appointment and the lack of information provided about MacDonalds professional background. When Newcomb was appointed in December, her resume was publicly released.

Dickson said the town did not publicly request that those interested in the town justice position submit a resume and cover letter as it had done in the past due to the timing of Newcombs resignation. She resigned April 8, Dickson said.

There wasnt a lot of time left, Dickson said. Paula (Newcomb) was leaving, and we needed to get somebody else on board and training.

MacDonald was the only candidate considered for the vacant judges seat, Dickson said. All council members except Susan Kims interviewed MacDonald before the appointment.

In New York State, you dont even have to be a lawyer to be a town judge, Dickson said. So I think weve got somebody who already exceeds the qualifications.

Town justices are typically elected to four-year terms by voters. But if a justice vacates the position, the town board can appoint a temporary replacement, according to New York State law. Alternatively, the Office of Court Administration can assign a justice from a neighboring community to preside in the town court during the vacancy.

Dickson said the board chose not to go through the court administration office, and opted to pick its own replacement.

There is going to be an election in November, Dickson said. If people dont like that shes the judge, they can vote for somebody else.

In a statement, the West Seneca Democratic Committee said the all-Republican Town Board demonstrated a brazen disregard for transparency, accountability, and public trust in its appointment of MacDonald.

Dickson confirmed that MacDonald works at the Lorigo law firm, which is owned by Ralph Lorigo, the current chairman of the Erie County Conservative Party. West Senecas other town justice, Jon Minear, also works at Lorigos firm. Minear was elected in 2023.

Democrats referred to MacDonald as a politically connected candidate with only 16 months of legal experience and direct ties to local party bosses.
Fatima Hassouna, a 25-year-old Palestinian journalist, once wrote: If I die, I want a loud death. I dont want to be just breaking news, or a number in a group. I want a death that the world will hear. On April 16, 2025, her haunting words came true when she was killed in an Israeli airstrike that struck her home in northern Gazajust days before her wedding.

The attack also claimed the lives of eight of her family members, including her pregnant sister, leaving behind a grim reminder of the escalating toll of the Gaza war on civilians and journalists alike.

A voice of Gaza silenced Hassouna had spent the last 18 months documenting the war in Gaza, sharing unfiltered glimpses of life under siege through photography and social media. Her powerful visuals gained global recognition and highlighted the human cost of the ongoing conflict. Her last post featured Gazas fishermen and a poem reflecting on the soul of the city she loved.

A life and legacy captured in documentary Fatima was the subject of a documentary titled Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, directed by Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi. Set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, the film presents Gazas reality through Hassounas eyes. She was fiery and full of life, Farsi said. I filmed her laughs, her tears, her hopes, and her depression.

Condemnation from Journalist Groups The Palestinian Journalists Protection Center (PJPC) called Hassounas death a crime against journalism and a breach of international law. The airstrike hit her home on Al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City, further intensifying global scrutiny of attacks on media workers in conflict zones.

Fatimas images documenting life under siege were published globally, shedding light on the wars toll, PJPC stated. The center reported that 212 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023an unprecedented figure that continues to rise.

Israels justification for the strike The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the airstrike targeted a Hamas operative linked to attacks on soldiers and civilians. The IDF claimed the use of precision munitions and intelligence to minimise civilian harm. The terrorist planned and executed terror attacks, it stated, while accusing Hamas of using civilians as human shields.

The cost of war continues to mount The Gaza conflict, which began after Hamass deadly incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023, has since claimed over 51,000 livesmore than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Over 116,000 people have been injured, and 90 percent of Gazas 2.1 million residents have been displaced.
President Donald Trumps lightning-fast timeline for striking trade deals is likely to produce some interim successes soon, but analysts and former negotiators dont see a quick resolution with the most important U.S. trading partners.

Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday that he expected a trade deal with China to be hashed out over three or four weeks." That came on the heels of White House trade advisor Peter Navarro telling NBC News the administration sought to have 90 deals in 90 days possibly pending here" by the time Trumps pause on so-called reciprocal tariffs ends in July.

The White Houses timeline doesnt have historical precedent. Trade negotiations are often a long slog, even if both countries have already identified the issues they want to address.

An analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics of past free trade agreements found negotiations took 18 months on average. The actual implementation of the agreements typically took nearly four years.

Trade negotiations generally are pretty complicated and time intensive," said Greta Peisch, a partner at Wiley Rein and a former general counsel for the Office of the United States Trade Representative during President Joe Bidens administration. Its hard to imagine addressing the multitude of issues that seem to be underlying their concerns" in that time frame.

It is possible for the White House to strike interim agreements with countries over the next few months that spell out the negotiations timeline and scope, Peisch said. Importantly for markets, those kinds of agreements in the past have been accompanied by pauses or reductions in levies. That could make the tariff pause indefinite.

High on the list for potential interim deals are countries in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Japan, Australia, and Vietnam, said Raymond James policy analyst Ed Mills in a research note on Thursday. Talks with the European Union could take longer given the administrations demonstrated animosity towards the bloc."

Talks with China could be the most drawn out, Mills wrote. The country publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance for referring to Chinese peasants" in an interview.

Part of the problem with the administrations negotiating timeline is logistics. Seventy-five countries have reached out seeking negotiations, with 15 of them offering deals that are under consideration, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier this week. On Thursday, Trump said those countries included China.

Trump designated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to lead negotiations with Japan and other countries. Their ability to close deals quickly will depend on whether they or Trump are willing to empower other U.S. officials to negotiate. Trump himself could be a bottleneck, given that Navarro said he wants to be personally involved in signing off on any agreements.

Earlier this month, Trump put a 90-day pause" on many tariffs with the exception of those against China, which is still subject to 145% levies.

The White House didnt respond to a request for comment.

A good signal on where negotiations are headed could come as soon as next week, when Bessent and dozens of finance ministers will meet at the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meetings in Washington, said Josh Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center.

The big question is whether Bessent has meetings with his counterparts from China and elsewhere," Lipsky said. I wouldnt expect tariffs to drop down to where they were, but well be looking for signs of an intermediate ceasefire."

Even if the U.S. does reach near-term agreements, theres nothing stopping tariffs from changing again during talks. In 2019, Trump reimposed tariffs on China, tweeting that the country broke the deal" that had led to an earlier de-escalation of that trade spat. Interim deals wont spell an end to uncertainty.

Write to Joe Light at joe.light@barrons.com
At first glance, Chinese President Xi Jinpings Southeast Asian tour was focused on trade deals, regional cooperation and friendship. In reality, hes capitalizing on Americas leadership vacuum in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing wants a less US-centric Asia. US President Donald Trumps trade war is only accelerating that.

Washingtons influence in this strategically vital region is at stake. Previous administrations have been clear about its importance, but under Trump, there doesnt appear to be a coherent plan. This has allowed Beijing to position itself as a champion of solidarity, in sharp contrast to the US presidents economic bullying.

This wasnt just a goodwill visit. Its about soft and hard power projection. Xis trip to Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia was planned before tariffs were imposed, but these visits took on more importance given Trumps attempt to isolate China. Some major banks predict the Chinese economy will expand by 3-4% this year as US duties choke exports.

These dire projections made Xis Southeast Asia tour all the more important. It was a chance to mend both political and economic ties. Trump criticized the meetings, accusing his Chinese counterpart and Vietnamese leader To Lam of conspiring against Washington. He also called on China to reach out to him in order to kick off negotiations. Beijing appeared to be listening. Last week, it appointed Li Chenggang, a former assistant commerce minister during Trumps first administration, as key envoy to resolve the dispute.

Other nations have received a 90-day US tariff reprieve, but they must now forge deals that satisfy his approval. Thats not winning hearts and minds, and may lead countries to be more receptive to Xis message of peace and prosperity, despite scepticism over Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Xis rhetoric has gained fresh urgency as he attempts to craft an image of global stability, positioning China as the alternative to the US. Recently, he pledged to strengthen ties with other nations by appropriately" managing differences and enhancing supply chain ties. In Hanoi, he repeated his core message that there are no winners in a tariff war," inking 45 trade agreements, including those focused on railway infrastructure development.

Trumps policies are inducing regional anxiety that could help Beijing cement a central position in the Indo-Pacific, as Ben Bland, director of the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House told me. I see the whole of Southeast Asia moving closer to China, albeit at different paces," he said. These governments see no path to becoming wealthier countries without more China in their economies."

This is already happening. China has been the biggest trading partner of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2009, and Asean has been Beijings since 2020. The US comes in second in terms of goods, with total commerce at an estimated $476.8 billion in 2024.

Chinas Belt and Road Initiative may have helped Beijing gain influence, but it has also brought concerns. Debt-trap diplomacy and bloated infrastructure projects have broken trust about opaque contracts that are often skewed in Chinas favour. Xi may be more willing to sign deals with countries on better terms now to show that he is a more reliable ally.

The region has been burnt by Trump before. During his first term, he pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement involving Washington and 11 other Asian-Pacific countries that together comprised 40% of global economic output. The pact had been seen as a way to strengthen US leadership in Asia by complementing its diplomatic and military power. The message sent by Americas withdrawal was heard loud and clear throughout the region.

Also Read: Taiwan is under siege but not short of security options

In response, Beijing pressed ahead with promoting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a trade pact that eventually included 15 countries to become the worlds largest. China also increased its diplomatic efforts with Indo-Pacific nations and framed itself as a champion of globalization and free trade.

Those who ignore history risk repeating it. Economic leadership is crucial in this new world order. Instead of trade wars, regional visits by senior members of the Trump administration, like US secretary of defense Pete Hegseths recent trip to the Philippines and Japan, would help.

Compared to Xis visit, though, next weeks tour by a mid-level US official is unlikely to inspire confidence. Washington must recognize that its competition with Beijing isnt just about economic might, its also about strategic influence. Xi is playing the long gameand right now, it looks like hes winning. Bloomberg

The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia politics with a special focus on China.
(Bloomberg) -- Three Pentagon officials who were reported to have been fired amid a inquiry into leaks said they werent told what they were being investigated for or if there was even a probe into the unauthorized disclosure of information.

The three are senior advisor Dan Caldwell; Darin Selnick, who was the defense secretarys deputy chief of staff; and Colin Carroll, who served as chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary. Politico reported they were terminated on Friday.

We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended, the officials said in a joint statement on X. At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of leaks to begin with.

In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths chief of staff, Joe Kasper, called for an investigation into unauthorized disclosures of national security information with those found responsible to be referred to the appropriate criminal law enforcement entity for criminal prosecution.

The probe came after the New York Times reported that Elon Musk was to get a top secret briefing about the US militarys planning for any potential war with China. The Times cited multiple unidentified US officials familiar with the matter, while President Donald Trump and Hegseth denied any plans for Musk to get such a high-level briefing.

Caldwell, Selnick and Carroll said they understood the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it.

Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door, they said, calling the experience unconscionable.

Still, the three said they remain supportive of the administrations efforts to reform the Pentagon.

Politico also reported that Kasper will leave his position for a new role at the department. Kasper declined to comment to Politico, while the Pentagon didnt respond to the outlet.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
President Donald Trumps administration asked the Supreme Court to roll back its decision to block the deportation of Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador, arguing that the early-morning order was overbroad and premature.

In 15-page filing, US Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the detainees lawyers were wrong to turn to the justices without giving lower courts time to rule on claims that the men werent given an adequate opportunity to contest their deportation in court.

The lower courts have not found critical facts in this case, said Sauer, the administrations top Supreme Court lawyer. There has been no fact-finding about the timing, nature, and manner of notice that the government has given the detainees.

The high court intervened around 1 a.m. Saturday in Washington after detainees filed urgent requests in four courts to block their deportation from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas. Lawyers for the men said they were being put on buses and told they would be deported as early as Friday afternoon. The detainees allegedly were given a notice, written only in English, that didnt explain how they could contest their deportation or how much time they had to do so.

The Supreme Court order for now bars the government from using a wartime law to expel alleged Venezuelan gang members. The court said the pause applies until further order of this court, indicating the justices will take additional action now that the Trump administration has filed its response.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, with Alito saying he will issue an opinion on the matter later.

The showdown marks a fresh escalation in Trumps campaign to circumvent the federal judiciary. Last month, Trump sent more than 200 alleged gang members to the Salvadoran prison, even as a judge verbally ordered that two planes turn around.

The Supreme Court said April 7 that accused Tren de Aragua gang members must get a reasonable time to challenge their deportation in federal court. Many of the detainees say they arent gang members, and they contend Trump cant deport them by invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a law that previously had been used only in wartime. The Supreme Court hasnt resolved whether Trumps use of that law is legal.

Sauer said the court at least should clarify that its order doesnt preclude the government from deporting people using other legal tools, including the nations immigration laws.

The Supreme Court case is A.A.R.P. v. Trump, 24A1007.

With assistance from David Voreacos.

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
For NASA's oldest serving astronaut Don Pettit, his 70th birthday was not about spending quietly with family and friends, cutting a cake, blowing out candles or any other traditional feat.

Instead, Don Pettit turned 70 in space, while hurtling towards the Earth in a spacecraft as he wrapped up a mission aboard the International Space Station.

A Soyuz capsule carrying the American and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday, as Pettit celebrated his milestone birthday with a bang.

Today at 0420 Moscow time (0120 GMT), the Soyuz MS-26 landing craft with Alexei Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and Donald (Don) Pettit aboard landed near the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, a statement from Russia's space agency Roscosmos said.

NASA said it was following its routine postlanding medical checks, and that the crew will return to the recovery staging area in Karaganda, Kazakhstan.

Pettit will then board a NASA plane bound for the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston, while Roscosmos said the Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.

Also Read | 40 years after Rakesh Sharma, ISRO set to send Indian to ISS in historic mission

NASA images of the landing showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth with the sunrise as a backdrop.

Who is Don Pettit? Donald R. Pettit, fondly known as Don Pettit, was selected by NASA in 1966. The oldest serving NASA astronaut, Don Pettit holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University and a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Arizona.

Before becoming an astronaut, he was a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico.

In his first space flight, Pettit was a NASA Science Officer for Expedition 6 in 2003.

Also Read | Sunita Williams shares heartwarming reunion video with her dogs | WATCH

This was Pettits fourth spaceflight, where he served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 71 and 72. He has logged 590 days in orbit throughout his career.

Spanning 220 days in space, Pettit and his crewmates orbited the Earth 3,520 times, completing a journey of 93.3 million miles. Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner launched and docked to the orbiting laboratory on Sept. 11, 2024.

During his time aboard the space station, Pettit conducted research to enhance in-orbit metal 3D printing capabilities, advance water sanitisation technologies, explore plant growth under varying water conditions, and investigate fire behavior in microgravity, all contributing to future space missions.
Europe, the United Kingdom in particular, is facing an unexpected threat from Kim Jong Un's North Korea  job scam.

According to a report by The Guardian, the UK has become a prime target for fake IT workers deployed by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or North Korea.

As per the report, these IT workers are typically hired to work from remote locations, thereby giving them the chance to escape detection and send their wages to Kim Jong-uns country.

The hoax IT professionals have also deployed a new tactic to threaten to leak sensitive data after being fired.

This has left companies, including elite ones like those in defence sector, in a soup.

Google reveals modus operandi of North Korea job scam In a report earlier this month, Google said that a case came into light last year where a single North Korean employee deployed at least 12 personae in Europe and the US. This IT worker was seeking jobs in sensitive fields like the defence industry and other government sectors. Leaking data of these sectors would prove harmful to the country in general.

As per the Guardian report quoting Googles Threat Intelligence group chief analyst John Hultquist, North Korea is targetting Europe and the UK after its plans to deploy fake workers in the US became increasingly difficult.

How does North Korea job scam work? According to the report, the North Korea fake IT worker scam generally works with the help of facilitators. Here, people with a physical presence in a country where is target company, who unknowingly hires the fake workers, is based.

These facilitators are responsible for carrying out basic field work in a country, like obtaining fake passport and providing a physical address in the country, where laptops are sent to the IT employee when they are hired.

They then make these laptops accessible to the person working for North Korea, who does not typically reside in the same country as the facilitator.

Also Read | How hackers stole billions in crypto to keep North Koreas regime afloat

In some cases, companies even adopt a bring your own device policy, which makes the work easier for North Korea as there is less tracking involved.

The bottom line is their operations have a physical presence in the UK, which is the most important step to grow across multiple sectors in the country, Hultquist was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

How to stop North Korea fake job scam? According to Hultquist, the tactics deployed by North Korea could be stopped if companies conduct in-person or at least video interviews.
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UPDATE: A bill that would adopt new restrictions on cannabis sales in Tennessee has been approved by the Senate, just days before 4/20, the unofficial marijuana holiday.

TN lawmakers cracking down on hemp regulations, serious implications for local businesses Tennessee lawmakers have been cracking down on regulations for hemp businesses across the state, and this could mean serious implications for those in the industry.

HB1376/SB1413, introduced by State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senator Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville), places extensive restrictions on Tennessee's hemp industry. This includes a recent amendment made by Representative Marck Cochran (R-Englewood) that would transfer authority over hemp-derived cannabinoid products to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Now that the bill passed in the Senate on April 17, the remaining step is for Tennessee Governor Bill Lee to sign in into law. If he does so, new tax rates, age restrictions, penalties, and licensure requirements will be adopted in the sale of cannabis products.

For more information, read the full legislation.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Republican lawmakers in the Tennessee House passed HB1376, a bill transferring authority over hemp-derived cannabinoid products from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

An amendment made by Representative Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) added on Wednesday that would prevent the sale of hemp containing a total THC content over 0.3%. As most of these products include THCA as a kind of precursor to THC, the bill would essentially ban the sale of TCHA products altogether, or 60% of revenue for local businesses in the hemp industry.

The Tennessee Growers Coalition issued a statement condemning the amendment, saying it "significantly undermines the months of hard work and collaboration the industry has committed to".

"The TGC has been actively working with lawmakers throughout this process to voice the industrys concerns and find a workable solutionthis amendment disregards that effort entirely," says the coalition.

Although the legislation passed in the House, the Tennessee Senate has yet to vote. The Senate Bill has to match the House bill before moving to Governor Bill Lee's desk to be signed into law.
With the clock ticking on the late state budget, state and city lawmakers are continuing their push to get two key elements into the states spending plan.

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes was joined Friday afternoon on the steps of City Hall by four members of the Common Council and several constituents, where they urged Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature to prioritize a pair of plans put forth by Mayor Christopher Scanlon that accounts for $30 million in revenue he has included in his city budget proposal.

Scanlon, who became acting mayor in October when former Mayor Byron Brown resigned, is asking for approval to create a parking authority that would then buy the citys parking garages, bringing in an estimated $40 million to $60 million into the city coffers. That cash would then be used to lessen the burden on city taxpayers as officials work to fix structural deficits over the next several budget cycles.

He is also asking for a 3% city bed tax, which would come on top of an existing 13.75% Erie County bed tax. His office estimates that it would raise more than $3 million in recurring revenues for the city.

Peoples-Stokes said that, regardless of how the city got into its current predicament, Scanlons plans would allow city officials time to get their fiscal house in order without extreme tax increases for residents.

They would be able to close that gap a lot quicker if the bills pass, she said.

Both state senators who represent the city  Sean Ryan, Democrats endorsed opponent of Scanlon in the mayors race, and April Baskin  have said that they continue to have questions about the plans and do not yet feel comfortable including them in the budget.

I will support any legislation that would help the city, but it is the acting mayors responsibility to demonstrate that his proposals are fiscally sound, Ryan said in a statement Friday.

Scanlon's political foes slam his first budget plan as built on uncertain revenues Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon's first budget proposal includes a less than expected tax hike and no layoffs, but other mayoral hopefuls panned the spending plan as built on unrealistic revenues and continuing a pattern that has resulted in the city's structural deficit problems.

Critics of the plan to sell the parking ramps point to a loss in recurring revenue from parking fees, which brought in $4.5 million last year. They have also described the plan as a one-shot revenue gimmick similar to those Browns administration deployed for years to avoid raising taxes or cutting services.

Scanlons office and supportive Council members say the infusion of cash would stem the tide on what would otherwise be intolerable tax increases  Scanlon estimates the tax increase would jump to 30% from his proposed 8% increase  or cuts to services for residents.

Scanlon and executive office officials have bristled at the one-shot characterization of the plan, saying they would set the authority up to funnel all remaining funds after debt service and operational obligations are paid back to city coffers, a figure they estimate to be about $2.5 million annually.

And important figures in the hospitality world have lined up in both camps, with industry groups like Visit Buffalo Niagara, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership and developer Douglas Jemal, who owns three Buffalo hotels, opposing the bed tax. Meanwhile, other city hotel owners, including Uniland Development and Ellicott Hotels, have come out in support of the measure, as has been touted by Scanlon and his supporters on the bill.

Scanlon has accused Ryan of playing politics with the state budget to hurt his chances in the mayoral race, something Ryan has denied. The senator has maintained that he and other legislators should not be rushed into decisions on consequential moves for the city because the mayor, who has approved city budgets consistently in the 12 years he has been a Council member, needs the state to step in and fix the citys fiscal problems.

Local issues like the bills presented by Peoples-Stokes are often handled in the end-of-year bill commonly referred to as the big ugly in Albany. But the rush is on for city lawmakers as they try to settle their own budget by the end of May.

Late state budget is causing problems for Scanlon's city spending plan With the New York State Legislature now late with the budget, Buffalo Mayor Christopher Scanlon says that makes it difficult to submit a city budget.

And so Peoples-Stokes, Scanlon and Council members supportive of the moves  Council Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope, Masten Council Member Zeneta Everhart, President Pro Tempore Bryan Bollman and North Council Member Joseph Golombek Jr., who attended the Friday press conference  have also urged Hochul to include the bills in her push for a budget deal.

While Peoples-Stokes and Scanlon have both said Hochul has expressed support for the bills in private conversations, a spokesperson was noncommittal when asked if the governor would push to include the bills in the state budget.

A number of localities have reached out to us about fiscal challenges they are facing this year and we evaluate each request within the context of the State Budget, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. Having spent years in local government, no one understands these challenges better than Governor Hochul, which is why she is working closely with Majority Leader People-Stokes to support the City of Buffalo as they focus on their financial outlook.

Halton-Pope, who was a staffer for Peoples-Stokes for more than a decade, said the Council is prepared to institute the cuts and tax increases that will be necessary if the bills do not pass.

But she wants her constituents to be able to realize what that means for them, so they have an opportunity to give their opinion to their representatives, she added.

Being responsible is communicating that to the public ahead of time and making sure that theyre fully aware of it, she said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured attending an Orthodox Easter service at the Christ The Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, announced a brief Easter ceasefire on April 18.
Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on during Russian-Qatari talks at the Grand Kremlin Palace, April 17, in Moscow, Russia. Qatar's Emir met with Putin for talks on Ukraine and energy.
County Longford tidy towns groups, who are eligible, are set to benefit by receiving insurance cover from the State's own insurance arm, which will be paid for by the local authority.

The Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Tidy Towns insurance scheme, a new community insurance initiative, was rolled out last February.

The scheme is a partnership between local authorities and the IPB and local authorities that are registered with the Public Participation Network (PPN).

READ NEXT: Longford man who was highly intoxicated and hostile 'knows he has stay off the drink'



John Brannigan, the Economic Development Director of Services, provided an update to county councillors on tidy towns group insurance at the recent April meeting of the local authority.



He described it as a "really a good news story" for tidy towns groups in the region.



"Longford County Council since the 1st of April have been without an active insurance policy.

READ NEXT: PICTURES | Easter Bunny gets up to plenty of mischief at north Longford artisan food and craft fair



"This insurance policy will allow medium and eligible tidy towns groups to be able to avail of insurance from IPB (Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurance) that enable groups who meet the criteria and eligibility.



"It has to be a tidy towns group in the locality, it has to be here in county Longford and they have to be registered with the PPN.



"Longford County Council will write out to the chairs in each of those identified 18 (groups) first of all and give information on what coverage is there and it's envisaged that this council will give from the the General Municipal Allocation (GMA)."

Mr Brannigan added.



The GMA is a discretionary funding pot allocated by the chief executive to municipal districts, with councillors deciding how to spend it.



Fine Gael Councillor Paul Ross agreed it was a "fantastic" news story.



"We all know the great work tidy towns groups do and I think it's a fantastic gesture on your behalf to acknowledge that all of these community and voluntary groups who are fundraising for everything will be covered by insurance.

Cllr Ross said it was reassuring for tidy town groups to have cover for potential injury at events or fundraisers, damage to property, equipment or theft of equipment.



"It's very comforting as we know some groups would struggle to pay the insurance and it's fantastic there is cover now so well done on that," he added.



Fianna Fail Cllr Mick Cahill also welcomed the initiative.



"I think it is fantastic and it is a great show of support for our tidy towns groups who do so much valuable work in our communities."



Cllr Pat O'Toole also acknowledged the positive work and he asked if there would be a fee for tidy towns groups?



Mr Brannigan confirmed the costs would be covered by the local authority.
A defendant in custody, with a suspended sentence hanging over him, is trying to arrange a drug rehabilitation course when he completes the prison term he is currently serving.



Grant Rennie (27) of 1 Beechwood, Clonbalt Woods, Longford was before Longford District Court to have the issue of a triggered suspended sentence resolved.



Mr Rennie received the suspended sentence in July, 2024 for the theft of goods to the value of 730 from DV8 Longford.

READ NEXT: Glowing praise for Longford's award winning digital queen Christine Collins



At a previous court sitting the defendant was convicted after pleading guilty before Judge Bernadette Owens to a string of thefts in Longford town.



Earlier this month Judge Owens registered a conviction and imposed a six month custodial sentence for the trespassed to commit a theft offence and a further five months for one of the theft charges, with the sentences to run consecutive to each other.



Prior to his last court appearance the defendant had 28 previous convictions, one for burglary and nine for theft.

Solicitor Frank Gearty described Mr Rennie's progress while in custody as positive.

READ NEXT: Man who attacked work colleague in Longford with meat hook given Probation Act



Mr Rennie was remanded in custody in Castlerea Prison, to appear via videolink on May 6, to allow for the preparation of a probation report.
The funeral Mass has been celebrated for Dessie O'Kelly, the teenager tragically killed in a road crash during the week in Carrigallen, Co Leitrim.

The chief celebrant told the congregation "we have all been shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Dessie at such a young and tender age. That is our feelings. What must it be for his parents and sister - for the O'Kelly and O'Rourke families?".

Gifts presented during the Funeral Mass included a photograph of Dessie "to remember happier times", a rosette for the sheep competition which he won at Ballinamore Agricultural Show, a tractor representing Dessie's love of farming, a mobile phone - representing his connection with his family and friends.

Also read: Man who attacked work colleague in Longford with meat hook given Probation Act

The funeral Mass heard there is an "overwhelming sense of compassion" in Carrigallen, Drumeela and Drumreilly since the O'Kelly and O'Rourke families lives were "turned upside down on Tuesday afternoon".

"Over the past few days people have spoken of how words are woefully inadequate to try and express comfort at this time. Your presence here today and over the last few days is enough," the funeral congregation heard.

Also read: Investigations underway after inmate dies from suspected drugs overdose at Midlands Prison

The death of the late Dessie O'Kelly is deeply regretted by his heartbroken parents Gene and Teresa, his sister Clara and his girlfriend Chloe. Dessie will be sadly missed by his grandmother Moira O' Rourke, aunts, uncles, cousins, grand-uncle, grand-aunts and his many friends.

Following the Funeral Mass in St. Mary's Church, Drumeela on Easter Sunday at 2pm burial took place afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.

Since the shock news of the death of Dessie O'Kelly on Tuesday, tributes have flowed for the popular young man from Drumloona, Carrigallen.

Also read: Longford charity gets a boost from Sealtec to support Nepalese villages
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem during his speech on Lebanons national defense strategy on April 18, 2025.

Lebanon has a unique opportunity to disarm Hezbollah, which most Lebanese hope their government can seize. They see a chance in President Joseph Aouns insistence on monopolizing force in the hands of the state and the call of Prime Minister Nawaf Salams government to set a national defense strategy to finally rid Lebanon of the last of its decades-long scourge of militias.

However, Hezbollah was never going to disarm willingly. The groups arsenal is central to its identity and a major source of Lebanese Shiite support. In his Friday, April 18 speech, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem sought to dash any hopes of his group demilitarizing. Once again, Qassem insisted that the Lebanese state monopolizing force had no bearing on Hezbollahs private arsenal, and the group would remain armed and integrated wholesale into Lebanons national defense strategy once discussions for such a plan begin.

His full speech is summarized below:

Qassem: The resistance is necessary

Qassem started by justifying the resistance and Hezbollahs private arsenal. Lebanon, weak as it is, needed the resistance to counter Israels threats and occupation of its lands, he argued. The situation required mustering all available means, including the Army, the People, and the Resistance, nodding to Hezbollahs golden equation for defending Lebanon. Hezbollahs role was to act as an auxiliary to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), support[ing] and aid[ing] this army, and acting as a launching point to direct popular energy against the Israeli occupation, Qassem said.

Israels occupation of Lebanese territory is inseparable from its occupation of Palestine, Qassem argued. This is because Israel is expansionist and also seeks to conquer Lebanon, he claimed. Therefore, Hezbollahs creed and sense of Lebanese nationalism require the group to extend this resistance to liberating occupied Palestine, he said.

Qassem: Resistance works

Resistance, Qassem argued, works through incremental victorieslike Hezbollahs claimed wins over Israel in 1985, 2000, and 2006. These increments led to the great victory in the recent war by stop[ping] Israel a short distance beyond the Lebanese border and denying it from reaching the Litani or Beirut or achieving any of its goals, he said. Only the resistances great and promising accomplishments could have achieved this result or freed Lebanon of Israeli occupation, he argued. Therefore, public discourse should not be focused on Hezbollahs and Lebanons losses and martyrs during any of these clashes but on the groups accomplishments despite facing a massive Israeli-America-Global assault, and the Israeli enemy supported by all great powers.

Qassem argued that Hezbollah, as the victim in the recent war, should not be questioned for being attacked by Israel, but only whether it withstood the onslaught. Answering his own question, Qassem insisted Hezbollah remained standing when the conflicts dust settled, its endurance alone forcing Israel to agree to [the November 27 Lebanon-Israel ceasefire] deal. Therefore, he claimed, The resistance lived up to the task and even set a legendary example which the entire world acknowledges.

The November 27 ceasefire

Qassem then tried to invert the source of the recent conflict with Israel. He insisted that Israels insatiable expansionism, furthered by necessary acts of aggression, was the only reason for continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the ceasefire deal (2700 attacks including killing, wounding, demolishing, destroying), not Hezbollahs weapons. It was obvious to everyone, he said, that Israel was now the aggressor despite Hezbollah fully implementing [its obligations under] the ceasefire.

Israel, Qassem alleged, seeks to occupy most of Lebanon, annex it to occupied Palestine, establish settlements on Lebanese land and, somewhat contradictorily, use it to deposit expelled Palestinians.

Qassem was suggesting that Hezbollah, rather than being the problem, is the solutionhinting that the groups disarmament would be a national mistake. Expansionist Israel, he said, wants to disarm Lebanon to neutralize its strength and more easily control it. With Lebanons strength sapped, Israel can invade whenever it wants and occupy what it wants, Qassem argued.

As proof, Qassem pointed to the Lebanese states inability to stop Israels ongoing attacks while Hezbollah held its fire. However, the group would never leave Lebanon weak, he said, and it will confront Israel and those backing Israel, whatever the outcome. Israel was violating the ceasefire deal despite Hezbollah, the resistance, and the Lebanese state upholding their obligationsand the group, together with the army, the people, and the head of state, would prevent the Israelis from accomplishing any of their goals.

For now, though, Hezbollah was still giving diplomacy a chance, Qassem said. But if it fails, then we have options, he threatened. We fear nothing. Try us and keep on [attacking], continue. Youll see our decision at the appropriate time, he said. Qassem stated that the group would only let Israel get away with its actions for a time but added, No one says were remaining patient until [Israel] can accomplish even part of its goals.

Qassem: Hezbollahs permanence

Qassem stressed that Hezbollah had transformed from a mere group into a people, an ummachanneling the organizations aspirations stated in its foundational 1985 Open Letterand was therefore undefeatable. We are the ones who defeat, he said. As proof, he arguedin an inversion of reality typical of Hezbollahs propagandathat Israels ongoing attacks were a sign of Israels weakness, not his groups.

Israel, Qassem claimed, was merely pecking at us, killing one person, bulldozing in one village, carrying out limited operations when it can launch a massive action because the Israelis are calculating every movethey could exhaust Hezbollahs wise patience. His group, he insisted, remained committed to resistance, liberation, and preventing Israel from achieving its goals, and its response could occur today, tomorrow, after a period. But there is absolutely no alternative, and absolutely no surrender.

Qassem: Lebanon has many problems, but Hezbollah isnt one of them

Qassem argued that the resistances weapons were not one of the many problems plaguing Lebanon. Rather than obstructing the countrys political processes, as its opponents claim, the group was pursuing state-building, and to that end, helped elect the president, advance the government [formation process] and was cooperating with the ceasefire deal and diplomacy.

Hezbollahs constructive role conclusively demonstrated, Qassem argued, the groups opponents were now using constitutional justifications to disarm it. Great. The constitution says the state must monopolize weapons. We agree. But which weapons? he asked. Weapons protecting the average citizen, weapons for domestic security, Qassem answered, adding that this didnt extend to the resistances weapons, which are solely for confronting the Israeli enemy and not for domestic use. Qassems contrived distinction between domestic security and resistance weapons echoed a longstanding Lebanese differentiation between militiaswhich Beirut must disarm under the Taif Agreement and UN Security Council Resolution 1701and resistance, which Lebanon argues is lawful and excluded from the ambit of these two instruments.

Qassem insisted that only a minority, disconnected from the State, president, prime minister, and people, were calling for Hezbollahs disarmamentall of whom know Israels occupation, and not the groups arsenal, is the source of Lebanese woes. Qassems inversion was meant to obscure both overwhelming Lebanese opposition to the group and its weapons (except for the Shiites) and that Hezbollahs October 8, 2023 attack on Israel spurred it to enter Lebanese territory. He brushed off the groups domestic naysayers, saying their provocations, which serve the Israeli project, were predicted in Islamic scripture. He said that Hezbollah would ignore them and continue the path of confrontation:

We confront [Israel] through our strong stance, national unity, building the state, the strength of the army, and the readiness of the resistance. We confront the occupation and will continue doing so through all of this. We dont surrender and wont surrender. We are not weak  we do not fear Americas or Israels or their allies threats. We are the people of confrontation.

Qassem: Hezbollah will not disarm

Calls to forcefully disarm Hezbollah offer Israel a free service, Qassem argued, because its army failed to seize even a single weapon [from Hezbollah]. These calls, he said, will also fail to stoke their intended strife and fighting between Hezbollah and the LAF, because the two forces have a mutual understanding, cooperate, and are in the same trenches against the Israeli enemy. He also accused Hezbollahs domestic foes of using disarmament calls to shortcut their capture of the Lebanese state with American backing. While disarmament seeks to achieve these things, Qassem argued, the groups opponents were biting off more than [they] can chew [lit. too long for your neck.]. He continued:

We wont allow anyone to seize the weapons of Hezbollah or the resistance, because Hezbollah and the resistance are one. The concept of disarmament must be set aside. We wont allow anyone to disarm the resistance, because these weapons give the resistance backing.  We will confront anyone who attacks the resistance or works toward disarmamentusing their wordsjust as we confronted Israel, whether it is Israel, America, or their lackeys.

Lebanon, he said, must now focus on confronting Israel, warning anyone against playing this game of seeking to disarm Hezbollah. Qassem, however, seemed confident that Lebanons political climate favored the group, on the level of the state, army, and political factions, noting that no one is talking about forceful disarmament.

Qassem: Hezbollah has discharged all obligations under the ceasefire deal

Qassem again stressed that the ceasefire deal only applied to Hezbollahs forces south of the Litani River. South of the Litani appears five times in the deal, he emphasized, claiming, We [Hezbollah] have fulfilled all our obligations, the Lebanese state has fulfilled all its obligations and continues to do so. Israel, he claimed, had not. Conceding that Resolution 1701 placed mutual obligations on Israel and Lebanon, he nevertheless argued it would be absurd for Beirut to fully discharge its duties despite Jerusalems intransigence.

Qassem said the ceasefire deal merely replicates Resolution 1701s first phase, obligating Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanon and cease its attacks. Only afterward should Lebanon discuss what we want to do with 1701s other clauses.

Hezbollahs view on a national defense strategy

While UN Resolution 1701s clauses obligate Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, Qassem refused to concede this interpretation. He insisted Hezbollah would not cooperate with 1701s implementation prior to Israel fully discharging its ceasefire obligationsand then, only:

[Via] dialogue along fixed nationalist principles: First, protecting Lebanons sovereignty, liberating its land, and ending all forms of Israeli aggression. Second, using the resistance and its weapons as part of a defense strategy that achieves liberation and defense. Third, rejecting any step that would weaken Lebanon or lead it to surrender to the Israeli enemy.

The third principle echoes Hezbollah officials recent rejections of disarming or disbanding, arguing the group and its arsenal are a source of strength for Lebanon and must be preserved.

Hezbollah, Qassem said, was not awaiting President Aoun starting bilateral discussions regarding a comprehensive national defense strategy, which he said the group supports. So far, however, Hezbollah has only had some positive exchanges regarding implementing the [ceasefire] deal south of the Litani with the president and the LAF. Nevertheless, the group refused to enter such discussions under the pressure of occupation or aggression, Qassem said. Those discussions must await Israels withdrawal from Lebanon and post-war reconstruction of Shiite areas:

Let me say this in clear Arabic. Does anyone expect us to discuss a defense strategy while planes fly over our heads, the occupation south is occupied, and America is doing its utmost to ensure this discussion occurs under pressure and based on its diktat? This is not dialogue; this is surrender. Let Israel withdraw first and end its aggression, including the [presence] of its aircraft in [Lebanese] airspacethis will be an important step for us to enter discussions regarding a defense strategy.

Qassem said Hezbollah would not discuss the details of a national defense strategy or its vision in the media. However, he took for granted that, once concluded, the strategy would leave Hezbollah armed and intact:

And a defense strategy, like we said, has nothing to do with seizing weapons or surrendering weapons. No, it stems from the presidents intention to discuss the diplomatic, economic, and military facets of a comprehensive defense strategy. During this discussion, well determine the resistances place in the national defense strategyits role, how to empower Lebanon, if we will offer suggestions or actions regarding strengthening Lebanon, strengthening the Lebanese army, and how to benefit from the resistance and its weapons. This is the defense strategy, Lebanons strategy, and its strengthand we wont be blackmailed [into concessions] by tying it to reconstruction.

Qassem: Reconstruction must be a priority

Qassem said President Aoun thankfully understands that setting a national defense strategy can neither be rushed nor squeezed into a timetable. Therefore, the president and the government must focus on their commitmentmade in their inaugural speech and cabinet policy statement, respectivelyto jumpstart postwar reconstruction and place it at the top of the governmental agenda. This effort, he insisted, was not charity but a dutyomitting that Hezbollah would be the greatest benefactor of such a move if it is not conditioned on the groups disarmament.

Qassem insisted again that Hezbollah had discharged all its ceasefire deal obligations. Once Israel reciprocated and the Lebanese state began reconstruction, defensive strategy discussions could begin. For now, he called on Lebanon to leverage all its influence with the United States to pressure Israel to fulfill its obligations. However, if Beirut found it necessary to expel Israel by force, then we are ready, as the resistance alongside the Lebanese Army, to fight on the border no matter the cost. Try it, and youll see: Israel will leave. Hezbollah, he said, was merely awaiting Lebanons orders.

Hezbollahs general orientation

Qassem ended by addressing several other pressing matters. Domestically, he said, Hezbollah rejects any American custodianship over Lebanon. America is our Great Satan that nurtures the cancerous tumor Israel, which must be excised from Lebanon and the entire region, he said, responding obliquely to Morgan Ortaguss recent description of Hezbollah and its necessary fate. Qassem also expressed the groups eagerness to participate in Mays municipal elections in cooperation with the Amal Party and Shiite clans and praised the Supreme Islamic Shia Council of Lebanon and its leadership for supporting the resistance and its strategic project which serves Lebanon. Qassem also called for prosecuting anyone who verbally attacks the council or its leadership.

Regionally, Qassem said Hezbollah remains committed to Palestine. He called on others to do something! Act, with words, chants, pressure, economically, politically (noticeably omitting using force) to end Israels ongoing war in Gaza and counter the daily violations of Al Aqsa by the Jews. He also expressed tempered hopes for US-Iran negotiations to succeed and saluted the Houthis in Yemen for confronting America directly.

David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs.
The COLORI Playspace Express is a brightly colored mobile classroom program helping to bring social-emotional learning programs to children who are homeless throughout Massachusetts. Sebastian Restrepo

The school bus doors opened for 5-year-old Ashley, dressed in a pink and purple puffer jacket, as pebble-sized snowflakes pelted the parking lot pavement.

On the early April morning, the young girl was met with a burst of warmth  upbeat music played from a portable speaker and bright colors festooned the interior. Ashley immediately sat on a plush stool to draw with an orange marker, her beaded hair gracing her forehead as she quietly scribbled.

Not far behind, the little feet of Wadley, Esther and Emmanuel all climbed the bus steps.

Parked for the morning at a Shrewsbury motel being used by the state as an emergency assistance shelter for homeless families with children, this isnt a typical yellow school bus  its a traveling classroom.

@masslivenews Laughter, learning, and healingall on a bus. The COLORI Playspace Express brings warmth and hope to homeless children in Massachusetts, turning shelter parking lots into safe havens of joy.#massachusetts  original sound - MassLive News - MassLive News

The COLORI Playspace Express, operated by the international nonprofit Amal Alliance, brings early childhood education and social-emotional learning directly to shelters located around the state, including Lexington, Revere, Auburn, Worcester, Marlborough, Shrewsbury, Hudson and Milford.

Since its inception last June, more than 600 kids younger than 6  who otherwise wouldnt have had access to structured learning  have boarded the bus, greeted by friendly teachers and a mecca of toys and activities.

The weekly enrichment programming works to bring calm and tranquility to an uncertain, transitional time in these childrens lives, Danielle De La Fuente, CEO of the Amal Alliance, said.

These are the most formative years of their life, the most important for brain development, she said, noting that many of the kids have experienced varying levels of trauma and are exposed to toxic stress.

14 1 / 14 Colors of hope: Why yellow won't cut it for this school bus Sebastian Restrepo

Children in the shelter system

Over the last two years, as migrant families flooded Massachusetts and homelessness in general was on the rise, the state had unprecedented numbers of young children residing in its emergency assistance shelters, many of which were contracted hotels and motels.

In 2023, Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency when the shelter system reached capacity with 7,500 families enrolled, about 50% migrant families and 50% permanent Massachusetts residents.

Public schools in Massachusetts reported nearly 31,000 homeless students during the 2023-2024 school year, 3,000 of whom were newly arrived and residing in the shelter system.

The state was faced with the pressing need to provide supports for the children who werent yet school-aged.

Ultimately, officials at the Executive Office of Education and Department of Early Education and Care contracted with the Amal Alliance, which serves displaced children around the world with its evidence-based Colors of Kindness curriculum, to provide structured, trauma-based education on-site at the shelters. Neighborhood Villages and Horizons for Homeless Children are also partners in the initiative.

The state pays the full cost of the bus programming.

I had seen a library bus before, and I said, Why dont we just use a bus as a classroom? De La Fuente said. The space is so inviting and welcoming. It just feels like a safe place for kids to learn, and to laugh, and to play. The kids see the bus and run toward it.

The Boston University School of Social Work is currently studying the traveling classroom program, and everything is indicating we are seeing great progress, she said.

Everybody benefits from the classroom bus

Teacher Alicia Blair organized puppets and flower pillows as she waited for her students to board the bus on April 8. They had been to this particular shelter in Shrewsbury several times and affectionately knew the kids who would be joining.

Esther had been coming out of her shell, the teachers said. Emmanuel was ready for school.

Being able to track the progress is perhaps the most rewarding part of their visits.

We see a lot of change in focus level, Blair said. When children come on the bus, theyre kind of all over the place, distracted by every sight and sound. And by the time we leave, theyre able to fully engage and work together. Theyve gained interpersonal connections and are learning those social skills.

Social skills gained on the bus, she said, can be transferred to other areas of their lives.

Wadley (left) and Emmanuel show off their model airplanes in front of teacher Alicia Blair inside the COLORI Playspace Express. Sebastian Restrepo

Painted on the outside with bright blues, greens and yellows, the bus has been renovated with bench seating, play space and storage for toys and activities.

On this particular April morning, the children focused on teamwork. They practiced deep breathing and movement to regulate their bodies and emotions.

Wadley and Emmanuel built airplanes. Esther reluctantly  but eventually  performed a crab walk. Ashley colored an emotions thermometer, pairing colors with certain feelings.

They each dropped something in the sunny day jar, a collection of drawings depicting what makes them happy.

Claude Francois, operations director of the COLORI Playspace Express, drives the bus  giving her a unique vantage point when it pulls into the shelter parking lots.

Its been tremendous, the kids love it, Francois said. Its a different place to be safe, away from being in the shelter. A space for them to decompress, to have fun and just be a child. You see the difference at the end of the cohort, you see the impact. They develop friends and play together.

The hour-long lessons aboard the bus also give parents their own respite, she said.

Theyre going through a lot themselves and trying to get settled, said Francois. If they have to look for housing, go to appointments, or just need to take a breath. Overall, everybody benefits. It supports everybody.

Parents who spoke to MassLive in Haitian Creole through a translator said theyre thrilled for the opportunities the bus gives their children. After just one hour spent on it, they said, they see progress in their skills and behavior.

One parent said hes used the free hour to attend job interviews.

By the time the lesson ended, the snowfall had ceased, and, reflecting the energy inside the bus, the sun was bearing down brightly. The kids scattered back to their motel rooms.
Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello is likely to return from the IL on Tuesday. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) Getty Images

BOSTON  Brayan Bello (right shoulder strain) is likely to return from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesdays game against the Seattle Mariners.

The 25-year-old threw a bullpen Saturday.

The way were mapping it out, most likely hell be with us Tuesday, manager Alex Cora said before Bostons game against the White Sox on Sunday.

Bello was slowed at the beginning of spring training with right shoulder soreness.

He has allowed 11 earned runs in 14 innings over four rehab starts (three starts for Triple-A Worcester and one for Double-A Portland). He has given up 18 hits and four walks while striking out 21.

Other Red Sox injury updates

~ Catcher Connor Wong (pinky fracture) is hitting off the Tee.

He has some defensive work in a little bit so trending in the right direction, feeling a lot better, Cora said.

~ Starter Richard Fitts (right pectoral strain) played catch Sunday.

~ Kutter Crawford (right patellar tendinopathy) will go to Fort Myers Thursday to likely begin throwing in extended spring training games.

~ Lucas Giolito will make another rehab start for Double-A Portland on Sunday at Hartford.

Well wait and see. Probably hell have another one, Cora said.

Giolito has allowed four runs, nine hits and seven walks while striking out nine in 7  innings over three rehab starts. He struggled Tuesday.
AGAWAM  Robert Calise, 33, felt he knew the time and place his life would change forever: during an Easter vigil at sunset Saturday at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Agawam.

I dont think Ill feel that giant rush of the Holy Spirit. But I feel standing up there getting the Sacraments is going to feel like a burden has been lifted, like youre being filled with breath, not in your lungs. I think its going to be more of a comfort feeling, he told The Republican before that moment came.

Calise, a robotics maintenance technician, planned to be one of 200 people converting to the Catholic faith across Western Massachusetts at vigils this weekend. There are 79 churches in the diocese and the religious rite is as old as the church itself.
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MAYO Rose Clara Gardiner aims to raise awareness for spina bifida and hydrocephalus in memory of her late sister.

The Kilfian mother-of-one lost her sister Jemma to hydrocephalus in 2019. She was just 16 years old.

Ms Gardiner became the first mother to win the Mayo Rose competition when she succeeded Castlebars Kate Heneghan, who held the sash since 2023.

Speaking exclusively to The Mayo News, Ms Gardiner said she dedicated her win to her late sister.

Id definitely like to tell the world about the type of person Jemma was, because I felt like I was doing it for her. I really felt her presence with me on Saturday night. Id really like the world to know who she was and how much she inspired me.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mayo Rose Centre (@mayorosecentre)

LOVING MEMORY

SPINA bifida is a condition where babies fail to develop a full spinal cord while in the womb. It often leads to hydrocephalus, which is a condition where there is too much fluid buildup in the brain

Ms Gardiners sister developed hydrocephalus after being born, which affected her ability to communicate verbally and delayed her learning how to walk. Despite this, she was very healthy and happy most of her life before she died unexpectedly in 2019.

Although she was only here for sixteen short years, she inspired us so much to just live life to the fullest and take opportunities like this. She didnt let her disability stop her from living life to the fullest, explained Ms Gardiner.

Id also like to spread awareness for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Ireland Association and how much they have done for us as a family, and how much they help other families come together. We all have something in common, but each individual with the condition are born differently and they are so unique in their own ways. We are still a family, even since Jemma passed away. They have still always been here for us and supported us to always feel a part of that. Its great. Id really like to spread awareness about that.

The 24-year-old made history by becoming the first woman with a child to be crowned the Mayo Rose.

Mayo Rose Clara Gardiner holding her son Noah (2)

Prior to 2022, married women were prohibited from entering the Rose of Tralee. That year, the maximum age for contestants was raised from 28 to 29.

Recalling the moment she was announced as Mayo Rose, Ms Gardiner said: I watched the video back the day after because it still hadnt fully sunk in. I heard the song A Moment Like This Playing and I turned around to my partner saying, When did they play that? When my name was announced, I just went into complete shock and disbelief because I really, really wasnt expecting it. I

I was on the stage with 15 other amazing, talented girls, and we all said before it could be any of us. I definitely dont envy the judges because I dont know how they made that decision. It must be so tough being in their position. I was lost for words, to be honest with you. I had to take a few minutes to just kind of let it sink in, but I dont know has it fully sunk in yet. I was really really shocked, and I just thought I was kind of in a dream and I was going to wake up.

SUMMER OF EXCITEMENT

IN competing in the 2025 Rose of Tralee, Ms Gardiner fulfilled a lifelong dream.

Last year, in particular, I was inspired by the Galway Rose. Her story, I felt, was very similar to mine, she said, referring to Deirdre Jennings, a medical worker from Ros An Mhil.

Ms Gardiner did the Leaving Cert in 2019 - the same year she lost her sister - but later dropped out of her college course.

She is currently studying home economics teaching at St Angelas College and commutes an hour-and-a-half daily between Sligo and Kilfian.

Mayo Rose Clara Gardiner (centre) pictured with her mother Gillian, her father Anthony and her little sister Aoibhinn at the McWilliam Park Hotel in Claremorris

I put all my grief on hold, and it caught up with me, and then Covid started in 2020, so I just took a break, she explained. Then next thing I decided to look at the CAO again after I had Noah [in 2022], see what sort of options were available and I saw the home economics course as a single subject with concurrent teaching and I said Id go for it because I absolutely loved home ec in school. It was definitely my favourite subject.

She cited her son (2) as her inspiration for going back to college and entering the Mayo Rose competition.

That kind of gave me the push and inspired me to go for any opportunity that comes my way, she said.

Im doing it for him mostly, that will have a career that will give a good work-life balance, and I want to be able to inspire the students that Ill be teaching in the future.

Ms Gardiner performs regularly and weddings and funerals and sang A Song For Ireland for her Mayo Rose party piece.

She cited her parents and her former music teacher and fellow Kifian native Nollaig McHale as her main musical influences.

With the Galway and Mayo Roses featuring at the Rose of Tralee on alternating years, Ms Gardiner will be the sole Connacht representative this years festival.

In August, she follows in the footsteps of several former Mayo Roses, including Rose of Tralee winners Maria Walsh from Shrule, Aoibheann Ni Shuilleabhain from Carnacon, and Luzveminda OSullivan from Castlebar.

I have a bit of work left to do, and after that then the fun can start. I am looking forward to a hectic but really exciting summer.

The Kilfian community toasted her success at a gathering at Kilfian GAA Club last Friday evening.

As well as spreading awareness for the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Ireland Association, Ms Gardiner also wishes to use her time as Mayo Rose to promote her native village.
A new art installation at the Carrowbeg River in Westport aims to spark debate about the role of water quality, sustainability and biodiversity in Irish towns.

Under the Testing the Waters programme led by Westport Tidy Towns, artist William Bock will create an installation in conversation with local communities and specialists in water quality, soil and biodiversity.

Funded by the Research Ireland Discover Programme, the project is designed to answer a direct request from a community group to connect them with scientific experts and inform a debate in the locality about what a clean river might mean.

A natural and biodiverse artwork installed in the river in Westport town as a way to introduce plants into the river. This temporary piece will be in place from August 16-24.

Alongside the creation of this art piece, there will be a citizen science project to measure the impact of natural growth in the river on biodiversity. The local community will work with LAWPRo and experts from the Co-Centre for Climate+ Biodiversity + Water to monitor the quality of water in the Carrowbeg river and biodiversity, before, during and after the installation.

A series of talks and workshops will be held to address some of the concerns raised by the artwork, such as how to preserve the heritage of the built environment when introducing plant life, how history has shaped current climate challenges, and how art can play a role in activism.

Eithne Larkin, Chair of Westport Tidy Towns, said: Water is an essential and invaluable resource that surrounds us - in our homes, landscapes, and the ecosystems that sustain our lives and communities. We are proud to partner in this project, which aligns with a core aspect of our work, particularly in relation to Article 14 of the Water Framework Directive. Only through honest, open dialogue that engages all stakeholders and is rooted in science-based education can we truly protect and enhance our water environment.
The Old Ireland in Colour photography exhibition which includes previously unseen images will run in the newly renovated Fordham Law Great Hall in Kylemore Abbey throughout the summer.

The launch of Old Ireland in Colour photography exhibition took place on April 14 and will run until late autumn and will be part of the heritage experience at the historic Kylemore Abbey which welcomes over 500,000 visitors each year.

The exhibition is based on the best-selling book series by University of Galway academics, Professor John Breslin and Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and features colourised historical black and white photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The exhibition includes a previously unseen image of Pollacappul Lake in front of Kylemore Castle, with the tower of the estates neo-Gothic Church stretching above the trees.

Co-author, Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley noted: We strongly believe that viewing the past through the lens of colour, using a combination of AI technologies plus human creativity, engages more people  democratising history  and connects us to the past more than ever before. We were so overwhelmed with the positive response to the Old Ireland in Colour books, never expecting it to become such a publishing phenomenon over the past few years.

Kylemores Abbess, Mother Karol OConnell OSB, welcomed the exhibition saying: We are so pleased to host this beautiful and interesting exhibition in Kylemores new cultural space, Fordham Hall, a place where Kylemore has welcomed the world for over 150 years. We are delighted that the local community and visitors will be able to enjoy the Old Ireland in Colour exhibition here, and to see Irelands past in this fresh new way, through the photographs and text in this exhibition.

Cllr Eileen Mannion, Catherine Gagneux, Honorary Consul of France in Connacht and Donegal, past pupils of Kylemore Abbey School and members of the Benedictine community were among those who attended the launch, which featured a moderated discussion with Professor John Breslin and Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and Liz McConnell on the Old Ireland in Colour project and its significance.

Speaking on behalf of Kylemore Trust, Liz McConnell, Executive Director said: Heritage, hospitality and education are at the heart of Kylemore Abbey. This exhibition features the changing nature of Irish life, and we look forward to hosting a number of public talks focussed on these themes over the next few months. Were very grateful to John Breslin and Sarah Anne Buckley for their partnership and engagement in this way with Kylemore Abbey.

Professor Breslin remarked: We are so delighted to bring Old Ireland in Colour to the historic and beautiful Kylemore Abbey, as the project originated from colourisations of historical photographs from our surroundings in Galway, Connemara and the Aran Islands. This exhibition includes newly colourised photos of Pollacapall Lough beside Kylemore's neo-Gothic Church from a negative collection I bought some years ago, the Marconi Station near Clifden, transatlantic aviators Alcock and Brown the day after they landed in Derrigimlagh, and two future Notre Dame Presidents photographed with some of the Irish Brigade.

Old Ireland in Colour is on display at Kylemore Abbey with thanks to Professor John Breslin, Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, University of Galway, Catherine Gagneux, Honorary Consul of France in Connacht and Donegal, and the RTE Archives.
Its been six years. All residents  not just climate activists  are justified in asking New Yorks political leaders this question: How, exactly, is the state planning to reach its goal of eliminating nearly all of New Yorks greenhouse gas emissions by 2050?

A groundbreaking piece of climate legislation that incorporates this noble aim, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, was passed by the state in 2019, but the act itself does not have the power to reduce emissions without accompanying regulations that must be written, funded and implemented.

Some of this work has been started, but much more remains to be done, especially when it comes to enforcement. The CLCPA is nothing without strong teeth that will ensure polluters stop polluting.

A second and highly troubling problem is that too many New York residents have little to no understanding of the CLCPA, how it will reach its goals and what part they have to play as the state moves to green energy.

With widespread misinformation about gas stoves as a high-profile example, the public debate has been less than nuanced and sadly lacking in detail.

Governance should include educating as well as legislating. On the CLCPA, New Yorks leaders, from Gov. Kathy Hochul on down, have fallen behind on both tasks.

Its not surprising that, as reported by The News Mackenzie Shuman, a group of environmental advocates has sued the state for failing to follow through on legislation designed to clean the air and combat climate change.

PUSH Buffalo and other groups sue NY for environment inaction PUSH Buffalo was among three environmental advocacy groups to sue New York State this week over the state's failure to meet a 2024 deadline on publishing new environmental regulations.

The groups  Citizen Action of New York, PUSH Buffalo, Sierra Club and WE ACT for Environmental Justice  are asking a court to order the State Department of Environmental Conservation to write and enact new rules for a cap-and-invest program.

The program is intended to reduce New Yorks statewide greenhouse gas emissions at the same time it raises revenue to invest in clean energy and climate mitigation. Businesses would buy allowances to pollute, gradually reducing the number of allowances  the cap  until emissions are brought down by at least 85%.

The idea is explained on the states website this way: By applying a price to the amount of pollution, a cap-and-invest program incentivizes consumers, businesses and other entities to transition to lower-carbon alternatives.

California, Oregon and Washington have already implemented similar programs.

Cap-and-invest was announced by Hochul in 2023, and, according to a statement, the DEC has started the ball rolling by releasing draft regulations requiring polluters to report their greenhouse emissions. This could lay the groundwork for further action.

There has been movement on other climate fronts. The DEC has already set zero-emission standards for cars and light trucks and has set rules to phase out certain polluting refrigerants. Hochul has signed a Climate Superfund Act that would hold fossil fuel companies responsible for climate change-related damage.

These and other efforts to fulfill the goals of the CLCPA have been made, but, to these climate advocacy groups, it just isnt enough  and its taking too long.

Advocates cite the harm continuing pollution causes to vulnerable populations that have suffered for decades from highway fumes and fossil fuel plant emissions. State-released data on cap-and-invest indicates that the program could prevent up to 1,500 premature deaths and 1,800 asthma-related emergency room visits per year by 2035.

Another benefit initially outlined by New Yorks climate council was that cap-and-invest would provide funds to help make the transition to green energy more affordable for consumers.

These justifications for the program, straight from the states website, lead to an obvious question. Why do we need lawsuits to enforce policies that New York initiated  with a considerable amount of fanfare?

The state needs to come to the table with these groups and make its intentions clear. State officials also need to help consumers understand how these policies fit into their lives and offer a detailed, realistic timetable for implementation.

Theres a reason the L in CLPA stands for leadership.s your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
Autism is a developmental disorder marked by social, communication, and behavioral challenges.

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Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022



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Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with #autism than girls across multiple sites, including #Maryland. Interestingly, in Maryland, this gap appears smaller in younger children.

Black and Asian/Pacific Islander children had among the highest rates of autism in Maryland.

The number of 8-year-old girls identified as having autism surpassed 1%, with 1 in 93 having autism, for the first time in Maryland.

The new CDC report reveals progress for identifying children with autism at a younger age in Maryland and in other network sites.

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Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years  Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022 - (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm?s_cid=ss7402a1_w)

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health contributed to a new CDC report analyzing autism rates among children who turned 4 and 8 in 2022. Based on data from 16 U.S. study sites, including Maryland, the report found that 1 in 31 (3.2%) 8-year-olds were diagnosed with autism in 2022 ().The Maryland study site, led by researchers at Bloomberg Schools Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, found aThe Maryland data for 2022 were drawn from Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford, and Howard counties, as in prior surveillance years.Key findings from the five-county Maryland site study of 2022 data include:The CDCs Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network began collecting data on 8-year-olds in 2000 and among 4-year-olds in all sites in 2018. Data on autism is collected from health, education, and/or early intervention sources within each sites study area. The CDC notes that the ADDM Network is not a representative sample of the entire U.S., and there is variability in prevalence estimates between sites. In this latest report, autism prevalence estimates across the Networks 16 sites ranged from less than 1% in Texas (Laredo) to 5.3% in California in 2022.The CDCs ADDM Network reports have consistently reported that boys are significantly more likely than girls to be identified as having autism. The CDC report for 2020 reported that the prevalence for girls surpassed 1%. In the current report, among 8-year-olds across all Network sites, there are 3.4 boys with autism for every girl with autism, versus 2.8 boys for every girl among 4-year-olds. Among 8-year-olds in Maryland, there are 3.9 boys for every girl who has autism, versus 2.6 boys for every girl among 4-year-olds.The new report also examines differences in autism prevalence by racial and ethnic background. In Maryland, the highest autism prevalence estimates among 8-year-olds in 2022 were observed in Black children (1 in 27), followed by Asian/Pacific Islander (1 in 32), multiracial (1 in 34), Hispanic (1 in 35), and white (1 in 52) children. These trends first emerged in Maryland for Black children in 2018 and were reported by the CDC in 2020 as a network-wide finding in 2023. The researchers found similar prevalence trends in 2022 by race and ethnicity among Maryland 4-year-olds and across the ADDM Network for both age groups.Years ago, we only knew that autism was impacting white males. This latest ADDM report, along with the one released in 2023, show that autism impacts everyoneincluding females and children from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, says Elise Pas, PhD, MA, research professor in the Bloomberg Schools Department of Mental Health and one of the two Maryland ADDM Network sites principal investigators.In Maryland, prevalence is comparable among the two age groups, which further signifies early identification progress. In the Maryland study, the researchers found a prevalence of 1 in 41 for children who turned 4 in 2022, and 1 in 38 for those who turned 8 in 2022. In comparing these two age groups, 4-year-olds were 1.8 times more likely to be identified with autism by 48 months than 8-year-olds. In past years, there were larger gaps between these two age groups.Weve been continuously monitoring autism prevalence among 8-year-olds in Maryland for the past 20 years and expanded to include 4-year-olds more recently to monitor whether we have moved the needle on early identification, says Christine Ladd-Acosta, PhD, one of two ADDM Network site principal investigators, and the vice director of the Bloomberg Schools Wendy Klag Center. The data suggest that we are identifying children earlier, which should translate into needed supports for children and their families sooner, which will help them achieve their full potential. Ladd-Acosta is also an associate professor in the Bloomberg Schools Department of Epidemiology.Source-Eurekalert
GLP-1 agonists are drugs that help control blood sugar and weight by mimicking gut hormones.

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In Silico Pharmacogenomic Assessment of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP1) Agonists and the Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) Related Pathways: Implications for Suicidal Ideation and Substance Use Disorder



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Exciting potential for #GLP1_receptor_agonists in treating #addiction and #behavioral disorders! Vigilance about potential harms is crucial. #GLP1

GLP1 Agonists: A Double-Edged Sword for Dopamine-Related Disorders

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In Silico Pharmacogenomic Assessment of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP1) Agonists and the Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) Related Pathways: Implications for Suicidal Ideation and Substance Use Disorder - (https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/146110)

A landmark study inhas uncovered a potential link between Glucagon-like).Conducted by an international team of 24 researchers using advanced pharmacogenomic computational analysis, the study identified genetic pathways that could trigger depressive symptoms in some users, raising critical concerns about the safety of these medications for certain individuals.The study, led by researchers across the United States, Brazil, Iran, and Israel, demonstrates that while GLP1 agonists benefit individuals with hyperdopaminergia (excess dopamine activity), they may have harmful effects on individuals withThe authors found genetic associations between GLP1 receptor agonists and genes such as DRD3, BDNF, and CREB1, which are implicated in mood regulation and reward pathways. Their findings suggest that chronic use of these drugs could dysregulate dopamine signaling, potentially leading to depressive symptoms, mood disturbances, and SI.While the idea of GLP1 agonism induction of depression and SI is controversial with both negative and positive reporting, based on the evidence presented in this article by Alireza Sharafshah, a PhD candidate from Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran, the authors caution against promoting chronic stimulation via GLP-1 agonists.This study should not be ignored, despite the hype surrounding the positive clinical outcomes of GLP1 receptor agonists, said senior author Dr. Kenneth Blum, Research Professor at Western University Health Sciences and Ariel University. We urge the clinical prescribing community to proceed with caution to avoid another tragic wave of people dying to lose weight.Dr. Mark S. Gold, an addiction psychiatry pioneer and co-author, emphasized, The paper provides critical evidence for re-evaluating the widespread use of GLP1 receptor agonists. The FDA and other regulatory agencies should carefully consider our findings when it comes to labeling and monitoring these drugs.Professor Albert Pinhasov, Provost of Ariel University, echoed these sentiments, stating, While there are encouraging short-term benefits of GLP1 receptor agonists, we must acknowledge the potential risks highlighted in this study. These findings should encourage regulatory agencies and clinicians to investigate further, given the heterogeneity of the human population.The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has already initiated a review of GLP1 agonists following reports of suicidal thoughts and other psychiatric adverse events. Co-author Dr. Kai Uwe Lewandowski, Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona School of Medicine, noted, and suicidal ideation. Our findings strongly support a need for further investigation to safeguard public health.The study advocates for personalized medicine approaches, including genetic testing for hypodopaminergia, to identify individuals at risk before prescribing GLP1 receptor agonists. Professor Panayotis K. Thanos of Buffalo University commented, Before prescribing GLP1 receptor agonists, it would be prudent to use genetic testing tools to assess a patients dopamine function and addiction risk profile.Professor Igor Elman of Harvard University warned, While GLP1 receptor agonists hold promise for treating addictive and behavioral disorders, we must remain vigilant about their potential harm. This study is not intended to break the bubble of hope but to add a layer of precaution in their over-prescription.Source-Eurekalert
Grandfathers supervise less than grandmothers, but tech-savvy grandparents offer more oversight.

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Grandparents and children's media use in the USA: Screen time, mediation practices, and relationship outcome



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Tech-savvy #grandparents are more likely to enjoy media with their younger grandkids! A new study highlights how understanding technology bridges the #digitalgap in family fun. #TechAdoption #FamilyTime

Bridging the Digital Divide

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Grandparents and children's media use in the USA: Screen time, mediation practices, and relationship outcomes - (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17482798.2025.2480088)

A common parental complaint, now backed by University of Arizona research, reveals that when grandparents are in charge, children often spend time staring at a screen. While previous studies have explorednew research in thefound that nearly half of the time American children spend with their grandparents involves media interaction or screen viewing ().By focusing on the unique and expanding role of grandparents as caregivers, a growing interpersonal dynamic that can influence media habits and family relationships is uncovered, said lead study author Cecilia Sada Garibay."I am the mother of four kids, and my mother has always helped me take care of them," said Sada Garibay, a graduate student studying communication in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. "I noticed that my children used media differently when they were with her than when they were with me, and my friends with children noticed the same thing. Through our research, we discovered that media consumption is not only important for grandchildren, but that understanding media is just as important for grandparents.Alongside Matthew Lapierre, associate professor of communication, Sada Garibay surveyed 350 grandparents living in the U.S. about the time they spend with their grandchildren and the strategies they use to manage media consumption.Participants were grandparents  but not the primary caregivers  of children between 2 and 10 years old, who they supervised at least three times a month. Of the 350 participants, 178 grandfathers and 172 grandmothers were selected, with an average age of 55. The average age of the 350 corresponding grandchildren was 5 years old.Survey participants also reported on their living situations: roughly 35% never live with their grandchild and family, 25% live with family a few weeks a year, 6% reported fewer than six month a year, while 8% lived with their family at least half the year  and 10% for the entire year.Participants were asked about the last time they cared for their grandchild, and how many hours the child spent using media. That included watching TV, movies or other videos on a television set, using computers or handheld devices, playing video games or using the internet or apps on a device.The grandparents were also asked what strategies they used to oversee their grandchildren when using media: supervisory, instructive, restrictive or co-using."Supervision involves keeping an eye on what your grandchild is doing, and the media they watch," Sada Garibay said. "Being instructive means explaining the content of something to your grandchild, while restrictive actions involve limiting the amount of time a child can use technology  or what content they are allowed to view. Co-using means watching media alongside your grandchild."In addition to examining children's media consumption and grandparents' mediation strategies, Sada Garibay and Lapierre asked participants to rate their digital skills on a four-point scale. Participants also shared their perspectives on what they believe are the positive and negative impacts of media consumption and described the severity of any media-related disagreements they have with their grandchild's parents.When the participants last cared for their grandchild, they reported spending an average of seven hours with that child  who in turn spent nearly half that time consuming media. The study found that children spend about two hours watching TV, and another hour playing videogames or using the internet on a device.The survey participants employ a variety of mediation techniques, Sada Garibay said. Monitoring what their grandchildren watch was most common, followed by restricting media time or engaging in deeper discussion. Grandparents least often participated in viewing or playing alongside their grandchildren.while younger or more technologically savvy grandparents were more likely to instead talk with their grandchild about the dangers of media and what to watch.Sada Garibay and Lapierre also found that grandparents with negative beliefs about media were significantly more likely to disagree with their adult child about media use  while positive beliefs about media were not significantly related to media disagreements with their adult child. Positive attitudes toward media were associated with higher relationship satisfaction, while increased media-related disagreement was associated with lower relationship satisfaction.Overall, Sada Garibay said the study showed that consuming media is not only a significant part of American children's daily routines, but that grandparents approach handling these situations differently for a variety of reasons."I think our most significant result was that a grandparent's level of confidence with technology was a significant predictor of the kinds of mediation strategies they use," Sada Garibay said. "The more confident a grandparent felt about media and technology, the more they were able to interact with their grandchildren's media. Grandparents with more of those skills were able to do significantly better with their grandchildren than those who don't have those skills. If grandparents can gain those technological skills, then they have better tools to manage their grandchildren's media use."Source-Eurekalert
Lovely Runner

An A-list celebrity and his biggest fan are brought back in time, and they have an opportunity to change their lives and discover romance.
Karan Johars Kesari Chapter 2 directed by Karan Singh Tyagi released in theatres and received rave reviews from the film critics. Starring Akshay Kumar as lawyer C Sankaran Nair, Kesari Chapter 2 also stars R Madhavan and Ananya Panday in the lead roles. The film claims to tell the tale of the aftermath of Jallianwala Bagh massacre and how C Sankaran Nair sued the crown and General Reginald Dyer of genocide. The main crux of the film is the court case that C Sankaran Nair fought against the British Raj. But unfortunately, I couldnt find a single mention of such a case anywhere on the internet after watching the film. I instead came across a couple of articles that mentioned that the court case depicted in Kesari Chapter 2 is imaginary.

 Dharma Productions What Was Shown In The Film The film starts with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and we are then introduced to C Sankaran Nair who is touted as Indias best lawyer who never lost a single case. Nair is initially shown to be team British Raj and is even knighted for his service. He is also made a member of the Viceroys commission team investigating the accusations against General Reginald Dyer. Despite Nair finding Dyer guilty of the accusations, the committee finds him not guilty and wrongly calls it a unanimous decision. An aghast Nair with the help of a local rookie lawyer Dilreet Gill sues the crown and General Dyer of genocide in Jallianwala Bagh. The rest of the film is about the heroics of Akshay Kumars Sankaran Nair against R Madhavans Neville McKiney, General Dyer and the British Raj. The film ends with another case, a contempt of court one, against Nair where he brings the British Raj on its knees in front of the world media.

 Dharma Productions What Actually Happened According to a report in India Today, its true that C Sankaran Nair was knighted for his service for the British empire but it wasnt because he got the revolutionary poet Kirpal Singh arrested as shown in the film. It is true that the British asked the Hunter Commission to examine the recent disturbances in India. However, not one but three Indians were a part of the committee. Moreover, C Sankaran Nair was not one of them. During their investigation, the Hunter commission inquired about the allegations against General Dyer and on the basis of their findings, he was relieved of his duties. Contrary to what was shown in the film, General Dyer wasnt tried for any case including genocide in the court of law by C Sankaran Nair or any other lawyer. While C Sankaran Nair wasnt a part of the Hunter commission, he was a member of the Viceroys Executive Council till July 23, 1919. After his resignation, he joined the Secretary of State, Edwin Montagus council on January 2, 1920. Around three years after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in 1922, Nair wrote a book Gandhi and Anarchy where he criticised Mahatma Gandhis civil disobedience movement. In the book, he also implied that the Punjab atrocities were committed with Michael ODwyers full knowledge and approval.

 Dharma Productions For those unaware, Michael ODwyer was the Lt Governor of Punjab at the time of the massacre and General Reginald Dyer ordered firing. ODwyer filed a defamation case against C Sanakaran Nair and demanded an apology. But, when Nair refused to apologise, ODwyer took the case to the Kings Bench in London. Nair didnt represent himself but hired different lawyers. However, he eventually lost with only one jury member favouring him. According to a report in Rediff, General Dyers involvement in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was the major part of the case but he never appeared in court in person citing health issues. Despite losing the case, Nair was hailed a hero for fighting the case with bravery and was given a place in the martyr's gallery at the Jallianwala Bagh because "it was widely reported in both British and Indian newspapers and for the first time the grotesque details of the Punjab atrocities were brought in the public eye.
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by Staff reporter

Outspoken war veteran Blessed Runesu Geza, widely known by his alias "Bombshell", has called for a national shutdown this week in an effort to pressure President Emmerson Mnangagwa to step down.Geza, who is currently in hiding, made the call on social media just hours after Mnangagwa's Independence Day address, in which the president warned against using social platforms to incite public unrest.The shutdown, set for Tuesday and Wednesday - April 22 and 23 - follows a similar protest action on March 31 that largely manifested as a stay-away, with businesses shuttered and streets deserted across many towns."This is to send a strong message to Mnangagwa and his 'zvigananda'," Geza declared. "Shops and industries will not open, and kombis will be parked. The police will not teargas you, but if they ever come to you, you have the right to defend yourselves."Geza has been vocal in his opposition to Mnangagwa's leadership, accusing the 82-year-old Zanu PF leader of corruption, authoritarianism, and failure to address the country's deepening economic woes. He argues that the president's grip on State institutions - including the judiciary and Parliament - has rendered formal protest avenues ineffective."Zimbabwe stands out as the only country where public demonstrations are effectively banned," said Geza. "So we have discovered that staying at home is one of the few powerful tools we still have to make our voices heard."Despite economic hardship and daily survival struggles, Geza urged citizens to participate in the shutdown as a collective stand for change."I know it is hard considering we are living from hand to mouth," he said. "But fellow Zimbabweans, we are staying away to force Mnangagwa to step down."The previous March 31 protests, which Geza also helped mobilize, ended with a heavy police crackdown. At least 98 people were arrested in Harare, with only three having been granted bail to date.There has been no official government response to Geza's latest shutdown call, though the security sector remains on high alert.Observers warn that as tensions rise, further protests and state responses could intensify in the coming weeks, potentially exacerbating the country's already fragile political climate.
The Astros announced earlier today that theyve activated right-hander Forrest Whitley from the injured list. Righty Nick Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

The move sets up what could be the first extended shot in the majors of Whitleys career. Selected 17th overall by the Astros all the way back in 2016, Whitley was a consensus top-10 prospect in the entire sport in the late 2010s and considered by many to be the best up-and-coming young pitcher in the minor leagues. Unfortunately, things came off the rails somewhat for the righty from there. He was suspended for 50 games for violating MiLBs drug policy prior to the 2018 season, and that suspension, shoulder issues, the canceled minor league season in 2020, and Tommy John surgery led to Whitley throwing just 66 innings in minor league games over a four-year period.

When he finally made his way back onto the mound in 2022, the results were not good. Whitley struggled to a 6.53 ERA in 40 innings spread across three levels of the minors, including a 7.09 ERA at Triple-A. He struggled again the following year with a 5.70 ERA in 30 innings before being sidelined by a lat strain but stuck around to make his big league debut last year. He threw just three innings in the majors last year but did not surrender a run and also posted an excellent 1.89 ERA with a 31.9% strikeout rate in 32 appearances at Triple-A last year after moving to the bullpen.

A bone bruise in Whitleys left knee prevented him from making the Astros roster out of camp this year, but the issue didnt keep him sidelined for long. Since Whitley is out of options, he had to either be designated for assignment or added to the Astros big league roster once he was ready to be activated from the injured list. Houston chose to bring him back up to the majors, and hes now set to join a bullpen that has virtually no certainty outside of closer Josh Hader and top setup man Bryan Abreu. Bryan King has looked good as another potential high leverage arm from the left side to complement Hader, but theres little in Whitleys way to stop him from becoming the clubs second high leverage arm from the right side after this offseasons Ryan Pressly trade vacated the role.

With that being said, the righty will need to show better control than he did during his latest stint at Triple-A. While Whitley struck out a solid 26.3% of his opponents during his latest rehab assignment, he walked an unplayable 21.1% of batters as well. Fortunately, that was across a sample of just four appearances. Its not at all difficult to imagine a player with Whitleys talent and prospect pedigree finally being able to put things together in the majors this year, particularly now that hes moved to the bullpen full-time in a move that should help to minimize injury risk.

Making room for Whitley on the Astros active roster is the departure of Hernandez, who will head to Triple-A Sugar Land and wait for his next opportunity. Hernandez departs the roster without having made an appearance this year, though he has a 9.00 ERA in seven appearances with the Astros and Padres in his career since debuting with San Diego back in 2023. The 28-year-olds career 3.34 ERA at Triple-A suggests theres reason for optimism he could be effective in the majors if offered the opportunity, but he doesnt appear ticketed for an extended look in the majors any time soon given the current construction of Houstons bullpen.
The Marlins announced after todays game that outfielder Griffin Conine suffered a dislocated left shoulder and is currently undergoing further evaluation and treatment. Its all but certain that Conine will require a stint on the injured list. While a more specific timetable for the injury wont be clear until hes been evaluated more fully, it should be expected that Conine will miss quite some time. Dislocated shoulders can often require a recovery period measured in months rather than weeks, and severe dislocations can even require surgery that would jeopardize the remainder of Conines 2025 campaign.

Trevor Story, Shohei Ohtani, and Jung Hoo Lee are among the players to have recently required surgery after suffering a separated shoulder. Ohtanis partial dislocation required only arthroscopic surgery, and he wound up being ready for Spring Training just three months after going under the knife. Storys surgery in April of last year was also to correct a partial dislocation but was nonetheless expected to be season-ending, although he ultimately managed to make it back to the majors in late September after roughly five months on the shelf. Lee, by contrast, suffered a full dislocation back in May and ultimately missed the remainder of the 2024 season.

However long Conine ends up missing, its nonetheless a frustrating setback for the 27-year-old. A second-round pick by the Blue Jays back in 2018, Conine was traded to Miami as part of the Jonathan Villar trade and made his MLB debut late last year. Conine has looked like a solid contributor in 49 big league games since his promotion, hitting .273/.338/.441 (116 wRC+) to this point in his young big league career and even earning the everyday left field job for the rebuilding Marlins. That everyday job figured to be a very effective proving ground for Conine that could offer him plenty of runway to earn either a long-term job as a regular in Miami or perhaps even catch the attention of rival clubs as a potential trade piece, but all of that now figures to be scuttled for the foreseeable future.

A Marlins club that was already lacking in outfield depth after Derek Hill hit the shelf due to a sprained wrist earlier this week now figures to be tested even further. Jesus Sanchez and Dane Myers are currently sharing time in center field while Kyle Stowers serves as a regular fixture in right field. That would leave a combination of Sanchez, Myers, and utilityman Javier Sanoja to mix and match in left field as necessary out of the clubs current outfield options, though a bat will surely be brought up to replace Conine on the roster in due time.

Victor Mesa Jr. is already on the 40-man roster and could be called up to share time in center with Myers, pushing Sanchez over to left, or a non-roster veteran like Albert Almora Jr. could have his contract selected from Triple-A to help fill out the outfield depth chart in Miami. One other potential x-factor for the Marlins could be top outfield prospect Jakob Marsee, who came over from San Diego in the Luis Arraez trade. Marsee has looked good in 18 games at Triple-A to this point in the year and could slide into an everyday outfield role seamlessly for Miami, though its unclear if the club would have any interest in bringing the 23-year-old to the majors (and starting his service clock) without seeing a larger body of work at Triple-A. Marsee is also not yet on the 40-man roster and would require a corresponding 40-man move, though a particularly long absence for Conine would solve that issue by way of the 60-day injured list.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peters Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

Viva il Papa! (Long live the pope), Bravo! the crowd shouted as Francis looped through the square in his open-topped popemobile and then up and down the main avenue leading to it. He stopped occasionally to bless babies brought up to him, a scene that was common in the past but unthinkable just a few weeks ago as the 88-year-old Francis fought for his life.

Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter! Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalization.

Francis didnt celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes and imparted the apostolic blessing in Latin. The thousands of people below erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off rounds of the Holy See and Italian anthems.

Francis waved from the balcony as a Vatican archbishop read aloud his speech, a global appeal for peace in the worlds hotspots that is the hallmark of the Vaticans Easter celebrations.

In all, he was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with temperatures at 21 degrees Celsius (70 Fahrenheit) in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.

On his way to the basilica, Francis met briefly in his hotel with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family. The Vatican said the encounter lasted just a few minutes and was designed to allow for an exchange of Easter greetings.

Francis has only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23 after a 38-day hospital stay. He skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he had been expected to make an appearance on Sunday.

Easter is the most joyful moment on the Christian liturgical calendar, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. This year, Easter is being celebrated on the same day by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, and has been marked by Russias announced temporary Easter truce in its war in Ukraine.

Easter at the Vatican traditionally involves a Mass and the popes Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin for to the city and the world), a papal speech delivered from the loggia which is usually a roundup of global hotspots and human suffering.

In the speech, read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies, Francis appealed for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as Congo and Myanmar and in other hotspots.

May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace, the message said. In this Jubilee year, may Easter also be a fitting occasion for the liberation of prisoners of war and political prisoners!

Francis has sharply cut back his workload as he follows doctors orders of two months of convalescence and respiratory therapy to improve his lung function. He still seems to require great effort to project his voice, and his breathing remains labored. But it sounded stronger than it has to date in the few words he uttered from the loggia.

Before Sunday, his biggest outing had been a visit to Romes downtown prison to spend Holy Thursday with inmates. The visit made clear his priorities as he slowly recovers: to spend time with the people most on the margins.

By Nicole Winfield
FLINT, MI  Exoneration is rare.

And, for John Reed, it was the only way home.

With DNA evidence and the aide of the Genesee County Public Defenders Office, Reed kept his faith that he would find freedom again and a return home with his innocence intact.

Reed was sitting on his porch at his home in Louisiana on a January morning in 2023 when U.S. Marshals arrested him for allegedly raping a woman in 1976.

He cooperated with police while he was extradited to Flint, Mich., a place he hadnt been to since 1972.

Prosecutors believed Reed was responsible for raping a woman at knifepoint more than 40 years ago.

The woman first picked out a photo of a man named George Obgurn while reviewing 3,000 photos in a lineup.

She said the man who raped her looked like the same person who attempted to rob her at an activity center in Flint where she worked at the time.

Days after the incident, the victim returned to the police department and alleged she saw the man at a corner store.

Police then gave her another 500 photos to review, which included a photo of Reed that she selected.

Reed was arrested in Flint in 1972 for being in a car with a concealed weapon, a charge that was later dropped. Thats how police had Reeds booking photo.

The additional 500 photos were taken from a drawer of people whod been dismissed.

Nobody knocked on Reeds door. Or Obgurns. But the prosecutors office issued a warrant for Reeds arrest.

10 1 / 10 How DNA evidence cleared a Louisiana man wrongfully accused of rape in Michigan

When the victim was raped, she went to Hurley Hospital, where a sexual assault forensic evidence exam was conducted. Police collected spermatozoa, which contains DNA, during the exam.

The warrant sat dormant until 2023, when a Michigan State Police trooper began working the cold case. He found Reed on Facebook.

Reed was picked up by U.S. Marshals and jailed on Jan. 23, 2023, during which time police conducted a DNA swab. He was then extradited to Flint.

The Michigan State Police trooper testified during a court hearing that the physical evidence in this case had been destroyed.

Reeds attorney, David Campbell, never learned how or where it was destroyed, but that was the last they had heard of it.

Campbell, an assistant public defender with Genesee Countys Public Defenders Office, said the victim once again selected Reeds photo from a new lineup of six photos in 2023.

Reeds photograph stood out from the pack, since it was the same photo that was used in 1976.

The photo was clearly different than the other five, and the victim selected it again.

Watch the video above to hear more about the story of John Reeds case or click here to read more.

Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter.

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Want a 1,500-acre backyard? Untouched land butts up against U.P. home on market at $1.2 million

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KALAMAZOO, MI  Tom Duffield remembers protesting the Vietnam War.

He remembers the feeling of seeing a draft card ripped up for the first time.

He knows that change is possible through a collective exercise of First Amendment rights.

Now, Duffield, 75, of Kalamazoo, says hes in a new fight for future generations.

We have a dictator thats in the Oval Office. Hes enabled everyone around him to allow him to do and choose as he pleases without checks and balances, Duffield said. Theres a quote, When the people lead, the leaders will follow. The reason we are out here is because we have no leaders. Its time that we  throughout the country, but here in Kalamazoo  take the lead.

Duffield was one of over 200 people at the Economic Blackout Day protest in downtown Kalamazoo on Friday, April 18.

Related: Kalamazoo protesters cite lack of due process, DEI cuts at Economic Blackout Day

We have no choice, Duffield said.

He carried a poster made by his partner, Iris.

It read: Boycott Big $, Shop Local.

Over 200 Kalamazoo community members gathered downtown on Friday, April 18, 2025, to join in on the second Economic Blackout Day protest, which was happening concurrently in cities across the nation. The goal behind the economic blackout was to shop local and prevent spending at places that were disinvesting in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts. Though, the protest itself turned into a larger grievance with the Trump administration. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com)

If we had a leader, if we had someone speaking up, they would be saying what we feel and think. That is not happening, Duffield said. The messages on the posters here ... those are the messages that should be spoken by the community leaders.

Whats happening is like being in a room full of carbon monoxide and you dont see it until its too late. Thats a metaphor for whats happening in our country.

Duffield said the boycott is another way for the community to get their voices heard and to let big companies know this is going to hurt your pocketbook.

If the owners and CEOs of these large companies ... if they keep sitting back and doing nothing about what is happening to our country and letting DEI disappear ... like what is happening at Target, Duffield said. It cannot continue. It is very toxic.

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This story is part of the Equitable Community Development Reporting Project of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative. SWMJC is a group of 12 regional organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism. Visit swmichjournalism.com to learn more.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A world traveler who found a home in Southwest Michigan, Maliha Raza is devoted to Kalamazoo, her family, her faith and her work as an activist and servant to others.

Not necessarily in that order -- but passionately on all fronts.

Born and raised in India, Raza arrived in Kalamazoo in 2008 and has since worked in fields including refugee resettlement, foster care, nonprofit strategic planning and grant writing, often as a volunteer.

I have found Kalamazoo to be such a wonderful community that has always welcomed me, a perfect place to raise my child, Raza said. Before I came, a lot of people scared me about coming to the U.S. I didnt even wear the hijab for the first few years I was here. But I found when I put it on, people welcomed me even more.

Kalamazoo is full of people who value diversity and equity -- not just as lip service, but living it out, she said.

After a year as director of development and operations for Kalamazoo Housing Advocates (KHA, founded in 2022), Raza helps others find their home in this community.

As I work with the most vulnerable members of our community, I see people who have so much hope and resilience, even when theyre going through the darkest phases of their lives, and that keeps me going, Raza said.

Seeing somebody move into stable housing is an indescribable joy, she said.

That joy is enough to carry me through the hard times. You always keep hoping that maybe just one person is breathing easier because now they have a place for their kids, Raza said. I cant help everybody, but I can help one person for that one day.

The following is an interview, edited for length and clarity, with Raza.

How did you get to where you are today?

Early on in my life, I knew I wanted a purpose-driven life as opposed to a career-driven life. I could never answer the question Where do you see yourself in 10 years? because I wanted to go where my mission takes me.

I am a practicing Muslim, and Im going to adhere to the requirements of my faith to serve God and humanity, so it was more about Who needs me? Where do I need to serve at this moment? I have always been drawn to work that was centered on justice, human dignity and human rights.

I have consulted for the corporate world and for the United Nations, both taking me to places across the world. My heart was always in nonprofit work, though, and when I came to the U.S., I decided once and for all I wanted to be in the nonprofit world full time.

How are unhoused people doing here?

Kalamazoo Countys homelessness crisis is at a five-year peak. A lot of funders ask, Why is it on the rise with so many agencies (that are working on the issue)?

I feel that were not consolidating efforts as much as we should. No single agency can fight this alone, and KHA wants to collaborate with other agencies to share information and resources. Were all understaffed and overworked, and the need is so much more than the resources that are available. Homelessness is always going to be an issue, but if we consolidate our efforts and share and collaborate, we can make a dent in it.

The KHA has shown that our model and approach of long-term, consistent support works. A lot of agencies dont provide that post-housing support or the early support that we do to prevent homelessness. We intervene before a crisis can knock (someone) off course. Because we collaborate with housing providers, we get to our clients faster, before they get that eviction notice. We will accompany a client to a court appointment. We will help when a car breaks down.

That can seem like a small thing, but without intervention, someone cant get to work, doesnt get paid, cant pay the rent. That car breakdown is not something most agencies will pay for, but we know it can snowball and put that family out on the street. We are keeping people in their home, keeping families together, by having the funds and support they need to break the cycle of homelessness.

What are you proudest of in your role with the organization?

Im very proud that Ive been able to help stabilize the organization, to build a financial foundation so we can keep doing our vital work. When I started, the organization was in the red. I had to hit the ground running to do what I could to bring the organization back into stability.

With the grace of God and the goodwill of our donors, I was able to raise the entire budget and more. Im proud not just for our clients, but for our staff, for our vendors, our partners, our donors. All of these people are part of the KHA family.

I am also proud of helping shape the culture of this organization. We treat people experiencing homelessness with love, dignity, respect, empathy, compassion  values which are very dear to my heart. My organization believes housing is a human right, and Im a human rights person."

What keeps you up at night?

In the daytime, I think about whos in front of me and how I can make a difference to that person right now. But at night, I think about all the work I did not or could not support. I think about all the people that we havent yet been able to serve at KHA. That keeps me awake.

What keeps you going every day?

Many things, but primarily my faith of Islam. It has always told me what to do, how to do it, where to go  all the big questions. That keeps me going because there are many dark things in this world, many dangers, many hardships. Even if you have all the money in the world, its a hard place for everybody.

Also, I would say my son, Nufais. Hes my hero, my warrior. Hes stood by me through the hardest times and has always been my support. He talks about the issues that are dear to my heart and has said to me, Mom, we will keep fighting. We will push for a world that is a better place for everybody.

I am also grateful to the organization. Being at KHA has gotten me through some troubled times in my life. I have faced some things our unhoused clients face, and I am able to empathize. I know what it feels like not to have a house.

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BAY CITY, MI  Bay City Public Schools is mourning the death of a 14-year-old middle school student.

Meanwhile, the city addressed the recent foreclosure of the DoubleTree hotel in downtown.

Those headlines and more are included below, in this weeks roundup of news you may have missed.

Bay City middle school student dies after exiting school bus

A Handy Middle School student died Tuesday, April 15, shortly after getting off his school bus during end-of-day dismissal, according to district officials.

Bay City Public Schools Interim Superintendent Rick Seebeck wrote in a statement late Tuesday that very few details are known about what happened. The school bus the student exited was near MacGregor Elementary at the time of the incident, and the student was on a sidewalk, according to the statement.

We are heartbroken for this family and will do all we can to support them during this time, the statement reads.

Read the full story here.

Bay City lost $6.7M on DoubleTree hotel investment, but officials say it was worth the cost

More than $6 million still owed to the city for its early investment into the construction of the recently foreclosed and sold DoubleTree hotel will not be repaid, officials acknowledged this week, while claiming the venture has been a benefit to the community worth more than what is still owed.

Bay City was involved in the development of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel project in 2001, serving as one of the key investors while also creating the nonprofit that oversaw the hotels construction, development and management.

The hotel recently foreclosed and was sold at a sheriffs auction to an out-of-state group.

Read the full story here.

Moving gunfight from Saginaw to Bay County leaves 3 men wounded

A rolling gunfight began in Saginaw County and ended in neighboring Bay County with three people wounded.

About 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, motorists called 911 to report two vehicles chasing each other as their occupants traded gunshots on River Road/M-13 near the Zilwaukee Bridge.

The two vehicles continued north on M-13 into Bay County. One of them, a white car, was disabled at North Tuscola Road/M-15 and West Youngs Ditch Road in Hampton Township. Police responded to the scene and found three men in the stalled vehicle, all injured and taken to local hospitals for treatment.

Read the full story here.

Meet the captain couple living aboard a tall ship as Great Lakes stewards, educators

The 85-foot schooner Appledore IV serves not just as a workspace for Matthew Tkach and Sydney Bickerstaff. Its also a classroom. Its a link between people and the Great Lakes. And its their home.

As Tkach jokesquoting a friend who likely meant it only half-facetiouslyabout living aboard a ship with someone: Every year on a boat is three years served.

But Tkach and Bickerstaff are more than crewmates. Theyre co-captains of a floating ecosystem, tethered by the demands of education, maintenance, and Great Lakes stewardship.

Read the full story here.

The story of a Bay City native convicted of killing his family 35 years ago today

It was 35 years ago when a man who once called Bay City his home was convicted of killing his mother, wife and three children before eluding justice for nearly two decades in a crime that has inspired several books, documentaries, movies, television shows and an award-winning podcast.

John Emil List, who grew up a short walk from the banks of the Saginaw River on Bay Citys West Side, was found guilty on five counts of first-degree murder on April 12, 1990, in Union County, New Jersey.

While the murders List committed took place more than 50 years ago, they live on through various mediums in which the story has been retold.

Read the full story here.

Historic Bay City bakery expands to larger Saginaw Street location

A local bakery with a more than 100-year history in Bay City has announced its move to a larger facility in the city.

Barneys Bakehouse Bakery is moving to 512 Saginaw St., just one mile from its previous Bay City location at 421 S. VanBuren, formerly Barneys Bakery. The new location offers increased space, convenient parking for customers and an enhanced shopping experience, owner Jarrid Weighman said in a news release.

We are thrilled to expand into a larger space that allows us to better serve our community, Weighman said. Our new location is conveniently situated between Downtown and Uptown Bay City, making us a perfect stop on your way through town. We look forward to welcoming both our loyal patrons and new customers to our new bakery location.

Read the full story here.

SK Siltron CSS, among world leaders in wafer production, in process of being sold: reports

The parent company of SK Siltron CSS is apparently in the process of selling a majority stake in the company to a private equity firm, according to publications that cover semiconductor businesses and trades.

SK Group intends to sell a 70.6% stake in SK Siltron to Hahn & Co., according to Semimedia, a publication that monitors the semiconductor industry. Hahn & Co. has a history of acquiring SK assets, the publication noted.

A South Korean semiconductor-grade silicon wafer manufacturer, SK Siltron has locations in east Asia, Europe and Bay County, Michigan. Employees at the SK Siltron CSS location in Monitor Township were notified of the potential sale last week.

Read the full story here.

Bay County OKs hiring special prosecutor to handle dozens of cases that risk dismissal

County commissioners Tuesday, April 15, approved a resolution seeking to hire a special prosecutor to handle many cases the current prosecutor and his staff cannot handle due to various conflicts of interest.

The Bay County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution, allowing the county to hire Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Jurij D. Fedorak as a Special Assistant Attorney General. Fedorak would assume prosecutorial duties over the conflicted cases  including active ones, probation violations, and potentially appeals  until they are resolved.

A prior memorandum submitted to the board by Bay County Corporation Counsel Amber Davis-Johnson suggested that Fedorak would work out of the Bay County Court Facility and would be paid $100,000. The county would also need to hire a part-time legal assistant who would be paid the standard rate of $17.91-$21.35 per hour and not work more than 29 hours per week.

Read the full story here.

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News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwean government was forced to abandon what critics described as a "disastrous" plan to drive stranded Rovos Rail tourists to Victoria Falls, instead opting to fly them to the iconic resort town following a train collision near Gwanda over the Easter holiday.The luxury Rovos Rail train, which was carrying 47 international tourists from Pretoria, South Africa, collided with a Beitbridge Bulawayo Rail (BBR) goods train. Though there were no fatalities, eight passengers - seven of them foreigners - were injured and taken to hospitals in Gwanda and Bulawayo.With the damaged train unable to continue its journey, authorities initially planned to bus the tourists along the notoriously dilapidated BulawayoVictoria Falls highway. However, the poor condition of the 435km road - riddled with potholes, narrow stretches, and off-road diversions near Lupane and Hwange - prompted a change of heart.The road, which should take roughly six hours to travel, now demands over eight hours of cautious navigation, sometimes through bush detours. The plan to place luxury tourists on such a route risked exposing the extent of Zimbabwe's failing infrastructure and raised concerns about the safety and image of the country's tourism sector."I am happy to finally be in Victoria Falls. We have enjoyed such good hospitality even after the accident. We value this," said one of the relieved tourists upon arrival.Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi and Bulawayo Minister of State Judith Ncube swiftly visited the injured tourists at the Roman Catholic-run Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo and another hospital in Gwanda. The two officials also toured the accident scene to assess the damage.The absence of the Rovos Rail, which remains under repair, left tourists in need of alternative transport. The government ultimately organized flights to Victoria Falls, avoiding further criticism that could have emerged from using the worn-out highway.The accident also reignited public scrutiny over the neglected state of Zimbabwe's key roads. The government, frequently criticized for failing to maintain the BulawayoVictoria Falls route, has since announced that eight contractors have been engaged to rehabilitate the highway - a move many say is long overdue.The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need to modernize the country's transport infrastructure, especially in regions that form critical components of Zimbabwe's tourism and economic corridors.
Abhinav Shukla, Rubina Dilaik get death threats from Asim Riaz fan who claims to be a Lawrence Bishnoi gang member

Palak Vij

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Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan calls out JK Rowling over Trans ruling post: Keep your new Harry Potter lads...

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Jyotika and Suriya seek blessings at Kolhapur and Kamakhya Shakti Peethas, see pics

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Malavika Mohanan opens up about body shaming and 'navel obsession' in South films: They zoom into their bodies...

Palak Vij

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Piyush Goyal likely to to visit London, Oslo, Brussels to push key trade deals with UK, EU, EFTA

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Trade setup for April 21: Top 15 things to know before the opening bell

Sunil Matkar

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News / National

by Staff reporter

South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile has reportedly escaped an assassination attempt after his official motorcade came under gunfire while leaving an ANC meeting in Boksburg, Johannesburg, on the East Rand.Sources close to the incident say Mashatile's convoy was targeted late Friday night, with multiple shots fired at one of the vehicles. While the Deputy President was unharmed, the brazen attack has sent shockwaves through South Africa's political landscape and intensified speculation about deepening rifts within the ruling African National Congress (ANC).Police have launched a high-level investigation into the motive behind the shooting. However, analysts and party insiders say the attack may be rooted in escalating tensions within the ANC as the party begins to position itself for leadership succession ahead of the 2027 elective conference.Mashatile is widely seen as a strong contender to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose term constitutionally ends in 2029. His growing influence within the ANC has reportedly ruffled feathers among rival factions, some of whom are determined to block his rise to the presidency."This is a very serious development that cannot be viewed in isolation," said a senior ANC member who declined to be named. "We've seen this before, where internal power struggles turn dangerous."The ANC has a history of intense leadership battles. Both former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were forced out of office by their own party following bruising internal contests. The looming 2027 elective conference is expected to be another critical turning point for the ANC, with Mashatile seen as a frontrunner.The Deputy President's office has yet to issue an official statement, but security around Mashatile has reportedly been tightened. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has appealed to the public for any information that could assist with the investigation.As the nation reels from the shock, questions are being raised about the safety of high-ranking officials and the potential for political violence as succession battles intensify within the ANC.
Siddharth Chakravorty

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With only a little over a week to go before the federal election, and with the debates out of the way, the wheels of the Liberal campaign for a fourth-straight term are finally starting to wobble on their axles. The providential political fantasy land in which the Liberals launched the campaign  the complete fraud that Canadas continued existence was being threatened by the United States  has receded. U.S. President Donald Trump and his senior colleagues are now processing a queue of 130 countries filing into Washington offering concessions to contribute towards the elimination of the completely unnecessary United States trade deficit of around $1 trillion. Another resounding Trump victory is in the making and Canada is not an inordinately large part of it, although there will be challenging negotiations.

When former prime minister Justin Trudeau told Trump that 25 per cent American tariffs on Canada would cause the Canadian economy to collapse, Trump put that assertion together with the shameful record of Canada as a freeloading passenger in its own military defence, which in practice is almost entirely outsourced to the great military power of the United States, and concluded that if Canada was afraid of tariffs and couldnt make a serious contribution to its own national defence, it would be better off within the United States. Having uttered a great deal of fatuous nonsense about Canada being a post-national country and a vanguard for the realization of the Beatles song about a world without nationalities or religions, Trudeau leapt with considerable spontaneity into promoting Trumps comments as a genuine threat to the continued existence of Canada as a sovereign state. As this weeks events and exchanges confirmed, it remains the core of the Liberal campaign.

Somehow, we are to be persuaded that the United States is threatening Canadas existence, which it is not. Nothing Trump or any other American leader has said or done in nearly 200 years could be plausibly misconstrued to be a threat by the United States against the independence of Canada. It must be said that grasping at this unfeasible straw and waving it around through an election campaign like a bloody shirt has been a historic act of imaginative desperation in the interests of political survival. Trump did us a favour by pointing out the ludicrous anomaly of our agricultural price supports, which should be abolished and replaced, as appropriate, with straight income supplements to some categories of farmers. Beyond that, he seeks only reciprocally equal tariffs with Canada.

In Quebec, the issue has been a double-edged sword because Quebec nationalists have tended to regard Canada as an artificial country: a patching together of English Canada with a French Canada that would rather be independent and only joined Confederation because independence was not feasible in 1867 and Confederation with the English-Canadians was preferable to continuing in a colonial status or for Quebec to take its chances as the sole linguistic outsider in an English-speaking continent north of Mexico. In their more narcissistic and grandiose moments, French Quebec nationalists have pretended that English Canada is just a buffer zone of America to anaesthetize Quebec and to delay its rightful destiny as an independent French nation. This fabrication of a counterfeit fear of an American takeover has at least had the virtue of frightening Quebec into a heightened recognition of Canadas virtues.

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It is galling that this waving about of the Maple Leaf flag has been conducted by the same party that has falsely accused Canada of cultural genocide against its Native people, although cultural genocide is not recognized by the United Nations. What is meant is an assimilation that immigrants to a society speaking a language other than their own voluntarily seek, but which was never attempted to be inflicted upon the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. And this is the same government that has po-facedly acquiesced in the attempted suppression of the English language in Quebec. If cultural genocide existed as a concept, the Government of Quebec under successive political parties has been guilty of attempting it against the principal language of this country and continent.

Apart from this slowly departing miasma of a supposed vocation to defend the ramparts of Canada against the American hordes (who are naturally oblivious to these suspicions since they are unfounded), the Liberal campaign is to forget about the innumerable failures and competitive debacle of Canada under 10 years of Liberal government. I just arrived, said Liberal Leader Mark Carney. We are to place our confidence in someone with a confected CV, of no electoral experience, a controversial record in the private sector, a man immensely well-paid and under-taxed, someone who holds himself out as a Davos socialist truckling to the deprived with money taxed from those whove earned it while padding around the country goading the president of the United States as the orange man, as he falsely accuses him of coveting the takeover of this country.

In this process, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has emerged as the best candidate. He is young but not too young in the Justin Trudeau manner, is a seasoned seven-term MP and has practical proposals for eliminating the grotesque Liberal deficit and restoring the competitive edge of Canada and its desirability as a place of investment and bootstrapping up its status as a NATO ally. It is no fault of Carneys that his grasp of French is inadequate for the office he seeks. Not everyone has had the privilege of learning two languages. But Canada cannot have a prime minister who sounds in one of the official languages like an Englishman trying to navigate a menu in Romania.

Polls indicate that something like 30 per cent of Quebecers and citizens of Saskatchewan and Alberta will entertain the separatist option if the Liberals are reelected. After nearly 160 years as an autonomous state, this country is in sight of dissolution. This is the product of 10 years of Justin Trudeaus assault upon the oil and gas and other natural resources industries, counselled by Mark Carney, who will continue and escalate that war. A vote for the Liberals on April 28 is a vote to play Russian roulette with Canadian Confederation. Dont do it.

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As she repeatedly rang her daughters phone, Ann Koloroutis started to worry.

It wasnt like Rachael not to pick up the phone. She had been going to her pal Tiffanys house to hang out.

Later that night, on July 18, 2003, at her home in Clear Lake City, Texas, her world was shattered. Two cops were standing on her doorstep  and the news wasnt good.

VICTIMS: Rachael Koloroutis and Tiffany Rowell. FACEBOOK

Rachael and her best friend Tiffany Rowell had been massacred in a hail of bullets. Her living room had been turned into a slaughterhouse.

Alongside the two dead girls lay Tiffanys boyfriend Marcus Ray Precella, 19, and his cousin Adelbert Nicholas Sanchez, 21.

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After hundreds of man-hours, an outpouring of community support and a $100,000 reward, homicide detectives were getting nowhere. And the victims made the probe more of a mystery.

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They were good kids without enemies or skeletons in their closets.

There was just one clue: The lock on the door had not been forced, indicating the killer knew at least one of the victims.

There was a lot of rage and anger behind these killings, and so, therefore, we thought  perhaps there was a personal relationship between the victims in the home and the killer, Houston Police Sgt. Brian Harris told ABC News.

The case went cold.

But three years after the heinous murders, an anonymous tip blew the doors off the investigation.

VICTIMS OF A MASSACRE: Cops believed the killers knew the quartet. HPD

***

Christine Paolilla was not only a fellow Clear Lake High School Student, she was also best friends with Rachel and Tiffany. They had changed her life.

Christine was an awkward outsider who struggled to fit in. Making matters worse, she had been diagnosed with the hair loss condition Alopecia as a young girl.

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Bullying by classmates left the gawky teen shy, retiring and desperately unconfident. Some kids called her Ugly Betty after America Ferreras TV character.

Christine Paolilla, right, and her mother. FACEBOOK

Rachael and Tiffany were beautiful, bright, and popular  everything Christine wasnt. But they took the ugly duckling under their wing.

A makeover made the high school misfit disappear, transforming her into a swan. Her confidence grew. At the 2003 school ball, she was voted Miss Irresistible. And she snagged a bad boy boyfriend named Chris Snider.

She was voted by the school, 2003, Miss Irresistible at Clear Lake High School, Paolillas mother told ABC News 20/20. They did it because they felt that she was the person who they just loved, because of the way she was, the person she was.

CHRIS SNIDER: The bad boy beau found dead in the woods. HPD

***

Shockingly, the tipster pointed the finger at Christine Paolilla. No longer Cinderella, she was now a hopeless junkie, blowing through her trust fund of $360,000.

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During a jolt in rehab, she met fellow junkie Justin Rott. They married and went on a heroin-fueled jolly for months.

And when cops finally came knocking, their dingy motel room was littered with needles with more syringes loaded and ready to roll. For nine months, she and Rott had done little more than shoot up and eat.

Miss Irresistible, indeed.

CHEEZE ITS AND NEEDLES: The motel room where cops found Christine Paolilla. HPD

***

The fink who dropped the dime on Miss Irresistible told cops the murder weapon belonged to her ex-boyfriends father. Detectives found the murder weapon in the mans safe  and they found Chris Snider dead in the woods.

Cops said he had killed himself with an overdose of pills.

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When cops arrested Paolilla, she blamed her ex. They wanted to score drugs from Marcus Precella, but they argued. She claimed Chris Snider grabbed the gun and started shooting.

QUESTIONED: Detectives questioning the killer. HPD

But her hubby, Justin Rott, was ready to flip. He testified she joined in on the slaughter.

She told me that she told Chris that they had to go back, Rott testified. She said when she went back in and Rachael was there and she was still alive. She was choking on her own blood.

She was gagging, he recalled. She said that Rachael just kept asking, Why?'

Paolilla then finished the job on her one-time benefactor by beating her to death.

HAPPIER TIMES: A missive from the killer. HPD

At trial, she confessed to being involved in the crime, but a defence psychiatrist testified that her confession was a result of the heroin withdrawals she was enduring while being questioned by detectives.

The jury deliberated just three hours to find Paolilla guilty in 2008.

Paolilla was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. She only avoided a date with death because she was just 17 years old at the time.

Quadruple killer Christine Paolilla was voted Miss Irresistible by classmates. FACEBOOK

Now 38, Paolilla remains incarcerated in a Texas prison, according to jail records. She is eligible for parole in 2046 when she is 59.

For the families, it is scant consolation.

There is always an absence, always a silence, George Koloroutis, Rachaels father, told the court.

For the 2003 Miss Irresistible, life will always be the same  inside four lonely prison walls.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun
Ankita Sengupta

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Alien enemies act: US Supreme court's midnight order halts deportations under 18th century law, all you need to know

Pragya Trivedi

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Dont prescribe medicine to others when youre sick: China warns US against tariff escalation

Aishwarya Dabhade

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People make their way to and from a polling station in Ottawa on Friday, the first day of advance polls. Elections Canada says preliminary estimates show nearly two million electors voted Friday, a record turnout. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Elections Canada has announced preliminary estimates that show nearly two million electors voted Friday, the first day of advance polls.

Representatives of the non-partisan agency said that's a record turnout.

The announcement, which was posted on social media Saturday afternoon, came after Canadians reported long lines across the country on Friday. Some told CBC News on Friday they waited more than two hours to cast their ballots.

Francois Enguehard, a regional media advisor in the Atlantic region for Elections Canada, said the turnout is up 36 per cent from the first day of advance polling in the last election in 2021.

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"It makes us very happy because that's why 250,000 people plus all of Elections Canada staff  that's what we work towards," Enguehard said. "To see the uptake is really comforting for people who have done so much in the polling locations to make that happen."

Enguehard said it's too early to say whether the record-high turnout will lead to higher voter turnout for the election overall. But it is a sign that "people are engaged in this election and eager to vote."

During the 2021 federal election, almost 5.8 million voters turned out for advance polls.

A total of 17,209,811 voters cast their ballots in that election, representing a voter turnout of 62.6 per cent.

Canadians report long lines

"I vote all the time and I've never had to wait for very long, normally. This is going to be an hour apparently," said James Knight on Friday, waiting to vote at Ottawa City Hall.

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Knight said he believed the long wait was due to people's enthusiasm to cast their ballots, rather than any disorganization on the part of Elections Canada.

It was a similar story in Metro Vancouver, where some voters in Vancouver's West End said they were in line for more than two hours at a polling station. Meanwhile, a voter in Langley, B.C. said she had the longest wait for advance voting in her life.

WATCH | Advance polls open across Canada for the federal election:

"Hopefully it's a sign of things to come, and a sign of things for change," said Barb Stroll, who was at Douglas Park Elementary School in the Metro Vancouver suburb.

Registered voters can cast an early ballot at their assigned polling station between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. from April 19-21.

Voter information cards, which registered voters should have received in the mail by April 11, will provide the location of the assigned polling station for advance voting. Election day stations may be at a different address.

Registered voters can also search for their advance polling station here or call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868.
'Shame! chants echo across the US as thousands protest Trumps policies in over 700 nationwide rallies

Pragya Trivedi

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Ukraine's Zelenskyy says Easter ceasefire has not halted Russian activity on front line

101Reporters

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Fifteen years ago, Sally Little of Fredericton took over her parents' trailer in Florida, in the city of Largo, where her parents had spent their winters for two decades.

But now, Little and her husband, Dave, have decided to end their time as snowbirds in the wake of increased hostility toward Canadians and a flurry of decisions by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The last few months have been tumultuous, especially having to leave behind the community.

"We made new Canadian friends, New Brunswick friends we never would have met if it hadn't been for that trailer park. We made many new American friends," she said.

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Little even taught English as a second language at the Largo library.

"I would walk into that library and just say, 'I'm home.'"

Little made the decision to sell her Florida trailer, pictured here at Christmas, which belonged to her parents originally. They spent 20 years at the trailer, avoiding winter in New Brunswick. (Submitted by Sally Little)

But everything started to change in the winter of 2021.

Little said some Americans got upset when Canadians wore masks, both inside the park and outside, and often bragged about not getting vaccinations.

Many of the Canadians in the park had long been the organizers of social activities, such as spaghetti suppers and pancake breakfasts, but they pulled back from that to avoid large gatherings, which Little said caused a backlash.

"All of a sudden, Canadians were clustering a little bit, being a little more careful about what we said, which had never happened before," she said.

Little, pictured here with her husband Dave last month on St. Patrick's Day, said others in the park had similar thoughts about leaving Florida and also put their trailers up for sale. (Submitted by Sally Little)

The first rupture came when Trump pardoned those involved with the events of Jan.6, 2021, she said.

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Then came the tariffs imposed on Canada by the U.S., but Little said the Canadians in the park were being blamed for any retaliatory measures.

She said when some Canadians in the park pushed back and encouraged people to read the news and educate themselves about the situation, they were told that news sources, such as CNN and NBC, were "fake news."

But the straw that broke the camel's back, said Little, was with the introduction of Trump's executive order called "Protecting the American People Against Invasion," which directed the Department of Homeland Security to "ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register" if they intended to stay in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.

This ultimately pushed Little to sell the trailer.

Little said the trailer park community would have events, such as pancake breakfasts. She is pictured at one with her husband, Dave. (Submitted by Sally Little)

She contacted her six siblings and told them her plan.

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Everyone immediately told her, "you need to do this," said Little.

"Once I made that decision we never looked back, we never regretted it, we never questioned ourselves."

In the park where Little has wintered for so many years, she said other Canadians had a similar idea, and about 14 trailers went up for sale. Four of the Canadian sellers were able to find buyers and won't be back, she said  including her next door neighbour in Fredericton.

Little said she'll miss the fun they had in Florida, and the last three weeks have been sad and stressful having to say goodbye to the American friends they made over the years.

Each winter, Little said the drive to Largo was always busy  jam-packed roads with fellow snowbirds.

But when driving back to Fredericton this last time, crossing 13 states, she only counted 32 Canadian license plates.

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Entering Maine, she said the lack of Canadians was apparent.

"You go through Portland, there's no Canadians, you go through Bangor, where are the Canadians? You go through Houlton, where are the Canadians?"

"[We] got to the border at Houlton  no cars, no trucks, nothing. And the customs officer was so lovely.

"She did her little thing with our passports and everything, and then she said, 'Welcome home.' And I burst into tears.

"I have never been so glad to get back across the border and to be welcomed home."
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Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post.
The seal of the Office of the Attorney General of Guam is shown on May 4, 2023, at the ITC Building in Tamuning.

Photo by Frank San Nicolas/The Guam Daily Post
Prime Minister Mark Carney stops to speak with children as he makes his way through a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop in Brantford, Ontario on Friday, April 18, 2025. (Credit: Brian Thompson)

WHITBY, ONT.  On this weeks Ivison video, regular guest Eugene Lang referred to the trifecta  or what Van Morrison would call The Great Deception.

Lang, an experienced Liberal operative, was talking about the tendency of governments to promise to simultaneously reduce taxes, increase spending and balance budgets.

This kind of thing has never been achieved by any federal government, he said. Its probably not advisable in any context, especially not the current context, where the prospects are that the Canadian economy is probably going to go into a recession, where the tax revenues will go down and automatic stabilizer expenditures on things like employment insurance are destined to go up.

Yet, thats exactly what the Liberal policy platform promises to do.

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It commits to a $20 billion income tax cut, investments of $129 billion, and a balanced operating budget within three years, eliminating the current $15 billion operating deficit.

These documents are not drawn up under oath and there appear to be a number of highly presumptuous assumptions.

For one thing, the baseline for all the calculations is a Parliamentary Budget Officer report from March, when the tariff situation was still in flux.

For another, the platform books $30 billion in savings from productivity improvements over three years. All governments say they will make savings, improve program efficiency and cut red tape but they generally dont make them the backbone of their revenue assumptions.

More prudently, the platform only includes tariff revenues for the current year. I asked Liberal Leader Mark Carney if that suggests he thinks the trade war will be resolved in 2025.

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He replied that it is more a matter of fiscal caution. I dont think we want to rely on those revenues, he said.

Two decades of covering revenue projections have bred a deep cynicism. It is a truism that governments should be judged by results, not intentions.

That said, the Liberals should be commended for taking on problems deeply ingrained in the Canadian economy.

The focus of the platform is capital spending. In 2021, the Liberal platform devoted 65 per cent of its investments to the operating budget  consumption  and just 32 percent to capital spending on projects designed to generate future revenues.

In this document, that ratio is reversed: 33 percent on operations and 64 percent on capital.

The intent is to trigger private sector investment through government intervention designed to reduce uncertainty and bolster confidence among investors.

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Carney said the Trudeau government spent too much and invested too little. He said the new plan would reduce operating spending increases to an average of less than 2 per cent a year, from an average of 9 per cent over the past decade. He said his government would do this without cutting transfers to individuals or to provinces for things like health care.

Dental care, child care and the Canada Child Benefit will all be protected, though the platform does not commit to any expansion of pharmacare. This is the fiscal equivalent of turning base metal into gold.

But there is at least an attempt to tackle the productivity issue.

The platform provides more details on the plan to build trade corridors and eliminate barriers to internal trade; on improved credentials recognition for professionals; and on major nation-building projects like expanding the Port of Churchill in Manitoba.

Carney has been criticized for saying he will not repeal the former bill C-69, the Impact Assessment Act. But the platform says a Liberal government would establish a one-window project review with a maximum two-year timeline (down from five years) and invite provinces and territories to sign cooperation agreements that would allow them to lead environmental reviews.

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Carneys plan for the industrial carbon tax remains opaque. The platform says a Liberal government would improve the current system and work with governments to link their large-emitter markets across the country to establish a long-term signal to lock in investments.

I asked Carney to expand on this at the morning press conference. He said that the new plan would create opportunities for provinces to opt into an augmented system. Large emitters could fund measures that would reduce emissions for people, like retrofits or electric vehicles, he said. He said the government wants to give emitters a chance to save carbon for themselves or for others.

The document says the new plan will make sure that Canadian industry reduces emissions, is still competitive and is able to withstand Americas trade war.

But how that will all work is still unclear, at least to me, and Canadians deserve a more fulsome explanation before election day.

Another area where the platform promises to implement policies that are long overdue is in relation to defence. The biggest single ticket item in the platform is a pledge to spend $30 billion on defence on an upfront sticker price basis (or $18 billion on an accrual basis, which is how the government accounts for it in the fiscal framework).

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces will get a pay raise; there will be more investment in housing for the Forces; there are commitments to expand fleets of aerial and underwater drones; and there will be new investments in self-propelled artillery systems and air defence capabilities.

The combined impact will take Canadas defence spending to two per cent of GDP by 2028-29, though Carney conceded in the press conference that the NATO summit at the end of June might change that timetable. It is possible that well need to do more, he said.

It is an ambitious platform, commendable in many ways. Carney, as with all the leaders in this election, wants the best of his country.

But Donald Trump wants to own Canada and Greenland. Just because leaders want something to happen, doesnt make it a reality.

jivison@criffel.ca

Twitter.com/IvisonJ

National Post
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed new legislation that will provide more than $170 million in state funding to help prevent wildfires while signing an order aimed at speeding up the work by easing environmental permitting.

The funding  which the Democratic governor said was part of a broader effort to better protect communities ahead of peak fire season  comes as the state is under extraordinary pressure after the January infernos that devastated Los Angeles communities.

California has already experienced its second most destructive fire year on record, with more than 16,000 homes and other buildings damaged or destroyed by the two major fires in the Los Angeles area. Most of the destruction occurred in neighborhoods where development meets wildland, a high-risk area known as the wildland-urban interface.

The money comes from a $10 billion bond measure for environmental projects approved by California voters last year.

Authorized as part of a fast-tracked, early action budget bill approved by the Legislature, the funds will be paid to six conservancies throughout California. The agencies, which operate under the governors Resources Agency, will manage the removal of vegetation and thinning of forests within their regions.

At least half, $85 million, will be directed to conservancies in Southern California, while $54 will focus on the Sierra Nevada. The approval of the funding comes after Newsom in March declared a state of emergency to clear flammable brush.

With this latest round of funding, were continuing to increase the speed and size of forest and vegetation management essential to protecting communities, Newsom said in a written statement. We are leaving no stone unturned  including cutting red tape  in our mission to ensure our neighborhoods are protected from destructive wildfires.

The challenge of fire prevention in California, which experts say has been worsened by climate change, has become increasingly political. During President Donald J. Trumps first term, the president repeatedly blamed wildfires on California failing to manage vegetation growth, even though the majority of forestland in the state is under federal, not state, ownership.

You gotta clean your floors, you gotta clean your forests, Trump said during a campaign speech in 2020, according to Politico. There are many, many years of leaves and broken trees and theyre like, like, so flammable, you touch them and it goes up.

In the wake of the Los Angeles fires, Trump also inaccurately blamed the states water policies for the blazes and threatened to withhold federal aid unless the state addressed a variety of policies related and unrelated to wildfires.

Included is about $31 million each for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, State Coastal Conservancy, and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. The California Tahoe Conservancy and the San Diego River Conservancy will receive about $23 million each.

In addition to the legislation, Newsom signed an executive order that allowed wildfire prevention projects to benefit from streamlining provisions outlined in his March emergency proclamation, which suspended certain environmental laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act for projects deemed urgent.

Unfortunately, this money will go toward logging projects that skirt environmental review and harm forests and the climate, said Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the environmental group Center for Biological Diversity. This funding doubles down on forest destruction rather than investing in real wildfire safety measures like home hardening in communities.

Newsom earlier this year promised $2.5 billion for various wildfire resilience projects. Prescribed burns, a land management tool designed to reduce fuel loads, are a major part of the states strategy.

Wildfire season is starting earlier and lasting longer, exacerbated by climate change. Altered cycles of dry and wet years build up vegetation that is vulnerable to fire, and Californias wildfires are acting more erratically and burning longer.

___

This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

By ALEJANDRO LAZO/CalMatters

CalMatters
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday to close a $2.8 billion budget gap in the states Medicaid services and ensure coverage through June for 15 million people, including immigrants, who receive health care via the program.

The legislation is part of the states solution to solve the $6.2 billion hole in the states Medicaid budget. It comes a year after California launched an ambitious coverage expansion to provide free health care to all low-income adults regardless of their immigration status. The expansion is costing far more than the state projected and could force the Democratic governor and Democratic lawmakers to reevaluate future coverage for millions of people.

California also is bracing for major budget hits should Republicans in Congress follow through with a plan to slash billions of dollars in Medicaid and potentially jeopardize coverage for millions of people. California provides free health care to more than a third of its 39 million people.

Heres what to know about Californias Medicaid gap:

Did expanding coverage to adult immigrants cause the gap?

Partly. California first extended health care benefits to low-income children without legal status in 2015 and later added the benefits for young adults and people over the age of 50. The program was expanded again last year to cover adults ages 26 to 49.

The cost of the recent expansion to cover all low-income adults is $2.7 billion more than the state budgeted because California underestimated the number of people who would sign up for services. California officials said they only had a month of data last year when the state had to produce projections for the budget.

The state hasnt said how many people have enrolled through the expansion. Last year, the state projected that about 700,000 state residents who are living in the U.S. illegally would gain full health coverage to access preventive care and other treatment.

Other factors that are putting pressures on state budgets across the country also played a role in California, state officials said. Those included $540 million in rising pharmacy costs and $1.1 billion from other issues, such as a larger enrollment by older people.

In Illinois, which also expanded coverage in recent years to more low-income residents regardless of immigration status, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is proposing a $330 million cut to coverage for immigrants ages 42 to 64, citing rising costs.

What is California doing about the shortfall?

Newsoms administration told lawmakers in March that it took out a $3.44 billion loan, the maximum allowed under state law, from the general fund to make payments for March. The additional $2.8 billion in state funding will also unlock matching federal money to cover costs already committed through June.

State officials this month said the situation is unsustainable and told lawmakers the state is finding ways to cut costs next year.

The state has proposed ending pandemic-era protections that have prevented it from disenrolling people from Medicaid. Newsoms administration is also bracing for significant variability after President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown.

Will California roll back coverage for immigrants without legal status?

Newsom previously told reporters that rolling back the coverage expansion is not on my docket.

Other Democratic leaders, including Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, also vowed to safeguard benefits for immigrants but acknowledged tough choices ahead.

The budget hole has reignited criticism from Republican lawmakers about the expansion, with some calling for an audit of the states Medicaid, also known as Medi-Cal.

Democrats bad accounting has brought Medi-Cal to the breaking point, making it harder for patients to get in to see a doctor, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said in a statement. We owe it to Californians  and to the vulnerable people who depend on this program  to make sure Medi-Cal is meeting their needs.

Newsom defended the expansion in one of his podcast episodes, adding that making preventive care accessible to all low-income people helps save the state money in the long run.

How will Congress plan to cut Medicaid funding affect California?

The $6.2 billion budget gap is solvable, state lawmakers said. But Congress threats of a Medicaid funding cut could add further strain.

California would have to cut coverage, limit enrollment or raise taxes to help cover the costs if Congress follows through.

State officials said theyre certain it would upend coverage for millions of people in the state.

Even with the largest state budget in the country at roughly $322 billion, California doesnt have the capacity to backfill services funded by the federal government, officials said.

More than half the states Medicaid funding comes from the federal government. For the next fiscal year, thats roughly $112.1 billion. Federal funding doesnt cover costs related to preventive care for immigrants without legal status.

By TRAN NGUYEN

Associated Press
Commercial salmon fishing in California will be closed for a third year in a row

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)  The 2025 commercial salmon fishing season in California will be closed for an unprecedented third year running, and sportfishing will be restricted to only a few days due to dwindling numbers of fish, fishing regulators voted Tuesday.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages West Coast fisheries, warned earlier this year there would be limited salmon fishing this year in California, if at all, because of a predicted low number of fall-run Chinook salmon, often known as king salmon, in the Sacramento River.

This closed commercial and token recreational fishing season is a human tragedy, as well as an economic and environmental disaster, Scott Artis, executive director of Golden State Salmon Association, said in a statement.

Salmon fishing is wildly popular in California but has been off limits for the past two years to commercial and recreational fishing due to dwindling stocks. People who commercially fish blame the issue on a years-earlier drought that walloped waterways, as well as state and federal water management policies they say have made it tough for the species to thrive.

Sacramento River fall-run Chinook, historically the largest contributor to the ocean salmon harvest off California and Oregon, have experienced dramatic declines over the last five years, according to the association. The Pacific Fishery Management Council has also voted to highly curtail the commercial salmon fishing season in Oregon this year, the association said.

Salmon must swim upstream to lay their eggs, and young fish then make their way out to the ocean through waterways that wind through the state. Thats done more easily when cool water flows are abundant. Agricultural water diversions described as excessive by anglers led to warm river temperatures and low flows when baby salmon were trying to make it from their spawning beds to the ocean.

The closure comes a few months after President Donald Trump ordered officials to find ways to put people over fish and route more water to farmers in Californias fertile Central Valley and residents of its densely populated cities.

The ongoing battle over where to route the water and how much tends to pit California environmental groups and anglers against the states farm industry, which produces much of the countrys fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables.

Trump contends too much water is being used to protect the tiny delta smelt, a federally threatened species seen as an indicator of the health of the Sacramento- San Joaquin River Delta, but salmon rely on the same water for their survival.

Californias salmon fishing industry includes commercial fleets and charters that take anglers out for recreation. Commercial fleets have been especially hard hit by the closures. Earlier this year, there were fewer than 900 permits for commercial salmon fishing in the state compared to 1,200 in 2010, according to Dock Street Brokers.

Recreational fishing charters have also been hit by the closures and have been devoting their boats to activities ranging from party tours to ash scatterings to stay afloat.

Both have also been fishing for other species but say anglers and markets arent as interested in halibut or cod as they would be in salmon.
By Daniel Apai, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona. Originally published at The Conversation.

A team of astronomers announced on April 16, 2025, that in the process of studying a planet around another star, they had found evidence for an unexpected atmospheric gas. On Earth, that gas  called dimethyl sulfide  is mostly produced by living organisms.

In April 2024, the James Webb Space Telescope stared at the host star of the planet K2-18b for nearly six hours. During that time, the orbiting planet passed in front of the star. Starlight filtered through its atmosphere, carrying the fingerprints of atmospheric molecules to the telescope.

By comparing those fingerprints to 20 different molecules that they would potentially expect to observe in the atmosphere, the astronomers concluded that the most probable match was a gas that, on Earth, is a good indicator of life.

I am an astronomer and astrobiologist who studies planets around other stars and their atmospheres. In my work, I try to understand which nearby planets may be suitable for life.

K2-18b, a Mysterious World

To understand what this discovery means, lets start with the bizarre world it was found in. The planets name is K2-18b, meaning it is the first planet in the 18th planetary system found by the extended NASA Kepler mission, K2. Astronomers assign the b label to the first planet in the system, not a, to avoid possible confusion with the star.

K2-18b is a little over 120 light-years from Earth  on a galactic scale, this world is practically in our backyard.

Although astronomers know very little about K2-18b, we do know that it is very unlike Earth. To start, it is about eight times more massive than Earth, and it has a volume thats about 18 times larger. This means that its only about half as dense as Earth. In other words, it must have a lot of water, which isnt very dense, or a very big atmosphere, which is even less dense.

Astronomers think that this world could either be a smaller version of our solar systems ice giant Neptune, called a mini-Neptune, or perhaps a rocky planet with no water but a massive hydrogen atmosphere, called a gas dwarf.

Another option, as University of Cambridge astronomer Nikku Madhusudhan recently proposed, is that the planet is a hycean world.

That term means hydrogen-over-ocean, since astronomers predict that hycean worlds are planets with global oceans many times deeper than Earths oceans, and without any continents. These oceans are covered by massive hydrogen atmospheres that are thousands of miles high.

Astronomers do not know yet for certain that hycean worlds exist, but models for what those would look like match the limited data JWST and other telescopes have collected on K2-18b.

This is where the story becomes exciting. Mini-Neptunes and gas dwarfs are unlikely to be hospitable for life, because they probably dont have liquid water, and their interior surfaces have enormous pressures. But a hycean planet would have a large and likely temperate ocean. So could the oceans of hycean worlds be habitable  or even inhabited?

Detecting DMS

In 2023, Madhusudhan and his colleagues used the James Webb Space Telescopes short-wavelength infrared camera to inspect starlight that filtered through K2-18bs atmosphere for the first time.

They found evidence for the presence of two simple carbon-bearing molecules  carbon monoxide and methane  and showed that the planets upper atmosphere lacked water vapor. This atmospheric composition supported, but did not prove, the idea that K2-18b could be a hycean world. In a hycean world, water would be trapped in the deeper and warmer atmosphere, closer to the oceans than the upper atmosphere probed by JWST observations.

Intriguingly, the data also showed an additional, very weak signal. The team found that this weak signal matched a gas called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS. On Earth, DMS is produced in large quantities by marine algae. It has very few, if any, nonbiological sources.

This signal made the initial detection exciting: on a planet that may have a massive ocean, there is likely a gas that is, on Earth, emitted by biological organisms.

Scientists had a mixed response to this initial announcement. While the findings were exciting, some astronomers pointed out that the DMS signal seen was weak and that the hycean nature of K2-18b is very uncertain.

To address these concerns, Mashusudhans team turned JWST back to K2-18b a year later. This time, they used another camera on JWST that looks for another range of wavelengths of light. The new results  announced on April 16, 2025  supported their initial findings.

These new data show a stronger  but still relatively weak  signal that the team attributes to DMS or a very similar molecule. The fact that the DMS signal showed up on another camera during another set of observations made the interpretation of DMS in the atmosphere stronger.

Madhusudhans team also presented a very detailed analysis of the uncertainties in the data and interpretation. In real-life measurements, there are always some uncertainties. They found that these uncertainties are unlikely to account for the signal in the data, further supporting the DMS interpretation. As an astronomer, I find that analysis exciting.

Is life out there?

Does this mean that scientists have found life on another world? Perhaps  but we still cannot be sure.

First, does K2-18b really have an ocean deep beneath its thick atmosphere? Astronomers should test this.

Second, is the signal seen in two cameras two years apart really from dimethyl sulfide? Scientists will need more sensitive measurements and more observations of the planets atmosphere to be sure.

Third, if it is indeed DMS, does this mean that there is life? This may be the most difficult question to answer. Life itself is not detectable with existing technology. Astronomers will need to evaluate and exclude all other potential options to build their confidence in this possibility.

The new measurements may lead researchers toward a historic discovery. However, important uncertainties remain. Astrobiologists will need a much deeper understanding of K2-18b and similar worlds before they can be confident in the presence of DMS and its interpretation as a signature of life.

Scientists around the world are already scrutinizing the published study and will work on new tests of the findings, since independent verification is at the heart of science.

Moving forward, K2-18b is going to be an important target for JWST, the worlds most sensitive telescope. JWST may soon observe other potential hycean worlds to see if the signal appears in the atmospheres of those planets, too.

With more data, these tentative conclusions may not stand the test of time. But for now, just the prospect that astronomers may have detected gasses emitted by an alien ecosystem that bubbled up in a dark, blue-hued alien ocean is an incredibly fascinating possibility.

Regardless of the true nature of K2-18b, the new results show how using the JWST to survey other worlds for clues of alien life will guarantee that the next years will be thrilling for astrobiologists.
Hello gentle readers and welcome back to another installment of the Sunday Morning Movie! (I dropped the Antidote part because as a few folks noted the movies might not necessarily be, um, soothing.)

Todays feature is the classic crime drama M directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre. M is the first serial killer movie as well as an early example of a police procedural drama. It was also Langs first sound movie and he considered it his magnum opus. It launched both the careers of Peter Lorre, whose trajectory went from comedic to villainous, and Otto Wernicke. Wernicke played the role of Inspector Lohmann and would reprise that role with Lang in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. Long tracking shots, the creative interplay of glass and light, as well as the use of a musical leitmotif were all cinematic innovations of Langs. M is held up as one of the finest films ever made and it has had an immeasurable influence on the art of filmmaking up to today.

Review:

I didnt think I was going to enjoy M as much as I did. The way the story unfolds is refreshingly direct, perhaps a bit simplistically by some modern standards but then one may accuse some modern standards of being intentionally obscure. Lang makes great use of store fronts, each of which tells a kind of story in miniature that provides depth to the larger narrative. Lorre makes a great serial killer, his buggy eyes and grotesquely sensuous lips scream psychopath to me and apparently to a lot of other people as this film altered his acting career trajectory from the comedic to the predominantly villainous. Lang lets the camera tell the tale, for example when he relays the disappearance of a child by a lone ball stuck in a puddle and a balloon animal caught in telephone lines. The black, white, and gray tones of the film lend gravitas to the unseen horrors inflicted by Beckert on the children as well as his own terror when he is captured by the criminal syndicates.

Synopsis (with obvious spoilers):

Berlin lives in terror of child murderer Hans Beckert (Lorre) who has written to the newspapers to let them know he will strike again. The police, lead by homicide investigator Inspector Lohmann (Wernicke) are at their wits end and are frantically collecting whatever small bits of evidence they can assemble. They are also leaning heavily on the citys criminal underground in an effort to flush out the killer. The criminal underground, led by The Safecracker (Gustaf Grundgens), responds by launching a manhunt of their own, employing beggars to keep watch on children in the streets. While the police narrow down their search and arrive at Beckerts home to collect clues, the beggars have identified their man and pursue him into a large office building. Realizing Beckert is trapped there, the criminals return later in the evening and infiltrate the building by subduing its guards and scouring the premises. They apprehend Beckert but then are forced to flee in haste after one of the guards manages to sound an alarm. One of their number is left behind and is captured by the police. The prisoner is pressured to reveal that the underground has captured Beckert and has taken him to an abandoned distillery where he is to stand before a kangaroo court. The police descend on the gathered criminals and Beckert is taken into custody. The final scenes first show a court convening to decide Beckerts fate and then a trio of black-clad mothers in mourning advising the audience to keep a wary eye on their children.
Arizona counties begin removing non-citizens from voter rolls after legal settlement

All 15 Arizona counties agreed to verify and remove nearly 50,000 voters who failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship after a lawsuit by America First Legal (AFL). These voters, classified as "federal-only," can vote in federal but not state/local elections.

America First Legal (AFL) sued Arizona counties in 2023 for allegedly violating state law by not enforcing citizenship checks. Though the case was dismissed, counties committed to working with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify voter eligibility  a win for AFL's efforts.

Arizona's dual registration system (resulting from Prop 200) requires proof of citizenship for state/local elections. AFL argued lax enforcement could allow non-citizens to vote illegally in state races.

Aside from Arizona, Texas also removed more than one million ineligible voters, including 6,500 non-citizens (1,930 had voting histories). Alabama, Ohio, Virginia and Louisiana also purged thousands of non-citizens and ineligible registrants.

States like Texas and Arizona frame these actions as safeguards against illegal voting, with officials emphasizing restored trust in election systems.

All 15 counties in Arizona have started verifying and removing non-citizens from their voter registration lists, including nearly 50,000 registrants who failed to provide proof of U.S. citizenship following a settlement with the conservative legal group America First Legal (AFL).

AFL initially filed a lawsuit in August 2023 on behalf of EZAZ.org and Yvonne Cahill, a naturalized citizen and registered voter, accusing counties of violating state law by failing to verify proof of citizenship for voters in state and local elections. The lawsuit also alleged that officials neglected to conduct monthly reviews of voter rolls to remove ineligible non-citizens.

Under Arizona's dual registration system, voters who cannot provide documented proof of citizenship are designated as "federal-only voters," allowing them to participate in federal elections but not state or municipal contests. This system emerged after Arizona passed Proposition 200 to enforce stricter citizenship verification, but federal law only mandates proof of citizenship for state-level candidates, not federal ones.

AFL argued that lax enforcement of citizenship checks, particularly for federal-only voters, could enable non-citizens to unlawfully influence state and local elections. The group cited 8 U.S.C.  1373 and 1644, which allow state agencies to work with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify citizenship status.

Although the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona dismissed the case on April 9, the outcome was far from a defeat for AFL. Instead, the dismissal came after a negotiated agreement in which all 15 counties pledged to contact DHS to verify the citizenship status of the estimated 50,000 federal-only voters.

In line with this, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap announced on behalf of Maricopa County, Arizona's largest county, on April 8 that its recorder's office had already begun working with DHS to verify voter eligibility.

"I promised the voters of Maricopa County that I would pursue every avenue to clean up our voter rolls, and that's exactly what we're doing. Ensuring only citizens can cast a ballot in future elections is essential to restoring trust in Maricopa County elections."

Texas, Alabama, Ohio, Virginia and Louisiana have also purged non-citizens from voter registrations

Arizona's removal of non-citizens from voter registrations is not an isolated case.

Texas also removed more than one million voters, including over 6,500 non-citizens, from their voter rolls in the past three years to tighten election security ahead of the 2024 presidential race. The purge, which Gov. Greg Abbott hailed as a safeguard against illegal voting, also removed 457,000 deceased individuals, 6,000 felons and hundreds of thousands of inactive or incorrectly registered voters.

Notably, 1,930 of the 6,500 noncitizens had a voting history, prompting state officials to refer those cases to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for investigation and possible prosecution.

Other states have done the same. In Alabama, Secretary of State Wes Allen removed 3,251 noncitizens from the rolls in August 2024. Ohio's GOP Secretary of State Frank LaRose eliminated 597 noncitizens, including 138 who had allegedly voted illegally. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration has purged 6,303 noncitizens since 2022. Meanwhile, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry recently ordered stricter ID checks to verify voter eligibility. (Related: CLEANING HOUSE: Ohio removes nearly 155,000 names from voter rolls due to inactive or expired registrations.)

Head over to Rigged.news for more stories like this.

Watch the video below that talks about Michigan's suspiciously bloated voter rolls, which are said to contain half a million more than the listed eligible voters.

This video is from Justin Barclay's channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Democrats charged with election fraud in Pennsylvania, caught rigging the system, undermining voter rolls.

Michigan's bloated voter rolls list nearly 500,000 names more than the total eligible voting population.

Texas PURGES one million ineligible voters from voter rolls, including non-citizens and dead people.

Supreme Court blocks attempt to restore names of around 1,600 non-citizens to Virginia voter rolls.

DOJ releases new guidelines for election officials dictating who can and can't be removed from voter rolls.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

MSN.com

TheBlaze.com

Newsweek.com

Brighteon.com
Harvard University refuses to comply with Trump admins demands to combat campus antisemitism

Harvard refuses to comply with a December 2019 executive order allowing federal funding cuts for colleges deemed to tolerate antisemitism, which critics argue conflates criticism of Israel with bigotry.

Harvard President Alan Garber called the demands unconstitutional, asserting they violate First Amendment rights and Title VI, arguing no government should dictate university policies on speech, hiring, or research.

The administration retaliated by freezing $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts, accusing Harvard of an "entitlement mindset" and failing to protect Jewish students amid pro-Palestine protests.

Harvard is the seventh university targeted in a wider battle over free speech, DEI and alleged antisemitism, framed by the administration as a civil rights enforcement measure.

Harvard University has announced that it will not comply with the demands of the Trump administration to combat campus antisemitism under a controversial executive order.

The clash stems from a December 2019 executive order directing the Department of Education to withhold funding from colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism  a measure critics argue conflates criticism of Israel with bigotry. The Trump administration has since escalated pressure on Harvard, citing inadequate action against campus hostility toward Jewish students.

In March, federal officials threatened Harvard to review $256 million in active federal contracts and $8.7 billion in long-term grants unless the university adopted sweeping reforms.

A follow-up letter this month from the task force demanded the university to overhaul student discipline policies to curb antisemitism; dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, strengthen vetting of international applicants to exclude those deemed "hostile to American values," including alleged supporters of "terrorism or antisemitism;" and end race-based admissions preferences, relying solely on merit.

However, Harvard President Alan Garber argued that the conditions violate Harvard's First Amendment rights and exceed federal authority under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Garber even called the ultimatum an unconstitutional overreach in a statement on April 14.

"No government  regardless of which party is in power  should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue," Garber wrote, vowing to resist the "unprecedented" demands.

Trump admin retaliates with Harvard's non-compliance, suspends billions of federal funding for the university

The administration retaliated by suspending $2.2 billion in pending multi?year grants and $60 million in federal contracts linked to the Ivy League institution.

Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism rebuked Harvard for its "troubling entitlement mindset," asserting that universities accepting federal funds must uphold civil rights protections for Jewish students. (Related: Trump administration SUSPENDS federal grants to Princeton University amid antisemitism probe.)

"Harvard's statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation's most prestigious universities and colleges  that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws," the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism said.

The Trump administration has justified its crackdown by citing concerns over antisemitism on college campuses following protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism accused Harvard of fostering an "entitlement mindset" by ignoring civil rights laws tied to federal funding. "The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable," the task force stated.

This move marks the seventh time the Trump administration has withheld funding from elite universities in an escalating battle over free speech, diversity policies and allegations of antisemitism on campuses. Six of the targeted institutions are Ivy League schools, namely the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, Brown University, Princeton University, Cornell University and Northwestern University  all of which faced similar financial threats.

Head over to EducationSystem.news for more similar stories.

Watch this clip about colleges facing backlash and potentially losing funding over allegations of antisemitism on campus.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump says DEATH PENALTY a proper punishment for "antisemitism" in America.

Rabbi tells Senate hearing it's 'not enough' to be 'not anti-Semitic'  'one must be anti-anti-Semitic.'

Wikipedia does fire drill to downplay Harvard's Gay plagiarism/antisemitism scandal.

AIPAC-funded House Democrat wants to railroad passage of "Countering Antisemitism Act."

Fmr U.S. Ambassador David M. Friedman demands Americans be imprisoned for 'antisemitism.'

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NYPost.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
New York proposes blockchain integration in public payments

Assembly Bill A7788, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel, would allow New York state agencies to accept Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash for taxes, fines, rent and civil penalties, mirroring similar efforts in states like Colorado and Louisiana.

The bill authorizes a state-mandated service fee for crypto transactions, drawing criticism from advocates who fear it could disadvantage low-income users and undermine cryptocurrencys low-fee advantages, while defenders emphasize transparency.

It complements anti-crypto-fraud measures like Bill A06515, which criminalizes rug pull scams, reflecting dual legislative priorities of enabling adoption while addressing risks from malicious practices.

It also echoes New York's abandonment of its restrictive BitLicense (20152021) and expands into non-payment applications, such as Vanel's blockchain-based voter record security proposal (A7716), signaling evolving regulatory openness.

The bill pressures U.S. federal authorities to finalize crypto policies amid global competition (e.g. El Salvador), while IRS tax ambiguity and debates over balancing innovation with governance remain critical unresolved challenges.

Assembly Bill A7788, introduced by Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (D-Queens), seeks to modernize New York's public payment systems by allowing state agencies to accept Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash.

If passed, the bill would permit crypto payments for obligations ranging from taxes and fines to rent and civil penalties. This legislation, referred to the Assembly's Governmental Operations Committee, follows similar efforts in states like Colorado and Louisiana, signaling a national trend toward digital asset adoption.

A contentious clause in the bill empowers the state to impose a service fee on crypto transactions, covering costs like cryptocurrency issuer fees or blockchain transaction charges. While proponents argue this ensures transparency, critics question how these fees might disadvantage lower-income users or dilute cryptocurrency's efficiency as a low-fee system.

"The provision must balance accessibility with operational needs," said one financial analyst, though no direct quotes from stakeholders were provided in legislative materials.

This proposal emerges amid heightened political focus on crypto regulation. Earlier this month, Bill A06515 was introduced to criminalize crypto fraud and "rug pulls," scams where developers abandon projects after inflating coin prices. Vanels push for blockchain voter record security via bill A7716 further underscores the growing bipartisan curiosity about the technology's applications.

Vanel has advocated crypto-friendly policies repeatedly, introducing analogous measures since 2017. His persistence mirrors New York's cyclical regulatory experiments with digital currencies. In 2015, the state's now-defunct BitLicense, enforced under former New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) head Ben Lawsky, drew criticism for stifling innovation by mandating excessive compliance, including employee background checks. The BitLicense model's eventual retreat in 2021 hints at evolving regulatory approaches, shifting from restrictive measures to accommodation.

New York's legislative moves align with a national trend. Colorado became the first state to accept crypto for tax payments in 2022, while Louisiana followed suit last autumn. Proposals in California and Florida highlight rising bipartisan interest, though critics argue that token variations like meme coins complicate trust. Illinois recently passed anti-rug-pull legislation, emphasizing fraud prevention as a parallel priority to adoption.

Tech developers and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms have publicly supported crypto modernization, viewing New York's bill as progress. Supporters argue that blockchain's transparency could reduce administrative errors in taxes and public records. Meanwhile, corporate entities like payment processors may lobby to become authorized 'bridges' between crypto and state systems if fees are structured as middleman roles.

Bill A7788's path forward

As the bill awaits committee review, analysts speculate about its survival in Albany's Democratic-controlled legislature. Vanel's track record suggests bipartisan resonance, given overlaps with GOP-advocated "right to payment choice." Should it pass, New York would join a vanguard of states reimagining fiscal infrastructure, a move that advocates hope could pressure Washington to follow.

Vanel's parallel blockchain vote-protection bill (A7716) highlights crypto's extensions beyond payments. The proposal mandates a state study on blockchain's role in securing election systems, a topic that has been increasingly debated post-2020. While critics question whether private blockchains can achieve intended transparency, proponents argue that immutable records guard against fraud.

Recent collapses, like the $40 billion FTX platform failure, underscore why lawmakers prioritize fraud prevention alongside innovation.

"Without clear rules, crypto risks becoming a Wild West again," stated a state policy expert, referencing A06515's anti-rug-pull mandate. Such bills aim to protect investors while insulating state coffers from high-risk speculative tokens.

Globally, nations like El Salvador and Nigeria have adopted crypto-friendly policies to bypass dollar-dominated finance. New York's bill may pressure U.S. regulators to advance federal frameworks as rival countries attract blockchain entrepreneurs. However, U.S. agencies like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have lagged in finalizing tax treatment of crypto, complicating local efforts to collect revenue.

New York's crypto payment bill represents a pivotal moment in the technology's legislative journey. While supporters praise it as a forward-thinking infrastructure policy, skeptics caution against overreach. The outcome will shape debates nationally, testing whether digital currencies can evolve from speculative tools to mainstream fiscal instruments. As Vanel's proposal advances, stakeholders await clarity on fees, security and the balance between innovation and governance. (Related: The great crypto power struggle: How technocrats and governments are reshaping global finance.)

Head over to CryptoCult.news for more related stories.

Watch the video below that talks about cash-like crypto instruments and retail use cases.

This video is from the Brighteon Highlights channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump's BITCOIN GAMBIT: U.S. launches Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to cement crypto dominance.

U.S. regulator greenlights banks for crypto activities, reversing 2021 restrictions.

Trump's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: A bold move or a missed opportunity for crypto growth?

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NYSenate.gov

DailyHodl.com

Brighteon.com
Scientists debate possibility of TIME TRAVEL, after Trump Admin says new technologies can bend space and time

Scientists confirm that time travel is theoretically possible, with minute real-world examples already in existence.

The Trump Administration hints at advanced technologies that could manipulate time and space.

Astronauts on the International Space Station are already time travelers, experiencing time at a different rate.

Theories suggest that warp drives and wormholes could make faster-than-light travel a reality.

In a world where the boundaries of science and fiction often blur, the concept of time travel has long captivated the human imagination. From H.G. Wells's The Time Machine to Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, the idea of leaping through the ages has been a staple of popular culture. However, recent scientific revelations and sensational statements from high-ranking officials suggest that time travel might be more than just a fantastical notion.

In a surprising turn of events, the Trump Administration has hinted at the existence of advanced technologies that could manipulate time and space, adding a layer of intrigue to the already mysterious realm of theoretical physics.

The Trump Administration's bold claims

During a speech at the Endless Frontiers Retreat, Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, made a startling claim: the United States currently has the ability to "manipulate time and space" and "leave distance annihilated." Kratsios's statement, while vague, has sparked intense speculation among conspiracy theorists and tech enthusiasts alike. Some interpret his words as a veiled reference to advanced technologies like warp drives or even time machines. The Trump Administration's focus on innovation and technological superiority, particularly in space exploration, adds credibility to the notion that the U.S. may be developing cutting-edge technologies that challenge our understanding of physics.

The science and reality behind time travel

According to Einstein's theory of general relativity, time is not a constant but a flexible dimension that can be bent and warped by the presence of massive objects or by traveling at high speeds. This means that time can move at different rates depending on one's velocity and the gravitational forces acting upon them. For instance, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) experience time slightly slower than those on Earth due to their high-speed orbit. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 520 days on the ISS, has aged a few milliseconds less than his identical twin, Mark, who remained on Earth. This phenomenon, known as time dilation, is a well-documented effect of Einstein's theories and provides a real-world example of time travel in action.

Theoretical possibilities

While the idea of time travel is tantalizing, the practical implications are far-fetched. Theoretical physicists like Dr. Alasdair Richmond from the University of Edinburgh explain that traveling forward in time is a natural consequence of Einstein's theories and is already happening on a small scale. However, traveling backward in time is a much more complex and controversial topic. The creation of a stable wormhole, a hypothetical tunnel through spacetime, could theoretically allow for backward time travel. Yet, the stability of such a wormhole would require exotic forms of matter with negative mass, a concept that remains purely theoretical.

The ethical considerations of time travel are equally significant. If backward time travel were possible, it could lead to paradoxes and unintended consequences. For example, the "grandfather paradox" posits that if a time traveler were to go back in time and prevent their own grandfather from meeting their grandmother, they would never be born, creating a logical inconsistency. The moral and ethical implications of altering historical events are also a cause for concern. As Dr. Richmond notes, "If we build the worlds first closed time-like curve generator tomorrow afternoon, I couldnt use it to travel to any time before tomorrow afternoon." This limitation, while frustrating, may be a safeguard against the potential chaos that could ensue from unrestricted time travel.

While the practical realization of backward time travel remains a distant and uncertain prospect, the theoretical foundations laid by Einstein and other physicists suggest that the future of time travel is not entirely out of reach. Traveling into the future is occurring in nanoseconds; however, advances in time travel are highly unlikely and impossible for traveling into the past. As the Trump Administration's bold claims continue to fuel speculation, one thing is clear: the quest to understand and manipulate time is a testament to humanity's unquenchable curiosity and our relentless pursuit of knowledge.

Sources include:

Dailymail.co.uk

Newsweek.com

Dailymail.co.uk
Alberta faces up to 20 cm of Easter snow this long weekend

A snowy Easter Sunday is in the cards across a large swath of Alberta as chilly temperatures dive south across the province.

DONT MISS: Summer sneak peek: Canada's warm season goes on cruise control

A cold front swooped across the province on Saturdayand theres a decent helping of snow in the forecast throughout the region. Even Calgary could get in on the accumulating snow through Sunday.

Expect difficult travel amid reduced visibility and slick roads.

Easter snow on the way for Alberta

Moisture crossed over the Rockies on Saturday night, bringing snowfall to portions of southern Alberta beginning in the pre-dawn hours on Sunday. Temperatures hovered around the freezing mark overnight when the snow fell.

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Well likely see a rain-snow mix along the QE2 on Sunday afternoon, with snow for the higher terrain of the foothills.

Calgary snowfall Sunday

Folks around Calgary are likely to see wet flurries during the day, with the potential for steadier bursts of snow arriving Sunday evening into the overnight hours. Parts of the city could see as much as 10 cm of slushy accumulation.

Highway 3 is forecast to see slushy and snowy conditions, especially west of Fort Macleod and across higher elevations.

MUST SEE: Get to know the hidden gems across Canada

Snow will gradually lift north of Calgary through the overnight hours, migrating toward the northern foothills. Meanwhile, additional amounts of heavy snow will continue in the foothills toward the Rockies through Monday afternoon.

Expect the heaviest snowfall totals around the southern foothills south toward the international border. Some areas and ski resorts could see more than 20 cm of fresh accumulation. Banff Sunshine Village remains open until May 19, so the forecast is welcome news.

Alberta snowfall outlook through Monday

Spring snowfalls come with substantially more uncertainty due to the convective nature of the systems and marginal temperatures to support accumulating snow at lower elevations. Locally, 5-10 cm of snow is forecast for the Calgary area, but amounts can vary over short distances.

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Springtime snow is no surprise on the Prairies.

Calgary has seen 10 cm of snow so far this month, which is about half of the 21 cm wed expect to see fall in the city during a typical April.

Alberta monthly average of snowfall so far 2025

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Alberta.

WATCH: How a U.S. heat dome could impact Canada's summer

Click here to view the video
Trump administration proposes over $40 billion budget cut for federal health agencies

The Trump administration plans to slash nearly one-third of HHS funding ($40 billion), targeting agencies like the CDC (44% cut) and NIH (42% cut), while consolidating programs into a new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).

NIH faces mass closures, with 27 institutes merged into eight and cuts eliminating research on minority health, nursing and behavioral sciences. Critics warn this will increase long-term healthcare costs, while proponents call it a purge of "wasteful" spending.

The plan eliminates rural hospital grants and Head Start ($9 billion cut), sparking backlash from advocates who say vulnerable communities will suffer. MAHA supporters argue states should manage these programs.

Republicans, including Ted Cruz, praise the cuts as fiscal responsibility and an end to "woke" policies. Democrats and public health experts harshly criticize the move, warning of rising chronic disease rates and dismantled safety nets.

The proposal reflects Kennedy Jr.s MAHA vision, emphasizing prevention over "chemical therapies." Its fate hinges on congressional negotiations, setting up a major ideological battle over federal healthcares role.

A leaked White House document reveals President Donald Trumps administration plans to slash nearly one-third of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget, eliminating tens of billions in federal health programs and restructuring agencies under the newly launched Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. The proposal, sent to HHS this week, would reduce discretionary funding by $40 billion and consolidate dozens of programs into a single administration, sparking backlash from Democrats, rural advocates and public health experts alike.

The plan, led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., targets agencies such as the CDC (with a 44% budget cut) and the NIH (down 40%), while introducing the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) to prioritize chronic childhood diseases, rural healthcare and federalist principles. Critics warn the cuts would dismantle critical services, while MAHA advocates frame the overhaul as a necessary reckoning with wasteful spending and woke federal overreach.

Shredding the wasteful bureaucracy: NIH faces mass closures

The proposal would slash the NIH budget from 47 billion to 27 billiona 42% cutwhile consolidating 27 research institutes into eight. Programs studying minority health, nursing research and behavioral health would vanish, with chronic disease efforts folded into new entities such as the National Institute on Body Systems.

Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical adviser at the Bipartisan Policy Center, called it shortsighted, alleging the cuts would drive up long-term costs. These programs get ahead of health problems, Parekh said. Without them, youll see more spending in Medicare and Medicaid.

Kennedys team frames NIH reforms as practical. Taxpayers deserve agencies that target real threats, a senior HHS official stated, citing a mission to eliminate funding for controversial research like vaccine hesitancy and transgender health.

The new administration for a healthy America: Rural programs and moral priorities

The AHAs $20 billion budget would centralize initiatives on nutrition, disease prevention and environmental health while axing rural hospital grants, Head Start programs and chronic disease prevention. Kennedys office emphasized federalism, arguing states should better manage education and healthcare.

The rural hospital flexibility grants, a lifeline for 200 struggling rural facilities, face termination. Alan Morgan of the National Rural Health Association called the cuts shocking, singling out Kennedys earlier support for rural aid. Meanwhile, the Head Start preschool program, serving over a million low-income children, would lose $9 billion annually, leaving parents in communities where Head Start is the only option scrambling, said Tommy Sheridan of the National Head Start Association.

Mixed reactions

Trump allies praised the plan, citing debt reduction and fiduciary responsibility. Senator Ted Cruz hailed the courageous moves to end woke, cancel culture in government agencies. Others celebrated the elimination of the CDCs global health division, criticized during the pandemic.

But Democrats erupted. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the reckless cuts to science and public health, and progressive think tanks warned of surging diabetes and obesity rates.

The budget prioritizes Kennedys signature MAHA program, which emphasizes holistic health like nutrition and stress reduction over chemical therapies.

A crossroads for federal health policy

As the document enters congressional review, its fate remains uncertain. Past GOP budget requests were often watered down by partisan negotiations, but Trumps MAHA crusaders are undeterred.

With experts divided and voters polarized, the debate over the administrations vision for American health policy has just begunbut the stage is now set for a defining clash over the role of government in private health choices.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

CNN.com
U.K.s pre-crime algorithm sparks ethical outcry amid privacy fears

The U.K. Ministry of Justice is developing an algorithm to predict which individuals  some with no criminal records  might commit murder, drawing on 500,000+ datasets, including mental health histories, age of first police contact and domestic abuse experiences. The project, rebranded from "Homicide Prediction Project," remains unlaunched but has raised alarm over likenesses to dystopian "pre-crime" systems.

The initiative builds on tools like the Offender Assessment System (OASys) but adds new sensitive data categories such as self-harm records, disabilities and victim trauma experiences, prompting fears of bias and misuse of personal information.

Critics, including Statewatch, argue the algorithm risks amplifying racial disparities, given the U.K.s history of biased policing and its reliance on data from racially skewed systems, causing disproportionate harm to minorities and marginalized groups.

The MoJ insists the project is experimental, aiming to improve public safety through better risk assessments for probationers. However, activists counter that framing it as "research" does not justify deploying biased tools that undermine due process and dignity, likening it to the sci-fi Minority Report premise of punishing potential future crimes.

As the U.S. has banned racially biased predictive policing tools, the U.K.'s project highlights tensions between crime prevention and civil liberties. The outcome may set a global precedent on whether such algorithms enforce accountability or deepen systemic discrimination.

The British government's push to implement an algorithm predicting who might commit murder mirrors dystopian sci-fi tropes while clashing with civil liberties concerns. As predictive policing gains traction globally, this project highlights urgent debates over technological overreach, racial bias and the ethics of policing communities that already face systemic discrimination.

The U.K. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is developing an algorithm to forecast which individuals convicted of crimes may escalate to homicide, according to documents uncovered by civil liberties group Statewatch. Dubbed the Homicide Prediction Project  now rebranded as "Sharing Data to Improve Risk Assessment"  the initiative aggregates data from over 500,000 individuals, some without criminal records, to identify "future criminals." Launched in 2023 and completed in 2024, the project remains unlaunched but has already sparked warnings from activists and legal experts.

The system builds on tools like the Offender Assessment System (OASys), used since 2001 to assess recidivism risks for probation decisions. However, the new algorithm expands its scope to include fresh datasets, including mental health histories, age of first police contact and domestic abuse experiences.

Civil liberties concerns: Biased systems, structural discrimination

Statewatch, which exposed the project via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, condemns the initiative as inherently flawed and biased. Sofia Lyall, a Statewatch researcher, warns that algorithms trained on data from an institutionally racist police system will disproportionately harm minorities and marginalized communities.

"Time and again, research shows these systems are inherently flawed," Lyall said, citing studies in the U.S. and U.K. showing predictive policing often exacerbates racial disparities. "Coding bias into automated profiling of potential criminals is deeply wrong, particularly when it uses sensitive data on mental illness and addiction."

The U.K.'s legacy of biased policing looms large: Black Britons are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than white individuals, per 2023 Home Office data. Critics argue the algorithm risks amplifying these inequities, funneling more surveillance and penalties toward communities already overrepresented in the criminal system.

At the center of the debate is the inclusion of personal data from people without criminal records. Statewatch claims victims of crime  including domestic abuse survivors  are being analyzed. MoJ spokespersons deny this, stating only "convicted offenders" are included.

But FOIA documents reveal that shared data includes "special categories" such as mental health markers, self-harm records and disabilities. Age at first police contact as a victim of crime is also listed as a metric, prompting fears of weaponizing trauma.

Government defense: Public safety first

The MoJ insists the project is solely experimental and aims to improve risk assessments for probationers. "This research is about enhancing public safety," a spokesperson said, emphasizing collaboration with police forces like Greater Manchester Police.

The tool's supporters, including some criminologists, argue that predictive analytics could stop violent crimes by identifying high-risk cases early. Yet, Lyall counters, "Public safety is a worthy goal, but not at the cost of due process and dignity."

The U.K.'s initiative harks back to Philip K. Dick's "Minority Report," where psychic "pre-cogs" flagged future criminals.

The U.S. has seen similar pushback against predictive policing. In 2020, Californians banned AI tools that predict criminality due to racial bias concerns. Yet the U.K.'s project moves forward, now backed by data-sharing agreements stretching back to 2015. (Related: Investigation reveals Instagram's algorithm regularly suggests explicit content to users as young as 13 years old.)

Watch the video below that talks about "predictive policing."

This video is from the J. D. Galle | neoremonstrance channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russian researchers unveil AI model that adapts to new tasks without human input.

Researchers develop algorithm that will allow robots to work together with humans  or hunt us like prey.

Bill Gates wants AI algorithms to censor vaccine "misinformation" in real time.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

TheGuardian.com

Brighteon.com
Biblical truth: God will carry out a cosmic reset of Earth and destroy all human civilization with a series of extinction-level cosmic impacts known as The Seven Trumpets, Seven Bowls and Seven Seals

You are about to learn something truly astonishing. This is something that almost no church will dare teach, and no mainstream pastor will discuss for fear of being ostracized. The implications of the realizations described here are beyond biblical. They are literally earth-shattering.

What you are about to learn is that according to a credible interpretation of the Book of Revelation, all of human civilization, including Israel, will be destroyed by God. The undeniable details are written in the Bible, and I cover them here. According to what is written, every human being will be vaporized or killed, and those with worthy souls will be lifted into Heaven (a higher dimension, not of this 3D space) to join together with God and Jesus.

Human nations, kingdoms, kings and people have become evil. Too evil for God to allow to continue to exist. So according to what is stated in Revelation, God "resets" the entire planet with a series of seven great cosmic impact events. These events happen in sequence, and they are beyond catastrophic. They end all human life on Earth, and Earth is left with a giant gaping wound that opens it up far deeper than the planetary crust, revealing a "lake of fire" (molten lava) deep within Earth's core.

This prophecy is carefully described in great detail to John of Patmos (by angels) and to Matthew by Jesus himself. The prophet Ezekiel is also given the same information as part of the final battle of Armageddon, in which Israel and the entire Middle East is decimated and nearly destroyed (the sixth impact event strikes the Middle East).

To understand this, first we must align the Seven Trumpets and Seven Bowls. These events, 1-7, perfectly align and are describing the same cosmic impacts. The Seven Seals only partially overlap, as shown below.

Citations here are from Revelation Ch. 16 (Seven Bowls) and Revelation Ch. 8 (Seven Trumpets), plus Matthew Ch 24, with other minor citations noted. We are quoting from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Credit needs to be given to Dr. Jeffrey Goodman, Ph.D., author of "The Comets of God," for his outstanding analysis that first revealed many of these patterns to me.

Important vocabulary notes:

Note that in Revelation, "angels" actually refer to comets entering Earth's atmosphere, appearing luminous in the sky as they fiercely burn bright.

Angels "sounding" refers to the very loud booming sounds generated when comets strike the atmosphere. This also explains the use of "trumpets," as trumpets make very loud sounds.

First Impact: A comet strikes land in a forested continent (possibly the EU)

First Trumpet: The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

Analysis: This comet is a continental strike in a heavily forested area, possibly Europe. "Hail and fire" are the immediate after-effects of comet impacts. "Mingled with blood" refers to the mass death of living creatures. "Thrown to the Earth" is self-explanatory. One-third of all trees on Earth are destroyed, and fire crosses the entire planet to a degree necessary to burn up all the grass on the surface of the Earth.

First Bowl: So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:2)

Analysis: "Foul and loathsome sores" describes burn victims in the aftermath of the impact that spreads fire across the entire surface of the earth. The "mark of the beast" and "those who worshiped his image" likely refers to the AI-driven techno-society where people are focused on mobile screens.

A 17th century illustration of a large comet in the sky. Note the personification of comets, which were believe to have faces and facial features like eyes (described in Revelation). Note also the crowns / rays emanating from the comet. This is also what is meant by descriptions in Revelation Ch 19, when a great comet arrives from the sky wearing crowns.

Second Impact: A comet strikes the ocean, likely the Atlantic Ocean

Second Trumpet: Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8)

Analysis: A "great mountain burning with fire" being "thrown into the sea" is an obvious comet impact. The sea becoming "blood" refers to the huge stirring up of particulate matter from the ocean floor, mixing with the ocean water, turning it into a dark, polluted mixture. The reference to "a third" may indicate an ocean that covers about one-third of the planet, and the Atlantic Ocean is the best fit for that. One-third of all the ships are also destroyed from the massive tidal wave, which also inundates shorelines all across the planet.

Second Bowl: Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. (Revelation 16:3)

Analysis: Clearly a perfect match for the first trumpet, this "angel" pouring out a bowl on the sea is of course an ocean impact of an inbound comet. This verse refers to the see being churned into "blood," exactly as described in the second trumpet, and says all the creatures in the sea died. The second trumpet says only one-third died, but this second bowl is likely referring to the particular ocean that was struck (likely the Atlantic).

Third impact: A comet strikes the United States of America while angels rejoice

Third Trumpet: Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. (Revelation 8:10)

Analysis: The phrase "a great star fell from Heaven" is self-explanatory. It is describing a comet impact. It even burned "like a torch." It fell on a land area rich with rivers and springs. The nation on planet Earth that is blessed with, by far, the greatest number of rivers and springs is the United States of America. The reference to "wormwood" does not refer to the medicinal herb (artemesinia) but rather to the very bitter taste of the waters following the comet impact fallout. This indicates either a heavy metals poisoning of the waters, or radioactive poisoning.

Third Bowl: Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. (Revelation 16:4)

Analysis: Another perfect match. The third bowl refers to "rivers and springs" as described in the third trumpet. Again, the most likely impact target for this is the United States of America. The USA has turned so wicked that, following the third impact, the angels in Heaven (the actual angels, not comets that look like angels) actually rejoice and sing the praises of God for destroying America. This is in the same verse: (Revelation 16:5)

And I heard the angel of the waters saying:

You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.

And I heard another from the altar saying, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.

The explanation that "they have shed the blood of saints and prophets" refers to America's war on Christians and Christianity around the world. The U.S. government has funded numerous militant groups (such as ISIS) that have slaughtered literally millions of Christians. The USA funds Israel, a nation that has rejected God and despises Christ, to bomb Lebanon, a nation that is 30% Christian. Thus, the USA funds the bombing and murder of Christians around the world. The angels rejoice when America is destroyed, adding, "You have given them blood to drink, for it is their just due."

Early 17th-century illustrations by a note European astronomer. Note the textures assigned to these comets, resembling fur or feathers. Note also the illustration of crowns or rays emanating from the comets. Before modern science, humans believed comet tails to have textures of fur. This is why large groups of comet fragments crossing the sky are called "horsemen" who were wearing "white robes dipped in blood" (Revelation). The blood refers to the red, fiery visual effects.

Fourth impact: Unknown location land impact that produces huge ejection of particles into the atmosphere

Fourth Trumpet: Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. (Revelation 8:12)

Analysis: This impact strikes land and ejects a tremendous mass of particular matter into the atmosphere, causing a darkening of the sun, moon and sky. The severity of the darkness (a third of the sun) means global crop failures due to lack of photosynthesis. Very similar to a nuclear winter. This impact will cause mass global famine and the collapse of many nations.

Fourth Bowl: Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8)

Analysis: Pouring out the bowl "on the sun" confirms the darkening of the sun. The massive blast of the impact also causes fires across the globe. Interestingly, even though these comets are God's judgment against the wickedness of mankind, man continues to blaspheme God and curse him for the punishment. This seems to motivate God to continue with ever-larger comet impacts. Each of these appears to become increasingly catastrophic.

Fifth impact: Planet Earth is ripped wide open to reveal its molten magma layer

Fifth Trumpet: Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. (Revelation 9:1)

Analysis: The "star fallen from heaven to the earth" is another irrefutable description of a comet impact. The "bottomless pit" is what happens when Earth's crust is ripped wide open, revealing a gaping hole many kilometers deep, all the way to the molten magma layer of the planet, where molten rock is constantly churning in a semi-liquid form. Naturally, smoke, fire and heat would arise from this like "a great furnace."

Fifth Bowl: Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10)

Another early painting, depicting the arrival of comets causing cities to burn, also impacting ships on the sea.

Sixth impact: Destruction of Israel and the Middle East

Sixth Trumpet (Revelation 9:13): Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killedby the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

Analysis: The four "angels" are four comet fragment impacts that impact near the Euphrates river. The "army of the horsemen" being two hundred million refers to the number of comet fragments following in the orbit of a very large comet on a collision course with Earth. The breastplates of the horses, seen by John in his visions, clearly describe properties of burning and exploding comets. The "fire and smoke and the brimstone" coming out of the "mouths" of the horses refers to gaseous ejections coming out of superheated comets as they enter Earth's atmosphere. This is called "outgassing."

Sixth Bowl (Revelation 16:12): Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

Analysis: The sixth angel is the sixth comet impact, which explains why all the water is evaporated and dispersed from the river.

Sixth Seal (Revelation 6:12): I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?

Seventh impact: The total annihilation of the surface of the Earth and the liquefaction of Earth's upper crust

In the final impact event on Earth, sent by God to destroy the "Beast" and the Antichrist (referring to humankind's technological enslavement systems and corrupt human leaders), all life on Earth is exterminated and all traces of human civilization are wiped clean.

The Seventh Seal: (Revelation 8:1)

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angels hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

It couldn't be more clear that the Seventh Seal is describing large space rocks (comets) being hurled at Earth. The Seven Trumpet also aligns with the Seventh Seal. Notably, the angels rejoice at the destruction of human civilization which has turned against God:

The Seventh Trumpet: (Revelation 11:15)

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:

We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,

The One who is and who was and who is to come,

Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,

And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,

And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,

And those who fear Your name, small and great,

And should destroy those who destroy the earth.

Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

The seventh Bowl describes the complete flattening of Earth's crust, both above and below the ocean water level. No life is left on the planet. This is God's "cosmic reset" event that cleanses the planet of evil and defeats the Beast:

The Seventh Bowl: (Revelation 16:17)

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done! 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

Other supporting chapters from the Old Testament

Here are additional mentions of cosmic impact events striking Earth, describing various effects on humans and civilizations. Notably, the first group here is from the Old Testament:

Isaiah Ch 2:19

They shall go into the holes of the rocks,

And into the caves of the earth,

From the terror of the Lord

And the glory of His majesty,

When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

Joel 2:10

The earth quakes before them,

The heavens tremble;

The sun and moon grow dark,

And the stars diminish their brightness.

11 The Lord gives voice before His army,

For His camp is very great;

For strong is the One who executes His word.

For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;

Who can endure it?

Joel Ch 30:

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:

Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

And the moon into blood,

Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

32 And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.

For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,

As the Lord has said,

Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

2 Peter ch 3:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Zepheniah 1:18

But the whole land shall be devoured

By the fire of His jealousy,

For He will make speedy riddance

Of all those who dwell in the land.

(days of darkness, etc., read the whole chapter)

Zepheniah 3:8

My determination is to gather the nations

To My assembly of kingdoms,

To pour on them My indignation,

All My fierce anger;

All the earth shall be devoured

With the fire of My jealousy.

Ezekiel 22:17

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21 Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you. 

Ezekiel 38:

And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord God, that My fury will show in My face. 19 For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 20 so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains, says the Lord God. Every mans sword will be against his brother. 22 And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord. 

Psalm 75:

We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.

2 When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly. 3 The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah

4 I said to the boastful, Do not deal boastfully, And to the wicked, Do not lift up the horn. 5 Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck. 

6 For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7 But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another. 8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, And the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down.

9 But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10 All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

New Testament passage:

Here's an additional passages from the New Testament that also describes the comet impact events in excruciating detail:

Acts 2:14, Peter's Sermon

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.

The second coming of Christ is not Christ, but rather a comet from God

Antichrist. Yet almost no one who believes this has actually read Revelation Ch. 19 because theres no mention of Jesus whatsoever in the entire chapter. (Revelation 19:11) What John is actually describing is not the return of Jesus on a white horse, but the arrival of a civilization-ending comet sent by God to cleanse the planet of the evil of Man. This is irrefutable once you read the Book of Revelation with modern-day knowledge of comets and the results of their impact with Earth.

Revelation 19:11: Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Notice there's no mention of Christ in the entire chapter?

Christians have been deceived. Theyve been falsely taught that Jesus returns from the sky on a white horse, to defeat evil and destroy the Beast and the

The seven Trumpets, for example, are clearly seven comet impact events, unleashed by God against humankind.

One simple example of this is found in Revelation 9:1 which overtly describes a deep comet impact with Earth that shatters Earths crust: The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.

As written above, the Seventh Seal also refers to giant comets being hurled at Earth from the sky. Revelation 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The Trumpets themselves are irrefutably comet impacts. From Revelation Ch. 8: The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. And The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water and The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark.

Jesus isn't coming to save mankind; God is sending weapons to destroy it

Jesus isnt coming to save humankind, in other words. Thats the great lie of modern Christianity. There will be no saving of humanity in physical form but only the saving of souls after the extermination of humanity.

To reset to the new Earth mentioned in Revelation 21, God is sending an Extinction-Level-Event comet to wipe out humankind and start over, because God deems the human race irredeemable due to its demonstration of intense evil, violence, greed, pride and disloyalty to Him. Many of the very Christians who incorrectly think Christ is coming to save them are the very ones that God is looking to destroy because of their unbounded evil and their spiritual incoherence in their abandonment of the teachings of Christ (especially in their advocacy of Israels ongoing genocidal violence against civilians, women and children).

Hilariously, mainstream Christians think theyre going to be saved by the very weapon that God is sending to wipe out all human existence, from which all human souls will then be judged according to their deeds, not based on whether theyve read the Bible or attended church at all.

Revelation 20:12 says, And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. And in Revelation 21, the angels describe to John exactly what kind of people will be sent to Hell in the fiery lake for a second death: the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars.

That would include nearly all modern Zionists, all Christian Zionists, nearly all politicians, nearly all business CEOs, nearly all heads of NGOs and fake front non-profits, nearly all living celebrities, etc. In other words, the vast majority of the human race gets sent to Hell, including nearly all Christians because in reality, they live in gross contradiction of Gods requirements to enter Heaven.

I cover this in extreme detail in my Easter Sunday broadcast, complete with 16th-century illustrations of comets, quotes from Gods angels and reading the words right out of Revelation, faithfully, without the lies and deceptions of modern Christian pastors who refuse to acknowledge what Revelation actually says. You can hear that full podcast here:

Rumble link: https://rumble.com/v6sc6d7-easter-sunday-special-message-from-the-health-ranger-god-destroys-all-human.html

Brighteon link here.

The bottom line?

Get right with God, because all human beings are exterminated in a "cosmic reset" event where God wipes Earth clean of all human life and starts over. Your soul may be saved, but only if you are worthy in the eyes of God. And earning that ticket to Heaven has nothing to do with reading the Bible, attending church or singing hymns. It's about being a good person in the eyes of God. And as simple as that seems to be, the vast majority of human beings living today will utterly fail to live up to God's rather simple requirements: Don't be a coward, a murderer, a liar, etc. Yet even the Christian pastors of today, for the most part, can't meet that simple requirement.

Nor can most "Christians."

As such, the way modern Christianity is practiced in the West is largely an absolute fraud.

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Declining imports signal shift in Chinas energy strategy

China's coal imports fell to a historic low in March 2025 due to a six percent annual decline, driven by surging domestic production, steep drops in coal prices and a strategic shift toward self-sufficiency amid oversupply and high port inventories.

Domestic coal production soared in late 2024, averaging 11.66 million tons daily, as mines ramped up operations to address shortages and ensure energy security, particularly for winter heating amid cold weather challenges.

Coal remains essential to China's energy grid, accounting for over 50 percent of electricity until 2030, despite $133 billion in 2024 renewable investments. Analysts highlight coal's role as stable baseload power compensating for renewable intermittency and rising electricity demand from industrial growth and electrification.

Global coal markets face pressure as narrowing profit margins and Indonesia's refusal to cut pricesdue to rising production costspush China toward domestic sourcing, depressing global coal prices and complicating profitability for exporters like Australia and Russia.

China's energy strategy balances renewables and coal, presenting a paradox: Investments in green energy outpace coal globally, yet new coal plants continue to be built to meet demand.

China's coal imports fell by six percent year-on-year in March 2025, marking a historic low as domestic production surged and prices dropped to their lowest levels in four years.

Data from the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China revealed imports of 38.73 million metric tons, down from 41.38 million tons in March 2024. Meanwhile, domestic dispatch volumes averaged 11.66 million tons daily in late 2024 as mines ramped up their operations.

The decline highlights the conflicting pressures in China's energy policy: the world's largest coal consumer is balancing the expansion of renewable energy with its unwavering reliance on coal to meet electricity demand. Analysts note that the drop reflects weak demand, high port inventories and a strategic pivot toward self-sufficiency.

The March import figures, the first annual decline since March 2022 (excluding Lunar New Year adjustments), highlight steep domestic coal price declines. The Bohai-Rim Bay thermal coal index hit 676 yuan ($92.70) per ton on April 11, the lowest since March 2021, as oversupply prioritized domestic supply chains.

Reuters reported that China's coal imports for the first quarter of 2025 totaled 114.85 million tons, a 0.9 percent drop compared to 2024's 115.89 million, despite record January-February imports of 76.12 million tons. Analysts attribute the shift to narrowing import profit margins and port inventory surpluses.

Domestic coal output soars as mines reopen

Domestic production boomed in late 2024, with daily coal dispatch averaging 11.66 million tons from Nov. 1 to 5, a 1.2-million-ton increase from late September. State-owned coal mines resurged after regulatory approvals accelerated, replenishing power plant inventories after seasonal shortages.

According to the Global Times, coal stocks at power stations rebounded, easing fears of supply disruptions. The surge underscores Beijing's commitment to energy security, even as renewable capacity grows.

While China leads in renewable energy capacity, coal remains the backbone of its power grid. Thermal power hit a record 6.34 trillion kWh in 2024 General Administration of Customs  a 1.5 percent rise annually  as renewables like solar and wind face intermittency challenges.

"Coal provides essential baseload power to stabilize grids overwhelmed by renewables," explained Zhang Xiaoming, an energy economist at the Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research Center. Despite ambitious climate pledges, coal's central role shows little sign of fading. China's National Energy Administration estimates coal will supply over 50 percent of electricity until 2030, even as renewables double in capacity. (Related: Report: China must shut 600 coal-fired power plants to hit climate targets by 2060.)

Supplier dynamics further strained imports. Indonesian miners, facing royalty hikes and cost increases, have resisted cutting prices to match China's domestic rates. This "price gap," analysts say, has incentivized Chinese buyers to rely on local mines instead of overseas deliveries.

"Indonesia's intransigence could lock Chinese power plants into domestic sourcing for months," said Liu Zhong, a Singapore-based commodities trader. The ripple effects extend globally: lower Chinese demand contributed to falling global coal prices, complicating profitability for exporters like Australia and Russia.

The import drop comes amid conflicting signals about China's energy future. Renewable investments reached $133 billion in 2024, toppling coal in funding globally, yet coal-fired plants are still under construction. The National Bureau of Statistics warned that rising electrification, driven by electric vehicles and industrial growth, will heighten power demand, requiring coal to "compensate for systemic gaps." Critics argue this approach clashes with China's goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030.

A decade of global coal dependence

China's coal dominance is no recent phenomenon. Since overtaking the U.S. as the top coal producer in 2009, China has fueled 40 percent of the world's total consumption. Despite climate policy pledges, its coal fleet expanded by 297 gigawatts between 2015 and 2023. This trajectory clashes with global climate goals, but aligns with Beijing's pragmatism, the state must balance climate targets with energy security and economic growth. The March import data adds another layer to this balancing act, revealing an economy increasingly insulating itself from resource volatility.

China's dual paths  greening the grid while deepening coal  reflect a nation straddling progress and pragmatism. The March import slump isn't a departure from strategy but a symptom of its execution. As Beijing strengthens domestic coal to control costs and carbon, the world watches whether this balancing act will slow global emissions or merely prolong the fossil fuel era. For now, the answer burns bright in the smoky skies of Chinese power plants.

Similar stories can be found at GreenNewDeal.news.

Watch the video below where Trump says he will boost the production of beautiful clean coal in the United States.

This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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Russia expands hydrocarbon exports to China, cements position as largest oil supplier to Chinese market.

Trump's bold coal revival: A key pillar of a diversified energy strategy.

China's manufacturing and industrial hubs hit by power shortages.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

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Brighteon.com
Disgraced former British MP previously campaigned to ban Donald Trump from the United Kingdom

Former British MP Tulip Siddiq resigned amid corruption claims tied to her family's political connections in Bangladesh, including allegations of embezzling funds from a nuclear project and acquiring property through forged documents.

Siddiq is the niece of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina, who was accused of authoritarianism and corruption during her 15-year rule before being ousted. The new Bangladeshi government seeks to seize Siddiqs London properties if proven illegally obtained.

Siddiq campaigned to ban Donald Trump from the UK in 2016, calling his rhetoric "corrosive" and dismissing his economic threats. She previously worked on Obamas 2008 campaign and advocated for Bangladeshi causes in British politics.

Siddiq denies the corruption allegations, citing an independent review that found "no evidence" of misconduct, but resigned to avoid becoming a distraction for PM Keir Starmers administration.

Dan Norris, another UK MP who criticized Trump, was recently arrested over allegations of rape, child sexual offenses, and misconduct in public office, adding to the scrutiny of anti-Trump figures in British politics.

A disgraced member of the British Parliament has been found to have previously campaigned to ban U.S. President Donald Trump from the United Kingdom back in 2016.

Tulip Siddiq, former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hampstead and Highgate constituency, resigned from government in January amid allegations of corruption linked to her family's political ties in Bangladesh.

Siddiq, a member of British Prime Minister (PM) Keir Starmer's Labor Party, is the niece of the ousted former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina. The latter ruled Bangladesh for 15 years amid allegations of authoritarianism and corruption before being ousted in a recent election.

The Bangladeshi Anti-Corruption Commission alleges that Siddiq and her family engaged in corruption themselves, including embezzling funds from a nuclear power project. Investigators claim she used forged signatures to secure a prime 7,200-square-foot property in Dhaka's diplomatic zone. The new Bangladeshi government, led by incumbent Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, has called for her London properties  reportedly gifts from allies of her aunt  to be seized if proven illicitly obtained.

Before her resignation, the MP was accused of illegally obtaining property through forged documents while her aunt was in power. Siddiq has denied wrongdoing, citing an "independent review" that found "no evidence" of impropriety. She nonetheless resigned to avoid being a "distraction" for Starmer's administration.

Siddiq's fellow Labor MP and Trump critic also under fire

Born in London to Bangladeshi immigrants, the 41-year-old Siddiq leveraged her transnational connections. She campaigned for then-Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) presidential run in 2008, and he advocated for Bangladeshi causes in British politics. Siddiq also became a vocal opponent of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The Hampstead and Highgate MP slammed the "corrosive" rhetoric of the real estate mogul and dismissed his threats to withdraw investment from the United Kingdom. "The U.K. should not be held to ransom by corrosive billionaire politicians," she told The Telegraph at the time.

The revelations about Siddiq follow news of another MP and Trump critic being exposed for his misdeeds. Early this month, North East Somerset and Hanham MP Dan Norris was taken into custody. The 65-year-old was later released on conditional bail pending further investigation.

Norris' arrest stemmed from allegations of rape, child sexual offenses, child abduction and misconduct in a public office. According to the Avon and Somerset Police, the allegations span two decades  with most offenses reportedly occurring in the 2000s and a rape accusation dating to the 2020s. (Related: British lawmaker and Trump critic ARRESTED for child sexual offenses.)

The North East Somerset and Hanham MP's career has been marked by vocal criticism of Trump. In a post on X from June 2023, he compared Trump to disgraced former British PM Boris Johnson of the Conservative Party.

Visit Corruption.news for more similar stories.

Watch this clip of former Hove MP Ivor Caplin, also of the Labor Party, being arrested by Sussex Police for attempting to meet a minor.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

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Boston City Councilor and former illegal immigrant Tania Fernandes Anderson arrested on federal fraud charges.

MASK OFF: Former British lawmaker and LGBT advocate Ivor Caplin ARRESTED in pedophile sting operation.

Dark corruption in Utah: Fire chief and judge arrested in child exploitation scandal.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com 1

TheNationalPulse.com 2

Breitbart.com

TheNationalPulse.com 3

Brighteon.com
U.S. closes controversial State Department office accused of pushing political censorship under Biden

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. State Department formally shut down the GEC, accusing it of misusing taxpayer funds to target conservative voices under the Biden administration. The agency was rebranded as Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI) in late 2023, but Rubio dismissed it as a "rebranded shell game" and declared the GEC "dead."

A years-long political feud over the GEC's alleged suppression of conservative media, campaign-finance controversies and rebranding attempts preceded its closure. Congressional Republicans denied its $61 million 2023 budget in December 2023, forcing the shutdown after refusing to fund its operations.

Created in 2016 to combat foreign disinformation like ISIS propaganda, critics argued the GEC shifted focus to U.S. domestic politics, targeting outlets like The Federalist and labeling figures such as journalist Ben Shapiro as "foreign agents." Republicans condemned this as unconstitutional overreach.

Figures like Elon Musk and journalist Matt Taibbi condemned the GEC's actions, with Musk calling it the "worst offender in U.S. government censorship." The closure reignited national debates over free speech, government overreach and media bias, with critics warning of politicizing counterintelligence efforts.

While Democrats defended the GEC's role in national security against foreign disinformation, the shutdown reflects deep partisan divisions. Experts question whether the agency's functions persist under renamed programs, with the decision underscored by fears of eroding free speech or weakening anti-disinformation tools, signaling broader cultural and political tensions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday, April 16, that the U.S. State Department has formally shuttered the Global Engagement Center (GEC), an agency he accused of spending millions of taxpayer dollars annually on quashing "American voices" under the Biden administration.

The decision follows a years-long partisan feud over the GEC's alleged misuse to suppress conservative media, rebrand itself to evade shutdown efforts, and campaign-finance controversies.

Rubio revealed the long-awaited closure of the office, which had recently been renamed the Counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (R/FIMI). The GEC, inaugurated in 2016 under President Barack Obama, was initially tasked with combating foreign disinformation but later drew scrutiny for targeting American conservative outlets. Rubio called its actions "antithetical to the principles we should be upholding." He accused the Biden administration of funneling taxpayer funds to label outlets like The Federalist and journalist Ben Shapiro as "foreign agents," a charge Democrats have consistently denied.

The agency's 2023 annual budget was $61 million, employing 120 staff, but congressional Republicans denied its funding last December. Despite its rebranding, Rubio declared victory: "GEC is dead. It will not return." Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), a vocal critic, tweeted, "Excellent," while Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Deputy Director Dan Bishop praised Rubio's move as "the way."

The GEC was established to counter violent extremism, per its original mission statement, but later drifted into domestic political terrain, critics argue. Rubio claimed its activities escalated to targeting "individual Americans," contradicting its founding purpose to fight groups like ISIS.

Elon Musk and journalist Matt Taibbi had previously accused the GEC of overreach. Musk, in 2023, called it "the worst offender in U.S. government censorship," while Taibbi argued the agency stifled debates over the pandemic by conflating conservative viewpoints with Russian disinformation campaigns. (Related: Trump administration takes on global censorship: A new frontier for free speech advocacy.)

House Republicans ramped up pressure last year, with members penning a letter to former Secretary of State Antony Blinken claiming the GEC exhibited a systemic bias toward "American progressives." After refusing to greenlight its budget, legislative Republicans forced the agency to rebrand in December, a move Rubio criticized as a "rebranded shell game" to evade accountability.

Democrats, however, pushed back. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) argued the GEC was crucial for national security against foreign disinformation. Biden allies framed their rebranding as a procedural shift to align with broader policy changes.

Broader implications and political polarization

The GEC scandal fits into a broader national debate over free speech, government overreach and media bias. Rubio's move has been framed by allies as a triumph for First Amendment principles, while critics argue it risks eroding tools to combat genuine foreign threats.

The controversy echoes Cold War-era fears of government censorship, with historians noting parallels to McCarthyism's anti-Communist purges.

"This isn't just about an agency's closure  it's about who controls the narrative in the digital age," said political analyst Sarah Kramer.

Rubio vowed the GEC's "core functions will not return," but some experts question whether its crackdown on disinformation will persist under renamed programs. The Biden team has not formally addressed his announcement, leaving political adherents to speculate whether free speech or national security will dominate future policy.

The GEC's fate underscores a deep divide over whether the U.S. government should police domestic content at all, even when adversaries like Russia or China exploit such efforts to legitimize authoritarianism. As public distrust in institutions grows, the decision could signal increased partisanship  or a commitment to safeguarding democratic ideals.

The closure of the GEC marks a milestone in the Biden-Rubio era's ongoing clash over executive power and free expression. While critics celebrate what they see as a rebuke of censorship, others warn of politicizing counterintelligence efforts. With debates over information integrity intensifying, Wednesday's move may only further catalyze the culture war playing out inside the State Department  and the American psyche.

Watch the video below that talks about the Trump administration cracking down on censorship.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump's FDA pick Makary vows to fight censorship, tackle toxic food additives.

Trump signs executive order to end federal censorship and protect free speech.

Trump cracks down on CISA, aims to end government censorship.

Sources include:

RT.com

FoxNews.com

Brighteon.com
Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, an opposition activist and lawyer released after the expulsion of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, shows his eight-year-old photo, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug. 9, 2024.

When the guards barged into his cell one evening as he was saying his nightly prayers, Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman was convinced it was over.

"I thought I was being taken for execution," the lawyer said. "I said a last prayer in my mind for my passing to be quick."

It had been eight long years since Quasem was abducted from his Dhaka, Bangladesh, home by paramilitary forces and taken to a windowless cell in a secret prison, where he was kept in the dark, blindfolded and handcuffed for 24 hours a day, for months on end.

But that evening in August of last year, he was suddenly shuffled from his cell into a van and driven to an empty field, where his captors pushed him into a ditch.

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The gunshot he was expecting never came. Quasem heard the van drive away instead.

"At the time I didn't know that there had been a change of regime, that the fascist [Hasina] had gone," Quasem, 40, told CBC News in an interview at his office in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

Quasem is one of Bangladesh's 'disappeared'  victims of a program that targeted Hasina's political opponents, with hundreds vanishing without a trace after being taken by security forces. (Salimah Shivji/CBC)

His abrupt release came days after Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister who had ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 years, fled the country aboard a helicopter, after protesters stormed her official residence following several weeks of bloody protests against her regime.

As the South Asian country  now run by interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who's promised steep reforms  tries to rebuild a robust democracy following the student-led uprising that ousted Hasina, stories like Quasem's have shocked the country, with a clearer picture emerging of the previous regime's treatment of dissenters.

'House of Mirrors'

Quasem is one of Bangladesh's "disappeared"  victims of a program that targeted Hasina's political opponents, with hundreds vanishing without a trace after being taken by security forces.

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Many ended up in what was code-named the "House of Mirrors," a secret military detention centre in the capital Dhaka, only one of hundreds of suspected underground jails across the country.

Other abductees were killed and their bodies thrown in rivers, loaded down with cement bags to stop them from resurfacing, according to a Bangladeshi commission of inquiry.

In its preliminary report released in December , the commission, which was set up by Bangladesh's interim government soon after Hasina was chased from power, concluded that the former prime minister and her senior officials orchestrated a highly-organized program of enforced disappearances that was "systematically designed" to remain under the radar.

WATCH | In Bangladesh, seven months after student-led protests toppled government:

The country's International Court Tribunal issued arrest warrants for alleged crimes against humanity during the violent protests last summer, and for Hasina's alleged role in the system of enforced disappearances while she was in office.

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The United Nations human rights office has also accused Hasina and her security and intelligence apparatus of "serious and systematic" rights violations during the three-week protest movement that led to her ouster.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk estimated more than 1,400 demonstrators were killed, with the majority shot by police or other security forces.

Turk said that an initial investigation found the violations could amount to crimes against humanity, as they were "carried out with the knowledge, co-ordination, and direction of the former political leadership and senior security officials" who were aiming to suppress the protests and stay in power.

Then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina is seen reviewing an honour guard at the Government House during her visit to Thailand, in Bangkok on April 26, 2024, four months before she was ousted from office. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Hasina, who is in exile in neighbouring India, denies the charges against her, calling them politically motivated.

In a recent speech on social media to her Awami League party's followers, the ousted prime minister accused Yunus of playing with fire and of destroying Bangladesh in his "hunger for power."

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It came shortly after a court in Bangladesh issued yet another arrest warrant for Hasina, this time for allegedly abusing her power to procure land illegally.

'Worse than death'

Quasem, grabbed by security forces at 32 years old, was kept in near total darkness and could hear others in cells beside him crying and screaming as they were being tortured.

"What I was subjected to felt worse than death," said Quasem, who is struggling with post-traumatic stress and trauma-induced depression after his ordeal.

He had repeated nervous breakdowns while he was held captive, lost dozens of pounds and developed epilepsy, as well as cataracts in both eyes from malnutrition. His wrists often became raw and infected from the metal handcuffs that he was forced to wear rubbing against his skin.

But the worst pain for Quasem during his eight years of darkness was emotional  worrying about the toll on his family, particularly his two daughters who were three and four years old when he was taken.

Family members of victims of enforced disappearance allegedly committed by government agencies during the rule of the Awami League gather holding banners and portraits of their disappeared relatives, In Dhaka on Aug. 11, 2024. (Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images)

He was haunted by one vivid memory as he was being dragged into a van by paramilitary officers wearing plainclothes. Quasem heard his four-year-old daughter running after him, carrying his shoes and telling him he shouldn't leave home without them.

"It felt like I was [being] buried alive. Not knowing whether my family knew whether I was alive or dead," Quasem said, calling the detention centres "meticulously designed to prolong suffering".

The successful lawyer was taken while he was in the middle of a high-profile trial as part of the legal team defending his father, a prominent leader in Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh's Islamist opposition party.

His father was convicted and executed for alleged war crimes a month after Quasem was forcibly disappeared.

Quasem, seemingly targeted for his family connections rather than anything else, is now back with his family, trying to readjust to a life that was devastated. With eight years stolen from him, he's missed seeing his daughters grow into teenagers.

"We are father and daughter. But it's as if we're strangers," he said, trying to describe the lingering trauma.

"I have to get to know my children all over again."

'The pain is so fresh'

The commission examining the system of enforced disappearances under Hasina's rule received more than 1,600 reports of people being forcibly disappeared, and more than 700 accounts have been verified. But officials believe the actual number of victims could be two or three times higher.

For hundreds of families, the agony is in not knowing what happened to their loved ones.

Mashrufa Islam, whose father Saiful Islam Heru, a former independent MP, disappeared in November 2013, two months before a general election in Bangladesh in which Hasina won by a landslide. (Salimah Shivji/CBC)

"It's been 12 years and the pain is so fresh," said Mashrufa Islam, breaking down in tears during an interview at her Dhaka home as she described what happened to her abbu, meaning father in Bengali.

Saiful Islam Heru, a former independent MP, disappeared in November 2013, two months before a general election in Bangladesh in which Hasina won by a landslide.

The elections were not fair and free, according to human rights groups and various global leaders, who criticized the widespread crackdown on opposition politicians before the vote.

Heru was driving back to Dhaka with his brother and one of Islam's cousins when they were stopped by paramilitary officers, said Islam, 39.

Her family tried to get answers, repeatedly visiting officials with the Bangladesh police's elite anti-terrorism unit to ask what had happened to Heru, until Islam said she herself received a veiled threat.

"[A senior officer] told me: 'You could also go missing,'" Islam said.

Islam shows a photo of herself and her father. (Salimah Shivji/CBC)

The family immediately stopped speaking out about her father, fearing they would also become targets.

Nearly 12 years later, Islam said she didn't have any hope left that her father, who would now be 75, is still alive. His is one of the 330 cases the commission of inquiry has tracked where the victims have not returned home.

"He didn't deserve this. Only because he was in an opposition party from the ruling government," said Islam.

"They kept on making people disappear," she said, through her tears. "This is not the way of a free country. This is not the way of a democracy."

She wants to know exactly what her father went through, even though her aging mother and her older sister prefer not to hear the details.

The entire family is praying they will see justice, including jail time for those "at the highest level" who allegedly issued the order to abduct her father.

That might provide some type of closure, Islam said, even if the fact that her father was forcibly disappeared robbed her family of the dignity of saying goodbye.

"It's such a painful thing," she said. "Not seeing your father, not giving him a proper funeral."

'Some will still be untraceable'

In February, Bangladesh's caretaker leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, visited several of the secret prisons.

"We don't want to stay in this darkness," Yunus, 84, told reporters following the tour.

He credited those on the enforced disappearances commission with doing the hard work to gather evidence and give credence to the stories from those who survived the detention centres, and from victims' families still waiting for answers.

Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, second from left, visit to the 'House of Mirrors,' a facility allegedly run by the army intelligence in Dhaka, on Feb. 12. (Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Office of Interim Government/AFP/Getty Images)

"They have complete proof and they will get justice," said Yunus, who has promised to implement steep reforms. He added that the wider goal is to make sure the horrors of secret prisons and extrajudicial killings are not repeated in the future. "That's our commitment."

But the interim government knows how difficult the task ahead might be, with the scars of the disappearances running deep in a country where justice is often delayed, and many of the accused currently in hiding outside Bangladesh.

While Yunus has promised that Hasina will stand trial for crimes against humanity, even though India has so far ignored its neighbour's extradition requests, he has also tried to temper expectations over how quickly the families of victims will see high-level security officials behind the enforced disappearances behind bars themselves.

"Some will get punished, some will still be under the process, some will still be untraceable," the interim leader told Sky News last month .

Anti-government protestors display Bangladesh's national flag as they storm Hasina's palace in Dhaka on Aug. 5, 2024. (K M Asad/AFP/Getty Images)

An election in Bangladesh is expected as early as December 2025, although that date could be pushed back a few months, with the pace of reforms slow.

But Sanjida Islam Tulee and other family members of the victims say they are tired of the long wait for answers.

The disappearance of her brother Sajedul Islam Sumon in 2013 prompted Tulee and their mother to create a protest group called Mayer Daak, or "mother's call." The group organized street rallies to bring attention to the plight of Bangladesh's disappeared even while Hasina was still in power, despite pressure from the then-government to stay quiet.

Sanjida Islam Tulee is seen at the Mayer Daak office in Bangladesh. The disappearance of her brother Sajedul Islam Sumon in 2013 prompted Tulee and their mother to create a protest group called Mayer Daak, or "mother's call." (Salimah Shivji/CBC)

In the days after Hasina fled the country, hopes were high, said Tulee. She and her mother had a lengthy visit with Yunus, who had just been named chief adviser to lead the interim government.

But weeks passed with still no word on justice for their missing family members.

"People keep talking about the new Bangladesh, about change. But I don't see any results," Tulee, 41, told CBC News.

Mayer Daak founder Hazera Khatun, centre, is consoled by Yunus, left, as she holds a portrait of her son who went missing during the tenure of Hasina, in Dhaka on Aug. 13, 2024. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images)

"All I see on my side is so much pain and trauma."

She wants fair and transparent trials and for those in charge of the system of enforced disappearances to be punished.

Islam says she would also like to see the secret prisons open to everyone, as a reminder of the horrific chapter in Bangladesh's recent history.

"We want this truth to come out."
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GREAT TO BE HERE! Indian gangster Balraj Singh Randhawa is reportedly on the run in Canada from a murder beef in India. INDIAN POLICE

It was a glorious time.

 Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), Goodfellas

Glorious has been a byword for mobsters in Canada over the past two decades.

Lax sentencing, little oversight, and a government that has either been a) hopelessly naive; b) stupid; c) cynically playing for ethnic votes; or d) all of the above.

Canada has become a hub for organized crime, Queens University professor and globally recognized organized crime expert Antonio Nicaso told the Toronto Sun.

It is a territory where organized crime can establish a grip. There are very few groups that are not represented here.

How the Toronto Sun covered the hit on mobster Pat Musitano in July 2020.

While the problem first emerged during Stephen Harpers Conservative government, it has accelerated rapidly under the Justin Trudeau Liberals.

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Over the past two decades, even the phrase organized crime has changed in meaning. Traditionally, Canadians think of mobsters of Italian extraction who are members of Cosa Nostra or the NDraghetta.

Organized crime expert Antonio Nicaso believes the heist may be a multi-ethnic caper. ANTONIO NICASO/ TWITTER

Now, the criminal milieu is a veritable United Nations of ethnicities where the only colour that matters is green.

Canada has become a hub for global money laundering with between $45 billion and $113 billion per year washed through real estate, the big banks, crypto and casinos.

And that cash funds enterprises such as the production and peddling of fentanyl and other crimes.

Alleged gangster Goldy Brar made Canada home. One of his alleged victims was Sidhu Moose Wala.

Thankfully, violence is seldom used, Nicaso said, adding that Mexican and Latin American crime groups are the most bloodthirsty.

Most adhere to using violence sparingly, only when necessary, strategically, he explained.

Nicaso said that while the casualty rate in gangland is low, corruption in Canada is through the roof. Mobsters need the cooperation of institutions to make the machine work.

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To thrive, organized crime must corrupt the institutions, the straight businesses, the politicians and the police. It infests everything, Nicaso said.

Credit: The U.S. Department of Justice Cutline: Murdered Canadian gangster Gerlando Sciascia, left, looks for the car keys while his accused killer, Joseph Massino, right, waits to get into a car in New York in 1981. In the middle, in the dark suit, is Vito Rizzuto, the alleged Mafia boss of Canada who U.S. authroties are trying to extradite to face a murder conspiracy charge.

Organized crime has become increasingly decentralized to protect the borgatas against the cops.

Nicaso said this is a global trend with the Sicilian Mafia deciding not to name a boss of bosses.

One of the harbingers almost certain to play out with bullets on Canadian streets is the 53% drop in the price of cocaine.

In addition, Nicaso said an underground global banking system, 90% controlled by the Chinese triads (read Chinese Communist Party), has vexed law enforcement.

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With this system, criminals no longer have to physically move their money. They get a QR code or the equivalent in crypto, Nicaso said. Then theyll use the money to buy cocaine or other drugs or guns.

Traditionally, the most effective way to shatter organized crime was to follow the money. The underground bank makes that tougher for cops to do.

Nicaso noted there are several reasons why Canada is so popular with crooks. Its a low-risk, high-reward jurisdiction with lax enforcement and an indifferent government.

A photo of Dave (Pic) Turmel, the alleged leader of the Blood Family Mafia, a gang based in Quebec City involved in a conflict with the Hells Angels. He is the most sought after criminal in Quebec and was reportedly arrested by police in Italy during March 2025.

It is also a perfect place to launder money because there is a lack of legislation to fight back, but it hasnt just been the past 10 years, it has always been an issue in Canada, Nicaso said.

But one Rx for the crisis would be a made-in-Canada RICO Act, he said.

RICO is the acronym for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act in the United States, which is designed to prosecute criminal organizations. The target can be a crime family like the Gambinos or an enabling bank.

BANKING OVERSIGHT! Lax oversight of Canadian banks, real estate and financial services has been a windfall for bankers and mobsters. Uncle Pennybags from Monopoly.

Canada is a criminal microcosm; it is the place to be, he said. There is a similar law in Italy, but Canada has never done that, and as a result, nothing happens to criminals.

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Nicaso agreed that Canadas demographics and the fear of being labelled racist have given gangsters an easy ride.

It has been considered an ethnic problem and politicians have long been very careful not to criminalize some groups, he said. Im of Italian descent  is everyone of Italian descent involved in the Mafia? Of course not.

Politicians of all stripes have played blind man when it comes to organized crime. Mark Carney and Justin Trudeau.

Politicians dont want to address this issue, Nicaso said.

Ryan Wedding, alleged leader of a Mexican Cartel-linked criminal network.

The United States has also underscored how the Mexican cartels, Chinese mobs and Eastern European criminals have exploited Canadas weak borders and financial system to unleash a wave of drugs into North America.

If you compare our system with the U.S. in risk, detection and prosecution, you are wise to make Canada your home, Nicaso said.

Wily Bonanno crime family boss Joseph Massino saw the problem and responded accordingly. Busted in a RICO investigation, Massino did what no other godfather had done: He flipped.

A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL: The deadly handiwork of Mexican drug cartels, who have killed up to 150,000 people. GETTY IMAGES

Joe Massino did not want to spend the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty. He would not have that problem in Canada, but because of RICO, he became an informant.

Weve never had a mobster on that level become an informant, Nicaso said. In the U.S., you can only bargain (your sentence) down if you have something to offer.

Why do that in Canada? You can bargain down and get less than 10 years for serious crimes without the need to collaborate. Prosecutors here just give it to you. Keep your mouth shut. Keep the money.

A made-in-Canada RICO would be a game changer, Nicaso said, adding current anti-gang laws are Mickey Mouse.

Only Quebec has effectively used the laws on the books.

Until 1957, most U.S. politicians and the FBI denied the existence of the Mafia.

The same is true of Canada today.

Politicians dont seem to believe that organized crime is a problem here, Nicaso said.

Wing Fung Wilfred Leung, 48, of Toronto faces 18 charges in connection with an alleged loan scam in which young members of the Chinese community in North York were targeted.

Lucky Luciano said there is no good money and there is no bad money. There is only money. But right now, this is not on any political partys agenda.

I fear for law enforcement in the coming years, Nicaso said. They do not have the tools to fight this.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun
An Oregon Health & Science University-led study reveals that low-income adults with diabetes are more likely to go in and out of health insurance, and that insurance instability is even worse for those with complex needs.

Published in the Journal of American Family Medicine, the study examined electronic health records for over 300,000 adults, age 19 to 64, who received care in community-based health centers between 2014 and 2019. Of these, about 39,500 lost their health insurance.

Researchers used statistical models to find out how likely people were to lose insurance.

They found that patients with diabetes were 25% more likely to lose their insurance compared with those without diabetes. Among the patients, those who had uncontrolled diabetes, more complex medication plans or complications were even more likely to lose coverage.

It was a surprise, to be honest. We thought it would be the other way around because you would think someone with diabetes would have more active participation in health insurance." Nathalie Huguet, Ph.D., study's corresponding author, associate professor of family medicine, OHSU School of Medicine

Insurance instability, known as churn, was identified when a previously insured patient had at least two consecutive visits to a clinician without insurance.

Huguet said it was especially concerning that many patients never regained health insurance. They found that 46% of patients with diabetes who lost Medicaid were unlikely to regain health insurance, and 61% of those who lost private insurance coverage never regained insurance.

"The really important finding was, unlike previous assumptions about people who lose eligibility, most people don't get insurance back," she said. "This is especially important because 25 million people were recently disenrolled from Medicaid in May 2023 at the end of the public health emergency due to the pandemic, and policymakers assumed that most of those people would find other insurance."

The study used data through 2019, but Huguet said she is planning to look at what happened to the people disenrolled after the pandemic. Her concern is that the data showed people who most need consistent care, including people with diabetes and other complex medical needs, are more vulnerable to losing their health insurance.

"I would hope policymakers would see that they need to identify ways to keep people enrolled, or if they are disenrolled, that there is direct navigation to get them another type of insurance," she said. "Instead of mass disenrolling millions of people, consider a slower process with support to help people find other insurance.

"States such as Oregon did a good job and did not disenroll people after the pandemic," she added. "If we want to really control costs and keep people out of emergency rooms, we need to help people keep their insurance."
An international research collaboration led by Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists that examined microscopic blobs of protein found in human cells has discovered that some morph from an almost honey-like substance to a hard candy-like solid.

These mysterious droplets, known as biomolecular condensates, solidify when they carry a high proportion of the protein alpha-synuclein, the scientists reported in Science Advances. Clumps of alpha-synuclein are commonly found in the brain cells of people with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative brain disorder.

The scientists said their discovery marks the first successful effort known to quantify condensate dynamics in live cells and highlights the importance of studying the mechanical properties of biomolecular condensates, which are linked to a wide range of biological functions and diseases.

By measuring how these condensates change from liquid to solid in living systems, we can better understand how diseases like Parkinson's develop and progress." Zheng Shi, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and senior author of the study

In the past 15 years, scientists have employed advanced technologies to achieve a detailed look at biomolecular condensates, which lack a membrane boundary. They have designated them as important for understanding cell biology and origins of disease.

Rutgers scientists have zeroed in on those microscopic blobs of protein in the hopes of exploring new cell mechanisms.

"Our study has allowed us to identify factors that trigger the liquid-to-solid transition of these condensates," said Shi, who also is a member of the Cancer Pharmacology Program at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

In patients with Parkinson's, the brain cells that produce dopamine  a brain chemical that is crucial for movement control  die. The disease progresses over time, with symptoms worsening as more neurons are lost.

Alpha-synuclein plays a critical role in Parkinson's disease, as the protein misfolds and clumps, forming pathological forms called Lewy bodies, which are toxic to neurons.

To make their findings, the scientists developed a set of tools that would allow them to overcome previous limitations that only allowed measurements in test tubes.

"This is exciting because our technique allows, for the first time, direct, quantitative measurement of the material properties of condensates in live cells," said Huan Wang, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and the first author of the study. "It's a technological leap that opens new ways to study protein condensates."

The key was to develop tools as tiny as the biomolecular condensates themselves that could probe the globs without destroying the cell that host these condensates.

Researchers created microscopic pipettes, called micropipettes, to accurately measure small volumes of liquids.

The technique took advantage of the capillary effect, a physical phenomenon in which liquid spontaneously rises or falls in a narrow space such as a thin glass tube.

The scientists carefully inserted micropipettes into the condensates, piercing them, and drawing out the liquid or solid material within. By controlling the pressure and observing how the condensates deform and flow inside the micropipette, the scientists measured important properties such as viscosity (how thick a liquid is) and surface tension (how a liquid holds together).

The researchers said their goal is to continue measuring and better understand the properties of condensates in living cells and their implications for diseases.

"This opens new avenues for research into the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases and their treatment," Shi said.

Other scientists from Rutgers involved in the study included: Jean Baum, a Distinguished Professor, Mengying Deng, a postdoctoral associate, and Jordan Elliott, a doctoral student, all with the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology; Zhiping Pang, a professor, and Xiao Su, a guest researcher of the Child Health Institute of New Jersey at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and Conor McClenaghan, an assistant professor at the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine.

Dragomir Milovanovic's group of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases site in Berlin also contributed to the study.
Everyday situations can sometimes feel like big stressors, whether it's delivering an important work presentation, attending a party full of strangers or confronting a partner. Talking to a friend or a therapist can help. But so can practice.

A new project from Carnegie Mellon University researchers aims to make that practice easier by studying whether virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) can simulate stressful situations and help people practice stress-relief strategies. It's a modern spin on exposure therapy: users can put on a pair of VR/AR glasses and practice what they want to say with a digital audience.

The research team, led by Anna Fang, a graduate student in the School of Computer Science's Human-Computer Interaction Institute, will present their work at the upcoming Association for Computing Machinery Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025).

The researchers tested their stress simulation technology on a group of 19 participants, the majority of whom overwhelmingly supported it.

"For the past 10 to 20 years, virtual reality and augmented reality have taken a really big hold on the health and mental health space," said Fang, noting the many meditation apps available for download.

However, Fang noticed that these apps usually place users in a sanitized, isolated environment - like a virtual forest or beach - while they offer tips and breathing exercises for calming down, which makes it hard to transfer those skills into the real world.

The project comes from me wanting a practical way for people to learn these skills and apply them to their real lives. Can we use virtual and augmented reality to simulate an office environment, or a conflict with someone? Then you can actually practice some of those self-care skills in an environment similar to real life." Anna Fang, graduate student, School of Computer Science's Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University

To start, Fang and her team focused on three scenarios that seem to cause people the most stress and anxiety in their daily lives, according to research: public speaking, crowded social events and interpersonal conflict.

The team built eight prototypes with different design elements for each of the three scenarios, for a total of 24 prototypes. Those prototypes took various forms - virtual reality, mixed or augmented reality, or a text-based environment without visual cues - and offered different degrees of interaction. The virtual audience could either respond or ask questions in one prototype, for example, or sit silently in another. In the interactive prototypes, the avatars in VR or AR could chat with users using dialogue powered by a large language model. Users could also hit a button on the controller to access breathing and meditation exercises if they needed them, and instructions appeared as a popup superimposed on the scene.

"For each person, we wanted to try different designs and different combinations, so users could tell us what they liked and didn't like," Fang said. "The participants generally said that it was pretty realistic."

Overall, Fang and her team found that people liked using the technology to gain more awareness about themselves. "They wanted technology that would help them learn self-sufficiency skills that they didn't feel they had," she said.

Participants also noted that they preferred being able to decide when the large language model suggested guidance instead of receiving that guidance automatically. They also wanted to take the headsets to other locations to help them become immersed in and more comfortable with the stressful setting. For example, a participant wanted to use the augmented headset in their home because that was where they planned to discuss an issue with their partner. Or, for public speaking, they wanted to go to the classroom the day before to practice in front of an avatar audience.

"We're further developing it right now. We're creating a full-fidelity deployable model that we can put on the App Store and that people can use at home," Fang said.

In this next version, the team plans to upgrade the avatars to look more realistic and to include more text-to-speech features so the avatars can speak to users more naturally.

"If you think about being stressed in a situation, someone's tone matters a lot," Fang said. "We're also giving the avatars more realistic facial expressions and movements. So if they're angry at you, we can have them furrow their brow."

The upcoming version will also offer an expanded menu of self-care strategies. While the current version contains mostly deep-breathing tips, the next iteration will implement relaxation and body-scanning techniques as well as grounding practices - like having people name objects around them - to help manage anxiety or panic attacks.

"We want to use the system not only to help people learn these skills, but also to experiment with different self-care strategies," Fang said. "They can experiment in a virtual environment that works best and feels best for them, depending on the context, and then make an informed choice on what to implement in the real world."
SIP Or Lump Sum In MF: Which Works Better? Experts' Insights Amid Market Volatility

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Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 15:33 IST

New investors face challenges in volatile markets. Expert suggests SIPs for managing volatility and lump sum investments during dips, with a mix of active and passive funds.

Expense ratio impacts long-term mutual fund returns.

SIP Or Lump Sum In MF: New investors often face tough situations when starting to invest in the market. The turf becomes more difficult when it is full of volatility, making it harder to keep the tough mantle during ups and downs. Mutual funds work as helping financial instruments for new investors to invest regularly in the market without worrying about its nitty-gritty.

A dilemma among new investors often arises if they should go for SIPs or lump sum investments when choosing their mutual funds.

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According to Shaily Gang, Head-Products at Tata Asset Management, both Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) and lump sum investments have their merits.

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs)

SIPs are beneficial in managing market volatility as they allow investors to invest at different times, thereby diversifying the risk associated with a single market level. This approach is particularly valuable during volatile market phases. Gang suggests that investors should consider increasing their SIP amounts in such times. SIPs help maintain discipline and prevent impulsive exits during market ups and downs.

Lump Sum Investments

Lump sum investments can also be advantageous, especially in times of market dips. For instance, if valuations are high or the market is volatile, reallocating to Hybrid funds like Balanced Advantage Funds can be beneficial. Gang said these funds adjust their equity exposure dynamically based on market conditions and macro indicators, giving professional managers the flexibility to make tactical decisions. This ensures that cash is available when needed, eliminating the need for investors to time the market themselves.

Investors have experienced volatility across various time periods for e.g. global financial crisis, dot com bubble, Covid," said Manish Mehta, Joint President & National Head Sales, at Kotak Mutual Fund.

In hindsight, he added, All these volatile periods have given an opportunity to investors to either start their investment journey or add to their existing investment to average their costs."

Active Vs. Passive Funds For New Investors

When it comes to choosing between active and passive (index) funds, Gang recommends a combination of both, depending on the portfolios role.

Core Portfolio

For the core part of the portfolio, diversification is key:  Largecap allocation can be split between active Largecap funds and Nifty 50 ETFs or Index funds.

Flexicap and Large & Midcap funds are better suited for active management due to the potential for varied sector and sub-segment opportunities.

Satellite Portfolio

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In the satellite portion, both active and passive sector funds, such as those in Banking & Financial Services or Pharma & Healthcare, are recommended for further diversification.

These strategies can help new investors build a balanced and resilient portfolio, catering to different market conditions and investment goals.

About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More

First Published: April 20, 2025, 15:31 IST
IIM Sambalpur's 9th Convocation Makes History With 60% Women Graduates: A First Among IIMs

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 11:22 IST

IIM Sambalpur's 9th convocation honoured 370 graduates, with a record 60% women.

IIM Sambalpur's 9th Convocation Ceremony.

IIM Sambalpur, one of the premier management institutions, marked a significant milestone as they celebrated their 9th convocation ceremony. In this event, 370 students culminated their academic journey. This was the first instance at IIM Sambalpur where five different programme students have graduated which included the 9th MBA batch of 316 students (2023-25), the second batch of 38 students in Executive MBA (2022-24), the first batch of 10 students in MBA for Working professionals (2023-25), 6 PhD scholars, and PhD for working professionals.

The graduation ceremony also featured the recognition of outstanding academic achievement of the students as they received chairmans gold medals for academic and extracurricular performance in the MBA, Executive MBA programme, and MBA for Working Professionals programme respectively. Remarkably, Mr. GM Gupta, an 80-year-old entrepreneur also received his degree towards MBA for Working Professional Programme.

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The convocation was graced by Dr Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Honorable Prime Minister as the chief guest. Padma Shri Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIM Sambalpur and Chairman & CEO, Salesforce India & South Asia also dignified the occasion.

Ashish Garg, Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group, was the Guest of Honour. Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, along with deans, faculty members, graduating students, and their parents, was present at the ceremony.

During his keynote address, Dr Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, praised gender ratio, i.e., 60% females in MBA class of IIM Sambalpur and suggested to let it go to 80%.

While admiring world-class campus infrastructure, he added, IIM Sambalpur in its decade of existence has earned a reputation for integrating various activities. The institute upholds core values of innovation, integrity, and inclusiveness. It has incorporated artificial intelligence into its educational framework, which is a significant initiative. I commend IIM Sambalpur for launching the Master Weavers program for the weavers of Western Odisha; this is a commendable effort and contributes to the regional development."

Encouraging students Mishra stated, We are grappling with tectonic shifts in geopolitical alignments while simultaneously witnessing technological breakthroughs at an unprecedented pace. Climate and sustainability are central to this conversation. Disruptions in global supply chains, protectionist policies, heightened geopolitical tensions, and changing global trade patterns are contributing to this complexity. Throughout this journey, one thing is clear that the future will not simply be inherited; it will be created. You must take the initiative to shape your own future and focus on achieving many more milestones, building upon the solid foundation you have established today."

Padma Shri Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman, BOG, IIM Sambalpur and Chairman & CEO, Salesforce India & South Asia, encouraged the graduating students and said, Education is a lifelong journey. The world is evolving rapidly and you will face both opportunities and challenges. However, with the knowledge and skills that you have gained, you are well equipped to navigate any obstacle that can come your way."

Bhattacharya inspired the students by saying, Everyday get up and decide that you will be a better version of yourself, you will be unique, you will take the world on, give your best every single day as if its the most important race that youll run in your life. If you do that, believe me, every one of you will improve every day. This would be a huge payback to your parents, to your nation, to your teachers and most importantly to yourself. Please do that, go out and change the world, be the change that you want the world to be."

In the welcome address, Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, highlighted the achievements of the institute over the past decade. He said, This year, during the convocation, we celebrate ten years of IIM Sambalpurs establishment. This is the first time that we have students from five different programs MBA, Executive MBA, MBA for Working Professionals, PhD, and PhD for Working Professionals receiving their respective degrees. Additionally, this marks the first instance in the history of any IIM or leading B-School in India where the number of females graduating students exceeds that of male students, with 60% females and 40% males."

Prof Jaiswal further said, We are in an advanced stage of being triple crowned IIM including AACSB, EFMD, and BGA. We hope to achieve these accreditations within the next two years, positioning us among the few Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) with these prestigious international recognitions. Despite the global economic slowdown, the 202325 MBA cohort witnessed participation from over 250 companies in the placement process. The highest domestic salary offered this year was Rs 31.12 LPA, while the highest international salary reached 35 LPA. Leading recruiters included PwC, Accenture, Infosys Consulting, Tata Capital, Deloitte, Cognizant, and many others."

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During the convocation ceremony, meritorious students of the graduating class were awarded with a total of seven medals. In the MBA programme, the prestigious chairmans gold medal for outstanding academic excellence was awarded to Vipul Sharma and the Directors gold medal for exceptional academic excellence was received by Nilaksh Dixit.

The IIM Sambalpur Gold Medal for the best all-rounder performance, based on scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, and institution building activities, was awarded to Raghvendra Patel. For the Executive MBA programme, the prestigious Chairmans Gold Medal for exceptional academic excellence was received by Rajesh Kumar Sahu, and the Directors Gold Medal for exceptional academic excellence was awarded to Sameer Babulal Meher. In the MBA for working professionals programme, the prestigious Chairmans Gold Medal for scholastic performance was awarded to Shivani Nagpal and the Directors Gold Medal for scholastic performance was received by Abhishek Kumar Singh.

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 20, 2025, 11:22 IST
West Bengal Board Class 12th Result Date: When Will WBCHSE Declare HS Result? Check Past Trends

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 14:49 IST

West Bengal Class 12 Result 2025: The WBCHSE held the class 12th board exams from March 3 to March 18, 2025.

WBCHSE 12th Result 2025: Over 5 lakh students await their results on wbchse.wb.gov.in. (Representative image/File)

West Bengal Board Class 12th Result Date: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) is expected to declare the Class 12 results in May 2025, following the pattern of previous years. In the past two years, the West Bengal Class 12 results were announced on May 8, 2024, and May 24, 2023, respectively, indicating a consistent trend of result declarations in May. However, the official date and time for the WBCHSE 12th Result 2025 announcement is still awaited.

This year, the Higher Secondary examinations were conducted from March 3 to March 18, 2025, and over 5 lakh students are now eagerly awaiting their results. Once released, students will be able to check and download their West Bengal 12th Result 2025 on the official website- wbchse.wb.gov.in

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Where To Check West Bengal 12th Result 2025?

wbchse.wb.gov.in

wbresults.nic.in

How to Check WBCHSE Class 12 Result 2025?

Students can check their West Bengal Class 12th Result 2025 on the official website by following the given steps:

Step 1: Visit the official website, wbchse.wb.gov.in

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the link for WBCHSE Class 12 Results

Step 3: A new page will open. Enter your roll number and date of birth

Step 4: Click on submit button and your West Bengal Class 12 Result 2025 will appear on the screen.

Step 5: Download your result and take a printout for future use

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WBCHSE Class 12 Result 2025: Previous Year Stats

In the previous academic year, the West Bengal Class 12 results were announced on May 8, 2024, with an impressive overall pass percentage of 90%. A total of 7,55,324 regular students appeared for the Higher Secondary examinations. Among them, 40.92% scored 60% or above, while 22.38% achieved 70% or higher. Additionally, 8.47% of students secured 80% and above, and 1.23% attained 90% or more.

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 20, 2025, 14:49 IST
What Happens If AI Starts Writing Laws? How UAE Will Let Machines Make Rules | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:46 IST

Using AI tools will help UAE ministers track the daily impact of laws on people and economy. The AI ecosystem will develop a centralised AI-based map of all national legislation

Though AI can make laws clearer and more consistent, it could risk data privacy and security.

The United Arab Emirates Cabinet has approved to set up a new AI-powered integrated regulatory intelligence ecosystem to update and monitor laws.

AI will help accelerate the legislative process by up to 70%, reducing the time and effort required for research, drafting, evaluation, and enactment of laws.

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This new legislative system, powered by artificial intelligence, will change how we create laws, making the process faster and more precise," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, wrote on X, following a meeting of the UAE Cabinet.

What Is The UAE Cabinets Decision?

The UAE Cabinet of Ministers meeting approved the creation of a new Regulatory Intelligence Office supported by a new AI-powered integrated regulatory intelligence ecosystem, in order to create a more agile legal system.

Harnessing AI tools will allow UAE ministers to track the daily impact of laws on people and the economy, suggesting updates to legislation informed by national and global data. The AI ecosystem will develop a centralised AI-based map of all national legislation.

The office will also link to global policy research centres, allowing the UAE leadership to benchmark its legislation against international standards and adopt proven models.

The Legislative Intelligence Office and AI-powered integrated regulatory intelligence ecosystem promises more meaningful legislative accuracy, faster updates and more consistent alignment with the needs of citizens, businesses and public institutions.

Can AI Write Laws?

Yes, in todays time, Artificial intelligence (AI) is writing law. This does not mean that there would be changes required in legislative procedure or the rules of legislative bodies. But the process would take only one legislator, or legislative assistant, to use generative AI in the process of drafting a bill.

At present, there projects in the US House, US Senate, and legislatures around the world to trial the use of AI in various ways: searching databases, drafting text, summarizing meetings, performing policy research and analysis, and more.

For example, a Brazilian municipality passed the first known AI-written law in 2023.

Already in the US, the multibillion-dollar lobbying industry is subsidizing lawmakers in writing baroque laws: suggesting paragraphs to add to bills, specifying benefits for some, carving out exceptions for others. Indeed, the lobbying industry is growing in complexity and influence worldwide, as per Lawfare Media.

What Could Be The Benefits?

AI could let policymakers work on more bills, at the same time, add more details to each bill, or interpret and incorporate more feedback from constituents and outside groups.

The addition of a single AI tool to a legislative office may have an impact similar to adding several people to their staff, but with far lower cost.

In terms of speed, AI could help change the policy as quickly to match the platform of the new regime. AI could help legislators do that kind of revision. The result could be policy that is more responsive to votersor more political instability.

AI can also make laws clearer and more consistent. With their superhuman capabilities, AI tools are good at enforcing syntactic and grammatical rules. They will be effective at drafting text in precise and proper legislative language, or offering detailed feedback to human drafters.

In 2015, the Affordable Care Act came close to being struck down because of a typo in four words, jeopardising health care services extended to more than 7 million Americans.

What Are The Risks?

Though AI can change the aspects of traditional law firms, it cannot develop client relationships, offer discretionary judgment, or provide nuanced understanding of complex or unprecedented cases.

Several law firms are already dedicating resources towards understanding AI. In the most State of Practice Survey by Bloomberg Law, 41% of respondents at law firms say their workplace has established an internal team focused on evaluating AI tools for their firm, while 29% say their firm has a dedicated legal team or practice group focused on AI law for their clients.

If a generative AI platform is trained on data containing biases, there are high chances that it will lead to discriminatory outputs, which poses risks for litigators leveraging the technology.

What Should Be A Step Of Caution For Lawyers?

Since several AI applications such as ChatGPT retain queries and share inputs with third parties, legal professionals should check the terms and conditions to prevent exposing clients to risk.

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Litigators must uphold the client-attorney privilege by not sharing confidential or sensitive information and ensuring the platform has adequate data privacy and security safeguards in place.

As AI tools rapidly evolve, existing legislation may fall behind, leaving lawyers in a precarious position when integrating new technologies into their legal practices, as per Bloomberg Law. Thus, lawyers need to be aware of AI-related regulations and their legal consequences, which could impact their credibility.

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 20, 2025, 09:45 IST
Ezra Levant, founder of Rebel News, became embroiled in controversy during the English-language federal leaders debate in Montreal on Thursday. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has documented historic ties to Rebel News owner Ezra Levant, the media personality at the epicentre of a controversy that has engulfed Canada's Leaders' Debates Commission.

After facing criticism for allowing right-wing media activists to dominate the post-French debate press conference, the commission cancelled Thursday's post-debate question-and-answer session citing undefined security concerns.

The commission's decision Thursday came amid tensions between Levant  a political activist behind two entities registered with Elections Canada as third-party advocacy groups  and some journalists covering the English debate on-site.

The controversy that flowed around Levant and his right-wing Rebel News online media employees partly overshadowed the central event of the evening.

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The federal leaders English-debate was a pivotal moment for Poilievre who was seeking to grab the momentum and polling lead away from Liberal Leader Mark Carney as the campaign headed into its final week.

Ethan Cox, left, of Ricochet Media remonstrates with Ezra Levant, CEO of Rebel News, after the cancellation of leaders' scrums during the English-language federal election debate in Montreal on Thursday. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

"On the most important night of the most important campaign of Poilievre's life, Ezra Levant showed up," said Mark Bourrie, author of a recently published book on Poilievre, Ripper, in an interview with CBC News.

"If things hadn't derailed, [Levant] would have probably been dominating the questions himself that night and that would have been really something, to have this come full circle after 25 years."

Levant said in a written statement to CBC News that has not read Bourrie's book or spoken to the author, who Levant described as pushing a "political agenda."

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"I haven't had any meaningful dealings with Poilievre in nearly 25 years," Levant said in the statement.

"Poilievre was a volunteer on my campaign. I myself was still in my 20s. I don't doubt he learned from that campaign but I don't know what teaching I was doing other than being the candidate and working with the team."

CBC News asked the Conservative Party if Poilievre still considered Levant a friend and if there had been any discussions or co-ordination between the two around election communications.

"No. Your insinuations are false. Conservatives are focused on our own campaign to bring home Canada's promise, lower the cost of living, axe taxes, build homes and make Canadians safe, for a change," said the statement.

Worked to get Levant elected

In his book, Bourrie writes that Poilievre became part of a "historically important clique" at the University of Calgary that "became a large part of the core of the modern Conservative movement." This group included people like former Alberta premier Alberta Jason Kenney, law professor Benjamin Perrin and journalist Levant.

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Poilievre and Levant would end up working closely together, even co-authoring a Calgary Herald op-ed in 2002.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during the English debate on Thursday. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press)

Bourrie said that Poilievre was in his early 20s when he joined a team that included Levant behind a push to have Stockwell Day lead the newly minted Canadian Alliance  a party with Western populist roots that eventually merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to become today's Conservative Party.

Day won the leadership of the new party in 2000, defeating Preston Manning, who founded the Reform Party. Day soon lost the 2000 federal election to Jean Chretien's Liberals and resigned his post in 2001.

Historian Mark Bourrie recently authored a book about Pierre Poilievre called, Ripper. (Courtesy of Mark Bourrie)

But Poilievre and Levant had their sights on another goal. Poilievre began campaigning to help Levant  then a young lawyer in his late 20s  become the Canadian Alliance candidate in the riding of Calgary Southwest, which Manning held but would soon vacate on his retirement in January 2002.

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Poilievre helped purge the Calgary Southwest riding association of Manning supporters to pave the way for Levant to win the riding's nomination and become the next likely MP, wrote Bourrie.

But they wouldn't leave anything to chance.

"Poilievre was working for Ezra.... Poilievre was his media manager. Poilievre was the one putting together TV commercials, billboard ads. They spent a lot of money," said Bourrie.

One TV commercial featured Poilievre and his current campaign manager Jenni Byrne, with Stockwell Day's grandchild, posing as an Alberta family.

This image, taken from a 2002 television commercial promoting Ezra Levant in his bid to be a Canadian Alliance candidate in Calgary. Poilievre, second from right, appear in the commercial, along with his current campaign manager Jenni Byrne and the grandchild of Stockwell Day. (CBC News)

This ad, along with details of Poilievre's work for Levant in the riding nomination campaign, is also recounted by a second book, Pierre Poilievre: A political life, written by current Conservative candidate Andrew Lawton.

Despite running about 80 radio and television ads, renting billboards and spending reportedly over $100,000, Levant would never get a chance to represent the riding, even after securing the nomination in February 2002.

Stephen Harper would become Canadian Alliance leader that year, force Levant aside, and take the riding for himself in a May 2002 byelection.

WATCH | Rebel News accreditation at federal election debates questioned:

Bourrie said Levant and Poilievre's paths diverged at this point  Poilievre would stay in the electoral political game while Levant would become an influential player in the right-wing media sphere.

But during this era, as a Western-based conservative movement turned into a national political force, Levant became a "mentor and somebody who opened opportunities" for Poilievre, said Bourrie.

"Poilievre got to go from basically a college politician to running a real campaign, making big decisions, spending money," he said.

"That must have helped him to really move ahead of people his age and his generation of political people. He's a staffer ... and soon after, runs and he wins. He obviously earned his spurs on that."

A quarter of a century later, Levant and Poilievre's paths again crossed in Montreal. But this time, Bourrie said it was Levant campaigning through his registered third-party advocacy entity, ForCanada, paying for a truck to flash messages attacking Carney while rolling around the debate venue.

Levant said that Rebel News "attends all leaders debates, every election, irrespective of who the leaders are." He said the media entity's questions to Poilievre "are on the record."
Will Ukraine Ceasefire Ever Take Place? Why Peace Plan Remains Unattainable | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 17:34 IST

While US has warned that it will walk away from peace talks if progress isnt made quickly, Ukraine is looking for security guarantees and Moscow will use this opportunity to engage with Trump on its core demands

Trump officials have acknowledged privately that the chances of a quick peace deal in Ukraine have grown elusive. (Photo: Reuters)

Ukraine forces are observing a surprise Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin until midnight on Sunday, a significant pause in the fighting between two countries over three years.

The order came after months of trying by US President Donald Trump to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. There is no doubt that Trump launched a peace initiative in January, after returning to the White House, and claiming to his voters that he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours.

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As part of effort, Trump suspended weapons deliveries to Ukraine and paused intelligence sharing and Ukraine proposed an interim truce to Russia, which Putin rejected. In turn, Moscow offered a 30-day mutual suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure. Yet, there was no significant development towards ceasefire.

Can there be a breakthrough in peace efforts, will Russia engage with the Trump administration to end the war, will Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accept terms and conditions? Let us understand.

What Does The US Think Of The War Now?

The US has warned that it will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia if the progress does not happen soon. Trump told reporters, Quickly, we want to get it done." Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, were just going to say, youre foolish, youre fools, youre horrible people, and were going to just take a pass. But hopefully we wont have to do that."

Trumps comments come after his Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Paris after meeting European and Ukrainian leaders that the US would not continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end".

Over the past few weeks, Trump officials have acknowledged privately that the chances of a quick peace deal in Ukraine have grown elusive. Rubios comments, three European diplomats said, reflected growing frustration in the White House over Russian intransigence to end the war.

The US has already made some major concessions to Russia. Before the US-Russia negotiations, Trumps Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Ukraine would not be offered NATO membership.

He also made clear that the US would not be part of any post-war security guarantee arrangement for Ukraine, while officials of Trump signalled that Russia could keep the territories it has captured from Ukraine  which is more than 20% of the pre-2014 Ukraine.

A recent report by Bloomberg said that the Trump administration was open to recognising Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Russia annexed in 2014 following a referendum, as Russian territory as part of a broader ceasefire agreement.

The US officials were also frustrated by Zelenskyys comment this week that Trumps special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was spreading Russian narratives," and said was not helpful to the process, one US official told Reuters.

Vice President JD Vance, who was in Rome and met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said he was optimistic the US could help end this very brutal war".

A US official said the sides would re-engage in London next week, giving Ukraine time to agree fully to a term sheet" presented by Washington. Kyiv was ready for a comprehensive ceasefire over sea, land and air for at least 30 days or longer, the official said.

What Does Russia Think?

Russian officials would use this opportunity to shut down the war, and engage with the Trump administration to put forth its core demands. Some of them include: Ukraine must remain a neutral country (no NATO membership and no NATO troops stationed on its territory); the five oblasts that Russia has annexed (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson) must be formally recognised as part of the Russian Federation, and Western sanctions be lifted; and Ukraine must be demilitarised.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said some progress on peace negotiations had already been made but that contacts with Washington were difficult. He said Russia was striving to resolve the conflict while ensuring its own interests. Moscow remained open to dialogue with the US, he added.

The Russians believe they currently hold strategic momentum in the war, and are unwilling to surrender that advantage for a temporary ceasefire. A frozen conflict would only perpetuate the conflict rather than resolve it," a Hindu report said.

What Are Ukraines Concerns?

The US and Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent on Thursday to set up an investment fund for Ukraines reconstruction as part of an economic partnership agreement.

The aim is to finalise the deal by April 26, the memo published by the Ukrainian government says.

Both countries had been poised in February to sign a deal for cooperation on natural resources. But it was delayed after an Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy turned into a shouting match.

Although the details of the deal remain unclear, but leaks suggested that the agreement has extended beyond minerals to control of Ukraines energy infrastructure, as well as its oil and gas, as mentioned in a BBC report.

Zelensky had been hoping to use the deal to secure a US security guarantee in the event of a ceasefire deal, telling European leaders last month that a ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine".

Having already lost significant portions of Ukraines territories, Zelenskyy is unwilling to go down in history as the leader who legitimised those losses. It could also mean an end to his political career.

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Zelenskyy has been willing to freeze the conflict, without surrendering the right to rearm and remobilise Ukraines forces  the position followed by France and the UK. They believe if Russias demands are accepted, it would effectively rewrite Europes security architecture.

Thus, Europes major powers prefer Ukraine to continue to fight rather than settle for a peace agreement with Russia.

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 20, 2025, 14:45 IST
All Eyes On Modi-Vance Meet: Tariffs, Trade Deal On Agenda As US VP Arrives In India Tomorrow

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 12:31 IST

JD Vance will arrive in New Delhi on a 4-day visit. All eyes will be on his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India negotiates trade agreement with the US.

JD Vance in India: All eyes on Modi-Vance meet (AP Image)

In his first trip to India since Donald Trumps return to the White House this year, US Vice President JD Vance will arrive in New Delhi on Monday on a four-day visit, during which the spotlight will remain on the key meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Vance will land at 10 am at the Palam airbase in the national capital along with his Indian-origin wife, Usha, and three children  Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. Multiple engagements are planned for the top official of the Trump administration.

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The visit comes at a time when India and the US are negotiating a Bilateral Trade Agreement as President Trumps reciprocal tariffs  which are on a 90-day pause for now  shook the global markets, including in India which was slapped with whopping 26% tariffs by the United States.

PM Modi will host a dinner for the Vice President and the second lady of the US on Monday evening, news agency PTI reported.

JD Vance In India: Whats On Agenda?

Vance will be welcomed in India by a senior minister in the Modi government and the US Vice President and his family will stay at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel. They will be accompanied by at least five senior officials of the government, including those from the Pentagon and the State Department.

On Monday, PM Modi will host JD Vance for talks at 6.30 pm, which are largely expected to focus on the early finalisation of the India-US bilateral trade agreement, besides ways to boost ties between the two allies. The discussions may also focus on trade, tariffs, and defence, among other issues, sources said.

After the meeting, the Prime Minister will host Vance, his family for dinner. The American officials accompanying Vance will also join in.

Vance will visit Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Delhi during their visit and is also likely to go shopping at a shopping complex where traditional Indian handcrafted goods are sold, sources said.

JD Vances Jaipur And Agra Trip

Following the dinner hosted by PM Modi, Vance and his family will depart for Jaipur the same night. They will visit various historical sites on April 22 (Tuesday), on the second day of their India trip. They are also likely to visit Amer Fort, which is also known as Amber Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

He will address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in the city in the afternoon, sources said.

After a day-long visit to Jaipur, the Vance family will visit Agra on the third day on April 23 (Wednesday). During their trip, they will visit the Taj Mahal and also explore Shilpgram, an open-air emporium known for its vibrant display of Indian handicrafts and artifacts. Later the same day, the US Vice President will return to Jaipur, where they are expected to stay at the opulent Rambagh Palace, a former royal guesthouse now transformed into a luxury heritage hotel.

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JD Vance is also likely to address an event which will likely be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials, among others. He is expected to speak on the India-US ties under the Trump administration.

Vance and family will depart for the United States from Jaipur on April 24 (Thursday), concluding their 4-day India visit.

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 20, 2025, 12:10 IST
Bengals Jagannath Temple To Be Inaugurated On April 30 In Presence Of CM Mamata Banerjee: A Look At The Arrangements

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 14:14 IST

Political analysts believe that the grand inauguration is a strategic move by CM Mamata Banerjee to connect with the Hindu population of Bengal

Spread across a 22-acre site near Digha railway station, the project was initiated by the West Bengal government in 2022.

The newly constructed Jagannath Temple in Digha will be inaugurated on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, April 30, in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The temple, dedicated to Lord Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, has been modelled after the iconic Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha.

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Spread across a 22-acre site near Digha railway station, the project was initiated by the West Bengal government in 2022, with an estimated expenditure of approximately Rs 250 crore, according to official sources.

A trustee board has been formed to oversee the temples operations, comprising the chief secretary of West Bengal, district magistrate, and superintendent of police. Representatives from International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Sanatan Dharma, and local priest communities are also part of this board.

THE ARRANGEMENTS

The state government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure a grand and smooth inauguration ceremony:

Statewide Broadcast: LED screens will be installed across all blocks to enable people across the state to witness the inauguration ceremony.

Hangars for Attendees:

Hangar 1: Capacity of 6,000 people; this will be the main venue for the inauguration, including the main podium and cultural performances.

Hangar 2: Capacity of 4,000, equipped with a display screen.

Hangar 3: Capacity of 2,000.

Limited invitees will be allowed for the events on April 29.

Cultural Programmes: Renowned artists such as Jeet Gannguli, Aditi Munshi, and Dona Ganguly will perform during the celebrations dedicated to Lord Jagannath.

Convention Centre for Industrialists: A separate facility will be available at the Digha Convention Centre for attending industrialists.

Guest Facilities: The temple complex includes guest accommodations, rest areas, an administrative building, a police outpost, and provisions for fire services.

Support for Local Economy: Local women from self-help groups will be allowed to sell regional products within the temple premises.

Religious Ceremonies: A yagya will begin on April 29, a day before the pran pratishtha (consecration ceremony), as per directives from religious authorities. The formal inauguration of the temple is scheduled for April 30, between 3pm and 3.10 pm.

Logistics and Security: Temporary camps and tents will be set up for visitors.

#WATCH | Purba Medinipur | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announces that Digha Jagannath Temple will be inaugurated on the day of Akshaya TritiyaThe CM says, I want to convey to all the people that we are building a big Jagannath Temple in Digha The height of the temple is pic.twitter.com/TsDBNKVKHn  ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2024

Special green vehicles will be provided for the elderly. Carpeting will be done in front of the temple since footwear is not allowed in the area. Temporary watchtowers will be erected along key points of the route. CCTV cameras will be installed from Kolaghat to Digha and across Howrah. Private security will be arranged centrally by the Director General of Police. The state police will manage crowd control and security protocols.

Special instructions have been issued to prevent any stampede-like situations. Multiple entry and exit gates will be set up at the railway station and within the temple premises to ensure smooth crowd movement.

Banerjee, who has been personally reviewing preparations through several high-level meetings, has emphasised that the focus must remain on the common people. She has directed that only a limited number of VIPs and ministers should attend the temple on the day of the inauguration to avoid any inconvenience to the public. Banerjee has also announced a personal donation of Rs 5,00,001 for the first golden broom to be used during the rath yatra.

Firhad Hakim will oversee arrangements in Kolkata, while Aroop Biswas, Pulak Roy, Snehashish Chakraborty, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Sujit Bose, and Indranil Sen will be stationed in Digha starting April 27 to supervise the preparations.

POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE

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Political analysts believe that the grand inauguration is a strategic move by Banerjee to connect with the Hindu population of the state. Critics have often accused her of minority appeasement; the inauguration of the temple is seen as an effort to counter that narrative.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari has criticised the state for constructing the temple, stating, The government cannot build such temples. I will organise a major Sanatani Yatra in Kanthi on the same day."

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 20, 2025, 14:12 IST
Bloody Sh** Show: Omar Abdullah Goes All Out Against Delhi Airport After Midnight Flight Diversion

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 11:00 IST

Omar Abdullah posted a picture from the steps of an IndiGo flight at Jaipur airport and slammed the Delhi airport after flight diversion at midnight.

J&K CM Omar Abdullah (Photo: X/ Omar Abdullah)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah late Saturday night labelled the Delhi Airport a bloody shit show" after his flight from Jammu to the national capital was diverted to Jaipur, leaving him getting some fresh air" on the steps of the aircraft at midnight.

The Chief Minister then expressed uncertainty over his departure for Delhi, but later informed that he landed in the capital just after 3 in the morning on Sunday.

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What Did Omar Abdullah Say?

In an apparent frustrated tone, Abdullah said that he was in no mood to be polite" after the mid-air diversion of flight, which was supposed to land in Delhi, to Jaipur at 1 am.

Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but Im in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. Ive no idea what time we will leave from pic.twitter.com/RZ9ON2wV8E Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 19, 2025

Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but Im in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. Ive no idea what time we will leave from here," CM Abdullah posted on X, while also sharing his picture from the steps of the IndiGo plane.

He later updated the status of his journey after over 3 hours.

In case anyone is wondering, I got to Delhi just after 3:00 AM," he added.

Delhi Airport Responds To Abdullahs Tweet

Hours after the Chief Ministers online post created stir, the Delhi Airport responded to his tweet and explained the reason behind the flight diversion, while also expressing regret for the inconvenience.

Dear Mr. Abdullah, as you may be aware, weve issued several advisories regarding the unseasonal changing wind patterns in Delhi. Runway 10/28 has been closed for ILS upgradation since 8th April, following consultation with all stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns," the Delhi Airport tweeted.

These conditions can at times also result in less holding fuel for aircraft, which may lead to diversions to ensure passenger safety. Additionally, the shift toward more easterly winds and the use of converging runways for easterly arrivals have led to temporary capacity constraints during this upgradation. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused," it added.

These conditions can at times also result in less holding fuel for aircraft, which may lead to diversions to ensure passenger safety. Additionally, the shift toward more easterly winds and the use of converging runways for easterly arrivals have led to temporary capacity Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) April 20, 2025

Delhi Airport, which has seen long delays over the past week, shared a travel advisory for passengers on Sunday morning. The delays are happening because changing wind patterns are affecting airline schedules.

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Air traffic flow management measures for flight arrivals will be implemented today to ensure safe operations, in accordance with international and regulatory protocols, keeping passenger safety as the highest priority. All other operations across terminals and three runways at Delhi Airport, continue to function normally. Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules," Delhi Airport informed on X.

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 20, 2025, 07:22 IST
Delhi Airport Cites Wind Shift, Runway Closure As Reasons Behind Flight Delays

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 22:18 IST

Several flights of multiple airlines' were delayed because the airport used only one runway, and repair works were being done on the other runway.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) blamed "limited action/non-action" by airlines for adjusting flight schedules (File)

Delhi airport: Flight operations at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were delayed on Sunday after one of the runways were shut for repair works, and unexpected shift in wind direction aggravated the delay.

Several flights of multiple airlines were delayed because the airport used only one runway, and repair works were being done on the other runway, reported NDTV.

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The airports Runway 10/28 was closed on April 8 for the essential Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgradation. Runway 10/28 will be brought back into operation in the first week of May, with the remaining upgrade activities deferred for a month or so," the airport said.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) in a series of posts on X, acknowledged the inconvenience and blamed limited action/non-action" by the airlines for adjusting flight schedules during the planning stage in the last four months for the runway repairs.

The airport further said that due to shifting wind pattern in the vicinity of the airport, certain airline operations are experiencing delays.

Whenever the wind pattern shift happens to easterly winds and the limitation of the operational use of converging runways at Delhi Airport, there will be temporary capacity constraints for arrivals during this period. During such moments the Airlines had agreed to reschedule or cancel flights at short notice in interest of passenger safety and convenience. This scenario was part of the planning done with all stakeholders over the last 4 months," it said.

runways at Delhi Airport there will be temporary capacity constraints for arrivals during this period. During such moments the Airlines had agreed to reschedule or cancel flights at short notice in interest of passenger safety and convenience. This scenario was part of the (2/5) Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) April 20, 2025

For the past few days, passengers flying into Delhi are experiencing operational delays due to shifting wind patterns around the airport, which can affect how safely planes land.

When these easterly wind situations have been arising in the past few days, including today, airlines have been advised, in accordance with pre-agreed plans, to adjust flight schedules. However, there were minimal to no changes made. Unfortunately, this limited action/non action has led to significant operational challenges for all the stakeholders including Delhi Airport and ATC and in the end impacted the passengers significantly," DIAL added.

The airport further asserted that they are working with the air traffic control (ATC) and stakeholders to reduce inconvenience passengers are experiencing.

Another reason for the flight delays is the recent shift of all Terminal 2 operations to the newly-renovated Terminal 1 on April 15.

As per the news outlet, the average landing delay at the airport was 53 minutes, while the average take-off delay was 40 minutes.

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Earlier today, the airport shared a travel advisory for passengers. The delays are happening because changing wind patterns are affecting airline schedules.

The advisory stated, Air traffic flow management measures for flight arrivals will be implemented today to ensure safe operations, in accordance with international and regulatory protocols, keeping passenger safety as the highest priority. All other operations across terminals and three runways at Delhi Airport, continue to function normally. Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their respective airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules."

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 20, 2025, 22:17 IST
Former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash Found Murdered At Bengaluru Home, Wife Questioned

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: April 21, 2025, 13:05 IST

Additional commissioner of police Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning the former DGP's wife and daughter

Retired IPS officer Om Prakash, 68, Om Prakash was found in a pool of blood inside the living room of his home in the upscale HSR Layout area in Bengaluru on April 20. (Image: News18)

Karnatakas former DGP Om Prakash, who served in the post from 2015 to 2017, was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. His wife, Pallavi, is the primary suspect and is being questioned.

Om Prakash was allegedly stabbed to death, and the murder weapon has been recovered from the scene. His body was found at his home in HSR Layout even as the police are conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his death.

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According to the police, there are multiple stab wounds on his chest, stomach and hand. Other family members being questioned include his daughter, who was also in the house.

Additional commissioner of police (West) Vikash Kumar Vikash said the motive behind the crime is not yet clear, but the police are questioning Om Prakashs wife and daughter.

There was call on 112 police helpline, when the team came here they got to know about the murder. He was staying with his wife and daughter. We are taking information from his son as well. We havent arrested anyone, we are questioning his wife and daughter, we are still investigating the reason for the murder," he said.

Pallavi reportedly called the wife of another retired IPS officer and confessed to the crime. The tragic incident took place following a period of domestic discord, as per police sources.

OM PRAKASH HAILED FROM CHAMPARAN IN BIHAR, DISTINGUISHED CAREER

Om Prakash, 68, hailed from Bihars Champaran district and had a distinguished career in the Karnataka police force. He began his service in Karnataka as the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) in Harapanahalli.

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Over the years, he served as superintendent of police (SP) in several districts, including Shimoga, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru. His career included significant roles such as state vigilance SP and duties within the Karnataka Lokayukta.

The 1981-batch IPS officer served as the deputy inspector general (DIG) of the fire service and the inspector general (IGP) of the criminal investigation department (CID), before being appointed as the DGP in March 2015.

About the Author Harish Upadhya Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India's space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and RTI investi... Read More

First Published: April 20, 2025, 18:32 IST
JD Vance To Visit Akshardham Temple With Wife Usha On First India Visit As US VP, Will Meet PM Modi

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:22 IST

According to JD Vance's office, he will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra on his visit to India. Vance, who will be accompanied with wife Usha on his visit, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.According to JD Vance's office, he will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra on his visit to India. Vance, who will be accompanied with wife Usha on his visit, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This will be JD Vance's first visit to India as a Vice President (Credits: X/@narendramodi)

US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha, the Indian-American Second Lady, will pay a four-day visit to India beginning April 21 during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi with likely focus on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact and ways to bolster India-US ties.

The visit was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday. Vances office also announced the trip separately.

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Vance is travelling to India amid the rising global concerns over President Donald Trumps tariff tussle and both sides are likely to deliberate on firming up of the proposed trade deal that is aimed at addressing issues relating to levies, market access and supply chains.

"This will be Vice President Vances first visit to India. During the visit, he will be meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21," the MEA said.

"The Vice President and his delegation will have other engagements in Delhi and are also scheduled to visit Jaipur and Agra before departing for Washington, DC on April 24," it said.

The US vice president will be accompanied by wife Usha, their three young children  Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel  and senior members of the US administration.

"The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on February 13 during the visit of the Prime Minister to the US," the MEA said in a statement.

It said the two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

Vances office said he is visiting Italy and India from April 18 to 24 and he will discuss "shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country".

"In India, the Vice President will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. The Vice President will hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi," it said.

The US readout said Vance and the Second Family will also participate in engagements at cultural sites in India.

Soon after their arrival, Vance and his family are expected to visit the Red Fort, people familiar with the matter said.

In the afternoon, Vance will meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and BJP president JP Nadda, they said.

Prime Minister Modi will interact with Vance and his family  wife Usha, the first Hindu American Second Lady, sons Ewan and Vivek and daughter Mirabel  and host them for a formal dinner in the evening, the people said.

Vances will travel to Jaipur on April 22 and visit key tourist sites and have some engagements, they said.

The US vice president and his family will travel to Agra the next day to visit the Taj Mahal, the people said.

Vance is travelling to India against the backdrop of Trumps policy on tariffs that triggered massive trade disruptions and fears of a global economic recession.

Days after his reciprocal tariff kicked in this month, Trump announced a 90-day pause on it for all countries, except China as countries around the world wilted under the impact of the seismic action.

US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz had also planned to visit India early next week but the trip has been postponed, people familiar with the matter said.

In Rome, Vance will hold talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to participate in ceremonies ahead of Easter Sunday.

The visit by US Vice President Vance is taking place weeks after US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard travelled to India.

The DNI held separate meetings with Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and NSA Doval.

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The US presidents tariff tussle has stoked fears of a global trade war.

Following talks between Modi and Trump in Washington DC in February, the two sides announced that they would negotiate the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement by the fall of 2025.

First Published: April 20, 2025, 08:19 IST
'Lost Everything Overnight': Ramban Reels After Devastating Landslides, Locals Share Ordeal

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 19:53 IST

The officials said a cloudburst struck the Seri Bagna village of Ramban, resulting in the deaths of three persons, including two children.

Three people were killed in landslides triggered by heavy rain in Ramban (ANI)

Ramban landslides: At least three people, including two children, were killed after a after heavy rain triggered flash floods at different places in Jammu and Kashmirs Ramban district on Sunday.

The incessant rainfall triggered landslides at over a dozen places between Nashri and Banihal along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, prompting traffic to be suspended, the officials said.

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The officials said a cloudburst struck the Seri Bagna village of Ramban, resulting in the deaths of three persons, including two children.

With the latest fatalities, at least five people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in the Jammu region in two days. Two people were killed and a woman was injured when they were struck by lightning in the Arnas area of Reasi district late on Saturday.

Ramban Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulbir Singh said all police stations have been alerted.

Victims/ Locals Share Ordeal

The officials said about 40 residential houses were damaged after a flash flood hit Dharam Kund village. 10 houses were fully damaged while the rest suffered partial damage. Additionally, over 100 trapped villagers were rescued by police personnel who rushed to the spot despite the continuous downpour, adding several vehicles were swept away in the flood caused by a stream overflowing.

The locals and eyewitnesses shared their ordeal describing how the natural disaster caused damage to their livelihoods and properties.

I live on the other side, but even there, the flow of water was very strong, we could not make it here in time. When I reached here, I saw the whole market, including my shop, had vanished This is the first time I am seeing something like this," a Ramban resident, Om Singh, told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Ramban, J&K: Om Singh, a local, says, I live on the other side, but even there, the flow of water was very strong, we could not make it here in time. When I reached here, I saw the whole market, including my shop, had vanished This is the first time I am seeing https://t.co/aPfmXKXGjZ pic.twitter.com/VjIFqY4ySd ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Ravi Kumar, a shopkeeper in the area, said he owned two shops, both of which vanished overnight.

I had two shops at the market When we got to know at 4 am that the whole market had been washed away, we rushed here to find there was nothing left," he told the news agency.

We didnt know who to approach for help, what to do; we were clueless. These shops were our only source of livelihood. Now we have no shops and no land. I request the government to come and help us It was a very scary sight, beyond imagination We want our loans to be waived, we have nothing left," he added.

#WATCH | Ramban, J&K: Ravi Kumar, a local shopkeeper, says, I had two shops in the market, and even he had two shops. When we got to know at 4 am, that the whole market has been washed away, we rushed here to find that there was nothing left. We didnt know who to approach for https://t.co/aPfmXKXGjZ pic.twitter.com/chNqjnt3ZQ ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Another local resident, Pradeep Singh Raju requested Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to provide compensation to those who have lost their livelihoods to these flash floods.

There were nearly 20-25 shops in this market Some 20-25 motorbikes were parked in the market and at around 3.30 am, the whole market got washed away. I want to request the Chief Minister and also Home Minister Amit Shah to provide compensation to those who have lost their livelihoods to these flash floods Those affected should be rehabilitated The shopkeepers have lost everything" he said.

#WATCH | Ramban, J&K | Pradeep Singh Raju, a local, says, There were nearly 20-25 shops in this market Some 20-25 motorbikes were parked in the market and at around 3.30 am, the whole market got washed away. I want to request the Chief Minister and also Home Minister Amit https://t.co/aPfmXKXGjZ pic.twitter.com/Qd0BOQ3YnC ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Sunil Kumar, a resident, was devastated to find his new car was damaged by the landslide.

I was travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Since it was raining, I booked a hotel in Ramban. At 3 am, this incident took place. When I came out, I saw that two floors of the hotel were inside the debris. Around 15 people were there on the top floor. We rescued all of them. My new car is completely damaged due to the landslide Around 8-10 cars are stuck under the debris," he told ANI.

#WATCH | Ramban, J&K: A local, Sunil Kumar says I was travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Since it was raining, I booked a hotel in Ramban. At around 3 AM, this incident took place. When I came out, I saw that two floors of the hotel were inside the debris. Around 15 people were https://t.co/kTYQta6cJb pic.twitter.com/iXofeFB2MY ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Authorities Ensure Rescue Efforts

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that officials are in touch with the local administration to to facilitate prompt rescue operations wherever needed.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh appreciated the district administration headed by Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary for prompt action in saving precious lives.

There was a heavy hailstorm, multiple landslides and fast winds throughout the night in the Ramban region, including the areas surrounding the Ramban town. The national highway stands blocked and unfortunately there have been three casualties and loss of property for a couple of families," he said in a post on X.

I am in constant touch with the deputy commissioner. The district administration deserves appreciation for timely and prompt action, which helped save several precious lives," he added.

The Udhampur MP said every kind of relief  both financial and otherwise  was being provided.

The deputy commissioner has been conveyed that, if need be, whatever more is required, can be provided from the MPs personal resources as well. The request is not to panic. We shall all, together, overcome this natural calamity," Singh said.

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Indian Army personnel are providing food, medicines, and aid to those affected by the Ramban flash floods.

(With inputs from agencies)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More

Location : Ramban, India, India

First Published: April 20, 2025, 19:52 IST
Murshidabad Houses Vandalised & Burnt, Women Living In Fear: NCW Chief To News18 After Bengal Visit

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 12:12 IST

Speaking exclusively to News18, NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar expressed deep shock over the situation on ground, particularly the condition of women and children in Murshidabad

NCW chairman Vijaya Rahatkar and other officials of the commission during a meeting with riot-affected people, in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, on Saturday. (PTI)

The National Commission for Women (NCW) team over the past two days visited the Malda relief camp and violence-affected areas in Bengals Murshidabad.

Speaking exclusively to News18 after the visit, NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar expressed deep shock over the situation on ground, particularly the condition of women and children in the affected regions. She emphasised the urgent need for strong and effective measures to ensure the safety and protection of women.

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Rahatkar also stated that this is not a time for political discourse, but rather a moment to stand in solidarity with the grieving and affected women.

Edited excerpts:

You visited Malda and then Murshidabad. What is the situation on the ground?

The situation is extremely grim. There have been communal riots, and the impact runs deep. Peoples homes have been burnt down, and their lives and dreams have been shattered. The most affected are women and children. I met a mother with a 12-day-old baby at a relief camp  she had to flee her home shortly after giving birth. There are several infants under a year old in the camps, and many of these families have received threats.

What exactly happened that day?

The locals shared many accounts with me. Ive taken detailed notes, and I will thoroughly examine the information provided.

You visited the affected areas in Murshidabad. What did people tell you? What did you witness?

I was deeply shocked by the extent of the violence. Homes were not only set on fire, but also vandalised. I met a couple who had just gotten married  their entire house, and all their dreams, were destroyed. Everything was broken. Women are living in fear, wondering if the threats made against them will come true. Their lives have been turned upside down, and they are heartbroken. There have also been reports of sexual harassment in the affected areas.

What was the role of the police? Did you speak to them?

We tried to reach out to the administration. In some places, we were able to speak with officials; in others, we could not.

What did the locals say about the police and the Border Security Force (BSF)?

The people expressed a strong desire for protection from security forces like the BSF. They are living in fear and want assurance that they will be safe. They shared a lot, and I intend to examine all of it in detail.

As the NCW Chief, what was your emotional response to what you witnessed?

It is devastating. When a woman loses her husband or son, the pain she goes through is unimaginable and indescribable. These women have been threatened, and they are living in constant fear.

What actions will the NCW take?

These people are our own. We must act decisively to ensure their safety and protection. Strong measures will be taken to support and safeguard them.

Was this an attack targeting one particular community?

I cannot comment on that at this stage.

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The ruling party has criticised your visit. What is your response?

Politics should have no place in a tragedy like this. If questions are to be raised, they should be directed at those responsible for the violence. The priority right now must be to ensure the safety of the affected women and to help them rebuild their shattered lives. This is the time to stand with them, not to politicise their suffering.

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 20, 2025, 12:09 IST
Rahul Gandhi Arrives In US, To Deliver Lecture At Brown University

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 23:05 IST

The former Congress president arrived in the US on Saturday. He will visit Brown University in Rhode Island on April 21-22.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being welcomed by upon his arrival at Boston Logan International Airport (PTI)

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has arrived in the US and began interactions with business and community members.

The former Congress president arrived in the US on Saturday. He will visit Brown University in Rhode Island on April 21-22.

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Welcome to the USA, Rahul Gandhi! A voice for the youth, for democracy, and for a better future. Lets listen, learn, and build together," Indian Overseas Congres head Sam Pitroda said in a post on X on Saturday.

Welcome to the USA, Rahul Gandhi! A voice for the youth, for democracy, and for a better future. Lets listen, learn, and build together. #RahulGandhiUSA #YoungIndiaSpeaks #SamPitroda pic.twitter.com/MR4HqY4wyu Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) April 19, 2025

In a post on Sunday, Pitroda said, "spent a productive morning with Gandhi engaging with some of Indias sharpest business minds".

We discussed the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, technology, inclusivity, and the need for ethical leadership. Its clear that the private sector has a major role to play in building a just, innovative, and inclusive India. Grateful for the insights and the spirit of collaboration in the room," he added.

Spent a productive morning with @RahulGandhi engaging with some of Indias sharpest business minds. We discussed the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship, technology, inclusivity, and the need for ethical leadership. Its clear that the private sector has a major role to play pic.twitter.com/yNrsyPTnjf Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) April 20, 2025

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At Brown University, Gandhi will give a talk and interact with faculty members and students.

Ahead of his visit to Rhode Island, Gandhi will meet with members of the NRI community, as well as office bearers and members of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC).

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 23:05 IST
Suffered Torture Beyond Imagination, Act Urgently: NCW To Bengal Govt After Murshidabad Visit

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 22:33 IST

The NCW chief said the commission is preparing a report incorporating the views of all those women who narrated their ordeal and credited forces like the BSF for saving their lives and honour.

Suffered Torture Beyond Imagination, Act Urgently: NCW To Bengal Govt After Murshidabad Visit. (Photo/X: @NCWIndia )

Calling upon the West Bengal government to act urgently" to address the grievances of the riot-hit people of Murshidabad district, particularly women, National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Sunday said the panel is preparing a report which will be submitted soon to the Centre with copies to top state officials.

The NCW chief also met Governor C V Ananda Bose at Raj Bhavan and apprised him about her experiences in Murshidabad and Malda.

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Speaking with reporters at a Kolkata hotel, Rahatkar said that in the past two days, she and other panel members met many women, their families and children, and the torture and suffering they faced was beyond imagination, having left a deep scar in their minds which need to be healed and addressed on an urgent basis with a humanitarian approach".

Advocating confidence-building measures by the state administration, she said that the responsibility of bringing peace lies with the state government.

The NCW chief said the commission is preparing a report incorporating the views of all those women who narrated their ordeal and credited forces like the BSF for saving their lives and honour.

The report will be submitted to the Centre and copies will be sent to the DGP and the chief secretary of West Bengal soon, she said.

To a question about women demanding a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in the affected area, she said, Yes, that is what many of them said. There is an air of fear and insecurity in the area. We will certainly incorporate their views in our report." Calling upon the state government to act promptly and urgently to address the pains of these people", she said, Give them justice, wipe their tears, make arrangements for immediate compensation to make up for their losses (damage to properties and loot of belongings)." Asking for proper security and instilling a sense of confidence among these violence-affected people, she said that it is the moral duty of the state government to do its job".

They are our own people, they are daughters of this state. What they went through is beyond words. They saw the houses, which they built with their hard-earned money, get shattered and burnt down; they were assaulted, threatened and driven out, women were tortured and chased away from their homes, from the villages they lived in for years. None went to meet them in all those days. They were asking me what their fault was," she said.

The pain of the women who were dragged from their homes, brutally attacked and threatened in the most inhuman manner is unimaginable. Some were even told to send their daughters to be raped," she said.

The NCW chief said that she heard about incidents of a woman running for her life with her four-day-old baby and newlyweds fleeing their houses with their belongings getting looted during the violence.

As a woman, I felt disturbed as we went around relief camps in Murshidabad and Malda for two days. I tried to console them; we told them the entire country is with them. Their minds are shattered, and we told them not to lose their mental strength," Rahatkar said.

About allegations by TMC leaders that the commission was acting at the behest of the BJP-led government at the Centre and questions about why the panel did not visit Manipur and other BJP-ruled states when such incidents took place there in the past, she said, All I will say is that I dont want to indulge in politics. I came here to be on the side of tortured sisters." Urging those who make such comments to not divert people from the main issue", she added, Why dont these critics themselves meet those women and stand with them to feel their agony and what they felt. Arent they our own people?" Why dont these critics try to find the answer about why this (violence) happened? You need to understand their pain," she said.

She wondered why the State Womens Commission had not yet visited the affected areas yet.

Please meet the mother who lost her husband and son. Express sympathy," she said.

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Advocating confidence-building measures by the state administration, she said, The responsibility of bringing peace lies with the state government." About West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees statement that the BJP and its allies have become aggressive and initiated a vicious false campaign" in the state, Rahatkar said, I havent seen or read the comments of the CM. The only thing I feel is that the state government should urgently address their problem and instil a sense of security." Later, Rahatkar put up a post on X after her meeting with the governor, stating, After my visit to riot-hit areas in Murshidabad, I met the honble governor at Raj Bhavan today. The Honble Governor also visited the areas. We had an intense discussion about the violence. I expressed concern over the condition of women and children and told the governor that the state government has to take full responsibility." On Saturday, during her visit to Betbari, Dhulian, Zafrabad and other riot-hit areas in Murshidabad. On Friday, the NCW team visited relief camps in Maldas Baishnabnagar sheltering the displaced riot-affected people of the adjacent Murshidabad district.

The NCW had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the violence that took place on April 11 and 12. Three people were killed and hundreds rendered homeless during the clashes that occurred in Muslim-majority Murshidabad, amid protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

First Published: April 20, 2025, 22:33 IST
Mans Search For Missing Wife Ends At Taj Mahal After He Spots Her With Lover In Viral WhatsApp Video

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 17:18 IST

After days of unsuccessful searching, a relative of Shakir came across a WhatsApp status video in which Anjum was seen at the Taj Mahal with an unidentified man.

Taj Mahal (File)

In a shocking and bizarre incident, a 40-year-old man who reported his wife missing, was stunned to know that she had eloped, after spotting her with another man at Agras Taj Mahal in a video shared on WhatsApp.

The victim husband, identified as Shakir, had filed a police complaint, reporting that his wife, identified as Anjum, went missing after he had returned home on April 15 after attending a family function, news agency PTI reported.

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Rorawar SHO Shiv Shankar Gupta told the news agency that Shakir had filed the missing report, claiming that his wife had disappeared mysteriously.

"Shakir had been away for a family wedding and, upon his return on April 15, found his house locked and his wife and four children gone," SHO Gupta said, quoting the complainant.

Neighbours told him Anjum had left with the children and taken valuables from the house before anyone could intervene," he added.

After days of unsuccessful searching, a relative of Shakir came across a WhatsApp status video in which Anjum was seen at the Taj Mahal with an unidentified man.

Shakir recognised the man as someone from the commercial area where he worked.

It appears Anjum and the man developed a relationship and decided to elope during Shakirs absence," Gupta said.

The district police alerted their counterparts in Agra and are searching for the couple.

The Aligarh district has recently made the headlines after a woman named Anita Devi, allegedly eloped with her would-be son-in-law, just days before the wedding.

The duo had plans to flee to Nepal but the Uttar Pradesh police tracked them down just before they were about to cross the border.

Anita Devis daughter, Shivani, was scheduled to get married to Rahul on April 16. The preparations were in full swing when Devi disappeared from her home with cash and jewellery on April 8. Aligarh police said that around the same time, Rahuls phone was also switched off and became untraceable.

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The matter came to light when Devis husband Jitendra Kumar filed a missing persons complaint. I never imagined my wife running away with our daughters fiance like this. This is not just a betrayal, it is an attack on the honour of our entire family," Jitendra had said.

(With inputs from PTI)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More

Location : Agra, India, India

First Published: April 20, 2025, 17:03 IST
From Bees to Mushrooms: 5 Fascinating Facts About Your Coffee

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 12:47 IST

Coffee is more than just a drinkits a global adventure filled with rich history and endless possibilities.

From its humble beginnings as an energising elixir in Ethiopia to its current status as a global staple, coffee has shaped cultures, sparked conversations, and inspired innovations for centuries

For some, coffee represents the quiet moment before the days demands begin; for others, its a ritual shared with friends and colleagues, or the fuel that powers them through a busy afternoon. In 2025, coffee has evolved from just a beverage into a lifestyle choice that reflects wellness, personalisation, and sustainability. No matter how you enjoy your coffee, theres no denying its universal appeal and deep-rooted history. From its humble beginnings as an energising elixir in Ethiopia to its current status as a global staple, coffee has shaped cultures, sparked conversations, and inspired innovations for centuries. Behind every cup of coffee lies a storyone of tradition, science, and even a bit of mystery.

In the spirit of celebrating the richness of this beloved brew, Raja Chakraborty, CMO, Continental Coffee, shares five lesser-known facts that will give you a new perspective on your daily coffee:

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1. Mushroom Coffee: The New Super Brew

Yes, mushroom coffee is a real thing! Combining ground coffee with medicinal mushrooms like Chaga, Lions Mane, and Reishi, this unique blend is gaining popularity for its health benefits. While it might sound strange, mushroom coffee isnt about tasting fungi in your cupthankfully, the flavour of mushrooms is subtle or even unnoticeable. Instead, you get all the benefits these adaptogenic mushrooms offer, such as improved focus, reduced stress, and enhanced immune support. Mushroom coffee is also lower in caffeine compared to regular coffee, making it an excellent choice for those looking to cut back while still enjoying a stimulating beverage.

2. 130 Different Coffee Strains: Each One Affects You Differently

Believe it or not, coffee isnt just a one-size-fits-all beverage. There are an astounding 130 different strains of coffee, each with its unique flavour profile and effect on your body. The two main species were most familiar with are Arabica and Robusta. Yet, within these categories, youll find dozens of different subtypes, each grown in various regions and climates, resulting in varied taste experiences. Some coffee strains have more caffeine, while others are prized for their smooth, delicate flavours. In fact, some strains are better suited for certain brewing methods, like pour-over, espresso, or cold brew. Knowing which strain works best for your preferred brew method can elevate your coffee-drinking experience.

3. Coffee Wasnt Always for Drinking

While most of us are used to drinking coffee, ancient cultures had different uses for this magical bean. In Ethiopia, where coffee was first discovered, people didnt initially brew it as a drink. Instead, they mixed coffee beans with animal fat to create a sort of energy-packed snack ballperfect for long journeys or as a quick burst of energy.

It wasnt until much later that people figured out how to roast and brew coffee as a beverage. By the 15th century, coffee had spread across the Middle East, where it was commonly enjoyed in coffeehouses. Fast forward to today, and coffee has become a worldwide obsession, from casual morning routines to gourmet speciality brews.

4. Finland Still LeadsBut Watch Out for South Korea

When you think of coffee-loving countries, places like Italy or Brazil might come to mind. But surprisingly, Finland holds the crown as the worlds largest consumer of coffee per capita in 2025. The average Finn drinks about 12 kilograms of coffee per year, which amounts to about four cups a day. In Finland, coffee breaks, known as kahvitauko, are taken seriously, and most workplaces even have mandatory coffee breaks built into the day.

That said, South Korea is rapidly rising through the ranks, thanks to its booming cafe culture, speciality brews, and influencer-driven coffee trends. Gen Z consumers in Seoul are fuelling a coffee renaissance, one Dalgona or oat latte at a time.

5. Bees and Coffee: A Buzz-Worthy Relationship

Coffee doesnt just keep humans buzzingit helps bees, too! Recent studies show that bees are attracted to the caffeine in coffee plants. Caffeine has a stimulating effect on bees brains, much like it does for humans. When bees consume small amounts of caffeine from coffee plant nectar, it helps improve their memory, making them more effective pollinators. This relationship is crucial in coffee-growing regions, as bees help pollinate the plants, ensuring healthy crops and consistent yields.

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Coffee: A World of Surprises in Every Cup

Theres more to your daily brew than just a quick caffeine fix. From mushroom coffees health benefits to the surprising fact that Finland leads the world in coffee consumption, closely followed by South Korea, coffee is full of fun and fascinating facts that span history, culture, and even nature. So, the next time you take a sip of your favourite brew, think about the long and exciting story behind it. Coffee is more than just a drinkits a global adventure filled with rich history and endless possibilities.

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 20, 2025, 12:47 IST
Siddharth Reveals How Aditi Rao Hydari Taught Him To Incorporate Coconut Oil In His Skincare Regime

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:41 IST

Siddharth revealed that he learnt about beauty and skincare from Aditi Rao Hydari. He mentioned how Aditi taught him to use coconut oil in his skincare regime.

Siddharth and Aditi Rao Hydari married in September 2024.

Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth are one of the most loved couples in Bollywood. The couple tied the knot last year in an intimate ceremony at the Sri Ranganayaka Swamy Temple in Srirangapur, Telangana. In a recent interview, Siddharth revealed how Aditi has influenced his beauty and skincare routine.

In a conversation with Elle India, Siddharth revealed how he learnt more about skincare from Aditi Rao Hydari. He said, Adu (Aditi Rao Hydari) is not just an actor, shes a star. And also this incredibly disciplined, curious person. Shes taught me more about skincare, wellness, fashion, and life than anyone."

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He revealed how Aditi taught him about the goodness of coconut oil. The actor continued, She once told me to use coconut oil on my face. I genuinely didnt know you could do that without making things worse. But she knows whats good. Shes careful with what she puts in her body and how she lives. Me? I eat everything, everywhere, all the time. Were opposites. But thats why it works."

Coconut oil is a miracle product that works wonders when incorporated into skincare. Here are five ways in which you can use coconut oil on your face.

As a Natural Makeup Remover  Coconut oil breaks down makeup, even waterproof formulas, without stripping your skin. Take a small amount of coconut oil in your palms, rub to warm it up, and gently massage over your face. Wipe it off with a warm, damp cloth or cotton pad.

As a Deep Moisturiser  Use a pea-sized amount after cleansing and toning, especially at night.

As a Lip Balm  Coconut oils hydrating properties work wonders on chapped lips. You can also add in a pinch of brown sugar to turn it into a gentle lip scrub.

As a Natural Highlighter- After your skincare routine or makeup, pat a tiny amount on your cheekbones, bridge of your nose, and cupids bow for a subtle, hydrated glow.

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As a Spot Treatment for Dry Areas  Coconut oil can soothe and soften them dry patches. Its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties may also help reduce redness.

However, if you have oily and acne-prone skin, it is advised to use coconut oil sparingly.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: April 20, 2025, 10:41 IST
Essential Travel Tips For A Smooth European Summer Vacation: Here's All You Need To Know

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:49 IST

In case you are planning to head to Europe this summer for a getaway, take a look at some of the things that you must keep in mind.

Invest in a city pass as they can grant you quick access to monuments and other popular spots.

As the summer season approaches, Europe becomes one of the most sought-after travel destinations, drawing visitors from around the world. However, with the peak travel period just around the corner, its crucial to begin your vacation planning well in advance. By taking a proactive approach, you can avoid the stress of last-minute bookings, soaring costs for flights and accommodations, and long waiting times for popular tourist attractions.

To help you prepare for a smooth and memorable trip, here are some essential travel tips for navigating Europe during the busy summer months.

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1. Schengen Visa Tips

If your European adventure involves visiting multiple countries, its crucial to apply for your Schengen visa with the country that has the lowest visa rejection rate. Iceland has the best track record with a rejection rate of just 2.2 per cent. Other countries with relatively low rejection rates include Switzerland (10.7 per cent), Italy (12 per cent) and Germany (14.3 per cent). On the other hand, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Spain have much higher rejection rates, so keep this in mind when planning your route. Always remember that the first Schengen country you enter must be the one that issued your visa.

2. Currency Exchange

Avoid exchanging currency at airports or hotels, as they typically offer poor exchange rates. Instead, seek out currency exchange kiosks in city centres for more favourable rates. This small change can save you a lot in the long run.

3. City Passes

Invest in a City Pass such as the Swiss Pass or Paris Pass. These passes often provide fast-track access to popular monuments and attractions, sparing you from lengthy queues. Without a pass, waiting times can be exhausting, especially during the tourist season.

4. Protect Your Cards

Be cautious with ATMs and street vendors. ATM skimming is a risk, and credit card cloning can happen in street shops. Stick to reliable and secure payment methods when shopping or withdrawing cash.

5. Security of Personal Belongings

Always be mindful of your belongings. Avoid keeping wallets in back pockets, and wear your backpack on your chest when walking through crowded areas. If youre shopping or dining, dont leave large bags unattended, and never hang your purse on the back of restaurant chairs. Pickpocketing is common in tourist-heavy areas, so its wise to stay vigilant.

6. Important Documents

Make sure to scan and email a copy of your passport, visa and other important travel documents to yourself before you depart. This will give you quick access to them in case you lose them during your trip.

7. Laptop Safety

Before heading to the airport, log out of your email and any other sensitive accounts on your laptop. This step minimises risks in case your device is lost or stolen while travelling.

8. Dining Near Tourist Spots

Be wary of restaurants located near major tourist landmarks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or La Rambla in Barcelona. These establishments are often overpriced and overcrowded. For a more authentic experience, seek out eateries away from the main attractions.

9. Water and Restrooms

In most European restaurants, water isnt served for free. If you prefer not to pay for bottled water, simply ask for tap water, which is usually safe to drink. Additionally, while public restrooms at train stations or near tourist sites may require a small fee, be prepared with some cash for these small charges.

10. Tourist Taxes

Many European countries, including Switzerland and France, charge a tourist or visitor tax on accommodations, ranging from 0.65 (Rs 63) to 8 (Rs 777) per person per night. These fees are generally payable at the hotel upon check-in or check-out. Be aware of these additional costs to avoid any surprises.

11. Pack Snacks and Water

Train journeys can be long, and food on board can be expensive. Bring your own snacks, fruits or water to save money and ensure youre well-prepared for the trip.

12. Theme Park Tips for Families

Planning to visit a theme park with kids? Keep in mind that these parks require a lot of walking, and young children may get tired quickly. Consider a shorter visit or breaking up the day with relaxing breaks to avoid crankiness.

13. Snow and Mountain Gear

If youre heading to mountain or snowy regions, pack shoes with a good grip to prevent slips and falls. Many places offer rentals for snow gear, so you can always pick up equipment on-site if needed.

14. Clothing Etiquette

Respect local clothing customs. In Spain, its illegal to drive while wearing sandals or flip-flops, and some tourist areas in Spain, Croatia, and Turkey prohibit wearing just a bikini or swimwear in public places. Additionally, France requires men to wear Speedos in pools, and in Greece, women are prohibited from wearing high heels at historical sites like the Acropolis.

15. Flying vs. Train Travel

For shorter distances between cities, consider taking the train rather than flying. Regional airlines often have limited baggage allowances, and extra fees can add up quickly. Trains, especially those within the Schengen Area, are a convenient and cost-effective alternative. Eurail offers excellent coverage, and tickets can be purchased online.

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16. Baggage Issues

In case your luggage is damaged or delayed, report the issue to baggage services immediately. Take photos of any damage, and make sure to claim compensation from the airline for any delays.

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: April 20, 2025, 10:49 IST
'Did He Take His Wife's Permission Before Responding To Raj': Nitesh Rane's Dig At Uddhav

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 17:40 IST

Recently, Raj and Uddhav's statements have fueled speculation about a potential rapprochement, suggesting they might unite for the sake of Maharashtra and the Marathi community.

File picture of Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane | Photo Credit: PTI

dhavsMaharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane on Sunday asked if Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray had consulted his wife Rashmi Thackeray before responding to a statement by MNS chief Raj Thackeray that triggered speculation of an alliance between the estranged cousins.

Over the past few days, Raj and Uddhav have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore trivial issues" and join hands for the sake of Maharashtra and the Marathi manoos.

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You should ask Uddhav Thackeray whether he took Rashmi Thackerays permission before making any move towards joining hands with the MNS. Her opinion holds more weight in such decisions," Rane said in a podcast with a Hindi news channel.

The minister also alleged it was Rashmi Thackeray who played a central role" in the exit of Raj Thackeray from the Shiv Sena despite there being no major differences" between the two cousins at the time.

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On the possibility of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navniram Sena coming together, Rane point out that the BJP-led Mahayuti has won emphatically in Maharashtra.

So we are not concerned about any alliance between them," he asserted.

First Published: April 20, 2025, 16:38 IST
Hindi Not Made Mandatory In Place Of Marathi: Maharashtra CM Fadnavis On 3-Language Row

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 21:12 IST

Fadnavis' remarks came after Maharashtra government made the teaching of Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all state board schools.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. (PTI)

Maharashtra language row: Amid the ongoing row over mandating Hindi as a third language in Maharashtra schools as part on New Education Policy (NEP), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday clarified that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi and asserted that Marathi is non-negotiable and must be taught to students from class one.

He further said that learning additional languages remains a personal choice.

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While speaking to the reporters in Pune, Fadnavis said, The first thing to understand is that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi; Marathi remains compulsory."

The Chief Minister further said it is not correct to say that Hindi is being imposed on Marathi people.

Pune | On Hindi being included as a third language in Maharashtras schools, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, The first thing to understand is that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi; Marathi remains compulsory. However, the New Education Policy (NEP) pic.twitter.com/p3CnnuwRNJ ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

The New Education Policy (NEP) offers an opportunity to learn three languages, and learning three languages is mandatory. According to the policy, two of these three languages must be Indian languagesTo say that Hindi is being imposed is incorrect. Marathi will remain mandatory in Maharashtra," he added.

Fadnavis further expressed surprise at the opposition to Hindi and the growing preference for English, saying that he finds it curious on why Indian languages feel distant while English feels closer.

I am often surprised that while we oppose an Indian language like Hindi, we praise and carry English on our shoulders. I find it curious why Indian languages feel distant to us while English feels closer. This is something that we need to think about," he added.

Earlier on Saturday, Fadnavis said, Marathi language is compulsory in Maharashtra; everyone should learn it. Additionally, if you wish to learn other languages, you can do so. Opposition to Hindi and promotion of English is surprising. If someone opposes Marathi, then it will not be tolerated."

Fadnavis remarks came after Maharashtra government made the teaching of Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English under the NEP.

A Government Resolution (GR) issued on April 17 mentioned Hindi as a third language will be compulsory from Class 1 to 5 from the next academic year and the new syllabus as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will be implemented for Class 1 in 2025-26.

The GR said the policy would be implemented in 2026-27 for Class 2, 3, 4 and 6. While for Classes 5, 9 and 11, the policy would be implemented from 2027-28, and for Classes 8, 10 and 12 it would apply from 2028-29.

Maharashtra Language Panel Urges To Revoke Decision

Earlier today, a language consultation panel of the Maharashtra government opposed the decision. The panels chief Laxmikant Deshmukh has written to CM Fadnavis requesting him to revoke the decision which made teaching Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 to 5 in all state board schools, alongside Marathi and English, a HT report said.

Opposition Slams Move

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asserted that his party will not allow making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra. Addressing an event of the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, Thackeray said his party has no aversion to the Hindi language but asked why it is being forced.

Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MP Supriya Sule called the decision a consipracy" to finish the SSC board.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray took strong objection to the decision saying that the party will not allow the Centres current efforts to Hindi-fy everything to succeed in Maharashtra".

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He had also announced that the MNS would not tolerate this compulsion while appealing to the state government to immediately withdraw this decision.

(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 20, 2025, 21:12 IST
'No Alliance, Only Emotional Talks': Sanjay Raut On Uddhav And Raj Thackeray's Possible Reunion

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 16:39 IST

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said there has been no announcement of an alliance between his party and the MNS, but claimed "emotional talks" between the two are going on.

Uddhav Thackeray, Sanjay Raut and Raj Thackeray. (File)

Thackerays possible reunion: Amid the speculations of possible reconciliation between the estranged cousins Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday has clarified that there has been no official alliance in place as of now, with only emotional talks" are going on.

While speaking to the reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said that Sena (UBT) chief has not set out a precondition for rapprochement with Raj Thackeray. He has only asked to prioritise the interest and not to break bread with the enemies of Maharashtra.

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 There is no alliance (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on" Raut said.

#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says,  There is no allaince (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on"He says, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not pic.twitter.com/KW4V3OnJTL  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Raut further stated that the relationship between the two brothers had not been broken.

Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not broken Both brothers will decide (about the alliance)," he added.

While taking a veiled dig at the BJP, Raut dubbed the saffron camp as "the enemy of Maharashtra" and claimed it split Bal Thackerays Shiv Sena, which worked to safeguard the pride of Maharashtra. He added that no relations should be maintained with such parties.

Uddhav Ji said that there are a few parties who claim to be well-wishers of Maharashtra, but they are the enemy of Maharashtra. They broke Balasahebs Shiv Sena to attack the pride of Maharashtra, and with such parties, we shouldnt have any relations, and then only we can be true Maharashtrians, and this is not a condition but the feelings of the people of Maharashtra, and this is what Udhhav ji has said" the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP added.

Additionally, MNS Mumbai president and spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande sought to downplay the excitement, stating that too much is being read into Rajs comments. An election tie-up is a distant step. Sena (UBT) must first support MNS in its fight for the Marathi language and people," he said.

Earlier on Saturday, the Thackeray brothers indicated their willingness to unite for the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi people by keeping aside the differences between them.

In a candid interview with actor Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj Thackeray spoke on a range of topics, including Marathi identity, the upcoming Mumbai municipal elections, Eknath Shindes politics and a possible alliance with Uddhav Thackeray.

The disputes and disagreements between us are minor, compared to greater causes. Maharashtra is far bigger than our personal issues. These matters are trivial in the fight for the existence of the Marathi identity. Coming together or working together isnt a difficult thingits only a matter of will. And its not just about me. I believe all Marathi people across political parties should unite and form a single front," Raj Thackeray was quoted as saying by Loksatta.

Responding to Raj Thackerays message of unity, Uddhav Thackeray also said that he was ready to set aside minor differences for the sake of Maharashtra and stressed that he had put an end to all fights between the cousins.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the possibility of a reunion between the two cousins and called it a good step. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said, If the two come together, we will be happy about it. If people settle their differences, it is a good thing. What else can I say about it?"

Political observers believe that there is a possibility of the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) wishing to resolve their political differences in view of the civic body elections, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, due in the state. However, the schedule for the civic polls has not yet been announced.

Earlier in February this year, the Thackeray cousins were seen sharing a candid moment at a wedding function in Mumbai. Uddhav and Raj were seen together at the wedding of a government official, Mahendra Kalyankars son in Andheri, which further intensified speculation of a thaw in ties between the two parties.

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Raj Thackeray left the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005 when he resigned from the party and announced MNS on 9 March 2006 in Mumbai. Since then, their political paths have diverged.

(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 20, 2025, 16:39 IST
'Not Election Commissioner But...': BJP's Nishikant Dubey Vs Ex-CEC Quraishi Over Waqf Act

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 13:31 IST

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey engaged in an online spat with UPA era Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi over the Waqf Amendment Act.

Nishikant Dubey vs SY Quraishi over Waqf Act (PTI Image)

A day after stirring a controversy with his remarks on the Supreme Court, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday engaged in an online spat with former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi over the Waqf Amendment Act.

Slamming the former CEC over his X post criticising the amended Waqf Act, Dubey said that Quraishi was not an Election Commissioner, but a Muslim Commissioner", alleging that the highest number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were legitimised by distributing voter IDs in Jharkhands Santhal Pargana division during his tenure. Godda Lok Sabha constituency, which Dubey represents in the Parliament, is located in this division.

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Quraishi was the 17th Chief Election Commissioner appointed during the UPA II era, serving in the post from July 30, 2010, to June 10, 2012.

What Did Former CEC Say?

His stinging remarks came after the former CEC alleged on X that the Centre intends to grab Muslim lands" through the controversial Waqf Act, which is now under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court.

Quraishi expressed confidence that the top court will call out the governments sinister plan".

Wakf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister/evil plan of the govt to grab Muslim lands. Im sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well," Quraishi said on X.

Wakf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister / evil plan of the govt to grab Muslim lands. Im sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well. Dr. S.Y. Quraishi (@DrSYQuraishi) April 17, 2025

Nishikant Dubey Reacts Sharply

Hitting back at Quraishi, Dubey alleged that the largest number of voter ID cards were distributed to the Bangladeshi infiltrators during his tenure in Jharkhand.

   ,  ,                       712  ,            ,     https://t.co/yf8uBjmoYN Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) April 20, 2025

You were not an Election Commissioner, you were a Muslim Commissioner. It was during your tenure that the highest number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Jharkhands Santhal Pargana. Islam brought by Prophet Muhammad came to India in 712 AD  before that, this land belonged to Hindus or was associated with tribal, Jain, or Buddhist faiths. My village Vikramshila was burned down by Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1189. Vikramshila University gave the world its first Vice-Chancellor in the form of Atisha Dipankar. Unite this country, read its history  it was division that created Pakistan. There will be no more division," Dubey said on X.

Nishikant Dubeys Remarks On SC Stir Row

Dubey stoked a row on Saturday after he said that the Parliament should be shut down if the Supreme Court frames laws. His remarks drew sharp reaction from the Opposition and isolation from the BJP, which distanced itself from his statement.

Kanoon yadi Supreme Court hi banayega to Sansad Bhavan bandh kar dena chahiye," the BJP MP had said on X.

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Distancing the party from his controversial comment, BJP chief JP Nadda said that those were his personal remarks and the party did not agree with them.

The statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma regarding the judiciary and the Chief Justice of India have no connection with the Bharatiya Janata Party. These are their personal remarks, and the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The party outrightly rejects them," Nadda said on X.

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 20, 2025, 13:22 IST
Thackeray Reunion: An Alliance With Benefits For Uddhav & Raj In Maharashtra?

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Manjiri Joshi



Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 14:53 IST

Maharashtra politics: Currently, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena UBT and Raj Thackeray's MNS are fighting for political survival, even though the MNS faces a more precarious situation

This is not the first time the news of a reunion between the cousins has captivated Maharashtra. (PTI File)

Maharashtra was abuzz with one question over the weekend  Will Uddhav and Raj Thackeray join hands and reconcile? The source of this buzz was a podcast by director-producer Mahesh Manjrekar, who interviewed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.

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On the issue of Marathi manoos, Raj said that his disagreements with Uddhav were insignificant compared to the importance of Maharashtra and Maharashtrians. He expressed his willingness to join forces with Uddhav, provided Uddhav reciprocated.

For all regional, national news channels and web portals, this became the leading story, with headlines proclaiming Rajs readiness for an alliance with Uddhavs Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT). Will Uddhav accept? Will he be willing to take a step back?

However, the plot thickened as Uddhav responded positively, but set conditions for Raj.

NOT THE FIRST TIME

This is not the first time the news of a reunion between the cousins has captivated Maharashtra. After Rajs departure from Balasaheb Thackerays Shiv Sena, senior Sena workers and Thackeray family members made several attempts to reunite the two for the betterment of Marathi manoos and Maharashtra. The last such attempt was made during the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, where talks were initiated, but failed to gain traction from Uddhav. He declined to meet the emissary sent by Raj, insisting on a meeting with his deputies instead.

Raj has spoken about this incident on numerous occasions, both in his speeches and media interviews. This time, however, Uddhavs conditional agreement to a possible alliance" with Raj is being interpreted as an attempt to test the waters.

UDDHAV THACKERAYS DILEMMA AMID THE EKNATH SHINDE CHALLENGE

Uddhav, having faced betrayal from his own party leaders who seized the partys name and symbol and toppled his government in Maharashtra, is treading cautiously. Additionally, the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) relentless targeting of Uddhav, aiming to diminish his electoral prospects, further complicates the situation. Therefore, despite his positive response, Uddhav may not readily embrace this alliance. While Uddhavs party fell short of expectations in the recent state assembly elections, they outperformed Rajs MNS, which failed to secure a single seat. Notably, even Amit Thackeray, Rajs son, lost from a constituency once considered an MNS stronghold.

Appropriating the Sena party symbol and name, Eknath Shinde has asserted himself as the true inheritor of Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackerays legacy, despite not being a Thackeray. Should the cousins reunite, it would bolster their claim as the sole legitimate heirs of Balasahebs legacy, as opposed to a non-Thackeray.

The party split has significantly weakened Uddhav, which was evident in the latest state assembly election results. All eyes are now on the upcoming local body elections, particularly in Mumbai and Thane, where the united Shiv Sena held sway for over two decades.

WHATS IN IT FOR RAJ THACKERAY?

Raj, struggling to garner significant voter support in elections since 2014, seeks an alliance to revive his political standing.

Rajs shifting political allegiances have come at a cost. In the 2014 general elections, he extended support to Narendra Modi, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not formally acknowledge the alliance. In the 2019 general election, he campaigned against PM Modi and the BJP, indirectly supporting the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the state.

However, after receiving summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking clarification on certain transactions, Raj shifted his stance, indirectly supporting PM Modi and the BJP. In the 2024 general election, he once again backed the BJP, refraining from contesting in anticipation of being accommodated within the Mahayuti alliance during the state assembly elections. When this did not materialise, a disgruntled Raj was compelled to contest independently. He was unable to persuade then CM Eknath Shinde to prevent his party from fielding a candidate against Amit Thackeray, who was contesting his first election.

Sources suggest that Mahayuti leaders advised Raj to maintain a low profile during the state assembly elections, promising to support him in the upcoming municipal elections. During a recent speech at Shivaji Park during Gudi Padwa, Raj declared his support for Devendra Fadnavis if his actions benefited Maharashtra. A few weeks later, he hosted deputy CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde for dinner at his residence, followed by a closed-door meeting. These events highlight Rajs eagerness to join the Mahayuti alliance and his willingness to negotiate for his partys inclusion.

Shiv Sena UBT believes that Rajs proposition of reunification and his display of magnanimity stem from an ulterior motive. Political analysts suggest that Uddhavs conditional agreement is a strategic manoeuvre to avoid being perceived as the villain once again, as he was in 2017 when he rebuffed Rajs emissary.

Mumbai | Maharashtra Deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis meets MNS chief Raj Thackeray at his residence pic.twitter.com/mAbGvaLU3j ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2022

THE HURDLES & BENEFITS

However, this potential alliance faces significant hurdles. Both parties share a similar voter base and constituencies, leading to potential conflicts. Additionally, Raj has incorporated a Hindutva agenda alongside his Marathi Manoos stance to broaden his appeal, a strategy already deployed by Uddhav, who lost a segment of his core Hindutva voters due to his alliance with the Congress and NCP.

The contrasting personalities and political approaches of Raj and Uddhav present another challenge. Rajs confrontational style may clash with Uddhavs more reserved and diplomatic demeanour. Furthermore, the historical animosity between the grassroots workers of both parties, stemming from the MNSs inception, poses a significant obstacle. They have not only competed against each other in elections, but have also opposed each others policies and political positions.

One compelling factor for both Raj and Uddhav is the potential of a united front to attract Marathi voters in urban areas such as Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik, which were once strongholds for their respective parties. This alliance could prove advantageous in the upcoming local body elections, allowing them to regain ground and reassert their dominance.

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Currently, both Shiv Sena UBT and MNS are fighting for political survival. The MNS faces a more precarious situation, having struggled to secure significant support from the people of Maharashtra in general and assembly elections since 2014.

However, there are still some questions  Does Uddhav, with the backing of the Congress and Sharad Pawars NCP, require the support of a politically weakened MNS? Conversely, would Raj, seeking a strong partner to revitalise his partys electoral prospects, align with Uddhav, who has lost his partys name, symbol, and a significant portion of his party leadership?

About the Author Mayuresh Ganapatye Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More Mayuresh Ganapatye, News Editor at News18.com, writes on politics and civic issues, as well as human interests stories. He has been covering Maharashtra and Goa for more than a decade. He previously worked with... Read More

First Published: April 20, 2025, 12:56 IST
Ancient Reptiles That Ruled Earth Before Humans: Super Croc To Tyrant Lizard King

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 08:00 IST

With an incredible history and mysterious extinction, these fascinating creatures continue to puzzle scientists to this day.

The Mesozoic Era is divided into three major periods.

Long before humans walked the Earth, ancient reptiles dominated land, sea, and sky. These massive predators ruled the planet for millions of years during the Mesozoic Era. With an incredible history and mysterious extinction, these fascinating creatures continue to puzzle scientists to this day.

The Mesozoic Era is divided into three major periods: Triassic period (about 252 to 201 million years ago); Jurassic period (about 201 to 145 million years ago); and Cretaceous period (about 145 to 66 million years ago).

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Before the age of man, how these dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and crocodiles ruled during prehistoric life, and what are the things that we know about them today. A deep dive:

1. Tyrannosaurus rex: Seen in popular kids cartoons as T-rex, Tyrannosaurus was once believed to be the king" of the tyrant lizards. One of the most fearsome carnivores of all time, these lived at the very end of the Late Cretaceous. This period is roughly defined as approximately 90 to 66 million years ago, the American Museum of Natural History says. They grew quickly but had short lifespans. The museum says that the oldest specimen studied was just 28 years old.

2. Spinosaurus: These carnivorous spine-lizards" also lived during the Late Cretaceous period. UK-based National History Museum explains that these creatures are believed to have a semi-aquatic lifestyle. They grew 14 metres in length and weighed almost 7,400 kgs. Due to its short-legs and paddle-like tail, it is assumed that these creatures may have spent significant amounts of time around or in water.

3. Triceratops: These herbivores were found in the US. They weighed up to 10,000 kg, and could stretch as long as 9 metres, according to the National History Museum. Triceratops had three horns. They are recognised by their parrot-like beak and large frill, which scientists believe may have helped to protect its neck.

4. Stegosaurus: These herbivores lived during the late Jurassic period, which lasted 152-145 million years ago. Also, found in the US, these slow moving plant-eaters had powerful spiked tails to protect themselves from predators. Interestingly, these creatures had a smaller head compared to their rest of the body. The UK museum also says that their brain could have been around the size of a plum.

5. Ankylosaurus: Found in the US and Canada, these creatures had bony plates to cover their bodies. It is also distinguished by a heavy club at the end of its tail. Scientists estimate its length to be about 8 m, while it could weigh roughly 8,000 kg. The first ever bones of this reptile were discovered in 1906 at the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, USA.

6. Pteranodon: Probably one of the most popular reptiles from the Jurassic Park movie franchise, these creatures were the largest known flying reptiles. Pteranodon longiceps is among the most recognisable creatures within this group, first discovered in 1871. They lived about 85 million years ago. Pteranodon longiceps had a wingspan of up to 20 feet. With a backward-pointing crest, these creatures are believed to have spent most of their time in the air.

7. Mosasaurus: Also known as the lizard king" of the ancient ocean, these creatures were marine reptiles that lived in the Late Cretaceous. In the 2015 movie, Jurassic World, the appearance of Mosasaurus at the beginning of the film, is one of the most popular scenes in the franchise. Some scientists say that it could grow up to 50-feet long, and was one of the most dominant predators of its time.

8. Deinosuchus: Deinosuchus was the largest predator in North America 8372 million years ago. It is believed that it lived in rivers and estuaries of southern Laramidia. This giant relative of alligators grew over 11 metres long and weighed 67 tonnes. It was twice as heavy as the largest tyrannosaurs of its time, according to the Western Australian Museum.

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9. Sarcosuchus: BBC describes this creature as the super croc" that could have hunted dinosaurs. Saltwater crocodiles are todays largest living reptiles, reaching up to 6 metres in length. But the ancient Sarcosuchus imperator is believed to be far bigger, growing up to 11-12 metres. However, some scientists think that Sarcosuchus were not as big as Deinosuchus.

10. Ichthyosaur: One of the discovered fossils of ichthyosaur is preserved at the Oxfords Museum of Natural History. These creatures, believed to be at least 195-million years old, were marine reptiles with long, flexible bodies. Early ichthyosaurs swam like eels, but later ones had fishlike bodies built for speed, according to the University of California. Like whales, they breathed air and couldnt leave water.

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 20, 2025, 08:00 IST
US Woman Dies Following Botched Cosmetic Surgery By Unqualified Practitioner

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 21:03 IST

Lidocaine is a local anaesthetic and an FDA-approved cardiac medication, according to the National Library of Medicine (NIH).

US Woman Dies Following Botched Cosmetic Surgery By Unqualified Practitioner. (Image/gofundme.com/)

In a tragic incident, a 31-year-old mother of two has died weeks after a botched cosmetic procedure performed by an unlicensed practitioner in her Queens home, according to authorities.

The deceased identified as Maria Penaloza Cabrera, a Colombian national, died on April 11 after being declared brain-dead following a butt lift implant removal procedure on March 28.

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According to officials, the procedure was carried out by 38-year-old Felipe Hoyos-Foronda, who administered lidocaine through a syringe, causing Cabrera to go into cardiac arrest.

Lidocaine is a local anaesthetic and an FDA-approved cardiac medication, according to the National Library of Medicine (NIH).

Her sister, Linney Peaaloza Cabrera, told the New York Daily News that she went on the recommendation of a friend. She went there because a friend had already gone there for an operation and recommended him. A friend who went with Maria called and said she was taken away in an ambulance, but she didnt know how bad it was."

We never imagined this would happen," her sister added.

According to an internal police report obtained by The New York Times, the doctors reportedly spent two and a half hours trying to revive Ms Cabrera after she was intubated at the hospital. She was declared to have no brain activity and was not likely to survive."

Hoyos-Foronda was arrested at JFK International Airport while trying to flee to Colombia. He was tracked down through his vehicles license plate, which was spotted on the Van Wyck Expressway. He faces charges of second-degree assault and practising a profession without authorisation.

Whenever circumstances change in a case, we re-examine the charges," the Queens District Attorneys Office said, as per The NY Post. This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and we cannot provide further comment."

According to a GoFundMe page set up by her family, Maria Cabreras life support was disconnected on April 11.

Prosecutors allege that the likely cause of death was lidocaine toxicity, a substance that can be fatal in excessive amounts or with improper administration, despite being generally safe when used correctly.

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According to the police, Hoyos-Foronda allegedly ran an illegal liposuction clinic out of a home in Ditmars Steinway, New York, and promoted his cosmetic services  including Botox and other procedures  on TikTok, as per USA Today. His now-deleted page reportedly showed videos and photos of people undergoing treatment.

Maria Cabrera leaves behind two young children. The Chief Medical Examiners office is still working to determine the official cause of death.

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 : United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 21:03 IST
Bangladesh Police Seek Interpol 'Red Notice' Against Sheikh Hasina, 11 Others

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 09:26 IST

Sheikh Hasina fled to India last year after her ouster, following a massive students' protest. Bangladesh Police have now sought an Interpol 'red notice' against her.

Bangladesh Former PM Sheikh Hasina (L) and interim leader Muhammad Yunus (R). (Image: AFP)

Troubles are likely to mount for Sheikh Hasina as the Bangladesh Police have submitted a request to Interpol seeking a red notice against the former prime minister, who fled to India following her ouster last year, local media reported.

The request has been submitted by the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police, The Daily Star reported on Sunday.

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The latest development against Hasina comes amid allegations of hatching a conspiracy to overthrow Muhammad Yunus interim government.

A police official at the Police Headquarters confirmed the development and said that the NCB branch makes such requests to the Interpol after receiving appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies.

These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings," the police official said.

He noted that Interpol plays a significant role in identifying the locations of fugitives residing abroad".

In November last year, the Chief Prosecutors Office of the International Crimes Tribunal officially asked the Police Headquarters to get Interpols help in arresting Sheikh Hasina and others considered fugitives.

In August 2024, Sheikh Hasina fled to India following a massive students protest in Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus was appointed the advisor to the interim government in the country. Hasina has since been living in an undisclosed location in India.

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The Bangladesh Police have lately booked Hasina and over 70 others, charging them with plotting to incite a civil war in the country and overthrow the Yunus government. Over 100 cases have been slapped against Hasina, who faces severe allegations of corruption and mass murder.

Several of the leaders of her party, Awami League, were arrested after her ouster, while many others escaped to foreign countries to evade arrest.

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 : Dhaka, Bangladesh

First Published: April 20, 2025, 08:42 IST
Canada Elections: Pierre Poilievre Reaches Out To Indo-Canadians With A Week To Go For Polls

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 17:55 IST

Poilievre's Conservative Party and Canadian PM Mark Carney's Liberal Party are the main frontrunners of next week's elections amid tensions with the United States.

Canada's conservative leader Pierre Poilievre offering Puja at Toronto's BAPS Hindu Temple. (Pierre Poilievre/X)

With one week left to go for the Canadian snap elections slated to be held on April 28, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who is the main competition to the ruling Liberal government, has begun reaching out to the Indo-Canadian community by visiting a major Hindu temple and attending a Khalsa Day parade in Surrey, British Columbia.

As tensions grow between the US and Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced snap elections on April 28 for a chance to continue ruling the country following backlash faced by his predecessor Justin Trudeau over the economy and immigration. Meanwhile, Poilievres party, which was ahead of the Liberals in opinion polls, has lost political capital amid a decline in US-Canada relations.

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Poilievre visited the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto and even offered a puja, thanking the Hindu community for their inspiring service to the country. Thank you to Torontos BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and the Hindu community for your inspiring service to Canada through faith, community, and selfless giving," he said on X.

Thank you to Torontos BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and the Hindu community for your inspiring service to Canada through faith, community, and selfless giving. pic.twitter.com/2gW812wuVW Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) April 19, 2025

According to the temple management, Poilievre was warmly welcomed by the Board of Directors of BAPS Canada and greeted in a traditional Hindu manner in the Abhishek Mandapam. He was honoured with a garland and a nada-chhadi (sacred thread).

The Conservative Party leader and Pujya Gunsagardas Swami, Head Swami of BAPS activities in Canada, performed the auspicious abhishek ritual and offered heartfelt prayers for peace and well-being across Canada and around the world. He also interacted with volunteers of all age as well as representatives of the Hindu community. Canadian PM Carney also visited the BAPS Mandir in Toronto earlier this month.

Later, Poilievre took part in Canadas largest Khalsa Day Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, British Columbia on Saturday, which attracted over 500,000 people  the largest such gathering outside India. Across Canada and around the world, Sikhs are celebrating Vaisakhia day that marks the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji," he said in a post on X earlier.

Across Canada and around the world, Sikhs are celebrating Vaisakhia day that marks the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.Its a time for rededication to the core Sikh values of service, equality, and freedomprinciples that continue to strengthen our communities  Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) April 14, 2025

Its a time for rededication to the core Sikh values of service, equality, and freedomprinciples that continue to strengthen our communities and inspire Canadians every day," he added. The event in Surrey was also attended by New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh.

The event witnessed a visible presence of pro-Khalistani separatists, including Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), headed by India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

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While Carneys Liberal Party and Poilievres Conservative Party are the frontrunners in the upcoming elections, other major political parties will also be on the ballot, including the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Jagmeet Singh, the Green Party and the exclusively-Quebec-based Bloc Quebecois.

Poilievres fiery rhetoric about slashing tax and bureaucracy, and his populist Canada First" policy have won him supporters tired of Liberal rule. But Poilievre now appears to be distancing himself from comparisons to US President Donald Trump. He has slammed Trumps threats to make Canada the 51st US state, supported reciprocal tariffs and repeatedly declared he is not MAGA", according to CNN.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Ottawa, Canada

First Published: April 20, 2025, 17:54 IST
German Police Shoot Dead Man Who Threatened People With Knife Outside Nightclub

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 23:58 IST

The incident happened in the northern city of Oldenburg. The knife-wielding man died of his wounds in the hospital.

The man got away from a first group of police officers dispatched to the scene, but then ran into another patrol. (IMAGE: REUTERS/REPRESENTATIVE)

A German police officer on Sunday shot dead a man who threatened people with a knife outside a night club and advanced toward a patrol spraying a suspicious gas, police said.

Law enforcement opened an investigation into the 27-year-old officer who fired several shots at the 21-year-old man in the northern city of Oldenburg, a statement said. The man died from his wounds in hospital.

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The incident took place in the early hours Sunday after the assailant injured and threatened several people", police said.

After being turned away from a night club, the suspect sprayed an irritant gas in the direction of two security employees" and several people suffered light injuries", police said.

Some started chasing him but stopped when he threatened them with a knife," a statement added.

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The man got away from a first group of police officers dispatched to the scene, but then ran into another patrol.

He advanced in a threatening way toward police officers" spraying irritant gas at them, leading the officer to use his arm", the statement said.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Berlin, Germany

First Published: April 20, 2025, 23:53 IST
IDF Regrets Civilian Deaths But No Wrongdoing: Israel Defends Rafah Strike That Killed Medics

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 20:42 IST

IDF said six of the 15 Gaza emergency service personnel killed were Hamas militants.

A man reacts as he stands before the bodies of victims killed by Israeli bombardment in Jabalia lie at a morgue at the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. (IMAGE: AFP)

An Israeli military investigation concluded Sunday that its troops did not use indiscriminate fire" in an incident that killed 15 Gaza emergency service personnel, but acknowledged failures and announced plans to dismiss a field commander.

The killings occurred in the southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of March 23, just days into a renewed Israeli offensive in the Hamas-ruled territory.

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They sparked international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes" from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

Israel insisted there were six militants in the ambulances that came under fire near the southern city of Rafah on that day.

The troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them," the military said in a summary of the probe.

The examination found no evidence to support claims of execution."

Younis Al-Khatib, president of the Red Crescent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, told journalists in Ramallah around two weeks ago that an autopsy of the victims bodies revealed that all the martyrs were shot in the upper part of their bodies, with the intent to kill".

The military acknowledged a failure on the part of its troops to fully report the incident, moving to dismiss the commander responsible.

The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident," the army said.

It added that a deputy commander will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

The probe also concluded that six of the victims were Hamas militants.

Regrets

Fifteen Palestinians were killed, six of whom were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists," the military said.

The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," the probe added.

The incident occurred in the early hours when the emergency service providers were addressing distress calls from Palestinian residents near Rafah following an Israeli air strike in the area, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil defence rescue agency and one employee of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees were killed in the incident, according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA and Palestinian rescuers.

Days after the incident, the Israeli military said its soldiers fired on terrorists" approaching them in suspicious vehicles", with a spokesman later adding that the vehicles had their lights off.

But a video recovered from the cellphone of one of the slain aid workers, released by the Red Crescent, appears to contradict the Israeli militarys account.

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The footage shows ambulances travelling with their headlights on and emergency lights flashing.

The bodies of the killed men were found buried near the site of the shooting in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah city, in what OCHA described as a mass grave.

About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev... Read More

Location : Jerusalem, Undefined

First Published: April 20, 2025, 20:42 IST
'Immigrants Are Welcome': Thousands Of Protesters Take To Streets Across US Against Trump's Policies

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 10:50 IST

In New York, people gathered outside the city's main library carrying signs targeting the US president with slogans like "No Kings in America" and "Resist Tyranny."

Thousands protest in USA against Trump's policies (AP Image)

In a second round of major demonstrations against President Donald Trump and his hard-line policies, thousands of protesters took to the streets in various cities across the United States on Saturday, raising slogans and holding placards.

The last such protest, which was the first of this kind since Trump took over the office in January this year, was held on April 5, named Hands Off protests.

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In New York, people gathered outside the main library and shouted slogans such as No kings in America" and Resist tyranny".

Several protesters also slammed Trumps move to deport illegal immigrants and chanted, No ICE, no fear, immigrants are welcome here". Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been tasked to chase down the illegal aliens" and deport them back to their country of origin.

In Washington, they alleged that the President was threatening the long-respected constitutional norms in the US, which also included the right to due process.

A 41-year-old protester told AFP that the Trump administration was carrying out an assault on the idea of the rule of law and the idea that the government should be restrained from abusing the people who live in the US".

Carrying a sign calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian student who was arrested last month, the protester alleged that people were being targeted by the administration as test cases to rile up xenophobia".

Another protester Kathy Valy, 73, who was the daughter of Holocaust survivors, said that they were in great danger", adding that the stories of how Nazi leader Adolf Hitler rose to power are whats happening here".

The one thing is that Trump is a lot more stupid than Hitler or than the other fascists," she said. Hes being played and his own team is divided."

In Texas, considered deeply conservative, the coastal city of Galveston witnessed a small gathering of anti-Trump protesters.

This is my fourth protest and typically I would sit back and wait for the next election," said 63-year-old writer Patsy Oliver. We cannot do that right now. Weve lost too much already."

On the West Coast, a few hundred people gathered on a beach in San Francisco and formed the words IMPEACH + REMOVE," according to the *San Francisco Chronicle*. Nearby, some held the US flag upside down, a traditional sign of distress.

Organisers hope to turn public anger over Trumps immigration policies, budget cuts, and pressure on universities, media, and law firms into a long-term movement.

The main organiser of Saturdays protests, a group called 50501 (which stands for 50 protests in 50 states and one movement), said around 400 protests were planned.

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The group had called for millions to join the protests on Saturday, but the turnout seemed smaller compared to the nationwide Hands Off" demonstrations held on April 5.

(With AFP 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

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 10:10 IST
Impression Of A Ceasefire: Zelenskyy Accuses Russia Of Easter Truce Violations

Published By :

Associated Press

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 23:09 IST

Despite Putin's declaration of an Easter ceasefire, Zelenskyy claimed 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units along the front line on Sunday.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating the Easter ceasefire he had announced on Saturday. (AP/File Image)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honouring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce.

As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

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A report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline as of 6:00 a.m.Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and 5 assaults by Russian units. In the sector of the Starobilsk Operational Tactical Group, one combat engagement  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025

Despite Putins declaration of an Easter ceasefire, Zelenskyy said Sunday morning that Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units along the front line, as well as dozens of drone strikes.

In later updates, Zelenskyy said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues". He said, however, that it was a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens".

He noted that some Ukrainian troops were killed in a Russian ambush" on Sunday in the Donetsk region, and said the Russian soldiers responsible would be eliminated".

Russias Defence Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire. It said Ukraine had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were dead and wounded among the civilian population," without giving details. It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the truce.

Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson also said Ukrainian forces had launched attacks.

Zelenskyy said that Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraines offer to extend the truce for 30 days when it ends midnight Sunday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow had not responded to Kyivs proposal.

In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage," Zelenskyy wrote.

Just hours after announcing the ceasefire, Putin attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.

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Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

His announcement came after US President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head" and insisted that neither side is playing" him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Kyiv, Ukraine

First Published: April 20, 2025, 23:09 IST
Indian, Chinese Students In US Unite To Sue Trump Administration Over Possible Deportations

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 21:47 IST

Linkhith Babu Gorrela, Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli and Manikanta Pasula, along with Chinese students Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An, sued the administration for F-1 visa cancellations.

Over 1,000 student visas had been revoked amid Trump's deportation campaign. (Reuters Image)

Three Indian students have teamed up with two Chinese students to sue the US Department of Homeland Security for terminating the F-1 visas of several international students, raising concerns of possible deportations.

The suit filed by several American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) affiliates seeks to represent more than 100 students in New England and Puerto Rico. International students are a vital community in our states universities, and no administration should be allowed to circumvent the law to unilaterally strip students of status, disrupt their studies, and put them at risk of deportation," said Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire.

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The lawsuit accused the Donald Trump administration of unilaterally terminating the F-1 student status of hundreds, if not thousands, of international students". It said the students not only face the threat of deportation or visa cancellation but also severe financial and academic hardship".

Students have filed other lawsuits arguing they were denied due process. Federal judges have granted temporary restraining orders in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Montana, shielding students from efforts to remove them from the US.

Who Are The Indian, Chinese Students?

Among the petitioners were Indian nationals Linkhith Babu Gorrela, Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli and Manikanta Pasula, along with Chinese students Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An. Gorrela is due to finish his degree on May 20, but cannot do so or participate in an additional training program without a valid F1 visa, according to DW News.

Gummadavelli and Pasula would have one more semester left before finishing their degree. Pasula was on the brink of getting his masters in computer science at Rivier University in New Hampshire and applying to remain in the country through a work program for international students.

Moreover, Hangrui Zhang, who came to the US for a PhD program in electronic and computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, had his assistantship shut down due to the termination of his F-1 visa and may have to abandon his degree, despite investing $329,196 (Rs 2.81 crore).

As per the lawsuit, Pasula was arrested and charged with driving without a valid US license while holding an Indian drivers license. As per New Hampshire laws, foreign students can use International Driving Permits for up to 60 days after arriving in the US, but Pasulas arrest was within this period, according to a report by the Times of India.

Despite this, he paid a $248 fine before getting a valid US drivers license, but he later received an email from Rivier University earlier this month informing him that the State Department revoked his visa. Gorrela and Gummadavelli were also charged with traffic misdemeanours.

Indian Students In Trumps US

Amid Trumps crackdown on immigration, several students at schools across the country have seen their visas revoked or their legal status terminated, typically with little notice. About 1,100 students at more than 170 colleges, universities and university systems have been affected since late March, according to an Associated Press report.

Indian and Chinese students make up a large chunk of international students in the United States, sharing over half a million between them. Despite good relations between the US and India, a recent report said that nearly half of all international students who had their visas revoked or terminated were Indians.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) highlighted concerns over what it calls an arbitrary" and opaque" enforcement effort targeting international students. The report also noted that 86% of students had some level of police interaction, but 33% of those were never charged, prosecuted, or were later dismissed.

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Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department was revoking visas held by visitors who were acting counter to national interests, including some who protested Israels war in Gaza and those who face criminal charges. However, colleges say most students affected by visa revocations played no role in those protests.

(with AP inputs)

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 21:16 IST
'Monster, Pure Evil': Tesla Whistleblower Slams Elon Musk After Latest Legal Victory In Defamation Case

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 19:34 IST

Former engineer Christina Balan said she was fired from Tesla after voicing safety concerns. Her defamation case was earlier dismissed, but was later allowed by a court.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk (Photo Credits: X)

Tesla whistleblower Christina Balan slammed the companys owner and the worlds richest man, Elon Musk, calling him pure evil" and claiming that she was fired from the automobile company after raising safety concerns.

This came after a panel of judges in California reversed a previous decision to dismiss Balans defamation claim against Tesla on Thursday, according to BBC. Balan said she intends to sue Musk over her alleged firing from the company.

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Balan said she had expressed concerns over an alleged design flaw involving curled floor mats beneath the pedals, which she said could affect the braking in a Tesla vehicle. She worked for the Tesla Model S. The engineer was once so prominent at Tesla that her initials were engraved on the batteries inside Model S vehicles, according to BBC.

However, after voicing her concerns, Balan said managers rebuffed her concerns, became hostile, and she lost her job. In 2014, she was allegedly forced by the HR and legal departments to leave her position. She said Musk ordered his employees to email him if they had any issues but 90% of those who did were soon fired from the company.

They forced me to resign. They told me that if Im not resigning on the spot, they will deport my entire team, because the entire Tesla team, the entire interior team was backing me up," she said, adding that Tesla had planned to convince her team and Balan herself the close an internal investigation to fix a serious safety issue".

Teslas Response To Balans Claims

Since she left the company, Tesla said Balan used its resources for a secret project"  which could amount to potential embezzlement if true. However, Balan rejected the claims and brought a defamation case against Tesla in 2019. She has already prevailed in a wrongful dismissal case against Tesla.

Balan also said she had emailed Musk about hundreds of defects per car" and that we are sending the cars out like that, knowing how many". Her defamation claim against Tesla was dismissed until a California judge reopened her case and ruled in her favour.

I started this lawsuit to prove my innocence and to prove how vindictive this monster is," Balan told Times Radio. He is pure evil."

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The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Court gave her another chance to continue with her defamation lawsuit. However, a contract signed by Balan while working for Tesla could delay the case as any future legal proceedings may need to go through an arbitration process.

Balan also has stage-3B breast cancer in remission and said her biggest fear is that she may not live to see her day in court.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 19:34 IST
'No Trust In Words': Zelenskyy Says Russian Offensive Continues Despite Putin's 'Easter Truce'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 07:46 IST

It comes after Putins announcement of a "30-hour Easter ceasefire," directing Russian forces to pause strikes on Ukraine from 6 PM Saturday until midnight Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP Image)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russian artillery fire was ongoing in border regions of Kursk and Belgorod despite President Vladimir Putins proclamation of a 30-hour Easter ceasefire.

This follows Putins announcement of a 30-hour Easter ceasefire," directing Russian forces to pause strikes on Ukraine from 6 PM Saturday until midnight Sunday.

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As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chiefs reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow," Zelenskyy said in an X post.

We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything."

The corresponding proposal for a full and unconditional 30 days ceasefire has gone unanswered by Russia for 39 days. The United States made this proposal, Ukraine responded positively, but Russia ignored it.If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

Zelenskyy added that Ukraines Defence Forces will respond rationally" and that every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate counteraction.

He recalled that Russia had last month rejected a US-proposed full 30-day ceasefire and said that if Moscow agreed to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly  mirroring Russias actions".

The Ukrainian President further said that the Easter statements made by Putin did not extend to the Kursk and Belgorod regions as hostilities continue and Russian strikes persist."

Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leaders promise of silence. Russian drones are in use. In some areas, the situation has become quieter," Zelenskyy said in another social media post.

A report by the Commander-in-Chief.We are documenting the actual situation on all directions. The Kursk and Belgorod regions  Easter statements by Putin did not extend to this territory. Hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

Amid ongoing offensives, Russia and Ukraine carried out a significant prisoner exchange on Saturday, with both sides repatriating 246 captured soldiers in a deal facilitated by the UAE.

Although certain regions experienced brief periods of calm, Ukraines military reported that Russian assaults persisted, especially in areas near the border.

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About the Author Ronit Singh Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be... Read More

Location : Ukraine

First Published: April 20, 2025, 07:30 IST
What Caused US Supreme Courts Midnight Order To Halt Trumps Use Of Alien Act To Deport Migrants?

Published By :

CNN

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 16:54 IST

In a rare overnight order handed down by the Supreme Court on Saturday, a majority of justices blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of immigrants in Texas.

US President Donald Trump's move to deport Venezuelan migrants was blocked by the Supreme Court. (Reuters/File)

Less than two weeks after the Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump to use a controversial 18th-century wartime authority to speed deportations, the issue has rocketed back to the justices in a second short-fuse appeal with enormous potential consequences.

The situation was entirely foreseeable. After handing down an opaque 5-4 order earlier this month that allowed both sides to claim victory, the nations highest court is being asked for a second time to halt the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act. That review will take place as lower courts begin to wrangle over what kind of notice the government must provide to those targeted under the act and what steps the migrants can take to fight it.

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In a rare overnight order handed down by the Supreme Court early Saturday morning, a majority of justices blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of immigrants in Texas. Two conservatives  Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito  dissented from the decision.

The courts brief order did not explain its reasoning. The court ordered the Trump administration to respond to the emergency appeal as soon as possible," which it did later Saturday. In the meantime, the court said, The government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this court."

The Trump administration responded later Saturday, telling the Supreme Court it wants the authority to remove the Venezuelans detained in Texas under laws other than the controversial Alien Enemies Act while the litigation over their potential deportations continues.

And the Supreme Court signaled it is likely to say more in coming days or weeks about what will happen to the migrants at the center of several fast-moving court cases over the Alien Enemies Act playing out in courtrooms in New York, Colorado and Texas.

The White House on Saturday trained its attention on the lawsuits, rather than the Supreme Court itself.

President Trump promised the American people to use all lawful measures to remove the threat of terrorist illegal aliens," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding, We are confident in the lawfulness of the administrations actions."

The White House has alleged that the people it has deported under the act are members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, but evidence proving as much has been scant. Government lawyers have cited tattoos on immigrants or clothing linked to gangs in court papers to allege criminality.

An Uncertain Order

The Supreme Court issued a murky, unsigned order on April 7 in another emergency appeal dealing with the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law Trump invoked to bypass the regular process required to remove certain people in the country illegally.

The court technically allowed the administration to continue to use the controversial law  a win for Trump. And it blocked a key legal pathway civil rights groups were attempting to use to challenge Trumps invocation of the law so they could shut down its use wholesale.

At the same time, the court said migrants subject to deportation under the act were entitled to notice and an opportunity to challenge their removal through federal habeas corpus petitions  suits brought by people who claim they are being detained by the government unlawfully  marking at least a partial win for migrants.

How much notice? The court didnt say. How to reconcile the fact that habeas petitions are typically filed by prisoners to seek release from detention, not to halt deportations? Near silence. And what about the more than 200 Venezuelans who were already rushed onto planes and deported to El Salvador? Not clear.

To be sure, the Supreme Court is often reticent to get into details on its emergency docket  and for good reason. Often the factual record is uncertain. And the justices are usually eager to avoid changing the law without a more thorough briefing and oral argument.

But the April 7 decision, perhaps prudent in its caution, nevertheless gave Trump a ton of wiggle room. The White House took all of it, claiming complete victory and starting the process of relying on the act again.

Following the Supreme Courts lead, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a series of habeas lawsuits seeking to protect identified clients as well as similarly situated" Venezuelans who could potentially be targeted under the Alien Enemies Act. Several lower courts  including one in New York and another in Texas  issued temporary orders blocking the administration from deporting people under the act while it considers the cases.

Those orders protect only migrants in the geographic regions covered by the federal courts in play.

How We Got Here

This week, immigrant rights groups said a number of Venezuelan detainees in northern Texas not covered by any earlier orders began receiving notice from the government that they are subject to deportation under the act.

The ACLU has said those notices  now required by the Supreme Court  were in English, indecipherable to at least some of the Spanish-speaking detainees. The notices, the ACLU said, did not indicate how the people who received them could challenge their removal. The group said the detainees faced imminent" removal, despite the Supreme Courts direction that they have enough time to seek an independent review of their case.

Two immigrants filed a habeas petition in a federal district court in Abilene, Texas, on Wednesday, seeking a temporary order blocking their deportation and the removal of similarly situated" people held at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas.

US District Judge James Hendrix, whom Trump nominated to the bench in his first term, denied the request for the two migrants, noting the government had answered unequivocally" that it did not intend to remove them, so they were not at immediate risk of deportation.

Hendrix said he reserves decision" on whether the ACLU could protect a wider class of unknown migrants but said he would order written arguments on that question in due course."

Whether the groups can establish a class" of migrants affected by the case is a technical but important point: Without a class, each migrant who receives notice of potential removal will have to file their own habeas petition and fight their case individually. Habeas petitions are notoriously difficult to win in federal court, and it will be a challenge for most immigrants to obtain lawyers.

Unsatisfied with the result  and perhaps untrusting of the Trump administration to keep its word  the ACLU appealed to the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals. A panel of appellate court judges in the conservative court denied the request.

The migrants then turned to the Supreme Court on Friday, filing their emergency appeal with Alito, who handles quick-turn appeals from the 5th Circuit.

Notably, the Supreme Court did not technically grant the ACLUs request in its middle-of-the-night order, but it nevertheless gave the groups what they were seeking: a temporary halt on deportations at issue until it had more time to review the appeal. That decision doesnt necessarily mean the migrants will win their case, only that they cant be removed for now.

What Happens Next?

The ball remains with the Supreme Court. In its overnight order, the justices blocked the Trump administration from taking further action on the Texas detainees until it provides more clarity.

It also ordered the Department of Justice to respond to the ACLUs request as soon as possible." The Justice Department did so Saturday evening, arguing the justices should deny the request to halt removals under the Alien Enemies Act.

The government has agreed not to remove pursuant the AEA those AEA detainees who do file habeas claims," wrote US Solicitor General D. John Sauer, the Trump administrations top appellate attorney. This court should dissolve its current administrative stay and allow the lower courts to address the relevant legal and factual questions in the first instance  including the development of a proper factual record."

Sauer, in other words, argued the case had moved too quickly for lower courts to establish the facts.

But as a backup argument, the Trump administration then told the high court it wants clarity that it may remove at least some of the same migrants under less controversial immigration laws. The Supreme Courts order Saturday did not distinguish between deportations under the Alien Enemies Act and other laws that require normal due process before removing people from the country.

Sauers latest brief lacked much of the bluster of previous written arguments the administration has submitted to the Supreme Court and was relatively straightforward. The tone may reflect the unusual step the high court took in its order early Saturday shutting down the administrations effort to quickly remove the migrants.

Alito, meanwhile, indicated he would explain his decision to dissent in an opinion that will likely come in a matter of days.

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 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

This article originally appeared in CNN.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: April 20, 2025, 15:57 IST
Yes, We Do Make Mistakes: Israeli Army Finds Operational Failures In Killing Of Gaza Rescue Workers

Last Updated: April 20, 2025, 23:37 IST

The military advocate general was conducting its own investigation and criminal charges could be pursued, according to the military.

A screenshot taken from a video published by the Palestinian Red Crescent and obtained from cellphone of killed paramedic, shows the last moments during the incident in which aid workers were killed in Israeli fire, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, in the southern Gaza Strip (IMAGE: REUTERS)

The Israeli military on Sunday said a review into last months killing of emergency responders in Gaza found there had been several professional failures" and that a commander would be dismissed over the incident.

The 15 paramedics and other rescue workers were shot dead on March 23 in three separate shootings at the same location near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. They were buried in a shallow grave where their bodies were found a week later by officials from the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

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In a statement released on Sunday, the military said a commanding officer is to be reprimanded. A deputy commander, a reservist who was the field commander, will be dismissed from his position for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report, it said.

The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident," the military said.

The fire in the first two incidents resulted from an operational misunderstanding by the troops, who believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces. The third incident involved a breach of orders during a combat setting," it said.

The military advocate general was conducting its own investigation and criminal charges could be pursued, according to the military.

A video recovered from the mobile phone of one of the dead men and published by the Palestinian Red Crescent showed uniformed emergency responders and clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks, with their lights on, being fired on by soldiers.

Major General Yoav Har-Even, who conducted the review, told reporters that soldiers had believed they were under threat after firing on what they initially determined as a Hamas vehicle, but was in fact an ambulance. Two occupants were killed, and a third was detained and questioned over suspected Hamas links.

The man was released the next day after further questioning.

The military says Hamas often conceals its activities amongst civilians and that there had been cases in the past where the militant group used ambulances to carry out operations. Still, it says soldiers are told to distinguish between genuine emergency vehicles and those used by Hamas.

Yes, we do make mistakes," military spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters, adding the incident took place in a complex combat zone."

Har-Even said that 12 people were killed in the second shooting and another person was killed in the third incident.

INJURIES

Red Crescent and U.N. officials have said 17 paramedics and emergency workers from the Red Crescent, the Civil Emergency service, and the U.N. had been dispatched to respond to reports of injuries from Israeli air strikes.

The military said in the statement that in the second shooting, the deputy commander did not initially recognise the vehicles as ambulances due to what they said was poor night visibility" and ordered troops to open fire on a group of individuals who emerged from a fire truck and ambulances.

Paramedic Munther Abed, a responder who was detained by the military and later released, has said soldiers opened fire on clearly marked emergency response vehicles.

The Red Cross said on April 13 that another Palestinian emergency responder was being held by Israeli authorities. The military said on Sunday that he is still in Israeli custody.

The military has said, without providing evidence, that six of the 15 emergency responders killed were later identified as Hamas terrorists". Hamas has rejected the accusation.

About 15 minutes after the soldiers opened fire on the group of emergency responders, the military said that soldiers fired at a Palestinian UN vehicle. The military blamed operational errors in breach of regulation" for the incident.

At dawn, it was decided to gather and cover the bodies to prevent further harm and clear the vehicles from the route in preparation for civilian evacuation," the military said, adding that removing the bodies was reasonable under the circumstances" but that crushing the vehicles was wrong".

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In general, there was no attempt to conceal the event, which was discussed with international organisations and the UN, including coordination for the removal of bodies," it said.

Location : Jerusalem, Israel

First Published: April 20, 2025, 23:37 IST
Twelve former death row inmates, including individuals convicted of brutal and high-profile murders, have been resentenced by the High Court following Zimbabwes historic abolition of capital punishment.

The latest rulings are part of a broader judicial review affecting 39 prisoners, whose sentences are being reconsidered under the new legal framework.

Among those resentenced is Bernard Mazhandu Mucheka, a Harare man who killed his ex-girlfriend and her three daughters by setting them on fire in a revenge attack.

Mucheka was originally sentenced to death in 2023, but will now serve four life sentences for the murders and four additional counts of attempted murder.

The tragic events unfolded in April 2013 in Epworth.

After being dumped by Lorraine Mtetwa (40), who ended their relationship upon discovering he was married, Mucheka vowed to fix her.

On the night of April 20, he went to her home with five litres of petrol, broke a bedroom window and doused the room where Mtetwa and her children were sleeping.

He set it ablaze, injuring multiple people in the process.

Mtetwa died three days later at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.

Her daughters  Colleta Gohodza (17), Shamiso (16) and Rutendo Mukarati (12)  succumbed to their injuries within days.

Visitors who were at the house during the attack also sustained injuries, leading to additional charges of attempted murder.

Another resentenced inmate is Bernard Chivenga, a teacher who raped his 14-year-old learner and later murdered her while out on bail in an effort to destroy evidence.

He was resentenced to life in prison by Justice Happias Zhou.

In Midlands province, siblings Freddy Dube and Thinkwell Moyo, who were convicted of killing a taxi driver in Bulawayo and a shop owner in Inyathi in April 2018 before stealing goods worth over US$6 000, were each given one life sentence.

Justice Nicholas Mathonsi also resentenced Garikai Zvawanda Tabarinda of Old Ascot, Gweru, to 30 years in prison for the double murder of his ex-girlfriend, Nancy Sibanda, and her cousin Cynthia Hlabangana.

Tabarinda had hired co-accused Itai Manyoka to drive him to the victims residence, where he set their bedroom on fire using nine litres of petrol.

Both women sustained severe burns  Sibanda suffered 60 percent burns, while Hlabangana had 55 percent  and died two days later.

Manyoka, who remained in the getaway vehicle, was convicted as an accessory to murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Other death row inmates resentenced include: Themba Moyo (28 years); Emmanuel Mapfumo (30 years); and Patrick Mutikiti (35 years).

According to the Judicial Service Commission, the High Court has so far completed 12 out of the 39 resentencing cases.

Twenty-seven are pending. Sunday Mail
In one sense, a story in High Country News by Kori Suzuki is about the memory of James Wakasa, a Japanese immigrant who was fatally shot by an American soldier while in a federal prison camp in Utah during World War II. But things get a lot more complicated than that. The story recounts how researcher Nancy Ukai wrote a 2020 paper about the 63-year-old Wakasa's killing at the Topaz Relocation Center in 1943. (A teenage soldier thought he was trying to escape, though it appears he was merely walking his dog.) She wrote that fellow prisoners erected a concrete and stone monument where Wakasa died, noting that the government had it quickly removed. Two archaeologists saw her paper, investigated on land now owned by the Topaz Museum, and discovered that part of the monument was still thereburied beneath the earth.
In one sense, it was a fairly typical conversation between a father and son. When Peter Herrmann turned 16, dad Rudi sat him down to talk about his life plans. But the conversation took quite a twist, as recounted by Shaun Walker at the Guardian :

Does mom know, asked Peter? Turned out she was a KGB agent, too. And then Rudi presented the final part of the mind-blowing conversation: Would Peter be interested in becoming a KGB agent as well? He said yes. All of this took place more than a half-century ago, and Peternow Eliott Holar and still in the USagreed to tell the incredible tale of his life to Walker. The Guardian piece is an excerpt of his forthcoming book, The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West.

The story details how Peter traveled to Moscow to be trained as a secret agent, though his spy career didn't last longit fell apart when he was 22 and the FBI caught Rudi, who began cooperating. The family was given a new identity (as the Holars) and relocated in the US. (Read the full story.)
Those trying to make a buck as house flippers might want to consider the Northeast. The region dominates a state ranking of where it's most profitable to buy a fixer-upper, renovate, then resell, reports Quartz. Luxury bathroom company Badeloft USA looked at real estate data to determine factors such as average renovation costs, home sale prices, and the general state of the market for sellers. The company calculated an overall score out of 100, with Vermont coming out on top even though Maine had the lowest remodeling costs. The top 10:
The case of an intercepted $156,693 check that found its way into the bank account of an Albemarle County man was dismissed earlier this month after the prosecutor told a judge that an out-of-state witness was too busy with her newborn baby to come to Charlottesville to testify.

That meant that 24-year-old Avyonne Eugene Cobbs walked free of the felony charge that has dogged him since the fall of 2023.

"In these cases that involve banks and transactions online, it's very difficult for the commonwealth to make the case unless everything about the case is local," longtime criminal defense attorney Scott Goodman told The Daily Progress. "Without a confession, it's very difficult for the commonwealth."

Not only was there no confession, but the defendant professed his innocence in one police interview and appeared poised, had the case gone to trial, to challenge the notion that he was the person spotted at a University Avenue automatic teller machine depositing the intercepted check into his account.

As it turned out, Cobbs never actually got the money that somebody tried to place in his account, as his bank quickly flagged the transaction and seized the deposit.

The six-figure check was mailed two years ago by a Nashville, Tennessee-area construction company trying to pay its tax bill and was intended for the regional office of the Internal Revenue Service in Charlotte, North Carolina. The check didn't reach the IRS but was instead intercepted and, on April 25, 2023 deposited at a Chase Bank via an ATM near the University of Virginia.

In his criminal complaint against Cobbs, Charlottesville police detective Christopher Wagner described what he called a "whitewash" in the payee section of the check.

"The name on the 'pay to the order of' section was altered to say 'Avyonne Cobbs,'" Wagner wrote.

Surveillance video shows a masked man wearing a hooded NASA sweatshirt making the deposit. Wagner contended that the masked man was Cobbs, and the then-22-year-old was arrested in early November 2023 and charged with forgery and obtaining money under false pretenses. Four days after his arrest, Cobbs left his job working at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

The prosecution moved slowly. At one point, Cobbs earned a bail modification that let him travel to Oklahoma for training with the Virginia Army National Guard.

Coincidentally, one delay was caused by another pregnancy. Last August, when the case was slated for a preliminary hearing in Charlottesville General District Court, public defender Lauren Reese urged a postponement because her office's investigator was on maternity leave.

At that Aug. 15 hearing, Reese also asked for another bail amendment, this time to allow Cobbs to move to Atlanta with his girlfriend. To sweeten the proposal, Reese said her client would willingly waive extradition.

"I can't do it," replied Judge Andrew Sneathern. "A case shouldn't take a year and a half to get out of preliminary hearing; it just shouldn't."

When the case did finally reach the preliminary hearing stage in September, Reese peppered the investigator with questions about his identification of Cobbs in the surveillance footage. Reese asked Wagner if he ever found the NASA sweatshirt, and the answer was no. She then asked how the detective could be so sure it was her client.

"Based on eyebrows and his facial structure" was Wagner's reply.

Reese asked if Wagner would show the court her client's Department of Motor Vehicles photo, so Wagner departed and came back confidently with a picture.

"And the overall skin matched as well," said Wagner.

The judge certified the case to a higher court, Charlottesville Circuit. That's where the case ended earlier this month on a motion from the prosecutor, Nicholas Kalagian.

"An out of state material witness is home caring for a newborn child and is not able to travel to Virginia for the trial," Kalagian wrote in his April 1 motion to cease the prosecution.

Kalagian, an assistant commonwealth's attorney, also noted that the check's sender, Southerland Construction, agreed with the cessation of the charges against Cobbs, who had no criminal history. Since the bank quickly seized the check the construction company, never lost its money, and neither Cobbs nor any other suspect appears to have gained any ill-gotten gains.

Kalagian also pointed out in his motion that Cobbs had been cooperative and forthcoming with law enforcers in "an unrelated matter."

One unrelated matter in the public record is a now-dropped federal prosecution of Cobbs' brother-in-law, Raekwon Demitrius Burnette. A man who has been arrested more than 50 times, Burnette has convictions for carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a gun as a felon, oxycodone possession and several probation violations.

Early last year, federal prosecutors indicted Burnette for allegedly possessing weapons as a felon and initially cited, among other evidence, a duffel bag holding powerful guns found at a residence that Burnette frequented.

According to the Feb. 2, 2024, indictment of Burnette, there were four firearms in the duffel bag: a Ruger AR 556 rifle, a Spike Tactical, an Alex Pro Firearms model SF-15 rifle and a Glock 19X pistol.

Cobbs, however, informed investigators that those guns belonged to him.

"Those guns are not charged in this case," Burnette's legal team noted in one filing. The federal case against Burnette was dropped by order of federal Judge Norman Moon last August.

Cobbs never got a chance to publicly proclaim his innocence in the check case. The closest he came was a brief police interview in which he allegedly blamed Wagner for lying about the ATM footage before terminating the interview.

In court for his dismissal hearing April 10, Cobbs wore a crisp, white, open-collar shirt and let his lawyer Reese do the talking.

"He's going to decline to make a statement," Reese told The Daily Progress after the hearing concluded.

For Goodman, the legal analyst, this case once looked like a rare opportunity for state prosecutors to break an interstate crime ring. But part of the evidence, slated to be heard in a two-day jury trial to begin April 17, collapsed with the reluctance of the out-of-state witness.

"It's very difficult to make a case when it's out of state," said Goodman.

He said that local prosecutors get stymied by complicated rules for getting witnesses over state lines.

"It can be done, but it's very cumbersome," said Goodman. "State prosecutors are hamstrung."
Hundreds of rallies across the US again drew demonstrators opposed to President Trump's policies on Saturday, in an attempt to capitalize on what organizers see as growing resistance. Many of the more than 800 protests, teach-ins, and mutual aid efforts planned were part of a "day of action" organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for 50 protests in 50 states and one movement, NPR reports. On the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War, many of the demonstrators spoke against what they see as the threat Trump poses to the nation's democratic ideals, per the AP .

At the reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord outside Boston, Thomas Bassford said he brought his grandsons so they could "learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom." George Bryant said at a protest in Concord that Trump is "defying the courts. He's kidnapping students. He's eviscerating the checks and balances." He added, "This is fascism." Conan Walter, per the New York Times, said: "This celebration is about us getting out from under the King of England's authoritarian rule. That rule is trying to make a comeback today, and it's important that people step up against that and meet the challenge."

Hundreds of people gathered in Lafayette Square, across from the White House, per the Washington Post. An event downtown collected food, baby products, and hygiene supplies with the firings of federal workers in mind. "Our people are under pressure," a flier said. "Laid off, left behind, locked out." Two weeks after the "Hands Off!" rallies, there were protests in small towns and a large march through Manhattan. Hunter Dunn of the 50501 Movement discussed the addition of efforts such as food drives and volunteering at shelters to the campaign. "It's all about actions that support your community against the Trump administrationstrengthening your community so that they can weather these assaults on democracy," Dunn said.
An executive order has been prepared for President Trump's signature that mandates "a disciplined reorganization" for the State Department, which would include closing embassies around the world, dropping offices working on climate and refugee issues, and nearly shutting down its work involving Africa. The 16-page proposal says it's intended to "streamline mission delivery" and cut "waste, fraud and abuse," reports the New York Times , which has a copy of the draft. It sets a deadline for the changes of Oct. 1. On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that the Times account is "fake news."

Politico reports there are indications the proposal is not final, including the fact that it's not in the standard format of an executive order. Also, many provisions violate laws about State Department operations or clash with what the administration has told Congress about its plans. According to the draft, the missions affected include:

Africa : The bureau of African affairs, which oversees policy in sub-Saharan Africa, would be replaced by a much smaller special envoy office reporting to the White House National Security Council. All "nonessential" embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa would be closed. Diplomats would be dispatched to Africa on "targeted, mission-driven deployments."

: The bureau of African affairs, which oversees policy in sub-Saharan Africa, would be replaced by a much smaller special envoy office reporting to the White House National Security Council. All "nonessential" embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa would be closed. Diplomats would be dispatched to Africa on "targeted, mission-driven deployments." Canada: A new North American affairs office would oversee operations in Canada, and the embassy in Ottawa would become much smaller. A "significantly reduced team" would run the North American office, which would be supervised by the secretary of state.

Issues : Bureaus handling democracy and human rights, and refugees and migration would be eliminated. There would no longer be a special envoy for climate or undersecretary of public diplomacy and public affairs.

: Bureaus handling democracy and human rights, and refugees and migration would be eliminated. There would no longer be a special envoy for climate or undersecretary of public diplomacy and public affairs. Staff cuts : Buyouts would be offered to foreign service and civil service officers. Layoffs would begin, as well, and a large number of employees would be placed on paid leave.

: Buyouts would be offered to foreign service and civil service officers. Layoffs would begin, as well, and a large number of employees would be placed on paid leave. Hiring: The State Department would drop its foreign service exam. New criteria for recruiting would include "alignment with the president's foreign policy vision."

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Diplomats who have read the draft said they don't see the logic behind it, per Politico. One said, "There's a lot that could be reformed, but you could give infinite monkeys infinite typewriters, and they would come up with something better than that."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honoring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce. "As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," Zelensky said in a post on X, per the AP .

Despite Putin's declaration of an Easter ceasefire on Saturday, Zelensky said Sunday morning that Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units along the front line, as well as dozens of drone strikes. "In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukrainian forces launched overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire, and had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were "dead and wounded among the civilian population," without giving details. It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the ceasefire.
An Israeli investigation into the killings of 15 Palestinian medics last month in Gaza by Israeli forces said Sunday it found a chain of "professional failures," and a deputy commander will be firedone of the most severe punishments of the 18-month war. Israel at first claimed that the medics' vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire but later backtracked. Cellphone video recovered from one medic contradicted Israel's initial account, the AP reports. The military investigation found that the deputy battalion commander, "due to poor night visibility," assessed that the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants.

Video footage obtained shows the ambulances had lights flashing and logos visible as they pulled up to help another ambulance that came under fire earlier. The teams do not appear to be acting unusually or in a threatening manner as three medics emerge and head toward it. Their vehicles immediately come under a barrage of gunfire that goes on for more than five minutes with brief pauses. Bodies were buried in a mass grave. Eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers, and a UN staffer were killed in the shooting before dawn on March 23 by troops conducting operations in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, per the AP.

The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has said the men were "targeted at close range." The Israeli military investigation said the examination found "no evidence to support claims of execution or that any of the deceased were bound before or after the shooting." It said that the Palestinians were killed because of an "operational misunderstanding" by Israeli forces, and that a separate incident 15 minutes later, when Israeli soldiers shot at a Palestinian UN vehicle, was a breach of orders. The deputy commander who will be dismissed was the first to open fire. No paramedic was armed and no weapons were found in any vehicle, Maj. Gen Yoav Har-Even, in charge of the military's investigative branch, told journalists
In a dissent itself released just before midnight Saturday, Justice Samuel Alito castigated the Supreme Court majority for blocking the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan migrants being held in Texas, writing, "Literally in the middle of the night, the court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief." Justice Clarence Thomas joined Alito's five-page dissent, the New York Times reports. Alito wrote that the court's overnight intervention, in which it paused the deportations while it considers the American Civil Liberties Union's emergency appeal, was not "necessary or appropriate."

The filing said the administration was planning to deport a group of Venezuelan migrants it says are gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Alito contended that it was not clear whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over the case at this stage because all legal avenues had not been played out in lower courts and the justices had not had heard the administration's arguments, per the AP. "Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law," Alito said. The administration has filed paperwork asking the Supreme Court to lift its hold on the deportations.

The Times posted the dissent text here.
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Laurie Mead, owner of Kyrie N Friends child care, has been in the field of early childcare education for 40-plus years, bringing up six children with her husband in the central peninsula. She is close to finishing her BA in early childhood education and family studies. Laurie blends family and work; she hosts a monthly night out for parents to support families and works with several organizations to advocate for families in Alaska.

Eliza Posner is the director of strategy at ACT, where she focuses on primary prevention initiatives to stop child abuse and neglect before it occurs. She is committed to amplifying the voices of those with lived experience and driving meaningful change through collaboration in her work. Eliza loves partnering with groups across Alaska to advance culturally relevant initiatives that help children, youth and families thrive.

Mirna Estrada is communications director of Alaska Childrens Trust.
Sen. Mike Cronk represents Senate District R in the Alaska State Senate including the communities of Northway, Tok and parts of the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Rep. Cathy Tilton represents House District 26 in the Alaska House of Representatives including the areas of Fairview Loop, Knik-Goose Bay and Settlers Bay in the greater Wasilla area.
OSAKA, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - What began as a swirl of excitement quickly became a full-blown celebration of galactic proportions as Star Wars Celebration made its triumphant return to Japan, bringing together fans from more than 125 countries for a spectacular weekend of panels, premieres, and unforgettable moments.

"This party is something special," said filmmaker Sean Levy as he took the stage. Rumors swirled around his upcoming project, with even hints of Ryan Gosling being eyed for a role. "The script is just so good, I had to be part of it," Levy teased, fueling speculation and fan excitement.

The crowd roared as a steady stream of stars joined the stage. John Favreau expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for having us here. We're so honored." Rosario Dawson, reprising her role as Ahsoka, beamed with excitement as she reunited with co-star Hayden Christensen. "I've known Hayden since we were teenagers," she said, as Christensen joined to thunderous applause. "No one swings a lightsaber like you, man."

From surprise guest appearances to heartfelt tributes, the event overflowed with community spirit and fan devotion. Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, and other fan favorites appeared to massive cheers, with Luna teasing the highly anticipated second season of Andor. "The Empire cannot win," he declared to a sea of lightsabers raised high.

The weekend also included the premiere of the first episode of a new VR experience, the return of Star Wars: Visions with Japanese anime-inspired storytelling, and a packed animation panel that highlighted the essential work of creators like Athena Portillo. "None of these shows happen without her," one fan said during a panel Q&A.

Outside the panels, the convention floor buzzed with cosplay, collectibles, and camaraderie. Fans browsed limited-edition merchandise, attended exclusive photo ops  including with Ahsoka herself  and marveled at displays marking the 20th anniversary of Revenge of the Sith.

"It's amazing," said one attendee, dressed in full Mandalorian armor. "Im halfway across the world, and I still feel like Im with family."

From lightsaber duels to late-night screenings, from animation deep dives to spontaneous moments of shared emotion, Star Wars Celebration Japan reminded fans of all ages that this galaxy  and its community  is far from finished. As one attendee summed it up: "Theres nothing like it. We feel united as one."

Source: Star Wars
An alcohol fire broke out early Sunday morning at a fragrance manufacturing building in Bergen County, police said.

The Norwood Fire Department responded to OnScent Fragrances facility on Chestnut Street right before 4:30 a.m., according to Police Chief Christian Federici.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they saw smoke outside the building. After forcing entry, they discovered an active alcohol fire spreading inside, Federici said.

The fire was contained by around 6 a.m., according to the chief. No injuries were reported, and no employees were inside the building at the time.

Chris Fuentes, chief marketing officer for OnScent, told NorthJersey.com that company officials were at the scene during the aftermath of the fire and may issue a statement about the incident on Monday.

The building will need repairs before it can be reopened, Norwood officials said.

OnScent is a North Jersey-based company that uses AI-driven insights to design custom fragrances, according to its website.

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Nyah Marshall may be reached at nmarshall@njadvancemedia.com
Several grocery stores, including Walmart and Wegmans, will be open on Easter 2025, which falls on Sunday, April 20. Walmart/BJ's Wholesale Club/Wegmans/Whole Foods/Aldi/Stop & Shop/Canva/Victoria Rosenthal

Easter 2025 falls on April 20 this year.

Most grocery stores should be open on Easter 2025 should you need to get last-minute ingredients for your Easter feast.

However, there are four grocery stores that will remain closed to give their employees time off to celebrate the holiday.

Here is what you need to know about the grocery stores that will remain open, and those that will close on Easter 2025.

It is best to check with your local grocery store for the most up-to-date hours, as operating hours can vary by store.

Which grocery stores are open on Easter?

The following grocery store chains in New Jersey are open on Easter:

Which grocery stores are closed on Easter?

The following grocery store chains in New Jersey will be closed on Easter:

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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.
Authorities have arrested a man on charges that he flashed a gun during a family Easter party at a Gloucester County park on Saturday evening.

Officers responded to South Delsea Drive Park in Glassboro shortly before 7 p.m. for a report of a man with a firearm, borough police said.

A caller reported that a family Easter celebration was taking place at the park when the man lifted his shirt, showing a gun in his waistband, police said.

Based on the description of vehicle in which the suspect was traveling, officers stopped an SUV on Delsea Drive. The driver confirmed he had been at the park, police said.

With the assistance of Washington Township and Rowan University police, occupants of the vehicle were told to get out one at a time, police said. The SUV contained three adults and three children, ages 1, 5 and 13, according to police.

The occupants complied, though the front-seat passenger was hesitant and initially refused to get out, police said.

Once the occupants were all out, police found a gun in the passenger-side door area, which is where the occupant matching the description of the suspect from the park incident was sitting, police said.

That man was identified by police as Jauwan L. Green, 26, of Millville.

Green was charged with second-degree counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon without a permit, third-degree terroristic threats, fourth-degree possession of a defaced firearm and a disorderly persons offense of engaging in alarming conduct.

Green was jailed pending court hearings.

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Tracy Pyles is a former Augusta County supervisor, a 77-year-old grandfather of five, who proudly recalls his seventh grade teachers observation that he never takes the path of least resistance.

And while Pyles plans to seek the Pastures District seat he formerly held for 22 years on the county board this November, his vigilance on the county budget is not just to win election. He thinks supervisors are overtaxing county residents and have ample surplus revenue available that could be spent more effectively.

Interviews with Augusta County government officials and the chairman of the board of supervisors do not support Pyles assertions about the surplus or taxing.

At the least, Pyles wants the personal property tax rate on vehicles cut in half to reduce the stress on rural families. He also wants more funds sent to Augusta County Public Schools so they can perform badly needed renovations on aging schools and purchase new school buses.

Pyles said the county has continually underestimated revenues, and he points to an auditors 2024 report that says the county as of June 30 of that year had $31.6 million more in revenue over expenses for the year and $97.7 million in unrestricted funds.

The county continues to underestimate revenues, and it has to be intentional, Pyles told The News Virginian.

Deputy Augusta County Administrator Jennifer Whetzel told The News Virginian that the county's revenue forecasts have been within 3% or less of the budgeted forecast.

Whetzel said the $97.7 million figure Pyles referenced represents what the county would net if it sold all assets and does not represent a cumulative surplus. She said the $31.6 million surplus in 2024 represents funds before the county paid down its debt and paid for social services and capital projects. Once those obligations are covered, the net figure is closer to $1 million.

The countys cumulative general fund surplus is just under $24 million, Whetzel said.

Augusta County is not planning to raise real estate taxes to fund the 2026 budget, but Pyles said two things should change immediately.

He wants the personal property tax rate on cars and trucks cut in half to $1.30 per $100.

We are in a county with rural people who have multiple vehicles they use for work," he said.

Whetzel said cutting personal property taxes in half would affect funding for the county schools, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, fire and rescue services, and county capital funds.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Garber told The News Virginian that cutting the tax on vehicles would mean searching other places to replace the lost revenue.

Pyles would also like to see Augusta County Public Schools get much needed capital funding to help with school renovations and bus purchases. He said an immediate $1 million should go to the schools for operations. And he thinks $15 million of the county surplus would help the schools with capital needs. Education is the number one thing we do, Pyles said. He said the county schools have not consistently received the 50% of new revenue they should under a longstanding agreement.

Garber said county supervisors always levy taxes according to needs and for core services. He said any county budget is based on services that include fire and rescue services, the Augusta County Sheriffs Office, and other core functions.

As for school capital funding, Augusta County Administrator Tim Fitzgerald told The News Virginian the county has advertised a 2026 budget that includes an additional $2 million to the school division to be used for debt service on renovation projects. The request for additional funds came last month from Augusta County Schools Superintendent Eric Bond.

Pyles lost his Pastures District seat in 2017, ending a tenure during which he became known as a contrarian voice who frequently sparred with his colleagues, but one who crunched numbers to amplify his arguments.

Since that time, Pyles has made unsuccessful bids for two county constitutional offices: the county circuit court clerk and commissioner of the revenue. When seeking the commissioner seat in 2023, he said he wanted to abolish the personal property tax on vehicles.

His said his greater goal than elective office is transparency: I want people to be aware of what is going on."

I want to bring the Board of Supervisors back to being open to the public and understanding of the public needs, he said.

Pyles will be among the speakers when the Board of Supervisors holds a public hearing Wednesday night in Verona on the 2026 budget. Budget approval is expected in mid-May.
Mark Singleton a volunteer at the Hoboken Shelter, carries the chicken for dinner as he celebrates his 40 years of cooking dinner for homeless people. Singleton is member of a group of volunteers known as The Chicken People. He's been cooking dinner every second Wednesday of the month for the past 40 years. in Hoboken, NJ, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

One night in April 1985, Mark Singleton and two friends walked into the kitchen at the Hoboken Shelter with their own recipe for feeding the hungry.

The meal that Singleton, Eddie Lopez and Declan Carney cooked for the homeless that night  chicken, rice, and salad  became a Wednesday night tradition and earned the trio the nickname The Chicken People.

Forty years later, The Chicken People is down to The Chicken Man, Singleton, whos still cooking that same meal at the Hoboken Shelter on the second Wednesday of each month.

We kind of did it on a whim, Singleton, 63, recalls of the night 40 years ago when he and his mates called the shelter and asked if they could cook a meal. I had two good friends, and one of them was a chef. We called the shelter, Sister Roberta answered the phone and said Cmon down! How about Wednesday? And thats how it started.

Eddie Lopez, the chef, and Declan Carney, Singletons other friend, both left Hoboken years ago. Singleton, a realtor in town stayed, and kept cooking; the Chicken People in the kitchen today are his wife, Carol, and grown children, Emma and Aaron.

On a recent Wednesday, Hudson County Commissioner Anthony Romano visited the kitchen to read a proclamation honoring Singleton for his 40 years of cooking with heart.

My mom taught me early that community was everything, said Singleton, who was nine years old when he moved to Hoboken from Sussex County in 1970. He graduated Hoboken High School in 1979, then got a degree from Montclair State.

Mark Singleton serves chicken to Dashawn Gordon as a volunteer at the Hoboken Shelter where he celebrates his 40 years of cooking dinner for homeless people. Singleton is member of a group of volunteers known as The Chicken People. He's been cooking dinner every second Wednesday of the month for the past 40 years. in Hoboken, NJ, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

By the mid-1980s, once gritty Hoboken was rapidly gentrifying, while much of Hudson County was becoming the Gold Coast. People who lived paycheck to paycheck were getting kicked to the curb.

That first night, we were putting out the food and the other side of the bread line were people I knew from high school, Singleton said. Lots of people are one bad break from being homeless.

So Singleton kept coming back, even as his other friends dropped out. He rarely misses a second Wednesday, and when he cant make it, he substitutes a date to make his Shelter Chicken.

Singleton buys the food and cooks it himself, assisted by volunteers, including his wife and two kids. He bakes the drumsticks, boils sacks of yellow rice and simmers the vegetable medley to make the Shelter Chicken. I make it at home, too, he said.

Singleton has fed thousands over the years. Hes seen familiar faces and strangers he got to know. Hes seen doctors and lawyers on the food line, and plenty of blue-collar people.

The message I got in 1985 is the same message now, he said. These people arent any different than me or you. Theyve had some bad situations and some bad breaks.

Hudson County Commissioner Anthony Romano presents a resolution to Mark Singleton a volunteer at the Hoboken Shelter, celebrates his 40 years of cooking dinner for homeless people. Singleton is member of a group of volunteers known as The Chicken People. He's been cooking dinner every second Wednesday of the month for the past 40 years. in Hoboken, NJ, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media

Executive director Jacklyn Cherubini said Singleton is the longest-tenured volunteer at the shelter, which opened in 1983 and is run by four churches and a synagogue.

Over 1,900 volunteers donated time to serve meals in 2024, according to shelter statistics. The shelter currently serves 500 meals a day  breakfast, lunch, and dinner  and sleeps 50 people a night.

People who volunteer just four hours are making a difference in someone elses life, Cherubini said. Mark kept coming back. He hasnt missed a month in 40 years.

Cherubini said the shelters goal is to treat everyone with dignity, whether they come in for meals, to shower, or to sleep. The people who come in off the street are referred to as guests, and last year, the shelter found permanent housing for 157 people.

Thats three people a week, Cherubini said proudly. Every other day, someone left here with keys in their hands for their own home.

Cherubini said the shelter volunteers see people on what for many is the worst day of their lives the day they become homeless. She said the road to recovery often starts with a meal.

If we had to hire staff to serve meals and take care of a lot of things that volunteers do, then I dont think wed be able to afford it, said Azy Brown, the shelter president. Its crucial that volunteers donate their time, and its really important for our guests to see theres someone in the community that cares about them.

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A New Jersey man died following a crash early Saturday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike in Middlesex County.

Edouard Iougai, 67, of Loch Arbour, was driving a car southbound on the inner roadway in Woodbridge shortly before 4 a.m. when a Mazda SUV struck the rear of his vehicle, a New Jersey State Police spokesman said.

Both vehicles veered off the roadway to the right, hit the guardrail and became disabled in the travel lanes, police said.

The driver of a Toyota minivan then stopped near the crash to help.

A southbound Mercedes-Benz car hit the rear of Iougais disabled car and the parked Toyota, causing the Toyota to hit the Mazda, police said.

Iougai was killed, according to police.

No other injuries were reported. Additional details were not disclosed.

The crash remains under investigation, police said.

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A Monmouth County man was charged with attempted murder and other offenses after a series of recent shooting incidents on a street in Middlesex County.

East Brunswick Police responded to Cranberry Circle for three separate shooting incidents during April, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office.

No injuries were reported in any of the shootings.

An investigation revealed that the shootings were not random and that the shooter was known to the victims, according to the prosecutors office.

Sameh F. Kaldes, 43, of Matawan, was arrested without incident on Friday after officers found him returning to Cranberry Circle, prosecutors said.

He was charged with two first-degree counts of attempted murder, along with stalking, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and receiving stolen property, and jailed pending court hearings.

The case remains under investigation and anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to contact East Brunswick Police Detective Michael Napoli at mnapoli@ebpd.net or 732-390-6990, or Middlesex County Prosecutors Office Detective Stephanie Redline at 732-745-3300.

Anonymous tips may be left at 732-4EBTIPS (328477) or by emailing tips@ebpd.net.

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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
A wildfire burning in the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland, Cumberland County, initially burned 20 acres on Friday, April 18 and spread to 1,000 acres as of Saturday morning, April 19, fire officials said. NJ Department of Environmental Protection

The wildfire that started on Friday at the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland has expanded an additional 50 acres from Saturdays 1,200.

The blaze still remains 75% contained, according to a noon Sunday update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
A motorcyclist was killed when his bike collided with a car at an Ocean County intersection on Saturday afternoon.

William C. Swiderski, 24, of Brick, was riding a motorcycle west on Route 37 in Manchester Township around 3:15 p.m., when he collided with a car traveling south on Colonial Drive, according to police.

The motorcycle burst into flames and Swiderski was thrown more than 140 feet, police said.

Swiderski was taken to Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The driver of the car was treated at the medical center for non-life threatening injuries.

No charges have been announced.

The crash remains under investigation, police said.

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U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, spoke on Friday, Feb. 23, during a Michigan United coalition rally in Dearborn to support new legislation in Michigan to block political campaign donations from energy utility companies. Austin Kidd

By Ro Khanna

While Republicans are canceling town halls to avoid backlash over voting for potential Medicaid cuts, Democrats need to show up in those communities and organize.

Americans are terrified right now. They dont just want us to listen, they want a plan to stop Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and the Republicans assault on the working-class.

Thats why Im heading to New Jerseys 7th Congressional District, represented by Republican Congressman Tom Kean Jr., to join a town hall on April 21 organized by a coalition of advocates, labor leaders, and residents directly hurt by DOGE and the Republicans funding cuts.

Consider this:

At the same time, Republicans in Congress are standing by while the administration is willing to defy the U.S. Supreme Court and deport people without due process. This is inhumane and a threat to our constitutional system.

In Hunterdon County, located in the 7th district, Karim Daoud was recently detained by ICE during a routine appointment to renew paperwork. If it can happen to Karim and Kilmar Abrego Garcia, it can happen to any vulnerable person.

Since their own member of Congress wont show up to answer questions in person, I am going to his district to listen to peoples concerns and strategize with the community about how we can overcome the extreme attacks from the right.

While some have tried to dismiss my town halls in Republican-held districts as stunts, I fundamentally believe it is something that every member of Congress should do. I hold monthly town halls in my own district in California.

Last month, I also held town halls in three key swing districts in California held by Republicans: CA-22, CA-40th, and CA-41. At one of the town halls, a woman in the audience hugged me and was crying out of fear for what Trump and DOGE are doing. At each stop, the same question kept coming up: what are Democrats going to do to stop it?

Heres one important step: Democratic leaders need to develop an organizing strategy for competitive Republican-held districts. It should include recruiting local volunteers and providing a plan for what they can do in their communities.

This can mean hosting town halls, registering voters, running phone banks, and speaking out on social media.

Our party needs to engage grassroots leaders like Will McConnell, a Sergeantsville resident who approached me with the idea to hold a town hall in NJ-07. After Trump took office, he left his job as a clean energy lawyer and started dedicating his time to building a local coalition to protect our democracy and fight back against the Republicans cuts.

The coalition that is coming together for the town hall has nearly a dozen groups, including Indivisible of Lambertville and New Hope, eager to mobilize the community and fight back. It also includes labor leaders from AFT-NJ, IFPTE Local 194, 1199 SEIU, and UAW Region 9, who are speaking to how the Trump administration and Republicans are hurting workers.

This is the type of organizing we need to show the administration and Republicans in Congress that working-class Americans wont stand for their attacks. Democrats have to use every tool to fight back, but we also look to the future and offer a vision of hope.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have railed against our broken system. Theyve spoken about the hole in the hull of our economic ship. But since the start of the administration, they have only brought chaos and more economic hardship and uncertainty.

When they fire workers, Democrats must continue to fight to give workers a liveable wage.

When they take away student loans, we must fight for affordable education.

When they try to rip away Medicaid, we keep fighting to make prescription drugs and healthcare affordable.

With a clear, hopeful vision and effective organizing strategy, we can defeat the attacks from this administration and guarantee a prosperous future for every American.

To take part in Benefits Over Billionaires town hall on April 21 at 6 p.m., register here.

U.S. House Rep. Ro Khanna represents Californias 17th Congressional District, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

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Opinion: With inadequate charging infrastructure and declining federal support, New Jersey's ambitious EV sales requirements threaten to worsen affordability crisis and limit consumer choice. John Kuntz, cleveland. com

By Michael Egenton

The federal government is on a path to completely upend the entire global auto industry with tariffs and sweeping policy changes that reverse years of climate investments.

The electric vehicle (EV) sector will be hit hard if the federal government rescinds tax credits for consumers and continues stopping investment in charging infrastructure around the country. A growing sector that saw more consumers choosing EVs now faces mounting uncertainty moving forward, as does the path to achieving our states climate goals.

This context cannot be ignored as Gov. Phil Murphy and state legislators discuss the future of climate policy and what these changes will mean for consumer prices and choice.

As a lifelong New Jerseyan, I take pride in supporting our climate ambitions, but we need to be practical when turning these aspirations into policy solutions.

Several years ago, the state adopted Californias Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) standards in an entirely different environment and if it is enforced as written, it will almost certainly exacerbate the affordability crisis consumers and families are already experiencing.

In 2024, only about one in seven new cars sold in New Jersey was electric. Under the ZEV mandate, electric vehicle sales must reach at least 43% by model year 2027 and 100% by 2035.

This means that for every 10 cars available to consumers on a dealer lot, four must be electric in 2027, and every one must be electric by 2035.

While this is a good goal to set, it fails to consider changing economic circumstances, consumer demand, and the state of our charging infrastructure.

All parties working towards these goals need more flexibility in how to achieve them, not a rigid mandate and harsh penalties.

This mandate will fundamentally change the car-buying experience, as consumers will have fewer choices for cars that fit their needs and budget.

Additionally, with fewer gas-powered cars on dealer lots, many buyers will turn to the used car market, driving prices up in a way similar to the COVID-19 pandemic and making car ownership even less attainable.

ACC II would make sense if the goal were to merely increase the availability of EVs, but the primary obstacle to a real and sustainable transition to EV adoption isnt supply  its demand, which is impacted by the fact that our infrastructure is not ready to take on such an ambitious mandate.

Recent studies have shown that consumer demand for EVs is not yet where it needs to be to hit the 43% threshold. Without adequate charging access, purchasing an EV is simply impractical for some, especially for people in rural and low-income communities where charging stations are even scarcer.

While EV demand and state-level investment in the necessary infrastructure are generally increasing, the progress ultimately falls short in this moment relative to the ACC II targets. In fact, New Jersey ranked worst in the nation in terms of the ratio of charging stations to registered EVs.

Instead of fostering a natural transition to EVs, the mandate will effectively force consumers to choose an EV over a gas-powered car even if it does not make sense for their needs or budget.

Additionally, the limited availability of new gas-powered cars will inflate demand and spike prices in the used car market. Ultimately, consumers will be forced to purchase more expensive vehicles at a time when the cost of living is already forcing families to make tough choices about everyday needs.

This will push people to buy cars out of state so they can choose the car they want and avoid higher prices, undercutting New Jerseys auto market and threatening local jobs.

Recognizing these very issues with the ACC II mandate and aiming to protect Maryland consumers from increased costs, Maryland Governor Wes Moore just issued an executive order delaying penalties for auto manufacturers for model years 2027 and 2028. New Jersey must follow suit to prevent the affordability crisis in the state from worsening.

While it is important to remain committed to our climate goals, a successful transition to clean transportation requires thoughtful, pragmatic policy and adequate time to build infrastructure and center consumer choice. We have an opportunity to move toward a cleaner, stronger future the right and responsible way, but without delaying ACC IIs implementation, our states consumers will bear the costs.

Calling your elected representative in the state Assembly or Senate is the most effective way to influence policy. To find your state Assemblymember and Senator to voice your position, go to the New Jersey Legislature websites Legislative Roster.

Michael Egenton is executive vice president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

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By Willie Dwayne Francois III

Passover commemorates ancient Hebrew emancipation from the system of Egyptian slavery, a policy that exploited labor and segregated an entire people.

This Jewish holy day reaffirms a story of triumph over an intransigent ruler, who refused to listen until he was ultimately compelled by a power greater than his own. It offers a chilling reminder of why politicians should align themselves with justice-seeking movements.

New Jersey children  nonwhite and working-class white  have long suffered from another form of bondage upheld by public policy and political malfeasance  school segregation.

For eight years, Gov. Phil Murphy has had the power, the mandate, and legal pretext to do something about it. Now, 129 years after the ruling in Plessey v. Ferguson, which legalized segregation nationally, and 71 years after Brown v. Board, which overturned the former, New Jersey carries the distinction as the sixth most racially segregated school system in the U.S. for Black students and the seventh most segregated for Latinx students. New Jersey is more segregated by school district than any state of the former confederacy except for Texas.

In 2018, plaintiffs sued the state and demanded that Murphy and the Legislature use the sweeping power he was entrusted with to remedy it.

As a descendant of slaves, I never cavalierly evoke the specter of the monstrousness of slavery. Speaking at a prominent synagogue in 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called racial segregation  a new form of slavery covered up with certain niceties... Segregation, he continued, is evil, because it relegates persons to the status of things, a treacherous imposition of what he elsewhere called nobodiness.

Sinned against by the state, students and their families lie groaning, squeezed and contained in blighted pockets of inequality.

Building One New Jersey and the Coalition for Racial Inclusion (NJCURE), a group of experts, faith leaders, civil rights leaders, and elected leaders from across New Jersey, have been imploring Murphy, since he first came into office, to begin a meaningful dialogue about our legislative proposals to end the heinous and deeply harmful scourge of school segregation.

He refused. In a speech concerning race, religion, and segregation, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel posited, Indifference to evil is more insidious than evil itself; it is more universal, more contagious, more dangerous.

After only a single meeting early in his first term, Murphy froze us out, refusing any further discussion. He disingenuously declared ongoing litigation prevented him from even discussing the opportunity-or-poverty matter. Once heralded as the most progressive governor in the U.S., he used the despicable and dishonest tactic of framing a civil rights legal challenge as cover for doing nothing about civil rights.

Our coalition lacked the power of grim plagues or locusts to compel Gov. Murphy to act, so we launched a multi-year series of demonstrations and educational meetings with supportive legislators across the state to unharden the governors heart and free him to act.

Again, he did nothing. Parents, educators, and civil rights leaders pressed him to withdraw from a scheduled appearance at the 2023 NAACP national convention in Atlantic City because of his glaring hypocrisy on civil rights.

He revealed his political cowardice and moral bankruptcy by doing nothing with the power Black voters handed him. The governor and other Democrats have avoided working on this issue like one of the biblical plagues of Exodus without realizing segregation is a plague.

Its well known in political circles that Murphy eyes the presidency or, at least, some national role post-governorship. However, his political timidity, calculations, and dangerously cautious and transactional attitude for the past seven years have won him no meaningful political favors, gained him few friends, and done little to position him for the national stage when our democracy and trusted federal civil rights infrastructure face daily gutting and stripping. A recent poll put Donald Trump ahead of Phil Murphy in his own state.

Murphy still has an opportunity to act after the court ruled that the states schools are unconstitutionally segregated and the mediation process failed. We do not expect this governor to show the temerity or the political acumen to do anything except continue to run out the clock or offer a weak and symbolic compromise. Tragically, it now falls to the next governor to take bold and meaningful action.

Some Republicans are already raising the issue, hoping to corner the Democratic nominee with it in the fall. To date, only one candidate, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, has committed to addressing this shameful problem, while the other candidates and media respond with blank stares.

Avoidance and denial will not make the issue go away, and it will not help a candidate look like the kind of leader our children, parents, taxpayers, and voters need to tackle a problem that is at the heart of many of our political, economic, and social divisionseven our outrageously high property taxes. Building One America has shown that racial segregation in schools has become a suburban issue, destabilizing communities while triggering middle-class flight and rising costs.

A remedy done right can and should be unifying.

Like Pharaoh, Gov. Murphy  or more likely his successor  will eventually realize you cant buy off God  or Gods people  if a terrible wrong is not righted.

Willie Dwayne Francois III is the senior pastor of Fountain Baptist Church in Summit and associate professor of Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He alsos serves as chair of the board of Building One New Jersey.

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The Cultural Exchange Pavilion has hosted countries that require a healthy spin of the globe. But this year, the U.S.s neighbors to the south are taking center stage in a celebration of all things Mexico and Mexican American.

The undisputed Mexican-born heavyweight in Jazz Fests lineup is Carlos Santana (Thursday, May 1, on the Festival Stage), but dont sleep on the chart-topping, 17-person Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga (Sunday, May 4, on the Congo Square Stage) and Mexican traditional music and rock-influenced vocalist Lila Downs (Friday, April 25, on the Fais Do-Do Stage). They have gigantic followings throughout the Mexican diaspora.

When it comes to selecting from the staggering 19 other Mexican and border-straddling acts, weve got you covered.

The first weekend will include the horn-heavy band Mixatena de Santa Cecilia, which delivers tidy boleros and cumbias native to Guerrero and Oaxaca that can sound almost Balkan at times. Dont miss Corpus Christi, Texas El Dusty & The Homies, who blend hip-hop and Latin music in a style they call cumbia crunk.

Son de Madera represents the genre of son jarocho, which features the jarana, a small, 8-string, guitar-like instrument native to Veracruz. The Grammy-winning Los Texmaniacs rep deep South Texas with a sound that wouldnt be out of place at a crawfish boil or a quinceanera.

During the second weekend, look for Grammy-winning Los Angeles band La Santa Cecilia, who were featured on the Coco soundtrack. They will be playing Thursday only, so definitely catch their modern spin on traditional Latin music.

Mexico Citys Son Rompe Pera takes the traditional marimba and runs it through a punk-rock filter, mixing in cumbia, ska, garage and surf rock. Mexican Institute of Sound, also featured on the Coco soundtrack, is almost like a Mexican RJD2 with lyrics. El Conjunto Nueva Ola performs new wave (nueva ola) covers with a cumbia beat  all in lucha libre masks.

Beyond the music, Jazz Fest will showcase artisan crafts, including guitar-making, embroidery, muralists and more. There will be musical parades across the festival grounds, dance demonstrations and cultural talks throughout both weekends.

And if were talking Mexico, then we need to talk food. Temperos Market Kitchen will be serving dishes near the Cultural Exchange Pavilion, and the menu includes traditional tamales, ceviche and veggie tostadas, flautas and more.
An eight-day New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has been a rarity for most of the festivals run. But soon after the success of last years festival, which added a day to accommodate The Rolling Stones takeover of the Fair Grounds, festival producer-director Quint Davis announced an expanded Jazz Fest would stay  and with it all that extra music, food and art.

Jazz Fest 2025 will settle into its new eight-day format when it returns to the Fair Grounds Thursday, April 24, through Sunday, April 27, and again Thursday, May 1, through Sunday, May 4.

The 54th edition will be a big event, with 12 music stages and tents featuring touring acts and performers from New Orleans, South Louisiana and across the world. Theres also a kids tent, an interview stage, parades, performances in the Folklife Village, and hundreds of food and arts vendors.

Headliners for the first four days include Lil Wayne performing with The Roots, Kacey Musgraves, Dave Matthews Band, Gladys Knight, Harry Connick Jr., John Fogerty, Goose, Babyface, Haim, Diana Krall, Burna Boy and more. And there is a vast range of genres, from gospel, blues, funk and R&B to the sounds that have defined New Orleans and South Louisiana, including traditional jazz, brass bands, zydeco and Cajun music. There also are many international bands showcasing music from their home countries.

The festivals Cultural Exchange Pavilion this year highlights Mexican music and culture, and visiting bands play everything from mariachi music, marimba and norteno to rock and adventurous styles blending the traditional and the contemporary. There also are Mexican artists and a food booth near the pavilion serving Mexican dishes.

New in 2025, both Thursdays will be a Locals Thursday. And there are new discounts for Louisianans on single-day tickets still available. Read more about those details and the festivals cashless policy here.

In the articles below, Gambit previews the first weekend at Jazz Fest 2025, with music picks for each day, an overview of food offerings, information about Mexican artists and more info to make the most out of your fest. And keep up with Gambit here and on our social media for daily coverage from the fest.

+2 New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025: Music to see Thursday, April 24 John Fogerty, Seun Kuti, Dee Dee Bridgewater, LeTrainiump and more musicians and bands to see opening day of Jazz Fest 2025.

+2 New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025: Music to see Friday, April 25 Kacey Musgraves, Gladys Knight, Youssou NDour, Andrew Duhon and more artists to see on the first Friday at Jazz Fest 2025.

+3 New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025: Music to see Saturday, April 26 Lil Wayne with The Roots, Taj Mahal, Zar Electirk, Video Age and more musicians and bands to see the first Saturday at Jazz Fest 2025.

+2 New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025: Music to see Sunday, April 27 Davie Matthews Band, Burna Boy, HAIM, Charlie & The Tropicales, Boyfriend and more musicians and bands to see on the first Sunday at Jazz Fest 2025.

New Orleans Jazz Fest's Cultural Exchange Pavilion celebrates Mexican music and culture The U.S.s neighbors to the south are taking center stage in a celebration of all things Mexico and Mexican American.
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An Inside Look at the Subways Archaic Signal System

Deep inside a subway station in Brooklyn, in a cramped, industrial room, Dyanesha Pryor pushes in a metal lever on a hulking machine that was installed nearly a century ago. A few hundred feet away, a signal light flashes red and a train that had been rumbling down the local tracks slides to a stop.

Ms. Pryor, a transit worker, pulls another lever and a section of rail shifts into place, allowing the local train to merge onto a shared track in front of a waiting express train. She then restores the signal to green and the local rolls into the station.

Ms. Pryor repeats this sequence  punctuated by the clank, clank, clank of the levers slamming into place  dozens of times over the course of the day in the hidden control room at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station.

Thousands of subway riders a day depend on Ms. Pryor for a smooth commute. But if she has to unexpectedly step away, even for a bathroom break, all express service is rerouted to the local tracks until she returns. Everybody has to go local because theres nobody here to move the levers, said Ms. Pryor, 35.

About 85 percent of New York Citys subway system still operates with this analog signal system. The outdated equipment is no longer manufactured and has to be manually operated, around the clock.

Its no surprise then that the system is a leading cause of delays. Over the past 15 months, it has led to an average of nearly 4,000 train delays a month, according to data from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that runs the citys transit system.

The subway has long depended on fixed block signaling, a method of maintaining safe distances between trains that uses track circuits to detect the location of trains, wayside signals similar to traffic lights and mechanical trips to stop trains that pass a red light.

The authority is replacing the system with a modern upgrade known as communications-based train control, or C.B.T.C., which is becoming the standard for transit systems worldwide, including those in London and Paris. It relies on computers and wireless technology  instead of people  to automatically control train movements.

But the system upgrade is at risk. The Trump administration is attempting to kill congestion pricing, a tolling program in Manhattan that would raise billions of dollars for the work. The M.T.A.s next capital budget could also be in jeopardy, if Washington follows through on its threats to defund transit projects in New York State.

Ancient Signals

New Yorks subway is vastly more complicated to run than other major subway systems because it never closes and its trains crisscross tracks. The citys subway has more than 200 crossing points known as interlockings.

Much of the old signal system is run from a network of underground control towers that sit beside the tracks. Inside each tower are operators like Ms. Pryor who change signals and switches.

Ms. Pryor operates a device the size of a grand piano called an interlocking machine. By manipulating a row of 24 levers, she merges traffic at a busy intersection, where local trains cross tracks with express ones. In the center of the board, each green dot on the lines represents a stretch of occupied track. Here, an approaching A train, on the third line, and a C train, on the fourth, must merge onto one track to travel to Manhattan. Each command requires a careful sequence of pushed and pulled levers, a safeguard meant to prevent human error. Levers marked with red turn signal lights green, yellow or red. Levers with black switch tracks.

About 300 operators like Ms. Pryor are stationed at interlocking machines, but their ranks are thinning as the subway has gradually moved to centralized controls. The work pays around $40 an hour on average, according to a Transport Workers Union wage sheet.

While the signaling system still works most of the time, it has become more fragile and unreliable with every passing year. Equipment and parts break or wear out. In January, a relay failure at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station took about an hour to fix and delayed 25 trains.

If you had a car from the 1930s and drove it every day youd be lucky if it was still working like this, right? said Salvatore Ambrosino, the M.T.A.s chief officer for signals.

Directly behind the interlocking machine, a closed door leads to a back room filled with hundreds of wires, most of which are so old they are wrapped in braided cloth, not rubber, and are prone to failure. When riders are delayed by signal problems, the issues often start with wires like these. Finding an outage is a tedious, manual process and replacing damaged parts must be done delicately. The electrically operated devices at the heart of the operation cannot simply be replaced. New parts for the glass cylinders  long discontinued relays  need to be custom made in an M.T.A. workshop.

Fixed block signaling divides the tracks into blocks, or sections of roughly 1,000 feet on average, that carry an electrical current. When a train occupies a block, it cuts off the current, letting the system know its general position.

The system cannot pinpoint exactly where a train is, so a buffer of two or more blocks is maintained between every train to keep them at safe distances. But that limits how many trains can run at the same time. As subway ridership has grown, it has resulted in overcrowded cars and longer waits.

Fixed block signaling Signal block Direction of travel Signal to proceed Signal to proceed Signal to stop Signal to proceed with caution Occupied Open Buffer Occupied Fixed block signaling Signal block Direction of travel  Occupied Open Occupied Buffer Fixed block signaling Signal block Direction of travel Signal to proceed Signal to proceed with caution Signal to stop Occupied Open Buffer Occupied Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority The New York Times

Modern Signals

The old signals are gradually being replaced with C.B.T.C., which keeps trains in constant contact with a centralized computer system that controls their every movement. This technology allows trains to run closer together, which means more trains on the tracks and faster service.

Think of it like moving from a Walkman with all the moving parts to an iPhone thats solid state, said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of M.T.A. Construction & Development, which is overseeing the signal projects. Theres no moving mechanical equipment  its all digital.

In 2006, the L line became the first route to convert to the more modern system. The 7 line followed in 2018. Those routes now consistently have the best on-time performance.

C.B.T.C. has also been installed on sections of the E, F, M and R lines in Queens and the F line in Brooklyn.

The advantage of the new system is that computerized equipment is installed on every train to monitor its exact location and speed. The computers digitally manage signals and switches while routing the trains.

Moving block signaling (C.B.T.C.) Direction of travel Calculated safety distance Wireless signal Moving footprint Moving footprint Moving block signaling (C.B.T.C.) Direction of travel Calculated safety distance Wireless signal Moving footprint Moving footprint Moving block signaling (C.B.T.C.) Direction of travel  Calculated safety distance Wireless signal Moving footprint Moving footprint Source: Metropolitan Transportation Authority The New York Times

Mission Control

The home of C.B.T.C. is the M.T.A.s Operations Control Center in Midtown Manhattan. Security is extremely tight and photos are rarely permitted.

Entering the control center is like walking onto the bridge of a spaceship. The nearly 21,000-square-foot room is almost half an acre in size with soaring 30-foot high ceilings. An entire wall is covered by a digital map showing trains moving in real time in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.

Between 75 and 90 M.T.A. workers are on the floor, day or night, surrounded by 432 computer screens. They keep an eye on train movements, stepping in only to troubleshoot. Each time another route is converted to C.B.T.C., more workers join them.

The next round of projects will bring modern signals to 66 miles of track in Brooklyn and Manhattan. These tracks are shared by six different routes  the A, C, B, D, F and M lines  and carry about 1.6 million daily riders.

C.B.T.C. will eventually be expanded to subway routes across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

But modernizing the signals, which have been called the subways central nervous system, is enormously expensive. While the transit authority has brought down costs significantly as the scale of work has increased, installing C.B.T.C. costs about $25 million per mile. The work also includes overhauling tracks and infrastructure and retrofitting trains.

M.T.A. officials are counting on $3 billion from New Yorks congestion pricing program to pay for the new signaling system. But that funding is in question now that President Trump has vowed to kill the program.

The authority is also pushing for $5.4 billion to install C.B.T.C. on another 75 miles of subway lines in a $68 billion capital plan being considered by the State Legislature in Albany.

If the money does not come through, riders will notice it during their commutes, said Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, a watchdog group, which supports the signal upgrades.

Modern signals mean faster, more reliable commutes, he said. Failure to update our antiquated signals means slower trains, more delays and explaining to your boss why you are late, again.
These Maps Show Federal Employees Work in Every Corner of America

Federal agencies began unveiling their plans this week to further reduce their staffs in mass firings, as demanded by the Trump administration and billionaire Elon Musk. Tens of thousands of federal employees have already accepted buyouts or been fired or laid off.

These maps are based on newly available data from payroll records and offer a glimpse of the federal government's 2.3 million or so civilian workers in March 2024, before the recent cuts. They show employees based in every state and in thousands of cities and small towns across the country, far beyond Washington, D.C.

Veterans Affairs

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

The Department of Veterans Affairs  the largest agency in the federal civilian work force outside of the Department of Defense  employed more than 480,000 people as of March of last year. Its employees include physicians and nurses at the agencys network of medical centers, as well as staff members who help veterans access a wide range of benefits. The Trump administration has pledged to eliminate up to 80,000 jobs.

Internal Revenue Service

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

Tax examiners and customer service representatives employed by the Internal Revenue Service report to regional offices across the country, including major centers in Memphis; Austin, Texas; and Ogden, Utah. The Trump administration has slashed its federal work force  once totaling nearly 100,000  by 13 percent, and it could lose up to a third of its staff because of further buyouts and resignations.

Smithsonian Institution

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

The Smithsonian Institutions staff comprises museum curators, archivists, animal keepers and security guards who work at its museums and research centers.

Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services employed more than 90,000 people in March of last year before the Trump administration dismissed about 24 percent of its work force. The department consists of thousands of scientists, public health officials, researchers, and food and drug inspectors working on a vast array of health-related concerns.

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000 Swipe to see more maps C.D.C. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

Agriculture

At the Natural Resources Conservation Service, soil conservation experts are distributed widely across the country to support the agriculture industry. The Forest Service, which manages about 193 million acres of public lands, employs wildland firefighters, archeologists and wildlife biologists stationed primarily in rural areas of the country.

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000 Swipe to see more maps FOREST SERVICE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE

Social Security Administration

The Trump administrations cuts have already caused staffing shortages at field offices across the country, where remaining employees are facing longer lines and anxious recipients. The agency had more than 59,000 staff members as of March of last year.

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

Commerce

The Commerce Department encompasses a group of distinct bureaus that conduct research, forecast weather and gather data in locations across the country.

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000 Swipe to see more maps NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CENSUS BUREAU NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

The U.S. Census Bureau is headquartered in Suitland, Md., and also maintains a significant presence in Jeffersonville, Ind., where it has its main processing center for mail and surveys. The National Institute of Standards and Technologys staff of engineers, physicists and chemists is primarily based in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.

Interior

The Interior Department maintains a far-flung work force that staffs national parks, works with Native American tribes, manages the agencys vast lands and conducts research.

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000 Swipe to see more maps BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT GEOLOGICAL SURVEY INDIAN AFFAIRS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The department manages over 400 million acres of federal lands, primarily under the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. These bureaus employ scientists, researchers, technical staff members and park rangers across their portfolio of lands.

NASA

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

NASAs highly specialized work force is composed of engineers, astrophysicists and planetary scientists distributed across several major centers across the country, such as the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency had more than 18,000 employees as of March of last year.

Homeland Security

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000 Swipe to see more maps FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY COAST GUARD CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY

The Department of Homeland Security is one of the largest agencies by total employment with more than 222,000 employees as of March of last year. It does not reveal the specific locations of staff members in many of its more high-profile subagencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. That said, several of the departments other subagencies offer a window into how the nations security and safety apparatus is distributed across the country.

Energy

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

The Department of Energys work force is distributed across a network of field offices and laboratories across the country, such as Los Alamos and Oak Ridge. The departments staff of chemical engineers, nuclear experts and computer scientists is divided into groups like the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Energy Information Administration.

Transportation

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

The Transportation Department encompasses a group of agencies that sets regulations for the aviation industry, railroads, highways and public transit. The Federal Aviation Administration, by far the largest agency within Transportation, with more than 45,000 employees as of March of last year, has employees at almost every airport in the United States, as well as technical operations in Oklahoma City and Atlantic City, N.J.

Securities and Exchange Commission

Employees 100 500 1,000 5,000

The Securities and Exchange Commissions offices are concentrated in urban areas with a significant financial services sector, like New York, San Francisco and Chicago. The agency employs lawyers, accountants and compliance experts whose mandate is to regulate the securities industry.
A woman who spat straight into the face of a garda was handed down two community service orders in lieu of prison.

Ellie Cullen (20) of Clogher Head, Crumlin, Dublin 12, was intoxicated at a bus stop in Offaly and she kicked and spat at two members of the gardai on May 6, 2024 at Dublin Road, Edenderry. She also used threatening and abusive language. In addition she failed to appear in court on February 26, 2025.

Barrister David Nugent said his client was apologetic for her behaviour. He said she wasn't well at the time and has complications in relation to her condition. He said it is not something she is proud of. He said it was frustration born of issues in relation to difficulties she has in life.

He said Ms Cullen, (who appeard short in stature) doesn't want to use it as an excuse. He said she is doing very well now. She was quite fearful and knows the court has the power to put her in custody.

Judge Andrew Cody said that spitting and hitting gardai is not something the court takes lightly. Mr Nugent said his client accepted it was something completely out of order. He said she was not in a great place.

Judge Cody said she has a free travel pass and came down here ''off her head.'' He asked to have her assessed to ascertain her suitability for community services. After she was deemed to be suitable, he imposed two 40 hour community services in lieu of one month in prison for her assault on Garda Mullin and Garda Fitzpatrick.

He gave her 12 months to complete the order.
"Man plans, God laughs."- Yiddish proverb

My co-workers and I thought we were gathering for the facility-wide "communication meeting" held periodically throughout the year. The area was noisy as workers from different lines and shifts greeted each other. When someone we did not know stepped up to the microphone instead of our plant's leader, it was the first sign that something was off.

The person from corporate introduced himself and then immediately spoke the words that would change the lives of everyone in the room:

"We have made the difficult decision to close this plant."

There was an audible gasp as the statement hit the room like a sonic boom. And then there was dead silence. It seemed to go on forever, but in reality, it lasted no longer than it took the man from corporate to take a breath. He continued to speak, but his words seemed far away and distorted. This was news I had not seen coming and was probably experiencing shock. The words were spoken to explain the reason for the closure, but they were not registering.

The microphone was passed to the corporate HR representative. His voice droned on, connecting no better than the teacher from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, providing critical information that the people in the room were not prepared to hear. Then he said words that pulled me back to reality: "The company is offering employees the opportunity to transfer to other facilities."

My oldest daughter has lived in Washington state since her ex-husband was stationed there. Any hopes that she would return to California when they split were dashed when she met the awesome man she would eventually marry. Their family is quickly growing, and my grandson will become a big brother in a few months.

Last year, my son and his fiance'e also moved to Washington, increasing the pull toward the Pacific Northwest. My wife and I had already been throwing around the idea of following the kids up there; was this news an opportunity to pull the trigger?

Approval of my transfer request has not been given yet, but we have started making the preliminary steps for this massive life change. Trying not to get overwhelmed by the immenseness of this task, I am trying to focus on the next steps instead of looking at the journey. Today's step was meeting with the realtor and putting together the plan for preparing the house for sale.

After the meeting concluded, I asked my wife to put my drum set up for sale. I gave her the practical reason for why this was the logical first step as it would free up some room for the work that had to be done. I think that it was also a way to reassure myself that I was ready to move on. Within a couple of hours of the posting, my wife had found a buyer.

I have been playing the drums since I was eight. It is a part of who I am. The only time I did not have a drumset was when I moved from New York to Los Angeles.

The basic part of the set that will be picked up tomorrow was purchased when I first arrived. This inexpensive Pearl Export Series drum set has served me well for almost 40 years.

At first, it only had one bass drum, but as I increasingly moved towards metal, I sought to add a second one. When my father gave me money for Christmas, I knew exactly what I wanted.

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Unless you've lived in South Dakota, which Kristi Noem represented in Congress and later served as Governor there's a good chance that if you recognize her name, it's due to the video clip from inside a prison in El Salvador that featured the new Secretary of Homeland Security in front of a cellful of shirtless, tattooed, shaven-headed Venezuelan deportees that she denounces while sporting a $50,000 Rolex watch. An immediate effect of which was to raise anew the question of why Donald Trump had appointed her to a position for which she appeared to have little to no relevant experience.

Some attributed it to her exhibiting a superior level of sycophancy during last year's vice-presidential speculation season. No, thought others, in such times fawners sprout like toadstools after a summer rain; surely there must be something special about this one. And now, a theory involving America's upcoming war with Denmark and Noem's previous career PR highpoint, the story of how she had once shot her fourteen-month-old dog, out of frustration at her inability to train it.

For those who savor the surprises of the Trump years, the recently articulated hostility to Denmark has to rank as top tier. We can imagine that he himself was actually as amazed as the next American to learn that humongous Greenland is actually an autonomous territory of otherwise tiny Denmark. And, real estate being the President's primary business interest, he has decided that the US has greater need for the world's largest island than Denmark does. Heads that take Trump seriously as well as those that don't were set spinning alike by this newly enunciated national security priority. But as the now ubiquitous, but previously unfamiliar, north pole-centered mops clearly show across the ever-shrinking Arctic ice pack from the US lies Russia!

The thing is, though, Trump doesn't actually seem all that concerned about Russia as a security threat. During his February 28 Oval Office encounter with Volodymyr Zelensky, he went so far as to tell the Ukrainian President that Putin went through a hell of a lot with me. He's even claimed that it was Ukraine that started the war with Russia. And the fact is that the secret potential war plans on which the Pentagon intended to brief Elon Musk before public outcry put the kibosh on the idea concerned China, not Russia. Which should make it pretty clear which nation is actually being ginned up as the national security threat.

Now, the fact is that Trump has never particularly been known for an expansive interest in or knowledge of geography that doesn't hold some kind of business angle for him. Could it be, then, that he thinks Greenland would actually provide some kind of buffer against China? This all, of course, is speculative, but what we do know is that so far as the prospect of the U.S. taking possession of Greenland, Trump says he thinks there's a good possibility that we could do it without military force, which should be quite reassuring to us all, although he cautioned that he won't take anything off the table.

Hey, that's what the man said, so let's imagine what happens when the absurd gets serious. Some may recall that when France proved a tough sell on the endless War on Terror, announcing its intent to veto any United Nations resolution calling for invasion of Iraq, the U.S. House of Representatives responded by altering the menus of three congressional cafeterias, renaming French fries as freedom fries. (None will recall, however, when the U.S. entry into the First World War against Germany turned frankfurters into hot dogs.) So, if Denmark continues to balk at the Presidential whim, we can no doubt look forward to ordering Cheese Americans to go with our coffee in the future.

But the ire directed at the willful little Scandinavian nation will not likely stop at the pastry shop. Which is what brings us back to the question of what Kristi Noem's doing here. Well, the story she told about her dead dog was that it was untrainable, dangerous to anyone she came in contact with, less than worthless as a hunting dog. I hated that dog, Noem said. The final straw came when she dropped in on some neighbors, let the dog escape her control, and it proceeded to kill the neighbor's chickens. After paying for the chickens, she took the dog to a gravel pit and shot it. But that's not all. She then realized that another unpleasant job needed to be done, and went back and got a goat her family had that was nasty and mean, prone to chasing and knocking down her kids. Oh, and it smelled bad, disgusting, musky, rancid. So she shot the goat too. Didn't get the job done on her first shot though. Had to go back to the truck for a another shell to finish it off.

None of this story, you must understand, required any sort of hard-nosed investigative journalism to uncover. It comes from a book that Noem herself wrote: "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward", an autobiography, her second, written when she was preening for the vice-presidential nod. She recounted the bizarre anecdote, she says, as an example of her willingness to do difficult, messy and ugly things when they just had to be done. As we know, she didn't ultimately land the nomination. Some suspect it was because it took her two shots to get the goat. Who knows, but Trump did ultimately decide he wanted her around.

Should the President's Greenland/Denmark obsession continue to meander on, the campaign against Danish aggression surely won't stop at the breakfast counter. And it's when we start to envision additional targets that the potential Kristi Noem role in all this starts to take shape. The most obvious display of this alien roadblock to American national security? It's the dogs, of course, Great Danes being pretty much the Greenland of dog breeds. The threat that canines of that size in the service of an enemy power would pose to America's most vulnerable citizens, our children, is too obvious to require discussion.

Who's better qualified to conduct a national anti-Great Dane campaign than Noem? Imagine, if you will, her standing there in front of a pound filled with chained, baying, deported Great Danes, shotgun in hand, and Rolex on wrist. Could there be a more powerful image of the nation's determination in a life and death struggle with Denmark, and if need be against Europe itself? And should any Great Dane think to resist arrest, well, we know that Noem is one government bureaucrat whose bark is not worse than her bite.

Far fetched, you say? Scoff you may, but remember what else you used to consider far-fetched until not so long ago. I know that if I had a Great Dane, I'd be thinking about life-style alternatives for the dog perhaps even getting a saddle and trying to pass it off as a Icelandic pony. And I'd get real nervous if I heard that Noem was in town.

As of late, she's been called ICE Barbie for her appearance at deportation raids. The future? Kristi Noem: Bane of Great Danes? As we are well aware, crazier things have already happened.
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator

On April 17, the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Khalid Bin Salman al-Saud, met with the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, in Tehran. Prince Khalid is the son of King Salman, and brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In March 2023, China brokered a restoration of the diplomatic relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the relationship between the two powerful countries has continued to grow.

"It is much better for brothers in the region to cooperate and help each other rather than to rely on others," Khamenei said after the meeting.

On July 23, 2024, the Beijing Declaration was signed with 14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah. The agreement sought unity among the Palestinian political groups. The main point was to form an interim government of national reconciliation including the West Bank and Gaza.

Hamas, for the first time, agreed to the establishment of a Palestinian state according to UN resolutions. However, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has not moved to implement the declaration.

In the West Bank, armed Israeli settlers are allowed to attack, kill and destroy property of Palestinians who have lived there for thousands of years. Many of the illegal settlers are US citizens, and religious extremists.

The genocide in Gaza is ongoing and US President Trump offered a plan to take Gaza into US possession, drive out the Palestinians, like the US government drove out the Native Americans, and turn the strip into a "Riviera". His arrogant plan may have been a negotiating tactic, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed it.

When Netanyahu came into office, he declared two main goals. Firstly, to increase the illegal settlements on the West Bank, and secondly, to sign a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, and the ensuing attack on Gaza, halted the path towards normalization, as Saudi Arabia has been firm they will not sign until there is a two-state solution.

Many experts see the continuing Israeli attacks in the West Bank as a prelude to ethnic cleansing. Egypt, Jordan and Syria have been proposed to take in 5 million Palestinians, thus exterminating any two-state solution.

UNRWA has reported that since March 2, no aid has entered Gaza. The UN mission for refugees runs 115 shelters in Gaza holding 90,000 internally displaced persons. Gaza lacks food, clean water, sanitation, medicines and medical care. There is no security in Gaza, as the Israel carries out airstrikes and its ground forces attack families who have nowhere to hide.

Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse interviewed Professor Kamel Hawwash, a Palestinian writer and analyst in Birmingham, UK.

1. Steven Sahiounie (SS): US President Donald Trump announced his vision for the future of the Gaza Strip. What is your view on Trump's plan?

Kamel Hawwash (KH): The so-called Trump plan is a commitment to ethnic cleansing through forced displacement of the people of the land, and is completely unacceptable. If he were really concerned for the Palestinians in Gaza, he would compel Israel to allow them into its lands, while reconstruction took place, and then they would return. However, he sees the land as a real estate deal for him and his friends. It will not end the Palestinian injustice and will not bring peace to the region.

2. SS: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is insisting on the two-State solution before signing a normalization agreement with Israel. In your opinion, will it happen?

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3

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Despite much lofty rhetoric portraying the United States as a democracy (in which the people rule), this nation, in fact, has often resembled a plutocracy (in which the wealthy rule).

The confusion owes a great deal to the fact that the United States, at its founding, was somewhat more democratic than its contemporaries. In the eighteenth century, European nations, governed by kings, princes, and other wealthy hereditary elites, usually provided a contrast to the more unruly, less hidebound new nation, where some Americans even had the vote.

Even so, the overwhelming majority of Americans didn't have the vote, which was largely confined to property-owning or tax-paying white males-- about 6 percent of the U.S. population in 1789. Women (comprising about 50 percent of the population) were, with very few exceptions, denied voting rights. And slaves (about 18 percent of the population) lacked both voting rights and citizenship.

Wealthy Americans maintained firm control of the U.S. and state governments. The Founding Fathers were rich white men-- in many cases, owners of massive plantations dependent upon slave labor. And the first President of the United States, George Washington, was one of the wealthiest Americans of his time. Women and slaves had no governing role at all.

Another reason for the association of the United States with democracy is that, over the course of its history, the country has gradually grown more democratic-- although only by overcoming determined opposition from its traditional economic elites.

During most of the nineteenth century, the struggle for democracy was difficult, indeed. Although white male suffrage expanded, campaigns for women's rights and, especially, for the abolition of slavery met fierce resistance. The wealthy planter class of the South resorted to a bloody Civil War rather than accept limits on slavery-- an overplaying of its hand that, ironically, led to slavery's abolition and voting rights for the former slaves. And thanks to the postwar enfranchisement of millions of African Americans, Reconstruction governments injected elements of political, economic, and social equality into Southern politics. Horrified, the old planter elite launched a counter-revolution-- a terror campaign spearheaded by the Ku Klux Klan that deprived African Americans of voting rights and public office, while riveting white supremacy into every aspect of Southern life.

In the North, the rising industrial magnates of the late nineteenth century, deploying the enormous wealth of their giant corporations, fastened their grip on governance during what became known as the Gilded Age. Enjoying lives of unprecedented opulence and power, corporate titans easily bought the allegiance of politicians or acquired public office themselves. Indeed, the U.S. Senate became known as a "millionaire's club." Meanwhile, masses of impoverished immigrants, drawn to jobs in the new factories, crowded into big city slums. Although "Panics" (economic depressions) periodically swept through the nation, producing massive unemployment and hunger, neither the federal nor state governments enacted relief measures. Instead, most politicians-- ignoring widespread poverty, the suppression of Black voting rights, and a growing women's suffrage campaign-- concentrated on serving the new corporate titans by passing pro-corporate legislation.

With the governments of North and South subservient to the economic elites of the late nineteenth century, radical movements emerged outside the two-party system. Angry farmers organized the Populist Party to take back the nation from the plutocrats, and for a time enjoyed substantial electoral success. Bitter strikes and workers' struggles convulsed the nation. Perhaps the best known of them, the nationwide Pullman Strike of 1894, was broken only when the federal government stepped in to destroy the American Railway Union and arrest its leaders.

The pent-up popular outrage at plutocracy finally broke through in the early twentieth century. Capturing portions of both the Democratic and Republican parties, the Progressive movement succeeded in limiting some of the more flagrant abuses of rule by the wealthy. Its reforms included the direct election of Senators, a constitutional amendment authorizing a progressive income tax, workers' rights measures, and a constitutional amendment guaranteeing women's right to vote.

Although World War I and the return of conservative Republican rule in the 1920s undermined the struggle for democracy, it revived dramatically after the onset of the Great Depression and the beginning of the New Deal. Drawing upon an overwhelming majority in Congress, the Democrats passed legislation sharply raising taxes on the wealthy, establishing the right of workers to union representation, inaugurating massive relief projects, and establishing Social Security, minimum wage laws, maximum hours laws, and other measures designed to serve "forgotten" Americans. Despite bitter opposition from the Southern elite, even the civil rights issue made an appearance, in the form of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's executive order establishing a Fair Employment Practice Committee.

These popular egalitarian initiatives were supplemented in the 1960s by major voting rights and other civil rights legislation, immigration reform legislation, Medicare and Medicaid, and measures to reduce poverty, advance educational opportunity, and create public broadcasting.

Today, of course, we are witnessing a new counter-revolution, led by billionaires like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, to reduce public access to the vote, intimidate their opponents, and, more broadly, return the U.S. government to its earlier role as a guardian of political, economic, and social privilege. Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in their current barnstorming tour, refer to this program as "Oligarchy" (rule by the few). And they are correct. But, more specifically, it is plutocracy (rule by the wealthy), designed to serve the interests of the wealthy.

Although the United States has never been a thoroughgoing democracy, there are many indications that, over the centuries, it has made significant progress toward that goal. And the question today is: Will we scrap that progress and return to the Gilded Age-- or worse?

This is an historic moment-- one that provides an opportunity for Americans to defend what Abraham Lincoln lauded as "a government of the people, by the people, [and] for the people." It would be a shame if Americans abandoned that democratic vision.

Lawrence S. Wittner (https://www.lawrenceswittner.com/ ) is Professor of History Emeritus at SUNY/Albany and the author of Confronting the Bomb (Stanford University Press).
Police released these photos of Laura Johnson in 2021 after she was reporting missing. Johnson was kidnapped as she ate lunch in her car on a break from work in Springfield (middle photo). The third photo shows her on the day she was abducted by killer Oen Nicholson, who had stabbed his father in a North Bend RV park, run over a retired couple and fatally shot a marijuana shop employee. Nicholson was under the delusion that they were federal agents out to harm him, prosecutors said. Springfield police

Laura Johnson sat in the front seat of her car, her windows down as she smoked a cigarette and texted with her boyfriend on her lunch break.

A stranger walked over. He asked for a cigarette and a light. Johnson obliged.

Then Oen Nicholson, 34, drew a .40-caliber handgun and pointed it at the Eugene woman through the passenger window. He opened the unlocked rear door and climbed in.

Drive, he told her.

Johnson steered north, vanishing onto the interstate, a killer sitting behind her.

On that late spring day four years ago, Johnson unwittingly found herself at the center of a sprawling criminal investigation focused on her passenger, who hours earlier had attacked four people in a frenzied rampage through Coos County.

Nicholson had stabbed his 83-year-old father 18 times with a hunting knife, run over a retired couple visiting from Florida with his fathers truck and gunned down a marijuana store worker.

A delusional Nicholson told Johnson that he had killed undercover federal agents and a woman in North Bend. He said the federal government was out to harm him and that tracking devices lurked in his teeth.

He asked Johnson for her name and age and introduced himself.

Johnson shook from terror. She worked to contain her panic, knowing she would need a clear head to survive.

He asked how she was holding up, his gun rattling as he checked the chamber. She told him the clatter frightened her, making it hard to concentrate.

Oh, Im sorry, he said. I wont do it again.

But the gun always remained within his reach, either in his hands, in the waistband of his dirty pants or tucked between his legs.

They headed north along Interstate 5, toward Portland.

Are these your kids? Nicholson asked, scanning the image on her phones screensaver.

Yes, she said.

Youll see your kids again, he said. Just keep driving.

Nicholson tossed Johnsons phone out the window, leaving her boyfriends texts unanswered.

Help me

A Coos County judge last week found Nicholson guilty except for insanity for killing his father, Charles Nicholson; Anthony, 74, and Linda Oyster, 73; and Jennifer Davison, 47.

Johnson, 38, attended the hearing, sitting in the second row of the public gallery.

She listened as the judge described Nicholsons schizophrenia and paranoid delusions and committed him to the states psychiatric hospital.

Johnson chose not to address the court. Nicholson, wearing gray jail scrubs and restrained by chains, didnt turn to look at his former captive. His scruffy hair fell around his shoulders.

Oen Nicholson in Coos County Circuit Court on Monday, April 14, 2025, after a judge sentenced him to the Oregon State Hospital for killing his father, two retirees from Florida and a marijuana shop employee in North Bend in 2021. Courtesy of KVAL

It was the first time they had been in the same place since they spent nearly 40 hours in Johnsons black Honda CRV in June 2021.

Johnson has never publicly spoken about her abduction from the parking lot of the Springfield Cabelas, where she worked.

This account of her kidnapping and the terrifying hours that followed are based on interviews with authorities, police reports and her two-hour videotaped interview with detectives.

She declined to speak with The Oregonian/OregonLive about the case.

A soft-spoken Johnson sat across from a pair of investigators after her ordeal, calmly recounting how she kept her wits on the 2,500-mile drive alongside her deeply disturbed, occasionally chatty and sometimes even courteous kidnapper who never let her out of his sight.

Around Portland, as they made their first stop for gas, Nicholson scrambled into the front passenger seat. Johnson sensed he lacked a plan. He talked about fleeing to Canada through Washington but later changed his mind when they got close to the border.

He eventually ordered Johnson to head east, no destination in mind.

His only goal: Avoid getting caught.

Paranoid and desperate, Nicholson fixated on his fate and lack of options. He worried Johnson had a gun  she didnt  and said he would shoot her if she tried anything. During one stop, he frisked her.

Dont worry, youll make it through this, he told her hours into the drive. Im the one thats going to die. Im going to kill myself or take out a bunch of cops or turn myself in. I dont want to turn myself in because theyre going to keep torturing me.

He ordered Johnson to keep driving even if police spotted them. Hed shoot his way out of any confrontation, he told her.

Youre probably going to get hit, but dont stop, he told her.

Worried she might try to alert authorities, he warned Johnson not to drop her license or wallet anywhere on the route.

She found other ways to leave crumbs.

At a bank where Nicholson told her to take out $500 in cash from his account, she stared into the security camera, ensuring it captured her image. She glanced around for cameras at each gas station stop, making sure to look up so they recorded her face.

She kept her shoulder-length hair in buns just as she had styled it that morning. She wanted to match the description that her coworkers and family no doubt would provide to police once they realized she was gone.

But she moved through the world unnoticed. Gas station attendants and other people filling up saw her, unaware of the danger she faced. She was just another motorist passing through.

She feared Nicholson planned to kill her.

Am I going to live, am I not going to live? she wondered.

Oen Nicholson, 34, (on right in stripes) is led out of a Coos County courtroom on Monday, April, 14, 2025, after he was sentenced to the Oregon State Hospital for killing his father and three other people in 2021. Retired Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier, District Attorney Jody Newby, defense lawyers Stephen Eberlein and Gregory Scholl are at the table before Judge Martin Stone. Noelle Crombie/The Oregonian

Maybe she should search around for a pen to scrawl help on a bathroom stall, she thought. She worried she would set off Nicholson, so she abandoned the idea.

She searched her memory for the Morse code for SOS as Nicholson dozed. She guessed, flashing her high beams in rapid succession at oncoming truckers  a silent call for help that went nowhere.

Once, while Nicholson nodded off, Johnson caught the eye of a pickup driver. She shaped her fingers to resemble a gun and pointed toward herself.

Help me, she mouthed.

Startled, the pickup driver slowed to a stop along the side of the interstate. Johnson, afraid of rousing Nicholson, drove on, the pickup disappearing in her rearview mirror.

A killers confession

Early in the ride, Nicholson told Johnson he had ditched his truck after the killings and hitchhiked to Gateway Mall, where he spotted Johnson in the parking lot.

Nicholson told her he hadnt harmed the man who picked him up.

I only kill bad people, he told her. I dont kill innocent people.

The two stopped in Portland, before the Interstate Bridge, to get gas. Act normal, he told her, demanding that she kiss him.

In Washington, as they approached Canada, she wondered if Nicholson would let her go.

No, go a little farther, go a little farther, he kept saying.

At the time, the pandemic limited border crossings to essential travel, so Nicholson changed his mind about trying to cross.

He quizzed Johnson on U.S. and Canadian geography and interstate routes when they started out.

They retraced their route south toward Seattle and turned east.

Johnson filled the hours with light conversation, telling Nicholson about her kids, her parents, her life. Nicholson offered few details of his own.

From time to time, they scanned the AM and FM dials, listening for news about the search for Nicholson. They heard none.

Nicholson wouldnt always let her stop to use a restroom, forcing her instead to relieve herself in the seat as she drove.

Urine soaked through her capri pants by the time they crossed into Montana. They stopped at a crowded gas station store, where Nicholson found a rack of dresses. He got one for Johnson, following her into the restroom while she changed.

The hours dragged. As they drove deeper into the Midwest, Nicholson reminded Johnson of his earlier promise: He wouldnt hurt her.

Youre a really cool lady, he said.

Authorities released these surveillance photos while hunting for Oen Nicholson in 2021 after he fatally stabbed his father in North Bend, ran over a retired couple with his father's truck a short time later and then shot a marijuana store employee. He ended up hitchhiking to Springfield, where he kidnapped Laura Johnson as she was on a lunch break in her car outside the Cabela's, where she worked. Coos County District Attorney's Office

Johnson had managed to remain composed for most of the drive, her mind focused on ways to distract her kidnapper and keep him from hurting her.

But fear seized her. She cried, wondering if his attempts to offer comfort amounted to a ruse to keep her calm.

Everything is going to be fine, he said.

Driving east

Johnson caught snatches of sleep when Nicholson occasionally took the wheel. She thought Nicholson might shoot and kill her, push her out of her car and drive on.

She awoke as they crossed into North Dakota.

Nicholson began to consider his fate. Prison seemed likely. Maybe he would be condemned to death, he told her.

He turned to Johnson: What should he do?

She saw an opening.

He hadnt hurt her or anyone else since the kidnapping, she told him. And hed been nice to her despite the grim circumstances, she said. Those factors could work in his favor, she offered.

Plus, she listened to enough true crime podcasts to know that perpetrators sometimes catch a break after turning themselves in.

They passed through Bismarck, then Fargo. She took in the landscape, struck by its beauty.

Nicholson grew quiet.

By the time they reached Minneapolis, Johnson felt sick. Her kidneys hurt. Dehydration made her dizzy.

As Nicholson nodded off, Johnson slipped off the highway, hoping the exit would lead to a hospital. Nicholson jogged awake.

Where are you going? he demanded. Get back on the freeway.

I abducted this woman

Johnson thought Nicholson would direct her toward Chicago. Instead they headed to Milwaukee.

They drove through Madison, home of the University of Wisconsin, and traveled east, passing a sign for the city of Oconomowoc. Johnson recognized the name from an episode of Small Town Murder, a podcast she listens to. She mentioned it to Nicholson.

By then, it had been nearly two days since Nicholson plucked her from the Springfield parking lot. Fatigue washed over her. She guzzled energy drinks, worried about drifting off and wrecking the car. He had warned her that he would shoot her if they crashed.

She told Nicholson that she needed medical help. She thought about her dad. It was Fathers Day.

Chain-smoking and downing beers he picked up at gas stations along the route, Nicholson reached a decision. He would turn himself in.

Daylight broke as they pulled into downtown Milwaukee.

Nicholson asked a pedestrian for directions to the courthouse, then found the way to the Milwaukee police station.

They circled the station as Nicholson debated his plan, eventually parking near a line of police cars, and got out.

They stepped into the station. Nicholson turned to Johnson. Would the police be kind to him, he asked. Or would they hurt him once they realized what he had done?

Johnson, so close to freedom and safety, offered reassurance.

He apologized.

Thank you for being who you are, he said.

They climbed the stairs and approached an officer on duty. It was still early, about 7 a.m.

The puzzled officer surveyed the pair. Johnson wore dirty clothes. Back home, her panicked family had reported her missing.

Whats going on? he asked.

I abducted this woman, Nicholson said. I am here to turn myself in.

The officer radioed for help. Nicholson reached into his waistband for the gun and turned it over. He fished bullets from his pockets.

Police handcuffed Nicholson and led him away.

An officer turned to Johnson.

Who are you? the officer asked.

He abducted me in Springfield, Oregon, she said, and we have been driving nonstop pretty much since then.

Going home

Milwaukee authorities helped Johnson clean up, trading her soiled dress for gray sweats, and arranged for her return flight to Oregon later that day.

Back at the Springfield Police Department, Johnson told investigators she thought about running away from Nicholson every time they stopped for gas and water.

She considered grabbing a tool in her backseat and striking him with it. She thought about taking his gun.

She needed to see her kids. She wanted to go home.

But she worried, too, that she might trigger Nicholson. She didnt want to make a move that would lead to more tragedy. He was willing to kill others, he told her.

So she stuck it out, hoping her poise would save her.

I just didnt want him to shoot anybody else, she said.

After the case drew to a close last Monday, Johnson lingered briefly in the courtroom after deputies ushered Nicholson through a side door and back to the county jail before taking him to the Oregon State Hospital.

She quietly walked out of the courthouse, her mother by her side, into the sparkling sunshine.

 Noelle Crombie is an enterprise reporter with a focus on criminal justice. Reach her at 503-276-7184; ncrombie@oregonian.com
Oregon is home to some of the darkest skies in the U.S., and is a perfect place to celebrate Dark Sky Week for 2025. LC- Mark Graves

Oregon has gained a reputation as something of a dark sky paradise.

While Oregonians have long known about the particularly dark skies in some of the more rural parts of the state  which allow people to gaze upon the Milky Way, spy planets and peer deep into the cosmos  the state has only recently gained wider recognition in that regard.
Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls is proposing to open a new medical school that would work in partnership with Sky Lakes Medical Center. Oregon Institute of Technology

The Oregon Institute of Technology is seeking financial support to start a new public medical school in Klamath Falls with the hopes of addressing the primary care provider shortage in rural Oregon.

Oregon Tech leaders say Oregonians are facing decreasing access to health care providers, particularly in primary care. They say the problem is more pronounced in rural parts of the state.
After the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary, supporters of his Make America Healthy Again movement cheered at having a champion in the federal government.

Now the grumbling has begun. Some of Kennedys allies say hes become almost inaccessible since his confirmation and complain that hes made glacial progress advancing MAHA goals, such as halting mRNA-based COVID shots and removing fluoride from drinking water.

The fractures underscore the clash between Kennedys movement and President Donald Trumps Make America Great Again agenda. Kennedy is pulled between his supporters who want swift action to disrupt traditional health care and Trump, who is focused more on tariffs and increasing deportations than on disease, according to four people close to Kennedy who asked not to be identified because they werent authorized to speak to the press. Many of the priorities driving Kennedys MAHA program are not top priorities of his boss.

Kennedys capacity to navigate those tensions has been further strained by a measles outbreak and the threat of a bird flu pandemic, the people said.

Some of his deputies are still being vetted and other key positions remain unfilled. That, along with resignations of top HHS leaders and sweeping staffing reductions, has created a gap in expertise. Kennedy sometimes calls close informal advisers on the run before meetings, and the crises have put him in a reactionary stance, working on weekends and marshaling staff for Sunday meetings, according to the people.

More churn is coming because of an HHS reorganization set to eliminate about 20,000 jobs, including a 19% cut to the workforce at the FDA, which oversees food, nutrition, and vaccines.

HHS spokespeople didnt respond to emails seeking comment.

To be sure, Kennedys ascendance represents a breakthrough for the MAHA movement, a broad collection of gadflies, groups, and wellness influencers who extol raw milk, metabolic health, and sustainable farming while lambasting Big Pharma, vaccines, and processed foods.

The coming months will test Kennedys ability to juggle the challenges and achieve Trumps goals without losing the support of MAHA adherents, especially special interest and advocacy groups that helped him reach his influential perch overseeing one of the nations largest federal agencies. HHS, with a budget of almost $2 trillion, includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

But the MAHA goals arent top agenda items for GOP voters, who tend to be focused more on the price of eggs than whether theyre organic.

The MAHA faithful expect action but their to-do list is not necessarily a high priority for voters or lawmakers, said Robert Blendon, a professor emeritus of health policy and political analysis at Harvard. And should there be a big measles outbreak or avian flu, it would hurt the White House if there was a big conflict over vaccines going on, he said.

An additional challenge for Kennedy is that not all MAHA and MAGA goals overlap. Trump wants to slash the workforce, which Kennedy has embraced. But fulfilling MAHA wishes will require more regulation, which runs counter to MAGA dogma favoring a smaller federal government.

MAHA wants fluoride out of water because followers say it leads to lower IQ levels in children, as well as arthritis and bone cancer. Kennedy said on X that fluoride is dangerous and that the Trump administration would recommend it be removed from Americas drinking water. Fluoridated water is credited for vastly reducing rates of tooth decay in the U.S. In 2015, the CDC called water fluoridation one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, and only 15% of Americans think fluoride is harmful or detrimental to the public, based on a poll in January by market research company Ipsos.

MAHA adherents believe in the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism, and Kennedy just tapped a vaccine opponent to work on a study on possible connections. In fact, HHS has launched an effort that Kennedy said will determine by September what has caused the autism epidemic. Many autism researchers say this timeline sows doubts about the studys seriousness. Most voters support vaccines and believe in their benefits. Eight in 10 parents with children under age 18 say they normally keep them up to date with recommended childhood vaccines, according to a KFF poll in January.

And MAHA wants to replace seed oils, which the movements followers claim without evidence are unhealthy, with animal fats such as beef tallow, which is high in saturated fat, which can contribute to high cholesterol and heart disease. Only 13% of Americans believe seed oils are unhealthy to consume, based on a poll by the industry-backed International Food Information Council.

Perhaps no goal is more important to many MAHA followers, however, than banning the mRNA technology behind COVID vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer.

The big threat is that we still have COVID-19 vaccines on the market, said Peter McCullough, a former cardiologist who has been criticized for spreading COVID misinformation and has informally advised Kennedy. Its horrendous. I would not hesitate; I would just pull it. Whats he waiting for?

The FDA says COVID shots are safe. They are credited for saving millions of lives worldwide during the pandemic, and two NIH-funded scientists who advanced mRNA technology were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2023.

Yanking authority for mRNA-based COVID vaccines could backfire because Trump sees Operation Warp Speed, the federal effort to develop the shots, as one of his signature achievements, according to one of the people close to Kennedy. And it would have been impolitic to take action before the confirmation of an FDA commissioner, the person said. Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins University researcher, was confirmed on March 25 to the post.

Kennedy also isnt calling all the shots. He was initially unaware of the appointment of Gerald Parker, a veterinarian who recently chaired an NIH advisory board, to head the White Houses pandemic office, according to one of the people.

Kennedy did choose Susan Monarez, a former deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, as acting CDC director. Trump nominated her for Senate confirmation to lead the agency on March 24. Kennedy felt she had worked well with Trumps job-cutting Department of Government Efficiency and did a great job in her acting director position, one of the people close to him said.

Kennedy is also in a difficult position regarding Trumps Make America Healthy Again commission, which Kennedy chairs. The panels charge to investigate and deliver an action plan on the nations decades-long increase in chronic illness, with a special emphasis on children, is a clear pitch to the MAHA movement. But Trump has told Kennedy, according to one of the people, that he wants to see measurable progress in a year to 18 months  which is hard both to define and to achieve.

While Kennedy is a scion of the countrys most famous Democratic family, he is widely distrusted in the medical community because of his fringe views on vaccines and his rejection of established science. Since taking office, he has tried to cultivate relationships with MAGA-leaning state officials, including West Virginias governor, Republican Patrick Morrisey. And his alliance with Trump is new. When Kennedy was running for president in 2024, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to say, Kennedy is a Radical Left Democrat, and always will be!!!  though Trumps administration includes other onetime adversaries such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Many of Kennedys nutrition and health goals would require regulation, which clash with Trumps anti-regulatory agenda and his focus on a lean federal government.

Meanwhile, hes relied on his principal deputy chief of staff, Stefanie Spear, a longtime Kennedy aide who has taken on the role of traffic cop in the department. Hes also leaned on HHS chief of staff Heather Flick Melanson for expertise. She was a senior adviser to former HHS Secretary Alex Azar in Trumps first term.

Kennedys close circle of informal advisers includes nontraditional doctors, fellow vaccine opponents, media personalities, and self-appointed health gurus. Some have gained unprecedented influence and access to the innermost workings of federal health agencies.

Calley Means, for example, is a Kennedy ally whose business sells wellness products such as saunas and supplements. His statements have dismayed some scientists, such as when he called COVID vaccine mandates for children a war crime and said without evidence that metabolically healthy people dont die from COVID. In March, Means joined the White House as a special government employee and MAHA adviser.

Others in Kennedys orbit include Del Bigtree, a television producer who founded the anti-vaccination group Informed Consent Action Network, and some officials from the previous Trump administration. Aaron Siri, a lawyer for Kennedy, is no longer involved in vetting candidates for HHS positions, one of the people said.

Nontraditional as a description for these people is not enough. Were talking about beyond the outer fringes of medicine, said Irwin Redlener, senior adviser for the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, of Kennedys inner circle. This faux expertise is really dangerous.

Even as some MAHA adherents press for swifter action, Kennedys recent comments and actions suggest public health ideas once dismissed as fringe or unscientific now have an advocate at HHS.

Kennedy claimed without evidence that cod liver oil is an effective treatment for measles. Hes suggested letting the bird flu virus rip unchecked through infected chicken flocks even though scientists say that could unleash dangerous mutations.

And hes backed cellphone bans in schools, saying phones cause cancer in kids. Most studies have found no such link.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs of KFF  the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance attends the celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday as part of the Holy Week, at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. TNS

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Pope Francis met at the Vatican on Easter Sunday, shortly before the pontiff delivered a sermon urging political leaders to support vulnerable populations.

The meeting, announced by Vances office, marked the first between a U.S. vice president and the pope since 2020, during President Donald Trumps first term. Vance, a recent Catholic convert who was baptized in 2019, has spent several days in Rome for a stretch of work-and-play outings with his wife Usha and three young children.

A video posted by the U.S.-based Catholic news network EWTN showed Vance speaking with Pope Francis, who was sitting in a wheelchair. The pontiff presented the U.S. vice president with a Vatican tie, rosary beads, and Easter eggs for each of Vances children.

I know youve not been feeling great, but its good to see you in better health, Vance told the Catholic leader, who was discharged from a five-week hospital stay last month after battling life-threatening pneumonia. Thank you for seeing me.

Vance was inside the Vatican for about 20 minutes on Sunday. The second family later attended Easter Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

Vances return to Vatican City followed a more extended visit on Saturday, during which the Holy See said there had been an exchange of opinions on a number of issues, including migrants, refugees and prisoners, with church officials.

The Vatican had described Saturdays meeting as cordial, though a readout from the vice presidents office made no mention of immigration matters.

After meeting with Vance, Pope Francis was wheeled to the Papal balcony overlooking Saint Peters Square, where he delivered a short blessing to the large crowd gathered below.

At that point, Archbishop Diego Ravelli read aloud the popes Easter message, known as Urbi et Orbi, which focused on the plight of the less fortunate.

How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants, Ravelli read. I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear, which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger, and to encourage initiatives that promote development.

Pope Francis, 88, is the spiritual guide of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. Earlier this year, he criticized the Trump administrations stance on migrants and forced deportations. Vance responded by praising the Pope but saying he would stand by his views.

Vance also met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other top officials while in Rome, and is due to leave for India later on Sunday.
The Supreme Court on Saturday blocked, for now, the deportations of any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law.

In a brief order, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center until further order of this court.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented.

The high court acted in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union contending that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The Supreme Court had said earlier in April that deportations could proceed only if those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given a reasonable time to contest their pending removals.

We are deeply relieved that the Court has temporarily blocked the removals. These individuals were in imminent danger of spending the rest of their lives in a brutal Salvadoran prison without ever having had any due process, ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said in an email.

The Trump administration later Saturday filed paperwork urging the high court to reconsider its hold. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday in a post on X: We are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists.

On Friday, two federal judges refused to step in as lawyers for the men launched a desperate legal campaign to prevent their deportation, even as one judge said the case raised legitimate concerns. Early Saturday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also refused to issue an order protecting the detainees from being deported.

The ACLU had already sued to block deportations of two Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet facility and sought an order barring removals of any immigrants in the region under the Alien Enemies Act.

In an emergency filing early Friday, the ACLU warned that immigration authorities were accusing other Venezuelan men held there of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which would make them subject to President Donald Trumps use of the act.

The act has only been invoked three previous times in U.S. history, most recently during World War II to hold Japanese-American civilians in internment camps. The Trump administration contended it gave them power to swiftly remove immigrants they identified as members of the gang, regardless of their immigration status.

Following the unanimous high court order on April 9, federal judges in Colorado, New York and southern Texas promptly issued orders barring removal of detainees under the AEA until the administration provides a process for them to make claims in court.

But there had been no such order issued in the area of Texas that covers Bluebonnet, which is 24 miles north of Abilene in the far northern end of the state.

U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, a Trump appointee, this week declined to bar the administration from removing the two men identified in the ACLU lawsuit because Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed sworn declarations that they would not be immediately deported. He also balked at issuing a broader order prohibiting removal of all Venezuelans in the area under the act because he said removals hadnt started yet.

But the ACLUs Friday filing included sworn declarations from three separate immigration lawyers who said their clients in Bluebonnet were given paperwork indicating they were members of Tren de Aragua and could be deported by Saturday. In one case, immigration lawyer Karene Brown said her client, identified by initials, was told to sign papers in English even though the client only spoke Spanish.

ICE informed F.G.M. that these papers were coming from the President, and that he will be deported even if he did not sign it, Brown wrote.

Gelernt said in a Friday evening hearing before District Judge James E. Boasberg in Washington, D.C., that the administration initially moved Venezuelans to its south Texas immigration facility for deportation. But since a judge banned deportations in that area, it has funneled them to the Bluebonnet facility, where no such order exists. He said witnesses reported the men were being loaded on buses Friday evening to be taken to the airport.

With Hendrix not agreeing to the ACLUs request for an emergency order, the group turned to Boasberg, who initially halted deportations in March. The Supreme Court ruled the orders against deportation could only come from judges in jurisdictions where immigrants were held, which Boasberg said made him powerless Friday.

Im sympathetic to everything youre saying, Boasberg told Gelernt. I just dont think I have the power to do anything about it.

Boasberg this week found theres probable cause that the Trump administration committed criminal contempt by disobeying his initial deportation ban. He was concerned that the paper that ICE was giving those held did not make clear they had a right to challenge their removal in court, which he believed the Supreme Court mandated.

Drew Ensign, an attorney for the Justice Department, disagreed, saying that people slated for deportation would have a minimum of 24 hours to challenge their removal in court. He said no flights were scheduled for Friday night and he was unaware of any Saturday, but the Department of Homeland Security said it reserved the right to remove people then.

ICE said it would not comment on the litigation.

Also Friday, a Massachusetts judge made permanent his temporary ban on the administration deporting immigrants who have exhausted their appeals to countries other than their home countries unless they are informed of their destination and given a chance to object if theyd face torture or death there.

Some Venezuelans subject to Trumps Alien Enemies Act have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison.
After a large-scale turnout for the Nationwide Hands Off protest against the Trump administration in early April, thousands of people gathered in Portlands Pioneer Courthouse Square around 11:30 a.m. Saturday for a demonstration and march that wound through downtown.

Many of the protesters carried signs, some of them denouncing the deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia in violation of a judges order  an issue which has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days. Other people bore signs protesting the administrations efforts to slash the federal workforce, moves to restrict gender-affirming care, the escalating tariff trade war with China and other developments.
The controversy over the Trump administrations deportation of Venezuelan immigrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador dominates this weeks editorial cartoon gallery. The government invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act, claiming the men are gang members and criminals but producing little evidence of crimes beyond illegal entry to the United States. The migrants were not afforded due process.

In the gallerys lead image, Drew Sheneman depicts a Founding Father in handcuffs. He begins to recite the preamble to the Constitution when an immigration agent interrupts: Save it for your cellmates in El Salvador. Nick Anderson draws El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and President Donald Trump competing to be worlds coolest dictator. Dana Summers questions the narrative around Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man deported to El Salvador by mistake. Both leaders claim they are powerless to release him. David Horsey invites the viewer to imagine your face on the man behind bars, now that the U.S. government is grabbing people off the streets and sending them to foreign prisons without trial.

Another hot topic is the escalating fight between the Trump administration and Harvard University. Trump froze $2.2 billion in federal aid after Harvard refused to change its policies to conform to executive orders. In Jack Ohmans view, its snakes, not ivy, surrounding the nations oldest university. Anderson draws Trump pulling down Rodins The Thinker from a pedestal representing academic freedom. Bill Bramhall sees a cabinet member bragging that he is the first in his families to defund college.

Other topics in this weeks editorial cartoon gallery include the tit-for-tat tariff war between the United States and China; the judiciarys refusal to bow to Trump, as other institutions have done; more measles cases; and Easter.

Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.
I was standing on Naito Parkway April 5 amid a river of protestors when I heard a chant, one that reverberated all across America that weekend: This is what democracy looks like, (People gather across Oregon to protest Trump policies, April 5). The importance of this declaration has never resonated more for me than it did that day, as the parade of thousands of proud Americans marched by.

What I witnessed that afternoon is what America has been aspiring to look like since the Declaration of Independence was drafted so many years ago. Like it or not, this is also what America looks like and what the majority of American want our country to look like. Our movement is incredibly diverse, inclusive and dedicated to delivering freedom, justice and equity for all.

We do not worship any idol. Instead, as thousands of thoughtful handmade protest signs declared, we celebrate freedom of thought, speech, assembly, freedom to pray - or not - and perhaps above all, the freedom for each and every one of us to be ourselves.

We will not tolerate a king or a czar. We demand the three independent and equal branches of government our founding fathers guaranteed. Some will try to disparage the legitimacy of this movement by suggesting we are paid demonstrators or implying we are a cult. Well, I am still waiting for my check. If we are a cult, it is the cult of the Constitution. We are the new silent majority, and we are a force to be reckoned with.

David Adams, West Linn

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
The India Students Association (ISA) is celebrating Holi with an exciting and vibrant event, where students can immerse themselves in the colorful tradition of the Festival of Colors. The day will be filled with laughter, as everyone participates in throwing colors, creating a lively and unforgettable atmosphere. Along with the fun and festivities, ISA is offering free food and a special Holi drink, adding to the celebrations charm. Its a day to come together, make lasting memories, and experience the joy and unity that Holi brings.

Hosted by: India Student Association

Additional Information can be found at: https://ou.campuslabs.com/engage/event/11162845
Cody Johnson believes in supporting the men and women who support this country, he believes in being able to disagree, and he doesnt agree with division.

The country music star made that much clear in a powerful message delivered to his fans during a recent concert. As Taste of Country first reported, video shows Johnson stopping his performance to ask military veterans, first responders and emergency personnel to raise their hands.

Now, if you dont have your hand in the air right now, Im gonna ask a simple favor, the country star told the fans at his show in Nashville. Im gonna ask you to stand up and Im gonna ask you to make some noise for these men and women who keep us free.

He was just getting started.

Four years ago the word was division  I guess it was five years ago now, he said. All there was was division. There was divisions about masks. Are you kidding me? There was divisions about vaccines. There was divisions about race. There was divisions about religion. There was divisions about politics because if you voted for this person or that person that means we gotta hate each other.

Well, I got news for ya, he continued. Every bit of that was just a bunch of lies. I do not believe in division. I dont believe in hate. Three things that we can all agree on, that we can all believe in are just like this: red, white and blue.

Then Johnson turned his attention back to the service members in the crowd.

Do you know why its OK to disagree? he said. They try to tell us its because you believe different than I do, or I believe different than you do, or you believe different than her or him that we should hate each other. You know why its OK that we disagree?

Because before most of us were born there was an American solider that sacrificed their lives for us to have the right to disagree and still be united as one country under God.
The Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society (DFHS) will host a Spring Wildflower Walk at the Historic Dreibelbis Farm in Virginville, Berks County.

Its scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.

Dozens of varieties of wildflowers, many of which bloom for short periods are appearing in spring meadows, wetlands, and forests. Visitors may find plants like bloodroot, wild ginger, Hepatica, and Jack-in-the-pulpit.

Naturalistguide for this walk will be Plummer Dunkle, Albright College Biology professor emerita, Dr. Susan Munch, is also expected to participate, a press release said.

Because this is a walk on the wild side of the farm, we ask that participants wear sturdy shoes. No flip-flops, please! There may be wet spots and mud. The event is free to the public; parking is down our lane. If youre concerned about rainy weather, check our Facebook page or webpage for any last-minute cancellation info. Monetary donations will be gratefully accepted.

The Historic Dreibelbis Farm is located on Route 143 south of the village of Virginville. The GPS address is 356 Hard Hill Road, Hamburg.

The Spring Wildflower Walk is an environmental/educational event hosted by the DFHS to fulfill its mission to preserve and protect the historic Dreibelbis farm and to make it available to the public.

The thirteenth annual Historic Farm Festival will be held on Saturday, Aug. 23.

For more information, visit www.Dreibelbisfarm.org, Historic Dreibelbis Farm on Facebook, or contact Mark Dreibelbis at (610) 488-7896.
The stage is set for the thrilling conclusion of the Diamond Cup at the 2025 Australian Poker Open, with nine finalists returning to battle for the title, the trophy, and the A$110,500 top prize. After surviving a record-breaking field of 2,084 entries and navigating 15 intense levels on Day 2, the remaining contenders will take their seats under the lights at Club Marconi at Doltone House Western Sydney with everything still to play for.

Michael O'Grady enters as the overwhelming chip leader with 30,350,000, holding nearly a third of the chips in play. But with over A$625,000 in total prize money still being contested and seasoned competitors like Welyam Gelyana, Shayne Sim, and Zac Vigar still in the mix, the road to victory is far from guaranteed.

Final Table Seat Draw

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Andrew Samoa Australia 9,725,000 32 2 Michael O'Grady Australia 30,350,000 101 3 Zac Vigar Australia 10,650,000 36 4 Ulf Carlberg Australia 6,625,000 22 5 Welyam Gelyana Australia 17,225,000 57 6 Michael Oscuro Australia 2,825,000 9 7 Majid Shahikarijani Australia 9,700,000 32 8 Shayne Sim Australia 11,725,000 39 9 Corey van Jaarsveldt Australia 4,775,000 16

Each of the nine finalists has already secured A$7,900, but the stakes only get higher from here. A deep run could see payouts climb significantly, with A$40,500 awarded for third, A$65,500 for second, and a life-changing A$110,500 for the champion.

Even a fourth-place finish earns a solid A$28,500, making every decision at the final table count. With a prestigious trophy and six-figure payday on the line, the pressureand the actionis set to reach new heights when the cards go in the air.

Remaining Payouts

Place Prize (A$) 1 $110,500 2 $65,500 3 $40,500 4 $28,500 5 $22,500 6 $17,000 7 $13,000 8 $9,500 9 $7,900

Play resumes at 12:00 p.m. local time, with live updates synced to the delayed stream right here on PokerNewsdont miss a moment as we crown the next Diamond Cup champion.
Reporter

Carl Dawson covers education for the Aiken Standard. An Aiken County resident since 1990, his work has appeared in the Charleston News & Courier, the Tampa Tribune, the Atlanta Constitution and the Augusta Chronicle. He holds a B.A. in English from the University of South Carolina.
Durians at an orchard in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. Photo by Manh Khuong

Ri 6 and Monthong durians are being sold at VND35,000-40,000 (US$1.16-1.55) and VND60,000-70,000 per kilogram at the farm gate, or just a third of their prices 12 months ago.

Phong, who owns a half-hectare durian orchard in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, is anxious that few traders are buying though the main durian season is reaching its peak and his trees are ready to be harvested.

Some traders signed contracts last month to buy his fruits at VND60,000 per kilogram and even paid deposits, but he fears they might cancel their purchases as prices drop.

"My only option now is to sell [my durians] to small retailers at around VND45,000."

Minh Thai, an established trader in the province, said last year he bought up to 30 tons of durian a day for businesses exporting to China, the worlds largest market for the fruit, but this year he is buying only around three to four tons to sell in the domestic market after exports started slowing in March.

Most traders in other durian-growing areas like Can Tho City and Ben Tre Province have similarly stopped procuring the fruit fearing losses.

Those who did said they faced stringent inspections when selling to exporters and could only sell them for VND10,000 higher than their purchase prices, leaving them with almost no profit.

One of them said: "If we do not procure goods, we earn no money. But if we pay deposits, we are constantly worried because we do not know if prices will decline tomorrow."

The main reason for the sharp price drop is the stricter inspection imposed by China since earlier this year.

China now requires testing for cadmium, a heavy metal, and auramine O, an industrial dye known to pose cancer risks, and also increased the inspection rate for Vietnamese durian shipments from 10% to 100%.

Shipments have been piling up at border gates as customs clearance, which previously took only one or two days, now takes up to a week.

Some of them eventually pass inspection but the fruit is damaged or cracked by the time it reaches wholesale markets in China due to the long wait, Doan Van Ven, CEO of export company Anh Thu Dak Lak, said.

"This is why businesses are wary and no longer dare to export in large volumes."

One exporter in Tien Giang has had to redirect shipments and sell their durian at a 40% discount in the domestic market due to border customs delays, incurring heavy losses.

Exporters are calling on authorities to push for faster customs clearance, at most within three to four days, and to get more testing centers approved by China.

Ven also emphasized the need to educate farmers on proper fertilizer use to ensure their products meet quality standards. He added that companies producing low-quality fertilizers should be punished severely.

Local authorities have been encouraging farmers to conduct tests on their fruits before harvesting and tightening their oversight of orchards and packaging facilities.

Any entity that fails to meet regulations on pesticide residues, heavy metals or traceability has its export code suspended. The code is a key requirement to export fruits to other markets.

Vietnam exported a record $3.3 billion worth of durian in 2024, or nearly half of all fruit and vegetable exports.

The figure dropped 69% year-on-year to $52.7 million in the first two months of 2025, with shipments to China declining by 83% to $27 million.

Once the top fruit export, durian has now fallen behind dragon fruit and banana and may struggle to meet its $3.5 billion export target for this year.

The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association has warned that if issues related to inspection and customs clearance are not quickly resolved, the durian industry could face even greater setbacks.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy skies. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.
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The concurrency legislation will likely be amended, but as introduced its only five paragraphs that would add an eighth zoning and planning technique to the state code governing zoning rules. This is what would be added to the code:

(8) concurrency programs in which the governing authority conditions approval of land development activities on public facility and service adequacy. A concurrency program also may be referred to as an adequate public facility program.

(a) Concurrency programs must ensure public facilities and services necessary to support development are adequate to serve that development, based on reasonable and locally documented level of service standards and proportionate share methodologies.

(b) A governing authority adopting concurrency may require public facility and service contributions sufficient to offset a developments proportionate share impacts on facilities and services and also may accept excess capacity contributions made pursuant to a written agreement with the property owner.

 However, under this subsection, the governing authority must take into consideration any contributions made by payment of development impact fees or other instruments for the same impacts on relevant facilities and services.

(d) Local governing authorities and property owners may enter into written proportionate share, cost sharing, or other similar agreements to facilitate exercise of any authority or requirement under this subsection.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Watching the tropics. Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 76F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Watching the tropics. Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 76F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
PR-Inside.com: 2025-04-20 15:01:31

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 20, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. ("Elf" or the "Company") (NYSE:ELF) and certain officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and docketed under 25-cv-02316, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants that purchased or otherwise acquired Elf securities between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.If you are an investor who purchased or otherwise acquired Elf securities during the Class Period, you have until May 5, 2025 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com . To discuss this action, contact Danielle Peyton at newaction@ pomlaw.com or 646-581-9980 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.[Click here for information about joining the class action]Elf, 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. The Company employs an "omni-channel distribution strategy" and sells its products with retailers in the United States, as well as internationally. Elf also sells its products online through its own direct e-commerce channels, as well as through other e-commerce websites. According to the Company's "value proposition," "[e]ach of [its] brands has accessible pricing relative to its competitive set and furthers [the Company's] mission of making the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip, face and skin concern. As an example, e.l.f. Cosmetics' average product price point is approximately $6, as compared to other leading mass cosmetics brands which have average product price points over $9 and prestige cosmetics brands which have average product price points over $20, according to Nielsen." The Company purports to have developed a "scalable, asset-light supply chain centered on the combination of speed to market, high-quality and low costs." Substantially all of the Company's products are sourced and manufactured in China through "close collaboration with a network of third-party manufacturers." Elf has also touted that it has "ample manufacturing capacity as well as redundant capabilities in the event that one or more suppliers cannot meet [its] needs" and that its "broad supply base gives [it] the ability to fulfill [its] product requirements and remain cost competitive." As a retail company, effective inventory management is critical to Elf's financial performance. Specifically, the Company derives revenue from "sales of [its] beauty products, net of provisions for sales discounts and allowances, product returns, markdowns and price adjustments." Accordingly, Elf's profitability depends, in large part, on ensuring that it maintains a volume of inventory that will allow the Company to effectively sell its products at a level that will meet customer demand. Conversely, Elf maintaining a level of inventory that is excessive relative to customer demand will result in the Company holding products that cannot be effectively sold and must therefore be written down or sold at a loss, thereby negatively impacting its profitability.As its investors would eventually learn, Elf's inventory management was woefully ineffective. In fiscal Q2 2024, the Company began identifying growth concerns when inventory levels rose as a consequence of flagging sales. However, Elf concealed this issue from investors. Instead, the Company described itself at all relevant times as one of a "rarified group of high-growth companies" with "strong relationships with [its] retail customers such as Target, Walmart, Ulta Beauty and other leading retailers that have enabled [it] to expand distribution both domestically and internationally" and consistently maintained that "the combination of its value proposition, innovation engine, ability to attract and engage consumers, and its world-class team's ability to execute with speed, has positioned the Company well to navigate the competitive beauty market." The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) contrary to its representations to investors, the Company was experiencing rising inventory levels as a consequence of flagging sales; (ii) Elf falsely attributed the rising inventory levels to, among other things, changes in its sourcing practices; (iii) to maintain investor confidence, Elf reported inflated revenue, profits, and inventory over several quarters; (iv) accordingly. the Company's business and/or financial prospects were overstated; (v) all of the foregoing, once revealed, would likely have a material negative impact on the Company; and (vi) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research ("Muddy Waters") published a report entitled "e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. A Revenue and Inventory Mystery", alleging that Elf had "materially overstated revenue over the past three quarters," and that in "Q2 FY24, ELF management realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built. It appears that ELF then began reporting inflated revenue and profits. Its reported inventory also appears materially inflated as a result - i.e., to account for cash that has not really come in." Further, Muddy Waters accused the Company of concealing its inventory challenges from investors by falsely attributing its rising inventory levels to supposed changes in its sourcing practices rather than the true cause-insufficient sales.On this news, Elf's stock price fell $2.71 per share, or 2.23%, to close at $119.00 per share on November 20, 2024.Elf's share price continued to fall. After the Class Period ended, on February 6, 2025, Elf released its fiscal Q3 2024 results and provided its fiscal 2025
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"Dog Bite King" Kenneth M. Phillips Explains National Impact of Flanders v. GoodfellowALBANY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / April 20, 2025 / In a landmark decision, the New York Court of Appeals has ruled that dog owners can now be held legally responsible for negligence when their dogs injure someone. The ruling in Flanders v. Goodfellow corrects a 2006 decision (Bard v. Jahnke) that denied victims the right to sue for careless handling of a dangerous dog. For the first time in nearly 20 years, dog bite victims in New York can pursue compensation based on negligence - a legal right that residents of all other states have always had. Dog Bite News A vicious dog snarls at the words "Dog Bite News" and the website title, " dogbitelaw.com." Despite this progress, New York remains behind the majority of U.S. states, which provide dog bite victims with a third legal option: statutory liability. This form of "almost strict" liability allows victims to recover compensation without needing to prove the dog's past behavior or the owner's negligence - making it especially vital in cases where the owner is a friend, neighbor, or family member.The Flanders case has national significance because it also holds that negligence and the one bite rule are entirely separate grounds of liability. Many state courts and legislatures have mistakenly treated them as one and the same. The New York Court of Appeals' ruling has the potential to influence reforms in other states and improve dog bite law throughout the country.Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, the nation's leading authority on dog bite law, has long advocated for reform. In 2019, he worked with State Senator Robert G. Ortt, the author of Senate Bill 122, to enact a comprehensive dog bite statute based on Phillips' Model Dog Bite Law. The bill stalled in committee, but Phillips continues to press lawmakers in New York and other states to adopt laws that protect victims and reflect modern expectations of personal responsibility."Dog bite laws must evolve with the times. Most Americans have three legal paths to justice. New Yorkers now have two. That's progress - but not enough," said Phillips. "A dog owner is guilty of negligence when he or she ignores a significant risk from a pet, whether or not anyone was harmed by it in the past." Contact InformationKenneth PhillipsAttorney at Lawkphillips@ dogbitelaw.com 310-994-6643SOURCE: Law Offices of Kenneth M. Phillips
One person has been confirmed dead and 13 others rescued after a three-storey building collapsed on Saturday in the Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos.

The building, which reportedly housed the popular Equal Right Restaurant, came crashing down around 8 a.m., catching residents and passersby unawares.

It was said to be undergoing construction work at the time of the collapse.

Emergency response teams from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and other agencies were deployed to the scene following a distress call received by NEMA at 8:32 a.m.

NEMA confirmed the casualty in a preliminary report, stating, Twelve victims have been rescued so far, with one adult confirmed dead.

However, that figure later rose to 13 rescued so far, including restaurant staff, customers, and an entire family who were inside the building when it gave way.

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The cause of the collapse remains undetermined, but residents say they had long raised concerns about the structural integrity of the building.

That building was a ticking time bomb, one resident who spoke anonymously told Punch. I barely went there to buy food because I was always afraid it would come down one day.

LASEMA has attributed the incident to unapproved structural modifications.

It was an old building converted into an eatery. Additional construction had been carried out on it before the structure finally collapsed, said LASEMAs Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

He said five adult women were among those rescued and treated at the scene.

We are proceeding methodically, using both heavy and light-duty equipment to get to ground zero, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said. We have credible information that more people may still be under the rubble, so our search is ongoing, layer by layer.

By Saturday evening, a joint rescue operation involving NEMA, LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police, and other agencies was still underway.

NEMA and LASEMA have since cordoned off the site and launched a formal investigation.

This is a serious warning against tampering with ageing structures, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu warned, urging property owners to seek proper approvals before making alterations to existing buildings.

Building collapse epidemic

Saturdays collapse is the second in Lagos within a few weeks.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that a building under construction at Northern Vulture Estate on Chevron Drive, Lekki, collapsed, claiming the lives of a teenage boy and two men.

LASEMA said six others were seriously injured in that incident.

A young boy, about 15 years old, and two adult males were recovered, confirmed dead, and subsequently bagged by emergency responders, said Mr Oke-Osanyintolu.

The Lekki structure was later demolished after a full-scale search and rescue operation.

Investigations into the causes of both collapses are ongoing.

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ELKO  A group of nearly five dozen Elko County residents, most of them seniors, stood along the sidewalk of Silver Street in Elko on Saturday with many saying they were in front of the Social Security office to save democracy.

In brief interviews, many of the protesters said they opposed what they see as a variety of ills taking place in Washington and they had to voice their beliefs that recent changes in the way the federal government operates need to stop.

We want to stand together to save democracy, Kelly Moon said. I think the administration has cut a lot of things that we in our community value  and I think our values are similar all across the board. And we want truth. We want justice.

It was the second protest at the location this month, with many of the same participants. Like the earlier Hands Off protest on April 5, Saturdays protest was clearly targeting the Trump administration and the ongoing federal cuts. Both protests were among thousands taking place across the country.

Several Elko protesters held flags that were flying upside-down, generally a sign of distress and emergency. The symbol has been adopted as a sign of protest, from those raging against the Vietnam war to members of the Tea Party to the current wave of protests and marches. An Elko Daily Free Press journalist counted 57 people at the noontime protest. An organizer later said about 80 people attended in all.

Among the protesters grievances were cuts by Elon Musks DOGE team, which sacked thousands of federal workers in Washington and elsewhere in departments as diverse as education, land management, nuclear safety, aviation and others. Others were critical of President Donald Trumps immigration policies and his attempts to bypass federal court orders to stop some of these practices.

I cant stand whats happening to our country, Betti Magney said. He is touching everything that is important to America, whether its healthcare, education, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Hes doing illegal things with immigration, sending people illegally to other countries. And I can go out and talk.

Retiree Jim Lee said he was protesting for himself and his adult children.

I have two children in their 50s in San Diego and theyre depending on retirement, he said. Theyre working for retirement all their lives and it doesnt look very good because its being sidetracked. Its being stolen from us, trying to be stolen, for all the big bureaucratic people.

Im here to stand up for my kids, myself. And thats why Im here, because a lot of people dont know what is really happening and its pretty scary. Its really scary because its happening so fast. Its almost happening on a daily basis, that our rights have been taken care of, whether its a teacher in education, or military retirement.

Lee said his son counts on the military for retirement.

He spent many years in the military as a paratrooper. And now everybodys worried whats going to happen  and its happening.

Sally Dunn said she was waving her sign because I dont like whats happening in Washington. Her sign was critical of the MAGA movement.

I feel that our rights are being violated, she said. And we all need to speak out, save democracy.

Mike Smith said he wants DOGE and others to keep away from Social Security. President Trump has said he would not cut Social Security or Medicare. And he has said Medicaid for those who need it would remain a safety net.

Im here because its my Social Security, Smith said. I believe in Social Security and Medicaid for all and if we dont do something now itll be too late. We dont need a dictatorship.

He said programs being cut like USAID, which has provided food and care to impoverished people abroad, are needed to advance the image of America abroad.

Were the leader of the world and were not a clone of Russia, he said.

Catherine Pelton said the nations founders didnt want to be ruled by kings and neither do those at the protest.

Two-hundred and fifty years ago, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the first shots were fired in the American Revolution. And in that revolution, we were fighting for representation. We were fighting for a democracy. We say no to Kings, Pelton said. Im here to protect democracy. Im here because I believe in the Declaration of Independence that we have certain inalienable rights. I believe in the U.S. Constitution with the separation of powers with three coequal branches. And I say no to Kings.

Heather Trujillo said she was holding signs and shouting at drivers along Silver Street to show her support for Social Security and Medicare.

Its something we planned our retirement on, and its something we want to continue to, she said. And we also are here for peoples photorights. We dont feel like people should be picked up without due process. And we hope this gets through to Congress and our president that we need to change the way things are going.

Another protest is being planned for May 1 along Idaho Street at the Elko City Park.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned social media influencers and bloggers against promoting unregistered investment schemes. SECs Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, gave the warning in a notice issued on Sunday in Abuja.

He said the commission was working closely with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant government agencies to investigate and prosecute violators.

According to Mr Agama, the recently enacted Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 specifically targets promoters of unregistered investment schemes.

He urged celebrities, influencers, and bloggers to avoid endorsing such ventures or face legal consequences.

The law also covers influencers and bloggers who promote fraudulent schemes, with clear penalties, including imprisonment, Mr Agama said.

We are using this opportunity to warn such individuals to immediately desist from promoting unregistered entities.

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He said SEC has the capacity, expertise, and legal backing to combat Ponzi schemes and protect the investing public.

We have dealt with similar schemes in the past and will continue to do so, leveraging the powers of the ISA 2025 to safeguard investors and develop the capital market, he added.

Mr Agama cited the recent collapse of CBEX, a digital investment platform accused of defrauding Nigerians of over N1.3 trillion, as a wake-up call.

He described CBEXs promises of doubling investments within a month and its false claims of global partnerships as clear indicators of fraud.

The collapse of CBEX underscores the urgency of our crackdown. We are shutting down their operations, and the promoters will face the full weight of the law, he said.

He urged Nigerians to always verify the authenticity of any investment opportunity with SEC before committing funds, cautioning that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Mr Agama reaffirmed his commissions commitment to investor protection and market development, encouraging citizens to consult licensed professionals and avoid get-rich-quick schemes.

The SEC has also established dedicated departments to monitor market activities and conduct inspections aimed at detecting irregularities early.

These proactive measures are designed to prevent large-scale frauds like CBEX from recurring, he said.

He highlighted the significance of the ISA 2025, describing it as a major step forward in securing the Nigerian investment landscape and building a resilient financial market.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted a thundery weather outlook from Sunday to Tuesday across the country.

NiMets weather outlook released on Saturday in Abuja envisaged chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of Taraba, Adamawa and southern Kaduna States during the afternoon or evening on Sunday.

According to NiMet, partly cloudy skies are anticipated over the North-central region in the morning hours.

Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, and Kogi states.

Over the southern region, cloudy morning is expected with chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States.

Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Anambra, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Imo, Abia, Ekiti, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta States, it said.

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The agency predicted sunny skies on Monday over the northern region throughout the forecast period, with the exception of some parts of Adamawa, Kaduna and Taraba States where isolated thunderstorms are expected during the afternoon/evening hours.

Sunny skies with few clouds are expected across the North Central region during the morning period. Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states.

In the southern region, cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States.

In the afternoon/evening hours, localised thunderstorms are expected over parts of Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Lagos, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States, it said.

According to NiMet, sunny skies with few clouds are expected over the northern region during the morning hours on Tuesday with slim chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Taraba State.

It anticipated isolated thunderstorms over parts of Taraba, Adamawa and Kaduna States later in the day.

Sunny skies with few clouds are expected across the North Central region during the morning period with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Benue and Kogi States.

Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states.

In the southern region, cloudy skies are anticipated during the morning hours with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Lagos States, it said.

It envisaged isolated thunderstorms over parts of Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Ondo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States later in the day.

NiMet urged people to stay in well-ventilated and cool spaces and drink plenty of water as temperatures could be high over most parts of the country, putting people at risk of heat stress.

Get vaccinated against meningitis, practice good hygiene by washing hands regularly, avoid overcrowding in small spaces, use a nose mask to reduce chances of infection and avoid close contact with those affected.

READ ALSO:Three NDLEA officers shot during Abuja raid Official

Avoid peak sun hours (noon to 3 p.m.) and protect yourselves from undue exposure to direct sunlight. Strong winds may precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur.

Public should take adequate precaution. Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.

Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet. Visit our website www.nimet.gov.ng.

(NAN)

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the failure to reverse the arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional ban on Eedris Abdulkareems song Tell Your Papa.

The song, which allegedly criticised President Bola Tinubus economic policies, was prohibited from radio and TV broadcast over its objectionable nature. The NBC cited the songs violation of public decency standards on radio and TV stations.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/797/2025 filed last Thursday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is seeking: an order setting aside the arbitrary and illegal ban on Eedris Abdulkareems song Tell Your Papa, for being inconsistent and incompatible with the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.

SERAP is seeking: an order of perpetual injunction restraining the NBC whether jointly or severally or any other authority, person or group of persons from preventing the airing of Eedris Abdulkareems song on all broadcast stations and other similar media platforms in Nigeria.

SERAP is also seeking a declaration that the NBCs directive, issued via a letter dated 9 April 2025 to all broadcast stations in Nigeria, banning the airing of Eedris Abdulkareems song is unlawful and inconsistent and incompatible with the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: The NBC is censoring music under the guise of protecting public decency. Public decency is not a carte blanche for banning Eedris song and placing a chokehold on information and suppressing peaceful dissent.

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SERAP is arguing that, Freedom of expression constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society and extends not only to information or ideas that are favourably received, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb in such domains as political discourse and commentary on public affairs.

SERAP is also arguing that, The ban on Eedris song has a chilling effect on freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom. The NBC has not shown that the song would impose a specific risk of harm to a legitimate State interest that outweighs the public interest in the information provided by the song.

According to SERAP, Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code is overbroad and excessively intrusive, as it breaches the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Ms Oluwakemi Agunbiade and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read in part: All persons enjoy the rights to freedom of expression and creativity and to enjoy the arts.

The ban on Eedris song fails to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

The requirement of necessity also implies an assessment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of objectionable nature and public decency are not used as a pretext to ban Eedris song and unduly intrude upon Nigerians human rights.

Expressions, whether artistic or not, always remain protected under the right to freedom of expression. The NBC directive is also inconsistent and incompatible with the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity.

Art constitutes an important vehicle for each person, individually and in community with others, as well as groups of people, to develop and express their humanity. Artists may entertain people, but they also contribute to social debates, sometimes bringing counter-discourses and potential counterweights to existing power centres.

The vitality of artistic creativity is necessary for the functioning of democratic societies. Banning or removing creative expressions from public access is a way to restrict artistic freedom.

It is inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the countrys international human rights obligations to use vague and overly broad grounds of objectionable nature and public decency as justifications to ban Eedris song.

The action by the NBC is arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional, as it is contrary to the provisions of section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.

Media freedom and media plurality are a central part of the effective exercise of freedom of expression. The media has a vital role to play as public watchdog in imparting information of serious public concern and should not be inhibited or intimidated from playing that role.

While the media may be subject to some restrictions necessary for the protection of certain vital interests of the state, such as national security or public health, the media has a role and responsibility to convey information and ideas on political issues, even divisive ones and the public has a right to receive them.

Article 19(2) of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, states that the right to freedom of expression includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds in the form of art.

The effects of art censorship or unjustified restrictions of the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity are devastating. They generate important social and economic losses, deprive artists of their means of expression and livelihood, create an unsafe environment for all those engaged in the arts and their audiences.

Restrictions of the right to freedom of artistic expression also sterilise debates on human, social and political issues and hamper the functioning of democracy.

Article 19 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights establishes the right to freedom of opinion without interference. Article 19(2) establishes Nigerias obligations to respect the right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information, regardless of frontiers.

Under article 19(3), restrictions on the right to freedom of expression must be provided by law, and necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others or for the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health and morals

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Kolawole Oluwadare

SERAP Deputy Director

20/04/2025

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Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabios reelection, in a move that may be described as anti-party.

At a Thursday Town Hall meeting for Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim and Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Mr Eno said he wants Mr Akpabio to return to the National Assembly to continue as Senate President.

Amidst rumours of his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Eno, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said declaring support for the reelection bid of the two APC leaders does not stop him from being a PDP member.

The governor said he was entitled to his opinion.

I have said before that for me, I will support the Senate president to return to the Senate so that he can continue as the Senate president, Mr Eno said at the event, in which Mr Akpabio was represented by his wife, Uloma.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, only a Benue Senator, David Mark, has served twice and consecutively as Senate president, and that was under the PDP platform. It is too early to predict if Mr Akpabio will achieve this feat if he is reelected.

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Governor Eno said the only condition on which he can support another candidate from Mr Akpabios Akwa Ibom North-West District (Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District) is that the person assures him (Mr Eno) that he (the candidate) will emerge as Senate president if elected.

Anybody who wants to go to the Senate in Ikot Ekpene should wait first, except you tell me you want to go and become Senate President, and you know it is not possible. This one that we have, let us support him, he said.

Support for Tinubu

At the event, Mr Eno reiterated his political support for Mr Tinubus reelection but declined to disclose the reason.

I dont know how to speak from two sides of the mouth. The other day I said I am going to support President Tinubu and people said why do I say so.

In the night, they go there and pledge support for the president, and in the afternoon, they do another thing, he said without disclosing the identities of those he was referring to.

Me, I am supporting President Tinubu for a second term. When the time comes, I will tell you the reason, and you will see with me why we should support him.

If you want another support, wait when he finishes, we will support another person. That does not stop me from being a member of my party. I am entitled to my own opinion, he said.

Akwa Ibom and PDP

The PDP has governed the oil-rich Akwa Ibom since the return of democracy in 1999, but this is the first time a sitting PDP governor would publicly choose another partys members for election over his partys candidates.

Mr Akpabio succeeded Victor Attah as governor in 2007. He governed for two terms and in 2015 handed over to Udom Emmanuel, a former executive director at Zenith Bank PLC.

In the same year (2015), Mr Akpabio was elected a senator under the PDP platform, where he served as a minority leader despite being a first-term senator.

However, Mr Akpabio, in 2018, defected to the APC about a year after being quizzed by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

A year later, in 2019, he failed to return to the Senate under the APC platform, losing to the PDP candidate, Christopher Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom.

He was subsequently appointed the minister of Niger Delta Affairs by former President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2023, Mr Akpabio secured an overwhelming victory for a second term and later emerged as the Senate president.

In what may be seen as a political horse-trading, Mr Eno told the crowd at the Town Hall meeting on Thursday that Mr Akpabio has repeatedly promised to support him for a second term as governor.

The Senate president has told me at many fora, and our mother (Mrs Akpabio) has also spoken that they will support me for a second term. So, if you take your own, I take my own, you fall for me, I fall for you. Na play, no be fight, he said.

Why we left PDP  Akpabios wife

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Akpabio, represented by his wife, Uloma, commended Governor Eno for empowering his people, a gesture she said her husband began when he was governor.

If this had continued from 2015 and 2016, a lot of our people would have been richer by now, she said, downplaying the achievements of former Governor Emmanuel, who succeeded her husband in 2015 and governed the state till 2023, before handing over to Mr Eno.

There is no point for blame game. The past remains in the past. Today is a new day, tomorrow will be a great today, Mrs Akpabio said.

She picked up on a remark by one of the previous speakers and then spoke on how something drove her husband into opposition politics.

One person said this local government is known for opposition politics. He knew why he said that. We have never been in opposition. It is something that drives somebody into opposition, she added, but offered no details on what drove them to opposition in 2018, when her husband defected from the PDP to the APC.

Something must drive you, and if that did not drive us, we would have been on the same platform with you, she said, taking the crowd on a popular Christian chorus: I can see everything turning around.

Mrs Akpabio told Governor Eno that her song said it all.

I can see everything turning around for our president, turning around for the Senate president, and I can see everything turning around for you (Mr Eno), she said.

Somebody said in this state, there is a unity government, it goes from stage to stage. It goes from collaboration to unity. From unity to oneness. We have preached collaboration, we are now in unity, very soon we would preach oneness, she said, offering no explanation on what she was referring to as oneness amidst speculations that Mr Eno may defect to the APC.

At that point, the shackles will be broken. Shackles of ethnicity, hatred, betrayal and lines will be broken. You are the man that God had sent to join the Senate president to redeem this state, promote our people and bring our people out of poverty and deliver our people from backwardness, Mrs Akpabio told the governor.

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Gov Hyacinth Alia of Benue said 56 bodies have been recovered following the attacks on two local government areas in the state by suspected armed herders.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the coordinated attacks in Ugondo community of Logo Local Government Area and in Tyuluv and Gbagir communities in Ukum Local Government Area.

The police said on Friday that 17 people were killed in the coordinated Thursday night attacks. However, the governor said on Saturday that the death toll had risen to 56.

Mr Alia spoke when he visited the affected communities.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, the governor confirmed that so far 56 corpses have been recovered: 27 in Logo and 29 in Ukum.

He said there was a possibility of the figure increasing in Ukum because the search for more bodies was still ongoing.

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Possible Motive

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack and the motive is not confirmed yet.

However, Mr Alia suggested that the attacks occurred to prevent farming in the communities.

The fight over grazing rights has led to several attacks by armed migrant herders on farming communities in Benue and other states like Plateau, Kaduna and Taraba.

Mr Alia said he regretted that residents were strategically attacked at the beginning of the farming season to hinder them from farming.

He said urgent action must be taken to address the security situation in the state.

Early hours of today, we understood that more bodies were being picked up in Logo LGA resulting to 27 corpses. So we lost 27 lives in Logo LGA.

And then many more were picked up in some axis in Ukum and those for now are 29. Many more are surely expected because as we went there they were asking for some protection to get back to see how they can retrieve some bodies. So the numbers might even go up.

So far we are talking about 56 lives lost in just one night. This is quite devastating, he said.

The Benue governor lamented that the attacks occurred despite the efforts of the government.

The  security team have been working seriously non stop. But for this to still happen, something drastic, something strategic has to come to play.

How can you explain that two months ago we came to this town and people were quite settled and overnight it is calculated, it is planned, targeted attacks.

Im calling on the FG to support us, to come to our aide and promptly too. We simply need the support and help of the FG immediately.he said.

Mr Alia commended the security agencies for their sacrifices to ensure that Benue has peace, adding that there was need for more reinforcements.

He sympathised with the families that lost their loved ones as a result of the attacks, and promised to take care of their burial and medical bills of those in the hospital.

Other officials speak

Also, the lawmaker representing Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo, Solomon Wombo, said even though the military were in the constituency for 12 years, there were still attacks and killings.

Mr Wombo lamented the insecurity in the area and appealed to the federal government to establish a military barrack in the area to protect his constituents from armed herdsmen and bandits.

What borders me again is that we have soldiers in this axis for 12 years and the attacks have not abated at any point in time, he said.

The Chairman of Logo Local Government Area, Clement Ungwachikar, and the Mue Ter Ugondo, Peter Iorhuna, thanked the governor for the swift response in coming to identify with them over the attacks.

The governor was accompanied by the heads of security agencies in the state, including the Commissioner of Police, SSS, NSCDC, Operation Whirl Stroke, Home Land Security, Civil Protection Guards among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected communities were deserted with armed police personnel seen patrolling in the LGAs.

Residents who fled the areas are now taking refuge in Zaki-Biam and Ugba IDP camps.

Like Benue, Like Plateau

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the attack in Benue occurred about three days after a similar attack led to the death of dozens of people in neighbouring Plateau State.

Suspected armed herders were also blamed for the Plateau attack although it is uncertain if the same group carried out the attacks.

Suspected armed herders have carried out several invasions of communities in both states, killing thousands of people in the past decade.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that about 100 people were killed recently in attacks by suspected armed herders on Plateau communities.

The latest attack in Plateau occurred in the early hours of Monday when the gunmen attacked the Zike and Kimakpa communities of Kwall District in the Iregwe Chiefdom. Over 50 people were reported killed in the attack, with several houses and other properties also destroyed.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who visited the attacked communities on Tuesday, said he believes every community must defend itself in response to the mass killings in the state.

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US civil society and philanthropy organisations fear they may soon be targeted by President Donald Trumps administration as concerns grow over an increasingly hostile climate for dissenting voices.

As a result, the President of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, John Palfrey, has launched a campaign to protect philanthropys freedom to give.

The campaign article was co-authored with Tonya Allen, president of the McKnight Foundation, and Deepak Bhargava, a senior fellow at Freedom Together.

The three philanthropy organisations began the campaign to fund democracy, human rights, and social justice initiatives in the US. The MacArthur Foundation also funds initiatives in various countries, including Nigeria, where it has awarded over 800 grants totalling $257 million to 256 organisations and 135 individuals so far.

So far, more than 300 organisations have signed a public solidarity campaign article.

According to the president of the MacArthur Foundation, charitable organisations must resist President Trumps dictates.

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The target organisations are likely to be those that hold views contrary to those of the president and the philanthropic organisation funding them.

Earlier in the year, the president, through an executive order, cancelled 90 per cent of grants and contracts awarded to different grantees and sub-grantees across different countries.

According to The Guardian, Mr Palfrey said philanthropy organisations play a crucial role in the US and in many other countries worldwide.

Were a funder that is predominantly giving money in the United States, but we do have work outside the US. There are, of course, questions about if the rest of the world can count on the United States as a charitable partner. And that question is up in the air at the moment, he said.

He also argued that free expression, the right to donate, and the freedom to invest must be safeguarded, describing them as pillars of any philanthropic mission.

We have an opportunity to unite and advance, he said. Theres a chance here for us to stand together on a series of very important bedrock principles, and do so with linked arms, and do so in such a way that allows us to serve every community in America in a way that will ensure a strong republic for years to come.

Several non-profit organisations and human rights advocates have described Mr Trumps leadership as an authoritarian government that is likely to cause an unprecedented rollback in the countrys democracy and human rights progress.

Trumps authoritarian power grasp

Some have accused him of following the pattern of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, who launched an authoritarian power grab as soon as he came into power. He consolidated power by rewriting Hungarys constitution.

His policies are also said to have weakened the countrys judicial independence, manipulated electoral boundaries, curtailed media freedom, and eroded institutional checks and balances, while also violating the fundamental rights and liberties of Hungarian citizens.

Mr Trump and Mr Orban have openly praised each others policies and governance styles.

The Hungarian Prime Minister was among the few world leaders who endorsed Mr Trump during the 2016 US presidential election and has met with the American leader on multiple occasions.

In 2019, during Mr Orbans visit to the White House, Mr Trump praised his leadership, describing him as highly respected.

A US lawyer and activist, Ian Bassin, said that with the existing pattern indicating that President Trump is adopting the Orban playbook, CSOs are likely to be targeted.

READ ALSO: Trump targets international students as US revokes 600 visas

Those attacks dont begin with tanks in the streets. They start with something quieter: a smear campaign, a sudden tax audit, a whisper of investigation, he said.

Civil society becomes the target, and the justification is always the same: These groups are not truly patriotic. They are foreign-backed. Corrupt. Dangerous. Even terrorists.

In the campaign article, the co-authors stated that philanthropy faced the threat of governmental attacks against its mission.

We dont all share the same beliefs or priorities. Neither do our donors nor the communities we serve, they said.

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Five people have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building collapsed in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State on Saturday.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), which initially reported one death during Saturdays rescue operation at the incident site, updated Sunday morning with news of four additional fatalities.

The agencys Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said in a statement Sunday morning that five adult fatalities had been recovered and taken to the morgue, so far. Apparently, the number of rescued individuals remains at 13, as reported on Saturday. Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the survivors were receiving pre-hospital care.

All first responders remain on the scene to continue search and rescue operations. Further updates to follow, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the building  which housed the popular Equal Right Restaurant  came crashing down around 8 a.m., trapping several occupants and passersby.

Eyewitnesses said the structure was undergoing construction work at the time of the incident.

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It was said to be undergoing construction work at the time of the collapse.

Emergency response teams from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and other agencies were deployed to the scene following a distress call received by NEMA at 8:32 a.m.

NEMA confirmed the casualty in a preliminary report, stating, Twelve victims have been rescued so far, with one adult confirmed dead.

However, that figure later rose to 13 rescued so far, including restaurant staff, customers, and an entire family who were inside the building when it gave way.

The cause of the collapse remains undetermined, but residents say they had long raised concerns about the structural integrity of the building.

That building was a ticking time bomb, one resident who spoke anonymously told Punch. I barely went there to buy food because I was always afraid it would come down one day.

LASEMA has attributed the incident to unapproved structural modifications.

It was an old building converted into an eatery. Additional construction had been carried out on it before the structure finally collapsed, said LASEMAs Permanent Secretary, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu.

He said five adult women were among those rescued and treated at the scene.

We are proceeding methodically, using both heavy and light-duty equipment to get to ground zero, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said. We have credible information that more people may still be under the rubble, so our search is ongoing, layer by layer.

By Saturday evening, a joint rescue operation involving NEMA, LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Nigeria Police, and other agencies was still underway.

NEMA and LASEMA have since cordoned off the site and launched a formal investigation.

This is a serious warning against tampering with ageing structures, Mr Oke-Osanyintolu warned, urging property owners to seek proper approvals before making alterations to existing buildings.

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Illela Border Command in Sokoto State, has confirmed the repatriation of 62 Republic of Mali nationals through the Illela Control Post.

The Controller of the command, Tony Akuneme, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, added that they comprised 51 males and 11 females.

Mr Akuneme said the Malians were escorted from the NIS headquarters in Abuja to Illela Border in Sokoto by a team of eight officers led by Mamoud Sadiq, in two buses.

He said that the team arrived at the border post at about 8:00 p.m. on Friday.

Upon their arrival, I directed the Assistant Controller in charge of Human Resources, Adamu Mshelia, who also doubled as the Officer in Charge of Anti-Smuggling Unit (ANTISOM) to oversee the proper documentation of the repatriated individuals.

After due procedures, the irregular migrants were handed over to officers of the Niger Republic Police at the Birnin Konni control post.

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At Birnin Konni, the migrants underwent another round of screening and documentation before being received by the Commisere, the police chief of the area, he added.

In a related development, the NIS boss said that the construction of both mega and mini Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) was ongoing at the Illela control post.

He said the upgrade by the NIS Controller-General, Kemi Nandap, was in continuation of her drive to rid the country of irregular migrants across the 36 states and FCT.

The construction company has commenced land clearance and demolition of some dilapidated and unserviceable structures.

We appreciate the CG for this upgrade, which aligns with her commitment to curbing irregular and prohibited migration across the country, he said.

Mr Akuneme assured the public that the situation remains calm in Illela and Tangaza areas, with military and security personnel maintaining a presence to address threats from the Lakurawa terrorists.

(NAN)

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The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has expressed concern and ordered an investigation into the Karu bridge crash in Abuja.

The FRSC spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Ogungbemide said the directives came following the fatal crash involving a Dangote truck and four other vehicles on the route on Good Friday.

He described the incident, which claimed one life and left three others injured, as unfortunate and avoidable.

NAN reports that the crash, which occurred on Friday afternoon near the NNPC Junction after Karu Bridge, was attributed to brake failure on the part of the trailer.

NAN also reports that 10 persons, comprising seven males and three females, were involved in the crash. One male died, three others (one male and two females) were injured, while six other male occupants were uninjured.

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Mr Ogungbemide said that FRSC personnel from the Karu Under Bridge patrol team responded promptly, rescuing the victims and taking them to Karu General Hospital.

He added that the accident scene was also cleared to ease traffic flow while he quoted the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, as condoling with the family of the deceased.

We assure the public that a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the crash has been ordered.

All field commands nationwide have also been directed to intensify enforcement on the condition and roadworthiness of articulated vehicles.

FRSC will not tolerate negligence on the part of fleet operators and drivers. There will be consequences for any violations that endanger lives on our roads, he said.

The FRSC boss, however, urged motorists to adhere strictly to safety regulations, especially during the peak travel periods like the Easter celebrations.

NAN reports that the crash occurred barely a month after a similar fatal accident on the same Karu Bridge in March.

This happened when a Dangote trucks brakes failed and the truck rammed into multiple vehicles and claimed several lives.

(NAN)

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The anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls from school was on 14 April; 90 are still missing. Today is another anniversary: the abduction from Greenfield University. The 20th of April 2021 was like any other day for students of Greenfield University, Kaduna. Muslim students observing Ramadan prepared for iftar in the company of friends and classmates, while other students perambulated between hostels and the cafeteria.

At about 8.15 p.m., gunshots rang out; for some, the sound was not perturbing. The school was in close proximity to a major highway where motorists were frequently attacked by armed robbers. This time was different: armed men, some in camouflage, that students mistook for Nigerian military personnel, rounded up 23 people  18 students and five administrative staff  took their phones and herded them into the bushes. Some female students were half dressed; many had no shoes on. They trekked for hours, then were driven in twos and threes on waiting motorbikes, to a camp where other kidnapped Nigerians were held.

Three days later, on Friday, 23 April, the kidnappers told parents that they had a message for them: the remains of Dorathy Yohanna, Precious Nwakacha and Sadiq Yusuf Sanga were left on the side of a road. Yohanna, a third-year student of Political Science turned 23 days before she was kidnapped. The night before her death, she cried and prayed, fretting over her mothers reluctance to let her go back to school because of insecurity concerns. 20-year-old Nwakacha, in her third year of Accounting, was outspoken and articulate. This was why her classmates thought she was a good choice when she was selected by the kidnappers purportedly to take a message to the parents  they knew she would be a good ambassador of their cause. Sanga, who was in his third year of a cyber security course, woke the morning he was killed to share his dream: three people were going home and he was one of them.

In Nigeria we often say: when you wake up is your morning and you cannot wake a person pretending to be asleep. I did not know these details when I woke up to the news that three of the students kidnapped from Greenfield had been killed, but it was a morning of sorts for me. The Greenfield story was only one more reality of schools as soft targets for terrorists and mercenaries and not more horrific than the murder of 59 students in Federal Government College Buni Yadi in 2014. Part of what shook me was that unlike the attack on Buni Yadi, which was ideological terror, killing Yohanna, Nwachaka and Sanga was part of a negotiation for money; calculated to put pressure on families to pay the N800,000,000 ($2 million) ransom.

Channeling the desperation that I imagined families were feeling, I reached out to Olubukunola Williams and Chioma Agwuegbo, feminist activists in civil society to find out what could be done. It was unfathomable that Nigerians or women would not be mobilising around this. Williams, Agwuegbo and I conceived of responding to the Greenfield kidnapping by centring women as influencers in their homes and communities to organise Nigerians to demand that the Federal Government delivers on its responsibility to secure our lives in accordance with Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution: the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. The campaign had a name, slogan and demand: Secure our lives. Our goal was acknowledgement by government of the toll kidnapping was taking on Nigerians and a response to bring an effective end to what had become an industry.

Maybe we were unconsciously tapping into the culture of women-for-hire for claps and cries; the exploitative narrative of women as nurturers of the nation who cannot be relied on for formal power in government but who are useful for tugging on emotions. We thought only of the inspiring histories of women championing social justice reforms, such as the often-mentioned Aba Womens War and Abeokuta Womens revolt against excessive taxation during Britains colonial rule. The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace who brought an end to Liberias brutal civil war and other inspiring examples of women mobilising effectively across the world.

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Six weeks after we started the process, the campaign received donor funding. By then, two more students had been murdered: Feso Osunlalu, a third-year student of International Relations; tall, witty and irreverent, and Shaheed Abdulrahaman, a first-year student who arrived in school on the day he was kidnapped. On 29 May 2021, all the survivors of the Greenfield kidnapping were released reportedly after a ransom of N150,000,000 (US$375,000) and eight new, fuelled motorbikes had been paid.

We built a coalition of feminist, civil society, media and faith-based organisations involved in security, gender equity, human rights protection, and access to education to plan how best to capture the attention of the public and government. We agreed on a day of mass action with millions of Nigerians making noise, at a particular time of the day reminiscent of banging pots during the pandemic. We would also use artistic expressions to engage i.e. a poem (how much blood will this land drink before we say enough) by Dike Chukwumerijie, a renowned spoken word and performance poet, and installations of rows of shoes or cups in public places to speak visually to passersby who were outside our circle of communication about the human costs of kidnapping. Finally, we decided to create and publish a red list of Nigerians who were killed and unaccounted for from kidnapping and disappearances because as we planned, kidnappers continued to attack schools.

The day of action  28 July 2021  came and went with various activities across the country but the impact came not even close to what we had initially imagined and eventually settled for. We continued advocating through online activities on X Spaces, anchoring our engagement to global recognition days such as International Day of the Girl Child and 16 Days of Activism and by end of 2021, the campaign petered out. There was still a balance from the first tranche of funds which, with funders approval, we contributed to the 2022 campaigns for the passage of five gender bills in the National Assembly, which were aimed at closing gender inequality gaps.

Years later, my reflections about this campaign and the escalating insecurity in Nigeria have been partly shaped by continued observation of attempts to organise around insecurity (and other issues) and reading the works of Anthea Lawson (Entangled Activist), Professor Issa Shivji (Silences in NGO Discourse) and others. Lawson theorises that, activists are part of and injured by and survivors of the very problems that we are trying to change in the world and our tactics and organisations often mirror the same frameworks for operating that we say we want to change. Some of that entails how we center ourselves as subjects and see those we are trying to help (with our superior knowledge) as objects. Shivji identifies NGOs as handmaidens of a neo-liberal purpose i.e., replacing a degraded state no longer charged with social goods and welfare and pretending to be pro poor while maintaining the capitalist, globalisation hegemony.

Why did our Secure Our Lives campaign make little impact and why is it difficult for donor/philanthropy funded organisations to build organic movements?

The first challenge is tied to Shivjis accusation that activists try to change the world without understanding it. How can you make poverty history without understanding the history of poverty, he asks? In our case, how could we successfully demand that government secure our lives without understanding the nature of our state and sources of insecurity? Assessing the roots of insecurity in Nigeria would have intersected with another observation of Shivjis that NGOs ignore geopolitical realities. In our case this would be the breakdown of governance in Nigeria; deep state capture for plundering public resources; the politics of West Africa and the Sahel in the context of the Cold War and foreign military bases; decades long conflict with jihadists in north east Nigeria indoctrinated in Saudi Arabia; and the impact of global warming on traditional economic activity.

In 2021 we were reacting to a fire of sorts and in retrospect, we would probably have agreed that we did not have time to build theoretical knowledge about the extractive, neoliberal nature of the Nigerian state and the influence of geopolitics. We might have argued, that we did not have to interrogate the drivers of insecurity and why the raison detre of our security forces is regime security not securing citizens  we live the realities. Besides, civil society have hosted dozens of conferences since 2010, some in collaboration with the military, about the drivers of insecurity in Nigeria including the massive defense budgets which no one accounts for. If we had taken time for this analysis, we might have ended up with a different strategy for how to engage on insecurity.

The second challenge to organising by NGOs comes from the observation of both Shivji and Lawson about the politics of aid and funding which create dependencies and, in some cases, makes it harder for people and institutions to collaborate. This was our experience. When the Secure Our Lives campaign received funding, we agreed not to spend on individually mobilising citizens to join the activities. We partly sealed the failure of the campaign with this decision but we were not going to follow industry norm or politicians and organise people by paying them. We wanted an organic campaign  like Bring Back Our Girls, where people went to the sit outs and marched because of shared humanity and experience, not because they had been promised N1000. Civil society justifies paying people to organise: people earn daily; they should be compensated for that loss of income; they need to eat. What this does is attract widely, without building a base of conscious citizens.

However, because there are no secrets in the civil society space and people follow the money, our plans became political by virtue of funding and focus. As Almut Rochowanski in Rethinking Foreign Aid says, Money is never just money. It is power incarnate. Soon our strategy sessions became battles about representation and identity and the pathologies of organising in a traumatised community where everything mirrors the political economy of power rose to the surface: subterfuge, competition for power intertwined with who gets resources and recognition, co-option and infiltrators. In this Shivji is right about paying attention to existing power structures around which societies are organised. For instance  in hindsight, our attempt at drawing in the Catholic Womens Organization (CWO) and Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) was misplaced and mishandled. Misplaced because religious influencers in Nigeria tend to defend status quo and eschew anything radical. I might have botched our chances of signing up CWO by leading that engagement. I hope our sisters in the north have joined, the CWOs president said to me the first time we spoke. I understood the concern and should have made way for other women in the coalition to lead on this. As a Muslim and from the middle belt which has historically, for political reasons, been captured as geographically North, I was probably not the best interlocutor for building alliance with catholic women, but I was not successful with FOMWAN, so being of the same religion did not help either. Possibly, regardless of all we could have done better, including meeting with them in person and not relying on the COVID recovery sense of the virtual being equal to the physical, they would not have joined us.

Our campaign barely made a dent in the consciousness of women that we claimed as our primary target. Is the daily wage earner, the one civil society pays to attend meetings and protests, the same person that Shivji and other advocates for grassroots campaigners expects to lead organically and to theorise? The women outside the formal NGO sector, who took part in the actions were largely affiliated with civil society organisations working in urban and rural areas. Where we preaching to the converted or were our messages unwittingly designed for them? Whatever the case, we could hardly say that educated, professional women supported the action in larger numbers than working-class women.

The recent suspension of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) puts aid politics in focus. As one of Africas major recipients of U.S. foreign aid estimated at $1.02 billion in 2023 alone, the suspension has sparked debates in Nigeria about the politics of aid. The positions range from blaming international aid for dulling and dissipating civic dissent and lowering citizens expectations of government to provide public goods, to aid being a form of repayment of the debt owed from colonialism, neocolonialism and neoliberalism. Others insist on acknowledging the positive impact of aid particularly on public health services while others point out that the US is the biggest beneficiary of its aid  building global soft power and supporting US businesses and organisations for instance in 2017, 60 per cent of USAID funding went to 25 US organisations.

The third challenge is tied to an assumption that we made which has been a popular theory of change of civil society for decades: that informed citizens act. It is why millions of dollars have been spent on various ways of informing citizens and awareness raising. Wrong. The majority of Nigerians have no faith that the government will ever act the way it is supposed to. So near complete is governments abdication of responsibilities, that some Nigerians have no concept that government is supposed to provide public goods. My orientation towards liberal, representative democracy i.e., one based on a social contract where as a tax payer and voter, I can demand accountability from my elected representative, is a fiction in practice and not the reality for many Nigerians. As a primarily resource-based economy reliant on extraction and trade of raw mineral resources, our government revenue does not depend on the well-being of Nigerians and as much of the tax is informal, there is no sense of a contract with the majority.

With this understanding, I had at least one answer to an unresolved question that has nagged me for years: if funded NGOs are a corrupting influence, what prevents the majority of people outside the NGO bubble from mobilising and organising?

I had been unable to explain the inertia from citizens uncorrupted by donor funds who presumably had aspirations for a better society. But it is not apathy, that was my framing. Those who want better security for instance are not demanding anything from a government they have no expectations for, they are hiring vigilantes, bandits, sometimes groups like Lakurawa, designated terrorists by the government, to protect them.

2024 started with the murders of 13-year-old Folorunsho Ariyo and 21-year-old Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar. They had been kidnapped from their homes on 2 January. When their families failed to meet the deadline to raise millions for their release, they were killed and their bodies left on the side of a road. It was morning for a few more people in Nigeria. Ariyo and Al-Kadriyar lived in the Federal Capital Territory, mere kilometers away from the Presidency. If the home of the federal government is unsafe, how is the rest of the country faring? Across WhatsApp groups I observed people waking up (could be ground-hog day for some) and attempting to organize around the new year 2024 kidnap and murder spree. Let women lead the charge, someone said. I closed my eyes.

Within the first 10 days of January 2025 close to 300 Nigerians had been kidnapped. Despite generous defense budgets ($4.47 billion in 2021) and global support to tackle insecurity, Nigeria has remained amongst the top 10 countries most impacted by terrorism since 2011. In 2014, it was ranked third globally for impact of terrorism, and in 2015 when Buhari was sworn in, it was second. By 2021 Nigerias rating had improved two places but while terrorism declined, kidnapping was rising. Nigerias National Bureau of Statistics reported recently that between May 2023 and April 2024, 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped, over half a million were killed by kidnappers and N2.2 trillion ($1.4 billion) paid as ransom.

As insecurity ramps up  with Boko Harm attacking in Borno on a daily basis and Benue and Plateau in the news for fresh waves of cyclical terror, it is clear that it is impossible to address insecurity as a single issue. Kidnapping is only one arm of insecurity in Nigeria. Cattle rustling, armed robbery, terrorism, gang violence, illegal gold mining, secessionist movements, police predation, crude oil bunkering and drug smuggling, defense contract abuse, government corruption, and corporate fraud are happening across the country; feeding into each other. It is possible, as deduced in security analysts reports that kidnapping funds other transnational organized crime, but it is plausible and there is anecdotal support that as the economic situation in Nigeria worsened, kidnapping became a business. The recent rise in the kidnapping of medical personnel some say, is an indication that the kidnapping industry is evolving, requiring the services of doctors and nurses for kidnap camps.

It is unlikely that there will be successful attempts to organise around insecurity in Nigeria as we tried to do. Asides Nigeria being more politicised and polarised  which results in us being less organised, typical donor funding is unlikely to provide a critical requirement to successfully organise: time. If many Nigerians have given up on or never held the belief that government owes them a duty of care, information alone cannot wake them up. Without an anchoring, magnetising ideology or philosophy that provides a culture around which people identify and organise, appeals to enlightened self-interest and an assumption that we all want to be secure will not be enough.

However, organising and mobilising a critical mass of citizens is still one of the few ways to exert pressure to reform systems and structures maybe more so during these times of global upheaval. As civic spaces constrict and social media algorithms and cacophony make it harder to engage, reaching into our past of organising tactics might be necessary but also accepting that it can take years to organise people effectively especially when part of the process is trying to wake people who do not know what it means to be awake.

Ayisha Osori is the author of Love Does Not Win Elections.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Azerbaijan, located at the crossroads of East and West, has a rich historical and cultural heritage. In different periods of history, our country became a homeland for representatives of different peoples, cultures and confessions who migrated here. Multiculturalism and tolerance, which have centuries-old historical traditions in Azerbaijan, are important directions of state policy and play a great role in the life of Azerbaijani society.

The careful attitude to the historical heritage, preservation and restoration of the monuments of German culture in the republic at the state level are one of the bright examples of the policy of multiculturalism and tolerance. The resettlement of Germans and their settlement in the territory of Azerbaijan dates back to the first decades of the XIX century. Starting from 1816-1818, a group of German peasants resettled in the South Caucasus, and German settlements were established in Azerbaijan - Elenendorf, Annenfeld, Georgsfeld, Alekseevka, Grunfeld, Eigenfeld, Traubenfeld, Elizavetinka - located mainly in Goygol, Shamkir, Gazakh, Tovuz, Agstafa districts. The German community also settled in Baku city.

Map of German Settlements

In those years, German schools and joint ventures were established, and, of course, Lutheran kirches. The first Lutheran churches were erected following the designs of German architects A. Eichler and F. Lemkuhl. The lecturer of the Helenendorf College F. Zimmer noted: The members of the congregation adhere very strictly to church rites. They rarely miss a service and look with prejudice at anyone who does not attend church carefully. As soon as the bells are rung, all members of the family head for church.

As the number of settlements and inhabitants increased, it became necessary to build religious buildings in different places of Azerbaijan.

In 1817, several hundred families of Swabian Lutheran-pietist natives arrived in the South Caucasus with the permission of Emperor Alexander I. Of them 120 families arrived to the territory of Azerbaijan and founded Helenendorf (Goygol) settlement here. With its foundation the activity of Lutheran community began. The first religious rites were conducted under the guidance of school teacher Jakob Kraus. Later, in 1832, a pastor from Hanover was invited here.

German Church in Helenendorf (Goygol)

In 1854, it was decided to build a stone church building for the Lutheran congregation. On April 24 of the same year, the foundation of the church was laid. The works occupied three years, and on March 10, 1857 the consecration of the new church was held, which was named St. John's Church, becoming the first Lutheran church in Azerbaijan, in honor of which a salute of five cannon shots was given. Georg Heinrich Reitenbach became the first pastor. The church, built in neo-Gothic style, was equipped with an organ manufactured by the company E.F.Walcker & Cie. located in Ludwigsburg. The church, built of red stone, has a clock tower, 16 large and 2 small windows and two entrance doors. The windows, doors and ceiling are made of wood, the floor is made of broom tiles and the roof is tiled.

Following Azerbaijan's restoration of independence in 2001, the church was included in the list of immovable monuments of history and culture. In 2008, the building was thoroughly renovated. Currently, the Lutheran Church is protected not only as one of the historical symbols of Goygol district, but also as an example of Azerbaijani multiculturalism. Since 2004, this architectural monument has been functioning as a district history and local history museum. Inside the building there is a special corner reflecting the way of life of Germans and the history of wine-making.

German Church in Goygol

Lutheran Church in Elizavetpol (Ganja) was built in 1885 on the donations of Azerbaijani Muslims for immigrants from Germany. Interestingly, the eclectic style structure was built of tufa. The total area is about 650 square meters. This church was first opened on September 18 in one of the large halls of the Elizavetpol men's gymnasium and was expanded over time.

Inside, the building is divided into a central hall and a foyer. Built in Romanesque-Gothic style, it was characterized by simplicity and expressiveness, a successful choice of place, arranged without much luxury and refinement, which was typical for religious buildings of the Lutheran faith. The German Lutheran Church functioned as a cultural center of Ganja in the years after the Second World War. Since 1986, when the Ganja State Puppet Theater was established, performances for children have been screened here.

Lutheran Church in Ganja

The Church of the Savior in Baku, also known as the Lutheran Church, designed by architect Adolf Eichler in the Neo-Gothic style, is located in the heart of Baku. There is an opinion that Eichler was inspired by the Church of St. Elizabeth in Marburg.

Lutheran Churches in Baku and Marburg

The groundbreaking ceremony took place on March 21, 1896 with the participation of the heads of the Baku City Duma. The consecration ceremony, which took place on March 14, 1899, gathered more than a thousand people, among whom were present the famous oilman Emmanuel Nobel (son of Ludwig Nobel - inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, in the future one of the founders of the Nobel Prize), his stepmother and the second wife of Ludwig Nobel.

On June 24, 1898, a thirteen-pound (213 kilograms) gilded cross was erected on the spire of the building. At the beginning of 1899 the church bells and organ were installed. On April 23, 1900, the first concert of organ music was held, at which works by Johann Sebastian Bach were performed.

Interestingly, some time after the assassination of the former First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Azerbaijan SSR Sergey Kirov in 1934, the Soviet sculptor Pinhos Sabsai received an order to erect a monument to Kirov in Baku. He required a room with very high ceilings, which could accommodate the sculpture together with the pedestal. Sabsai asked the kirch to provide him with a workshop. Despite the fact that at that time there was an order to demolish the kirk, Sabsai was allowed to do so.

Following repair and restoration works carried out on the order of the head of state, the building of the former Lutheran church in Baku, the Chamber and Organ Music Hall of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev, was inaugurated in 2010, attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. Throughout these years, various concert programs, including those of foreign masters, and creative evenings have been constantly held here.

Lutheran Church in Baku  Past and Present

Lutheran Church in Baku

The Lutheran Church in Annenfeld (Shamkir) was built in 1909, also in neo-Gothic style, on donations from businessmen Johann Beppl and Johann Beck. The architect was Ferdinand Lemkuhl. Its consecration in 1911 was carried out by Baron von Engelhardt, Ober-pastor of the Transcaucasian Evangelical Lutheran Communities. During the Soviet years the building was used as a House of Culture, House of Teachers, and since 1980s as a historical and ethnographic museum. After Azerbaijan regained its independence, the church building was included in the list of historical and cultural monuments. A museum describing the life history of the German community was created, and interesting photographs and household items were presented.

In 2012-13, on the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, the church was thoroughly reconstructed, an organ was installed, recreated based on the surviving drawings, on which teachers of the local music school now play during festive events. The carefully restored church has regained its former beauty and elegance. The reconstruction works carried out within the framework of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's project Azerbaijan - Address of Tolerance became another indicator of the mission to maintain the historical past and religious and cultural values of our state. In 2013, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev familiarized himself with the restored building of the German Lutheran Church in Shamkir.

Lutheran Church in Shamkir

German cultural heritage in Azerbaijan is carefully protected by the state. Multiculturalism and tolerance, which have centuries-old historical traditions in Azerbaijan, are important directions of state policy and play a great role in the life of Azerbaijani society.
The single-minded believer has joyful confidence in the Lord.

Paul is the chief exponent in the scriptures of the imperative to have the mind of Christ. He taught what he lived, so we have him as our chief example.

Paul teaches that:

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This new creation is new and will become new. He comes fully loaded but starts like a child, with everything needed to become a man already in place. In effect, if anyone is in Christ, he has the potential to become like Christ. But he must grow in Christ. He has put on Christ and must put on Christ.

For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27).

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He must work out what God has worked in him. (Philippians 2:13). So, Paul tells us to put on what God has given to us.

Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.(Ephesians 4:24).

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts. (Romans 13:14).

The Future Is Now

Jesus says:

The hour is coming, and now is. (John 4:23).

One new thing that is coming, and now is, refers to our mind. Paul affirms that:

We have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16).

But this mind must be developed.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5-6).

Allow the mind of Christ to be in you. Do not impede it. God is at work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Therefore, we have to jettison the old and put on the new.

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (Ephesians 4:23).

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2).

Single-mindedness

Paul was single-minded. He says:

I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2).

James says:

A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8).

Paul was pre-eminently Christ-centred. This single-mindedness was the source of his stability in affliction and adversity. Pauls concerns were never about himself. His concerns and preoccupations were always about Christ and the gospel.

Can you forget about yourself for some time? After all, you are supposed to be dead. A dead man is no longer concerned about himself.

Paul says:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20).

Pauls body was not his own. His future was not his own. His reputation was not his own. He tried to put himself last in every situation.

He regarded everything that happened to him as circumstances sent by God to exalt Christ and promote the gospel. If he is jailed, it is to Christs advantage.

I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ. (Philippians 1:12-13).

Nothing can happen to Paul that he would not see from Christs vantage point. Whatever happened to him, he regarded it as being to Christs advantage. This meant he would not grumble or complain about anything.

According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:20).

Fellowship of Suffering

Paul considered it to be a privilege to suffer for Christ.

For to you has been given the privilege not only of trusting him but also of suffering for him. (Philippians 1:29).

In Philippians 3:10, he calls it the fellowship of Christs suffering. Similarly, in the book of Acts, the apostles were excited when they were beaten for Christs sake.

When they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. (Acts 5:40-41).

Jesus prescribes this fellowship in adversity:

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12).

Paul understood that the purpose of God was in every situation and circumstance of the life of a believer. Therefore, he prescribes that in everything, give thanks.

Self-abnegation

Paul made it a habit not to think of himself, but to think of others. He also made a point of praying for others. He sought to encourage others. His heaven on earth was helping others.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy. (Philippians 1:3-4).

Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:7-8).

If there were chains on Pauls wrists, he re-conceptualised them as his bonds in Christ. If his adversaries were causing trouble in his absence while he was under house arrest, he rejoiced that they were preaching Christ.

If his friends were worried about his incarceration and were praying for him, he became excited that this would exalt Christ. If there was a possibility that he might be killed, then he believed that Christ would be magnified in his death.

In his single-mindedness, Paul put Christ and the furtherance of the gospel ahead of everything else.

In effect, nothing that man can do can take away Pauls joy in Christ. Imprison him, and Paul simply tells you he is a prisoner of Christ. Chain him to a guard, and Paul is convinced that the whole design was to give him a captive audience who is to be won over to the gospel.

Confidence in Christ

As a single-minded Christian, Paul refused to allow circumstances to overcome him. On the contrary, he turned every circumstance into an opportunity to magnify Christ and to win souls.

Above all, Paul was confident about the supremacy of God. He was confident that the Philippians would continue in their Christian walk, not because of any diligence on the part of the church, but because of the power of God.

Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6).

He was confident that his trials had given believers in Rome new confidence in the gospel.

Most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:14).

He was confident that he would soon come through the trials and be restored to his friends.

And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith. (Philippians 1:25).

This is the blessing of being single-minded. The single-minded believer has joyful confidence in the Lord, knowing that Jesus controls all situations and circumstances.

One Mind

Christian single-mindedness leads to submissiveness. Submissiveness to God yields sacrifice and service. The mind of Christ is submissive, meek, and lowly. Humility is not thinking of ourselves at all. But exaltation always follows humiliation.

Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6).

With Christ at the centre and as the glue, Christians are supposed to be like-minded, having the same love, of one spirit, and of the same purpose.

Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (Philippians 2:1-2).

Nothing is to be done out of selfish ambition and each believer is enjoined to consider others better than himself and to be concerned about the interests of others.

Jesus is the prime example of this selfless humility.

Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me. (Romans 15:2-3).

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6).

[email protected]; www.femiaribisala.com

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On Page 28 of his very provocative book, The Present Darkness: A history of Nigerian Organized Crime (2016), Stephen Ellis, British historian and Africanist, compared Nigerian politics to con artistry. The practices of the leaders, he said, were not different from acts of fabulists and fraudsters. Ellis take on Nigerian leaders synchronises with a Henry Louis Gates The New Yorker piece of 25 September, 1995. With the title, Powell and the Black Elite, the piece quotes ex-American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, as saying, Nigerians as a group, frankly, are marvellous scammers I mean, it is in their natural culture.

As it is done in scholarship, traditional Africa also gives justification to the Ellis comparison. It says when the shape and size of a peanuts shell bears striking semblance to the coffin of a species of mouse called Eliri, then a justification is successfully established. Last week, there was an eruption of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth in many homes. Investors in the digital financial platform called CBEX met their financial waterloo. CBEX ultimately unraveled as a Ponzi scheme, with about 600,000 Nigerian victims in tow. It has given critical minds an opportunity to examine whether there is a meeting of minds between Ponzi chancers and Nigerian political leaders. Why do we dwell so much on Nigerian economic scams and scammers, while we sacralize the equally cancerous virus of political scammers?

The genealogy of this crave for quick wealth dates back in time. In 1925, JK Magregor, headmaster of Scottish-Presbyterian-founded, Hope Waddell Institute, of which the great Nnamdi Azikiwe was an alumnus, had written the Nigerian governor-general. His complaints were based on a motif of pupils of the school writing incredibly suspicious letters to unknown persons abroad. In the letter, the pupils asked to be sold medicines of esoteric teachings which guaranteed success and happiness. They turned out to be quack. In a single mail delivery, said Ellis, Magregor discovered 125 of such scam letters. One laughable example was a 12-year old pupil who had purchased through post from India a Mystic Charm with an instruction to him to send more money so that he could be sent blessings from the Hindu deity Siddheswari. The letter also told the boy that the sign he would get to confirm the efficacy of the deity was by watching the flow of his nasal mucus!

Our visible connect to this pre-colonial crave for mysticism was re-enacted during the First Republic Nigeria. During this period, secret societies played pivotal roles in governance. The barbarism and primitivism of killing people for sacrifice in order to gain ascendancy in political circles became rife. The Ogboni cult held a supremacist place in Western Nigerian politics. It was only the northern part of Nigeria that was saved the barbarity. By the end of the Third Republic, however, military despots like Sani Abacha had reportedly began to seek spiritual interventions of Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal for a mystic buy-in into their infernal rule. Cows were reportedly buried alive in all outposts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory by the goggled General. By the Fourth Republic, politicians had fully imported into Nigeria this Islamic mysticism which was spreading in sub-Saharan Africa. The marabouts were Islamic priests who combined Islam with the syncretic practice of local healers, fortune tellers, spiritual guides and diviners. Today, virtually all Nigerian politicians, like that 12-year Hope Waddell old boy, still seek mysticism, either from Islamic mullah, clergies, Babalawo or Senegalese marabouts to guarantee their political happiness and success.

Economic chancing of the CBEX kind is not purely native to Nigeria. In August 1920, after months of covert investigations by Clarence Barron, Boston Post newspapers top financial journalist, of the activities of Charles Ponzi, burst his bubble. Barron had found out that Ponzi, an Italian, born 1882, who immigrated to the United States in 1903, was a notorious con artist. In January 1920, Ponzi had established a Securities Exchange Company where he promised investors returns of up to 50% in 45 days. The scheme attracted thousands of local investors who, mimicking early Christians of Jerusalems mode of spread of the religion, engaged in a mouth-to-mouth spread of the good news. Gradually, they escalated its rapid growth and staggering participation. At the height of the scheme, Ponzi collected not less than $250,000 a day from unsuspecting victims, quadrupling his wealth to over $15million. Immediately after Barrons investigation leaked, Bostonians rushed to and camped outside Ponzis offices. They were panicky crowds of local investors demanding a return of their money. Last week, same scenario was reenacted as angry and exasperated Nigerian victims of CBEX stormed its Nigerian offices.

Ponzi and CBEXs gambits were not dissimilar. They were predicated on paying existing investors funds that were collected from new investors. As the Ponzi scheme left thousands of investors devastated, having lost their life savings, its traits ultimately became known globally as the Ponzi scheme. After Ponzis infamy, the fraud ring mutated severally all over the world. Like in Bernard Madoff. For 17 years, Madoff duped investors of billions of dollars. He eventually got sentenced to 150 years. Nigeria also had the MMM. Launched in 2016, this infamous financial scheme attracted huge investment traffic, such that when it froze its transactions, it left thousands of investors crushed and heartbroken. CBEX is said to have ripped off Nigerians of over a trillion Naira.

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The divide separating economic, political and leadership Ponzi in Nigeria is very thin. It is welded together by the glue of voodoo, talisman, juju and marabout. I learnt that victims of CBEX gave testimonies in churches before their waterloo, with some pastors telling congregants that the chancers had brought a new wave of Gods blessings. While greed and straitened economic times resulting in citizens seeking desperate escape have been attributed to the flourishing and successes of these scams, Prof Ellis established a corollary between Ponzi chancers of pre and post-colonial Nigeria and emergent political and military rulers. He then situated Nigeria as one huge forest of a fraud ring: Most Nigerian practices of organized crime, including document fraud, embezzlement and large-scale smuggling, originate in politics and the state itself, or at least have important and durable connections to the state.

As Ponzi scammers feed fat on the red blood corpuscles of trickery and deceit, so do Nigerian leaders and politicians. Ellis insinuates that scam can be found in the bloodstream of Nigerian politics and political leadership since they first began in the 1940s. If you break Ponzi to its most basic moral component, it is driven by unrighteousness, desire to outwit the other person, gain personal advantage and in most cases, leave sorrow as mementos. Nigerian politics and leadership are founded on same nefarious aspiration.

Only last week, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ordered top US law enforcement agencies to release confidential information generated during a 1990s federal investigation. One Mr. Greenspan had, between 2022 and 2023, filed 12 FOIA requests seeking information about a joint investigation of the FBI, IRS, DEA, and the US Attorneys Offices for the Northern District of Indiana and Northern District of Illinois. He wanted the charging decisions on the activities, including money laundering, of a Chicago heroin ring that operated in the early 1990s made open. The Nigerian president is said to be located at the vortex of this investigation.

While reacting to the American court ruling, the Nigerian presidential media office dismissed it as having been in the public space for more than 30 years, and did not in any way indict the Nigerian leader while concluding that lawyers are examining the ruling. My people say, if someone does not move in gaits that resemble an African pouched rats, no one would ask them to eat a meal of palm-nut seeds that is the culinary preference of this species of rats. (Bi eeyan ko ba rin irin awasa, won o ni fi ekuro lo). The fact that the presidents name is enmeshed in such shame is already a national disaster. I dont know of any scam bigger than a presidential Ponzi of paying millions of dollars to American lawyers so as to keep blocking American courts from disclosing to Nigerians and the world the truth or lie in the allegation that our president was involved in a heroin trade in the 1990s.

Ellis provided a nexus, no matter how tenuous, to the Ponzi. As far back as 1952, he wrote, Nigeria had become a staging point for heroine drug trade. According to him, the country was a heavy dope traffic from the near East to the USA via Europe, with one of those implicated at the Nigerian end of this pipeline being one O. Chagoury. Ellis conclusion on this pee-independence Nigerian drug trade gives the reader of the book today the latitude to connect its frightening nexus. He had written: A few decades later, a Lebanese family with the same name had become very influential in both business and in political finance: Gilbert Chagoury, born in 1946He was very close to the military dictator of the 1990s, Sani AbachaIt seems he is a descendant of a heroin trader who arrived Nigeria in 1952the heroin trade may provide start-up capital for other forms of business You may find this on Page 92 of Ellis book.

While we lament the Ponzi scam of CIBEX, I put it to us that we are merely being hypocritical. Ponzi, MMM, CBEX, either figuratively or literally, have always constituted our ways of life. In our individual, collective and national relations, our modus operandi has never been dissimilar from these scammers. We take delight in sucking the nectar of the joy of our fellow man. We elect known scammers into political offices and when they scam us, we complain. We are like the farmer who knew that the land he planted peanuts on was squirrel-infested. At the time of harvest, this same farmer became grumpy because squirrels had eaten up all his farm proceeds. When a man tells his people he was going on a two-weeks working vacation, which we all knew was a euphemism for a date with his Chagoury business partners or a date at the infirmary, didnt both the man who spun the yarn and we, the people who received it, know we were mutually involved in a CBEX transaction? Or, didnt we know that the spinner of the lie wasnt dealing with us straight? Our forebears sounded alarm on characters like this in their saying that, when you meander round truth and refuse to walk straight, you are most likely encumbered by issues of finance (San laa rin, aje ni mu ni pe koro).

Our scam began from the very beginning when Nigerians brought in a presidential baggage they didnt have access to its constitution. Last week, the White House released President Donald Trumps annual health report. Nigerians are left to make guesswork on what ails theirs and the billions of their patrimony spent to maintain it. Our presidents health is run like a coven, which reminds one of the miasma that surrounded the health of monarchs of pre-modern Africa. The king must not be seen to have taken ill like a commoner. It is a sacrilege. What Ponzi is greater than this, full of its opacity!

Replying to criticisms that, after almost 200 Nigerians had been killed in the presidents absence, he is still oscillating like a spirit from France to London, his media office told us he could rule Nigeria through remote control from anywhere in the world. Nigerians instantly remembered they had walked that punishing road before. At Easter, the statement purportedly issued by the president was that, evil forces will not triumph in Nigeria at a time when Evil had been crowned as King. What evil is greater than the carnage ongoing in Plateau and Benue States which, as usual, was dressed beautifully in a refrain, the president has ordered decisive action. Both of us, the president and Nigerians at large, know that this statement is a complete scam. There is no action coming from anywhere, not to talk of its being decisive. When the killers strike again soon, the presidency will re-calibrate the commiseration refrain. Charles Ponzi must be happy he has identical offspring in the Nigerian presidency.

In Nigeria, we live in a world of deception which Yoruba call Ilu etan. It is an antonym for the kind of trade that catapulted Charles Ponzi into global infamy. Claude Ake, in his, Is Africa Democratising (1996) slammed our brand of politics as one that does not know legitimacy or legality, only expediency. If you listened to Nyesom Wikes Media Chat on Friday, you will see hope receding for a Nigeria of our dream in the hands of the CBEX vultures. You will see crude audacity and man God-ifying himself. It affirms the Ake expediency as the credo of Nigerian politics, in agreement with Ellis that Nigeria is one huge river of Ponzi traders. If it wasnt CBEX on parade, why would a man gloat as his own party is bleeding?

Wherever you turn, Nigeria is a an ocean where sharks feast on sharks and lesser fishes devour one another. Atiku Abubakar and his co-travelers on a coalition have started spinning their own political Ponzi which they know its end is not basically for the Nigerian people. Peter Obi is busy with his own Ponzi as well. Muhammadu Buhari, who regressed Nigeria colossally in eight years as president is the one to decide Nigerias political future now because he is patrons to millions of Almajiri voters who know not their right from left. As the week was ending, Reno Omokri, the Peter Obi-hating political Smart Alec, spun another of his serial Tinubu intervention Ponzi yarns. Nigeria is safer now under Tinubu, he said. If any of Omokris family members was among the almost 200 victims of Nigerian Ponzi rulers, killed in Benue and Plateau States in the last two weeks, a period when Nigeria had, not even a scare-crow placeholder for president in Aso Rock, will the Ambassador spew this undiplomatic puke?

What is glaring is, by the time this current CBEX government in Aso Rock finishes with us, we will have a long roll-call of victims.

Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist.

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The presidency is more than just an office. For those around the occupant of the office, it also means money, power, and privilege. To preserve it, most people in and around the presidency take liberties, sometimes, even with the wellbeing of their principal or with accountability to the people in whose name he holds office. For the country and even for the president, the wages of this interminable subterfuge are prohibitive.

On the evening of 5 April 2012, the prime-time bulletin on the television news of the Malawi Broacasting Corporation (MBC), announced to the country that the president, Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika, hadtaken ill and had been flown to South Africa for specialist treatment. At another end of the capital city, Lilongwe, a presidential convoy was on its way to the Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), where an air ambulance awaited with instructions to fly a president who was supposedly alive but unwell to South Africa.

Earlier in the day, around 11:00 in the morning, Ngwazi Bingu had collapsed while receiving in audience the Member of Parliament representing the south-east constituency of the capital city, Lilongwe, Agnes Penemulungu. The judicial commission of inquiry which later investigated what transpired thereafter, received evidence which showed quite clearly that the presidential court had not prepared nor practiced for the possibility of a life-and-death emergency involving the president. Elton Singini, a senior judge, chaired the inquiry

The commission of inquiry established as a fact that the president died earlier in the day inside the ambulance en route to Kamuzu Central Hospital in the capital city. According to the inquiry report, the President was brought in dead (BID) at Kamuzu Central Hospital [KCH] at around 11.25 in the morning of 5 April.

At the time of the news bulletin announcing that he was to be flown to South Africa later on the same day, Mr Bingu had been dead for over eight hours. Despite being aware of this, the presidential retinue instructed staff at the hospital to apply cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the presidential remains for over two hours. In the process, they crushed his rib-cage.

More was to follow. At the airport, the air ambulance pilots from South Africa declined to board the body, citing the fact that their permission was to fly with a patient not a dead body. High level conversations ensued between Lilongwe and Pretoria. It may have helped and was certainly relevant that Malawis Foreign Minister at the time was Peter Mutharika, Mr Bingus younger brother who was also intent on stepping into the shoes of his just deceased brother. Peter needed time to set the wheels in motion to leap-frog Vice-President Joyce Banda in the succession stakes.

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South Africas President, Jacob Zuma, who had retired for the day had to be woken up to personally authorise the flight. Shortly after midnight on 6 April 2012, the air ambulance took off for South Africa. In Malawi, the people were told their president was headed to South Africa for medical attention. In South Africa, the authorities knew that the air ambulance on its way from Lilongwe would arrive with the dead body of Malawis president. Shortly after 02:30 a.m. on 6 April, the aircraft landed at South Africas National Defence Force (SANDF) Waterkloof Airbase on the outskirts of Pretoria. From there, the dead body was transferred to a mortuary.

The evidence seems inescapable that Mr Tinubu has significant health challenges and needs regular medical attention from doctors overseas. For this, his destination of choice is clearly France. In 22 months as president, Tinubu has made at least eight trips to the country under different guises, for a cumulative period of over 60 days.

The authors of all this malign chicanery designed to deceive the people of Malawi, however forgot to also notify the processes of bio-chemistry. By the time the body arrived the morgue in South Africa, it had been in the open without refrigeration for about 18 hours after death. As a result, the very important and high profile invitees to the state funeral of Mr Bingu, which took place on 23 April, 2012, had to endure the uncomfortable company of flies, as well as the majestic fragrance of human putrefaction. As the report of the Justice Elton Singini Commission of Inquiry recorded, the body had started decomposing as evidenced by the smell and a few flies hovering around.

Four years earlier, in August 2008, Levy Mwanawasa, the president of neighbouring Zambia, died in a military hospital near Paris in France. While attending the summit of the African Union in Cairo, Egypt, on 29 June 2008, Mr Mwanawasa had collapsed following what was later understood to be an aneurysm (stroke). He was stabilised there before being transferred to France, where he died two months later. At his death, it came out that two years earlier, during his first term as president in 2006, Mr Mwanawasa had suffered an earlier stroke. For that, he received extended treatment in the United Kingdom. No one told Zambians.

The year after the death of Mr Mwanawasa, in June 2009, Omar Bongo, who had ruled Gabon for 41 years, died in a hospital in Spain. When he left Libreville at the beginning of the previous month, his compatriots believed that their president, the doyen and favourite of France Afrique, was away on a working visit  a phrase all too familiar to Nigerians  to his favourite haunts in Europe. At his death, it emerged that more than one month before his death, President Bongo had been hospitalised for cancer treatment in Spain.

President Bongo was not the last long-serving African president to die in Spain. On 8 July 2022, former Angolan president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, died also there after prolonged cancer treatment. Following his death, a family crisis broke out over his funeral, which delayed the repatriation of his remains to Luanda for more than one month. Six weeks after his death, in the third week of August 2022, a judge in Spain finally authorised the return of the body of Mr dos Santos to Angola for burial.

When he departed Nigeria on 2 April, the presidency in Abuja issued a statement claiming that Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigerias president, was off to France on a short working visit, during which he would retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administrations second anniversary. They barely stopped short of telling Nigerians that their president was headed to Lourdes for the grace of its historic apparitions. Mr Tinubu is a Muslim; it was in the middle of the Christian season of Lent and no one had apparently bothered to advise him or his image makers that it is usually Christians who undertake two week-long retreats in the middle of this season.

The day after the end of the initially announced 14 days, the same presidential retinue disclosed that the president had relocated from France to the United Kingdom, from where he was doing an excellent job as Nigerias president in Europe.

It should be no news that a man of Mr Tinubus age is unwell. Those invested in concealing that reality from Nigerians are more interested in protecting their present perquisites than in the wellbeing of their principal or of the country.

The evidence seems inescapable that Mr Tinubu has significant health challenges and needs regular medical attention from doctors overseas. For this, his destination of choice is clearly France. In 22 months as president, Tinubu has made at least eight trips to the country under different guises, for a cumulative period of over 60 days.

While hes been away this time, hundreds  if not more  have been killed in massacres in different parts of Nigeria. As president, Tinubu is also the commander-in-chief of Nigerias armed and security forces. Yet, from Europe, he is reported to be passing the buck to state governors to do that which only he has the tools to accomplish under Nigerias constitution.

Excluding the five years and three months of the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, from February 2010 to May 2015, Nigeria has had a presidency in near-permanent occupancy of sanatoriums overseas for 15 years. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which Tinubu led, was aggressively voluble in asking for candour on the health status of a terminally ill President Umaru YarAdua. After going into marriage with Muhammadu Buharis Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to create All Progressives Congress (APC), it made a virtue of unlooking when Buhari took up residence in foreign hospitals for much of his presidency.

It should be no news that a man of Mr Tinubus age is unwell. Those invested in concealing that reality from Nigerians are more interested in protecting their present perquisites than in the wellbeing of their principal or of the country.

The presidency is more than just an office. For those around the occupant of the office, it also means money, power, and privilege. To preserve it, most people in and around the presidency take liberties, sometimes, even with the wellbeing of their principal or with accountability to the people in whose name he holds office. For the country and even for the president, the wages of this interminable subterfuge are prohibitive.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through [email protected].



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The police have refuted recent reports of the emergence of a terror group, Mahmuda, in Kaiama and Baruten local government areas of Kwara State.

The state police public relations officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said police threat assessments, intelligence surveillance, and tactical reconnaissance operations in these areas yielded no evidence of insurgent activity, coordinated terrorist formations, or mass casualty incidents as reported.

Mrs Ejire-Adeyemi described the claim of 15 vigilantes being killed as *entirely false.*

She assured the public that security agents in Kwara State remained proactive and are strategically deployed under a multi-agency operational framework involving the police and sister security agencies.

No breach of internal security has been reported or observed in the aforementioned communities. Furthermore, our community engagement structures, including vigilante commanders and district heads, have not relayed any such incidents, which confirms this publication to be misleading and inciting, the statement added.

Mrs Ejire-Adeyemi said in recognition of the volatile nature of cross-border movements around the Kainji Lake National Park, the police have maintained effective situational control across all border 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

She urged members of the public and media outlets to refrain from spreading unverified information that could generate unnecessary panic.

The reports of a new terror group operating in Kwara caused anxiety in the state against the backdrop of security challenges in many parts of Nigeria.

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The prolonged power outage in Kano over the past 10 days has disrupted socio-economic activities in the Kano metropolis.

Some Kano residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday lamented that the situation, compounded by recurrent failure of the national grid, had left many communities in darkness, affecting businesses and households.

Many entrepreneurs also lamented the adverse impact of the blackout on their businesses.

A hotelier and bar owner, Jude Michael of Sabon Gari area of Fage Local Government Area (LGA), described the situation as frustrating.

Mr Michael said that he had lost customers due to a lack of electricity to preserve drinks.

I have been running on a generator for days, which is making me incur losses.

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Sometimes customers come, and other times, they do not. It is not encouraging, he said.

A welder in the Dakata quarters of Nasarawa LGA, Abubakar Bala, said that reliance on diesel to keep his operations running was unsustainable.

We have paid for electricity, yet we do not have access. If power is not restored soon, my business might collapse, he said.

Mr Bala urged the government to fix the problem and also consider alternative power sources.

Another welder in Tarauni LG, Aminu Sani, said that he had to suspend operations due to the high cost of fuel required to run his generator.

We charge more when we use generators, but not everyone can afford the increased prices. Now, we are stranded without work, he said.

A frozen food dealer along Zaria road, Manu Garba, said that the persistent power outage had left many business owners in huge debt, as they struggled to keep their goods from perishing.

We had expected to make good sales during Easter even if the profit would be minimal due to the economic reality in the country.

But the issue of epileptic power supply since then till now has pushed many of us into serious debt,

Cartons of frozen chicken and fish got spoiled after one week. While some of us managed to salvage what we could, some were not that lucky, he said.

A hairdresser in Kumbotso, Bunmi Ola, also complained that the persistent power outage had left many business owners in huge debt.

She said that the development was a huge blow to those relying on power supply for survival.

Ms Ola said that despite their experiences, pain and losses, the electricity companies were still issuing estimated bills.

However, operators of mobile phone charging services reported increased patronage.

One of such operators, Isa Umar, said that he had raised his prices due to the cost of fuel, charging between N150 and N200 per phone.

Checks across the state further revealed that the water supply has also been affected, with the price of a 25-litre jerrycan rising from N100 to N200 in some areas.

Sani Bala, head of Corporate Communications, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, attributed the drop in electricity supply across its franchise area to ongoing network upgrades and vegetation control on its feeders.

Mr Bala said that the maintenance work was necessary to improve the infrastructure and ensure the safety of engineers working on the network.

He said that the upgrades were part of efforts to sustain the progress made in electricity distribution, including longer supply hours and improved service delivery.

(NAN)

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Governor Alex Otti of Abia State says that when a society loses its tradition and culture, such a society is dead and gone.

Mr Otti stated this on Saturday, 19 April, during the 2025 Ekponibro Cultural Festival (Ugbo Nmiri Nma) held at Etiti Abam Primary School, Atani Abam, in the Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state, according to a statement issued on Saturday by Ukoha Ukoha, the governors spokesperson.

The UNUBIKO Foundation, a non-governmental and nonprofit organisation, sponsored the festival in partnership and with the endorsement of the Abia State Government.

Speaking during the event, Governor Otti said, This speaks to our tradition and culture. And, any society that loses its tradition and culture is gone. In those days, societies began to die when they lost their tradition. They begin to go into bondage and slavery.

I am happy that the Abam people did not forget where they came from. And, I want to thank the UNUBIKO Foundation for remembering and bankrolling all these, and my prayer is that God will continue to replenish your source a millionfold.

Take Agriculture seriously

Speaking further, the governor encouraged the people to take Agriculture seriously, noting that in it lies stomach infrastructure.

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I need not preach to you about Agriculture. If you do not have the vision, this is the time. The planting season is about starting. This is one thing that God has given to us without much toiling.

You plant something in the ground, and then by the time you reap, you reap bountifully. You can plant in tears, but when you are reaping, you reap joy.

So, I want to encourage all of us, if we were not taking farming seriously, this is the time to do so because what you call stomach infrastructure is in your farm. And, it is what is in your hands that God uses to bless you, Governor Otti stated.

Governor Otti used the opportunity to thank the Abam people for their support of the contractors working on the projects his administration is doing for them, stating that the whole idea is to connect our communities and give them wings to fly. He told them that the road in Abam that is already in use would soon be commissioned.

Also speaking at the event, the Abia State Commissioner for Culture and Creative Economy, Matthew Ekwuruibe, thanked the governor for being physically present. He said that under Governor Ottis administration in Abia State, every sector is being given the needed attention, including remembering and preserving our cultural heritage.

He thanked the Founder of the UNUBIKO Foundation, James Ume, for sponsoring the cultural festival and said he was looking forward to partnering with and attending similar events in other parts of the state.

Ekponibro cultural festival

In his speech at the event, the Founder of UNUBIKO Foundation, Mr Ume, thanked Governor Otti for honouring them with his presence at the event and for the Abia State Government endorsement.

He said that the Ekponibro cultural festival is a heritage bequeathed to them by their fathers, which symbolises their struggles, strengths, triumphs, and exploits. He thanked Governor Otti for his good works in Abam and across the state.

The Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Christopher Kalu, said that the 2025 Ekponibro festival, which has its theme as Long May They Reign, celebrates the difficulties and triumphs of their forbearers in their sea trading business of Agricultural products like cocoa, kernel, palm oil, and others.

ALSO READ: Otti launches health insurance scheme for Abia workers

Some of the challenges faced by the merchants included bad weather, the trunk of trees that fell into the sea that must be cleared for their canoe to sail through, hostile communities and criminals, wild animals, and so on. Upon return, the merchants went out in numbers to celebrate with families and friends in gratitude to the Supreme Being for a successful journey through the sea.

The event, chaired by Orji Ogbonnaya Orji (Ugwu Aro), attracted entrepreneurs and politicians across the state and beyond.

Guests at the event

A former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, was represented at the event.

The Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Ibe Osonwa, his Isiala Ngwa North/South colleague, Okenze Onwusibe, the Deputy Speaker of Abia House of Assembly, Austin Nmeregini, the Mayor of Arochikwu Local Government Area, Chibuike Aru, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Monitoring and Evaluation, Okoroafor Ugochukwu, and a renowned entrepreneur, Desmond Anyaso, were among the dignitaries who attended the event.

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The Police Command in Lagos State has debunked claims circulating on social media regarding an alleged explosion incident in the state.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Olohundare Jimoh, dismissed the report in a statement on Saturday by the commands spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin.

Mr Jimoh clarified that no explosion occurred anywhere in Lagos State on Friday, 19 April.

The Command in Lagos State confirms that no explosion incident was recorded in any part of the state, he said.

The Commissioner of Police explained that the viral video online is from an earlier explosion on 11 April at a CCTV shop in Computer Village, Ikeja.

That incident remains under investigation, according to the police.

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He added that proactive measures have been implemented to ensure sufficient police presence and maintain a safe environment for businesses and daily activities.

Mr Jimoh urged residents to go about their lawful activities without fear or panic.

READ ALSO: Police extradite Nigerian who killed his girlfriend

He reaffirmed the commands commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.

The CP also advised bloggers and social media users to avoid spreading false information that could incite fear or public anxiety.

According to him, the command remains dedicated to preserving peace and order throughout Lagos State.

(NAN)

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As of Sunday morning, five people have been confirmed dead and 13 others rescued following the collapse on Saturday of a three-storey building in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Sunday confirmed that the survivorsmostly adult femaleswere rescued and are currently receiving pre-hospital care at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

The building, which housed the popular Equal Right Restaurant, reportedly crashed down around 8 a.m. while undergoing additional construction to convert it into a four-storey structure.

Eyewitnesses said the site had shown visible signs of structural distress long before the collapse. But they kept developing it alleging that the building belongs to a local government chairman in Lagos State.

Witnesses recall warning signs

This building has been showing signs for a while, said Franklin Okede, an eyewitness. One of the engineers even warned his colleagues not to enter because the structure looked unsafe yesterday morning. Moments later, the entire building came crashing down.

Mr Okede added that the collapse could have been far more devastating if it had occurred later in the day during a scheduled Premier League match, when the restaurant would typically be filled with fans.

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

Another eyewitness, Nurudeen Hasan, who survived the collapse, described their rescue as a miracle.

The building just gave way. We were lucky. About 22 of us were inside, and many were pulled out alive, he said.

Mr Hasan while putting on his white shorts and singlet stated that he joined the rescue team since nothing happened to him.

He said those survivors were first taken to Royal Hospital in Ojudu to stabilise them before they were moved to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

Femi Akinyemi, another witness, gave a slightly different account, saying six people died and 18 were rescued.

However, LASEMA has dismissed these varying figures.

Agency disputes conflicting figures

LASEMAs Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told PREMIUM TIMES that only five fatalities had been confirmed and 13 people rescued.

Let them show you the hospital where the six dead are kept, he said. Weve accounted for five deaths and 13 rescued persons. Eleven adult females have been rescued so far and are receiving care.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said first responders remained on site, working methodically with heavy and light-duty equipment.

We are approaching ground zero, he said. Theres still a chance we may find more people under the rubble.

Rescue efforts praised, but concerns remain

Rescue efforts involved teams from LASEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Red Cross, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service.

Ige Oladimeji, Lagos State Disaster Management Officer for the Red Cross, said the organisation had helped evacuate 11 victims.

Our role is to provide first aid and get people to the hospital quickly. Weve been here since yesterday (Saturday)working with other agencies, he said.

FRSC Sector Commander Kehinde Hamzat commended the multi-agency response, noting that lives were saved due to swift coordination and deployment of machines and personnel.

He also called for a renewed focus on proactive building inspections to prevent future tragedies.

We used to see more building collapses in Lagos, but things improved when the governor took action. This incident is a reminder that we must remain vigilant, he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos, Olusegun Odunmbaku, has continued to assist LASEMA with fuel.

According to his Chief Press Secretary, Bello Yakub, apart from the fuel supply, Mr Odunmbaku has supported financially the hospital bills of the survivors.

He added that Mr Odunmbaku was present at the scene on Saturday and had already visited them both at the Royal Hospital and LUTH.

A history of warning signs

The eyewitnesses have maintained that the building had long shown signs of wear and was over 40 years old.

It was a ticking time bomb, said one local resident who declined to be named. I stopped going there because I was afraid it would come down someday.

He attributed the collapse to unapproved structural modifications because the building had been abandoned for years.

It was an old building converted into an eatery, and more construction had been added.

The agency confirmed that all areas around the site have been secured, and investigations are ongoing.

What will happen to collapsed property?

Under the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of 2010 (as amended), the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) is empowered to confiscate properties that collapse due to regulatory violations. Such actions are taken for public safety and to prevent unauthorised redevelopment.

But questions remain over whether the law will be enforced in this case, especially with allegations that the property is owned by a serving local government chairman.

The Lagos State Government has yet to issue a statement since the collapse on whether it will seize the building.

Saturdays collapse is the second in Lagos within a few weeks. A building under construction at Northern Vulture Estate, Lekki, had also collapsed recently, killing a teenage boy and two men, and injuring six others.

LASEMA has vowed to investigate both incidents thoroughly and hold those responsible accountable.

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( Read 4034 Times)

Udaipur. Rotary Club Drishti hosted the official visit of District Governor of Rotary District 3056, Rtn. Rakhi Gupta, at the NICC premises today.

On the occasion, District Governor Rakhi Gupta praised the 87 Rotary clubs actively involved in various service projects across the district. She appreciated the commendable social initiatives undertaken by Rotary Club Drishti, especially highlighting the launch of a womens driving course under the clubs women empowerment mission, benefiting many women. She added that several more impactful activities are planned for the remainder of the term.

Club Patron Dr. Sweety Chhabra informed that, along with these efforts, the club is also engaged in initiatives like stepwell cleaning and skill development, including scooter driving lessons for women. Over 100 women have already been trained, with more than 10 women sponsored by the Berlin Corps. Stepwells such as Gulab Bagh Bawdi, Amba Mata Bawdi, and four others have already been cleaned, and the cleaning of Toran Bawdi is scheduled in the coming days.

Club official Viplav Jain mentioned that the club has taken up numerous social responsibility programs for the next two years, including a focused initiative to teach scooty riding to girls.

In light of the scorching summer and the resulting water scarcity for animals and birds, Rotary Club Drishti has launched Project Pyaas Bujhao. Under this initiative, water pots (parindas) and water tanks will be distributed free of cost across the city for the next three months, with a target of distributing 1000 parindas.

The event began with a warm welcome by Club President Dr. Drishti Chhabra, who also shared that the club has undertaken tree plantation drives at various locations to promote a greener Udaipur.

Source :
( Read 5382 Times)

(mohsina bano)

A vibrant farewell was organized at Pacific Institute of Business Studies, Pacific University for the final year students of BBA, BBA Global Business Management, and B.Com. Juniors welcomed their seniors with heartfelt titles and souvenirs. The event featured captivating solo and group dances, singing, poetry, and an energetic ramp walk that showcased students' confidence and charm.

Students shared cherished memories of their college journey and expressed gratitude towards the college and university administration. Many students also showed interest in pursuing MBA and M.Com from Pacific itself.

Principal Dr. Anurag Mehta offered two invaluable life lessons:

Excellence can be achieved through simplicity, humility, and grace. Delay your reactions in challenging situations; it helps avoid conflicts and saves energy. Even negative or impulsive thoughts can be managed by postponing them, keeping ones mindset directed positively.

The event was hosted by first-year students Siddharth Dhingra, Malvika Singh, and Gargi Sharma.

Rajveer Tok and Nandini Rai were crowned Mr. and Miss Farewell respectively.

Students thanked their mentors Dr. Deepika Chaplot, Dr. Priyanka Choudhary, Dr. Mohammad Abid, Dr. Ali Asgar June, Dr. Bhavana Mehta, Dr. Rachna Paliwal, Dr. Karishma Dair, and Sangeeta Jha for their constant support and guidance.

#PacificUniversity #FarewellVibes #BBA2025 #BComGraduates #StudentLife #CollegeMemories #LeadershipLessons #ColorfulGoodbye #FutureLeaders #PacificPride

Source :
Photo: The Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 20. Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, met with a Japanese delegation led by Gen Nakagawa, the Mayor of Nara, to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in several key sectors, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan

The Japanese delegation included representatives from prominent Japanese companies, such as Forest Home, Morinaraduketen, Clam Group, Nara Kotsu Bus Lines, Withonoware, Rire Stage, Seiwa Giken, Sakurug, Seiyo Kosan, and Reiwa Switch.

The discussions centered on enhancing collaboration in healthcare, information and communication technologies, hospitality, and the expansion of Uzbek food exports to the Japanese market. Both sides expressed a shared interest in deepening ties and fostering closer economic cooperation.

The Japanese delegation also praised the joint business forum held in Samarkand on April 17, noting its importance in strengthening the business links between the cities of Nara and Samarkand.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Japanese representatives reaffirmed their commitment to further developing the partnership and pursuing joint projects in priority sectors, emphasizing mutual benefits for both nations.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistans trade turnover volume with Japan totaled $188.2 million from January through May 2024. According to the data from Uzbekistan's Statistics Agency, this figure indicates a 162 percent increase compared to the same period last year ($71.7 million in JanuaryMay 2023).
PALM SPRINGS, Calif., April 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors' demand to see Lockheed Martin's DARKSTAR (manufactured for a major motion picture) and NASA's X-38 International Space Station Crew Return Vehicle 80% Prototype has been so strong that viewing days have been extended through Friday, April 25 inside at the Palm Springs Air Museum. NASA made only 3 prototypes and then discontinued the program. NASA put out a call for proposals, and the Palm Springs Air Museum was chosen by NASA to receive one of the three prototypes.

For Images: https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/programs/darkstar-on-view-last-day-this-spring-inside-hangar/

Children 12 and under get in free with at least one paid adult admission. The museum is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm. Friendly pets on leash are welcome. Free parking, and a limited number of wheelchairs are available at no charge.

The Palm Springs Air Museum contains over 80 vintage airframes from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and Operation Freedom with the addition of the F-117 Stealth Fighter inside The Jim Houston Pavilion. Flying and static aircraft are contained inside 91,000 square feet of hangars and on the tarmac. Additional displays and memorabilia are located throughout the hangars. For more information, visit PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org or call 760-778-6262 during business hours.

Contact - Ann Greer: Cell  1-323-363-8243

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Palm Springs Air Museum
WASHINGTON, April 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Don Pettit returned to Earth Saturday, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.

The trio departed the space station at 5:57 p.m. EDT aboard the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft before making a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 9:20 p.m. (6:20 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, Kazakhstan time), southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. Pettit also celebrates his 70th birthday on Sunday, April 20.

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 72 NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner aboard, April 19, 2025 (April 20, 2025, Kazakhstan time). The trio are returning to Earth after logging 220 days in space as members of Expeditions 71 and 72 aboard the International Space Station.

Spanning 220 days in space, Pettit and his crewmates orbited the Earth 3,520 times, completing a journey of 93.3 million miles. Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner launched and docked to the orbiting laboratory on Sept. 11, 2024.

During his time aboard the space station, Pettit conducted research to enhance in-orbit metal 3D printing capabilities, advance water sanitization technologies, explore plant growth under varying water conditions, and investigate fire behavior in microgravity, all contributing to future space missions. He also used his surroundings aboard station to conduct unique experiments in his spare time and captivate the public with his photography.

This was Pettit's fourth spaceflight, where he served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 71 and 72. He has logged 590 days in orbit throughout his career. Ovchinin completed his fourth flight, totaling 595 days, and Vagner has earned an overall total of 416 days in space during two spaceflights.

NASA is following its routine postlanding medical checks, the crew will return to the recovery staging area in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Pettit will then board a NASA plane bound for the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. According to NASA officials at the landing site, Pettit is doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth.

For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a strong low Earth orbit economy, NASA is focusing more resources on deep space missions to the Moon as part of Artemis in preparation for future astronaut missions to Mars.

Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

SOURCE NASA
NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Earth Day approaches, voices across the nation are coming together with one urgent message: our planet is in crisis, and it's time to act. With the climate emergency accelerating, reducing food and energy waste has become one of the most actionable and immediate ways to slow environmental damage and protect natural resources.

View PDF Sustainable Living featuring Shailene Woodley

Launching on April 20, Mediaplanet's Sustainable Living campaign is uniting environmental advocates, educators, and innovators to inspire widespread change. By amplifying the voices of those on the frontlines of climate action, the campaign empowers individuals and businesses alike to embrace more sustainable practicesat home, at work, and in everyday life.

Actress Shailene Woodley joins the conversation with an exclusive interview with Mediaplanet, sharing her passionate commitment to climate advocacy. In her discussion, she emphasizes the emotional toll of today's environmental challenges while highlighting the transformative power of connection. "It's really easy to get lost in the macro vision of everything because the world right now feels so overwhelming," Woodley said. "And when it comes to the environment, the messaging and the narrative can be full of so much doom and gloom and fear and terror. But the thing that counteracts all of that fear always is love, and love can be found in community, and community can really change the world and affect legislation and the way things work."

The print component of "Sustainable Living" is available in today's edition of LA Times. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: https://www.impactingourfuture.com/campaign/sustainable-living/.

This campaign was made possible with the support of Shailene Woodley, Kevin Bacon, Tony Robbins, Kathryn Kellogg, Maggie May Baird, American Solar Energy Society, ClimateBase, Jim McDermott and features paid content from Frigidaire, Aiper, Sunrun, Samsung Electronics.

Copies of the print component will be available at SF Climate Week (April), ASES Solar 2025 (August) and ASES Solar Tours (October).

About Mediaplanet

Mediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit www.mediaplanet.com/us for more on who we are and what we do.

Contact

Jamie Bradley

[email protected]

SOURCE Mediaplanet
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
Aden, Yemen : Malnutrition has been exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation in war-torn Yemen, a non-governmental organization (NGO) warned.

"Malnutrition is a crisis inside the crisis. It has actually extremely amplified the situation and the vulnerability of the population in Yemen," Illaria Rasulo, head of mission of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Yemen, said in a video posted on social media platform X.

"2024 was a very tough year, with the additional outbreak of acute watery diarrhea in whole Yemen," and extremely high levels of malnutrition recorded in MSF facilities, apart from measles outbreaks and sporadic cases of polio and diphtheria, Rasulo said.

"For 2025, we are expecting even more outbreaks," she predicted, noting a "dramatic" humanitarian situation in Yemen as many NGOs have to reduce their activities in or even leave the country amid fund cuts from major donors, including a funding freeze from the United States.

On January 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, which orders a 90-day pause in the country's "foreign development assistance."

Tensions between the Houthi group and the Trump administration have intensified since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on March 15, after the group announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli targets, citing Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza as the reason.

In the deadliest raid since the renewed US airstrikes, the US army launched a series of attacks on Thursday night targeting and destroying the Houthi-controlled Ras Isa fuel port and concrete tanks storing imported fuel. According to an update from Houthi-run health authorities early Saturday, at least 80 people were killed and 150 others wounded.

Earlier on Saturday, the US army launched 29 fresh airstrikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, while Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi Revolutionary Committee, vowed to retaliate.

The US airstrikes have sparked condemnation from Iran and various human rights organisations.
Kyiv, April 20 : Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise ceasefire, declaring a 30-hour Easter truce in Ukraine that is set to last until midnight on Sunday. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism, stating that this is just another attempt by Russia to play with human lives.

The proposal, which marks one of the most significant pauses in the three-year war, was described by Putin as a humanitarian gesture.

Zelensky responded with deep scepticism, accusing the Kremlin of using religious holidays to manipulate public perception.

"As for yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives -- at this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine," Zelensky wrote on X.

"Shahed (attack) drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life."

Putin, during a televised briefing with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, announced that Russian forces would halt combat operations from 6:00 PM Saturday until midnight Sunday. While calling for Ukraine to reciprocate, Putin also instructed troops to remain alert for potential violations or provocations.

The announcement coincided with blaring air raid sirens across major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, which only subsided around the time the ceasefire was to take effect. Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed whether they would adhere to the truce.

Zelensky dismissed the ceasefire as another ploy by Moscow.

"Putin might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity. But either way, of course, we don't trust Russia," said Dmitry, a 40-year-old Ukrainian soldier. "These 30 hours will lead to nothing The killings will continue."

Despite the looming scepticism, Russia and Ukraine conducted a major prisoner swap on the same day, with both sides confirming the return of 246 captured soldiers each. Zelensky noted that the total number of Ukrainian POWs released has now reached 4,552.

Putin framed the truce as a test of Kyiv's willingness to engage in peace talks, stating, "This will show how sincere the Kyiv regime's desire and ability are to observe agreements."

Past efforts to arrange ceasefires around major holidays, such as Easter in 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in 2023, collapsed due to mutual distrust and ongoing hostilities.

A month ago, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by former US President Donald Trump, but Moscow declined.
Los Angeles, April 20 : Actor Hayden Christensen is set to reprise his role of the moody teen padawan turned Sith overlord, Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming season 2 of the streaming show 'Ahsoka'.

The news was confirmed by the actor himself during Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, reports 'Variety'.

During a panel between series star Rosario Dawson, creator Dave Filoni and executive producer Jon Favreau, Christensen emerged from off-stage, joining the trio for the discussion. He waited until the last moments of the panel to announce his return to the 'Star Wars' universe, as stated by The Hollywood Reporter.

He said, aThereas not much I can share, but Anakin will be back for season two".

As per 'Variety', Christensen debuted as Anakin Skywalker in 2002as 'Star Wars: Attack of the Clones' and its follow-up, 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith' in 2005. He later appeared as both Skywalker and Darth Vader in the Disney+ series 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'.

He was also featured in two episodes of 'Ahsoka' Season 1. Elsewhere during 'Star Wars' Celebration, Filoni discussed how he plans to continue the story of Anakin after his work on the 2008 animated series 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars'. He also emphasized his respect for franchise mastermind George Lucas.

aAnakinas story was already told. George did that", Filoni said. aI donat have to add anything to that. I donat have to explain anything about it. What George did is what he wanted and itas perfect. The story Iam telling is about Ahsoka. The reason why Anakin can be in this is because heas relative to her story. But Iam very careful in what Iam doing (so) that Iam not changing or adjusting anything that George did".
New Delhi, April 20 : On the occasion of Easter Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt greetings to citizens, emphasising the festival's universal message of new beginnings.

Taking to the social media platform X, President Murmu shared a message celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its enduring significance.

"Easter greetings to all! On this occasion, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This festival inspires the spirit of new hope and new beginnings. The teachings of Jesus Christ inspire humanity to follow the path of love and sacrifice. May this festival of joy and hope bring peace and prosperity to all," the President wrote.

Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday, is one of the most important festivals in Christianity, marking the belief in Jesus Christ's resurrection after crucifixion.

PM Modi also extended his wishes, saying this Easter is special as the Jubilee Year is being observed. He also prayed that this occasion inspires hope in all.

H wrote on X, "Wishing everyone a blessed and joyous Easter. This Easter is special because world over, the Jubilee Year is being observed with immense fervour. May this sacred occasion inspire hope, renewal and compassion in every person. May there be joy and harmony all around."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also extended his wishes through X, highlighting the spiritual meaning behind the resurrection.

"Our warmest greetings on the joyous occasion of Easter which symbolises renewal of hope for a better tomorrow. The eternal significance of Jesus Christ's resurrection is that compassion is stronger than hatred and truth triumphs over evil. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, may joy, peace, amity and harmony illuminate our path ahead," he posted.

Christians worldwide observe this day with religious services, Easter Mass, family gatherings, and traditions such as Easter egg hunts and festive meals. The occasion represents the triumph of life over death and good over evil and offers a message of forgiveness and renewal to the faithful.

Easter is rooted in the New Testament of the Bible, which recounts how Jesus was arrested by the Roman authorities for claiming to be the "Son of God".

He was subsequently sentenced to death by the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate on Good Friday. Jesus' resurrection, which occurred three days after his crucifixion, is celebrated on Easter Sunday.

According to the New Testament, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day following his burial, after being crucified by the Romans at Calvary.

Easter also marks the conclusion of the 40-day Lent liturgical season, a period characterised by penance, prayer, and fasting. Additionally, Easter is closely associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
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New Delhi: It is the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan compelled largely by the failure of the Soviet economy that led to the dismemberment of the USSR and put an end to the Cold War in 1991.

This marked the advent of the era of aproxy warsa and saw the rise of acoverta offensives designed among other things, to subvert the economy of the targeted country in line with the new doctrine that anational security was inseparable from economic securitya.

Warren Christopher, President Bill Clintonas Secretary of State first articulated this in 1993 -well after the collapse of the USSR had already left the US as the only Superpower driving the unipolar world order.

He was making the point that military strength could be countered with aasymmetrica attacks.

It is interesting that the CIA which had a powerful Economic Intelligence Division, ran into a criticism that the agency had overestimated the performance of the Soviet economy and failed to read the situation correctly in the run-up to the Soviet break-up.

Robert Gates, the then CIA Director redefined the Intelligence tasks in the post-Cold War era-supporting US policymakers in setting the countryas economic course, monitoring trends in technology that could affect both national security and economy and undertaking such counter-intelligence measures as were required to protect the countryas economy from those who did not play by the rules.

In the period that followed the end of the Cold War, the US government gave added importance to economic intelligence due to a general belief that future threats to national security could be more economic than military and that economic dominance rather than mere military superiority would be a major objective of state policy.

The scope of economic intelligence was further widened by the reported move of the US administration to advise the CIA not only to collect information of economic interest for the government but also to help the American corporate sector in whatever ways feasible-like giving it access to the acountry briefsa to enable it to expand in foreign markets.

Admirable Stansfield Turner, CIA Director in President Carteras regime expressed the view that ain an age of increasing attention to economic strength there needs to be a more symbiotic relationship between the worlds of intelligence and businessa.

The US intelligence was certainly watchful against the attempts of countries like China and Russia to penetrate US companies, industries and R&D establishments.

FBI was reportedly engaged in detecting economic espionage against US targets particularly in the light of the reports that Chinese athink tanka establishments and corporate entities were serving the national security interests of their own country.

The Clinton Administration had enacted an Economic Espionage Act way back in 1996 to deal exclusively with this kind of threat.

In India, the importance of economic intelligence has constantly risen as the country aspires to be among the three largest economies in the world in the near future.

Global threats like terror funding, narcotics trade and human trafficking endangered national security and justified the creation of specialised agencies like the National Investigation Agency(NIA) and Enforcement Directorate besides the existing Economic Offences Wing of the CBI.

The National Intelligence agencies of India and these Investigation outfits would mutually gain through the exchange of information on these threats which were executed surreptitiously and this is the reason why coordination among them had acquired a new-found importance and urgency.

Intelligence is not aevidencea by itself but it helped to build what could be presented in courts as evidence and likewise, investigation could unravel information of aIntelligencea value that could be further developed to unearth a security threat.

An important dimension of economic security is the safeguarding of strategically important technology and economic establishments that were exposed to covert threats of subversion and sabotage from the adversary.

There are well-defined arrangements put in place there under the guidance of the Intelligence Bureau, the countryas premier agency for internal security- these have acquired added importance in the era of proxy wars. Cyber security becomes a major challenge for all establishments of strategic importance for they were run on exclusive IT systems that the enemy would try to hack.

Intelligence agencies today have to be very strong in data analytics as this is becoming an important source of information about futuristic trends in both geopolitics and the world economy. Artificial Intelligence is giving a new capability to data analytics-AI applications in the domains of Intelligence and Security, which are unfolding themselves fast.

A prime threat to Indiaas national security comes from the strategic alliance between Pakistan and China that was primarily directed against this country.

The Sino-Pak axis has pushed an anti-India agenda internationally and engaged in covert operations aimed at damaging Indiaas internal security and the economy as well.

Chinese drones have been used by Pakistan to drop arms and narcotics in the border states of J&K and Punjab which were already vulnerable to drug addiction amongst the youth. Pakistan was instrumental in arranging a agive and takea between China and the Taliban Emirate after its return to Kabul in 2021 whereby the former extended its Belt & Road Initiative to Afghanistan by way of economic investment and in return Taliban would abstain from raking up issues of Muslim minority in China particularly in Xinjiang next door.

China and Pakistan the two hostile neighbours of India are stepping up their activities on the border- the former in Ladakh and the latter on International Border across Jammu where infiltration of militants- possibly including ex-military men- had attracted notice.

In the wake of upheaval in Bangladesh whipped up by the Jamaate Islami-Pak ISI combine, Islamic militancy was likely to be instigated by Pakistan,in India also. It may be recalled that Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI) an offspring of Jamaat, had formed Indian Mujahideen(IM) that indulged in acts of terrorism in 2006-08. The Sino-Pak alliance seemed to be acting in concert in many areas around India.

India has handled international relations by opting for mutually beneficial bilateral relations-extendable to multilateral friendships-that did not go against the cause of world peace and promoted the good of humanity.

As India is on the rise as a major power it suits the country to base its foreign policy on a multipolar view of the world. India realises that in the post-Cold War era, the nation must prepare for covert offensives from its adversaries and seek to build its economic strength through bilateral and multilateral friendships.

India joined hands with the US in sponsoring the India-Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) at the G20 Summit held in Delhi in 2023 with an agreement being signed in this regard by India, US,UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, Jordon and the European Union. IMEC aimed at bolstering economic development by fostering connectivity between Asia, the Persian Gulf and Europe.

The project which was evidently been put on hold because of the conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas and between Iran and Israel, has been revived by President Trump.

It was meant to counter the BRI of China that had enabled the latter to advance its political hold in different regions of the world. On its part China had drawn lessons from the dismemberment of USSR and had started working on the economic route to becoming a Superpower- while keeping up its military and technological pursuits against the might of the US.

Amidst signs of a new Cold War developing between the US-led West on the one hand and the China-led group of countries hostile to the US on the other, India has the challenge of building its security and economic strength without getting overtly aligned with either side.

Indiaas strategy and policy framework seem to be working well for the country. For our national Intelligence agencies, the mandate has meanwhile, been significantly enlarged with economic intelligence getting added to it in a comprehensive way.

(The writer is a former Director Intelligence Bureau)
New Delhi, April 20 : BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey has launched a scathing attack on the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, S.Y. Quraishi, saying that "he was not an election commissioner, but a Muslim commissioner".

Dubey cited the case of Jharkhand's Santhalpargana, where the maximum number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters during his tenure.

Dubey is the fourth-term Member of Parliament from Godda Lok Sabha Constituency in Jharkhand.

He said this on Sunday in response to a post by Quraishi on X.

Quraishi wrote on his X handle on April 17 that the Waqf Act is an evil plan of the government, which will be duly treated by the Supreme Court.

"Wakf Act is undoubtedly a blatantly sinister / evil plan of the govt to grab Muslim lands. I'm sure SC will call it out. Misinformation by the mischievous propaganda machine has done its job well," he said.

Reacting to this post, Dubey presented an example of this village, which was burnt down by Bakhtiar Khilji in 1189.

"Prophet Muhammad's Islam came to India in 712, before that this land belonged to Hindus or tribals, Jains or Buddhists associated with that faith. My village Vikramshila was burnt by Bakhtiar Khilji in 1189. Vikramshila University gave the world its first vice chancellor in the form of Atish Dipankar," Dubey wrote on his X handle.

Dubey pointed fingers at the former CEC, alleging that there was wrongdoing during Quraishi's tenure.

The BJP MP wrote on X, "You were not an election commissioner, you were a Muslim commissioner. The maximum number of Bangladeshi infiltrators were made voters in Jharkhand's Santhalpargana during your tenure."

Dubey called upon the people to get united and not let divisions rule. He said Pakistan was created by dividing India, and there will not be another partition.

"Unite this country, read history, Pakistan was created by dividing it, there will be no partition now?" he said.

Dubey's remarks came soon after he criticised the judiciary amid ongoing hearings on the constitutionality of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

He remarked that if the Supreme Court wants to make laws, then there is no need for Parliament in the country.

The BJP, however, has distanced itself from the remarks made by Dubey regarding the judiciary and the Chief Justice of India. The party clarified that these statements were "personal opinions" and do not reflect the BJP's stance.
New Delhi, April 20 : In a major move to tackle the water needs of Delhi during the peak summer season, the Delhi government will roll out 1,000 GPS-enabled water tankers on Sunday.

The initiative, aimed at boosting the water supply across areas with limited or no piped water access, will be flagged off from Nirankari Ground in Burari.

Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma inspected the site early morning before the rollout.

Announcing the move on Friday, Verma said the deployment of these tankers is part of a larger mission to ensure timely and transparent water delivery to citizens.

"We are working with utmost dedication to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of water for all on time," he said.

"This initiative is not just about delivering water but about bringing accountability, transparency, and dignity to every citizen who depends on us for this service," Verma added.

Meanwhile, several BJP leaders reached the Nirankari Ground to attend the flag-off ceremony.

Delhi BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat told IANS, "Tankers were the most important thing for the people of Delhi during the scorching summers. Additionally, these tankers are equipped with trackers to ensure transparency and accountability. This is done to ensure that the people do not face any problem."

Delhi BJP MP Yogender Chandolia blamed the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government for making the people of the national capital suffer during the summers.

"Today is a historic day for Delhi. Earlier, the corrupt government of Kejriwal made the people suffer by facilitating the tanker mafia. These tanker mafias used to steal water and sell it at increased prices. Now, with the new GPS, they would not be able to do so," Chandolia told IANS.

Speaking to IANS, BJP MLA Ravinder Negi said, "The tanker mafias will be tackled with this new system. With this new initiative, the people of Delhi will not face any problem related to water during summer."

To ensure effective monitoring, a newly established Command Centre at the Nirankari Ground will track the tankers in real time.

The state-of-the-art facility will monitor movement, speed, and delivery times, allowing officials to ensure that each tanker reaches its destination promptly and efficiently, according to the Delhi Jal Board.

This initiative is a part of the Delhi Jal Board's broader strategy to modernise the city's water distribution system. The plan includes not only improvements in supply but also stringent oversight to curb water theft, misuse, and uneven distribution across the capital.
Los Angeles, April 20 : Hollywood actor-director Steve Buscemi has lavished praise on 'Wednesday' co-star Jenna Ortega. Buscemi recently attended the Family Dinner fundraising event hosted by Exploring the Arts, a non-profit founded by Tony Bennett, at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in New York City.

During the conversation, the actor shared what it was like working with Ortega on season 2 of the hit Netflix series, reports 'People' magazine.

He told 'People', "Oh, she's great. She's just, she's so sharp and funny and down to earth. And just a wonderful actress, a wonderful scene partner. The best".

The Boardwalk Empire star also says that while there's not much he can reveal about the upcoming second season, he can assure fans they won't be disappointed. "All very hush-hush, as they say, but I think it's going to be a great season, and I loved working on it", he teased. Deadline first reported that Buscemi was joining the cast in April 2024.

As per 'People, a teaser trailer dropped the following month officially confirmed the news, and revealed that he's playing a character named Barry Dort.

Ortega, 22, has also shared her excitement for the upcoming season. During an interview with E! News, Ortega said her character, Wednesday Addams, takes on what she thinks is one of the best scenes yet.

"Some of the footage that we shot in Wednesday season 2, especially in the last episode, is some of my favorite footage from the show", she said at the time. "Which is very exciting for me".

"Tim really had a ball", she added of executive producer and director Tim Burton. "Everything is very graphic and it's very exciting and inspiring to work with someone, like, that who gets you excited about the shots that you're doing every day".
Seoul, April 20 : South Korea and the United States will hold "two plus two" tariff negotiations in Washington this week, involving the countries' finance and trade ministers, the Seoul government said on Sunday.

From Seoul, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will lead the negotiations, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will be in charge of the U.S. side, according to the government.

The government said the upcoming tariff talks were proposed by Washington and the two sides are discussing details of the schedule and agenda of the meeting, reports Yonhap news agency.

Meanwhile, Duk-geun said on Sunday he will put priority on consultations instead of making a hasty deal in high-level tariff talks between Seoul and Washington.

In a TV programme by Korea Broadcasting System, the minister added a Korean delegation, likely to visit the U.S. this week for tariff negotiations, will take a cautious approach in the upcoming talks.

"We will focus on resolving pending issues reciprocally for mutual benefits as there are things that need to be checked rather than hastily wrapping up a deal," he said.

The minister said the Korean delegation will make utmost efforts to secure an exemption from U.S. tariffs on automobiles and semiconductors, the country's two key export items to the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed country-specific reciprocal duties on around 60 countries, including 25 percent tariffs for South Korea.

The duties have been suspended for 90 days, allowing the subjected countries, except for China, to engage in negotiations with Washington.

South Korea is among the five preferred nations designated by the U.S. for tariff negotiations. The remaining four are Britain, Australia, Japan and India.

"The Trump government's tariff policies are not over yet. Tariffs are expected to remain major issues throughout his entire second term. Given this, the government needs to continue to have negotiations over tariffs," he said.

As for a possible inclusion of the cost of stationing the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in the talks, the minister said the U.S. government has made no such request.

Government agencies in charge of talks on defence cost sharing will respond should the U.S. side make such a request, Ahn added.

a"IANS

na/
New Delhi, April 20 : India is on a trajectory to achieve steel production capacity of 300 million tonnes (MT) and a per capita consumption of 160 kg by 2030, according to the government.

In FY25 (April to December period), the production of crude steel stood at 110.99 MT and finished steel stood at 106.86 MT.

Also, the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme 1.1 for specialty steel has witnessed investment commitments worth Rs 17,000 crore in the second round, according to the government. The expansion of the scheme is expected to further enhance Indiaas global competitiveness in specialty steel production.

Keeping this ambitious growth in the steel sector in mind, the aIndia Steel 2025a is set to take place next week in Mumbai to unlock new opportunities for inter-state and international collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and showcase Indiaas policy reforms and infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business across the steel value chain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the global steel industry event through video conferencing on April 24.

The event will also have a presence of global Industry leaders and senior foreign dignitaries leading high-level delegations, including the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia, the Ambassadors of Australia, Mozambique, and Mongolia, reflecting the deepening international engagement and strategic cooperation in the steel sector.

With more than 12,000 business visitors, 250 exhibitors, and 1,200 conference delegates representing various sectors, government departments, state governments, country delegations, and domestic and international buyers from India and abroad, the conference would be one of the biggest steel events globally.

Country-specific sessions involving key steel-producing nations, including South Korea, Sweden, Australia, and Mongolia. These discussions will explore joint research, technology transfer, and resilient supply chains to de-risk Indiaas steel production and drive global competitiveness.

Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet will also be held to facilitate trade opportunities and foster new business engagements, according to the Ministry of Steel.

a"IANS

na/
Mumbai, April 20 : Bollywood actor Sunny Deol, who is receiving a lot of positive response to his recently released film 'Jaat', is overwhelmed with the audience's love for the film.

On Sunday, the actor took to his Instagram, and shared a video of himself taking a stroll at an undisclosed location, and expressed his gratitude to the audience. He said in the video, "You have given so much love to my film 'Jaat', I promise ''Jaat 2' will be even better. I often come to the mountains to unwind because I love being surrounded by the grandeur of nature. I'll leave for the shoot of 'Border 2' in a few days. Love you".

He also penned a long note in the caption, as he wrote, "Aapka pyaar hi hai meri taqat. Aap sab ka josh hi hai meri safalta. Keep loving #Jaat and I feel overwhelmed and blessed seeing all the videos of you all celebrating #Jaat and Cinema! Keep 'em coming and share them with me, your love and emotions is what has made #Jaat a success".

Sunny seems to be re-intering the superstars club of Bollywood after a long dry spell, as he has followed up the success of 'Gadar 2' with 'Jaat'. The film opened at INR 9.5 crore net in India, as per industry tracker Sacnilk. So far, the film has collected INR 65 crore in India.

The makers of 'Jaat' recently announced its sequel through a special poster. Sunny unveiled the poster of 'Jaat 2' on Instagram and wrote, "#Jaat on to a New Mission! #Jaat2." The poster confirmed that Gopichand Malineni will return as director for the sequel.

The film is will be produced by Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Y, and TG Vishwa Prasad. The sequel will once again be backed by Mythri Movie Makers. Sunny Deol is confirmed to reprise his role.
Kathmandu, April 20 : Nepal Teachers' Federation continued their protest on Sunday in Kathmandu demanding endorsement of the School Education bill, local media reported.

The federation decided not to withdraw the protest despite recent assurances from Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal, Devraj Ghimire.

Recently, the Nepal government agreed to address the demand of protesting teachers in the country as they decided to summon a parliamentary session on April 25 to pass the School Education Bill, according to a report by the leading Nepali daily, The Kathmandu Post.

PM Oli on Friday held a meeting with office-bearers of the Confederation of Nepalese Teachers (CNT) to explore solutions to the ongoing teachers' agitation centered in Kathmandu.

He urged the teachers' representatives to withdraw their agitation and assured them that the government would make maximum effort to address their demands.

"The House session was called early to discuss the bill. However, I cannot give the exact day of its endorsement as it is the legislature which decides," Oli was quoted as saying by a participant in the meeting.

Later on Friday evening, speaker Ghimire met the teachers and assured them that he was ready to put the bill to a vote in a fast-track process.

"The Speaker said he was ready to put the bill to a vote the very next day it is tabled in the House of Representatives," said Nanu Maya Parajuli, co-chair of the federation and coordinator of the struggle committee.

However, the federation decided not to withdraw the protest, though they termed the meetings with Oli and Ghimire as positive.

"Though the meetings with the Prime Minister and the Speaker were positive, we have decided to continue the symbolic protest on Sunday. We will sit on Sunday to decide what to do in the days to come," said Parajuli.

Thousands of teachers continued the agitation as usual on Saturday afternoon and decided to continue with the protest for a few hours on Sunday.

"Our protest is not against the government. We are fighting only for the new Act," Parajuli added.

Further, the teachers accused the bureaucrats of Nepal of providing the wrong briefing to the Prime Minister and ministers for the delay in addressing their demands.

"The bureaucracy wrongly reported that it would cost Rs 200 billion to address our demands. In reality, the cost won't exceed Rs 13 billion. We can find a solution to the current problem overnight if everyone works with the right intent," said an office bearer of the federation.

Reports suggest that the teacher's demonstrations and sit-ins in the Maitighar-Naya Baneshwor area of Kathmandu since April 2 have severely disrupted the national enrollment drive and delayed key academic tasks, such as evaluating answer sheets from the recently held Secondary Education Examination (SEE).

The teachers defied the government's instruction to begin student enrollment for the new academic year in Nepal, which started on April 15.

Earlier this week, the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal expressed serious concern over the ongoing protest and urged the concerned parties to resolve the matter through dialogue.
Kolkata, April 20 : Ziaul Haque, alias Chacha, the key conspirator in the murder of a man and his son at Samserganj in Murshidabad district, will be produced in a district court on Sunday afternoon.

Confirming his court appearance later in the day, a senior official of the district police said that the public prosecutor would seek police custody for Haque, the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the crime.

Haque was arrested on Saturday night from Chopra in the North Dinajpur district.

The district police official further said that the special investigating team probing the Murshidabad violence suspects that more people might be involved in the crime.

"So Haque's police custody is necessary so that we can extract from them information about his partners in the crime," the district police official said.

The state police first arrested two cousins in this connection, identified as Kalu Nadab and Dildar Nadab, residents of a village adjacent to the one where the man and his son used to reside. While Kalu Nadab was arrested from Murarai in Birbhum district, Dildar Nadab was nabbed from Suti in Murshidabad district.

Thereafter, last week, cops arrested local electrician Inzamam Haque in this connection.

"All four arrests were made after they were identified from CCTV footage as playing crucial roles in the murder of the duo. Ziaul Haque was absconding since the day of the murder, and finally, we have arrested him," the district police official.

Recently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced compensation of Rs 10,00,000 each for the next of those killed in the violence at Murshidabad. As per the police report, the total number of deaths so far in connection with the communal violence is three.

However, the family members of the deceased have clearly said they would not accept the compensation money. They have claimed that the state government should first ensure the safety of the innocent people in the district.

The National Commission for Women (NCW), whose delegation recently visited the violence-hit pockets in Murshidabad district, has said that they will take up the residents' demand for setting up permanent Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) camps in the area with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Mumbai, April 20 : Actor Kunal Kapoor is all set to star in the much-talked-about heist drama, "Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins," starring Saif Ali Khan.

Considering that Kunalas filmography boasts films wherein he has been a part of ensemble projects, he is sharing the screen space with an ensemble cast yet again. However, Kunal revealed that he never felt overshadowed by starring in multi-starrer films.

Opening up about making careful choices of roles, he shared, "For me, acting has never been a battle of egos. Whether itas a solo film or standing among an ensemble, what truly matters is the lasting impression my character leaves on the audience. I've shared the screen with major stars throughout my career, but never once felt lesser because each performer brings their own personality to the table."

Talking about "Jewel Thief, the 'Rang De Basanti' actor added, "With 'Jewel Thief,' there were two compelling reasons, the chance to collaborate with talents like Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep, and Siddharth Anand and the fact that every character in this story possesses a distinct voice and space in the story. At the end of the day, I believe your craft and character should do the talking, not your billing on the poster."

In "Jewel Thief", Kunal will be seen adding intensity to the gripping plot alongside Saif Ali Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Nikita Dutta. While Saif and Jaideep play the roles of a con man and a crime lord, respectively, Kunal steps in as a ruthless cop, preventing them from getting their hands on the elusive diamond - The African Red Sun.

The project will enjoy cinematography by Jishnu Bhattacharjee, and editing by Aarif Sheikh.

Directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, "Jewel Thief" is backed by Siddharth Anand.

It is scheduled to begin streaming on Netflix on April 25.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Iran attaches great importance to improving international corridors to achieve sustainable development in freight transport and transit, Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development, Farzana Sadiq, said at an event organized in Tehran on April 20 to mark the signing of a memorandum on the purchase of railway vehicles between the Iranian Railways Company and two local companies, Trend reports.

According to him, the joint economic commissions of the Iranian Ministry of Roads and Urban Development hold weekly negotiations with Turkiye on the East-West corridor, with Iraq on the Basra-Khanagh corridor, and with Russia on the Rasht-Astara railway within the North-South corridor.

Sadiq said that the renewal of railway transport vehicles in the country and equipping them with modern vehicles is the focus of the Railways Company. In order to achieve progress in the country's economy, special importance must be given to railway freight transportation and transit.

To note, a memorandum was signed today between the Iranian Railways Company and two local companies for the purchase of more than 2,000 vehicles worth $750 million.

It should be added that the foundation of the "North-South" transport corridor was laid on the basis of the intergovernmental Agreement signed between Russia, Iran and India on September 12, 2000. In total, a number of countries have ratified the said Agreement. (Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Bulgaria, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Sultanate of Oman, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkiye, Ukraine). The goal of creating the corridor is to reduce the delivery time for cargo from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time on the current route is more than 6 weeks, and it is expected to be 3 weeks via the "North-South" route).

Within the framework of the corridor, the Qazvin-Rasht (175 km) railway was put into operation on March 6, 2019 to connect Azerbaijani railways with the Iranian railway network. The Rasht-Astara railway should be built on Iranian territory.

The North-South Corridor has 3 directions in Iran. The eastern direction is Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries, the middle direction is Russia and other countries via the Caspian Sea, and the western direction is Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Eastern European countries.

On May 17, 2023, an agreement was signed between Russia and Iran on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in Gilan province, located in northern Iran. 9 stations will be built on the Rasht-Astara railway line, which is approximately 163 km long. With the completion of the construction of this railway, the North-South International Corridor will be improved and Iran's railway network will be connected to the Caucasus countries, Russia and Northern European countries. According to the agreement, the Russian side is expected to spend 1.6 billion euros on the construction of this railway. This railway is planned to be built and completed within 48 months.
New Delhi, April 20 : Automobile exports from India rose by 19 per cent to surpass an all-time high of 53 lakh units for the financial year that ended March 31, reflecting the growing strength of the country as an auto manufacturing hub.

Maruti Suzuki, closely followed by arch rival Hyundai, were the leaders in car and SUV exports, while Bajaj Auto, TVS and Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India Ltd were the top three in the two-wheeler segment.

Indiaas total vehicle exports touched 53,63,089 units during 2024-25, up from 45,00,494 in the previous financial year, according to figures compiled by the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Passenger vehicle shipments recorded a robust 15 per cent jump from 7,70,364 units during the financial year compared with 6,72,105 units in 2023-24.

This was the best ever annual performance, driven by demand for global models being manufactured in India. With manufacturing quality improving, some companies have also commenced exporting to developed markets, according to a SIAM statement.

Maruti Suzuki, the countryas biggest carmaker, has also started exporting its off-roader sport utility vehicle (SUV) Jimny to Japan. Mexico, Australia, and South Africa are currently the top three export markets for this car.

This is the second SUV after the Fronx that the company is exporting to its parent company. The company exports its Fronx SUVs to Japan from its Guajart plant, with the consignments being shipped out from the Pipavav Port in the state.

Maruti launched the Jimny in India in June 2023 and started exporting it to various countries in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa from October 2023. While over 22,000 units of this five-door car were exported from India in 2023-24, the company had already exported over 38,000 units of the Jimny in the first nine months of 2024-25.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) continued its strong performance in the global automotive market, exporting 1,58,686 vehicles in 2024-25. The companyas key markets include Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mexico, Chile, and Peru.

HMIL is strategically positioning itself as a manufacturing hub for emerging markets in Africa and neighbouring countries, addressing challenges in the Middle East and Latin America, according to a company statement.

Hyundai's i10 family has surpassed 1.5 million exports, while the Verna model has crossed 5,00,000 units on a cumulative basis.

Meanwhile, total utility vehicle dispatches in Indiaas export basket led the space with a dispatch of 3,62,160 units, a growth of 54 per cent, as compared with 2,34,720 units in FY24.

Two-wheeler exports increased by 21 per cent to 41,98,403 units last fiscal as against 34,58,416 units in 2023-24 fiscal, the SIAM figures showed.

New models and new markets have helped in expanding the footprint of two-wheeler exports, Siam said.

Further, economic stability in the African region and demand in Latin America have supported this growth, it added.

Three-wheeler exports grew by 2 per cent in FY 2024-25 as compared to FY 2023-24, with shipment of 3,10,000 units.

Exports of commercial vehicles increased by 23 per cent in 2024-25 to 80,986 units as compared with 65,818 units in the previous financial year.

"On the exports front, good recovery is seen across all segments, particularly passenger vehicles and two-wheelers, reflecting improved global demand and India's growing competitiveness," SIAM President Shailesh Chandra said.
New Delhi, April 20 : King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited Assam to view the facilities at the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) and the Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Jogighopa, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Sunday.

The IWT and the MMLP are two major connectivity projects focused on boosting trade and enhancing regional development.

Upon his arrival in Assam on Saturday, the King was received by the Assam Minister for Public Health Engineering and Housing and Urban Affairs, Jayanta Mallabaruah.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also took to X and extended a warm welcome to the Bhutanese King.

"A very warm welcome to His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, to Assam. The Jogighopa MMLP will be a game-changer for the larger Indo-Bhutan region and ensure seamless trade and logistics movement. It will also aid in the development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City," he posted.

"His Majesty's visit underscores the shared interests and close ties between the State of Assam and Bhutan for a better future for our people," CM Sarma added.

According to the MEA, as part of its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, the Centre has been pursuing several connectivity initiatives for boosting people-to-people ties and facilitating trade and economic cooperation with Bhutan.

The IWT at Jogighopa, which was inaugurated in February this year, is an important infrastructure project for economic development and enhancing connectivity in the region, the MEA statement read.

"India and Bhutan enjoy unique ties of friendship and cooperation, underpinned by mutual understanding, trust and utmost goodwill at all levels. The visit of the King of Bhutan to Jogighopa, Assam, is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries," it added.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's commitment to cooperate with Bhutan in various sectors during his meeting with the Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok.

"Had a great conversation with my good friend, PM Tobgay. India's friendship with Bhutan is robust. We are cooperating extensively in several sectors," PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.

The meeting allowed both leaders to engage in discussions enhancing Indo-Bhutan friendship.

Expressing his happiness, Tobgay also took to social media and posted, "Always a pleasure to meet my elder brother and mentor PM Narendra Modi ji. Discussed BIMSTEC, enhancing regional cooperation, and furthering Bhutan-India friendship."
Amaravati, April 20 : The Andhra Pradesh government on Sunday released a notification for conducting a 'Mega District Selection Committee' to fill 16,347 teacher posts across the state.

The Department of School Education released the notification to fill the vacancies through District Selection Committee (DSC).

Director of School Education V. Vijay Rama Raju said the aspirants can submit applications online and pay the fees from April 20 to May 15.

Candidates can apply through the School Education Department's official websites https://cse.ap.gov.in and https://apdsc.apcfss.in.

The online mock test for Mega DSC will be available from May 20. The candidates can download the hall tickets from May 30.

The Computer-Based Tests (CBT) will be held from June 6 to July 6.

The initial answer key will be released two days after the last examination. The candidates can raise objections to the initial key within seven days of its release. The final key will be released seven days after the last date of receiving objections, and the merit list (marks) will be announced seven days after the release of the final key.

The notification, having complete information on the Mega DSC-2025, including the relevant Government Orders, post details, exam schedule, syllabus, and helpdesk details, is available on the website.

According to the Director of School Education, 14,088 vacancies at the district level and 2,259 vacancies at the state/zonal level will be filled.

The vacancies at the district level comprise 7,487 school assistants, 6,599 secondary grade teachers and two physical education teachers.

State Education Minister Nara Lokesh said the coalition government has kept another promise with the Mega DSC notification. He extended heartfelt best wishes to all the aspirants.

The minister said a key promise from the manifesto was being fulfilled.

"This marks a historic leap forward in empowering schools and communities through the recruitment of dedicated and qualified teachers. To every aspirant who waited with patience and perseverance, your moment has arrived. All the very best as you pursue your calling," Minister Lokesh posted on 'X'.
Bhopal, April 20 : A video has emerged, showing a doctor and staff at Chhatarpur District Hospital, Madhya Pradesh, assaulting and dragging an over-70-year-old man.

This incident, purportedly recorded on April 17, quickly went viral across various media platforms on Sunday. The video appears to depict the doctor hitting the elderly man, then he and the staff dragging him and allegedly threatening to confine him in the hospital's police post.

Speaking to IANS, a senior police official confirmed that an investigation was underway. The doctor will be "questioned, and a formal police complaint (FIR) will be filed."

"Preliminary findings and the viral footage indicate that the patient, identified as Uddhavlal (approximately 70 years old), suffered the assault. Additionally, the doctor has filed his complaint with the local police," the official said.

While the patient (Uddhavlal) told the media that he was seeking treatment for a stomach nerve issue, the doctor slapped him near his ear, manhandled him, and forcibly dragged him to the hospital's police post in full view of bystanders.

He claimed this occurred after an argument with the doctor.

Further, the patient explained that while he was standing in the queue for treatment, the doctor confronted him due to the crowd, questioned his presence in the queue, and subsequently assaulted him.

The incident has drawn significant attention, raising questions about patient rights and hospital protocol.

Adding political weight to the case, Jitu Patwari, Congress State (Madhya Pradesh) Unit President, shared the video on social media.

In his post, he alleged that the patient was not only beaten and dragged but also thrown out of the hospital by doctors and staff.

Patwari stated that the elderly man's only fault was requesting expedited medical care for his wife, who is reportedly suffering from a stomach vein condition.

"A 75-year-old man was not only kicked and punched by the doctors and hospital staff of Chhatarpur District Hospital, but was also brutally dragged and thrown out of the hospital! The only fault of the old man who came for his wife's treatment was that he was unable to stand in the long queue for long, so he was pleading for his wife's treatment to be done quickly!"

He addressed his post to the state chief minister and wrote, "The government that cannot respect the elderly should be ashamed! The government that cannot provide health security should be out of power!"
Amaravati, April 20 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party's national president N. Chandrababu Naidu turned 75 on Sunday.

His birthday was celebrated lavishly by the party cadres across the State.

TDP leaders, workers and CM Naidu's supporters participated in the celebrations held at various places in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They also visited temples to pray for their leader's health and long life.

The party leaders cut a 75-kg cake at TDP headquarters at Mangalagiri to celebrate CM Naidu's birthday. TDP state president Palla Srinivasa Rao, Agriculture Minister Atchen Naidu and several senior leaders were present.

The leaders and workers also went around a photo exhibition organised at the party headquarters with the theme "visionary leader".

TDP cadres on the Alipiri pathway to Tirumala temple broke a large number of coconuts and offered prayers for CM Naidu's long life and good health.

CM Naidu's birthday celebrations were also organised at the TDP office, NTR Trust Bhavan in Hyderabad. Former Andhra Pradesh minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Nandamuri Suhasini and other leaders participated in the celebrations.

CM Naidu's wife, Nara Bhuvaneswari, posted a message on social media to greet him.

"You light up my world with your endless passion for our Andhra Pradesh family. Every day, your strength and vision push me to be better, and I'm so proud to stand by you. I'll always be here, cheering you on, with all my love," wrote Bhuvaneswari, who is Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Heritage Foods Limited, a family company.

CM Naidu's son and Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh also greeted him. Lokesh called CM Naidu his inspiration.

Lokesh's wife, Brahmani, also conveyed her best wishes. "You've been our guiding light and strongest guardian, leading not just the state, but also our family with wisdom, strength, and vision. Devaansh looks up to you as his greatest inspiration and pathfinder. May you continue to inspire us for many more years to come!" she wrote.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer conveyed his warm greetings to CM Naidu.

"May God Almighty bless you with good health, happiness and long life and to guide you to lead the State of Andhra Pradesh on the path of development and prosperity with your vision and dynamic leadership," the governor posted on 'X'.
New Delhi, April 20 : Amid the Opposition storm over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday called it a "desperate attempt" and "one-upmanship" game among groups to secure support of the Muslim community.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya took to X to slam various Muslim leaders and organisations filing petitions in Supreme Court against the Waqf Act, duly cleared by the Parliament and said that all this was with being done with a motive to position themselves as "custodians of Muslim vote" as none wants to be seen, staying at a distance from them.

"Asaduddin Owaisi is asserting himself to ensure the Mahmood Madani faction doesn't walk away with all the credit. The AIMPLB doesn't want to be seen as silent on matters concerning Muslim interests. The same applies to other Muslim petitioners, including figures like Imran Masood, Imran Pratapgarhi, and others, who are striving to keep their respective parties relevant in Muslim politics," Malviya pointed out.

He also lashed out at West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and accused her administration of instigating riots.

"Some so-called secular leaders, like Mamata Banerjee, have gone a step further by instigating communal riots," he wrote.

He further said that poor and backward Muslims become the real victims in such "posturing war".

"In this game of one-upmanship between competing factions, it is the poor Muslim who suffers, while valuable public time is wasted," he said.

He further said that the Act has undergone a rigorous consultation process, including review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. Several past judicial rulings have been examined, and all aspects thoroughly scrutinised.

"A similar storm was stirred during the passage of the CAA and the abrogation of Article 370 - both of which were challenged in court and withstood judicial scrutiny," he further wrote.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress and Bengal BJP continue to trade charges at each other.

Trinamool Congress is blaming the BJP for Waqf-related violence in the state, while the latter was hitting out at Mamata Banerjee for sharing the stage with maulanas and maulvis despite the "targeted attacks" on Hindu minorities in Murshidabad.
New Delhi, April 20 : Spiritual leader and founder of the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, has strongly condemned the killing of a prominent Hindu leader in Bangladesh, calling it a "blot on the subcontinent and humanity".

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Spiritual leader and founder of the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, has strongly condemned the killing of a prominent Hindu leader in Bangladesh, calling it a "blot on the subcontinent and humanity".

The incident, which has triggered widespread outrage, occurred in Dinajpur's Biral Upazila, where Bhabesh Chandra, a senior figure in the Hindu community, was abducted and brutally beaten to death.

Taking to the social media platform X, Sadhguru wrote, "This savage persecution of the minority community in Bangladesh must stop. This is a blot on the subcontinent & on Humanity. Unacceptable."

According to reports from Bangladeshi media and confirmation from local police, Bhabesh Chandra, who served as the Vice-President of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was forcibly taken from his home by four unidentified men on Thursday.

The assailants, reportedly on two motorcycles, abducted him in front of witnesses and transported him to Narabari village.

His wife, Shantana Roy, told The Daily Star, a leading Bangladeshi newspaper, that the attackers later brought him back to their home in an unconscious state in a van.

He was rushed to Biral Upazila Health Complex and subsequently transferred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

"This is not just an attack on an individual; this is a direct attack on the values of coexistence and human dignity," said a local Hindu community member, expressing grief and fear among the minorities in the region.

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh.

Human rights groups and activists have demanded swift justice and stronger measures to protect vulnerable communities.

The officer-in-charge of Biral Police Station confirmed that investigations are underway and that efforts are being made to identify and apprehend those responsible for the brutal killing. A case is being prepared to formally launch legal proceedings.
New Delhi, April 20 : BJP Rajya Sabha member Gulam Ali Khatana on Sunday lauded the roll-out of mobile networks in remote and high-altitude border areas, including Galwan and the Siachen Glacier, calling it a landmark step towards strengthening infrastructure and boosting soldier welfare.

Indian Army personnel stationed in some of the world's toughest terrains -- such as Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), Galwan, Demchok, Chumar, Batalik, Dras, and Siachen -- now have access to reliable 4G and 5G mobile connectivity, enabling them to stay connected with their families despite the geographical challenges.

A 5G mobile tower has been installed on the Siachen Glacier -- the highest battlefield in the world -- marking a significant advancement in India's defence communication capabilities.

Speaking to IANS, Khatana praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and leadership in revolutionising the telecom sector.

"Giving priority to infrastructure and communication, pulling the sector out of the 2G-3G scam and bringing in 5G, making it the cheapest in the world, and strengthening BSNL to compete with private players -- this is PM Modi's mission," he said.

Army troops stationed in areas including Galwan, Demchok, Chumar, Batalik, Dras, and Siachen Glacier are now covered under the 4G and 5G mobile networks and this also facilitates phone and video calls between them and their families.

Mobile services in Galwan had been shut down following the violent clashes with Chinese soldiers in 2020. With the restoration and upgrade to 4G and 5G, personnel deployed there will now enjoy seamless connectivity.

The connectivity initiative was executed under the Whole-of-Government framework, with the Indian Army leveraging its optical fibre cable (OFC) infrastructure in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and the Union Territory Administration of Ladakh.

The Fire and Fury Corps led the coordination, facilitating mobile tower installations on Army infrastructure. Four major installations have been completed in Ladakh and Kargil districts alone.

The initiative is aimed at improving the quality of life for troops deployed in extreme conditions, particularly in winter cut-off posts situated above 18,000 feet, where communication had remained a persistent challenge.
New Delhi, April 20 : Congress media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera on Sunday asked BJP President J.P. Nadda to issue show-cause notice to party MP Nishikant Dubey over his deplorable remarks against the Supreme Court and also pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'tacit support' to the 'errant' lawmaker.

Speaking to IANS, the Congress spokesperson called it a failure of the Prime Minister to rein in his MPs and asked how anyone could question the highest judiciary without approval from the top leadership.

Pawan Khera also referred to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's searing remarks against the judiciary recently and asked how the highest judiciary could be subjected to such a diatribe.

"This is a direct attack on the Constitution. Is there any force behind this? How can they become so loudmouthed against the judiciary," he asked.

Khera's condemnation followed Nishikant Dubey's remarks, where he called for "shutting down the Parliament".

"If the Supreme Court has to make laws, then Parliament should be shut down," the BJP MP wrote on a post on X. His alleged remarks on the Chief Justice of India also sparked a major controversy.

His remarks prompted the BJP chief to issue a clarification, stating that this was the MP's personal statement and had nothing to do with the party's stand.

"The BJP has nothing to do with the comments of MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of India. These are their personal comments, but the BJP neither agrees with them nor does it ever support such remarks. The BJP absolutely rejects them," Nadda said.

Further slamming BJP's top brass, Khera said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has immense clout within his administration as well as the party and no BJP MP or any leader can make such a statement without his consent or directions.

"If it has been done without the Prime Minister's consent, this means he is losing grip on the party as well as administration," he mockingly remarked.
New Delhi, April 20 : It's happening again before our very eyes. The only difference is that my story is 35 years old, and this person's is just a few days old," said Rajni Dhar, a Kashmiri Hindu, after watching videos of the wailing woman from Murshidabad.

She says her community's story is no different from what is now happening to Hindus in certain pockets of West Bengal. Targeted attacks, indifferent administration, apathetic police, and biased, uncaring politicians -- this was what she and her community endured in the late 1980s and 1990s, ultimately leading to the exodus of over 7,00,000 Hindus from Kashmir.

Thirty-five years later and more than 2,000 km away from Kashmir, hundreds of Hindu families have fled Murshidabad and other parts of West Bengal, where violent Muslim mobs attacked them. The violence erupted unexpectedly during protests against the Waqf Act.

For the Hindus of Murshidabad, it was a horrifying experience. Mobs ran riot, attacking homes, looting property, and setting fire to vehicles and buildings, including government establishments. The crowds were in a frenzy, uncontrolled and unchallenged.

The accounts of these forcibly displaced people are chilling and heart-wrenching. Homes and businesses -- some within metres of police stations -- were torched. SOS calls to the police and fire brigade allegedly went unanswered. Victims say they were left to fend for themselves, at the mercy of the mobs. All they could do was escape. Men, women, children, and the elderly ran for miles, crossing rivers to find safety.

For them, April 11 will remain etched in memory -- the day the state abandoned them. Even more painful, they say, is the apathy of those in power. The Chief Minister had no words for them, not even the time to meet them. But she did make time for those whose speeches allegedly incited the unrest. She met with them in Kolkata to express solidarity, but did nothing for the Hindus who had lost their homes, livelihoods, and trust in the system.

Back in the late 1980s, when terrorism began to rise in Kashmir, Hindus were targeted as part of a larger agenda -- to make Kashmir a Muslim-majority region that could accede to Pakistan. At the helm then was Farooq Abdullah, president of the National Conference and father of current leader Omar Abdullah. He remained passive as Hindus faced increasing violence: kidnappings, torture, threats, and harassment. Kashmiri Pandits were given three choices: convert, flee, or die. The chilling slogan was: "An Islamic Kashmir with Kashmiri Pandit women, without the KP men."

Those in power then -- both at the state and central levels -- stood mute and did nothing. Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits were murdered, women were gang-raped and killed, homes looted, and temples desecrated. The police, victims allege, were non-cooperative, and in some cases even helped the terrorists. The political class and human rights groups went silent. The only option for the Hindus was to flee.

Being only 2 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's population, Kashmiri Pandits were abandoned by the then-state government. The worst atrocities took place during Farooq Abdullah's tenure. When he resigned in January 1990, he left behind a Kashmir where the police force was compromised, the intelligence network shattered, and the majority of the administration gone rogue.

The situation in West Bengal may not be as dire, but it could escalate if steps are not taken now. Many victims in relief camps said they were warned by attackers: "This was just a trailer... the real movie begins soon." What does it indicate?

Two Hindus -- a father and son -- were brutally murdered to instil fear. Their businesses were torched. Rumours of poisoned water tanks in Hindu villages were spread to spark panic and force an exodus. It worked, and people abandoned their homes in fear.

Will the displaced Hindus of Murshidabad ever be able to return to their homes? It's a disturbing question, because the Bengal CM has done nothing to prevail upon the Muslim political and religious leaders, with whom she had a big meeting on April 16 to work for peace in these areas.

Instead, CM Mamata called the violence a conspiracy, naming the BSF (Border Security Force) and accusing it of allowing Bangladeshi miscreants to enter and incite unrest. As shocking as the accusation is, it may further embolden disruptive elements and affect the morale of the security forces.

"Thirty-five years have gone by, and we are still out of our homeland," says a tearful Dhar, recalling how her family was forced out of Srinagar in April 1990.

"People there have no remorse -- it was all about religious dominance. We lost our homes, jobs, property... and we've received no justice," she said.

The Murshidabad women's wails continue as they stare at their uncertain future, having lost everything in the attacks.

(Deepika Bhan can be reached at deepika.b@ians.in)

dpb/svn
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. The expert-level talks between Iran and the U.S. scheduled for April 23 are planned to be held in Oman with the participation of mediators, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said, Trend reports.

"Expert and technical meetings with the participation of mediators will be held in Muscat on Wednesday to discuss the details of the talks," he said.

According to him, the parties are currently developing general principles for conducting the talks.
New Delhi, April 20 : Ordering strict action against polluting and illegal industries, Delhi Minister for Water, Irrigation and Flood Control, Parvesh Verma, said on Sunday that the city government will work in close coordination with Haryana to ensure that untreated water does not flow into the Yamuna River.

After an inspection of the 318 million litres a day (MLD) Coronation Pillar Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Model Town, Minister Verma said he is inspecting all STPs one by one to confirm that they are working to their capacity and maintaining the COD (chemical oxygen demand) and the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) levels.

"Our Yamuna will become clean if we manage to trap the entire untreated water," he said.

Verma said, "We saw sewage and industrial waste coming from Haryana. I will ask Delhi CM to meet Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, along with officials, to ensure that they trap the waste coming from their territory by setting up STPs there itself."

Ordering strict action against polluting industries, Verma said, "We will be acting against unauthorised industries, whether in Delhi or in Haryana."

The COD level, inspected by Verma on Sunday at Coronation Pillar STP, is a measure of the amount of oxygen required to chemically oxidise all oxidisable organic and inorganic matter in a water sample. BOD is a measure of how much oxygen is consumed by microorganisms while breaking down organic matter in water. Essentially, it quantifies the amount of oxygen required to decompose organic pollutants in a water sample.

The Coronation Pillar plant was built in 2023 for treating 318 (MLD) sewage a day, while reducing annual carbon emissions by about 14,450 tonnes.

An official said the five-pronged environmental and social sustainability of the project is reflected in sewage treatment, carbon emission reduction, material wastage minimisation, along with the generation of biogas power. The remaining two dimensions focus on manhours and land saving.

The STP aims to serve a population of 30 lakh by adhering to National Green Tribunal guidelines for sewage treatment and subsequent release into the Yamuna. Additionally, on-site biogas power generation of 70 MW/day is implemented to decrease the Sewage Treatment Plant's dependence on the power grid.
Kolkata, April 20 : Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading "hatred" under the garb of her "Peace Message".

"In a shameless spate of events, the hypocrisy of the Chief Minister of West Bengal is getting even more unravelled. She is misusing her official position and in the garb of issuing a so-called "Peace Message" (mis)using her letterhead. She is spewing venom, hatred while doing vote bank politics," Adhikari said in a statement.

In an open letter, which was circulated from her office on Saturday night, the Chief Minister said both Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP are responsible for "instigating communal violence" in the state.

Reacting to her letter, Adhikari claimed she was trying to "instigate" people against the BJP and RSS.

"She is miserably trying to spread a false narrative by blaming the Sangh Parivar for the ethnic cleansing of Hindus, which is the most absurd and 'contradictory allegation' ever made, as even a kid knows that the Sangh Parivar is the biggest backer and defender of the Hindu community," read the statement from Adhikari.

At the same time, Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of maintaining silence on the carnage by "radical extremists" in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district, which was on the boil earlier this month over communal violence and tension after protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

"It is shameful to find the Chief Minister admitting in writing that people came from beyond the state to orchestrate riots, and thereafter they run away upon causing riots. This is of very serious concern, and given her unequivocal admission, the Union Government should direct a NIA probe as this statement of the Chief Minister about outside elements reveals a serious threat to the security, integrity, and sovereignty of India," he said.

Justifying his demand for the NIA probe into the matter, Adhikari said that an investigation by the state police would be merely an empty formality validating the Chief Minister's narrative.

"While castigating the conduct of the Chief Minister, I will urge MHA, GOI to take serious note of this fact and direct an NIA probe regarding the riots that took place in Murshidabad," he added.
Chandigarh, April 20 : Aiming to bring the stubble burning to zero in the state, the Punjab government on Sunday formulated an action plan of Rs 500 crore to provide farmers with crop residue management (CRM) machinery on subsidy and implement other strategies to manage the paddy straw efficiently.

Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said that the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has invited online applications from the farmers to avail subsidies on the procurement of CRM machines.

The applications can be submitted through online portal agrimachinerypb.com from April 22 to May 12.

Encouraging the farmers to take advantage of the scheme, Khuddian said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab government has been offering a 50 per cent subsidy to individual farmers and an 80 per cent subsidy to farmer groups, cooperative societies and gram panchayats for the purchase of CRM machines.

This initiative aims to make CRM machinery more accessible to farmers, promoting its adoption and ultimately contributing to a cleaner environment, the Minister said.

He added that the subsidy would be available on CRM machinery include Super SMS, Happy Seeder, Super Seeder, Surface Seeder, Smart Seeder, Zero Till Drill, Baler, Rake, Shrub Master or Rotary Slasher, paddy straw chopper or shredder or mulcher, crop reaper and hydraulic reversible mould board plough.

Basant Garg, the Administrative Secretary of Agriculture Department, said that Punjab witnessed significant progress in crop residue management.

The state government distributed 17,600 subsidised CRM machines to individual farmers, cooperative societies, and panchayats during the previous season.

Additionally, 1,331 custom hiring centres were also established to facilitate CRM practices.

These efforts resulted in a 70 per cent decrease in fire incidents during the previous season compared to 2023, with only 10,909 incidents recorded compared to 36,663 in 2023.

--IANS

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Amaravati, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on his birthday, calling him a 'good friend'

The Prime Minister conveyed his good wishes to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President and prayed for his long and healthy life.

"Best wishes to my good friend and Andhra Pradesh CM Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu Garu. It is commendable how he is tirelessly working for the development of AP, with a focus on futuristic sectors. Praying for his long and healthy life," PM Modi posted on X.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed warm birthday greetings to Chief Minister Naidu. "Your dedicated efforts will certainly lead Andhra Pradesh to new heights of progress. Praying for your healthy and long life," wrote Amit Shah.

Naidu, whose TDP is a key partner in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, thanked both the Prime Minister and Home Minister for their greetings.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also greeted Naidu on his 75th birthday. The Jana Sena Party leader posted on X that only a visionary like Chandrababu Naidu can revive the progress of a state that has become economically stagnant, development has become impossible, and law and order has deteriorated.

"Heartfelt birthday greetings to such a skilled administrator. The vision and enthusiasm shown by Shri Chandrababu Naidu, who is serving as the Chief Minister for the fourth time, is amazing. His approach of predicting the future in advance and running the systems accordingly is inspiring. On the auspicious occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, I pray to God to grant Sri Chandrababu Naidu a long life and happiness," said the actor-politician.

Former chief minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also wished a peaceful and healthy long life to Chandrababu Naidu.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao also took to X to wish happy birthday to Naidu.

Union Minister for Coal G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar also conveyed their best wishes to Naidu.

Telugu superstar K. Chranjeevi also greeted Chandrababu Naidu, saying Telugus are truly lucky to have a hard-working, visionary, passionate and committed leader like him.

"May you be blessed with a long life filled with good health, happiness, a long and fulfilling stint in public service with the contentment of realising your vision for the people of Andhra Pradesh," wrote Chiranjeevi.
New Delhi, April 20 : Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday promised an enquiry into alleged wasteful expenditure of Rs 80 crore by the previous AAP government on a defunct sewage treatment and water recharge facility in north Delhi's Timarpur.

Visiting the proposed site, Verma said this project is a glaring example of corruption under the AAP government as it has not been commissioned despite an expenditure of crores of rupees.

"Around Rs 35 crore were spent on landscaping and grass plantation, and another Rs 40 crore on building ponds, totalling nearly Rs 80-85 crore. Questions are being raised about where this money went, and investigations will follow...," he said.

He said the proposed project, based on old techniques and concepts, was never started or commissioned.

"The AAP government even had plans to spend more public money on maintenance of this proposed facility, but I have put a stop to wasteful expenditure," he said.

"We are going to repurpose the site and ensure that its new use is beneficial for people and the department as well," he said.

Under the project, the AAP government planned to release clean water from the STP into the Timarpur lake. After completion, the stored water was supposed to assist in recharging groundwater and boost water treatment.

Later, Verma visited the Tilak Bridge in central Delhi, which is vulnerable to waterlogging during rains, and inspected the area's drainage and pumping facilities.

In the morning, the Verma joined Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in flagging off 1,111 GPS-enabled water tankers aimed at easing the water crisis in the national capital.

The 1,111 GPS-enabled tankers are part of a wider effort to improve water access in areas with limited or no piped water supply. The initiative, spearheaded by the Delhi Jal Board, is designed to provide real-time tracking and greater accountability.

Verma, who inspected the rollout site early in the morning, said the move would effectively dismantle the tanker mafia that thrived under the previous regime.

"Under our government's transparency model, and as India completes 10 years of Digital India under PM Modi, we've connected the Delhi Jal Board to a fully digital IT dashboard at our headquarters in Jhandewalan," Verma said.

"The previous government made Delhi a swamp. We've managed to bloom a lotus in that swamp and will continue to do so," he said.

Verma added that every tanker will be assigned specific routes and destinations, and the public will be able to track them through a mobile app.

"Whether the tanker actually delivers water at the designated point or not will also be tracked, thanks to the sensors we're installing," he said.
Deoghar : , April 20 (IANS) Tension gripped Bariyarpur village under the Devipur police station area of Deoghar district of Jharkhand after miscreants vandalised a statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, triggering widespread public outrage.

Hundreds of local residents took to the streets in protest, demanding the immediate identification and arrest of those responsible.

The demonstrators called for strict action against the culprits, condemning the act as an attack on the dignity of a national icon.

On receiving information, Jharkhand Minority Welfare Minister Hafizul Hasan Ansari, Deoghar MLA and RJD leader Suresh Paswan, and Deoghar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashok Kumar Singh rushed to the village on Sunday to pacify the agitated crowd.

Minister Ansari assured the people that a new statue of Babasaheb would be installed within 24 hours. He directed the district administration to take swift and strict action against those involved in the act of vandalism.

The incident occurred shortly after a small statue of Dr Ambedkar had been installed in the village. News of the vandalism spread quickly, which prompted residents from Bariyarpur and neighbouring areas to gather in protest.

SP Ashok Singh, along with a police force, reached the spot to assess the situation and maintain law and order. Later, MLA Paswan and Minister Ansari interacted with locals to take stock of the developments.

Speaking to the media, Minister Ansari said, "The person who insulted the statue of the great man who gave the right to equality and dignity to the deprived sections of society will not be spared. The Hemant Soren government will ensure Babasaheb's honour is upheld at any cost."

He reiterated that a new statue of Dr Ambedkar would be installed in the village within the next 24 hours.
Gurugram, April 20 : A crime branch team of the Gurugram police have nabbed four accused in different cases, police said.

In the first instance, a crime branch team from Sector-39 nabbed a bike thief identified as Mustakin of Nuh district.

The police recovered three bullet bikes, one Hero Splendor bike, and one master key from him.

The accused was arrested near the government hospital in Gurugram on April 17.

A case in this regard was registered at the Sector-50 police station in Gurugram.

In the second case, a crime branch team of Gurugram's Sector-40 arrested an accused identified as Anil of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday.

The police team had already arrested his associate earlier on April 16 with illegal weapons.

A case under relevant sections of the Arms Act was registered against the duo suspects at the Sector-65 police station, police said.

In the third instance, the crime branch of Gurugram's Sector-10 nabbed a house thief identified as Karan of Uttar Pradesh.

He was arrested near the Alpine School in the Basai area on Saturday.

The accused had targeted a flat in F-block in the Palam Vihar area and fled with a laptop on April 15.

Based on the victim's complaint, a case of theft was registered at the Palam Vihar police station in Gurugram on April 17, police said.

The accused was involved in five theft cases.

Two laptops have also been recovered from the possession of the accused.

In the fourth incident, the Sector-40 crime branch team have also arrested a security guard who allegedly stole copper pipe from an under-construction site where he was deployed.

The accused was identified as Ajay Singh, also known as Suraj, a native of Uttarakhand.

He was nabbed on Saturday from the Sector-47 area of Gurugram.

The police have recovered more than 12 kg of copper pipe from the possession of the accused, police said.
New Delhi, April 20 : A Columbia University's School of Engineering study in the US has shown that the brain's visual regions play an active role in making sense of information, which could help build more adaptive AI systems.

Crucially, the way it interprets the information depends on what the rest of the brain is working on.

Published in the journal Nature Communications, the study led by biomedical engineer and neuroscientist Nuttida Rungratsameetaweemana, provides some of the clearest evidence yet that early sensory systems play a role in decision-making  and that they adapt in real-time.

It also points to new approaches for designing AI systems that can adapt to new or unexpected situations.

The findings challenge the traditional view that early sensory areas in the brain are simply "looking" or "recording" visual input. In fact, the human brain's visual system actively reshapes how it represents the exact same object depending on what you're trying to do.

Even in visual areas that are very close to raw information that enters the eyes, the brain has the flexibility to tune its interpretation and responses based on the current task.

"It gives us a new way to think about flexibility in the brain and opens up ideas for how to potentially build more adaptive AI systems modelled after these neural strategies," said Nuttida.

Most previous work looked at how people learn categories over time, but this study zooms in on the flexibility piece: How does the brain rapidly switch between different ways of organising the same visual information?

The team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe people's brain activity while they put shapes in different categories. The twist was that the "rules" for categorising the shapes kept changing.

This let the researchers determine whether the visual cortex was changing how it represented the shapes depending on how we had defined the categories.

They analysed the data using computational machine learning tools, including multivariate classifiers.

Activity in the visual system  including the primary and secondary visual cortices, which deal with data straight from the eyes  changed with practically every task.

They reorganised their activity depending on which decision rules people were using, which was shown by the brain activation patterns becoming more distinctive when a shape was near the grey area between categories.

Those were the most difficult shapes to tell apart, so it's exactly when extra processing would be most helpful.

"We could actually see clearer neural patterns in the fMRI data in cases when people did a better job on the tasks. That suggests the visual cortex may directly help us solve flexible categorisation tasks," said Nuttida.

The team is starting to explore how these ideas might be useful for artificial systems.

IANS

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-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Tokyo, April 20 : Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Sunday that it would not be appropriate to discuss security and trade together with the US.

"I don't think it is appropriate to discuss security and trade together. We should address security issues without linking them to tariffs," the Japanese Prime Minister told a local TV program, days after his close aide met Trump and senior US officials on the recently increased tariffs.

On negotiations, the Prime Minister said, "They must produce a desirable outcome for both sides. We want to take the necessary time to create a model for the world."

He reiterated that he would visit the US 'at the most appropriate time'.

He said that he (Trump) considers cutting the US trade deficit with other countries is Trump's top priority. The Prime Minister further pledged to assess Japan's automobile regulations to facilitate negotiations with the US.

"We will work hard to ensure that Japan is not accused of being unfair," said the Prime Minister.

Expressing concern over the negative impact of the US-China tit-for-tat tariff escalation, Ishiba assured that Japan, as a leader in free trade, will bolster cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union.

Earlier this week, Akazawa Ryosei, Minister in charge of Economic Revitalisation of Japan, visited the US and held a meeting on 'Japan-US Consultation on US Tariff Measures' with President Trump, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others concerning US tariff measures.

Later, addressing a press conference regarding the meeting, PM Ishiba said that the consultations going forward will continue to be challenging, but President Trump himself said that he places topmost priority on consultations with Japan.

PM Ishiba also spoke with President Trump on the telephone to discuss new US tariffs.

Ishiba told Trump that they should seek cooperation that can benefit both nations, not tariffs, as he expressed concern that the US tariffs could weaken the investment capacity of Japanese companies, Kyodo News reported.
New Delhi, April 20 : Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's five-day visit to London, Oslo, and Brussels for strengthening India's trade and investment relations with the UK, Norway, and the European Union is expected to begin on April 28, according to a senior official.

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyalas five-day visit to London, Oslo, and Brussels for strengthening Indiaas trade and investment relations with the UK, Norway, and the European Union is expected to begin on April 28, according to a senior official.

The London leg of the visit is aimed at wrapping up the negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the UK, as talks have entered the last lap, the official said.

The visit to Oslo comes against the backdrop of India having signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with the four-nation European bloc EFTA in March last year. It is expected to be implemented this year. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

The two sides signed the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in March, last year. India has received a commitment of a $100 billion investment over 15 years from the grouping, while allowing products such as Swiss watches, chocolates, and cut and polished diamonds from the region to come into the country at lower or zero duties as part of the agreement.

Negotiations have also picked up momentum for a trade agreement with the 27-nation European Union (EU). India and the EU are exploring the possibility of an early harvest agreement before finalising a comprehensive pact. The 11th round of negotiations between the two sides is scheduled from May 12a"16 in New Delhi.

Goyal had said earlier this month that concrete steps are needed to remove existing trade barriers for speeding up the talks to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union.

The minister highlighted that both sides need a deeper understanding of the barriers holding back the agreement, as there is tremendous potential to grow from the current bilateral trade level of $15 billion.

He also emphasised the need for encouraging investments between India and Italy and enabling businesses to trade with each other without roadblocks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have agreed to expedite the conclusion of the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) by the end of the year at a meeting held in Delhi last month.

The EU Presidentas visit came against the backdrop of massive tariff hikes proposed against all countries by US President Donald Trump under his aAmerica Firsta policy, which is threatening to disrupt global trade and heighten uncertainty in the global economy.

PM Modi and the European Commission President committed to task their respective negotiating teams to pursue negotiations for a balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial FTA. Officials were asked to work as trusted partners to enhance market access and remove trade barriers. They were also tasked to advance negotiations on an Agreement on Investment Protection and an Agreement on Geographical Indications.

Reaching a deal will be complex, however, with significant concessions wanted on both sides in areas ranging from cars and whisky to pharmaceuticals and textiles.

The EU wants India to lower tariffs on cars, wine, and whisky as well as some agricultural products. India, on the other hand, wants greater market access and lower tariffs for key exports, including pharmaceuticals, textiles, and apparel.

The EU is Indiaas largest trading partner, accounting for 124 billion euros of trade in goods in 2023, or 12.2 per cent of total Indian trade. Trade in services between the EU and India reached nearly 60 billion euros in 2023, almost double the level in 2020. A third of that were digital services, according to figures compiled by the World Economic Forum.

Trade between India and the EU has grown by around 90 per cent in the past decade, but talks over a free trade pact have stalled over the years due to sharp differences between India and the 27-nation bloc on agriculture, automobiles and pharmaceuticals.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 21. Iranian banks granted a significant boost in credit to the commercial sector in the last Iranian year (from March 20, 2024, through March 20, 2025), rising by 34.2 percent compared to the previous year (from March 21, 2023, through March 19, 2024).

Data obtained by Trend from the Central Bank of Iran indicates that Iranian banks provided nearly 6 quadrillion rials (about $10.3 billion) in credit to the commercial sector in the last Iranian year. This was a notable increase from the previous year's total of 4.47 quadrillion rials (about $7.7 billion).

The statistics further reveal that around 5.2 quadrillion rials (about $8.97 billion) were allocated as working capital for the commercial sector.

In the same period, loans were granted for the establishment of businesses and related opportunities, totaling around 454 trillion rials (about $782 million), while loans for the development of businesses amounted to 306 trillion rials (about $527 million).

Additionally, loans were provided for the purchase of personal products, totaling 10.4 trillion rials (about $18 million), as well as for self-employment, amounting to 12 trillion rials (about $20 million).

The data also shows that in the reporting period, Iranian banks provided loans for repairs in the commercial sector, amounting to 5.6 trillion rials (about $9.65 million), and for housing purchases, 894 billion rials (about $1.5 million).

To note, Iranian banks issued a total of around 59.7 quadrillion rials (about $105 billion) in credit in the last Iranian year, marking a 29.5 percent increase from the previous year.

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Follow the author on X: @BaghishovElnur
Mumbai, April 20 : Tejas Prabha Vijay's action entertainer "Ground Zero" starring Emraan Hashmi became the first film in 38 years to get a red carpet premiere in Srinagar, Kashmir.

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Tejas Prabha Vijay's action entertainer "GroundA Zero" starring Emraan Hashmi became the first film in 38 years to get a red carpet premiere in Srinagar, Kashmir.

During an exclusive interaction with IANS, Tejas revealed that the special screening of the film felt like a full circle moment, given that the project was shot in Kashmir.

Asked about his experience in the valley, the filmmaker told IANS, "It felt like a full circle when we thought of premiering 'Ground Zero' in Srinagar because the story belongs to Kashmir. We started shooting in Kashmir and now that the film is complete, for the first time when we are showing it to the public, that is also happening in Kashmir. So, it's a full circle for the film and it was a surreal moment because we were showing the film to BSF officers, jawans, and the people around them. The film has a subject inspired from their lives, so that entire thing went on extremely well in terms of the positioning for the public viewing for the first time. The whole experience was brilliant."

Sharing special anecdotes from Kashmir with IANS, Tejas revealed that the craze for Emraan and the entire Excel team among the fans and locals was unbelievable. The director shared, "I did not expect this kind of a crowd to meet us and be there at the time of the premiere. It was very heartwarming to see that the people of Srinagar and the whole Kashmir love their actors, especially Emraan, so much that they flock in these large numbers. The excitement about the film and it being shown in Srinagar, both were extremely high. I'm hoping that the film will do well when it releases on April 25 in Srinagar also. We are all looking forward to seeing the fansa reaction on April 25."

"Ground Zero" will be released on April 25.
Kolkata, April 20 : The National Commission for Women (NCW) Vijaya Rahatkar made an appeal to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday, to urgently address the problems of violence-hit victims and families, stating that the responsibility of ensuring safety and justice lies with the state government.

"These are our own people, they must not be ignored or left to suffer due to violence. It is heartbreaking that they are being forced to live like refugees in relief camps within their own country," said the NCW chief.

The NCW chief's searing remarks come on the back of her two-day visit to the violence-affected areas of Malda and Murshidabad, where she met women, children and affected families, having suffered immense damages as well as the emotional, psychological and mental trauma.

Expressing deep concern over the plight of affected women, she said, "The pain of the women who were dragged from their homes, brutally attacked, and threatened in the most inhuman manner is unimaginable. Some were even told to send their daughters to be raped."

She said that the issue was above politics and the women who have faced violence, those who have been threatened, molested and dragged out of their homes must be given a healing touch.

During a two-day visit, the NCW chairperson also visited relief camps, where she was given accounts of harrowing experiences by many women victims.

"We must stop politicising such human tragedies. Instead of questioning those who raise these issues, we should be asking the women how they are surviving. Ask the perpetrators why they committed such inhuman acts and then focus on finding a solution to this grave issue  to create an atmosphere where everyone can live without fear," said the official statement.

She also advised the West Bengal State Commission for Women to visit the affected areas and show solidarity with the victims.

Earlier, the NCW had taken suo motu cognisance of the violence that broke out in Shamsherganj, Dhulian and Jangipur areas of Murshidabad on April 11 and 12.
Agartala, April 20 : A high-level delegation on Sunday visited border town of Belonia, adjoining border villages and conducted an 'on the spot study', and possible effects on the Indian side due to the embankment being constructed by the Bangladesh government along Muhuri river, which divides the two countries.

The official delegation led by Tripura Public Works Department Secretary Kiran Gitte after visiting the India-Bangladesh bordering areas met the local villagers and held meetings with the elected representatives, including the Chairman of the Belonia Municipal Council.

Later, Gitte said that to protect the South Tripura district headquarter Belonia, adjoining villages and habitations, embankments being constructed and other measures have been taken up and the ongoing works would be intensified.

During the last year's (in August) catastrophic flood and landslides, many river embankments along the India-Bangladesh border and other infrastructure were damaged and the government has identified 43 such locations in different districts, including South Tripura district, the senior IAS officer said, adding that works to repair these infrastructures either started or to be started soon.

"By June this year, all the repairing and related works would be completed. Work would be done round-the-clock. As the volume of work is very big in South Tripura district, five additional engineers would be posted in the district," he added.

BSF's Tripura Frontier Inspector General Ashwani Kumar Sharma, South Tripura District Magistrate, Superintendent of Police, Water Resource, Public Works Department and various other department officials accompanied Gitte during the visit and the meeting.

The Bangladesh government has been constructing another big embankment along southern Tripura, opposite to Belonia town, triggering tension among the Indian residents as the embankment may endanger the south Tripura district town of Belonia and adjoining border villages during monsoon flood.

Besides, the citizens of Belonia Municipal Council areas, villagers of Ballamukh, Ishan Chandranagar and adjoining villages in south Tripura district have expressed their serious concerns about the construction of the giant embankment by Bangladesh.

Local CPI-M MLA Dipankar Sen on Saturday requested the South Tripura District Magistrate and senior officials of Border Security Force (BSF) to take up the matter with the Central government for taking up the issue with the Bangladesh government.

Meanwhile, a similar embankment was also constructed by the Bangladesh government along northern Tripura's Unakoti district and that may also put in danger the district town Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Seeking the Central government's intervention, the opposition Congress has organised a series of agitations in Kailashahar.

Senior Congress leader and former Minister Birajit Sinha, who has been spearheading agitations against the controversial embankment along the Unakoti district, had said that the Bangladesh government is unilaterally constructing a big embankment on its land, and the embankment may endanger the district town of Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon floods.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha earlier, in a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah apprised the embankment issue.

"The Chief Minister in his letter to the Home Minister, highlighted the potential effect of the Bangladeshi embankment in Unakoti district and possible floods on the Indian side. The Chief Minister has urged the Home Minister to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government to take appropriate steps by the neighbouring country," an official said.
New Delhi, April 20 : In a thought-provoking and motivating interaction with the Officer Trainees (OTs) of the 2023 IAS batch, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, hailed the largest women representation in the history of Indian Administrative Services, with 74 women officers, making up 41 per cent of the current batch of 180 officers.

The interaction was part of the ongoing Assistant Secretary programme, wherein the IAS Officer Trainees are attached to 46 Central Ministries for a period of 8 weeks from April 1 to May 30, 2025, giving them early exposure to policy formulation and the workings of the Central Government.

Dr Jitendra Singh attributed this landmark development to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose tenure, women-led initiatives have gained unprecedented momentum. "The Prime Minister has always been a champion of women empowerment. This record representation is a testament to his unwavering support for inclusive and progressive governance," the Minister said.

The Minister reflected on the inception of the Assistant Secretary Programme in 2015, calling it Prime Minister Modi's brainchild to give young officers real-time governance exposure at the beginning of their careers. "The programme has brought a resurgence of confidence among officers. During the pandemic, many of these officers performed remarkably when called upon for district-level crisis management," he added.

As the initiative marks its 10th anniversary, the Union Minister noted its outstanding impact on nurturing capable and confident civil servants. He also celebrated the democratisation of the Civil Services, with increasing representation from states like Punjab, Haryana, and the North-East, regions that earlier saw fewer selections.

The Minister took pride in the academic and professional diversity of the batch, mentioning that 99 officers hail from engineering backgrounds, along with many from medicine and other technical fields. "For years, I wondered why technocrats joined the civil services. But now, I realise the technical nature of flagship Government programmes -- from Digital India to Smart Cities-- makes their presence a national asset," he said.

Dr Singh praised the young average age (22-26 years) of the batch, which provides a long-span career trajectory to contribute to the nation. He urged the officers to stay technologically ahead and make full use of the iGOT Karmayogi platform, a digital learning ecosystem offering continuously updated capacity-building modules.

"You are fortunate to be in the best of times, when India is rapidly moving towards becoming Viksit Bharat @2047," he emphasised.

In an open-floor dialogue with the young officers, Dr Singh expressed support for a more dynamic and flexible civil service ecosystem, where officers may be allowed to gain exposure outside government for a few years and return as domain specialists -- a model that he termed "a win-win for both the officer and the government."

On the issue of bridging the digital divide, the Minister called technology a great leveller, citing examples like the Swamitva Mission, which eliminates the need for revenue officials by leveraging drone-based property mapping. "This has democratised access to land records and decentralised service delivery at the grassroots," he said.

Dr Singh also stressed the importance of grievance redressal mechanisms, urging the trainees to study the CPGRAMS platform, which he described as a global benchmark. "Nearly 26 lakh grievances have been disposed of with a 98 per cent resolution rate, most within 13 days," he shared.

Yet, he reminded the officers that human intelligence and empathy must complement technology. "Despite resolving grievances technically, many citizens still feel emotionally dissatisfied. That's why we have created a 'human desk' to provide emotional closure, proving that governance is not just administrative but deeply human," the Minister remarked.

In a moving exchange, one of the Officer Trainees quoted Dr Singh's past speech, "One retires from service, not from citizenship." Responding to this, the Minister spoke about initiatives to involve retired civil servants through a Digital Repository of Expertise, allowing India to harness their knowledge. He also highlighted the Anubhav Awards, which encourage retiring officers to document their experiences for the benefit of future generations.

As the interaction concluded, Dr Singh urged the young civil servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and service, aligning their efforts with the spirit of Antyodaya -- working for the last man standing.

"This batch of IAS officers is not only the youngest and most diverse -- but also the most representative of New India's aspirations. Let your work reflect the hopes of a billion people," said the Minister.
New Delhi, April 20 : An interstate gang's two drug traffickers, who were sourcing cannabis/ganja from Odisha and Bihar for sale in Delhi, were arrested and 27 kg contraband seized, an official said on Sunday.

Birender Pratap Singh (46) and Jayaram Das (54), both residents of Samaypur Badli in north west Delhi, were involved in bulk supplying of ganja in Delhi, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam.

Jayaram Das, a resident of Vaishali in Bihar, was responsible for transporting the narcotics from Odisha to Delhi.

He was arrested based on the information provided by his co-accomplice Birender Pratap Singh, the police said.

The modus operandi for trafficking the narcotics involved travelling to Odisha by train, acquiring the narcotics there and then returning to Delhi by bus, the police added.

They frequently changed buses and destroyed their tickets after each journey to avoid detection, ensuring that the police could not trace their routes, said the DCP.

Jayaram Das, a school dropout, sought to earn easy money and got involved in trafficking of narcotics after Birender Pratap Singh asked him to supplying ganja to him on commission basis, the police said.

Birender Pratap Singh, originally from Samastipur in Bihar, shifted to Delhi in search of livelihood and got involved in illegal activities to make easy money.

He has previously been booked under the Arms Act and the Excise Act in cases registered at Prashant Vihar police station and Begumpur police station in Delhi.

After serving jail time, he started supplying narcotic substances.

Sharing details of the operation, the DCP said, "Based on information received by Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Kuldeep Maan, a team from the Delhi Police Crime Branch, comprising Inspector Vinay, Sub-Inspector Anurag, ASI Ashok Dahiya, Head Constables Surya, Vikram, Azad Singh and Constable Prateek was formed under Inspector Satish Malik and the close supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Naresh Solanki, to apprehend the criminal."

A raid was carried out and 27.568 kg of cannabis was recovered from Birender Pratap Singh.

Following the seizure, a case was registered under Sections 20/25 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, by the Crime Branch, the police said.
New Delhi, April 20 : US Vice-President J.D. Vance begins his four-day India visit on Monday with focus on a trade agreement, bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US joint statement issued in February.

Accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children, Vance's visit marks the first by a sitting US Vice- President to India in over a decade, with the last being former US President Joe Biden's visit in 2013.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to host Vance for talks and dinner at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, on Monday evening.

The meeting is expected to cover the long-discussed India-US bilateral trade agreement and explore ways to deepen strategic and economic ties between the two democracies.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are expected to join the discussions.

The US Vice-President will be accompanied by a five-member high-level US delegation, including representatives from the Pentagon and the State Department.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement, "The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on February 13 during the visit of the Prime Minister to the US. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest."

Following his engagements in New Delhi, Vance will fly to Jaipur on April 21, where he will stay until April 24.

On April 22, the Us Vice-President will visit the iconic Amer Palace in the morning, where a traditional Rajasthani welcome awaits him and his family.

The guests are expected to don Jodhpuri 'safas' and enjoy folk performances, puppet shows, traditional attire, and regional cuisine during the two-and-a-half-hour tour. The palace will remain closed to the public for the duration of the visit, with 12 trained guides designated to assist and maintain protocol.

Later that day, Vance will deliver a keynote address at the US-India Business Summit at the Rajasthan International Centre.

The summit will see participation from top Indian and American officials, with Vance expected to articulate his vision for enhanced bilateral trade and investment.

On April 23, the US Vice-President will travel to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal. After spending nearly three hours at the monument, he will return to Jaipur the same afternoon and visit the Jaipur City Palace.

He is scheduled to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Governor Haribhau Bagade on April 22.

Vice-President Vance will depart for Washington on April 24, concluding a visit that is expected to reinforce the growing partnership between the US and India on both regional and global fronts.
New Delhi, April 20 : The Indian Air Force's (IAF) MiG-29 and Jaguar aircraft will take to skies in the United Arab Emirates for combat exercise 'Desert Flag-10', a multinational event beginning on Monday, an official said.

A contingent of the IAF has reached Al Dhafra Air Base for the exercise to be held from April 21 to May 8, the official added.

Exercise Desert Flag, hosted by the UAE Air Force, has participating contingents from the Air Forces of Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US.

The aim of the exercise is to undertake complex and diverse fighter engagements, with exchange of operational knowledge and best practices with some of the most capable Air Forces in the world.

Participation in such exercises enhances mutual understanding interoperability, and strengthens military cooperation among the participating nations, the official said.

The IAF's participation underscores India's commitment to strengthening defence ties and interoperability with friendly nations in the region and beyond.

Earlier, in another joint military exercise, the sixth edition of India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI commenced on April 16 at Foreign Training Node, Aundh (Pune).

The exercise is scheduled to continue till April 28.

Indian contingent comprising of 60 personnel is being represented by a Battalion of JAT Regiment and the IAF.

The Uzbekistan contingent is being represented by personnel from the Uzbekistan Army.

Joint exercise DUSTLIK-VI is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Uzbekistan.

The last edition was conducted in Termez district, Uzbekistan, in April 2024.

The theme of the exercise is Joint Multi Domain Sub Conventional operations in semi-urban scenario.

It is focusing on responding to a terrorist action involving the capture of a defined territory.

It also includes the establishment of a Joint Operations Centre at the battalion level for continuous joint operations, the execution of counterterrorism missions such as population control measures, raids, search-and-destroy operations, and the employment of firepower, including air assets, to neutralise terrorists.

Special forces from the Army and Air Force, during the exercise, will secure a helipad for use as a mounting base for further operations.

The exercise will also cover the deployment of drones, counter-unmanned aerial system measures, and logistics support by the Air Force to sustain forces in hostile areas.

Additionally, helicopters will be utilised for reconnaissance and observation, special heliborne operations, small team insertion and extraction, and other associated missions.

Joint Exercise DUSTLIK-VI will enable both sides to share best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of conducting Joint Sub Conventional operations.

It will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies.

The joint exercise will also enhance defence cooperation, further augmenting bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.
Jammu, April 20 : National Conference President and former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah blamed the "division" and "hatred" between communities that led to the violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad.

Jammu, April 20 (IANS) National Conference President and former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah blamed the "division" and "hatred" between communities that led to the violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad.

"Violence only erupted as efforts were made to create division and hatred between Hindus and Muslims. Bulldozers were deployed, leading to the demolition of mosques, schools, and homes belonging to Muslims. What was their fault? Was anything proven against them? No. Despite the SC's ban on bulldozers, they (authorities) proceeded with it. Isn't the law equal for everyone?" Abdullah said, in a veiled attack on the BJP government, at a function here.

On BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's controversial remarks questioning the judiciary's role in legislative matters, the senior Abdullah said that there are four pillars which keep a democracy alive.

"Their (BJP) MP should not have made remarks against the judiciary," he said.

Earlier, Dubey said that if courts assume the task of lawmaking, the existence of Parliament becomes redundant.

On the Ramban disaster, Abdullah said that the J&K government has appealed to the Centre for help.

"The Chief Minister is visiting the areas today. We have also asked the Centre to help us mitigate this disaster," he said.

Reacting to water and electricity scarcity in Jammu, the senior Abdullah slammed the L-G Manoj Sinha.

"He (L-G) gave one power plant to Rajasthan and another to Uttar Pradesh. Why do you people in Jammu remain silent? When the Darbar Move was taken from you, you remained silent at that time, too. Where are the projects which I signed?" he said.

On former R&AW chief A.S. Dulat's remarks in his new book on the Abdullahs' role when the Narendra Modi government moved to strike down Article 370 in 2019, the former Chief Minister said he has no comments to make about him.
Chandigarh, April 20 : Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday said in the past 10 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has elevated India's standing on the global stage and given the nation a new identity.

"Under his leadership, both the country and Haryana are progressing steadily. Punjab, which has so far placed its trust in various political parties but received only disappointment, now looks to PM Modi for the state's development and prosperity," he added.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while addressing a felicitation ceremony organised in Punjab's Zirakpur town, near here, where he was honoured by representatives of various Punjab-based organisations for his leadership and governance.

In his address, the Chief Minister shared that whenever "he interacts with the youth of Punjab, he sees strong enthusiasm and a commitment to support the vision of Prime Minister Modi". "The youth and farmers of Punjab are eager to walk shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Minister and move forward towards a brighter future," he said.

Reflecting on Haryana's journey, CM Saini said that since the formation of the BJP government in the state in 2014, the people have continuously expressed their trust and support.

He recalled that when he took oath as Chief Minister on March 12, 2024, he had promised to provide 25,000 government jobs. Though the implementation was delayed due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct just 56 days later, he fulfilled his commitment by giving appointments before his swearing-in.

The Chief Minister said that under PM Modi's leadership, all government policies are focused on public welfare. "In Haryana, all crops are being procured at minimum support price (MSP), and he had advised the Chief Minister of Punjab to adopt the same model. However, the suggestion was not accepted," he said.

"When the BJP forms the government in Punjab, we will ensure procurement at MSP for farmers there too. Just like in Haryana, we will not allow the respect of Punjab's farmers to diminish," CM Saini added.
Mumbai, April 20 : Pan-India star Yash, who is known for blockbuster 'K.G.F.', is set to join the shoot of 'Ramayana Part 1' in the coming week in Mumbai. To signify an auspicious commencement to his journey with this mythological epic, Yash will first visit the revered Shree Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain to seek the divine blessings.

Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Pan-India star Yash, who is known for blockbuster aK.G.F.a, is set to join the shoot of aRamayana Part 1a in the coming week in Mumbai. To signify an auspicious commencement to his journey with this mythological epic, Yash will first visit the revered Shree Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain to seek the divine blessings.

The film also stars Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor, and actress Sai Pallavi. Yash commences every new film project with a temple visit.

This time, his visit to the temple marks a symbolic moment as Raavan, the character played by the actor in aRamayana Part 1a, was a devotee of Mahadev.

In addition to playing a pivotal role, Yash is co-producing the film under his banner, Monster Mind Creations along with Malhotaas Prime Focus Studios. As a hands-on co-producer, he has been working closely with the team on all aspects of the ambitious project and is slated to kickstart shooting his scenes from the end of April.

Producer Namit Malhotra is backing the cinematic epic, which is touted to be Indian cinemaas most ambitious mythological epic to date. The film is helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari, and boasts rich storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and a cinematic vision set to redefine the mythological genre for a global audience.

aRamayana Part 1a is all set to release on Diwali 2026, followed by aRamayana Part 2a on Diwali 2027.

Meanwhile, Yash also has aToxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-upsa in the pipeline. The makers of the film recently shared the film will arrive in cinemas on March 19, 2026.

As the first large-scale Indian project conceptualized, written, and shot in both Kannada and English, aToxic blends cultures and continents. The film will be dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and several other languages. The film is helmed by Geetu Mohandas, who is known for her emotionally resonant, award-winning cinema.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20. Turkiye temporarily suspended shipping in both directions in the Dardanelles Strait due to thick fog, Trend reports.

Ship captains were informed that the strait would be closed to transit vessels in both directions from 08:00 local time.

Shipping will resume once the fog clears.
Bengaluru, April 20 : Former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash was found murdered at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday.

The 68-year-old retired officer was discovered in a pool of blood at his home in HSR Layout in Bengaluru. Om Prakash, a 1981 batch IPS officer, served as the 38th Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka in 2015.

Sources said that the preliminary investigations suggest that the murder may have been committed by a close family member.

The police sources also stated that the murder took place against the backdrop of a family dispute.

They said that the police are currently suspecting the involvement of his wife.

Sources stated that it was Om Prakashas wife who informed the police about the incident.

Senior police officers rushed to the spot and have started the investigation. The body has been shifted to St. Johnas Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The police have seized the knife used in the crime from the residence. Om Prakash had reportedly been stabbed three times.

Om Prakash hailed from Champaran in Bihar. During his career, he served as the Commandant General of Home Guards and worked in the Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Rights Enforcement, and other departments.

He had also served in the State Vigilance Commission, Karnataka Lokayukta, and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Additionally, he held the post of Transport Commissioner and was preferred for handling communal tensions in the Bhatkal region of Karwar district.

He was involved in investigating two major terrorist attacks in Bengaluru. He played a key role in the arrest of the accused in the bomb blast near the BJP headquarters on April 17, 2013, and the Church Street bomb blast case on December 28, 2014.
New Delhi, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the country's bureaucrats on the occasion of 17th National Civil Services Day on Monday and share his mantra for innovative implementation of welfare programmes, an official said.

PM Modi will also confer the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration for effective implementation of identified Priority Programmes and Innovation to Districts and Central/state governments.

Observed on April 21 every year, National Civil Services Day is celebrated to honour the hard work and dedication of civil servants who help run the country smoothly.

On this date in 1947, Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the first batch of civil service trainees at Metcalfe House in Delhi.

To mark the occasion on Monday, the Union government is organising a day-long conference at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

PM Modi will also release e-books on holistic development and on innovations comprising of the success stories on the implementation of the identified priority programmes and innovations.

A film on the award-winning initiatives will also be screened before the presentation of awards.

This will mark the seventh occasion when Prime Minister Modi will be addressing the National Civil Services Day ceremonies.

Senior officials of the Indian government including Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries and senior officials of state governments, including Chief Secretaries, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Heads of Central Training Institutions, Resident Commissioners, officials of Central Services and District Collectors will participate in the day-long event.

The Scheme for Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration has been instituted to recognise the extraordinary and innovative work done by districts and organisations of the Central and state governments for the welfare of common citizen.

The Prime Minister's Awards consist of a trophy, scroll and an incentive of Rs 20 lakh to the awarded district/organisation to be utilised for implementation of project/programme or bridging resources gaps in any area of public welfare.

The Awards ceremony will be followed by a plenary session on "Civil Services Reforms - Challenges and Opportunities", chaired by Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan.

Four breakaway sessions on strengthening urban transportation, promoting Swasth Bharat through Ayushman Bharat PM - Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Arogya Mandir, promoting nutrition for women and children through Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 as well as Aspirational Blocks Programme will be conducted to mark the occasion.
Imphal, April 20 : Five Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, were arrested during the past 24 hours in Tripura for illegal entry into India from across the border, officials said here on Sunday.

In another incident, two Bangladeshi thieves were detained by villagers at Nandalal Das Para, in Simna Assembly constituency of West Tripura district on Sunday.

Despite the presence of the Border Security Force (BSF), villagers claim that Bangladeshi thieves continue to cut through the fencing and cross over with ease.

Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Police Force (RPF) and BSF arrested five more Bangladeshi nationals, including three women, during the past 24 hours at the Agartala Railway Station.

GRP Station In-charge Tapash Das said that they along with the RPF and BSF conducted a joint operation and arrested the Bangladeshi nationals.

They had entered the Indian territory by illegally crossing the border.

The Bangladeshi citizens confessed during questioning that they had plans to go to Kolkata from Agartala Railway Station and from there further to Bangalore or Chennai.

"Cases were registered at the Agartala GRP station against them under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Indian Passport Act, Foreigners Act and other relevant sections of the law," Das said.

Three smartphones, Indian currency notes and Bangladeshi voter ID cards were recovered from the possession of the accused Bangladeshi citizens.

One of the women during questioning said that she was assured a job at a beauty parlour in Bengaluru by a Bangladeshi human trafficker while the other two said they were promised jobs at juice bars in Chennai.

Following the directions from the Central government, vigil along the India-Bangladesh border was further tightened to prevent illegal immigration, cross-border crimes and movement by anti-national elements.

A BSF spokesman said that the para-military troops have enhanced vigil and intensified its domination along the International Border since the violence in Bangladesh began in June-July last year, specially after the fall of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
New Delhi, April 20 : Delhi BJP on Sunday urged Municipal Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to set up a 'Dangerous Buildings Department' and declare all buildings with fifth and sixth floors as dangerous, demolish these floors and take steps to stop sale and registration of such properties.

Party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor stated that statements by Aam Aadmi Party leaders regarding Saturday's building collapse in Mustafabad, in which 11 people were killed, were misleading and blamed the party for promoting illegal constructions.

According to the building department regulations of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, only three-floor constructions, including the ground are permitted in Delhi.

"However, in Muslim-majority areas across the city, the construction of fourth floors is common, and in nearly three-quarters of the buildings, fifth and sixth floors have also been added," he said.

Between 2015 and 2025, illegal constructions flourished in these Muslim-majority areas under the protection of AAP MLAs and councillors. These are areas where not even the police and the Municipal Corporation have been able to stop illegal construction, he said.

The past 10 years bear testimony to the fact that whenever the MCD attempted to take action against illegal fifth and sixth-floor constructions, AAP MLAs such as Haji Yunus, Abdul Rehman, Amanatullah Khan, Imran Hussain, Somdutt, and Shoaib Iqbal led aggressive crowds against such actions, Kapoor said.

The BJP spokesperson said there are currently thousands of dilapidated buildings in Delhi that cause fatal accidents each year.

If the MCD creates a Dangerous Buildings Department, the task of averting tragedies will become easy and pave the way for the demolition of such structures.

Earlier in the day, the AAP sought compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the 11 people killed in Mustafabad.

Delhi Mayor Mahesh Khichi and AAP spokesman Adil Ahmad Khan, addressing media persons, also sought strict action against officials guilty of laxity in checking illegal construction in the building which caved in on Saturday.

Khichi said, "I am writing a letter to the MCD Commissioner urging him to suspend the officials found guilty of allowing illegal construction."
Islamabad, April 20 : In a key verdict, the Lahore High Court has held that a woman has the right to recover her full deferred dower even after obtaining a divorce through Khula, as the dissolution of marriage due to the husband's misconduct does not impact her entitlement adversely.

In his ruling, Justice Raheel Kamran held that under Islamic law and the 'Nikahnama' (the binding marriage contract), the husband remains obligated to pay dower unless the wife seeks Khula (dissolution of marriage) without any fault on his part, but in the case concerned, the woman had furnished credible evidence of her husband's cruelty and disrespectful conduct, which prompted her to seek separation.

The concept of Khula is based on verses No 228 and 229 of the holy Quran's Surah Al-Baqarah, and its application was found in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, and subsequently, he said, the Dawn reported on Sunday.

Justice Kamran also cited a Federal Shariat Court judgement which held that where a wife obtains Khula merely on the basis of dislike for her husband, the dower received by her is returnable, but when she seeks Khula due to fault on the part of the husband and provides reasonable justification, it is not valid to require from her the return of the dower already received by her.

In such an eventuality, it is for the court to determine the amount the wife should return, keeping in view facts and circumstances of the case.

Stressing the Nikahnama is a valid and binding contract between wife and husband, and deferred dower is a contractual obligation undertaken by the husband, the judge said that unless there were valid legal grounds to deviate from the terms of this contract, the husband is bound to fulfill his obligation.

"The mere fact that the wife sought Khula does not automatically nullify this contractual obligation," he maintained.

The judge reiterated that in order to determine the entitlement of a wife seeking Khula to the claim of deferred dower, the key consideration is the reason for her seeking Khula.

Where a wife seeks Khula on the ground that she dislikes her husband, without any fault on the part of the husband, she loses her right to deferred dower in the same way as in the case of prompt dower, he maintained.

Conversely, if the husband's conduct compels the wife to seek dissolution, she retains her entitlement to the deferred dower, the judge added.

The judge noted that in this case, since the marriage lasted nine years and the wife fulfilled her marital obligations, denying her the deferred dower would be unjust. He distinguished the case from earlier judgments cited by the petitioner's counsel, where cruelty by the husband was not proven.
New Delhi, April 20 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a second supplementary charge sheet in the high-profile Neemrana hotel firing case, which is connected to Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla.

The latest development sees three more individuals - Dharmendra Singh, Gaurav, and Deepak - formally being charged under sections 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Filed before the NIA Special Court in Jaipur on Saturday, this charge sheet brings the total number of individuals charge sheeted by the agency in the case to six.

The case revolves around a criminal conspiracy involving Arsh Dalla and his associates, aimed at spreading terror and orchestrating violent attacks in India.

Last month, the NIA had charge sheeted three other accused: Sachin alias Praveen alias Dholia, Yogesh alias Monu, and Vijay alias Kale. These individuals were allegedly involved in executing Dallaas plans on Indian soil, including carrying out the shooting at a hotel in Neemrana, Rajasthan.

Initially investigated by the Rajasthan Police, the case led to the arrest of eight accused and the filing of a chargesheet against seven individuals. Due to its transnational terror links and the potential threat to national security, the case was later handed over to the NIA for further investigation.

The Neemrana hotel firing incident is believed to be part of a broader conspiracy orchestrated by Arsh Dalla from abroad, involving local operatives recruited and directed for targeted violence.

The NIAas probe has uncovered evidence pointing to Dallaas extensive network and his attempts to revive and strengthen Khalistani terror activities through such attacks.

The agency has confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with further arrests and charge sheets likely as it continues to unravel the full extent of the conspiracy.

Authorities remain focused on dismantling the operational and financial infrastructure behind these planned acts of terrorism.
Bhopal, April 20 : The police have filed a case against Dr Rajesh Mishra and another individual for allegedly assaulting and dragging a 77-year-old man at Chhatarpur District Hospital.

The elderly man was reportedly in the patients' queue to seek treatment for his wife's medical condition.

Chhatarpur Superintendent of Police, Agam Jain, confirmed that the case has been registered under Sections 115(2), 296 (3) (5), and 351 (3) of the Indian Penal Code (now Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita). The matter is currently under investigation at the Kotwali Police Station in the district.

Jain stated that the action was initiated after a video surfaced on various media platforms, showing the doctor assaulting and dragging the elderly man within the hospital premises. If punished, the doctor and the other offender will stay in jail for a very long time.

District Collector Parth Jaiswal has recommended strict disciplinary action against Dr Rajesh Mishra, an orthopaedic specialist and a contractual employee under the National Health Mission. Jaiswal had previously issued a notice to Civil Surgeon Dr G.L. Ahirwar to investigate the incident, but he reportedly showed "no interest" in addressing the matter. Consequently, the collector issued a show-cause notice, demanding an explanation from Dr Ahirwar.

In his notice, Jaiswal stated that the viral video serves as evidence of Dr Mishra's misconduct, including beating and dragging Uddhavlal Joshi out of the hospital on April 17, 2025. He emphasised the need for stern disciplinary action.

Additionally, Mission Director Dr Saloni Sidana issued a notice to Dr Mishra, demanding a response within 24 hours, warning of termination for grave misconduct.

The video, which captured the shocking incident, has sparked widespread outrage.

Reports suggest that the altercation began when the elderly man questioned the doctor about his delayed arrival on duty. The footage shows the doctor hitting the man and dragging him to the hospital's police post.

A senior police official earlier confirmed to IANS that an investigation is ongoing, with plans to interrogate the doctor and file a formal FIR.

Uddhavlal Joshi, who was seeking treatment for his wife's stomach nerve issue, alleged that the doctor slapped him near his ear, manhandled him, and forcibly dragged him to the hospital's police post after an argument.

Congress leader Jitu Patwari shared the video on social media, accusing the hospital staff of brutality and demanding accountability from the state government.
Agartala, April 20 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Sunday that frequent elections throughout the year hinder development work, waste financial resources, and disrupt normal life.

The Chief Minister, while addressing a discussion on 'One Nation, One Election (ONOE), organised by the BJP Tripura Pradesh Legal Cell, emphasised that if 'One Nation, One Election' is implemented, then voters can exercise their democratic rights properly.

"To make the democratic process more citizen-friendly and development-oriented, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the ONOE Bill in Parliament," said Saha, also former Tripura state BJP President.

Saying that PM Modi is taking one decision after another and he fulfils it, the Chief Minister told the gathering that in the case of Triple Talaq, people witnessed many "crocodile tears" criticising it, but PM Modi scrapped it.

"Many said it would create riots, but nothing happened. We have only one himmatwala and a true leader - Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since independence, we have had two true leaders -- Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now PM Modi," he said.

Saha said that many have spoken about Waqf. "But what have they done? They can occupy any land whenever they want illegally. They occupy government lands too, claiming it as Waqf land, which we were not aware of," he said.

He added that some people are trying to create issues, but the Waqf Act is the need of the hour.

"Three criminal laws were also enacted, and now anyone can go to any police station and file an FIR. The ONOE is implemented in many countries, and can be implemented in India too," he said.

The Chief Minister further said that a huge amount of money and time is spent during different elections.

"If ONOE is implemented, then voters can implement their rights properly. Even during normal elections, development work is hampered, along with education, as maximum manpower is taken from the education department. We must support it," he added.

BJP State President and Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharya, BJP's state assembly Chief Whip Kalyani Roy, state party Vice-President Subal Bhowmik and Social activist Ashok Sinha were present on the occasion.
Moscow, April 20 : The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that it repelled Ukrainian attacks overnight amid a unilateral Easter truce declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Ukraine accused Russia of violating the ceasefire.

The Ministry said Russian troops "remained at previously occupied lines and positions" while Ukrainian troops "attempted to attack the positions of Russian troops" in the Donetsk region overnight, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry was referring to the villages of Sukha Balka and Bagatyr in the Russian-held part of the eastern Donetsk region.

Moscow said Ukraine also attacked the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod border regions of Russia, saying that "as a result there are dead and wounded civilians".

It added that Ukrainian forces had fired at Russian positions 444 times and counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that 26 Russian assault actions have taken place from 12 a.m. on Saturday) to noon, accusing Russia of violating its self-declared ceasefire.

Putin said the truce starts from 6 p.m. local time on Saturday and lasts until midnight on Sunday into Monday.

When announcing the truce on Saturday, Putin told troops to respond militarily to any violation of the truce.

Zelensky said Ukraine would comply with the truce but that troops would also respond "symmetrically" to any attacks.

On Sunday, Zelensky said Russian attacks were ongoing.

The Russian Defence Ministry accused Ukraine of launching "48 drones including one in Crimea", annexed by Russia in 2014.

Ukrainian units "444 times shelled... the positions of our troops and carried out 900 strikes with drones", the Ministry added.

In a post on X, President Zelensky said on April 20 that Ukraine is "documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners".

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage," the Ukrainian President added.
Gaza, April 20 : At least 29 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday, according to the Civil Defence in Gaza.

In central Gaza, 10 people were killed and some others wounded by an Israeli airstrike on a residential house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defence, told Xinhua.

In southern Gaza, a Palestinian woman was killed and four others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis city, and four others were killed in another two separate Israeli attacks on the city, Basal said.

One Palestinian was killed in an Israeli artillery strike northwest of Rafah city, and five others were killed in another Israeli airstrike in the city, where medical and Civil Defence teams have little access to, he added.

Besides, eight people were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on two gatherings of Palestinians in the al-Tuffah and al-Zaytoun neighbourhoods in the south and east of Gaza City and the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, Basal said.

Meanwhile, local sources reported that Israeli artillery shelled Gaza's eastern outskirts, amid gunfire from vehicles, drones, and helicopters, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents yet.

Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.

The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,827 Palestinians and injured 4,828 others, Gaza health authorities said on Sunday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 51,201, with 116,869 injured.

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing 855 people, injuring nearly 1,900 and shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas that took hold in January.

The UN estimated that around 124,000 Palestinians have been displaced again since Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza.
In the hottest months of 2024  a year in which Mexico (and the world) reached record-high temperatures  Yanine Quiroz began to experience fatigue and anxiety. This prevented her from working during the day. I was very afraid to see the water shortage and how all my family and friends were suffering, the 33-year-old journalist sighs. Shes from Ecatepec, one of the municipalities most affected by the drought in the State of Mexico (Edomex), made up of the areas surrounding the capital. Last year, there were fears that day zero had arrived, when drinking water reserves would run out.

Yanine Quiroz at her home in the State of Mexico, on March 26, 2025. Ginnette Riquelme

Various studies have confirmed that prolonged exposure to heat affects physical and mental health, increasing the risks of exhaustion, heatstroke, mood disorders, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. In Quirozs case, climate-related worries were compounded by an already-acute bout of anxiety. She began experiencing panic attacks, leading her to request sick leave from her job. Subsequently, she sought professional help. Thanks to this, shes now able to speak more openly about her mental health.

Quiroz believes that she was suffering from what has been termed eco-anxiety, or a state of agitation, restlessness, or anxiety in the face of the climate crisis. This concept  popularized by the American Psychological Association (APA) in its 2017 report, Mental Health and Our Changing Climate  refers to the distress and emotional discomfort a person experiences due to concern about the state of the environment and climate disasters. Its a feeling that primarily affects younger generations and those working on environmental issues. According to the Center for Climate and Resilience Research, more than half of young people between the ages of 16 and 25 experience negative emotions such as anxiety or helplessness in the face of climate change.

With more powerful and frequent disasters  as well as more erratic weather threatening communities with droughts, floods and heat waves  its urgent that healthcare professionals understand the impact of climate change on mental health. This is according to Dr. Ana Laura Torlaschi, an advisor to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for projects on health and climate change. You may have in-depth knowledge about diseases, but if you dont recognize that a person is exposed to environmental factors that affect them, you wont be able to offer appropriate help, she points out.

Mental health in climate disasters

People who experience a natural disaster firsthand are at risk of acute impacts on their mental health. This was the case for 35-year-old Diana Ruiz and her mother, who were unprepared for the arrival of Hurricane Otis in 2023. The worst storm to hit the Mexican Pacific in more than three decades, it devastated the resort city of Acapulco.

Aerial view of the hotel zone in Punta Diamante, in the port of Acapulco, affected by Hurricane Otis, in the state of Guerrero. Monica Gonzalez Islas

Otis took only 12 hours to go from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest possible. This was something unprecedented. Faced with the rapid strengthening of the cyclone, mother and daughter were unable to evacuate and had no choice but to lock themselves in the bathroom of their Acapulco home with their cat, waiting for it to pass. It was a shock. We were scared. We tried to sleep, but there was a very strange wind noise, Ruiz recalls. In the morning, they were able to assess the damage: doors, sheet metal and pieces of the stove and roof were lying on the floor. The store where they sold accessories and clothing was also damaged. In the following weeks, the challenge was to find food and prevent burglars from entering their home. My mom endured a lot of pain. We didnt cry, the daughter notes. A while later, [we started to think about] everything that happened.

After the hurricane, psychologists from Doctors Without Borders and the state of Guerrero went to attend to the mental health of people in Acapulco and Coyuca de Benitez, two of the hardest-hit municipalities. We arrived during whats considered to be the immediate post-disaster phase, explains Berzaida Lopez, the organizations mental health intervention manager. She notes that, during this stage, a sense of disbelief prevails. Those affected feel as if theyre living a nightmare.

Stress is very high in those first few days. People talk about having difficulty sleeping, being startled, or being on constant alert, Lopez lists. If a strong wind came and made noises associated with the hurricane, people would relive the trauma, she adds. These flashbacks  the reliving of the hurricane  are signs of acute stress.

The importance given to mental health and the fact that there are professionals who care for people after natural disasters is relatively new. In 2011, after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 18,000 people and left survivors with acute mental health problems, the UNs Sendai Framework for Risk Reduction was created. This recommends improving recovery plans and offering psychosocial support to those affected. Emerging evidence, especially in Latin America, shows that these events can cause depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and suicidal behavior, underscoring the frameworks importance.

More than two years after Hurricane Otis, mental health is still a challenge for Diana and her mother. The daughter is suffering from the dengue fever that she was diagnosed with after Otis, an illness that skyrocketed after the disaster. The disease also inflicted a blow to the local economy and led Diana to move to Mexico City.

Caimans rest on the banks of the nearly dry Bento Gomes River in Brazil's Pantanal in November 2023. Andre Penner (AP)

Beyond the disaster: The pain of losing the landscape

Eco-anxiety also affected Regeane Oliveira Suares, a young Terena woman who left her Indigenous community more than six years ago to study medicine at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS) in Campo Grande, southern Brazil. Since then, her mental health has been affected by uprooting and the gradual loss of her territory.

I left a small town where everyone knew each other and the routine was different. When I started living in the city, my mental health suffered greatly. I began to develop depression and anxiety, she recalls. In her village, everything gave her a sense of freedom. She could walk or ride a bike safely. But if leaving her community was a challenge, so was returning and seeing that the land and landscape had changed. I noticed drastic changes in the crops; the lack of rain impoverished the soil, while the harsh sun wiped out most of what was grown to eat or sell. The river became increasingly dry and often even diverted, creating a landscape she describes as sad.

Added to Oliveiras uprooting was what philosopher Glenn Albrecht described as solastalgia in 2005. This is the pain experienced when one recognizes that the place where one lives and loves is under attack. Its a kind of mourning for the loss of a familiar place. I think my children might not see what I was a part of, where I grew up. This depresses me even more because, little by little, I saw that place crumbling before our eyes, Oliveira sighs.

In 2021, Oliveira participated in a UEMS School of Medicine research project led by Professor Antonio Grande, to explore the actions needed to improve Indigenous mental health in relation to climate change. These communities are losing their perspective on life [and a sense] of hope. So, for them, everything that happens has a deeper meaning, Grande tells EL PAIS in a video call. At this point, everything has to do with climate change. The lands have been devastated and [the people] can no longer communicate with nature. Some even say they can no longer hear it.

The research proposes preserving Indigenous territory, respecting their ways of life and breaking the taboo surrounding mental illness that exists in these communities. Its a political thing, which begins with not destroying their lands, the researcher comments. The project that Grande leads is one of the few studies on mental health and climate change conducted in Latin America. It provides clues about the transformation that the region needs to begin addressing, given that the issue has, historically, been stigmatized.

Oliveira, for her part, shares her insights as an Indigenous person about to graduate as a doctor. Medical schools need to work on this relationship. Governments must guarantee the right to ancestral land and financial assistance. And schools must offer education about our origins, our rights and our values as human beings in society, she emphasizes.

Action: A path toward mental health

As adverse climate events increase, more people will feel their mental health affected. Psychiatrist Nora Leal Marchena who, back in 2023, pushed for the creation of the Environmental and Urban Mental Health Chapter within the Argentine Association of Psychiatrists, affirms the importance of taking concrete actions to manage these emotions. When you begin to work on an issue, actions drive positive responses that help mitigate the concern.

The magnitude of the problem on a global scale can lead to the apocalyptic its already too late mental picture. But at least, on a mental level, taking action is healing. Marchena sees that this is especially the case with children and adolescents. She specializes in the mental health of young people and feels that their future is being denied. We must encourage them to take action, because otherwise, you generate powerlessness.

Dr. Alice Poma, who researches emotions and social movements at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), corroborates this. One of the research findings is that activism is almost therapeutic when it comes to climate emotions, the social scientist explains. Finding hope in collective action  in creating spaces for discussion  allows us to think about a different future. The affection or emotional bonds formed through collaboration help us not be so afraid of the dystopian future we imagine, she concludes.

Panoramic view of the outskirts of Mexico City. Emiliano Molina

Thats why people like Yanine Quiroz are seeking strategies to cope with the emotional impact of extreme weather. I have some ideas in mind for short-term responses to future situations that could trigger eco-anxiety again, she notes. Her strategies range from individual solutions such as air-conditioning her living space to collective actions, such as participating in reforestation projects via NGOs. But fear definitely emerges every time the heat becomes more intense.

Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani

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Beirut/Jerusalem, April 20 : A Hezbollah member was killed and another injured on Sunday when an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in the southern Lebanese municipality of Kaoutariyet Al Siyad, according to Lebanese sources.

"The drone targeted a car on the eastern road of Kaoutariyet Al Siyad. Ambulances rushed to the scene amid heavy flights of Israeli warplanes and drones over the area," Lebanon's official National News Agency reported.

The Lebanese Health Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Centre confirmed one death and one injury, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source revealed to Xinhua that the deceased was Hussein Nasr, a Hezbollah member from the town of Harouf, adding that another person was "seriously wounded".

The Israeli military later claimed responsibility, identifying Nasr as the deputy head of Hezbollah's Unit 4400, which it described as managing weapons smuggling operations.

According to the Israeli side, Nasr coordinated with Iranian operatives and airport personnel to transfer weapons and funds through Beirut International Airport, oversaw procurement along the Syria-Lebanon border, and played a key role in Hezbollah's military build-up.

Separately, the Lebanese army announced it had seized "several rockets and their designated launch platforms" after raiding an apartment in the Saida-Zahrani area of southern Lebanon following intelligence about an imminent rocket launch toward Israel. Several suspects were arrested in the operation.

Despite a ceasefire agreement in effect since November 27, 2024, Israeli forces have conducted intermittent strikes inside Lebanon, claiming they target Hezbollah "threats".

Some strikes have resulted in casualties, according to Lebanese officials.

Israel has also maintained a presence on five hilltops along the Lebanese border despite ceasefire provisions requiring withdrawal.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated on Sunday that "the Lebanese Armed Forces must become the sole authority responsible for carrying weapons and defending Lebanon's sovereignty and independence".

However, he acknowledged that while the decision to implement weapons restrictions had been made, it was necessary to "wait for the appropriate circumstances, which will determine how it is carried out".

"Any internal dispute in Lebanon must be addressed through dialogue, communication, and a reconciliatory -- not confrontational -- approach," Aoun added.

His remarks came a day after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected calls for the group to disarm, calling such efforts a "delusion" that would serve Israeli interests.

Hezbollah's military autonomy has long divided Lebanese politics.
Ahmedabad, April 20 : Ahmedabad Police have arrested five persons accused of illegally posing as trustees and collecting crores of rupees in rent from properties belonging to the Kanch Ni Masjid (Glass Mosque) and Shah Bada Kasam Trust in the Jamalpur area.

The accused -- identified as Salim Khan Pathan, Mohammad Yasar Sheikh, Mehmud Khan Pathan, Faiz Mohammad Jobdar and Shahid Ahmed Sheikh -- were allegedly collecting rent from tenants and shopkeepers despite having no official appointment from the Gujarat Waqf Board.

Authorities revealed that the accused collected rent from approximately 15 residential properties and up to 200 houses, including two illegally constructed six-story buildings. They also allegedly controlled 25 to 30 shops on trust land, charging tenants between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per house and Rs 10,000 per shop.

The cumulative value of the properties under fraudulent control is estimated at Rs 100 crore. In addition, the accused are suspected of siphoning off around Rs 50,000 per month from the Shah Bada Kasim Trustas donation box. Police said that Salim Khan, who has prior criminal cases including murder and rioting, submitted a forged affidavit to the Waqf Board in July 2024, falsely claiming to be a trustee.

A complaint lodged at the Gaekwad Haveli Police Station led to the unearthing of the scam, which police believe has been operating for nearly two decades.

According to investigators, the Waqf Board had allotted land to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for the construction of an Urdu school. The building was damaged in the 2001 earthquake and was later demolished in 2009. Instead of reconstructing the school, the accused allegedly built around 10 shops on the land, one of which was used as an office for aSodagar Constructiona run by prime accused Salim Khan. The remaining shops were rented out, with none of the income routed to the trust or AMC.

Zone 3 in-charge DCP Bharat Rathod confirmed the arrests and said further investigations are underway to trace the full extent of the misappropriation and identify other potential collaborators in the scam.
Ahmedabad, April 20 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Sunday that community weddings promote unity in society.

"Community weddings promote unity within society. Such weddings also provide financial relief to families," said the Chief Minister while attending a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Rabari community in Ahmedabad.

The Chief Minister also presented gifts to the brides as part of the 'Kanyadaan' (a traditional wedding ritual of gifting the bride).

The mass wedding, organised by the family of Jayrambhai Motibhai Desai of the Surpura Rabari community, saw a total of 16 couples tying the knot.

The event was attended by Mahant Jayramgiri Bapu of Valinath Dham, Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibhaben Jain, Rajya Sabha MP Babubhai Desai, MP Mayank Nayak, MLAs Harshad Patel, Jitubhai Patel, Mavjibhai Desai, Deputy Mayor Jatin Patel, and Standing Committee Chairman Devang Dani.

Several saints, community leaders, and a large gathering of people from the Rabari community also attended the ceremony.

The Rabari community is a prominent pastoral and nomadic group primarily of Gujarat, with significant populations in districts such as Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, and parts of Saurashtra.

Traditionally known as cattle herders and camel breeders, the Rabaris have a deep-rooted cultural and spiritual connection with the land and livestock economy.

While exact population figures vary, estimates suggest that the Rabari community in Gujarat numbers in the lakhs, making them a substantial social group, particularly in rural areas.

They are classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in Gujarat, giving them access to affirmative action benefits in education and employment.

Socially active and cohesive, the community often organises mass weddings, spiritual gatherings, and cultural events to foster unity and support among members.

Their traditional councils (panchs) continue to play an advisory role in resolving internal matters and upholding community values.

Politically, the Rabaris hold influence in certain regions, especially in North Gujarat, where their population is more concentrated.
Wolverhampton, April 20 : Pablo Sarabia's sublime free-kick fired Wolves to a historic 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, securing a fifth consecutive top-flight victory for the first time since 1970 and completing a league double over United for the first time in 44 years.

Wolverhampton, April 20 (IANS) Pablo Sarabiaas sublime free-kick fired Wolves to a historic 1a"0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, securing a fifth consecutive top-flight victory for the first time since 1970 and completing a league double over United for the first time in 44 years.

In a match short on clear chances, Sarabiaas moment of magic broke the deadlock with 13 minutes remaining. The Spaniard, who had impressed off the bench against Ipswich earlier this month, once again proved decisive after being introduced in the second half. When Matheus Cunha was dragged down by Christian Eriksen just outside the box, Sarabia stepped up and curled a picture-perfect free-kick over the wall and into the top corner beyond a helpless Andre Onana.

It capped off a resilient and disciplined display by Vitor Pereiraas side, who continued to defy the odds in their battle against relegation. The win lifts Wolves to 15th in the Premier League table and adds to a growing sense of belief and momentum under the new manager.

The first half was largely uneventful, with both sides struggling to create meaningful chances. Wolvesa only attempt came from Nelson Semedo, whose wild effort flew into the Stretford End. United, meanwhile, came closest through a well-struck Eriksen free-kick, which stand-in keeper Dan Bentley dealt with confidently after replacing the injured Jose Sa moments before kickoff.

The introduction of Bruno Fernandes in the second half did give United a spark, and he came close twice, while Alejandro Garnacho remained a persistent threat on the flanks. However, Unitedas profligacy in front of goal continued, with Fernandes and Mason Mount both squandering late chances.

Wolves could have doubled their lead late on, but Rodrigo Gomes failed to find Sarabia after a brilliant Cunha pass.
Brasilia, April 20 : India's Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Sunday, highlighted the need for global food security, empowerment of small farmers, and technological cooperation in advancing the partnership among BRICS countries at the conference held in Brazil.

The Union Minister also stressed on the scope for promoting production and export of soya from India.

He said that India was keen to enable its farmers to gain access to global technologies.

Leading the Indian delegation at the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' meeting, Minister Chouhan held bilateral meetings with his counterpart from Brazil to strengthen agricultural trade, technology and innovation between India and Brazil.

The Union Minister said that India is fully committed to inclusive, equitable and sustainable agriculture.

Echoing the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", he added that India always follows the message of trust and cooperation with all countries.

He called for enhanced cooperation in agricultural technology, innovation, capacity building and trade facilitation so that farmers and agricultural enterprises of various countries can benefit.

Minister Chouhan's visit to Brazil is a concrete initiative towards technological innovation, production increase and global partnership for Indian agriculture, which can yield direct benefits to the farmers.

The 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, held in Brasilia, was attended by Agriculture Ministers and senior officials from India, host Brazil and BRICS member countries including Russia, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran.

The main theme of the meeting was "promoting inclusive and sustainable agriculture through cooperation, innovation and equitable trade among BRICS countries".

Minister Chouhan's visit is expected to give a new direction to agricultural cooperation between India and Brazil, which will boost agricultural trade between the two countries.

The Union Minister expressed his desire to share knowledge with Brazil on climate-friendly soyabean varieties, mechanisation, precision farming and sustainable agricultural practices.

He also expressed his desire to learn from Brazil's agricultural model, mechanisation, irrigation and research and implement it in Indian agriculture so that maximum benefits can be transferred to the farmers.

Cooperation in the areas of biofuel, bioenergy, supply chain integration and agricultural machinery was discussed during the meetings which would enable Indian farmers to get access to global technology.

Joint efforts of the two countries will also strengthen global food security as Brazil has achieved tremendous growth in agricultural exports in the last 50 years, an inspiration for India as well, according to an official statement issued after the meeting.

During these meetings, the issues of enhancing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, agro-technology, rural development and food security were discussed.

Minister Chouhan also visited a soyabean production plant, tomato farm and other institutes in Brazil and closely observed the latest technologies related to mechanisation, irrigation and food processing.

At present, India imports soyabean oil, but now both the countries are jointly exploring the possibilities of investing and setting up technology and plants for soyabean production and processing. This can boost soyabean production and export in India

Minister Chouhan said that there is a plan to work together with Brazil to increase soybean production and processing in India.

Besides, possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in mechanisation and seed research will also be explored, he added.
Gurugram, April 20 : Telugu Panthers, Marathi Vultures and Bhojpuri Leopards registered wins on Sunday in the ongoing Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) here at the Gurugram University. After the high voltage opening matches of women's games, the men took the field on Sunday delivering mouth watering clashes.

The Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) had commenced with menas matches on Friday with the women's game beginning on Saturday. The League will run for 13 days with the final schedule for April 30 here at the Multipurpose hall of the Gurugram University.

The crowd was buzzing with excitement as girls turned up in large numbers for the menas matches, bringing extra energy to the arena. Their loud cheers and constant support added to the electric atmosphere, showing how the Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) is winning hearts across all age groups and genders

In the first match on Sunday, Telugu Panthers edged past Tamil Lions 33-27 in a thrilling encounter. With 16 raid points and a solid 13 tackle points, the Panthers held their ground. Despite Tamil Lions' strong raiding with 18 points, their lack of all-out points proved costly. Teluguas all-round performance sealed a well-earned win.

In the second game, Marathi Vultures outplayed Punjabi Tigers 55-44 in a high-octane clash. With 30 raid points, 20 tackle points, and four all-outs, the Vultures showcased a complete performance. Despite Punjabi Tigers matching in raids, their defense faltered. Marathias strong tackling and three super tackles proved crucial in sealing the emphatic win.

In the third match of the day, Bhojpuri Leopards defeated Haryanvi Sharks 39-30 in a high-intensity clash. With 20 raid points, 13 tackle points, and 4 crucial all-out points, the Leopards displayed dominance. Despite a strong resistance from Haryanvi Sharks, Bhojpurias all-round effort ensured a comprehensive win.

The action now shifts to the womenas category with three thrilling fixtures lined up on Monday. Haryanvi Eagles will face Bhojpuri Leopardess, followed by Marathi Falcons locking horns with Tamil Lioness. The final match of the day will see Telugu Cheetahs go up against Punjabi Tigress.

The league stage will run until April 27, followed by the menas semi-finals on April 28, and the womenas semi-finals on April 29. The grand finale for both men and women will be held on April 30.
Kolkata, April 20 : The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Vijaya K Rahatkar, said on Sunday that she requested the West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to ensure the safety of women and children in the Murshidabad district, which was hit by violence last week over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

"I have updated the Governor about the condition of the women and children. The situation is alarming in Murshidabad. I have appealed to the Governor to ensure the safety and security of children there," Rahatkar said after a meeting with the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Sunday evening.

An NCW delegation led by Rahatkar had been visiting the troubled pockets in the Murshidabad district for the last two days. The delegation members also visited a relief camp in Murshidabad-adjacent Malda district, where the people displaced due to the communal violence at Murshidabad are currently housed.

Earlier in the day, while speaking to the media persons, Rahatkar claimed that the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel came as saviours for the women of Murshidabad district after personnel of the central armed police personnel were deployed on the night of April 12.

Rahatkar also clarified that this credit to BSF was given by the women in the affected pockets in Murshidabad district, with whom an NCW delegation interacted during the last couple of days.

Rahatkar also said that the NCW delegation will give a detailed report to the Union government based on their findings.

On Saturday, while the NCW delegation members visited the different troubled pockets in Murshidabad, the demand for the women in the areas was for permanent BSF camps in the area.

The NCW delegation members also assured them of taking up the matter with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Guwahati, April 20 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Congress, citing several instances when the opposition party criticised the judiciary system.

The CM also reiterated the BJP's commitment to uphold the dignity of the judiciary after the party distanced itself from Nishikant Dubey's controversial statement.

Taking to X, Sarma wrote, "The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has consistently upheld the independence and dignity of the judiciary as a cornerstone of India's democracy. Recently, Hon'ble BJP President Shri JP Nadda ji reaffirmed this commitment by distancing the party from remarks made by Hon'ble MP Shri Nishikant Dubey ji concerning the Supreme Court. Adarniya Nadda Ji emphasised that these were personal opinions and not reflective of the party's stance, reiterating the BJP's deep respect for judicial institutions."

He also mentioned, "While the BJP maintains this principled position, it is pertinent to examine the Congress Party's historical interactions with the judiciary. The Congress has, on multiple occasions, publicly criticised esteemed members of the judiciary: - Justice Dipak Misra: Faced an unprecedented impeachment motion initiated by Congress and other opposition parties, alleging misconduct without substantial evidence. - Justice Ranjan Gogoi: Subjected to severe criticism following landmark judgments, including the Ayodhya verdict. - Justice Arun Mishra: Targeted for his judicial decisions and alleged proximity to the executive, despite his adherence to constitutional duties. -Justice D.Y. Chandrachud: Faced undue scrutiny over his interpretations in significant cases, reflecting a pattern of disapproval when verdicts didn't align with certain political expectations. - Justice S. Abdul Nazeer: Criticised by the Congress for his appointment as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh shortly after retirement, alleging it threatened judicial independence, despite similar appointments in the past."

Sarma argued that the pattern suggests a tendency within the Congress Party to challenge the judiciary's credibility when decisions are unfavourable to their political narrative. Such selective criticism not only undermines the sanctity of judicial processes but also sets a concerning precedent for democratic discourse.

"It's imperative for all political entities to approach judicial pronouncements with consistency and integrity. Respecting the judiciary shouldn't be contingent upon the favourability of its decisions. Selective approbation erodes public trust and the foundational principles of our democracy. In conclusion, while the BJP continues to honour the judiciary's role impartially, it's crucial for opposition parties to reflect on their approach, ensuring that critiques are rooted in principle rather than expediency," he added.
Muzaffarpur : , April 20 (IANS) A man in Bihar's Muzaffarpur has expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing a transformational change in the life of his family after receiving a gas cylinder under the Central government's flagship scheme --Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

Muzaffarpur (Bihar), April 20 (IANS) A man in Bihar's Muzaffarpur has expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing a transformational change in the life of his family after receiving a gas cylinder under the Central government's flagship scheme --Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

Launched for countless economically poor families, the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has proved to be a boon for the family of Kishore Razak.

Due to the gas cylinder received under this welfare scheme, earlier Razak's family used to burn wood to cook food which released smoke for which he has expressed his gratitude to PM Modi.

Budhni Devi, Kishore Razak's mother, who lives in Balkhana locality of Muzaffarpur, finally received a gas cylinder and a stove under the Ujjwala scheme, which has brought back prosperity to her family.

Earlier, Budhni Devi used to cook food by burning firewood. However, after Ujjwala scheme was launched by PM Modi nearly nine years ago, her family availed of its benefits to get rid of the smoke-filled chulhas.

Kishore Razak told IANS: "Earlier food was cooked on a stove made up of wood in their house, which used to take a lot of time. But, later my mother availed the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and she did not have to spend a single rupee to avail this welfare scheme."

He also added: "Under the Ujjwala scheme, my family received a gas cylinder and a stove, with the help of which food started getting cooked on time. Earlier, when my family used to cook food on a wooden stove, our house used to get filled with smoke and we also had to face the problem of irritation in eyes. There was also a fear of fire breaking out in our house anytime.

Razak said: "I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, because of whom poor families like us were able to receive the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana."

"I want Narendra Modi to remain the Prime Minister of the country so that poor families can avail the benefit of such welfare schemes launched by the Central government across the country," he added.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1, 2016, to distribute 50 million LPG connections to women of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. A budgetary allocation of Rs 80 billion was made for the scheme. The scheme was replaced by the Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 in 2021. Although the scheme has expanded access to clean cooking technologies, the use of polluting fuels remains common, particularly in rural India.
Jazmin Defrancesco often has her nails sculpted so she can better pluck mussels from the seabed. Neat and colorful, the painted sheets help protect her hands from the sharp edges of shells that refuse to be removed. At Larralde Beach, in Chubut province in the Atlantic Patagonia, she sets out daily, like other fishermen, at high tide, and returns when the days harvest is exhausted. Meters underwater, she will fill crates that her father Eduardo, on deck, tirelessly raises and rearranges. Like her cousin Anahi, Defrancesco, 30, is one of the few female divers among the shellfish collectors of the San Jorge Gulf. Its not easy, the two cousins agree. But its a lifestyle theyre committed to.

Women have always been there, says Paula Ibarrola, a Patagonian researcher who has focused on them in a world where men have traditionally dominated. The sociologist explains that, in the past, it was common to see them caring for children or in other stages of production, such as preparing nets or cleaning the harvested product. But today, they also venture into the sea.

Although studies on the presence of female fishers emerged toward the end of the 20th century, this is a male-dominated world, and statistics are difficult to access, as these tend to unify fishing with agriculture and livestock. According to the FAO 2024 report, women represent 24% of the total global fishing workforce. Furthermore, the World Bank records that women represent approximately 50% of the workforce in the fishing sector, but in maritime activity, this figure drops to just 2%. In Argentina, the overall wage gap between men and women is 25%.

Theres one sector in particular where women have been most active: shellfish harvesting. There, they work side by side, says Ibarrola. This is the case with Anahi Defrancesco. Diving for shellfish at Larralde Beach, on the Valdes Peninsula, might sound like something out of a movie: going out in a boat, dodging the waves, using the hookah that allows air to flow underwater, and, while harvesting mussels or scallops, coming across a dolphin or a whale. The harshness of the trade comes from the winters of southern Argentina.

I always say Im privileged to be where I am and to do what I do, but I say that when I dive for two hours and the day is crystal clear, gorgeous, and beautiful, she says. When I dive for six hours and the day is horrible, theres a strong current, and Im freezing to death. I tend to say: This isnt so much for the privileged.

Larralde beach, on the Valdes Peninsula, Argentina, August 15, 2023. Sofia Lopez Manan

From the age of 15, Defrancesco, now 36, turned her passion for the sea into a job. She particularly remembers the day her brothers, Gaston and Matias, were diving and teaching her the techniques for picking scallops and mussels, how to do it faster, and how to perform better. Its pretty epic that they passed on that wisdom to me, which also took up their time, instead of leaving me to tough it out on my own, she says. Despite their good rapport, she acknowledges that theres a lot of sexism at sea and that, sometimes, colleagues can feel overshadowed by the performance of women.

Paola Signorelli also learned how to catch octopus from her family: how to use the hook, how to look for the right light, and how to know where to find it. The 42-year-old lives in Puerto Madryn and gets up early to scour the coasts in search of large octopuses. Further north, in the San Matias Gulf, near the idyllic beaches of Las Grutas and San Antonio Oeste, other octopus collectors also perform the same task. Her mother came from there, spending her nights on the beach to enjoy the first rays of the sun in search of sustenance, and she taught her what she knows today. Signorellis story resonates in Vigo, Spain. In Galicia, they highlight the origins of this task, which became a southern tradition, and the strong role the activity played long before among the Indigenous communities of South America. This is how the migrant past and the Indigenous identity of the women of the fishing industry merge.

Further south, in the town of Camarones, another woman is making her mark: Carola Puracchio. Born and raised by the sea, where she collects seaweed, this chef recreates the spirit of marine cuisine. As a child, she accompanied her grandfather to collect what the current brought. Today, she has fused her passions into A-MAR, a culinary project that puts seaweed at the center of the menu. They are a super-nutritious food, loaded with vitamins, proteins, and nutrients, with numerous benefits, she explains. There is a great variety in our sea, and many of them are suitable for human consumption. Among her dishes, she mentions the pickled wakame, an invasive seaweed that displaced the native macrosistis. The beauty of having the sea in front of us is that it allows us to use it in its natural, very fresh state, she explains. She literally means it: her backyard overlooks the beach.

On the Valdes Peninsula, a dedicated crew of local fishermen sets sail every day. Sofia Lopez Manan A colony of imperial cormorants on Isla Blanca, in the Patagonian Atlantic Ocean. Sofia Lopez Manan The Interjurisdictional Marine Park is one of the most biodiverse marine coastal sectors of the Argentine Atlantic coast. Sofia Lopez Manan Local fisherwomen defend their ancestral trade in a now endangered marine sanctuary. Sofia Lopez Manan Larralde beach, on the Valdes peninsula. Sofia Lopez Manan Anahi De Francesco cleans clams she collected from the sea. Sofia Lopez Manan The fauna at Larralde beach. Sofia Lopez Manan Fishermen at Larralde beach. Sofia Lopez Manan

In fish processing plants, the female presence is also important. In Puerto Madryn, Rawson, and other towns, women are usually the ones who sort shrimp and place them in the two-kilo boxes that later ship worldwide. These places are full of workers like Mariana Fernandez, 45. With her work clothes stained orange from hours of handling shrimp, she skillfully separates the large, whole ones on a table and arranges them. She only pauses for a second to tell her story, which is that of many others: women who came from other places, accompanying their husbands, and who later separated and found connections with their colleagues at work. Furthermore, they value the work in the fishing industry because it gives them financial independence. Despite the long, tiring days and little time to go out, Fernandez says that there, during breaks, sisterhood is present.

However, women still bear the burden of caregiving and face the loneliness that comes when their partners head out to sea for days, sometimes weeks at a time. Its a dynamic similar to that of oil families who also settle in Patagonia  men arriving from elsewhere in search of good wages, and families migrating with them, forced to navigate the dislocation.

Lorena Rossi is a psychologist married to a maritime agent who works in the fishing industry. She came to Rawson and to this world through him, and treats many women and men in the sector. She herself knows the challenges of families accustomed to the comings and goings of ships.

There are no schedules. The ships come in with the tide, and it can be late at night, she says. What she hears in her office has similar nuances: the pay is better, but the price is high: raising children alone, enduring the anguish, because the sea always has the last word. They continue working without giving it a second thought, but their families fears remain on land.

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Instagram / Rachael Kirkconnell

By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 04/20/2025



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

The Bachelor alum Rachael Kirkconnell has opened up about dating and whether she'd be interested in starring on .While ABC is skipping a new season of this year, it's likely the show will eventually return -- and many fans are rooting for Rachael to be its Season 22 star."Never say never," Rachael told The New York Post in a recent interview."But I think right now, when I think about that, I would really have to consider if that would be the right move for me."Rachael insisted, "I am looking for my person," adding, "[I'm] excited to date whenever that day comes -- when I'm ready for it."While Rachael acknowledged that "of course" The Bachelor franchise can work in terms of matching couples for long-term success, she's not sure she'd personally find love on the reality dating show."The idea of it being in that environment and having only a small group of men to date and to see if they're my person and I'm theirs, it's just a tough thing," Rachael admitted.On The Bachelor's 25th season in early 2021, Matt James selected Rachael as his winning bachelorette and the pair proceeded to date for four years until he broke up with her in January."I know so many couples right now that are so happy and they never would have met each other if they had not gone on the show," Rachael shared."I think it would be just a very, very, very long discussion and a very long process of really thinking if that was good for me or not."Rachael suggested for the time being that she may "do a little better" at competing on a game show or a different type of reality TV competition."I would love to do reality TV, depending on what it is. I'm big on game shows. I'm big on competition shows. I'm big on HGTV and Food Network and fun things like that," explained the food influencer from Atlanta, GA."I don't know about a dating show. That seems a bit scary."Rachael also revealed that she may be interested in podcasting, as long as she has a good reason to start one."But, I don't ever want to start anything -- podcast included -- unless I have something really specific to say," Rachael noted."Or I really feel like it's something that I should be doing or I could excel at. Again -- trying to be very intentional. There are really good podcasts out there and then there are some that you're like, 'Why do you have a podcast?' And I don't want that to be me."Rachael elaborated how she wouldn't want a podcast "just to have one."However, Rachael isn't setting an expectation for herself that her podcast would be "inspiring" or particularly groundbreaking either."I would love to just chat with normal girls all day," Rachael said."That would be fun. But if there was space for it or a market for it, that could be fun. There are just a lot of voices out there and there are some people who do so well with it and, again, if it made sense then yes. We will see!"Rachael pointed out how it "would be an honor to even be asked" to host a podcast."But I think I would just want to really see if that is something that I could do or not and if it's something that would make sense for me at the time," Rachael concluded.Rachael is currently finding her independence and place in the world after her devastating split from Matt, with whom she admittedly lost her identity.Matt broke up with Rachael during a trip to Tokyo and then publicly announced their split via Instagram on January 16 without giving Rachael any warning.The January 16 breakup post read, "Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding. Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord."Rachael previously said on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast that she was sitting on a Georgia-bound plane waiting for it to take off when she saw Matt's Instagram post.Rachael recalled her phone blowing up with text messages and calls, only to lose WiFi signal and have no phone connection for the next 12 hours.Rachael admitted she felt "pure shock" and "so much confusion" about Matt's decision considering he had been so vocal in the media about his desire to propose marriage to her and start a family in the near future.Rachael said that Matt didn't view her as his perfect person . He was allegedly concerned about how emotional she got during challenging times and how she allegedly struggled to apologize and take accountability for her mistakes.Shortly after their breakup, Rachael wished she and Matt could remain friends , but she also admitted to Alex that she could never reconcile with the former The Bachelor star because of how he had disrespected her at the end of their relationship."It's just sad to look back on now -- four years later, that's how things went out," Rachael explained earlier this year."It's definitely something to not dwell on , but something that I wonder if I'll always be a little bummed out about."Rachael -- who said she doesn't feel any remorse about spending four years with Matt -- recently expressed to Us Weekly how she's now looking for a man who will show her respect, listen to her and empathize with how she's feeling.Rachael said she also wants her future boyfriend to accept her for who she is -- "flaws and all" -- because she plans to treat him the same way.When looking back on her four-year relationship with Matt, Rachael said she's unsure of where that self-doubt and insecurity stemmed from.Rachael therefore hopes her next boyfriend will be "uplifting" and "supportive" of her.However, Rachael admitted she won't be looking for love on Bachelor in Paradise's upcoming tenth season."I don't know if I'm able to date someone within the franchise again. I don't know if I can do that again," Rachael said."Listen, I'm never going to totally shut the door on anything. That's not me, but I also feel like it's pretty soon and I don't think I'm ready for that."Rachael added with a laugh, "Maybe you won't see me on the beaches of Paradise, but you might see me on the beaches elsewhere, just a vacation by myself."Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
When you hear Ozempic, do you associate it with the weight-loss trends seen on social media? I used to. However, I soon found that this medication impacts more than just health; it also has significant social implications. Heres the question: why is the younger generation increasingly turning to medications such as Ozempic to aid in weight loss?
Five persons have been arrested for allegedly posing as trustees and collecting rents for 17 years for structures built on land owned by two Ahmedabad-based trusts registered under the state Waqf Board, the police said on Sunday.

IMAGE: Muslims protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

The imposters collected rent for nearly 100 houses and shops on land belonging to the Kaanchni Masjid Trust and Shah Bada Kasam Trust, according to an FIR (first information report) registered at the city's Gaekwad Haveli police station.

An FIR for cheating and forging documents was registered against them after it was found that they misused for personal benefits the properties belonging to the trusts registered under the Waqf Board," DCP Bharat Rathod said.

A waqf property is dedicated to religious or charitable purposes. The income generated from such properties is typically used for religious activities, charitable works, or public benefit.

The accused carried out illegal construction over 5,000 square metres belonging to the two trusts. They built around 100 properties (houses and shops) and collected monthly rent between 2008 and 2025, he said.

The five have been identified as Salim Khan Pathan, Mohammad Yasar Sheikh, Mahmoodkhan Pathan, Faiz Mohammad Chobdar, and Shahid Ahmed Sheikh. Salim Khan Pathan is a history-sheeter and faces five cases, including one related to the Arms Act, he said.

None of the accused is a member of any of the trusts, said complainant Mohammad Rafiq Ansari, a tenant of properties built on land belonging to the Kaanchini Masjid Trust.

Besides using the rent money for their benefit, the accused also claimed ownership of the money collected in the donation box of the Shah Bada Kasi Trust, he said.

The accused also allegedly constructed 15 shops on land belonging to the Kaanchni Masjid Trust. The land was, in the past, handed over to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for an Urdu school, he said.

During the 2001 earthquake, the school structure became dilapidated. The AMC demolished the school in 2009 and shifted it to a nearby area. Meanwhile, the fake trustees constructed ten shops, one of which was used by accused Salim Khan to open his office, said the complainant, adding that the rest were rented out.

The rents collected by the accused were neither deposited in the trust's account nor handed over to the AMC. This way, they cheated the AMC and the Waqf Board, the complaint said.
High-profile arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari has opposed Enforcement Directorate's plea before a Delhi court seeking to declare him a 'fugitive' in connection with a black money case, claiming that his stay in the UK was legal since his extradition to India was denied by the London high court.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The London HC's order in Bhandari's case was cited by an England court on April 11 to turn down the Indian government's request to extradite another accused in an alleged multi-crore rice buying scam.

According to reports, fugitive Indian diamantaire Mehul Choksi, arrested in Belgium recently, has also cited the HC order to oppose his extradition for a trial in India in connection with the alleged Rs 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

Bhandari's name has also cropped up in Enforcement Directorate's ongoing probe in a money laundering case against Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The high court of Justice, London, UK in February allowed Bhandari's appeal against his extradition to face charges of alleged tax evasion and money laundering, saying that in Tihar jail here he would be at "real risk" of extortion, accompanied by threat or "actual violence" from other prisoners and prison officials.

The High Court of Justice, UK earlier this month also dismissed the petition filed by the government of India seeking permission to appeal in Britain's Supreme Court against its order.

Bhandari made the submissions before the court through his lawyer on April 19, citing the rulings before special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal here, claiming that his "client's stay could not be called illegal in the UK as he has a legal right to reside in the UK and the GOI is bound by the judgement of the UK court... Bhandari is legally living there, and declaring him a 'fugitive' in that scenario is legally wrong."

Bhandari's lawyer, senior advocate Maninder Singh, claimed that ED's application was "vague, misplaced and without jurisdiction as the same does not comply with the requirements of the Fugitive Offenders Act".

Singh further claimed that as per Fugitive Offenders Act, the value involved in the scheduled offence (black money case against Bhandari in the current matter) is required to be Rs 100 crore or more to declare a person "fugitive".

However, when the ED filed its application seeking to declare Bhandari a fugitive, no such assessment by the income tax department was available with them and the court was misled into believing that the value of offence involved was more than Rs 100 crores, he said.

"Further, according to the income tax department itself, as per their submission before the Delhi high court in a case filed by Bhandari to quash the proceedings in March 2020, the value of the offence involved was less than Rs 100 crore", the counsel said.

Further, the non-bailable warrants based on which he was arrested in the UK, he has been discharged as per the judgement of the UK high court and no fresh warrants are pending against him, he said.

The Delhi court has sought ED's rebuttal to Bhandari's argument by May 3, when the judge will further hear the matter.

"Arguments addressed at length by counsel for Bhandari on the application moved on behalf of the ED under Section 4 (declaring fugitive economic offender)... of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act and concluded.

"At this stage, SPP (special public prosecutor) for the ED seeks some time to address arguments in rebuttal... Not opposed. Time granted in the interest of justice. In these circumstances, put up for arguments in rebuttal on behalf of the ED on the above application of ED on May 3," the judge said on April 19.

The UK high court allowed Bhandari's appeal on human rights grounds.

The court also ordered his "discharge" from the then UK home secretary Suella Braverman's extradition order to face criminal proceedings in India based on a Westminster Magistrates' Court ruling in November 2022.
While Chief Minister MK Stalin days ago announced the formation of a panel led by former judge of the Supreme Court, Kurian Joseph to recommend measures to strengthen autonomy for the states, his father M Karunanidhi had fought for the same over 50 years ago when he helmed the state as chief minister.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin pays tributes to former state CM M. Karunanidhi, in Chennai, February 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Batting for state autonomy, Karunanidhi had on April 16, 1974, moved a resolution in the state assembly and it was adopted. No doubt, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam founder CN Annadurai (1909-1969), who championed the cause of state autonomy, and who served as the chief minister between 1967 and 1969 was a big inspiration for Karunanidhi.

Piloting the resolution, Karunanidhi, popularly known as Kalaignar extensively quoted Annadurai and it includes the DMK icon's last article that appeared in 1969 in English journal Home Rule.

Anna, as Annaudrai was fondly addressed, was quoted as having written: "Dear Brother, Never have I been mad after power. Nor am I happy of being the chief minister of our State under a Constitution which on paper is federal but in actual practice tends to get more and more centralised. On that account, I do not like my good friend EMS (Communist leader, Namboodiripad) declare that it is my intention to irritate the Centre or pick up quarrels with Delhi."

On April 8, 1967, at a press conference in New Delhi, Anna had said: "It will be sufficient if the Centre retains only such powers as are necessary for preserving the unity and integrity of the country leaving adequate powers to the states. In order to distribute the powers and to suggest the method of working out the Constitution, a high power commission should be appointed."

Underscoring all these aspects, Karunanidhi recalled that he had on August 19, 1969 announced setting up of a 3-member panel led by PV Rajamannar, with AL Mudaliar and P Chandra Reddy being its members. Accordingly, on September 22, 1969, the committee was constituted to examine the question of the relationship between the Centre and the states on the basis of autonomy for the states, "without in the least impairing the integrity of the country."

The 1971 election manifesto of the DMK demanded Constitutional amendment for optimal autonomy and the April 1967 presser of Annadurai on this subject formed the operative part of the party's manifesto.

The report of the Rajamannar Committee was received on May 27, 1971 by the state government and it was sent to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who acknowledged it on June 22, 1971. Gandhi had said the Administrative Reforms Commission also had dealt with the question and its report was under the Centre's consideration.

Interestingly, HV Hande (Swatantra Party) moved an amendment to add the following: "This House, however, calls upon the state government not to unleash divisive forces and encourage fissiparous tendencies in the name of State autonomy."

Hande also mooted action, if necessary against those who threaten division of the country if the demand of state autonomy is not conceded and also wanted the government to be vigilant of the tendency among some to show Pakistan and Bangladesh as example to strengthen the demand for autonomy.

Muslim League's VM Abdul Jabbar referring to the "yet to be resolved Cauvery river water dispute," wondered whether the "all powerful" Central government could not have determined the quantum of water release; which has such high powers.

"Only the God knows as to when the Cauvery water issue with neigbouring Karnataka will be resolved. Given the attitude of the Central government, the situation is such that it may not be resolved even after 10 years." He also cited the example of Ukraine, a state of Russia and its exalted status as it was also a member of the United Nations.

Legislator K Kandaswamy (Forward Block) quoted from an article in a daily which said, "this pattern of settling Centre-State relations at the Congress high command level, cannot possibly be extended to conditions now prevailing when non-Congress ministries are in power in some of the states."

Karunanidhi moved the resolution (State autonomy-Rajamannar Committee Report on Centre-State Relationship) which said: "The House, taking into consideration the Tamil Nadu government views on state autonomy and the Report of the Rajamannar Committee; resolves that, in order to secure the integrity of India with people of different languages, civilisation and culture, to promote economic development and to enable the state government having close contact with the people to function without restraints, and in order to establish a truly federal set up with full state autonomy, the central government do accept the views of the Tamil Nadu government on state autonomy and the recommendations of the Rajamannar Committee and proceed to effect immediate changes in the Constitution of India."

Karunanidhi initiated the discussion which took place for five days from April 16 to 20, 1974.

In total, 37 members took part in the discussion.

The members of Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (known at that time as ADMK) walked out of the House. The amendments proposed were either withdrawn or negatived and the motion was adopted.
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Khanate is a word that describes a political entity governed by a khan, a leader of Turkish-Mongol origin. Similarly, the term technocracy referred in the 1930s in the United States to a potential country governed by technicians or technocrats. This story is relevant because some analysts believe that Elon Musk does not represent anything new, but rather brings back a movement that existed between the Great Depression of the 1930s and the successful arrival of Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal.

Musk, who presents himself as a futurist obsessed with Mars and algorithm technology, is, according to these analysts, the worthy successor to his grandfather, a man named Joshua Haldeman, one of the leaders of the political technocracy movement that enjoyed certain prominence in those unstable years of American history.

The technocratic movement and its relation to the coveted American Dream were studied in a book published many years ago by a professor at the University of Berkeley named William E. Akin. The book has recently been revisited and critiqued, particularly by Jill Lepore, an American History professor at Harvard University, who is behind a curious BBC podcast titled X Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story.

Akin recalls in his book that technocracy had a brief but brilliant moment of glory, advocating that the manufacturing and distribution of products was a technical problem that needed technical solutions. For every problem in social life, there was always a suitable technical answer. For a very brief period, this technocracy occupied more front-page news in the U.S. than socialism, communism, or fascism.

For a moment in time, it was possible for thoughtful people to believe that America would consciously choose to become a technocracy, writes Akin.

Between November 1932 and March 1933, The New York Times published 100 articles on this movement, as Lepore points out.

Lepore is astonished by how unoriginal Musks proposals and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are when compared to those of his grandfather (who emigrated from South Africa, where Elon Musk was born). The technocrats of that time believed that all civil servants and elected political representatives could be replaced by engineers and technologists, to create a kind of technocracy where everything would function, and prosperity would flood every corner of the country. Some of the technocrats of the 1930s also thought it would be a good idea to incorporate Mexico and Canada as new States in the Union (Greenland was still largely unknown back then).

Lepores work is full of fantastic anecdotes. In the technocracy imagined by Haldeman, individuals would not have names but numbers. One could be called, for example, 1x1809x56. Musk is so influenced by what he was told or discovered about his grandfather Joshua that one of his own children is named, theoretically, X  A-12 (who knows what his mother or teachers call him). The technocrats of the 1930s believed that democracy was a failed political system, and it doesnt seem that Musk holds it in high regard either (remember his Nazi salute, with his raised arm).

That technocratic movement eventually disappeared, mainly because the liberal Democrat F.D. Roosevelt came to power and quickly launched the New Deal, which brought hope to the classes most affected by the Great Depression. Roosevelt and his Secretary of Labor, Frances Perkins, implemented new labor legislation, including a minimum wage, unemployment aid, and support for farmers burdened with mortgages and loans, along with new fiscal and financial regulations. In other words, pure politics.

It is well known that President Roosevelt signed 99 executive orders in his first few days, a record that Donald Trump, who seems obsessed with destroying everything that symbolized Roosevelts presidency, has sought to break not only with new proposals but simply by repealing orders made before his arrival at the White House.

Another anecdote shared by Professor Lepore: Haldeman, born in Minnesota, but who grew up in Canada where he got involved in politics, was once denied entry to the United States for being an alien whose entry would be contrary to the public safety.

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Seeking an end to caste differences, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has called upon members of the Hindu community to strive for social harmony by embracing the principle of "one temple, one well, and one cremation ground" for all.

IMAGE: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during his visit to Nirala Nagar camp, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, April 15, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Bhagwat, on a five-day visit to Aligarh, spoke to 'swayamsevaks' at two 'shakhas' at HB Inter College and Panchan Nagri Park and emphasised that achieving true social unity was paramount for India to fulfil its global responsibility for peace.

RSS sources said Bhagwat underscored the significance of "sanskar (values)" as the bedrock of Hindu society, urging its members to build a society rooted in tradition, cultural values and moral principles.

He urged the swayamsevaks to reach out to all sections of society, inviting them into their homes to spread the message of harmony and unity at grassroots level.

Bhagwat stated that the "family" remains the fundamental unit of society, built upon strong family values derived from "sanskar."

He further encouraged the collective celebration of festivals to strengthen the foundations of nationalism and social cohesion.

His visit, which commenced on April 17, involves daily meetings with RSS Pracharaks from the Braj Region as part of preparations for the RSS centenary celebrations starting this Vijayadashami.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said there has been no announcement of an alliance between his party and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but claimed "emotional talks" between the two are going on.

Photograph: / Rediff.com IMAGE: A banner put up near Shiv Sena Bhavan asking MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray to come together, in Mumbai.

Talking to reporters, Raut also said Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has not set out a precondition for rapprochement with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president and his cousin Raj Thackeray.

"There is no announcement of an alliance. Currently, emotional talks are going on," Raut said.

"They (Raj and Uddhav) meet at family events. They are brothers," the Rajya Sabha member added.

The buzz about rapprochement started after Raj Thackeray said in a podcast interview with filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar -- recorded weeks ago but released on Saturday -- that he had no issues when working with Uddhav in the undivided Shiv Sena. The question is does Uddhav want to work with him, he said.

MNS' Mumbai president and party spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande, however, said people were reading too much into the remarks made by Raj Thackeray.

He said the election tie-up is a distant step and the Sena-UBT must back the MNS in its agitation for Marathi language and people.

Raj and Uddhav have sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways.

While Raj Thackeray said uniting in the interests of "Marathi manoos" was not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that those working against Maharashtra's interests were not entertained.

Uddhav's assertion has been seen as a veiled reference to the MNS chief recently hosting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at his residence.

Without naming his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray had said nothing should be done to help the "thieves", an apparent reference to the BJP and Shinde-led Sena.

Raut on Sunday said Uddhav Thackeray has not put a precondition for rapprochement. He has only asked to prioritise the interest and not to break bread with the enemies of Maharashtra.

"Raj Thackeray talks about the interest of Maharashtra, so does Uddhav Thackeray. The BJP does not fit in it. Those who are with the BJP also do not fit into it," Raut said.

He dubbed BJP as "the enemy of Maharashtra" and claimed it split Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sena, which worked to safeguard the pride of Maharashtra.

Anyone with them (BJP) is the "enemy" of Maharashtra, Raut further claimed.

Deshpande said, "Everyone feels that two brothers should come together, but how? If you are not going to back (us) on the issue of Marathi, how will things go forward?"

"Raj saheb's interview should be seen with a holistic view. His stand was that all Marathi people should come together for the interest of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos. That was his stand. You are reading too much into it," he said in response to a question.

When Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, 17,000 MNS activists were slapped with cases for protesting against loudspeakers outside mosques, Deshpande claimed.

"Does Uddhav Thackeray feel it was a mistake and if that's the case, will he apologise to Maharashtra Sainiks?" the MNS leader said.
Seven people were arrested in connection with posters bearing 'Free Gaza, Free Palestine' messages appearing on walls of shops in Narauli town in Sambhal, the police said on Sunday.

IMAGE: Police personnel conduct a flag march outside Jama Masjid ahead of last Friday's prayers of the month of Ramzan, in Sambhal, March 28, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The posters, which came to light a few days ago, also included an appeal to a particular community to boycott Israeli goods.

Baniyather Station House Officer Ramveer Singh told PTI that the police had launched a probe and identified the seven individuals based on CCTV camera footage. Additional information was gathered from owners of the shops on whose walls the posters appeared.

Singh said the arrested individuals were identified as Asim, Saif Ali, Rahees, Matloob, Fardeen, Arman and Arbaz.

Reacting to the incident, Bajrang Dal convenor Nitin Sharma told reporters that the posters, which urged Muslims to buy only from shops run by people of the same faith, were deeply disturbing and aimed at spreading communal hatred.

"These are not just posters. They represent a dangerous mentality that is seeping into the district," Sharma said.

"The situation in West Bengal is alarming with increasing atrocities against Hindus. Similar signs are now visible in Narauli, where posters have been put up asking Muslims to buy only from Muslims. Who is trying to incite riots and set the town on fire?" he asked.

He said that if the administration fails to take immediate action, organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal will take matters into their own hands.

Israel launched an offensive in Gaza after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251.

The offensive has since killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, AP reported Gaza's health ministry as saying.
Former director general of police of Karnataka, Om Prakash, was found dead at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday under mysterious circumstances, the police said.

IMAGE: Former director general of police of Karnataka Om Prakash. Photograph: ANI Photo

The 68-year-old's body was found with injuries and was discovered in his house, raising suspicions of foul play.

Prakash's spouse, Pallavi, informed the police about the incident, they said.

Senior police officials rushed to the spot immediately upon receiving the information.

The body was discovered lying in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storied house in the upscale HSR Layout.

The police have begun questioning Prakash's spouse and daughter regarding the incident.

Explaining the sequence of events, additional commissioner of police Vikash Kumar Vikash told reporters that at about 4.30 pm the police got the message about the incident and the patrol vehicle reached the spot.

Vikash said Prakash's son gave a police complaint based on which the process of registering FIR is on and will start an investigation accordingly.

To a question about the 'murder', the police officer said, "There is a physical assault. A weapon has been used. There is blood loss. We will get the details after further investigation."

When asked about whether the family members are involved, Vikash said, "These things will be known after the investigation. At this stage not even FIR had been registered. The process is on. Once the FIR is registered, we will be able to explain the whole incident."

"At this stage we haven't arrested anyone. We have secured the building," he added.

Reports indicate that the retired DGP had previously expressed concerns about threats to his life to some close associates.

The police suspect the involvement of a close family members in the incident. It's learned that there were some property disputes in the family.

The body has been sent for an autopsy, and further investigation is underway.

The IPS officer, from the 1981 batch, was a native of Champaran, Bihar, and held a Master's degree in Geology.

Prakash was appointed director general of police on March 1, 2015.
Calling upon the West Bengal government to "act urgently" to address the grievances of the riot-hit people of Murshidabad district, particularly women, National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Sunday said the panel is preparing a report which will be submitted soon to the Centre with copies to top state officials.

IMAGE: NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar (second from left) meets West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose (right), at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo

Speaking with reporters at a Kolkata hotel, Rahatkar said that in the past two days, she and other panel members met many women, their families and children, and the torture and suffering they faced was "beyond imagination, having left a deep scar in their minds which need to be healed and addressed on an urgent basis with a humanitarian approach".

Advocating confidence-building measures by the state administration, she said that the responsibility of bringing peace lies with the state government.

The NCW chief said the commission is preparing a report incorporating the views of all those women, who narrated their ordeal and credited forces like the Border Security Force for saving their lives and honour.

The report will be submitted to the Centre and copies will be sent to the DGP and chief secretary of West Bengal soon, she said.

To a question about women demanding a Border Security Force camp in the affected area, she said, "Yes that is what many of them said. There is an air of fear and insecurity in the area. We will certainly incorporate their views in our report."

Calling upon the state government "to act promptly and urgently to address the pains of these people", she said, "Give them justice, wipe their tears, make arrangements for immediate compensation to make up for their losses (damage to properties and loot of belongings)."

Asking for proper security and instilling a sense of confidence among these violence-affected people, she said that it is the "moral duty of the state government to do its job".

"They are our own people, they are daughters of this state. What they went through is beyond words. They saw the houses, which they built with their hard-earned money, get shattered and burnt down; they were assaulted, threatened and driven out, women were tortured and chased away from their homes, from the villages they lived in for years. None went to meet them in all those days. They were asking me what their fault was," she said.

"The pain of the women who were dragged from their homes, brutally attacked and threatened in the most inhuman manner is unimaginable. Some were even told to send their daughters to be raped," she said.

The NCW chief said that she heard about incidents of a woman running for her life with her four-day-old baby and newlyweds fleeing their houses with their belongings getting looted during the violence.

"As a woman, I felt disturbed as we went around relief camps in Murshidabad and Malda for two days. I tried to console them; we told them the entire country is with them. Their minds are shattered and we told them not to lose their mental strength," Rahatkar said.

About allegations by Trinamool Congress leaders that the commission was acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre and questions about why the panel did not visit Manipur and other BJP-ruled states when such incidents took place there in the past, she said, "All I will say is that I don't want to indulge in politics. I came here to be on the side of tortured sisters."

Urging those who make such comments to "not divert people from the main issue", she added, "Why don't these critics themselves meet those women and stand with them to feel their agony and what they felt. Aren't they our own people?"

"Why don't these critics try to find the answer about why this (violence) happened? You need to understand their pain," she said.

She wondered why the State Women's Commission had not yet visited the affected areas yet.

"Please meet the mother who lost her husband and son. Express sympathy," she said.

Advocating confidence-building measures by the state administration, she said, "The responsibility of bringing peace lies with the state government."

About West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement that the BJP and its allies have become aggressive and initiated a vicious "false campaign" in the state, Rahatkar said, "I haven't seen or read the comments of the CM. The only thing I feel is that the state government should urgently address their problem and instill a sense of security."

On Saturday, during her visit to Betbari, Dhulian, Zafrabad and other riot-hit areas in Murshidabad, Rahatkar had said, "I was dumbfounded by the agony these women had to suffer. What they went through during the violence is beyond imagination."

The villagers were seen holding placards that displayed messages like 'We don't want Lakshmir Bhandar, we want BSF camp. We want security'.

On Friday, the NCW team visited relief camps in Malda's Baishnabnagar sheltering the displaced riot-affected people of adjacent Murshidabad district.

The NCW had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the violence that took place in Samserganj, Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur areas of Murshidabad on April 11 and 12.

Three people were killed and hundreds rendered homeless during the clashes, which occurred in Muslim-majority Murshidabad, amid protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The Congress on Sunday described the Bhartiya Janata Party disassociating itself from the criticism of the Supreme Court by its MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma as "damage control" and asked why no action had been taken against the two.

IMAGE: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey speaks in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, April 3, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo/Sansad TV

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the distancing of the "outgoing BJP president" from the "atrocious remarks" made by two MPs on the Chief Justice of India (CJI) carried little meaning.

"These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals. The outgoing BJP president's clarification is nothing but damage control," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"It will fool nobody. This is Entire Political Science reflecting itself as Entire Political Hypocrisy," he said.

But the "outgoing BJP president" is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high constitutional position, Ramesh said and asked what he had to say about those remarks and if the BJP subscribed to them.

The former Union minister further asked, "If the continued silence of the prime minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show cause notices to these two MPs?"

The BJP on Saturday disassociated itself from Dubey and Sharma's criticism of the Supreme Court, with party president JP Nadda calling the comments their personal views.

He also affirmed the ruling party's respect for the judiciary as an inseparable part of democracy.

"The BJP has nothing to do with the comments of MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the chief justice. This is their personal comments but the BJP neither agrees with them nor does it ever support such remarks. The BJP absolutely rejects them," Nadda said in a post on X.

He said he had directed both the leaders and other members of the party not to make such comments.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday strongly criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's recent remarks against the Supreme Court, alleging that BJP members have become so radicalised that they are now threatening the judiciary with a religious war.

He further mocked the BJP, saying, "You people (BJP) are tubelights... threatening the court in such a way. Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar," referencing the constitutional provision that empowers the Supreme Court to deliver complete justice in any matter before it.

Earlier on Saturday, Dubey -- one of the more vocal BJP members in the Lok Sabha -- launched a broadside against the Supreme Court, saying Parliament and state assemblies should be shut if the apex court had to make the laws.

He also took a swipe at CJI Sanjiv Khanna.

Dubey had also alleged that CJI Khanna was responsible for "civil wars" in the country.

Sharma, a former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, was also critical of the Supreme Court, saying no one could direct Parliament or the president.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde got irked when a mediaperson sought his reaction on the speculation of reconciliation between estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, and asked the reporter to instead talk about government's work.

IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde meets MNS Chief Raj Thackeray. Photograph: @mieknathshinde/X

While Shinde was at his native Dare village in Satara district on Saturday, a reporter from TV Marathi asked for his reaction on the buzz of rapprochement between Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray.

Shinde got irritated and brushed off the reporter's boom.

"Talk about work," said the Shiv Sena leader, who is not known to get irked in public.

The buzz about rapprochement started after Raj Thackeray said in a podcast interview with film-maker Mahesh Manjrekar -- recorded weeks ago but released on Saturday -- that he had no issues when working with Uddhav in the undivided Shiv Sena. The question is does Uddhav want to work with him, he said.

Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray sparked speculation about a possible reconciliation with statements indicating they could ignore "trivial issues" and join hands nearly two decades after a bitter parting of ways.

While the MNS chief said uniting in the interests of "Marathi manoos" was not difficult, former CM Uddhav Thackeray said he was ready to put aside trivial fights, provided that those working against Maharashtra's interests were not entertained.

Uddhav's assertion has been seen as a veiled reference to the MNS chief recently hosting Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at his residence.

Without naming his cousin, Uddhav Thackeray said nothing should be done to help the "thieves", an apparent reference to the BJP and Shinde-led Sena.

Uddhav Thackeray received a major setback in 2022 when Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena and toppled his government. Shinde then formed government with BJP's support.

In the last year's polls to the 288-member state assembly, the Sena-UBT won only 20 seats out of the 95 it contested as part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Raj, nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, quit the party in January 2006, blaming Uddhav for his decision. He then launched the MNS which initially took a strident anti-North Indian stand.

But after winning 13 seats in the 2009 assembly elections, the MNS was pushed to the margins. It drew a blank in the 2024 assembly polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for US Vice President JD Vance and Indian-origin Second Lady Usha on Monday evening after holding talks with the American leader on a range of key issues, including trade, tariff, regional security and ways to expand the overall bilateral engagement.

IMAGE: US Vice President J D Vance, along with his wife Usha meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris, in February 2025. Photograph: @narendramodi/X

The US Vice President, his wife Usha and their three children -- Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel -- are scheduled to land at the Palam airbase at 10 am on Monday on a four-day India visit.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.

New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.

Hours after arriving in Delhi, Vance and his family are scheduled to visit the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple and could visit a shopping complex selling traditional Indian handcrafted goods, people familiar with the matter told PTI.

The Vances will be welcomed on their arrival at the Palam airbase by a senior Union cabinet minister.

Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance is expected to be accompanied by at least five senior officials, including from the Pentagon and the State Department, people familiar with the matter said.

At 6:30 pm on Monday, PM Modi will welcome Vance and his family at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence that will be followed by official talks.

The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries, the people cited above said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi, they said.

Following the talks, Modi will host the Vances and the accompanying American officials for dinner.

The people cited above said Vance and his family will leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are set to stay in ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.

On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.

In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur, they said.

Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.

The US Vice President and his family are expected to travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, the people cited above said.

In Agra, they will visit Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.

After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur in the second half of April 23.

The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

In Jaipur, the Vances are set to stay at the elegant Rambagh Palace, a luxury hotel that once served as a royal guesthouse.

Vance is arriving in Delhi after concluding his trip to Italy.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday visited the family members of freedom fighter and former Indian National Congress president Chettur R Sankaran Nair at their ancestral home on Palat Road in Ottapalam, near Palakkad.

IMAGE: Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism Suresh Gopi (left) . Photograph: ANI Photo

The minister also visited the family's residence in Chandranagar in Palakkad.

Bharatiya Janata Party sources said the visit was carried out as per the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the visit, the Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas and tourism assured the family that he would help facilitate the construction of a memorial in Ottapalam to honour the legacy of Sankaran Nair, who remains the only Malayali to have served as the national president of INC, party sources added.

Nair, who was elected INC president during the Amaravati session in 1897, has recently come to public attention amid allegations that his contributions have been overlooked by the Congress.

PM Modi had also remembered and paid tribute to Nair in a recent statement.

Nair was recently in the news with the release of Akshay Kumar starrer Kesari 2, where the actor essays the role of Nair.
The Mumbai police have assured the Bombay high court that they would act with alacrity on cyber fraud complaints and sensitise all police officials for prompt action and registration of FIR whenever such complaints are filed.

IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: ANI Photo

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale in the order passed on April 15 noted that cyber fraud cases were on the rise and senior citizens were more and more falling victim to such fraudsters.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a city-based woman, claiming she was a victim of cyber fraud, and when she tried to report the same to the local police, they failed to act promptly.

As per the plea, the woman had approached the police station concerned and informed the security personnel about the cyber fraud but they did not register FIR, claiming they do not have the manpower or the requisite expertise to deal with cyber fraud cases.

The woman in her petition said that due to non-registration of the FIR and prompt action, she lost Rs 45 lakh. By the time the police acted, only Rs 2 lakh could be saved, the plea claimed.

On April 15, joint commissioner of police (crime department) Lakhami Guatam appeared before HC and submitted that presently he is supervising five cyber police stations in the city.

Gautam said cyber frauds of below Rs 10 lakh are investigated by local police stations, while those above that amount are probed by cyber police stations.

He assured the court that he would take steps to sensitise the police dealing with cyber fraud with respect to prompt recording and registration of offences whenever such cases are reported.

The HC said, Gautam also assures that steps would be taken to educate people with respect to cyber frauds. He also assures that the police dealing with cyber frauds will act with alacrity whenever such cases are reported and steps will be taken to ensure that the monies that are transferred are retrieved/frozen at the earliest."

The petitioner's advocate pointed out to the court about the formation of a corporation -- Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation -- by the state government to address issues of cyber frauds.

The court also directed the Additional Director General of Police (Maharashtra Cyber) to appear before it via video conference on April 22 to inform the bench on formation of the Maharashtra Cyber Security Corporation.
They always followed the rules. And now the rules have forced them to make a heartbreaking decision. Patricia, 63, and Javier Gonzalez, 66  until recently residents of Utah under temporary humanitarian parole  self-deported to Venezuela just two months after Donald Trump took office. The wave of hostility toward migrants unleashed by the new U.S. administration from day one left this pair of grandparents  who are using pseudonyms for their safety and that of their family  in a legal limbo. They were suddenly exposed to arrest by immigration agents, accused of being in the country illegally, and at risk of deportation.

Gripped by fear of becoming entangled in the Trump administrations expanding immigration crackdown, they left behind their 42-year-old daughter, Jennifer (also a pseudonym), and three grandchildren  the youngest a newborn  to return to the country they had fled four years earlier.

The so-called self-deportation Trump has pushed, targeting both undocumented migrants and those with temporary permits, shifts the burden of removal onto the migrants themselves. The logic is simple: create an environment so hostile  socially and administratively  that people choose to leave on their own, rather than face a humiliating and dehumanizing deportation process. This strategy saves the government the cost and effort of locating, detaining, and removing individuals. The administration has praised the results, claiming  without providing figures or evidence  that the number of self-deportations is enormous.

The government has promoted the CBP Home app as the tool for self-deportations, but migrants and specialized immigration lawyers see no benefit in using it. On the contrary, they see risks in providing information that could later be used against migrants  even preventing them from returning to the United States in the future: from three to 10 years, according to the law, and in some cases, even permanently. To avoid that outcome, the Gonzalez grandparents bought a pair of plane tickets and returned to Venezuela.

Infographic shared by the United States government explaining how to self-deport using the CBP Home app. USCBP

They no longer have close family in Venezuela, as their other two sons have been living in Chile for several years. Moreover, for reasons they prefer not to disclose  out of caution  they are at risk of political persecution. As a result, theyve chosen to keep a low profile and did not return to their former home in Maracaibo, but instead settled in another city in the center of the country. There, its also easier to obtain medication for Patricias diabetes, and a few extended family members provide the semblance of a support network.

Returning has been a process of relearning, they say during a video call. Everything changes  the physical spaces, the cultural issues, the government issues. So coming back here, after living within a stable organizational structure, is an emotional shock. But were adjusting to the situation, even if we dont yet know how long well be back in the country, because if the situation in North America is resolved, well most likely return. Not so much to leave Venezuela, but to support [Jennifer], Javier says with a stubborn hope, because being with his grandchildren again  especially the one who isnt even a month old  means everything.

But being in the United States without legal papers is not, and never was, an option. They arrived in early 2023 after spending two years in Chile. Their daughter, Jennifer  who has been in the U.S. since 2019 under political asylum  sponsored them just before giving birth to her second child under a special Biden-era program that made it easier for Venezuelans to receive humanitarian parole, a temporary permit to live and work in the U.S. (the continuation of which is now being litigated in court). It felt like a miracle for the family. And when the two-year parole was nearing its end, Patricia and Javier began the process for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would have extended their stay for at least two more years.

Then Trump returned to the White House and began signing executive orders  one of which canceled the issuance of new TPS permits. Suddenly, Patricia and Javier found themselves in uncharted legal territory: in theory, the receipt of their application confirmed their legal status, but if that process was never going to be completed, the situation was not so clear.

Donald Trump displays an executive order on April 9 in the Oval Office of the White House. Associated Press/LaPresse (APN)

They werent undocumented immigrants because they had entered the U.S. legally through an official port of entry. But they no longer had valid documentation to prove their status. Nor were they, on paper, deportable, since they had never committed a crime. However, if they were pulled over while driving, their drivers licenses would be considered invalid, because their immigration documents were no longer valid either. In that scenario, they would be guilty of a civil offense  driving without a license  which, under the Laken Riley Act passed during Trumps first week back in office, has become sufficient grounds for deportation.

To avoid that risk, they shut themselves in at home. The economist and the university sociology professor left their jobs in sales and stopped attending their English classes. Within the four walls of their small home, as the media flooded with news of sweeping executive orders, inflammatory speeches, immigration raids, and nightmarish arrests  and especially deportations  the grandparents lived in a constant state of fear. Patricias blood sugar levels skyrocketed from stress. Her diabetes worsened. It became clear they couldnt continue like this  they had to do something.

They were well-informed, but filled with suspicion. The migrant registry pushed by Trump seemed like a trap  an invitation to turn themselves in to the authorities. The same went for the CBP Home app, a rebranded version of CBP One, the application originally launched by Biden to streamline asylum requests, which the new administration had supposedly turned into the most high-tech method of self-deportation. They felt cornered.

After consulting with immigration lawyers  who feared that the reentry ban could be triggered by the procedures promoted by the new administration, whether through an application or a voluntary signature  they decided it was best to return to Venezuela of their own accord, to avoid tarnishing their record and keep the door open for a possible return. In late March, under Trumps rhetoric, they became two of the supposedly many self-deportations the administration boasts about, though it has provided no figures.

Patricia and Javier Gonzalez with their grandchildren. CORTESIA

We would have liked to continue with the process we had hoped was underway, to have had more time. But we are people of faith, respectful of the law and above all of the authorities, says Patricia, her voice steady just as her faint smile fades and her eyes begin to well up with tears. We support our daughter. We didnt want to be a burden  like any human being who wants to stand on their own and be with family. Because shes our daughter, our only daughter, she needed us. As a mother, you know when your child needs you, she adds, now with a mix of desperation and a flicker of anger. She points out that beyond helping around the house, they paid their taxes and were no threat to anyone  despite the way all Venezuelans are painted as criminals or gang members.

These days, feelings flicker and blur across the distance that separates what had become the family home in Utah from Patricia and Javiers landing place in Venezuela. In the U.S., Jennifer  now with a newborn and a two-year-old  hasnt stopped working as a legal assistant. The whole family, including her in-laws, pitches in with the house and the kids, but the absence of her parents is deeply felt. Her oldest child no longer has to practice his Spanish, and Jennifer worries hell lose it in the slow drift of assimilation. But, despite everything, she must hold it together.

Thousands of miles to the south, Patricia and Javier navigate the currents of nostalgia and helplessness, clinging to their faith  which helps them digest what life has dealt them. They are strong, doing their best to support themselves without leaning too heavily on the money their daughter might send, slowly adjusting to their new reality. But just a few words into sharing their story, the pain and anger resurface  the raw ache of knowing they were driven out by the fear sparked by the deliberate cruelty of Donald Trumps administration.

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Aimee Parnell has been on the job at the Waypoint Center for about a month, and her enthusiasm as the new executive director of the Great Fall
After more than three years of war, the talk of an Easter truce in fighting between Russia and Ukraine was met with some skepticism, and it does indeed seem to have failed to materialize.

A unilateral truce was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 19, running from 6 p.m. that day until midnight on April 20.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS that the cease-fire would not extend beyond midnight. Ukrainian officials have said it has not been observed anyway.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army or the situation proves that in Russia they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X on April 20.

Zelenskyy had said his country would observe the truce and suggested extending it to 30 days.

Both sides, however, have reported that attacks by the other continued on Easter Sunday, though it was not possible to independently confirm battlefield claims.

Video sent to RFE/RL by a Ukrainian humanitarian organization appeared to show a drone attack on vehicles evacuating civilians near Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Russian Attack On Humanitarian Mission Vehicle No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:45 0:00

Yevhen Tkachev from the Proliska organization and a civilian woman were injured. She and her husband, who was suffering from shock, were taken to a hospital.

Zelenskyy posted on social media on April 20 that "the highest level of Russian combat activity this Easter is in the Pokrovsk direction," which is located some 50 kilometers southwest of Kostyantynivka.

"Putin's words about a 'cease-fire' have also proven empty in the Kursk region, the Siversk direction, and other directions in the Donetsk region," Zelenskyy added.

The Ukrainian general staff reported shelling, assaults, and drone attacks.

Russian authorities reported at least three explosions in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine early on April 20. The Defense Ministry claimed Kyiv launched 48 drone attacks on targets in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine overnight.

Zelenskyy said Ukraines forces were acting "in a fully symmetrical manner" to Moscow's.

Meanwhile, in a further sign of heightened international tensions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Britain's Defense Ministry reported recently intercepting Russian warplanes over the Baltic Sea.

It cited two incidents, on April 15 and 17, in which British jets were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft. Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said on April 20 that "Russian aggression" was growing and that British jets were working with the Swedish Air Force to defend NATO airspace.

What Do Ukrainians Think Of Easter Cease-Fire?

In Kyiv, as priests sprinkled worshippers with holy water, there was deep skepticism about the Easter truce.

"I really hope for it but I do not believe in it. They (the Russians) say one thing but do the opposite," said Dmytro, a 37-year-old IT worker.

Kyiv and Moscow residents doubtful of the cease-fire No media source currently available 0:00 0:01:26 0:00

"Nobody believes in it," said 40-year-old Olha Malashuk, who works in sales. "[Putin] probably wants to rearm the troops, that is why no one believes him anymore."

There was also doubt reported among civilians in Moscow, where RFE/RL is effectively banned and unable to operate.

Evgeny Pavlov, 58, told the AFP news agency that "it's pointless because I don't trust Ukraine."

"We shouldn't give them a break. If we're pressing them, we should finish the job," he added.

Maria Goranina, 85, said, "We need to end this -- either yes or no. Either make peace permanently or not at all."

This was a sentiment also voiced by EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper.

"Russia could stop this war at any moment if it really wanted to.... We continue to support Ukraine for a long, just, and comprehensive peace," she said after the truce was announced on April 19.

Trump's Threat To Walk Away

Putin's truce announcement followed signals from US President Donald Trump and other US officials complaining about the slow progress in talks to resolve the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.

Trump on April 18 said the Ukraine and Russia talks are "coming to a head" and he insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, warned that the United States may "move on" from trying to secure a peace deal if there is no progress in coming days.

Putin has made holiday cease-fire proposals in the past. In January 2023, Putin ordered a 36-hour cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas. At the time, Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian call as playing for time to regroup its forces.
An 18-year-old Ukrainian recently told RFE/RL how she was interrogated by Russian security officers as she tried to leave Russian-occupied Ukraine. "Why don't you want to marry a Russian military man?" she was asked.

Speaking to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service , the young woman chose to remain anonymous because she still has relatives in Russian-held areas in the eastern part of the country.

Her account matches those of others that give a picture of the arduous journeys, threats, and intimidation faced by Ukrainian civilians if they choose to leave their homes in towns and cities seized by Russian forces.

Together with her mother, she drove through occupied Mariupol, Russia, and Belarus. The encounter with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) was the worst moment.

"When we went to the border control, we were immediately taken for questioning. They interrogated us for a very long time," she said.

As well as harassing her about her marriage prospects, the FSB men also threatened her mother, telling her: "You won't come back. You'll leave all your relatives who are here, you won't be able to contact them, and your relatives will have problems."

A volunteer organization called Humanity helped the two women make their journey. The group's co-founder, Stefan Vorontsov, said the number of requests to leave was increasing.

'No Future For Children'

This may be linked by moves by Russia to tighten its control in areas it has occupied since its full-scale invasion in 2022.

On March 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree under which Ukrainian citizens had to "legalize" their immigration status or leave Russia by September 10.

Russian occupation authorities in Ukraine are expected to apply these rules to Ukrainians living there in their own homes. In other words, Ukrainians face a choice: Get a Russian passport, register as an immigrant, or leave.

"This is the expulsion of the Ukrainian people from our territories, from Ukrainian territories. This is what is happening now," said Vorontsov.

Around a third of those leaving are young people.

"People do not want to stay there. There is no future for children there. Zero," he said, adding that people have been living "in constant stress" for three years.

RFE/RL also spoke to a woman who fled a Russian-occupied area of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine. She also chose to remain anonymous.

At first, she said, "we believed [the occupation] would soon be over." Later, people who had fled started to return, because life in government-controlled areas was difficult. "We simply accepted the situation."

But then, her feelings changed.

"When the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion was approaching, we realized it would last for a long time. They began summoning teenagers for military registration. I was worried about my children and finally decided to leave," she said.

Her journey took her through a filtration camp in occupied Crimea. Russian security forces checked her phones and interrogated her for long periods, asking in particular if she had any acquaintances in the Ukrainian armed forces.

Vorontsov said the fear of filtration camps was a factor deterring people from trying to leave.

"There's always the risk that something will go wrong during filtration. [Russian security forces] might latch onto an emotional reaction -- they use psychological pressure," he said.

"Sometimes, fear and desperation can lead people to say too much or take the blame for something they didn't do. That's when people start disappearing, or they're sent back [to the occupied territory]."
A young student from Athleague NS has been named as the county winner of the Eason Spelling Bee.

After a challenging competition against twelve other spelling enthusiasts, Robert Bobby Lyons, a student at Athleague National School triumphed in the County Roscommon final.

Robert will now represent the county in the provincial Spelling Bee in May. A keen reader, he is currently enjoying The Hobbit.

Celebrating its 12th year, the Eason Spelling Bee is a key part of Eason's broader literacy initiative, designed to encourage and inspire children to develop their spelling and pronunciation skills.

Robert Bobby Lyons from Athleague National School who recently won the Roscommon county final of the Eason Spelling Bee.

Over the years, the competition has fostered a greater appreciation for words, vocabulary growth, and self-confidence among participating children.

Lisa OBrien, Group Head of E-Commerce and Marketing at Eason, commented: We are delighted to launch the 2025 Eason Spelling Bee with such talented children participating in County Roscommon. They are a testament to the bright young minds of Ireland. We are confident that this year we will build on the success of 2024 and inspire communities to support their local schools and, especially, their spelling bees.

The All-Ireland winner will secure a selection of books for their school library valued at 7,500, along with the coveted title of Eason Spelling Bee 2025 Champion. The winner will also receive a goodie bag filled with books worth 500.

This year, over 450 schools nationwide will compete for this coveted prize. The Eason Spelling Bee team are travelling across the country to hosting county finals followed by provincial contests. The champions from each province will then compete head-to-head in the All-Ireland Final Bee in June 2025, where the ultimate King or Queen Bee will be crowned.
After taking a look at the sub 4m SUV and compact SUV sales (4.2m-4.4m), let us now take a look at the the mid-size SUV segment in India (vehicles between 4.4m to 4.7m in length). This segment saw a marginal decline in March 2025, with total sales of 27,734 units, down by 6.68% from 29,719 units in March 2024. While Mahindra continued to dominate the space, other players witnessed varied performances.

Mid Size SUV Sales Mar 2025

At the top of the charts was the Mahindra Scorpio and Scorpio N, collectively contributing 13,913 units, though it was a YoY decline of 8.17% from 15,151 units. The Mahindra XUV700 held steady with 6,851 units, up 3.63% compared to 6,611 units last March. Adding fresh volume to Mahindras tally was its new electric SUV, the XEV 9e, with 2,080 units in its first few months on sale.

Hyundai Alcazar recorded 1,431 units, a slight increase of 0.77% from 1,420 units in March 2024. However, Tatas offerings saw sharp declines  Safari sales dropped 31.41% to 1,415 units, while Harrier fell 38.41% to 1,265 units, compared to 2,063 and 2,054 units respectively last year.

MG Hector and Hector Plus continued their downward trend with only 547 units, down a staggering 71.01% from 1,887 units in March 2024. Similarly, the Jeep Compass reported 142 units, a 56.84% drop from last years 329 units. Among premium offerings, Hyundai Tucson posted 89 units, down 19.09%, while Volkswagen Tiguan nearly exited the chart with just 1 unit, compared to 94 units a year ago  a 98.94% decline. Citroen C5 Aircross reported zero units for both March 2025 and March 2024.

Mid Size SUV Sales FY 2025

This segment closed FY 2025 with total sales of 3,39,910 units, registering a 5.05% growth over 3,23,562 units sold in FY 2024. While some key players witnessed declines, Mahindras strong performance and new EV entries helped push the overall segment into positive territory. Mahindra Scorpio and Scorpio N continued to be the segment leader, posting a robust 1,64,842 units, up 16.53% from FY 2024s 1,41,462 units. This was followed by Mahindra XUV700, which also registered solid growth with 93,082 units, a 17.23% increase over 79,398 units last fiscal.

In contrast, Tatas flagship SUVs saw a decline. Tata Safari ended FY 2025 with 20,034 units, down 8.70%, while Harrier dropped significantly by 23.25%, recording 18,958 units against 24,701 units last year. Hyundai Alcazar, another major player, saw its numbers decline by 17.45%, selling 17,132 units in FY 2025, compared to 20,753 units in FY 2024. Meanwhile, MG Hector and Hector Plus faced a steep decline of 43.07%, with sales dropping from 27,435 units to 15,620 units.

A fresh entrant in this space, Mahindra XEV 9e, which started production in January 2025, added 5,422 units to the tally within just a few months, contributing positively to the segment. Premium offerings like the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson also saw a downturn, with the Compass falling 21.38% to 2,604 units and the Tucson declining by 54.25% to 1,319 units. Similarly, Volkswagen Tiguan posted 888 units, a 45.12% drop from FY 2024s 1,618 units. The Citroen C5 Aircross recorded only 9 units in FY 2025, down from 56 units in FY 2024.

Despite several key models underperforming, the segments growth was sustained by Mahindras dominance and the entry of its new electric SUV. With evolving preferences and growing interest in electrification, the mid-size SUV space is poised for a more competitive FY 2026.
TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that his government will not include discussions on security in its trade talks with the United States, while President Donald Trump has called for reducing the U.S. burden in defending Japan.

"I don't think it is appropriate to discuss security and trade together. We should address security issues without linking them to tariffs," Ishiba said on a TV program, days after his close aide met with Trump and senior U.S. officials on the recently increased levies.

Ishiba also said he believes that cutting the U.S. trade deficit with other countries is Trump's top priority, pledging to review Japan's automobile regulations to move forward negotiations with the United States.

"We will work hard to ensure that Japan is not accused of being unfair," Ishiba said, but he did not elaborate on other key issues such as foreign exchange rates and Tokyo's holdings of U.S. Treasurys.

On when to conclude the talks, Ishiba said, "They must produce a desirable outcome for both sides. We want to take the necessary time to create a model for the world." He reiterated that he would visit the United States "at the most appropriate time."

As for the liberalization of agricultural markets, Ishiba said his government is aiming to strike a balance between the distribution of affordable, high-quality products and the protection of domestic producers, whose numbers have declined amid a falling birthrate.

Ishiba, meanwhile, said Japan, as a leader in free trade, will bolster cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union, while expressing concern over the negative impact of the U.S.-China tit-for-tat tariff escalation.

Last Wednesday, economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's chief negotiator for tariff talks with the United States, met in Washington with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

The Japanese government is also arranging a meeting between Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and Bessent on Thursday in the U.S. capital, a source close to the matter said, with foreign exchange issues possibly on the agenda.

Bessent, a billionaire who worked as a hedge fund manager, previously voiced his readiness to tackle foreign exchange challenges, as Trump accuses other countries of currency manipulation and implementing policies that lead to imbalanced trade.

Kato is expected to visit Washington to attend a two-day gathering of the finance chiefs of the Group of 20 economies starting Wednesday, which will be held on the sidelines of the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Related coverage:

Japan PM wants to see "specific progress" in next U.S. tariff talks

New U.S. envoy arrives in Japan, vows cooperation to counter China

Security issues "separate" from U.S. tariffs: Japan defense minister
Urgent action is needed to protect endangered species, human health and industry from the impacts of the Caspian Sea shrinking, research led by the University of Leeds has found.

Water levels in the Caspian Sea -- the world's largest landlocked water body -- are getting lower, as hotter temperatures cause more water to evaporate than is flowing in. Even if global warming is limited to below 2C, it is likely that the level of the Caspian Sea will decline by 5 to 10 m, but if temperatures rise further, water levels could drop by as much as 21 m by 2100.

Researchers led by Leeds have mapped the potential risks this poses to the region's biodiversity and human infrastructure, in a paper published today (Thursday 10 April) in Communications Earth & Environment.

The findings show that an area of 112,000 km -- which is larger than the size of Iceland -- is likely to dry up, even in an optimistic scenario for global warming with a 10 m decline. Since many of the most ecologically and economically important areas are located in shallow water, this could have significant consequences for biodiversity and the sustainability of the region's human population.

The Caspian Sea is home to the endangered Caspian seal and six species of sturgeon, as well as hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates found nowhere else. According to the research, the declining water levels will leave Caspian seals with significantly reduced breeding habitat, restrict access to spawning rivers for sturgeons, and lead to the loss of coastal lagoons and reed beds important for the spawning of other fish species and migrating birds.

More than 15 million people live around the Caspian coast, in Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. The bordering nations rely on the water body for fishing, shipping and trade, and the sea is important for regulating climate in Central Asia.

In the northern Caspian, the findings show that some settlements, ports and industrial facilities could end up being stranded tens or even hundreds of kilometres from new shorelines. The exposed dry seabed is likely to release dust containing industrial contaminants and salt, posing serious threats to human health, as previously occurred with the drying of the Aral Sea.

The researchers say policymakers and conservationists need to take a dynamic approach to biodiversity protection, rather than relying on traditional protected areas with fixed boundaries, since these may quickly become obsolete due to the rapidly changing water levels.

Dr Simon Goodman from the School of Biology at the University of Leeds, who supervised the research, said: "Some Caspian Sea level decline appears unavoidable, even with action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. However, with the anticipated effects unfolding over a few decades, it should be possible to find ways to protect biodiversity while safeguarding human interests and wellbeing. That might sound like a long timescale, but, given the immense political, legislative and logistical challenges involved, it is advisable to start action as soon as possible to give the best chance of success."

Biodiversity

Currently the Caspian Sea extends approximately 1150 km by 450 km, with a total area of 387,000 km.

With a 10 m decline, four out of 10 ecosystem types unique to the Caspian Sea would be expected to disappear completely, and the coverage of existing marine protected zones (areas earmarked for conservation) would be reduced by up to 94%.

Caspian seals give birth to their white-coated pups between mid-January and early March on ice in the northern Caspian Sea. However, the research shows a 5 m decline could reduce the area of this habitat by up to 81% -- putting huge stressors on their already reduced population.

The Caspian seal was listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2008, and is included in the national Red Books of all five Caspian countries, signifying its recognition as a species at risk of extinction.

The decline will also make all current and historical haul-out sites -- areas on land where seals rest -- inaccessible. While receding water levels may create some new islands, further research is needed to assess their suitability for seals.

Sturgeons are an ancient family of large fish, and critically endangered due to overfishing for their meat and caviar (fish eggs or roe). The fish usually inhabit shallower parts of the sea in summer and autumn, but these areas are facing a potential reduction of 25% to 45% due to the fall in water levels, which may stop them accessing their few remaining spawning sites in rivers that flow into the Sea.

The Caspian Sea is also a globally important habitat for birds migrating between Europe, Asia and Africa. Migratory birds rely on coastal lagoons and reed beds for resting, shelter and food during their migrations, but such habitats are vulnerable to loss as waters recede.

Biodiversity in the Caspian Sea is already threatened by over-fishing, introduction of invasive species and pollution. Although work has been done to protect areas important for biodiversity, the paper predicts that overall coverage of existing Caspian marine protected areas disappear almost entirely for all countries except Kazakhstan, which would retain about 5% of current coverage.

Rebecca Court, PhD researcher in the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, worked on the research as part of her Masters degree in the School of Biology. She said: "We hope this research will help to raise awareness of the trajectory and potential impacts of the falling sea level. The mapping should better equip policymakers and conservationists to plan for and address the numerous issues in advance."

Industry and society

The findings also predict a concerning trajectory for industry, with critical ports in all bordering countries being impacted. Baku (Azerbaijan), Anzali (Iran), and Aktau (Kazakhstan) are expected to experience increases in distance to shore of 1 km or more, while Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan), and Lagan (Russia; planned future site), could see increases of 16 km and 115 km respectively, according to the paper.

The Volga is the only river connecting the Caspian to the outside maritime world, and this vital trade route could be critically compromised by declines of just 5 m.

The Kashagan (Kazakhstan) and Filanovsky (Russia) oil fields in the northern Caspian are two of the region's most important hydrocarbon production sites. Production currently occurs at offshore installations, with ship-based logistics, but these will become landlocked if Caspian Sea levels decline by 5 to 15 m.

Coastal communities in the north are likely to be hit hard as income from fishing disappears, and harsh climatic conditions make other economic activity like agriculture more difficult, potentially threatening social stability.

Some cities around the Caspian use desalination (removing salt and minerals from saltwater) for fresh water supplies, and water level declines are already impacting desalination operations at Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Loss of water from the Caspian could also affect the regional climate, leading to reduced rainfall and drier conditions across central Asia with indirect impacts on agriculture.

The energy resources of the Caspian Sea make it important geopolitically, so social, economic and environmental instability due to climate change could have worldwide repercussions.

Recommendations

Going forward, a balance needs to be struck between protecting biodiversity and human prosperity and wellbeing. The researchers' recommendations include:

Investing to enhance regional capacity for biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning and sustainable development

Supporting coastal communities to diversify economically and develop resilient infrastructure

Developing legislation that enables the creation of protected areas with flexible borders

Taking a pre-emptive planning approach to avoid conflicts between biodiversity protection and efforts to adapt human infrastructure

Tracking rapidly changing ecosystems and implementing species translocations and ecosystem restoration where needed

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a global scale.

The researchers stress that urgent action is needed, with coordinated regional planning and global collaboration, to mitigate the projected impacts.

Dr Elchin Mamedov from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Azerbaijan, said: "This is an important study because it highlights the risks posed by climate change for Caspian region biodiversity and local communities and the need to enhance regional and international cooperation to help manage the impacts."

The international collaboration involved researchers from Technische Universitat Braunschweig (Germany), Technische Universitat Berlin (Germany), Kaspika Caspian Seals Conservation Agency (Russia), Institute of Hydrobiology & Ecology (Kazakhstan), Museum of Natural History (Azerbaijan), Central Asian Institute of Ecological Research (Kazakhstan), Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Centre (Azerbaijan), Ramsar Regional Initiative of Central Asia (Turkmenistan), University of Bremen (Germany) and Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany).
SHIZUOKA, Japan - A roughly six-meter-tall Evangelion Unit 01 statue made its appearance in Hamamatsu, central Japan, on Sunday as part of a local government tourism campaign through next February in the hope of cashing in on the city's connection to the popular anime film.

The purple giant humanoid robot from the film "Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time" will tower over the lobby of Hamamatsu city hall in Shizuoka Prefecture until late January next year, including on weekends and public holidays.

About 170 people lined up in front of the municipal headquarters to see the statue ahead of the public opening at 10:30 a.m.

During the opening ceremony, the city firefighters' music band played the popular theme song of the anime.

The local initiative, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the original TV series, follows Evangelion-themed campaigns launched in recent years by Tenryu Hamanako Railroad Co. and Enshu Railway Co. centered around the city's Tenryu Futamata Station -- a model for Village-3 in the 2021 movie.

The station has since been inundated with "anime pilgrims" eager to see a 3.6-meter-tall "Spear of Longinus," a giant extraterrestrial weapon central to the story, installed in 2023 at its train depot. Evangelion-themed trains also run at certain times through the station.

As part of Hamamatsu's new campaign, the two local railway operators began sales of one-day unlimited ride passes featuring images of the main character Shinji Ikari and fellow pilot Kaworu Nagisa.

Visitors can complete a stamp rally covering 21 spots along the Tenryu Hamanako and Enshu railway lines, with cutouts of Evangelion characters placed at certain locations. Those who collect 10 stamps will receive an exclusive sticker.

"Through Evangelion, I want people to rediscover the appeal of Hamamatsu's tourism and culture," said Mayor Yusuke Nakano, while also expressing interest in partnering with Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture and Ube in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Hakone served as the model for the postapocalyptic fortified city of Tokyo-3, while Ube is the hometown of series director Hideaki Anno. Both locations have also run Evangelion-related tourism campaigns in the past.

Related coverage:

Japan train station officials railing at trespassing Evangelion fans

Dodgers star Ohtani thanks Slam Dunk artist for logo design
Ministers may do away with the controversial climate change levies in order to help resuscitate British steelmaking . That follows the UK government's recent decision to take over control of the country's blast furnaces at Scunthorpe. Demand for steel will soar as Britain rearms and looks to become more self-sufficient so as to avoid tariffs. - The Financial Mail on Sunday

German logistics titan DHL has decided to suspend deliveries to the US, starting from Monday, on account of the changes to the documentation required of imports by American officials. Business-to-consumer shipments to the US with a value greater than $800 (600) would therefore be temporarily halted. - The Sunday Times

The loss-making chemicals company owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos Quattro, may see its financial recovery delayed due to the trade tariffs imposed by the US president. That is according to analysts at ratings agency Moody's. The company's latest full-year results revealed that losses more than doubled to reach 819m (702m) at the end of 2024. In parallel, its "substantial indebtedness" increased by nearly half a billion euros to 7.7bn. - Guardian

A leading MP has called on the Foreign Secretary David Lammy to meet with the British nationals who are owed millions in pension savings by HSBC following an expose published by The Mail on Sunday. Blair McDougall, a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said that Lammy must "discuss how the UK Government could take further steps to address" the freezing of those savings by the lender. - Financial Mail on Sunday
Amy Gerstler is the author of 15 poetry collections, including Scattered at Sea, longlisted for the National Book Award; Dearest Creature, a New York Times Notable Book; and Bitter Angel, winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award. A Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, she has also produced work for the stage in the form of a musical co-written with composer Steve Gunderson. Her latest collection, Is This My Final Form? (Penguin; reviewed in this issue), blends the quotidian and the surreal in its poems about metamorphosis, music, loss, nature, and Covid-19 lockdown.

There's a wide tonal range here, with satire on the one hand and elegies on the other. How does that reflect the range of uses poetry can be turned to?

Hooray for this question. Poetry is historically and contemporarily an INCREDIBLY nimble and capacious genre. From epigrams to epics, its modes and uses are infinite. Could it be the most protean of art forms?

The theme of shapeshifting finds an echo in the question of poetic form. How do you seek to strike a balance between formal structures (like sonnets) and looseness?

I don't know that I was looking for balance between formal structures and looseness so much as variety and/or the kind of range you mentioned earlier to manifest throughout the book. If I was going to try to loosely center this book around themes of transformation, then it seemed important that the forms as well as the content of the poems embody at least some degree of shape shifting.

The first section of the book contains some poems about women behaving "badly" (thinking of Marigold and Mae West). How have you broken rules in your life and career, and what do these "bad girls" have to teach us?

Cool question. I don't know if I would characterize the women in those poems as behaving badly, so much as acting boldly. And it's hard for me to say how I might have broken rules in my career, maybe because I don't think artmaking has rules. You get to make your own, which is one of its attractions. I think women who challenge norms and taboos, women who push back against gender strictures in their lives and work have EVERYTHING to teach us, always: about who humans can be, about freedom, strength, possibility, creativity, self-regard, progress, interdependence, mercy, empathy, joy, enlightenment, love, ethics, the erotic, on and on. That's why I'm endlessly interested in their voices.

Parts of the collection arose from the Covid-19 lockdown experience. Did the constraints of that time fuel creativity for you in some ironic way?

Early in the pandemic, during those few moments when I wasn't paralyzed with fear, I thought: Well, Amy, you are such a loner, and always longing for stretches of quiet, uninterrupted time to write, now maybe you can make use of this. You better! But I learned something about myself during lockdown. I really like to have control over when I am alone and when I see people! I don't thrive in imposed solitude at all! So sad as I am to admit this, I kind of fell apart and wasn't good for much in the initial few months of pandemic confinement. Eventually, I was able to adjust and get work done but it took much longer than I would have liked.

I saw that you're based in Los Angeles. The recent fires must have been a tough time personally and collectively. What do you see as the duty of the artist in the wake of catastrophe?

The fires were truly terrifying. So many people are now living in the aftermath of having lost homes, studios, artwork, writing, schools, whole neighborhoods, loved ones. In the wake of disaster, even during it (since current political calamities seem to be unfolding over protracted periods of time) I think the duty of the individual artist is to determine what they want to speak about through their work and the kinds of work they feel called to make (which is their duty at all times in my view!), and to support their fellow artists and fellow beings through their work and life.

Animals have a strong presence in the book. What roles do other creatures play in your life and work?

Seeing and knowing animals is one of the richest joys of being alive for me. Animals are sharers of the planet, capable of so much more than we give them credit for. I want my work to honor and explore expanded notions of creatureliness and who are sentient beings. So much can be learned from our fellow creatures. At times I have felt more at home with animals than people. I love that passage from Walt Whitman's Song of Myself pertaining to animals. It's way too sweeping and naive (re: the final line for example: of course there are unhappy animals!!) but I still love it:

I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain'd,

I stand and look at them long and long.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition,

They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,

They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,

Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,

Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,

Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.

You've also worked in other media (such as a musical), and there is a miniature play included in this collection. How do these different ventures nourish you artistically?

The artists I admire most in all genres are constantly pushing themselves, making it new, so I have a hunger to emulate that. And I think most artists have a horror of getting stuck or repeating themselves. A perpetual student at heart, I love writing and literature intensely, so I want to explore those realms as much as I'm able within my one small allotted lifetime. One way to do that is through collaborating with artists in other fields or by attempting to work in genres new to me. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader, and blogger at Bookish Beck
Nearly 100 protestors gather on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at the intersection of Silver Lake Park Road and Forest Avenue to protest the reopening of Silver Lake Park Road to vehicles. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Nearly 100 Staten Island residents rallied together Saturday afternoon to voice their emphatic opposition to the planned reopening of Silver Lake Park Road, which has been closed to traffic since 2020.

This is not a Democrat issue, this is not a Republican issue, this is literally a life-and-death issue, Michael Cassidy, a West Brighton resident and frequent visitor of Silver Lake Park, said.

Silver Lake Park Road, which links Forest Avenue and Victory Boulevard, was closed as part of a city plan implemented during former Mayor Bill de Blasios administration to improve social distancing in the wake of the pandemic.

However, earlier this month, less than a week after a 53-year-old woman was assaulted within the park, Borough President Vito Fossella, District Attorney Michael E. McMahon and Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, the NYPD borough commander, held a press conference announcing that the road would be reopened in the hopes of increasing vigilance and activity within the park.

Councilmember Kamillah Hanks, a Democrat who represents the North Shore, was among the co-signers of a letter penned by McMahon urging the city to reopen the road.

Parks should be places filled with activity, visibility and community presence, not areas of isolation, Hanks said in a statement.

Recently, in a letter addressed to McMahon, Fossella and Hanks, the New York City Parks Department Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone confirmed that Silver Lake Park Road would reopen on a full-time basis.

Robert Krajnak, a runner who lives in the area, said the decision makes no sense.

For them to open up the park (road) post-COVID just seems so anti-park, so anti-safety, he added.

Janice Ellison, a resident of Grymes Hill, waves a sign at the protest on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)

The opening of the road is only one step in bolstering security, officials said.

Im a jogger and I jog in this park every morning, and I was so happy when Mayor de Blasio closed the park, Sarah Walters, who lives in the area and regularly visits the park, said. I have seen so many accidents; cars use this roadway as a raceway, and theyre not careful, and youre scared to death.

Longtime residents and young families alike stood side by side at the intersection of Silver Lake Park Road and Forest Avenue on Saturday waving signs denouncing the opening of the road.

Rose Uscianowski, a St. George resident and organizer with Transportation Alternatives, speaks at the rally on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)

This is one of the last oases we have in the North Shore that we can appreciate, free from car traffic, free from noise, and we want to keep it that way, said Rose Uscianowski, a St. George resident and organizer with Transportation Alternatives.

A Transportation Alternatives online petition to keep the road closed had 283 supporters as of Saturday afternoon.

Many residents questioned why officials did not consult the community for input about whether to close the road, with one suggesting a meeting to discuss the matter.

Im disappointed that theres no public input included in this decision. This walkway, its the essence of a public facility, one that has a very natural appeal, visually, physically, James Hill, a resident of the area and frequent park visitor, said.

Attendees look on as a speaker talks at the rally on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Luke Peteley)

The city Parks Department is working with the city Department of Transportation to ensure that the road is in proper condition before it is reopened.

As part of this process, Ricciardone explained that signage must be updated, lighting assessed, and a plan for resurfacing must be put in place.

We dont have that many parks, we really should have this park, and cars are dangerous today, said Cynthia Mailman, a Stapleton resident. And this way you can walk, you dont have to look constantly that a car is going to hit you.
In this photo from February, cars pass signs along 2nd Avenue, between 61st and 62nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, that warn of the congestion pricing toll. (Advance/SILive.com|Steve Zaffarano)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Roughly a month ago, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy extended the federal deadline for New York to end congestion pricing.

And even with Sunday being the new deadline to end the toll program, it seems like the toll programs cameras will stay turned on, according to a new report from NBC News and previous statements by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
A black-legged tick is shown in this undated photo. According to scientists, the frigid winter weather will not reduce the tick population we see this spring, summer and fall. (Courtesy of the New York State Integrated Pest Management program at Cornell University)

Many are hopeful that New York Citys recent cold, snowy winter will knock out the black-legged deer ticks that carry Lyme disease.

Despite the common misconception that cold weather kills ticks, unfortunately, that isnt the case, scientists explained to the Advance/SILive.com.

In fact, adult black-legged ticks stand up to winter weather just fine, and deer tick season never really ends, said Jody L. Gangloff-Kaufmann, an entomologist at the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Geneva, New York.

Residents venturing outside should be cautious even in the cold about picking up ticks, and should always do a thorough tick check after outdoor activities, Gangloff-Kaufmann said.

The black-legged tick is the only variety that is active over the winter, said Gangloff-Kaufmann. Theyre looking for their biggest host, which is deer. Theyre looking for a mate."

She stressed that black-legged ticks never really disappear.

On winter or early spring days with temperatures above 37 degrees, the ticks become particularly active, she said.

Ticks are arachnids, closely related to mites and spiders, according to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and they feed on blood from deer, small rodents, pets and people for energy to grow and later reproduce.

A warning from experts

Being bitten by an infected black-legged tick, the kind that lives to hitch a ride on Staten Islands growing deer population, can give you Lyme disease and a host of other illnesses if youre not proactive, according to medical experts.

And while not all the black-legged ticks carry Lyme, about 50% in the Northeast do, Gangloff-Kaufmann said, and about 20% carry three different diseases.

Ticks prefer to hide along pathways in woods and along the forests edge, she said, and you can find them most often in lowland forestry areas where theres a stream nearby, which attracts the deer. So ordinarily, youre a bit safer on a sunny, dry lawn.

But, in the chilly spring air, an adult ticks eagerness to find a host changes all that, said Joellen Lampman, an extension support specialist with the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell.

They might move on into our lawns in desperation, she said, noting that at the same time, the nymphs, or babies, begin to become active, and they are as tiny as a poppy seed.

This issue with the nymph life stage is that people arent expecting them in the spring, and they are hard to spot, she said.

Most people will be diagnosed with Lyme disease in June or July from the ticks that bit them earlier in the spring, she said.

And with people eager to get outside for fun and yard work after a long winter, theres a need to spread the word of caution, the scientists said.

How to stay safe

Both stressed the need to check the bodys crevices after outdoor activities, and being proactive is critical, they said. Armpits, belly buttons, behind the ears in private parts should be checked thoroughly by sight and feel when showering, doctors advise.

Wearing long sleeves, high socks and pants in wooded areas is helpful, they said, but wearing insect repellent sprays is a must, too.

And there is clothing available that is pre-treated to repel and kill ticks, they both said.

I dont see this nearly enough, Lampman said. Permethrin is a chemical ... you can buy clothing that is already pre-treated, or buy the spray and spray yourself. You spray the clothing, you spray the cloth and it lasts for six weeks or six washes. Its worth the investment."

And as the weather warms, well have other ticks to worry about, too, she said.

The American dog tick will become a problem; it can transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. The Lone Star tick can cause a red meat allergy, and the Asian longhorned tick doesnt typically like people, but will attach itself to pets, she said.
Police are seeking the public's assistance in locating a 33-year-old resident of Stapleton reported missing on Sunday. Courtesy of NYPD

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The NYPD is seeking the publics assistance in locating a 33-year-old man reported.

Ronald Orlovsky was last seen around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, leaving his place of work.

While a statement sent out by the NYPD did not mention where Orlovsky works, it does state that he lives on Wandel Avenue in Stapleton.

Orlovsky is described by police as being 5 feet, 6 inches five tall and around 150 pounds, with a medium build and light complexion.

He was wearing wearing black jeans, a black shirt, and black sneakers when last seen, according to the report.

Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

The public also can submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X @NYPDTips. Police say all calls are kept confidential.
From left, Clifford Hagen, Frank Morano, and Griffin Fossella appear in a composite photo. All three are set to appear in the April 29, 2025 special election for the South Shore City Council seat. (Advance file photos)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Some Staten Islanders have an upcoming special election for which early voting starts next week.

Residents in the South Shore City Council district will have the chance to decide among Griffin Fossella. 27, Cliff Hagen, 58, and Frank Morano, 40, in the contest to be decided April 29.
MANILA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A passenger jeepney lost its brakes and plunged into a roadside canal in Marinduque province in the Philippines, killing six and injuring 20 others, police said Sunday.

Police said the jeepney, carrying 26 holidaymakers, was heading to a river for a family outing when the crash happened past 10 a.m. local time Saturday.

Initial investigation showed the speeding jeepney was on a descending road when its brakes malfunctioned. It then plowed into cement culverts and hit a tree before falling into a canal, tossing some passengers onto the ground.

The crash's impact shaved the vehicle's roof and wrecked the car's hood.

Jeepneys are the primary mode of transport for millions of Filipinos across the archipelago, especially in the countryside. 
In this photo from January, traffic drives along 2nd Avenue in Manhattans Upper East Side near the start of the toll zone for New York Citys congestion pricing. Recently, a federal judge dismissed several arguments in lawsuits designed to stop the program, according to multiple reports. (Advance/SILive.com | Steve Zaffarano)

Sunday marks the deadline given by the Trump administration for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to end New York Citys congestion pricing plan.

And while its still unclear how Gov. Kathy Hochul will respond, the toll program did see two major legal updates in the days leading up to the deadline.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The hunt was on for plastic eggs scattered in grassy fields at egg hunts across Staten Island on Saturday.

Many egg hunts were hosted in the borough, including Catholic Charities of Staten Islands annual Easter Event at Mount Loretto, which featured gourmet buffet food, take-home photos with the Easter Bunny, and a DJ.
Frank Morano, a candidate running for the South Shore City Council district, hosts a press conference at the 123 Precinct in Tottenville supporting law enforcement and public safety on April 19, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Annalise Knudson) (Advance/SILive.com | Annalise Knudson)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A candidate for South Shores City Council seat showed strong support of law enforcement and urged for a renewed emphasis on public safety during a press conference on Saturday, held alongside Staten Island elected officials, union leaders, first responders and public safety advocates, to discuss several key issues.

Frank Morano, who is running for the special election in the South Shore City Council district, hosted the conference, which took place outside of the 123 Precinct, Tottenville.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is running for mayor of New York City.

But Cuomo is also keeping his eye on the national picture.

The Daily Beast reported that Cuomo believes that socialist leading lights Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are capitalizing on fears being stirred up by President Donald Trump.
Frank Morano, a Republican candidate for the special election for the South Shore City Council seat, speaks to the Advance/SILive.com editorial board in the Bloomfield newsroom on Thursday, Apr. 3, 2025. (Advance/SILive.com | Jason Paderon). Jason Paderon

With GOP South Shore City Councilman Joseph Borelli leaving office early, a ranked choice, non-partisan special election will be held on April 29 to fill out the final months of his term.

In the running to replace Borelli are WABC Radio host, Community Board 3 member and longtime borough activist Frank Morano; Staten Island educator, environmentalist and Board 3 member Cliff Hagen, and political newcomer Griffin Fossella, son of current Borough President Vito Fossella.

The three met with members of the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com Editorial Board recently, Hagen and Morano in person at the news organizations Bloomfield headquarters, Fossella joining virtually.

From left, Clifford Hagen, Frank Morano, and Griffin Fossella appear in a composite photo. All three are set to appear in the April 29, 2025 special election for the South Shore City Council seat. (Advance file photos)

There was much common ground among the candidates.

All are opposed to the controversial City of Yes development plan and to the proliferation of battery energy storage system sites in the South Shore. All pledged to focus on public safety.

Democrat Hagen pointed out how proposed changes to the ULURP process could have a negative effect on South Shore land use.

We also welcomed Hagens pledge to spend more on district parks, and we give the Democrat credit for breaking with his two rivals and opposing Staten Island secession.

But while Hagen said that he would have an easier time working with the City Councils overwhelmingly Democratic majority, we have our doubts that Hagens more conservative Democratic bent will gibe with the Councils increasingly leftward tilt.

Morano, a Republican, has long been active in borough civic and political affairs.

During the editorial board meeting, Morano spoke knowledgeably and passionately about a number of topics, including Charter revision and discounts for express bus riders.

His call for Islanders to be more patriotic boosters of the perpetually downtrodden borough also chimed with us.

Morano showed his deep knowledge of borough issues by lauding past Island officials, including GOP state Sen. John Marchi and Democratic North Shore Councilman Jerome X. ODonovan.

Morano also praised opponent Fossellas family members, Borough President Fossella and the elder Fossellas uncle, former South Shore Councilman Frank Fossella, for their past efforts on behalf of the Island.

Republican Griffin Fossella, a financial professional who works in Midtown Manhattan, was game during the editorial board meeting, including his oft-stated commitment to public safety and pledge to be the most pro-NYPD member of the City Council.

But his overall lack of experience stands in stark contrast to the resumes of his rivals.

Fossellas absence from various events on the hustings, pointed out by Hagen and Morano over the course of the campaign and by Morano during the editorial board meeting, also concerns us.

While we understand that work and other commitments sometimes impinge on a candidates ability to campaign, we expect more engagement from those who hope to lead.

Perhaps most disconcerting was Fossellas comment to the editorial board that he is out meeting constituents and voters whenever I do have free time.

While theres no doubt that the Fossella family has given Staten Island decades of dedicated public service, candidates for political office must make the time and commit themselves more publicly to their campaigns.

We think that Morano clearly has the vision, intelligence and experience to be an able and effective lawmaker for the South Shore.

While he would be part of the Councils GOP minority, we are confident that Morano will be able to build the political bridges necessary in order to deliver for his constituents.

We also believe that Morano will make effective use of the bully pulpit and will be a loud and proud advocate not just for the South Shore, but for all of Staten Island.

Early voting in the race begins on Monday, April 21.

The winner of the April 29 contest will serve out the remainder of Borellis term through the end of this year but will need to win the June 24 primary race and the Nov. 4 general election to remain in office into 2026.

Morano and Fossella have confirmed that they plan to participate in the June Republican primary. Hagen has said he will be a candidate in the Democratic primary.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Residents of the South Shore City Council district will head to the polls Monday to elect their next City Councilmember.

Former Councilmember Joseph Borelli, a Republican, left office in February triggering the special election with Cliff Hagen, 58, Frank Morano, 40, and Griffin Fossella, 27, qualifying for the contest that will be decided April 29.
In this June 20, 2018, file photo, assembly members vote on Bills in the Assembly chamber at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File) AP

The New York GOPs Albany headquarters was vandalized with taped printouts of swastikas last week, outraging public officials.

The swastikas were taped to a sign, a window, and a door on the headquarters building, along with a sign reading: If this is not what you stand for, prove it.
Champagne, oysters, steak and a fantastic wine list: any reputable restaurant worth its salt should be able to execute on these elements flawlessly.

But once main courses are done and dessert is served, specialty tea brand T2 chief executive Christelle Young finds the meal can far too often end on a bitter note.

You finish off with a tea, and its amazing how many chef-hatted restaurants do it bad, really bad, she said.

T2 Tea chief executive Christelle Young wants tea to get the same reverence coffee enjoys. Credit: Daniel Pockett

She cites recent experiences at three reputable steakhouses and higher-end establishments that put her tea in a coffee cup, served it in a flimsy battered tea pot, or shoved a tea bag in a cup.
Thirty years ago this week, a young African preacher in Rwandas Kibeho refugee camp read aloud from the Bible to reassure his flock in the midst of one of the worst and most brutal massacres of modern times.

Into the oasis of calm created by the mans charisma and faith stepped an Australian cameraman in army fatigues who introduced himself as George Gittoes.

George Gittoes with his painting of a preacher during the Rwandan massacre that has gone on display at the National Gallery. Credit: National Gallery of Australia

Gittoes, a civilian war artist, had learnt of the rapidly deteriorating situation in the squalid, nine-square-hectare Kibeho camp.

Corralled in the camp were an estimated 100,000 internally displaced people (IDP) forced from their own homes by the Rwandan civil war.
The hospital staff came close to identifying the cause earlier. But they wrongly assumed Ella had overdosed on the anti-nausea drug and prescribed a host of new medications, including antipsychotics with a known risk of causing the same movement disorders that Ella exhibited.

During the ordeal, Ella was involuntarily admitted to the hospitals locked mental health unit, 19 weeks pregnant and traumatised.

From her first presentation, it took the hospital more than 10 weeks to discover that Ellas symptoms were a severe reaction to medications she was prescribed, beginning with a common drug to treat hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a condition characterised by debilitating nausea or vomiting during pregnancy.

I was in a state of prolonged distress for months, said Ella, now 35. I was terrified that my uncontrollable movements would harm my children, my unborn baby or myself  and felt like no one was listening to me.

It wasnt the first or last time that Ella was given a mental health diagnosis when she presented to a regional NSW hospital in 2023 with signs of serious movement disorders: uncontrolled and repetitive movements, muscle spasms, tremors, locked jaws, hands clenching and unclenching, and her neck twisting from side to side.

Depression was typed in neat black letters next to reason for presentation on Ella Richs discharge summary. It was a confounding diagnosis for the then 33-year-old, who had presented to the emergency department 13 weeks pregnant with severe nausea, vomiting and arms that jerked violently about her, completely beyond her control.

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Its difficult to pinpoint why Ella was dismissed as a mental health case. Was it because her first baby, Tilly, died at just 13 days from a congenital abnormality detected when Ella was 34 weeks pregnant? Or that Ella had been prescribed an antidepressant, which she took through her two subsequent pregnancies with her daughters, now aged 6 and 3?

Ellas case cuts across multiple manifestations of medical misogyny, from the minimisation of HG (a poorly understood and under-researched phenomenon) to womens pain being dismissed in favour of mental health diagnoses that obfuscate the actual, physiological cause of their distress.

Psychiatry and trauma experts have shared harrowing cases in which clinicians incorrectly concluded that a womans pain was all in her head, scuttling attempts to investigate the actual cause, and hundreds of women told this masthead that their symptoms were dismissed as anxiety or depression only to be later diagnosed with serious or life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks, internal bleeding and cancers.

This masthead has uncovered a series of disturbing cases where women claim they have been wrongly admitted to mental health wards .

I kept telling them that I thought the drugs were causing my symptoms, Ella said.

Caitlin Kay-Smith, founder of advocacy organisation Hyperemesis Australia, said womens accounts of their HG were often doubted by their doctors.

I didnt want to terminate, it was just a way of expressing how unwell I was. I felt like no one believed me about the extent of my hyperemesis, said Ella, recalling some hospital staff telling her that her anxiety was the cause of her HG.

Her nausea was so constant and debilitating that she told several clinicians she had considered terminating her planned pregnancy.

Ella said neither her doctor nor pharmacist mentioned any potential side effects from taking metoclopramide, the generic name for one of the most common drugs prescribed for HG. No side effects were mentioned for any of the subsequent drugs she was prescribed, including antipsychotics, antidepressants and antianxiety medications.

Was it her repeated presentations to the hospital with HG and, later, her undiagnosed drug-induced movement disorders, dystonia and dyskinesia? Or that she disclosed to staff the mental distress that her symptoms were causing?

Sufferers are more likely to develop perinatal anxiety and depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, Australian research shows .

Data on the reasons for abortion in Australia is limited, but a 2021 UK survey of 5000 women with HG found 4.9 per cent had terminated wanted pregnancies due to the condition.

Caitlin-Kay Smith, founder of Hyperemesis Australia: Theres still this dismissal of HG as just morning sickness. Something cute and normal. Credit: Edwina Pickles

Theres still this dismissal of HG as just morning sickness. Something cute and normal.

In emergency departments, women get questions, Do you really need to be here? Are you really throwing up that much? Some women have had to beg for IV fluids.

They will say, I am throwing up 10 or 20 times a day, and theyre told, That cant be true. How are you sitting in front of me functioning if that were the case? Kay-Smith said.

Ella was rushed to hospital twice suffering severe, seizure-like dystonic attacks. She had no control over her bodys violent shudders and was afraid she would asphyxiate as her vocal cords were contracting. She couldnt open her eyes and her neck was wrenched back.

After another presentation, she was diagnosed with agitated depression.

I had started to feel out of my body, restless and irritable. I didnt know what was happening to me, and it was all I could think about, she said.

For Ella, the side effects began almost immediately after starting the metoclopramide. She presented to hospital with her right leg shaking, her face drooping and slurring speech. She told staff that she felt like bugs were crawling over her skin.

My husband and mother-in-law thought I was going to die as they watched my limbs kick to the roof uncontrollably and my back and neck spasm, Ella said of the first episode.

A doctor on ward rounds said words to the effect of when this was sold to me, I thought pregnancy, anxiety, mental health but its a classic case of [metoclopramide] toxicity, Ella recalled, insinuating she had overdosed.

Her medical notes stated, unintentional dopaminergic [anti-emetic] overuse, but Ella said she had taken less than the prescribed doses.

There seemed to be an assumption that I had taken an unintentional overdose because I was anxious and depressed. Case closed, Ella said. No one bothered to ask or check how much Id been taking.

Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak, a clinical pharmacist who also leads the Reproductive and Perinatal Pharmacoepidemiology Research Group at Flinders University, said drug-induced movement disorders were well-recognised side effects of metoclopramide and antipsychotics.

We are talking one in 100 [people who take metoclopramide] could experience dystonic effects, and it can occur at low doses, Grzeskowiak said.

The vast majority will get through without experiencing anything, then there will be a small number with debilitating side effects  and we dont know why.

Polypharmacy  adding medications on top of each other  can increase someones likelihood of having adverse reactions.

Dr Debra Kennedy, the director of MotherSafe at the Royal Hospital for Women. Credit: Max Mason-Hubers

Dr Debra Kennedy, the director of MotherSafe  a free telephone counselling service for women and their healthcare providers concerned about drug or environmental exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding  said metoclopramide was a horrible, crappy drug for HG prescribed as a first-line treatment at disproportionately high rates by Australian prescribers.

I try to get people off it, Kennedy said. Its not particularly effective, and one of the most common side effects is that it exacerbates depression, which a lot of these women will have associated with the nausea and vomiting.

The guidelines say you should only prescribe metoclopramide for five days, but no one looks at that  they are happy to prescribe it forever.

Ella recalled feeling like a medical oddity as the doctor, without speaking directly to her, invited clinicians on ward rounds to look at this, look at that, as he pried open her eyelids to reveal only the whites of her eyes.

She was treated for the toxicity, diagnosed with depression and prescribed mirtazapine, an antidepressant that also has an antiemetic (nausea and vomiting prevention) effect.

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Back home, Ella started having terrible dreams and what she assumed were panic attacks.

She told her GP she felt like running into traffic and was referred for a voluntary admission to a mental health unit for three days. Quetiapine, an antipsychotic, was added to her medication mix. An admission to a private mental health hospital in Sydney followed.

All the while, Ellas dystonic movements continued until they became so distressing that she moved to her parents home and away from her two small daughters for fear of unintentionally injuring them.

I kept saying to Mum and Dad that the drugs were doing me harm, Ella said. I really wanted to die, but it was mostly because of the way I felt physically.

For three days, Ellas involuntary movements were violent, flailing and unremitting. She could not sleep and would scream in overwhelming distress.

Ella tried to grab a knife, but her father and brother forcefully disarmed her.

Medical misogyny: A call for action The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald have launched an investigation into medical misogyny: ingrained, systemic sexism across Australias healthcare system, medical research and practise. More than 1800 women shared their experiences as part of our crowd-sourced investigative series, which prompted a national outpouring of grief and frustration as women described feeling gaslit, dismissed or being told their pain was all in their heads. We call on the federal government to boost Medicare funding for GP appointments that last more than 20 minutes to improve care for women and others with complex health conditions. The Albanese government and the Coalition have promised to pour $8.5 billion into Medicare to make GP visits more affordable and improve bulk billing rates, but longer 20-minute appointments will receive a smaller proportional funding increase. Doctors have warned that these policies could further disadvantage women by continuing to incentivise shorter consultations, which dont give GPs enough time to address menopause, pelvic pain and other womens health issues.

An hour later, Ella had her second terrifying seizure-like episode and was taken by ambulance to hospital. This time, she was scheduled as an involuntary patient under the Mental Health Act.

I couldnt believe what was happening. I was 19 weeks pregnant and all of my rights were just taken away, Ella said.

Ellas mother, Jenny Johnson, a former senior nurse manager, said a doctor had medically cleared Ella to be scheduled.

She didnt gather any history  no one seemed concerned that she had had a repeat of an acute medical episode, Johnson said. Instead, [as a justification for scheduling Ella] they said words to the effect of, It certainly sounds like a dystonic reaction, but its such a small dose that its highly unlikely.

From her hospital bed, Ella found a medical journal article online describing metoclopramide-induced tardive dyskinesia. She recognised her symptoms and sent a screenshot to her mother.

Johnson made a call to REACH, a NSW hospital system allowing patients and families to escalate their concerns. She told the officer that there was something everyone was missing: that Ellas medications were causing her symptoms. But no staff arrived to assess Ella.

Ella Rich was diagnosed with toxicity despite the fact she had taken less than the prescribed dose of her medication. Credit: Belinda Soole

It was like Ella was put on this runaway train on the mental health track, and no one recognised what was going on, Johnson said.

She was dehumanised. The lack of kindness was awful.

Johnson had witnessed the same during her career, recalling a young woman presenting to the emergency department with what would later be diagnosed as a brain tumour but who was initially dismissed as a melodramatic princess.

Ella was terrified in the involuntary psychiatric ward. She worried she would be attacked by the violent male patients and found the staff threatening.

With a contraband pencil and paper that another patient had snuck into the unit, Ella wrote a list to prove to the doctors that she was compliant and could be released.

Two days after she was sectioned, a psychiatrist walked into Ellas room flanked by six doctors and said, Did you know youre missing part of your cerebellum? referring to part of the brain critical for co-ordinating movement and balance.

Ella knew. She had been diagnosed with a congenital condition that affected her cerebellum when she was 14 months old. It was well-documented in her medical notes and evident on a CT scan performed six weeks earlier, after her first seizure-like episode, to rule out stroke.

He said that this changed everything, and it was possibly the reason I suffered so badly with hyperemesis and why I reacted so badly to the drugs, Ella said. I was predisposed to a high sensitivity for adverse drug reactions.

Even if the link between Ellas cerebellar issue and the drugs was a rare finding, the fact that other causes werent considered is what is galling to Ella and her family.

Once again, Ella felt she had become an inhuman exhibit to be prodded and examined in front of the crowd of doctors, as she cried uncontrollably.

The same doctor told her the schedule wouldnt be lifted for another six days.

I was distraught. I was so desperate to get home to my family, Ella said.

Why was he happy to leave me in that hideous environment for another six days? Why did no one else, over all of those weeks, link my deteriorating mental health to the physical side effects of the drugs I was being prescribed and taking?

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Her mother again called REACH. This time, the REACH co-ordinator listened and took detailed notes. Ella remembers the co-ordinator returning soon after to tell her the schedule had been lifted and Ella would be transferred to the voluntary mental health unit.

When Ella was reviewed by another psychiatrist the next day, he said words to the effect of: You have all of these red flags with you coming in and out of mental health institutions. If we had let you out and you had done something, we would have all lost our jobs  How do you feel about that? OK, are we clear?

This could have ruined my marriage and my ability to be a mother, Ella said, thankful that her baby, now 11 months, is healthy. I am going to live with this trauma for the rest of my life.

Hospital apologises for multiple reasons

The hospitals directors of emergency medicine, psychiatry and obstetrics apologised to Ella for multiple fronts during a meeting facilitated by the Health Care Complaints Commission in August 2024, including:

not picking up her movement disorder on her first presentation to the ED;

being objectified by staff;

incorrectly assuming she had overdosed;

failing to consider that a patient who has had one dystonic reaction could have a second one; and

not informing her husband that she had been involuntarily treated.

Caitlin Kay-Smith hears echoes of her experience in Ellas case. She came close to being scheduled to a mental health unit when she experienced an adverse reaction to metoclopramide.

I was lucky that a perinatal psychiatrist whose daughter had HG stepped in, and she said, No, give her an IV, and she sent me to the maternity ward instead, Kay-Smith said.

Its not rare for women taking these drugs and having these types of reactions to describe the agitation as being really anxious, and clinicians arent connecting the dots.

Kay-Smith said women must be told about these uncommon but serious drug side effects. Dystonia and depression are included in the national HG management guidelines (though not dyskinesia, which has a later onset). But, adherence is patchy, Kay-Smith said.

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Meanwhile, a lack of awareness about current medications has led to women being denied treatment and ongoing research into new, safer treatments has been stymied by the spectre of the thalidomide crisis  a drug to treat morning sickness in the 1950s and early 1960s that led to more than 10,000 babies being born with birth defects. Thalidomide had been poorly tested, raced to market and advertised as safe for pregnant women and their babies.

Thalidomide is the reason people just arent running drug trials on pregnant women, Kay-Smith said.

Mirtazapine  one of the drugs suspected of exacerbating Ellas reaction but relieving her HG symptoms  is considered experimental and not a first-line treatment, and Kennedy said there was a fair amount of reassuring safety information about the drug.

The crux of the issue for Grzeskowiak is: How well-informed are women [with HG] about these treatments, why do we have so many treatments with severe side effects, and why is there a lack of development and promotion of newer, safer, more tolerable medications for what is quite a debilitating illness?

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GAZA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- At least 29 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday, according to the Civil Defense in Gaza.

In central Gaza, 10 people were killed and some others wounded by an Israeli airstrike on a residential house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense, told Xinhua.

In southern Gaza, a Palestinian woman was killed and four others wounded in an Israeli drone attack on a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis city, and four others were killed in another two separate Israeli attacks on the city, Basal said.

One Palestinian was killed in an Israeli artillery strike northwest of Rafah city, and five others were killed in another Israeli airstrike in the city, where medical and Civil Defense teams have little access to, Basal said.

Besides, eight people were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on two gatherings of Palestinians in the al-Tuffah and al-Zaytoun neighborhoods in the south and east of Gaza City and the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, Basal added.

Meanwhile, local sources reported that Israeli artillery shelled Gaza's eastern outskirts, amid gunfire from vehicles, drones, and helicopters.

The Israeli army has not commented on these incidents yet.

Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2. It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.

The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,827 Palestinians and injured 4,828 others, Gaza health authorities said Sunday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 51,201, with 116,869 injured. 
A woman abducted from her home and found dead in a burnt-out car is believed to have been an innocent victim, targeted and killed by a gang seeking revenge after their drugs were stolen.

Investigators believe the murder bears the hallmarks of a sophisticated organised crime group.

Police say the 45-year-old woman, Thi Kim Tran, was at her Bankstown home in south-west Sydney with a young child and teenager when masked men burst in on Thursday night.

The intruders bashed an eight-year-old boy in the head with a baseball bat and forced Tran at gunpoint into a black SUV waiting outside.
The heartbroken parents of a boy who died when he became stuck between rocks off a popular NSW beach have remembered nine-year-old Kaison Greaves as an adventurer and an amazing big brother.

His tragic death marked the sixth on the NSW coast over the Easter long weekend, a toll that Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce described as the worst hes seen.

Nine-year-old Kaison Greaves died after becoming trapped between rocks in the water at South West Rocks.

Emergency services were called to South West Rocks in northern NSW about 3.30pm on Sunday after Kaison became stuck between rocks off the shoreline.

NSW Police, Fire and Rescue NSW and Surf Life Saving NSW crews spent hours in deepening waters, eventually reaching up to their necks, as they tried to free Kaison, who died at the scene.
One of Sydneys most popular spots to mark Anzac Day has scrapped the traditional game of two-up as it prepares to honour Australian and New Zealand service men and women this week.

The North Bondi RSL sub-branch, whose founders included Australian members of the Rats of Tobruk, will host its annual April 25 dawn service at Bondi Beach on Friday.

A crowd plays two-up at North Bondi RSL Club on Anzac Day last year. Credit: Edwina Pickles

Unlike previous years, the days proceedings will not include two-up inside the club at the north end of the iconic strip of sand in Sydneys eastern suburbs.

North Bondi RSL Club chief executive Blake Johnson said the club had responded to veteran members requests to maintain a family environment throughout the full day and to avoid offering two-up on Anzac Day.
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 Deborah Snows profile of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (Duttons revival instincts hit Trump hurdle, April 19) contains his own illuminating self-assessment: I think I demonstrated during the course of the Voice that I had an ability to bring the party together on a very difficult issue, and we were able to guide public debate. For him, it was a political exercise  a practice run in controlling internal dissent and directing public opinion. What might have been good, moral or beneficial was never part of his thinking  it was a political opportunity. Says it all, really. Gary Stowe, Springwood Snow tells us Duttons daily regimen includes reading the newspapers at around 4.30am and meditating twice daily, once around 4.30 in the morning... With the state of Australia and the world as shown in the content of newspapers, being able to meditate while he reads them proves the man has no humanity. Bruce Wright, Latham (ACT) One thing I detest about Dutton is his attempts to portray Anthony Albanese as weak. Albanese is anything but weak. From humble beginnings, he studied hard for his degree, then clawed his way up through the ranks of the Labor Party to become leader and PM. As Leader of the House in the Gillard minority government, he shepherded record numbers of legislation through the Parliament. All this took guts and determination  the antithesis of weakness. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer Anthony Albanese, Donald Trump and Peter Dutton: pick the winner It seems the Coalition and its media allies had only one bullet to win the election and that was Trumpism, and it has backfired spectacularly. They have spent the past three years bagging Labor and the PM as a weak leader rather than spending time to develop genuine policies that affect voters. Chickens are coming home to roost. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill Despite more than 4000 words trying to put a warm side to Dutton, the impression gained is one of leopards and spots. A man who sees life in black and white and is not warm to those who are not in the white camp, as shown by the contrast between his comments on African gangs in Melbourne and Lebanese migrants and the welcome mat he wanted to put out for white South African farmers. Maurice Critchley, Mangrove Mountain Snow and Peter Hartcher both discuss Trumps effect on the election. Trump stridently disavows DEI, and the acronym is verboten within the administration. Easter is a time of reflection, and it might be salutary to reflect on the meaning behind DEI. Perhaps we might ask our leaders and indeed every aspiring politician: do they not rejoice in our multicultural diversity? Will they seek to ensure that all our citizens are treated equally? Do they not wish to see all our people, male or female, of different ethnic backgrounds, with skins of various colours and of many differing faiths fully included in the Australian landscape? John Crowe, Cherrybrook

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Duttons Trump flirtation Peter Hartcher has raised some interesting points in the comparison between Trump and Dutton, particularly Duttons on-again off-again hero worship of Trump (Trump: From messiah to pariah, April 19). Its about what will serve each mans enormous ambitions. In Christs time, people expected a messiah, but didnt know what he would look like. There were false messiahs. Pariah is a small step from messiah. Trump made the step quickly. Duttons initial infatuation has turned to denial  three times as Hartcher reminds us and reminiscent of Judas betrayal of Jesus. Dutton is the same person who denied the stolen generation, denied them a Voice and says anything to gain power. Pariah seems to fit. Geoff Nilon, Mascot Hartcher quoting Duttons comment on Trump that the art of the deal is incredibly important to him leads to reminding us that for many people, life is like a game of poker and political leaders particularly are high-stake gamblers. Advice for life, in the chorus from Don Schlitzs The Gambler, especially applies to politicians at election time: Youve got to know when to hold em/ Know when to fold em/ Know when to walk away/And know when to run. Hartcher noting Duttons three-fold Petrine-like denial of knowing Trump suggests that belatedly Dutton knows that it is time to run. Perhaps all Albanese now has to do is hold em. Paul Casey, Callala Bay Dutton, the Trump wannabe, would do anything from spraying his face orange to sacrificing a chicken if he thought he would win this election. Backflipping Dutton could get a gig with Cirque du Soleil after this campaign. You also have to question his choice of candidates he is seen with in public. His avoidance of attack dog Cash or boozer Joyce has been a wise move, but having Angus Taylor, MAGA Price and parking lots McKenzie in the public eye may backfire. Albaneses measured calm should not be mistaken for weakness; in fact, in difficult times such as we find ourselves in now, its just what we need. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury Reasons to be cheerful There are many reasons that I am happy to have been born in this great country. As I age, four come to prominence: the aged pension, superannuation, Medicare and the PBS. All were introduced by a Labor government and opposed by the conservatives at the time. Allan Gibson, Wahroonga Dont toady to Trump

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I couldnt agree more with Geoffrey Robertsons call to Australia (Australia must help in Trump fight, April 19) to join with like-minded nations in a conversation about a free world no longer led by America. I congratulate the current government for not running cap-in-hand to the US on tariffs, as did the Italian prime minister with her cringeworthy call to make the West great again. The West must certainly reshape itself in light of the USs new isolationism, but there is no room for toadying to Trumps monumental ego. NATO countries need to reassess their commitment to one another and to democratic freedoms. It has been appalling to watch Trump cosying up with war criminals Netanyahu and Putin. There must be decent-minded US Republicans who are scandalised by Trumps despicable antics. Hillary Clinton was right when referring to Trumps supporters as deplorables. Australia must not join his posse. I cannot help but wonder if the world would be a different place had a US citizen been aboard the Malaysian Airlines plane shot down over Ukraine. Genevieve Milton, Dulwich Hill Core values, corflutes I have been a volunteer for a political party at every federal election since 1972 and have never seen so many vandalised and defaced corflutes as during this campaign (Video shows surgeon stomping on Monique Ryan corflute, April 19). In my neck of the woods, practically every poster of a particular party put up along the roads and public spaces has been defaced. Most are cleaned up or replaced before they are attacked again. Each of those corflutes have been of the PM. If you dont like him, just wait and show it at the ballot box. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Corflutes: too much of a good thing? Credit: Fairfax Media We can only be thankful that elections dont come around every year, if only to be thankful that the rabbit-like multiplication of corflutes and the equally irritable amount of political advertising thrust at us when we try to view a YouTube video. All we, as voters, need is your name and what party or non-party that you are standing for. I have found this so irritating that I will be simply voting for the (major party etc) candidate with the fewest corflutes and least amount of advertising that I see. Doug Richards, Tamarama Few positives in property gearing Several correspondents (Letters, April 19) shared worthwhile ideas about our housing problems. Compelling owners of vacant properties to rent or sell them seems potentially Draconian and complicated. The problem with government housing is decades of neglect with ever-increasing waiting lists. Now, with materials so expensive and labour in short supply, governments will find it hard to close the gap.

As for negative gearing, softly, softly catchy monkey. We have seen what sudden drastic changes can do, courtesy of Donald Trump. I suggest we grandfather current provisions and continue negative gearing only for build-to-rent properties. Rent to buy should be part of government housing schemes, as that would be the only way low-income earners could ever own their own home. Garry Feeney, Kingsgrove

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Housing: will anything help? Credit: Eddie Jim Your correspondent need not worry about the removal of negative gearing. It wont happen. Paul Keating tried it and then squibbed it because of just this scare  that removing it would raise rents. Landlords would be nuts to hand back gains from negative gearing to tenants in the form of rent reductions. Most benefits sought from buying existing houses come from resale in a year or two to get capital gains tax concessions. Thirty years of negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions applied to investment property have created too many votes for anyone except a Greens supporter to even consider abolishing them. The property market is not geared to provide housing. It is rigged to make money. Norman Carter, Roseville Chase Privatisation v monopoly I agree with your correspondent (Letters, April 19) about the benefits of public ownership, but Australians (like Americans) have been so brainwashed in the past 100 years about the terrors of socialism that it will never happen. Counter-productive, dysfunctional privatisation, with its misdirected profits and costly public bail-outs, is set to rule for a long time to come. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell An interesting list from your correspondent, but I think there are very few situations justifying a government monopoly. Having unsubsidised competitors in education is not inherently wrong. Private interests produce electricity competitively; private insurers and hospital owners should be allowed to compete. Infrastructure and defence are areas where competition might sensibly be benched. Mike Bush, Port Macquarie Indonesian interests Ben Bohane writes (As Putin eyes up West Papua, we must recall bad choices, April 19) that we must adopt a Timor to Fiji Melanesia first policy. We should put it on the same level as our relationship with Indonesia, recognising we live below an arc of developing nations. Indonesia, like Australia, is an economic competitor of Russia. Indonesia has little to gain from a significant relationship with Russia. Russians see Indonesian islands as a great place to holiday, hide their money and wait out Putins wars. It is appropriate that Indonesia focuses on economic and security relationships in its region, which includes countries from Africa to India, China, Australia and the Pacific. Chinas nine dash line claim affects Indonesia. Facilitating Russian or Chinese military presence in the Indo-Pacific is not in Indonesias interest, even if it desires not to facilitate Australian and US interests. Peter Egan, Mosman

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Papuan activists with faces painted with the colours of the separatist Morning Star flag Credit: AP In Ben Bohanes article, one phrase bears repeating in all Australian media: ... Jakarta refuses to allow international media and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit it. Is it any wonder we hear so little about West Papua? Jakarta wont let foreign journalists in. Does that raise questions for anyone? Sister Susan Connelly, Croydon Tarnished victory The European Union is warning European leaders not to attend the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in Moscow. On May 9, 1945, the Soviet Red Army crushed the Nazi regime in Berlin, defeating fascism in Europe and ending the most horrific war in human history. Up to 27 million Soviet citizens  perhaps more  gave their lives in the epic struggle to defeat Nazi Germany and its European allies, including Vichy France, Italy, Hungary, Finland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Kaja Kallas, the European Unions Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, has issued a warning that any politicians who went to Moscow would face severe consequences. Kallas, who was formerly the prime minister of tiny Estonia, was appointed last year as the EUs most senior official on foreign policy. Norman Broomhall, Port Macquarie Uncommon grounds Your correspondent gives a lighthearted response to the rumblings of generation rivalry (Letters, April 19), but I find this blame game deeply disturbing. Has the generation gap become a war? Surely, there are already enough factors working against social cohesion without adding intergenerational mudslinging. The generalisations are manifestly flawed. Its time to stop the finger-pointing and credit one another with a fundamental desire to live in peace, provide secure homes for our families, enjoy a modicum of comfort and contribute to the common good. On that basis, we can make co-ordinated efforts to address the real problems we face. Meredith Williams, Baulkham Hills Sound advice

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A year ago on Tuesday, childcare worker Molly Ticehursts battered body was found in her home at Forbes, in central western NSW. Her former partner, Daniel Billings, who had been released on bail for sexually assaulting her, has been charged with her murder.

The anniversary of her death has highlighted the spiralling crisis that threatens to overwhelm attempts to help the victims of domestic violence.

Molly Ticehursts body was found in the early hours of April 22, 2024. Credit: Stephen Kiprillis

The Heralds chief reporter Jordan Baker writes that despite nationwide fury at Ticehursts death leading to tougher bail laws, frontline services remain critically underfunded and have not had a baseline increase for a decade. Around 96 per cent of specialist services have reported increased demand since March last year.

A Domestic Violence NSW survey of services found a two-month average wait for critical support for domestic violence victims in NSW, and each service has an average of 33 people on their waiting list. Domestic violence-related assault has grown every year since 2021, and apprehended domestic violence orders continue to climb. Horrendously, 39 adults and children died from DV-related murder in NSW last year.
Ever since his return to the Oval Office, the question of how to deal with Donald Trump has, for democracies and dictatorships alike, been at the top of the agenda of virtually every foreign ministry in the world.

The issue for democracies is a particularly thorny one. It once could be taken for granted that America  whether under Republican or Democrat administrations  was the leader of the free world. There might occasionally be differences between the US and its allies, sometimes serious ones: think of President Eisenhowers savage treatment of Britain during the Suez Crisis or the estrangement between America and France over the Iraq War. Those difficult passages notwithstanding, democracies all knew which side America was on in the great global competition with the authoritarian world.

That is no longer so. In an environment in which America is no longer a reliable security partner, or  as I argued in this column recently  does not see itself as leader of a more or less unified bloc of democratic nations, each democracy has to define its relationship with the US anew.

Donald Trump hosts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House in February. Credit: nna\riwood

This is why the news last week that Trump had accepted King Charles invitation to visit the United Kingdom in September is important. It will be Trumps first visit to another democracy since his inauguration. (His first overseas visit, to Saudi Arabia, is expected in May.)
With two weeks of the election campaign to go, Labor has reversed its downward slide in the opinion polls, edging back up into what looks like a winning position. But its not yet time to break out the Bob Hawke lager. The soft vote, which refers to voters who lean one way or another but say they might still change their minds, is enormous, at over 30 per cent of the vote. Thats a lot of people open to persuasion  enough to change the outcome of the election if only a fraction of them can be flipped by one party or the other.

The two leaders on the campaign trail this week. Credit: SMH

Combine that with a healthy dose of campaigners optimism, a drug without which political campaign units could never make it through the gruelling non-stop weeks of electioneering, and it becomes clear why Peter Duttons team is not yet packing up the corflutes and jelly snakes and calling it set and match to Albanese. The accumulated wisdom of campaign veterans is that elections sometimes defy the polls. Campaigners are constantly looking for the innovation or pivot point which will turn around what seemed like a foregone conclusion.

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The 2019 election was one of those times when the campaign outcome contradicted expectations. Its a wound still raw in Labor ranks. The ALP was so convinced the election was in the bag after two terms of Liberal infighting (the Malcolm Turnbull versus Tony Abbott rancour) that they published the infamously overconfident were ready photo of their prospective leadership team.
The sun has not set on the Aussie dream of owning a beach house.

A collection of postcard-worthy areas with median house prices below $650,000 are dotted along the coastline.

Zilzie, on Queenslands Capricorn Coast. Credit: Pat ODriscoll Real Estate

The tide for buyers has turned in some spots where median house prices have cooled over the past 12 months, Domains House Price Report for the March quarter, released last week, shows.

These include Nambucca Heads on the NSW Mid North Coast ($635,000, down 0.9 per cent), Curlewis on Victorias Bellarine Peninsula ($645,000, a drop of 3 per cent) and Venus Bay in South Gippsland, Victoria ($500,000, a fall of 19.2 per cent).
Tsukiji was doomed, surely. Its raison detre, its entire reason for being, had disappeared.

The Tsukiji fish market, the worlds largest wholesale fish and seafood space  and surely the worlds most famous  closed its doors and pulled down its awnings for the final time on October 11, 2018. Its many vendors and workers shifted their operations to Toyosu, a gleaming, modern facility in southern Tokyo.

The Tsukiji outer market in Tokyo is thriving despite the departure of the fish market. Credit: Alamy

Gone was the bustle in Tsukiji, gone was the produce, gone was the icon. It stood to reason that the Tsukiji outer market, the rickety network of shops and stalls that existed as an annex of the main complex, a place for workers to eat and visitors to pick up kitchen supplies, would surely cease to exist as well.

Indeed, many vendors left, making their way to Toyosu with the main market. The outer markets demise seemed inevitable.
Who are the worst travellers? Im making small talk with the taxi driver taking me from my hotel to Cairo airport. Hes been complaining about some foreigners whose luggage didnt fit into his boot and had to be nursed on laps, clients complaining all the way. Australians, he says.

He doesnt even hesitate. Doesnt everyone love us? Were low maintenance, out for a good time, eat pretty much whatevers on our plate. Whats not to like about us? Tips, he says. Australians dont tip, and its true. We just dont get tipping. Were miserly tippers because we come from a country where, by and large, waiters, bar staff, hospitality workers and just about everyone else in the service industry is paid a decent wage.

Heres the tip: failing to do so or leaving a miserly tip is considered rude and disrespectful. Credit: Getty Images

But thats not the case everywhere. In the US, the federally mandated basic combined cash and tip hourly minimum wage for tipped employees  defined as someone who regularly receives more than $US30 ($50) per month in tips  is $US7.25 ($12).

Most states have a basic wage for tipped staff well above that, but even in the state of New York, which has the countrys highest hourly minimum rate of $US16.50 ($27.50), a waiter needs tips to survive  and from this comes their aggressive pursuit of customers who fail to tip well.
HANGZHOU, April 20 (Xinhua) -- After light rain, a group of Chinese and Americans laid flowers on a tombstone in the city of Quzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, to remember the 1942 Doolittle Raid and a heroic rescue that has since united people from the two countries.

This is the former resting place of Leland Faktor, a U.S. engineer and gunner who participated in the Doolittle Raid on Japan during World War II and died when his aircraft crashed in China. The tombstone honors him as an "anti-Fascist hero," inscribed in both Chinese and English.

On April 18, 1942, a group of 16 U.S. bombers took off from the USS Hornet and air-raided Japan in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the raid, 15 planes heading for an airport in Quzhou ran out of fuel and crashed in various localities in east China.

Among the 75 airmen aboard the planes, 64 were rescued by Chinese villagers, who courageously risked their lives evading searches and reprisal bombings by the Japanese.

Over eight decades later, this rescue continues to be commemorated by both sides of the Pacific as a special bond of friendship forged in the war against Fascism.

On Thursday and Friday, representatives from the United States, Japan and China embarked on a trip to refresh this memory by revisiting Faktor's former tomb and villages that participated in the rescue.

"Every Chinese who rescued Americans knew he was gambling everything. For a man he doesn't know, he's gonna risk his wife, his children, all his friends," said Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, on Thursday.

"I think as Americans, we need to know that story," Greene said.

As part of the two-day event, the USS Hornet Museum, a museum turned from the retired U.S. aircraft carrier, on Friday gifted an original film reel of a 1942 Doolittle Raiders training exercise to the Quzhou Society for the History of the Doolittle Raid. The society donated the wreckage of a B-25 bomber from the raid to the American museum.

Many Chinese villages involved in the rescue still tell the stories of finding the "strange-looking foreigners" and the ensuing efforts to protect them after learning they were American pilots fighting against the Japanese.

Liao Mingfa, a 90-year-old villager from a mountainous part of Quzhou, remembered the day when his father and uncles carried home an injured foreign soldier, whose face covered in blood. The man, later identified as Charles Ozuk, stayed with Liao's family for a few days before leaving to reunite with his fellow airmen.

Another bomber crashed in the coastal area of Ningbo, also in Zhejiang. Villager Ma Liangshui and his wife Zhao Xiaobao rescued the airmen. They cooked up some fried eggs and shrimps for the soldiers before using a boat to help them leave the village.

Facing the Japanese soldiers who arrived to search for the Americans, the villagers insisted that the aircraft crashed into the sea and no one survived.

Still, the rescue came at tremendous costs. After the Doolittle Raid, the airport in Quzhou was subjected to intense bombing by Japanese forces. Japan also waged biological warfare in Zhejiang, resulting in massive civilian deaths.

Han Qiang, president of the Quzhou Society for the History of the Doolittle Raid, said the people of Quzhou stood with U.S. aviators and contributed to a shared global cause against Fascism.

"The bond transcends borders and remains in people's hearts," Han said, adding that descendants of the Doolittle Raiders have repeatedly visited Quzhou since the end of World War II.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

George Retelas, representative of the USS Hornet Museum, said the trip was both a solemn remembrance and cultural exchange.

"We come together in shared respect to honor the enduring bonds of humanity forged during one of the most difficult times in our world's history," he said. 
Los Angeles/Washington: Thousands of protesters across America again took to the streets to rally against US President Donald Trump and his policies, a sign of sustained resistance to his leadership just two weeks after cities and towns nationwide saw mass demonstrations.

The turnouts in some places such as Washington and Chicago appeared to be smaller than the protests on April 5. Several thousand marched in the nations capital on Saturday, US time, compared with tens of thousands earlier this month. Still, more than 700 events were planned, according to one of the organisers, the group 50501.

In front of the White House, protesters repeatedly shouted a single word: Shame!

Protesters rally at the state capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the Day of Action protest against the Trump administration. Credit: The Patriot-News via AP

Many demonstrators berated the administration for not bringing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who the courts have said was wrongfully deported to El Salvador, back to the United States. Waving upside-down American flags, they marched along the eight-lane Constitution Avenue, chanting Bring Kilmar home. Trump officials have maintained that Abrego Garcia was a member of the Salvadoran gang MS-13.
US, Iran to hold more nuclear talks after latest round



Rome, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2025



The United States and Iran concluded a second round of high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Saturday, agreeing to meet again in a week for further discussions.

The Oman-mediated talks in Rome lasted about four hours, Iranian state television reported, with Tehran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi declaring it a "good meeting" that yielded progress.

"This time we managed to reach a better understanding on a series of principles and goals," he told Iranian state TV.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the parties had "agreed to resume indirect talks at a technical level over the next few days and subsequently continue at the level of two senior negotiators next Saturday", April 26.

Oman said the third round would be in Muscat, returning to the site of the first talks a week ago.

Those were the first discussions at such a high level between the foes since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.

After Saturday's talks, Oman's foreign ministry said Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had agreed to keep negotiating.

The talks, it said, "aim to seal a fair, enduring and binding deal which will ensure Iran (is) completely free of nuclear weapons and sanctions, and maintaining its ability to develop peaceful nuclear energy".

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the talks were "gaining momentum and now even the unlikely is possible".

Baqaei said the delegations had been "in two different rooms" at the Omani ambassador's residence, with Albusaidi passing messages between them.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

After returning to office in January, Trump revived his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions against Iran.

In March he wrote to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging renewed nuclear talks while also warning of military action if diplomacy failed.

"I'm not in a rush" to use the military option, Trump said Thursday. "I think Iran wants to talk."

On Friday, Araghchi said Iran "observed a degree of seriousness" on the US side during the first round but questioned their "intentions and motivations".



- 'Crucial stage' -



In an interview published Wednesday by French newspaper Le Monde, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb, noting a day later that talks were "at a very crucial stage".

During Trump's first term, Washington withdrew from the 2015 accord between Tehran and world powers that offered Iran relief from international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Tehran complied with the agreement for a year after Trump's withdrawal before scaling back its compliance.

Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 deal. His US counterpart, Witkoff, is a real estate magnate Trump has also tasked with talks on Ukraine.

Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit in the deal but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged European countries to decide whether to trigger the "snapback" mechanism under the 2015 agreement, which would automatically reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its non-compliance.

The option to trigger the mechanism expires in October.

Iran has previously warned it could withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if the mechanism were triggered.



- 'Non-negotiable' -



Analysts had said the United States would push to include discussions over Iran's ballistic missile programme and its support for militants in the Middle East.

But Araghchi said Saturday the US side had "not raised any issues unrelated to the nuclear topic so far".

He said earlier this week Iran's right to enrich uranium was "non-negotiable", after Witkoff called for its complete halt. Witkoff had previously demanded only that Iran return to the ceiling set by the 2015 deal.

On Friday US ally Israel affirmed its commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, saying it had a "clear course of action" to do so -- a stance Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Saturday.

"I will not give up on this, I will not let go of it, and I will not retreat from it -- not even by a millimetre," he said.
US, Iran report progress in nuclear talks, will meet again



Rome, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2025



The United States and Iran made progress in a second round of high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Saturday and agreed to meet again next week, both sides said.

The Oman-mediated talks in Rome lasted about four hours, Iranian state television and a senior US official said. Tehran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi declared it a "good meeting" that yielded progress.

"This time we managed to reach a better understanding on a series of principles and goals," he told Iranian state TV.

The senior US official said in a statement, "Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions."

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the parties "agreed to resume indirect talks at a technical level over the next few days and subsequently continue at the level of two senior negotiators next Saturday", April 26.

The US official confirmed another meeting next week but did not specify which day or where.

Oman said the third round would be in Muscat, returning to the site of the first talks a week ago.

Those were the first discussions at such a high level between the foes since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its programme is for peaceful civilian purposes.

After Saturday's talks, Oman's foreign ministry said Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had agreed to keep negotiating.

The talks, it said, "aim to seal a fair, enduring and binding deal which will ensure Iran (is) completely free of nuclear weapons and sanctions, and maintaining its ability to develop peaceful nuclear energy".

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the talks were "gaining momentum and now even the unlikely is possible".

Baqaei said the delegations had been "in two different rooms" at the Omani ambassador's residence, with Albusaidi passing messages between them.

Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

After returning to office in January, Trump revived his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions against Iran.

In March he wrote to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging renewed nuclear talks while also warning of military action if diplomacy failed.

"I'm not in a rush" to use the military option, Trump said Thursday. "I think Iran wants to talk."

On Friday, Araghchi said Iran "observed a degree of seriousness" on the US side during the first round but questioned their "intentions and motivations".



- 'Crucial stage' -



In an interview published Wednesday by French newspaper Le Monde, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Iran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb, noting a day later that talks were "at a very crucial stage".

During Trump's first term, Washington withdrew from the 2015 accord between Tehran and world powers that offered Iran relief from international sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Tehran complied with the agreement for a year after Trump's withdrawal before scaling back its compliance.

Araghchi was a negotiator of the 2015 deal. His US counterpart, Witkoff, is a real estate magnate Trump has also tasked with talks on Ukraine.

Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit in the deal but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged European countries to decide whether to trigger the "snapback" mechanism under the 2015 agreement, which would automatically reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its non-compliance.

The option to trigger the mechanism expires in October.

Iran has previously warned it could withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if the mechanism were triggered.



- 'Non-negotiable' -



Analysts had said the United States would push to include discussions over Iran's ballistic missile programme and its support for militants in the Middle East.

But Araghchi said Saturday the US side had "not raised any issues unrelated to the nuclear topic so far".

He said earlier this week Iran's right to enrich uranium was "non-negotiable", after Witkoff called for its complete halt. Witkoff had previously demanded only that Iran return to the ceiling set by the 2015 deal.

On Friday US ally Israel affirmed its commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, saying it had a "clear course of action" to do so -- a stance Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Saturday.

"I will not give up on this, I will not let go of it, and I will not retreat from it -- not even by a millimetre," he said.
'Pandora's box': alarm bells in Indonesia over rising military role



Jakarta, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2025



Greater military influence in government, reporters under threat and a stuttering economy -- Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's first six months in power have triggered alarm bells for activists worried about a return to the country's authoritarian roots.

Last month, Indonesia's parliament amended a law allowing active-duty military personnel to work in 14 state institutions -- up from 10 -- including the attorney general's office, which rights groups say could weaken legal checks on military abuse.

The decision has critics anxious that the world's third-largest democracy could hark back to the days of dictator Suharto, who ruled Indonesia with an iron fist for more than three decades.

"The government does not realise that Indonesia has a collective trauma over (Suharto's) authoritarian New Order government," said Hussein Ahmad, deputy director of rights group Imparsial.

Before Suharto was toppled by student-led protests in 1998, Prabowo was serving as a commander for an elite force to suppress unrest.

He remains accused of human rights abuses, including allegations that he had ordered the abduction of activists at the end of Suharto's rule -- which Prabowo has denied and never been charged for.

He has since rehabilitated his image, and was elected last year on the hopes that he would continue the policies of popular predecessor Joko Widodo.

Yet in the six months since coming into power, Prabowo's former life as a general has been thrust into the public eye.

His administration's move to expand the military's role in government has raised eyebrows even within Indonesia's political elite.

After Prabowo appointed government representatives to kickstart discussions of the law in parliament in February, former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said it used to be "taboo" for military personnel to enter politics.

"It was one of the doctrines that we issued back then... If you want to do politics, resign," he told a meeting.

Presidential spokesman Hasan Nasbi denied that the new law would regress Indonesia back to Suharto's era.

"This law actually limits the role... to 14 sectors that truly need the skills and expertise relevant to (military) training," he told AFP, adding that the critics were "inaccurate".



- 'Silencing' journalists -



After his October inauguration, Prabowo paraded his cabinet in military fatigues at a retreat.

In November, his defence minister -- also a former general accused of abuses under Suharto -- announced that 100 battalions would be set up to enforce the government's agenda.

And Prabowo has also faced backlash in recent months for slashing government budgets, as Indonesia's flailing economy is further hit by a plummeting rupiah and see-sawing markets in reaction to Washington's tariffs.

Adding to worries is a new regulation issued last month allowing police to monitor foreign journalists and researchers.

It gives the police the authority to provide a permission letter when reporting from "certain locations" -- though a spokesperson later said the letter was "not mandatory".

But the regulation could still spook reporters working on sensitive topics, said Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono.

"Journalism always goes hand-in-hand with democracy," Andreas told AFP.

"If journalism is suppressed, the freedom of speech is suppressed, democracy will be paralysed."

The country's press flourished after the fall of Suharto, but local reporters have in recent weeks raised fears of an environment of intimidation.

Last month, Tempo magazine -- which publishes articles critical of the government -- was sent a pig's head and six decapitated rats.

Prabowo's spokesperson denied any government role in the incident, and said an investigation was ongoing.

Tempo's website also started seeing cyber attacks this month after it published an investigation into some gambling companies in Cambodia and its links to Indonesian tycoons and politicians.

Journalist Francisca Christy Rosana, who was doxxed in recent weeks, said they got the message loud and clear.

"This terror was not just aimed at intimidating but silencing and stopping our work."



- 'Fed up' -



Thousands across Indonesia last month protested the new law, carrying posters that called for the military to "return to the barracks".

Dismissing the public's outrage over the military's potential dual role in government as "nonsense", Prabowo said he respected the people's right to protest.

But if the demonstrations "create chaos and unrest, in my opinion this is against the national interest", he said in an interview earlier this month.

Andrie Yunus of KontraS, the commission for missing persons and victims of violence, said the demonstrations are "the tip of the iceberg".

"Civilians are fed up with the entry of militarism into civilian affairs," he said, warning that the path to a military regime "is open".

"We consider the passing of the (military law) to be an attempt to open Pandora's box."
Iraqi politicians oppose Syrian leader's possible visit to Baghdad



Baghdad, April 20 (AFP) Apr 20, 2025



Several powerful pro-Iran Iraqi politicians have in recent days voiced opposition to a potential visit by Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Iraq for the upcoming Arab League summit.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said earlier this week that Baghdad has invited Sharaa to attend the Arab League summit, scheduled to take place in the capital on May 17.

If Sharaa attends, it would be his official visit as Syria's leader to Iraq, where he was imprisoned for years on charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda following the 2003 US-led invasion.

The Shiite Dawa party, led by former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, said Sunday it rejects Baghdad hosting someone who has committed "crimes" against Iraqis.

Maliki is a key figure in Iraqi politics and a leading member of the Coordination Framework, the main pro-Iran coalition that holds a parliamentary majority and helped bring Sudani to power.

"It is essential that the judicial record... of anyone participating in the Arab summit at any level is free of charges and crimes," Maliki's party added, without naming Sharaa.

Several Iraqi security sources told AFP that an old arrest warrant for Sharaa remains in place from his time as a member of Al-Qaeda. However, authorities may choose not to enforce it, prioritising stable relations with Syria's new leadership to help maintain regional stability.

Earlier this week, Sudani met with Sharaa in Doha in a meeting facilitated by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

US-sanctioned Qais al-Khazali, head of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq force which is part of the Coordination Framework, warned on X Saturday that a visit by Sharaa "could have consequences if the law were enforced and he got arrested" due to the outstanding warrant against him.

It is too soon for Sharaa to visit Iraq, he said.

Iraq's powerful faction Kataeb Hezbollah's spokesman, Abu Ali al-Askari, said Saturday that the Arab summit "would definitely not stop due to the absence of the convicted Abu Mohammed al-Jolani," using Sharaa's nom de guerre which he has abandoned after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad.

Pro-Iran Kataeb Hezbollah has previously fought in Syria alongside Assad forces.

The ouster of Assad, who was a close ally of the government in Baghdad, has complicated relations between the neighbouring countries.

Iraq, a majority-Shiite Muslim country, remains deeply scarred by decades of conflict following the US-led invasion, which triggered sectarian violence and the rise of Sunni jihadist groups, including Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
JERUSALEM, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that one of its soldiers was killed and three others seriously injured in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, on Saturday.

The killed soldier was G'haleb Sliman Alnasasra, a 35-year-old tracker from the Bedouin city of Rahat in southern Israel, according to the statement.

Another IDF tracker and two female soldiers were seriously injured, it added.

Israel's Channel 12 News reported that Hamas militants emerged from a hidden tunnel shaft and fired an RPG at an IDF force, injuring the two female soldiers.

According to the report, after about half an hour, a rescue force arrived at the scene and an explosive device was detonated against it. As a result, Alnasasra was killed, and the other tracker was wounded.

Earlier on Saturday, the IDF said that its armored forces killed more than 40 Hamas militants in the Rafah area, southern Gaza Strip, over the weekend. 
Protesters gather during a rally outside the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy.

Organized on the 250th anniversary of the start of the U.S. Revolutionary War, the demonstrations ranged from marches through midtown Manhattan to rallies outside the White House in Washington, D.C., drawing parallels between historical calls for liberty and today's demands for executive accountability.

In New York, people rallied outside the city's main library carrying signs targeting the U.S. president with slogans like "No Kings in America" and "Resist Tyranny;" in Chicago, demonstrators chanting "Protect our democracy" marched past City Hall; in San Francisco, participants formed a human banner reading "Impeach & Remove" on Ocean Beach.

Protesters carried signs denouncing rapid deportations of immigrants, mass firings within federal departments, and cuts to Social Security offices, while many also voiced support for transgender rights and stronger climate policies.

"We are in an unprecedented, dangerous situation in the United States," said Raymond Lotta, a political economist and writer.

The Trump administration "is moving quickly to consolidate power, to carry out its horrible agenda, rounding up immigrants, waging a war on the universities, a war on science. They are shredding the rule of law," he said.

"Trump is doing illegal things, and he should stop," said another demonstrator identifying himself only as George. He held a sign reading "Deport Trump" to express his anger.

Calling the current trade war "unnecessary," Chris, another demonstrator who only gave his first name, said, "Using tariffs is hurting our economy. Especially, it is hurting the world economy. It is causing a lot of disruption across the globe."

"We're already seeing the first signs of a recession," said Chris, who held a sign reading "tariffs equal recession."

Meanwhile, some groups focused on community services, organizing food drives, teach-ins and volunteer work at local shelters.

Political analysts note that Saturday's protests marked the second major mobilization against the Trump administration in April, following an earlier wave on April 5, and reflected deepening grassroots frustration with what participants view as an erosion of checks and balances. 

Protesters gather during a rally outside the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

Protesters gather during a rally outside the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

(250420) -- NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrators participate in a rally and march in protest of the Donald Trump administration's policies in New York City, the United States, on April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Protesters gather during a rally outside the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

(250420) -- NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrators participate in a rally and march in protest of the Donald Trump administration's policies in New York City, the United States, on April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

(250420) -- NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrators participate in a rally and march in protest of the Donald Trump administration's policies in New York City, the United States, on April 19, 2025. Thousands of protesters on Saturday took to the streets in various cities across the United States in what demonstrators described as part of a "National Day of Action" against President Donald Trump's policies and perceived threats to democracy. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)
The MoD said on Sunday that the intercepts mark the RAFs first scramble as part of Operation Chessman and come weeks after the aircraft arrived in eastern Poland to begin deployment alongside Sweden in defence of Natos eastern flank.
Of course, I can't know if anyone on her team had seen it and been inspired by it, but the similarities were too great for me to ignore.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, said: Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.
US President Donald Trump has suggested Washington may walk away from peace talks unless there is rapid progress. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the US is not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end, citing other priorities. We need to determine very quickly now  and Im talking about a matter of days  whether or not this is doable, he said. If its not going to happen, then were just going to move on.
BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A Hezbollah member was killed and another injured Sunday when an Israeli drone struck a vehicle in the southern Lebanese municipality of Kaoutariyet Al Siyad, according to Lebanese sources.

"The drone targeted a car on the eastern road of Kaoutariyet Al Siyad. Ambulances rushed to the scene amid heavy flights of Israeli warplanes and drones over the area," Lebanon's official National News Agency reported.

The Lebanese Health Ministry's Public Health Emergency Operations Center confirmed one death and one injury. Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source revealed to Xinhua that the deceased was Hussein Nasr, a Hezbollah member from the town of Harouf, adding that another person was "seriously wounded."

The Israeli military later claimed responsibility, identifying Nasr as the deputy head of Hezbollah's Unit 4400, which it described as managing weapons smuggling operations.

According to the Israeli side, Nasr coordinated with Iranian operatives and airport personnel to transfer weapons and funds through Beirut International Airport, oversaw procurement along the Syria-Lebanon border, and played a key role in Hezbollah's military build-up.

Separately, the Lebanese army announced it had seized "several rockets and their designated launch platforms" after raiding an apartment in the Saida-Zahrani area of southern Lebanon following intelligence about an imminent rocket launch toward Israel. Several suspects were arrested in the operation.

Despite a ceasefire agreement in effect since November 27, 2024, Israeli forces have conducted intermittent strikes inside Lebanon, claiming they target Hezbollah "threats." Some strikes have resulted in casualties, according to Lebanese officials. Israel has also maintained a presence on five hilltops along the Lebanese border despite ceasefire provisions requiring withdrawal.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun reiterated Sunday that "the Lebanese Armed Forces must become the sole authority responsible for carrying weapons and defending Lebanon's sovereignty and independence."

However, he acknowledged that while the decision to implement weapons restrictions had been made, it was necessary to "wait for the appropriate circumstances, which will determine how it is carried out."

"Any internal dispute in Lebanon must be addressed through dialogue, communication, and a reconciliatory -- not confrontational -- approach," Aoun added.

His remarks came a day after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected calls for the group to disarm, calling such efforts a "delusion" that would serve Israeli interests.

Hezbollah's military autonomy has long divided Lebanese politics. 
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.
SHANGHAI, April 20 (Xinhua) -- In a significant advancement that could reshape the future of electric vehicles, Chinese researchers have identified a mechanism behind solid-state lithium battery failures.

It came as China has risen to become a global leader in the lithium battery industry. The country is now racing with its international rivals, particularly those from Japan and the Republic of Korea, to embrace the next-generation battery technologies.

Solid-state batteries, widely regarded as one of the most promising solutions in the coming decade, could revolutionize energy storage. However, overcoming their technical hurdles remains the greatest current challenge.

FINDING ROOT CAUSE

Unlike liquid electrolytes used in conventional batteries, solid electrolytes struggle to absorb the stresses caused by lithium expansion and contraction during charging cycles.

These stresses can cause cracking or the formation of dendrites -- tiny, needle-like structures that can trigger short circuits -- thus posing major challenges to the industrialization of the technology.

In their new study, the researchers from Tongji University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology found that solid-state battery failures are closely linked to cycle fatigue of the lithium metal anode.

They also observed that this fatigue adheres to well-defined mechanical principles, like repeatedly bending a paperclip weakens it until it finally breaks.

This discovery, published on Friday in the journal Science, provides a quantitative framework for predicting battery life cycles and opens new pathways for designing longer-lasting energy storage systems.

"The work recognizes the importance of fatigue in the performance of lithium metal anodes in solid-state batteries," noted Jagjit Nanda and Sergiy Kalnaus, two U.S. battery scientists, in a perspective on the research.

BATTERY REVOLUTION

This research underscores China's sustained R&D investments in electrochemistry in recent years. These breakthroughs are now fueling China's industrial edge and setting the stage for the country to repeat its success in the upcoming revolution in battery technology.

Solid-state batteries, using solid electrolytes instead of liquid ones, achieve much higher energy density (up to 500 Wh/kg) than traditional liquid lithium-ion batteries (200-300 Wh/kg). This provides more energy in the same volume and reduces battery size.

They also feature better thermal stability, non-flammability, and no risk of liquid leakage, significantly lowering the risk of self-ignition and explosion.

Ouyang Minggao, an expert on new energy power systems and a professor at Tsinghua University, predicted that reaching an energy density of 500 Wh/kg will depend on critical advancements in materials science, with 2027 poised to be a pivotal year for breakthrough innovations.

Chinese battery giants CATL and BYD have set 2027 as their target for small-scale production of solid-state batteries.

Scientific teams are intensifying their collaboration with frontline battery companies to accelerate the commercialization of technologies.

The Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has signed a cooperation agreement with BYD, focusing on cutting-edge areas such as solid-state batteries.

Sun Huajun, CTO of BYD's battery division, predicted that solid-state batteries would achieve a large-scale application around 2030.

China's edge in mass-producing all-solid-state batteries lies in its vast industry and market scales.

"With the most complete industrial chain, the largest market, and the most researchers, we are highly confident in China's approach and roadmap for this technology," said Zu Sijie, vice president of SAIC Motor. 
History never interested me in school. Instead, my focus was on English and, by college, psychology as well.

I vaguely remember having American History in high school and Political Science in my sophomore year of college in 1968, but most of this has been deleted from my memory. I suspect many others of my generation (or younger) have the same gap in their knowledge, too.

Sure, Id heard the slogan never again from my Jewish neighbors and friends. But I never considered the possibility that wed live in a time when history would indeed be repeating itself. The threat to our democracy is akin to a cancer diagnosis: You cannot fight it if you dont recognize the symptoms. Its time we refreshed our historical memory.

Ive heard it said that it is too easy, even lazy for journalists to compare President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.

I say, If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck ...

As one of my friends who is old enough to bear witness to the events of World War II likes to point out, a key difference between the two is that Hitler was imprisoned for high treason for a failed coup years before he started his bloody march across Europe  whereas Trump had enough money to delay the criminal actions against him until he returned to power.

My friend told me that she wished every newspaper had a daily chart on the front page showing the methods dictators have used to undermine democracies, illuminating why the Hitler-Trump comparison is actually apt.

At the top, shed detail how Hitlers minions used the American slavery model (i.e., how the slave-owners controlled the slaves) to guide him in his final solution. In comparison, shed detail how Trump and his sycophants are following Hitlers playbook now, shipping scores of brown people to foreign prisons willy-nilly.

It behooves us to pay attention to these similarities if we expect to be able to resist them.

Heres how Hitler did it.

First, he sowed discontent with academics and the (written) media of his time. Trump has done the same, spouting the chant of fake news toward any mainstream media that criticizes him.

Appointing heads of departments without any expertise regarding the actions of the people who work under them, or the needs of people who receive the services they provide, serves the same purpose.

Secondly, Hitler fostered distrust in governmental agencies and processes, just as Trump has done, with the help of Elon Musks Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), by claiming there is massive fraud in every agency, even after these lies are debunked. (Ironically, by falsely declaring illegal immigrants deceased on Social Security records, its DOGE that is actually propagating fraud.)

Next, using the inherent prejudice of the populace, Hitler ascribed blame for the countrys woes following World War I on a common enemy  the Jews.

Trump has two common enemies: illegal immigrants, and the boogeyman called DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion).

I wonder if Trump understands (or cares) that not only women and people of color are aided under the DEI umbrella. People with different abilities  the blind, deaf, and physically or mentally ill  are also protected.

According to the UCLA Law Review, one thing that sets Hitler apart from Trump (thus far) is that the majority of the German judicial system immediately fell into line with Hitlers antisemitism. Most agreed to sign a loyalty statement that ignored their previous oath to their constitution.

Trump, often at odds with judges, has sought to characterize any judge who disagrees with his power grab as treasonous and suggests they should be impeached. He claims he will honor any judicial ruling. However, since the Justice Department has no power to enforce its orders, I find that hard to believe.

So what can we do?

We must pay attention to the rulings of judges, as well as the congresspeople who put fealty to Trump over the well-being of the majority.

Review history. Encourage your schools to teach not only the complete history of America, but also about European history, particularly that which is intertwined with our own.

Vote out those people who are following the authoritarian rule. Stop history from repeating itself.
They are so in love with criminal illegals that they would like to go and personally escort them into the country one at a time  [T]he truth is, the whole thing is absurd 

 Sen. Josh Hawley

He is a hardened criminal. So, they can deport him because he is deportable. This is how ridiculous all this is.

 Sen. Eric Schmitt

Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt both have law degrees. Both have held the position of Missouri attorney general, representing their state in court. Both are now U.S. senators, a job that inevitably entails deep engagement with legal issues.

Is it remotely possible that either of these men doesnt understand the simple two-word concept of due process?

The case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia is in fact absurd and ridiculous, to quote Missouris two esteemed senators, but not for the reasons they would have their Fox News audiences believe.

Its absurd and ridiculous that Hawley and Schmitt, like virtually all their Republican colleagues in Congress, are running interference for a Trump administration stunt that ultimately isnt about one immigrant, but is about undermining the entire concept of due process and court oversight. President Donald Trump believes he is beholden to neither.

A Salvadoran national, Abrego Garcia was sent to the U.S. by his family in 2012, at age 16, to escape recruitment by that countrys gangs. In the ensuing years he has married an American woman in Maryland, fathered and raised a son and been employed as a union sheet metal worker.

He originally entered the country as an undocumented migrant but, like many undocumented migrants, he has for years interacted constructively with the American court and immigration systems. A judge ruled in 2019 that he could not be deported to El Salvador because of the continuing threat to his life from the gangs there. Since then, he has regularly checked in with immigration officials.

Contrary to both Missouri senators inflammatory rhetoric, theres no evidence Abrego Garcia is (in Schmitts words) a hardened criminal. In fact, he has never been convicted of any crime, in the U.S. or El Salvador.

Yet Abrego Garcia last month was stopped while driving with his 5-year-old son and summarily shipped out of the U.S. to a Salvadoran maximum security prison on allegations he is a gang member. This was in direct defiance of the earlier court order that specifically barred him from being deported to that specific country.

Abrego Garcia is among more than 200 migrants recently sent to El Salvadors notorious CECOT prison as putative gang members, without hearings provided to prove those allegations. Such hearings are the definition of due process, which is supposed to apply to even undocumented immigrants.

Many of the deportations were reportedly based on nothing more than tattoos that immigration officials may have misinterpreted as gang symbols. Thats what happens when due process goes out the window.

What makes Abrego Garcia different from the other deportees is that the administration, in an apparent fit of uncharacteristic honesty, acknowledged in court that he was mistakenly scooped up in the deportation net due to an administrative error, and that there was actually no legal justification for sending him to El Salvador at all  let alone to a prison there.

Its a mistake that wouldnt have happened had Abrego Garcia been afforded due process in the first place. But at least once due process finally was afforded, the courts righted the error. A federal judge ruled that the administration had to bring Abrego Garcia back; the Supreme Court confirmed the order.

And the Trump administration responded, in essence, Sorry, no can do.

The administrations argument  that it is legally powerless to return Abrego Garcia from a foreign prison where he was sent in direct defiance of a court order, under a paid contract between the U.S. and Salvadoran governments  is so inherently unbelievable that it cant rationally be anything other than a thumbed nose at the courts.

In case that nose-thumbing didnt come through clearly enough, there was the recent, chilling spectacle of Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele all but smirking for the cameras about their supposed joint inability to unwind this court-defying miscarriage of justice.

Schmitts defense of this indefensible stunt is especially tortured. In a recent interview, he stressed that Abrego Garcia is deportable to any country other than El Salvador. Thats accurate but irrelevant, because he was in fact deported (again, in defiance of a judge) to a prison in El Salvador. Since Schmitt at least appears to understand the obvious illegality here, where is his outrage?

This case is part of a wider campaign by this administration to set aside the entire concept of due process  and not just for alleged migrant gang members. Here in the St. Louis region, student visa holders accused of minor traffic violations, or nothing at all, are being detained and deported. Trump has even cracked the door to using his foreign-prison loophole against Americans.

If and when Trump finally just plainly says what he plainly believes  that he isnt bound by due process or any rule-of-law restraints  the courts will be powerless to stop him. Only Congress will be able to rein him in. That that duty will fall to the likes of Hawley and Schmitt isnt merely absurd or ridiculous, but terrifying.
The dive team prepares a floating platform before entering the water. (Trevor Wilson/70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army)



The search party fanned out to scout for any sign of four American soldiers  and their 70-ton vehicle  who last month vanished in the night deep in the woods outside Pabrade, near Lithuanias border with Belarus.

It was 1st Sgt. Matthew Riley who discovered the tread marks that had gouged the soft earth along a firebreak trail. They led to a wet patch, barely 30 feet in diameter, but did not continue on the other side. Afloat on the surface was a soldiers satchel and a bottle of weapons lubricant.

There was a strong smell of fuel, but those who eyed the bog were skeptical something that small could swallow such a massive armored vehicle. A soldier waded in to their waist, but Riley was adamant: Someone had to dive down into the muck and be sure.

Over the next seven days, scores of people from four countries plumbed the muddy bog to locate and recover the missing men. The mission, fraught with extreme environmental and engineering challenges, was animated by risk and ingenuity  and a guiding belief in the military imperative that everyone must go home.

We werent leaving without our boys, Senior Chief Master Diver Carlos Hernandez, who led the U.S. Navy dive team on site, told The Washington Post.

This account is based on interviews with more than a dozen individuals either involved with the operation or who knew the four soldiers who died in the March 25 tragedy: Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25; Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25; Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21; and Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, 28. Efforts to speak with their families were unsuccessful.

An investigation is underway to determine how the crew was lost, with a separate inquiry focused on safety takeaways, said Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commander of the 1st Armored Division who led the recovery effort. A part of the investigation, Taylor said, will focus on whether it was appropriate for the soldiers to be sent into the woods by themselves. Georgia Franco, whose husband was among those killed, told CBS News she has demanded answers about that decision.

They were never supposed to be out there alone, Franco told the network.

A drone with ground-penetrating radar scans the bog. (Rose Di Trolio/70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army)



The recovery

There are roughly 80,000 U.S. troops across Europe, and following Russias invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and its expanded war that began in 2022, training among NATO allies has intensified. Few countries are concerned more about Russian aggression than Lithuania, a small Baltic country bordering Moscows ally Belarus. About 2,000 U.S. personnel are stationed there on rotational deployments.

Since February, that mission has belonged to 1st Armored Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. A cornerstone of these deployments is training at the military reservation near Pabrade, a vast tract of rolling hills, wetlands and dense forests, not unlike their stomping grounds back home at Fort Stewart in eastern Georgia.

An artillery unit in the brigade had settled into nighttime training with its howitzers when a tactical vehicle became mired in the mud. The job to haul it out was tasked to Duenez, Franco and Taitano, who were Abrams tank maintainers versed in retrieving disabled vehicles. All three had trained to recover vehicles at night, and this presented a valuable real-world opportunity to further hone those skills.

They climbed inside their M88A2 Hercules, an armored behemoth itself built on a tank chassis with a heavy towing system, and set out through the forest. With them was Knutson-Collins, an artillery mechanic in the brigade, helping to guide the crew.

Their trek in the early morning hours was slow going, with the heavy M88A2 capable of reaching a speed of around 25-30 mph. When radio contact with the crew was lost, a search effort was initiated that led to the muddy peat bog discovered by Riley.

A team of six Lithuanian divers was dispatched to the site, and what the divers found alarmed them. The bog, innocuous looking from level ground, churned with danger under the surface.

The wetland vegetation had partially decayed and, fed by a small pond nearby, created a thick morass of mud, sticks and grass. Its consistency made any movement exhausting, as if the divers were wading through drying concrete. They couldnt see through their masks or get enough air through their regulators.

The Hercules, which can hold hundreds of gallons of fuel, had released significant amounts into the water, instantly degrading the divers equipment and limiting the time they could be submerged.

The bog, innocuous looking from level ground, churned with danger under the surface. (Christopher Saunders/70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army)



The divers made first contact with something steel around a depth of about 15 feet. Commanders on scene, worried it could have been some long-lost military vehicle or a farmers tractor, wanted to be certain it was the Hercules. The divers, having studied a similar vehicle in the motor pool, said they were confident that they touched the M88A2s distinctive crane.

But problems were mounting. The vehicle, entombed in several feet of mud, was above a high-pressure gas pipeline but continued to sink, and fear quickly set in that any misstep could cause an explosion. Orders came down to clear the line.

Commanders assessed that the likelihood of recovering the soldiers would diminish the deeper the vehicle settled, so they turned their focus to thinning the mud. A field of gravel, 237 tons in all, was trucked in and spread out across the site to help stabilize the ground, and engineers felled nearby trees. Slurry pumps hummed around-the-clock.

A coffer dam was built over about 30 hours in what would prove to be a failed bid to drain the bog. Though officials estimated that as many as 700,000 gallons were pumped out, water kept seeping in from nearby.

Breakthroughs

The recovery team grew by the hour, eventually reaching hundreds of personnel. There were 250 U.S. service members, 160 Lithuanian soldiers and civilians, 50 Polish troops, and working dog teams from Estonia and Lithuania.

Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Steven Tausch, left, and Construction Mechanic 1st Class Ryan Filo after a dive. (U.S. Navy)



Some 2,000 miles away in Rota, Spain, a team of U.S. Navy divers received urgent orders to fly across the continent. When the sailors of Task Force 68 arrived for a briefing with their Lithuanian counterparts, they absorbed the gravity of the task. For some, it would be their first time working to recover human remains.

Their objective was to connect heavy cables to the Hercules tow points so it could be pulled from the bog. The divers would have to find their way to the submerged vehicle entirely by touch. To rehearse, they climbed over a spare vehicle, closing their eyes to learn its contours.

Once in the water, the divers used a fire hose to create a chimney in the mud through which they could swim and maneuver. It was an agonizing process. They struggled to kick through the sludge, and their arms approached muscle failure.

It took more than two hours to connect one cable to the tow point and then 15 minutes to tunnel themselves out again with the fire hose.

We felt like the earth was reencasing around us, said Construction Mechanic 2nd Class Steven Tausch, describing a subsequent dive to reach the Hercules second tow point. They surged water from the hose to push away mud from their helmets and bodies as they drew nearer.

At the surface, the team leader, Hernandez, anxiously awaited every update delivered by radio through labored breathing. The divers, though tethered to the surface, knew that in an emergency they may not be pulled from the bog in time.

Everyone on the dive site was completely on edge, Hernandez said.

It took 90 minutes for Tauschs team to reach the second shackle point. The vehicle was secured.

Get me  out of here, Tausch said over the radio, using an expletive.

Two other M88s and two bulldozers were needed to pull the Hercules from the muck. Inside were the remains of three soldiers: Duenez, Franco and Taitano.

The fourth, Knutson-Collins, was still missing.

Last man out

Back home in Battle Creek, Mich., Knutson-Collinss family was feeling a mix of worry and optimism. He was a talented swimmer, they reasoned. Maybe he got out?

I still want to be positive and hopeful that hes somewhere else, still alive, his father, Robert Collins, told local media.

A drone equipped with ground-penetrating radar was flown in to scan what lay concealed in the bog. It detected a helmet.

Maik was trained to bark when he found someone living or dead. (Christopher Saunders/70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army)



In the early morning hours of April 1, two search-and-rescue dog teams from Estonias Police and Border Guard Board arrived. The lead handler, Risto Kotkas, boarded a small inflatable boat with Maik, his 4-year-old German shepherd.

The wind had picked up, scattering the scent, and all the fuel in the water masked the odors Maik needed to track.

Maik was trained to bark when he found someone living or dead. He was not barking. Kotkas watched him carefully for any subtle body language  a tail wag, anxious energy or trying to lick the waters surface. Kotkas and Maik orbited the bog until those signs converged, and the handler pointed out a spot to investigate.

Using an excavator, the recovery team gently dug down into the quagmire. Brig. Gen. John P. Lloyd, who as commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division oversaw the process, recalled spotting a pair of boots.

I immediately knew that we had him, Lloyd said.

The loss

Thousands gathered in Lithuanias capital, Vilnius, on April 3 as a procession of hearses transported the soldiers remains for the first leg of their trip home. Among them was Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who tapped into the countrys painful past under Soviet occupation. We have experienced trials in our history, and therefore we understand well what loss is, what death is, what honorable duty is, he said in his remarks.

In a private moment, members of 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, the unit the dead soldiers were assigned to, huddled together and were silent for 10 minutes, said Capt. Madyson Wellens, the commander of the diesel forward support troop for the battalion.

Soldiers in the unit described profound loss.

Franco, a jokester from Glendale, Calif., stood out for his big smile and oversize glasses, said Sgt. Jeremiah Benetti. Wellens recalled that Franco spoke with admiration for his wife, who was home raising the couples infant by herself while he was deployed.

Duenez, of Joliet, Ill., was a duct tape and bubble gum kind of guy, Riley said, explaining his innate gift for figuring out how to get nonfunctioning tanks running again. Duenez volunteered for assignments more than any other soldier Rileys ever known, he said, including the fateful mission to the peat bog, when he went to help even though he was not on the Hercules crew.

Knutson-Collins was similarly wired, said Staff Sgt. Caleb Cutting, a friend. They would talk and laugh about their kids, Cutting recalled, and it was evident he was eager get home to Georgia and see his family.

The youngest soldier in the group, Taitano, a native of Guam, was known for his twin passions: cooking Spam with rice and tinkering with his old Nissan pickup. He offered oil changes in the barracks parking lot, to the chagrin of the units senior leaders who couldnt help but be impressed with his acumen.

Pfc. Ephraim Adakwaah, who trained in vehicle recovery with Taitano, said the mens deaths felt like losing family.

Its something that hurts on a deeper level, he said.
Flowers cover an obelisk marking the spot where Ernie Pyle was killed, following a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the famed war correspondent's death on Ie Shima, Okinawa, April 19, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



IE SHIMA, Okinawa  Retired Air Force Maj. Tom Cowan didnt hesitate when asked about his favorite column written by his famous relative, war correspondent Ernie Pyle.

Its perhaps Pyles most well-known dispatch from the Italian front in World War II: The Death of Capt. Waskow, dated Jan. 10, 1944.

In it, Pyle described how soldiers in the Armys 36th Infantry Division paid tribute to their fallen company commander.

That article, just the way he describes so eloquently the outpouring of the men to their captain, Cowan said Saturday while aboard the ferry to Ie Shima, where a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Pyles death would soon begin.  Thats whats always most important, and I always used that as an example of how I wanted to lead my troops.

Retired Air Force Maj. Tom Cowan, the cousin of famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle, with his daughter, Angelica Shaklee, salutes after laying flowers near the spot where Pyle was killed, on Ie Shima, Okinawa, April 19, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)

Retired Air Force Maj. Tom Cowan, the cousin of famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle, embraces his daughter, Angelica Shaklee, after laying flowers on the obelisk that stands near where Pyle was killed, during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of his death on Ie Shima, Okinawa, April 19, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



Cowan, Pyles first cousin once removed through his mother, serves as president of the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation. The organizations leadership is largely composed of Pyles indirect descendants.

He and his daughter, Angelica Shaklee, became the first of Pyles relatives to visit the memorial on Ie Shima, where an obelisk stands near the site where Pyle was killed on April 18, 1945.

They joined about 150 Marines, American Legionnaires and Okinawan officials for the morning ceremony.

The significance of the 80th anniversary brought more attendees than in previous years, said Lawrence Occomy, commander of Okinawas American Legion Post 28. The post has maintained Pyles memorial and hosted the annual ceremony since 1952.

Many of those World War II veterans are no longer here to tell the stories, Occomy, an Army veteran, said after the ceremony. However, Pyle captured those stories, specifically for the infantrymen. That story to this day still lingers on in the many writings that he published.

Born in 1900 near Dana, Ind., Pyle became known for his down-to-earth reporting on the lives of enlisted troops during some of the wars most significant battles.

He began covering the war for Scripps-Howard newspapers in 1940 during the German bombings of London, known as the Blitz. He later embedded with troops in the North African campaign in 1942-43 and reported from Italy and France in 1944, the year he received the Pulitzer Prize for his war correspondence.

Pyle joined the 77th Infantry Division during the Battle of Okinawa and was killed when the jeep he was riding in came under fire from a Japanese machine gunner on a ridge above. He was buried near the site of his death; his remains were later moved to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, also known as the Punchbowl.

He told the story of the American fighting man as American fighting men wanted it told, both III Marine Expeditionary Force deputy commander Brig. Gen. Trevor Hall and Cowan said during their remarks, quoting President Harry Trumans tribute after Pyles death.

Few individuals in history have done more than Ernie Pyle to educate us on the cost of conflict and the brutality of war, Hall said.

Brig. Gen. Trevor Hall, commander of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and deputy commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, lays flowers near the spot where famed journalist Ernie Pyle was killed, during a ceremony on Ie Shima, Okinawa, April 19, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)



The Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation also hosted a ceremony Friday at the Punchbowl, where Pyle was reburied in 1949.

He simply set out to tell the truth, one soldiers story at a time, Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, a retired Army general and current director of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, said at that event. He gave a voice to the warfighter who had no voice during World War II.

Stars and Stripes reporter Wyatt Olson contributed to this report.
A Chinese Malaysian man moved back to his ancestral home in China's Fujian Province after retirement.

By developing leisure and sightseeing agriculture, Liu Hsing Shun has helped villagers increase production and income, contributing to rural revitalization.




High Court hears CAB target connected with notorious burglary gang, multi-million drug deals and has ties to Cartel henchmen

Criminal Assets Bureau target Anthony OSullivan has been linked to one of Irelands most notorious burglary gangs and to multi-million euro drug deals.

Evidence heard in the High Court has also linked him to one-time Kinahan Cartel henchman Paul Rice and murdered drug-dealer Paul Kavanagh.

Gardai also believe OSullivan has access to substantial funds and has been linked to a major ongoing investigation into The Family crime gang.

They added that he had been shot in the shoulder near his home in 2007 but refused to make a statement to investigating gardai or identify the location of the shooting.

The Clondalkin man, who categorically denies the allegations, is also linked by garda intelligence to the large-scale importation of cannabis in 2015 and 2016 and the seizure of controlled drugs with a street value of close to 3m in 2018, according to CAB evidence.

Underworld associates Wayne Whelan and (below) Paul Rice

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Chief bureau officer Michael Gubbins said it was his belief that it would not be possible for an individual to be involved in the drugs trade in the manner and to the extent demonstrated by the intelligence unless that individual had a significant track record in that trade over a number of years.

A member of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Unit said he believed OSullivan was a member of a criminal gang involved in cash-in-transit robberies and tiger kidnappings.

These included six raids in 2008, in one of which the family of a security company director was held overnight by a gang of armed masked men in their Co Kildare home.

The following morning 800,000 was handed over to the raiders and the mans wife and daughter were later found in Co Wicklow.

The same gang were also the suspects behind the 93,000 robbery of a security van in Lucan, south Dublin, in March 2008 when two shots were fired.

There was another attempted tiger-kidnapping in October that year when a security company employee was held overnight, but the robbery failed.

A bookmaker was then targeted in Westmeath the following month in which 6,000 in cash and 10,000 jewellery taken while his family were held at gunpoint.

One month later, another raid linked to the gang saw a house in north Co Dublin broken into and a sawn-off shotgun pointed at a man as they demanded the keys to a high-powered Audi RS4 worth 125,000 parked outside.

OSullivan is described in evidence as being a central member of the M50 Gang which operated in the 1990s, and in 2002 was arrested over the robbery of 500,000 worth of vodka from a warehouse.

Another officer said OSullivan is an associate of known criminals over the last ten years involved in the wholesale of drugs.

The named associates included Wayne Whelan, murdered in 2019, and Christopher Zambra, who was also murdered in 2014.

Another dead associate named in court was Paul Kavanagh, shot dead in 2015, who was in a car with OSullivan when stopped in 2010.

In his evidence, OSullivan said that he had been the victim of harassment by gardai as a young man and had made complaints to the Garda Complaints Board.

He said does not accept any garda intelligence exists that implicates him in the manner alleged.

In the event that any intelligence might exists, I say that it is not at all reliable as it is simply untrue.

OSullivan, who has 44 convictions almost entirely for road traffic offences, said that he was never arrested, questioned, charged nor convicted over robberies or drug dealing.

He said he believed officers were instructed to give evidence in way that imposes maximum prejudice on him.
Standing in the dock of Lisburn Magistrates Court, Jordan Maxwell confirmed he understood the single charge against him, allegedly committed on April 16

A man accused of trying to communicate sexually with a child following an investigation by a paedophile hunter group has appeared in court.

Standing in the dock of Lisburn Magistrates Court, Jordan Maxwell confirmed he understood the single charge against him, allegedly committed on April 16.

The 20-year-old, from Hill Street in the city, is said to have intentionally engaged in sexual communication with a person he believed to be under 16 for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification.

A police officer told the hearing she believed she could connect Maxwell to the charge.

She said while the police were not objecting to bail, the issue with this defendant is that he has no suitable address to be released to.

The officer continued: If an address could be provided, we would have no objections.

Maxwells defence solicitor suggested bail be granted subject to an address approved by police.

District Judge Eamon King replied: How optimistic are you in getting that?

My experience is that if I grant bail on that basis, the address never comes.

You might think it would be better to hold fire until you get an alternative address and then come back (to the court).

The judge added that with no address available, Maxwell would be taken into custody no matter what happened.

The defence solicitor said his client and family had been forced to leave their home as a result of the case.

He also told the court Maxwells mother was doing her best to secure an address... one she will be able to take him to.

He continued: Sometimes there can be a bit of a drift, but I have confidence in his mother that she will do her utmost.

Judge King granted bail in the sum of 250, adding conditions on where Maxwell can live and barring him from having unsupervised contact with children.

The defendant was taken into custody until an address could be found and will appear in court again on April 24.
Yesterday afternoon, the Diocese of Derry confirmed Fr Edward Gallagher had been suspended from ministry

Fr Eddie Gallagher appeared agitated when faced with the claims being made against him by the paedopile hunters in the video they posted to social media

A priest charged with attempting to sexually communicate with a child had just renewed his vows of celibacy when he was confronted by so-called paedophile hunter group on Holy Thursday.

During a nine-minute internet broadcast livestreamed on Facebook, Fr Eddie Gallagher, curate in Clonleigh, Camus and Leckpatrick parishes in Donegal and Tyrone, had several allegations put to him by members of the Justice Reborn group.

They included the allegation that the 58-year-old cleric was the operator of a Kik account that had been used for inappropriate sexual communications with a decoy posing as a 14-year-old boy.

It was also put to Fr Gallagher that he had sent images of himself masturbating to the child and that he had proposed taking him to his caravan in Buncrana to engage in unlawful sexual acts.

Fr Eddie Gallagher appeared agitated when faced with the claims being made against him by the paedopile hunters in the video they posted to social media

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Kik is a messaging app that allows users to sign up without providing a phone number, which can make interactions feel more private and less tied to personal identity.

The Justice Reborn groups confrontation with Fr Gallagher was livestreamed across Facebook and has since been viewed tens of thousands of times.

When officers from the PSNI, who had been contacted in advance by Justice Reborn, arrived at the scene, a dossier of Fr Gallaghers alleged activities was handed over to officers.

Fr Gallagher was then taken to Waterside police station in Derry for questioning.

The PSNI confirmed he had been detained on suspicion of attempted sexual communications with a child.

The cleric appeared via videolink at a magistrates court sitting in Dungannon yesterday morning, where he was charged that on dates between April 2 and April 17 he attempted to sexually communicate with a child.

Defence lawyer Stephen Chapman said no application was being made for bail.

He asked that his client be remanded in custody until May 1. He also made an application for legal aid for his client.

He would have been in receipt of a modest stipend  the circumstances of the case are such that that will cease, he added.

The judge said he would grant a limited certificate for legal aid  in due course a properly vouched and fully informed legal aid application can be made.

Yesterday afternoon, the Diocese of Derry confirmed Gallagher has been suspended from ministry.

It said: The Diocese of Derry is aware that Fr Edward Gallagher has appeared in court in relation to serious charges of a sexual nature in relation to attempted sexual communication with a child.

The diocese takes such matters very seriously and as such has, in addition, commenced its own internal investigation, which will only take place in a manner which does not impede the criminal investigation. Fr Gallagher is suspended from ministry.

As charges are now before a court, it would not be appropriate for the diocese to comment further until the completion of the criminal proceedings.

If anyone has any allegations or concerns regarding child abuse, they should contact the PSNI and Social Services in Northern Ireland, or An Garda Siochana and Tusla in the Republic of Ireland.

In addition, contact for diocesan safeguarding can be found on the diocesan website (derrydiocese.org ) or on posters in churches within the diocese.

Sources have confirmed that earlier on Thursday Fr Gallagher had attended the Chrism Mass celebrated by Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown at St Eugenes Cathedral. During the ceremony, Fr Gallagher was one of a number of clerics who renewed his vows.

After the Mass, the priest accompanied his elderly mother to the lunch at the Waterfront Hotel with the confrontation with the Justice Reborn group being staged in the car-park afterwards.

The priest made no admission of any kind.
Sean OReilly  who was shot while sitting in his car  was seen today at a republican Easter commemoration event in Belfasts Milltown Cemetery

Sean O'Reilly during the Republican Network for Unity Easter commemoration takes place in the Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast on April 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

A dissident republican who survived a murder bid in west Belfast two months ago has been spotted in public for the first time since the attack.

Sean OReilly  who was shot while sitting in his car  was seen today at a republican Easter commemoration event in Belfasts Milltown Cemetery.

Images from the event, organised by the Republican Network for Unity group, show Mr OReilly watching on, with his left arm supported by a black sling.

At the time of the attack against Mr OReilly two months ago, he was sitting in his car outside the taxi firm where he works in the Bell Steel Manor area of Poleglass.

Police say he was approached by two masked men at around 10.30am on Sunday 23 February.

Five shots were fired at him, hitting him once in the shoulder.

Following the shooting he was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and had surgery there to remove a bullet which had lodged in his collarbone.

Sean O'Reilly during the Republican Network for Unity Easter commemoration takes place in the Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast on April 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Taxi driver shot in west Belfast lucky to be alive, detective says

OReilly was due to undergo a second surgery for nerve damage in Scotland.

However, his lawyer later confirmed he had to travel to Dublin for that procedure, after being denied permission on anti-terrorism grounds to travel to Scotland.

Mr OReilly is a member of Republican Network for Unity and a former republican prisoner.

It was reported that the west Belfast man had been threatened two weeks prior to the shooting in a garage forecourt, with fears growing of a violent retaliation amid an escalating feud between members of the dissident gang Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH).
A drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. A freight train, loaded with polyester chips made in southwest China's Chongqing, departed from the municipality on Sunday morning heading for Uzbekistan, marking the inauguration of a new regular freight train route from Chongqing to Central Asian countries. The train is expected to arrive in the Uzbek capital roughly 4,700 kilometers away in about 12 days. It will exit China through Horgos Port in Xinjiang and pass through Kazakhstan. Such regular services could ensure fast customs clearance, timely transportation and reduced costs, so as to guarantee cross-border transportation of better quality. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

CHONGQING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A freight train, loaded with polyester chips made in southwest China's Chongqing, departed from the municipality on Sunday morning heading for Uzbekistan, marking the inauguration of a new regular freight train route from Chongqing to Central Asian countries.

The train is expected to arrive in the Uzbek capital roughly 4,700 kilometers away in about 12 days. It will exit China through Horgos Port in Xinjiang and pass through Kazakhstan.

According to the China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd. each month two trains are scheduled to start from Chongqing to Central Asia.

Xu Meiqiong, an engineer with the China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd., told Xinhua that such regular services could ensure fast customs clearance, timely transportation and reduced costs, so as to guarantee cross-border transportation of better quality.

It was believed that the regular train route could reduce the transportation duration between Chongqing and Central Asia by 30 percent.

Cargoes in the freight train on Sunday were from the Chongqing Wankai New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. Lin Zheng, the company's manager in charge of logistics, noted that the launch of the new route would be good for them to expand their market in Central Asia.

In recent years, Chongqing has been striving to elevate itself into a comprehensive inland hub, with the number of China-Europe freight trains and those heading to Central Asian countries departing from the city, along with cargo volumes, growing.

As of February, more than 18,000 trains covering over 50 regular routes linking the city with European and Central Asian countries have been dispatched, reaching over 100 hub cities and regions across Asia and Europe. 

A drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train departing from the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

An aerial drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A China-Central Asia freight train waits for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing, April 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A China-Central Asia freight train departs from the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing, April 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

A drone photo taken on April 20, 2025 shows a China-Central Asia freight train waiting for departure at the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)
Christian Carter tried to use anti-stalking law to silence our colleague

We were first to picture dodgy landlord Christian Carter, who tried to use anti-stalking laws to suppress the publication of stories about him

A rogue landlord who used stalking legislation in an attempt to gag a journalist from covering his business dealings, previously sued the Sunday World for defamation.

We published the first images of Christian Carter in connection with his landlord activities in January of 2017  days after it was alleged in court that he was charging up to 50 non nationals 200 a month each to live in a cramped, dangerous and unhealthy unauthorised hostel.

We also revealed that Carter had formerly held roles as a director with companies Charity Begins at Home and the National Childrens Poverty Foundation.

A year after our article appeared, and just three days before a one-year deadline expired under which he could possibly bring defamation proceedings, Carter issued papers in the High Court against the Sunday World.

However, bar a single affidavit the following March, Carter never followed up on the proceedings which, during a District Court appearance this week, he claimed he assumed were dead as he had not progressed them.

During this weeks proceedings, Dublin District Court was told Carter had more recently used new anti-stalking laws to silence Irish Independent journalist Amy Molloy, preventing her from writing stories about him for five years.

In his ruling, Judge Anthony Halpin criticised Carters attempt to gag Molloy, saying that was not the purpose of the civil restraining orders introduced last year.

Christian Carter

The journalist has broken stories and covered court cases about Carters days as a landlord and his tax affairs, Dublin District Court heard.

Dismissing the case, Judge Halpin declared: I never envisaged that this forum would be used to dilute journalistic freedom or restrict publication of certain matters. The civil restraining orders became necessary because of the inability of the law to restrain offending behaviour or conduct which is socially disruptive and unacceptable.

All too often, persons directly affected by harmful conduct lack both the inclination and the resources to do anything about it and generally suffer in silence. This piece of legislation was to address these lacunae in the legal system.

He held that Carter endeavoured to use this legal remedy to suppress the legitimate publication of facts he did not want in the public domain.

In two additional rulings, following applications by Ronan Lupton SC for the newspaper and the journalist, Judge Halpin ordered Carter to pay a 10,000 legal bill incurred by Mediahuis, the publishers of the Irish Independent and Sunday World, and he lifted the in-camera rule allowing the parties to be named and evidence reported.

Lupton described the civil restraining order application as a collateral attack, which tramples on the right of freedom of expression.

In evidence, the journalist rejected suggestions from the applicants solicitor, Alex Rafter, that she had stepped over the line, telling Judge Halpin she was simply seeking a comment, offering Carter the right to reply, which was a fundamental part of journalism, and was just doing my job.

Carter claimed that the journalist had written 50 articles and had rehashed stories about him since 2017. Some of them also mentioned his sister, award-winning businesswoman Melissa Carter, and he believed that was to sell more papers.

He told the court that Molloy recently attempted to contact his wife, up-and-coming Irish actress Florence Ordesh, by emailing her agent.

Carter claimed this had caused him distress and depression and put him in fear because he thought it could affect his wifes career. He said that he had moved on with his life, earned a law degree, worked in arbitration and commenced a career as a screenwriter.

In evidence, the journalist said that since 2017, she had written articles concerning properties Carter rented out and when he appeared on the tax defaulters list last year.

One of the properties featured in her work was a Cabinteely property, which she alleged had 70 tenants, while Carter claimed it was a 6,000 sq ft 25-roomed mansion with 40 tenants.

The Circuit Court had ordered him to pay 20,000 to some of his tenants.

Ms Molloy asserted: If Mr Carter had paid his taxes and had not dangerously overcrowded houses, I would never have had to write about him.

Carter was unavailable for comment when approached after the hearing.
Fr Edward Gallagher has been suspended after he was arrested and charged

A priest has spoken of his alarm after the unnerving arrest of a clerical colleague over an alleged child sex offence.

Father Michael McCaughey thanked parishioners in Clonleigh for their spirit of kindness and solidarity in the days since Fr Edward Gallagher was arrested and then charged.

He addressed the matter at Easter Sunday mass this morning.

Gallagher (58) appeared via videolink at a court sitting in Dungannon on Saturday, where he was charged that between April 2 and April 17 he attempted to sexually communicate with a child under 16.

In a widely-circulated video, Gallagher is seen being approached and challenged by a group of so-called paedophile hunters.

Gallagher works as a curate in the Clonleigh, Camus and Leckpatrick parishes.

Since his arrest, he has been suspended from ministry by the Diocese of Derry, which has commenced an internal investigation.

The Easter Sunday Mass at St Patricks Church in Clonleigh parish, Lifford, was taken by Fr McCaughey this morning.

Towards the end of the mass, after the liturgy of the Eucharist, Fr McCaughey asked the congregation to sit, while he spoke about the very difficult few days for the parish.

He read out a statement from the Diocese of Derry, reiterating Fr Gallaghers arrest and charge.

Fr McCaughey then spoke on a personal level and a local level on behalf of himself and parish priest Fr Declan Boland.

We acknowledge the pain, the hurt, the disappointment of the past 48 or 72 hours. This is difficult, this is alarming, this is unnerving, this is disturbing, he told parishioners.

He added: This is so disturbing for people and parishioners of all ages, and it is so difficult for priests. I can say that very honestly.

I left the back door of the church in Strabane this morning to begin the quarter to ten mass, it struck me of what a few days it has been, Holy Thursday afternoon to this morning.

Its been remarkable, the spirit of support and of kindness, of solidarity and care of yourselves.

I have to say personally, it has been a privilege to be here for mass on Holy Thursday, on Good Friday, and to celebrate a Vigil Mass here last night - a remarkable sense of the spirit of kindness and of care and of solidarity.

I just want to assure you of my prayers this morning, and I assure you of our sense of journeying together as a parish community in acknowledging, on both of our parts, the shame, the hurt, the disappointment that people have been experiencing at this time.

Above all, I just want to say thank you for the presence of those people here last night, today and through the days past.

Fr McCaughey wished parishioners a happy Easter and thanked those who took part in the service.

None of the alleged background facts were opened when Gallagher appeared in court via videolink on Saturday.

Defence lawyer Stephen Chapman said no application was being made for bail.

He asked that his client be remanded in custody until May 1.

Asked why, he told District Judge Steven Keown: At the moment there is an issue over addresses, and were in conversation with the police over that and there may be a resolution to that over the next week to 10 days. So the next available videolink court that should be suitable will be May 1.

Mr Chapman also made an application for legal aid for his client.

He would have been in receipt of a modest stipend - the circumstances of the case are such that that will obviously cease, he added.

The case was adjourned to May 1.

On Saturday, the diocese confirmed Gallagher has been suspended from ministry.

It said: The Diocese of Derry is aware that Fr Edward Gallagher has appeared in court in relation to serious charges of a sexual nature in relation to attempted sexual communication with a child.

The diocese takes such matters very seriously and as such has, in addition, commenced its own internal investigation, which will only take place in a manner which does not impede the criminal investigation. Fr Gallagher is suspended from ministry.

As charges are now before a court, it would not be appropriate for the diocese to comment further until the completion of the criminal proceedings.

If anyone has any allegations or concerns regarding child abuse, they should contact the PSNI and Social Services in Northern Ireland, or An Garda Siochana and Tusla in the Republic of Ireland.

In addition, contact for diocesan safeguarding can be found on the diocesan website (derrydiocese.org) or on posters in churches within the diocese.

Gallagher is a former parish priest at Moville in Co Donegal, and Greencastle and Badoney Lower in Co Tyrone.

According to his social media page, he has also served as curate in the parish of Limavady, in Cappagh in Co Tyrone and Holy Family in Derry.

He is also a former administrator at Long Tower Parish, Derry, and a former associate pastor and pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in the city.

The diocese serves the Catholic congregation of 51 parishes across almost all of Co Londonderry, parts of Co Tyrone and Co Donegal, and a small area across the River Bann in Co Antrim.
The individual, who was leading chants in Irish at a demonstration, was allegedly arrested by the Berlin police on Wednesday, April 16

An Irish citizen has been arrested in Berlin during a pro-Palestinian protest in front of the Irish embassy.

The individual, who was leading chants in Irish at a demonstration, was allegedly arrested by the Berlin police on Wednesday, April 16.

There were approximately 40 protesters  Irish citizens living in Berlin  who attended the organised demonstration titled Irelands Complicit outside the Embassy of Ireland in Berlin.

An activism group called Irish Bloc Berlin, a community of activists involved in pro-Palestinian protests shared a video of the alleged arrest on their Instagram.

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"One of our comrades was just arrested for speaking Irish outside the Irish Embassy in Berlin, they wrote in a statement in an Instagram post.

They had just hand-delivered a letter to the Embassy, signed by other Irish citizens, condemning Ireland's active facilitation for genocide.

The police told us ahead of time that speaking Irish, the first language of Ireland, would be fine this time - as opposed to this time last year when our Ciorcal Comhra event was shut down for the use of our language.

"But they banned the language before the demo this morning even began, and threatened the liaison with prosecution if anyone spoke Irish.

Irish people have a long history, like many people who had been or are still under colonial restrictions, of being forbidden from speaking their language.

"We will not comply to their arbitrary demands and intimidation attempts. Saoirse don Phalaistin, a spokesperson added.

The event started at 11am on Wednesday morning and was registered with the Berlin police three days prior, the Irish Bloc Berlin group claimed, adding it had informed the local police that the demonstration would be held partially in Irish.

One day before the protest, a document describing the demonstrations nature and any related restrictions was issued to the individual who registered the demonstration, the group claimed.

"No mention of the Irish language, or of other languages, was madenormally meaning Irish and other languages would be permitted, they said.

However, minutes before the demonstration was due to begin, the police informed the organisers that the Irish language would be banned until they could find an interpreter, the group claimed, resulting in organisers cancelling a planned speech in the Irish language.

Throughout, casual and colloquial use of the Irish language was naturally present in the speech patterns of the attending Irish protesters, who nevertheless were still speaking in English, they claimed.

"Members of the Polizei approached protesters on several occasions and informed the speakers that the Irish language was not allowed to be spoken during the demonstration, they added.

Just as the demonstration was due to end, an Irish citizen leading English-language chants gave a chant with the phrases 'Lamha as an Phalastin' (Hands off Palestine) and Saoirse don Phalastin (Freedom for Palestine), the Irish Bloc said in a statement..

After this, the individual was arrested and charged with violation of the assembly law.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs told the Irish Independent that it is aware of the protest that took place outside the Embassy Berlin on Wednesday.

During the protest, representatives of the demonstrators presented a letter to the public counter of the Embassy, the Department spokesperson added.

Earlier this month, two Irish protesters were facing deportation from Germany after taking part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Shane OBrien (29) and Roberta Murray (31), Irish citizens, were among four, including a Polish and a US citizen, facing deportation on April 21.

Last week, the Berlin administrative court granted interim relief to one of the Irish citizens who received a deportation order, the Irish Bloc Berlin claimed.

Meanwhile, the second Irish citizen has received a court order which states they can stay until a decision is made on the filed motion within the coming days or weeks, they said.

"The motion that the individuals filed was to be able to stay in Berlin for the duration of the appeal of their cases - which the Ministry for the Interior of Berlin originally wanted them to do from their respective home countries.

Berlins police department has been asked for comment.
Freemasons regret Conor McGregor-Tucker Carlson interview being held in their venue

The Freemasons of Ireland will donate money they earned from hosting the Conor McGregor and Tucker Carlson interview at their Dublin venue to charity.

The Irish Independent reported yesterday that the group regretted allowing the interview to take place at the Freemasons Hall on Molesworth Street in Dublin.

In an email from the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland Philip Daley, members were told that the organisation said they would have not accepted a booking from a US media group if they knew it was being used for the interview.

The much publicised interview was filmed last Tuesday in the hall before the former MMA fighter, who has signalled his intention to run in the presidential election later this year, later hosted the presenter at his pub.

The Freemasons of Ireland categorically denies any association with the interviewer or interviewee and regrets that such an interview took place on our premises, Freemasons members were told in an email this morning from Philip AJ Daley, the groups Grand Secretary.

We apologises [sic] to our members and confirm that steps have been taken to avoid a recurrence.

In a statement to the Irish Independent, the organisation said their venue is available for private event hire and was booked by a media company.

The Freemasons said they did not know who the participants and content were and if they did, the booking would have not been allowed.

The Historic Freemasons Hall venue is available for private event hire. The Freemasons of Ireland accepted a booking from a media company and if the participants and content had been known the booking would not have been accepted, the group said.

Speaking today on RTEs This Week on Sunday, Mr Daley said they would now be donating the money they received to a suitable charity.

He said that the amount they received for the booking was between 1,000 and 2,000.

He also said the group have changed their booking protocol.

"In fact no media booking will now be accepted until we have the full details at the booking time, he said, declining to explain what a suitable charity would be.

He said they had asked for the booking details, but only received information of the interview at the very last minute. He explained how in his wisdom he allowed for the booking to go ahead, because he was afraid of the story spin if it was cancelled.

He added; I am not a fan of Mr McGregor by any means. we made a mistake, we put our hands up.

McGregor cast doubt on whether he would run for the Aras in the interview with the former Fox News host, which aired on Friday night.

During the 54-minute interview, the US interviewer spoke with McGregor about his ambitions for the Presidency, immigration, as well as McGregors plan to single-handedly fix Irelands housing crisis and Irelands economic crisis.

Carlson did not ask McGregor about the decision of a jury that he had assaulted Nikita Hand, at the conclusion of a civil trial in which she alleged he raped her.

When asked by the host why he cant run for President, McGregor responded: There are stipulations. You have four county councils which are controlled by the Government parties or you have to get 20 nominations of the Oireachtas, which are mostly party affiliates.

The former MMA fighter also said that he doesnt believe Ireland is a democratic country and that they will have to answer to their constituents at some stage.

On his Presidential bid, he said: "Im just gonna keep requesting the democratic process to play out and allow people to decide and see where it falls.

Cabinet ministers were left blindsided when McGregor went to the White House on St Patricks Day to meet US President Donald Trump as well as a number of other high-level members of the administration.

This is our public wealth being administered into private hands and enriching people to bring in this influx of illegal mass migration that is changing the fabric of my country, McGregor said in the interview.

The Crumlin native added that Ireland needs amendments to the Constitution".
Special pouches used to lock students phones during the day were introduced at Birchwood Community High School in September

Murdered transgender teenager Brianna Gheys school has banned mobile phones during the day in a move which has reduced pupils stress levels, the headteacher said.

Emma Mills, head of Birchwood Community High School in Warrington, Cheshire, told The Mirror that special pouches used to lock students phones during the day were introduced in September.

Her comments come amid calls from the National Education Union (NEU) and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for the Government to bring in a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools.

Ms Mills said the move is allowing kids to be kids again, with pupils not able to open the pouches until home time.

She told the newspaper: Around school, there is more chatter in the corridors at breaks and lunch, students are more focused in lessons and the number attending House competitions and enrichment activities has risen.

She added: Students say they like the break from it. They say it has reduced their stress levels knowing they dont have to think about what is happening.

It has made them realise they can live without it. With 23 years in education, I have seen, over time, the impact that phones and social media have had on young people.

Seeing how our behaviour and safeguarding issues around phones and the online world have nearly disappeared feels like a big moment.

Briannas mother Esther Ghey supports a blanket ban on smartphones in schools across the country, previously citing concerns over how these devices can be misused by students.

She told The Mirror: Im incredibly proud of the steps Birchwood High School has taken.

Brianna often struggled with distraction in school due to her smartphone and social media use, and I truly believe this initiative would have made a meaningful difference for her.

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 15 at the time, lured Brianna to Culcheth Linear Park in Warrington where the 16-year-old was fatally stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife in February 2023.

Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death in a Cheshire park (Family handout/Cheshire Police)

Jenkinson was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in December 2023 to a minimum sentence of 22 years in prison, and Ratcliffe to a minimum term of 20 years.

The court heard that Jenkinson became obsessed with Brianna after joining Birchwood High in October 2022.

The teenagers were discussing Briannas murder for weeks, detailed in Jenkinsons handwritten murder plan and phone messages found by detectives.

Jenkinson, while aged 14, downloaded a TOR internet browser app, to watch videos of the torture and murder of real people, in red rooms on the dark web.

Esther Ghey backs the ban (Lucy North/PA)

She grew an interest in serial killers, making notes on their methods and admitted enjoying dark fantasies about killing and torture, with the pair living in a secret world of warped interests in murder and cruelty, the trial heard.

Schools in England were given non-statutory guidance under the former Conservative government in February last year intended to stop the use of phones during the school day.

A survey of more than 15,000 schools in England by the Childrens Commissioner suggests that the vast majority already have policies in place that restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said it was his personal view that the Labour Government should take a stronger stance on restricting mobile phone use in schools.

Last month, Ms Badenoch questioned why the Government opposed a Tory amendment to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill to require schools to ban the use of phones.

In response, British prime minister Keir Starmer described the proposal as completely unnecessary as he claimed almost every school already bans phones.
Derrys Bronagh Waugh joins fellow Irish actress Denise Gough in a new series about a missing child

Derry star Bronagh Waugh has warned parents not to watch her new show just before bedtime.

The actor plays a detective searching for a missing nine-year-old in Disney+ series The Stolen Girl.

And the mum-of-one admits the edge-of-the-seat premise is every parents gravest fear.

I have a little boy who is two-and-a-half and its my worst nightmare so I can identify with it, begins Bronagh, who welcomed her son Oisin during lockdown.

Its my idea of an absolute nightmare that I might take my child to school or to a playdate and theyre not there when I go to pick them up.

The fact that its on Disney+ is really clever as lots of parents will settle down to watch it after having put their angels to bed.

Bronagh plays DI Shona Sinclair with Denise Gough, as mum Elisa

Coleraine woman Bronagh previously played the unsuspecting wife of Jamie Dornans serial killer Paul Spector in BBC hit The Fall.

Now shes following in the footsteps of fellow co-star Gillian Anderson as DI Shona Sinclair in the tense thriller dropped by the streaming giant during the week.

Based on Alex Dahls 2020 novel Playdate, the five-part series follows what happens when mum Elisa allows daughter Lucia to stay at her new best friends house overnight  only to return the next morning to find an empty house with her child and the family gone.

And Bronagh told how she was gripped from the very first page after receiving the script.

It plays on every parents worst nightmare, reiterates the actor, who made her television breakthrough playing Cheryl Brady in Hollyoaks.

The idea that one seemingly small decision can have a cataclysmic, catastrophic knock-on effect on your entire life and the safety of your child.

First and foremost for me is always the script and the story, and I thought The Stolen Girl was incredible. It gripped me from the first five pages.

Derrys Bronagh Waugh

I hope people respond to it. There are some thought-provoking takeaways. Its like when you drive past an accident, and you cant help look.

The Northern Irish star plays a Northerner of another kind as the senior Detective Inspector in the Manchester Metropolitan police force tasked with finding the missing school girl.

And shes not the only cast member flying the flag for Ireland as Wexford actor Denise Gough, best known for her role in Star Wars spin-off Andor, takes the lead as Lucias scrutinised mother.

What I liked about DI Shona Sinclair is shes very calm and collected, and very measured and good at her job  but has quite a wry sense of humour, says Bronagh, who also played a detective opposite Adrian Dunbar in Ridley.

She relies on her northern wit in her partnership with DS Walker [played by Layo-Christina Akinlude] which appealed to me because it felt very real.

Ive played a few police characters before, and it strikes me that they can be quite serious when actually dark humour helps you get through the day.

DS Walker is more loose- lipped whereas my character is more professional. DS Walker says what she sees and that gets her into trouble whereas DI Sinclair is good at pulling it back. Its a nice partnership between the two women. It appealed to me that there are strong female characters in this story.

The starry cast also includes Holliday Grainger as Rebecca, the mum suspected of the kidnapping, and Jim Sturgess as Fred, the dad of missing Lucia (played by Beatrice Cohen), with the twisty drama already hailed as a gripping and bingeable watch by critics.

Transplanted from Norway to England for the screen, the shoot also took them to Toulouse in the sun-soaked south of France as the manhunt for the child ramps up.

But Bronagh explained how she had a different reason for jumping at the jet-setting gig.

A big appeal of this project for me was working with the police consultant, Lisa Farrand. She is an ex-DI at Yorkshire Police, who Sarah Lancashires character in Happy Valley was based on.

I have wanted to work with her for a number of years, so I was really excited. That was my fangirl moment!

It was a thrill for me to have that insider knowledge  even down to the suit Shona wore. Lisa was like, It would be a Next suit; it would be high street. And youre often a bit unbuttoned or pulled out because youre overworked and working double shifts.

There were loads of small details I could take on board to make Shona more truthful. I was constantly looking across the room to see if Lisa was happy.

If she gave me the nod, I was like, OK, Ive nailed it!

Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster are among those whove played top cops over the years, and Bronagh gave her theory as to why women make the best detectives  not just on TV.

Policing is wearing many hats, so youve got to be able to juggle and multitask  its why women make such good police officers and detectives!

From the research Ive done over the years, Ive learned that a lot of the work can be social work.

DI Sinclair is a leader; shes confident, strong, and calm in the face of crisis, and is able to provide reassurance. She has that duty of care when she has her social worker hat on  making sure the family is OK and being kept up to speed on the investigation  but shes also got a sense of humour which is important.

Im from Northern Ireland and the way weve dealt with awful things is with very dark humour. I think many people will identify with that.

While not based on a true story, The Stolen Girl is sure to bring to mind some high-profile cases of children whove vanished without a trace, and the ensuing finger-pointing.

And Bronagh agreed that the work of fiction packs some powerful home truths.

I think its a cautionary tale of dont judge a book by its cover. In this modern age, especially with social media, we are so quick to jump on people.

You only have to look at some very famous cases of children who have gone missing. People leap right away to cast aspersions  screaming and shouting at people theyve never met because theyre online and behind a keyboard and then think they can speak to people like that.

Everyone has their own story and is carrying their own weight and its so important for us to remember that as humans, she adds. Sometimes you might be having a tough day, but someone else might be having an even harder day  its a really good lesson and practice to have this in mind. On top of that the show is exciting and tense!
Beloved Kiwi TV personality, author and documentary producer Jude Dobson is inviting the people of Bay of Plenty to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast next month to support Kiwis affected by breast cancer.

Having been a Breast Cancer Foundation NZ Ambassador for well over a decade, Jude shared why the cause means so much to her. 

I was a registered nurse as my first career, so Ive always been interested in health and wellness, and progress in medical science.

I became particularly aware of breast cancer when I discovered a lump about 25 years ago and my mind raced to the worst-case scenario, with a baby and preschooler at the time.

The lump thankfully turned out to be benign, but going through the process of getting it checked got my attention and I have been having annual mammograms ever since.

Dobson said watching a close relative go through chemo and a double mastectomy a few years ago brought the issue much closer to home. Nobody wants to hear the cancer word, so I support the foundation in their quest to make sure no woman loses their life to breast cancer.

Each May, thousands of Kiwis around the country host Pink Ribbon Breakfast events to raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.

The charity is hoping to top last years total of more than 420 get-togethers across the Bay of Plenty, where around 205 women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.

Were calling on people in Bay of Plenty to step up to the plate and do something amazing for Kiwis going through breast cancer, said Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner.

By hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast, youre helping to bring us closer towards a future where no one has to die from breast cancer.

As a charity that doesnt receive any government funding, we desperately need your help to keep our life-saving programmes in research, education and patient support running.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast Day is May 22, but events can be held any time during May or June. Once registered, people will be sent a free host kit with ideas and resources to get them started.

For more information, and to register to host a Pink Ribbon Breakfast, visit: pinkribbonbreakfast.co.nz
Eighty people across health, emergency, business, and government sectors in Niue have received life-saving first aid training through a joint initiative between Hato Hone St John (HHStJ) and the Government of Niue.

HHStJ senior first aid tutor Margaret Smith, along with tutors Sheree King and Glen Ping Gould, delivered seven courses over four days in Niues capital, Alofi.

It marked the first formal first aid training on the island in over a decade.



Margaret Smith, Glen Gould, Oscilyna Kulatea and Sheree King in Niue.

Niue Health Department co-ordinated the trip, with sessions held at the Niue Foou Hospital, the Scenic Matavai Resort Niue and the local police station because of space constraints.

Tutor Margaret Smith said the trip offered a unique opportunity to upskill the community.

Everyone who took part in the training was so engaged and open to learn, Smith said. I love teaching, and teaching over there was an amazing experience. We all had a brilliant time.

The team taught a Level 2 first aid course and two advanced resuscitation courses. The training covered basic life support, emergency response and AED use.

Having as many people as possible knowing first aid and basic life-saving skills is vital, Smith said. Knowing that the people we taught can now share their knowledge is not only great for their families and communities, but the island as a whole.

Niue, known as the Rock, has a population of around 1820 and a land area of just 260 square kilometres.

Tutor Glen Ping Gould said the advanced resuscitation students showed strong commitment.

The students were amazing and even wanted to practise airway management in their breaks, Gould said. When I realised how important this was to them, I adapted the course to fit their needs.

Tutor Sheree King also praised the Niuean community for their warmth and enthusiasm.

The people were happy, friendly, and resilient. It made the experience incredibly rewarding, King said.

Former Wellington paramedic Oscilyna Kiu Kulatea, now based in Niue, played a key role in planning the visit.

Kiu was so great and helped us a lot. It was nice to have someone who works there in health assisting us, Smith said.

Despite heat, humidity, and early-morning rooster wake-up calls, all three tutors said they would return in a heartbeat.

Imparting essential first aid knowledge, knowing that it could save somebodys life, is just an incredible feeling, Smith said.
Unlawful effluent discharge described as highly careless offending by a regional council lawyer has cost a Whakatane dairy farm $48,000.

Nomar Farms Limited pleaded guilty to the unlawful discharge at an 81ha property on Powdrell Road, Whakatane, which is jointly owned and operated by Barry McLeod and Donna Sergent.

Environment Court Judge Sheena Tepanias sentencing decision said the farm discharge was discovered on November 23, 2023, by a council compliance officer during a routine inspection.

During the inspection, the council officer saw a travelling irrigator in a paddock, which was connected to a hydrant on the fence line.

One of the irrigators nozzles was enlarged, and there was significant effluent ponding in the paddock and along the fence line, and a substantial volume of liquid in a farm drain.

Effluent ponding from a travelling irrigator at Nomar Farms Ltd's dairy farm in Powdrell Rd, Whakatane, in November 2023. Photo / BOP Regional Council

That drain joins the Kopeopeo Canal at the farms northern boundary and flows into the Orini Canal 7km downstream, which flows into the Whakatane River about 1.5km from its river mouth.

Sergent told the officer that McLeod, who manages the farms effluent discharge, was in Australia, but had fixed an issue with the hydrant two days earlier.

A council officer spoke to McLeod and Sergent three weeks after the discharge. Sergent said she did not change anything with the effluent pumps after McLeod set them up.

McLeod said he found no issues with the irrigator, hydrant, or elbow when he checked them on his return from Australia.

The discharge breached an abatement notice issued on October 25, 2017 after effluent was discovered flowing overland from a travelling irrigator to a swale drain.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Councils lawyer, Hayley Sheridan, said this was highly careless offending which warranted a $70,000 to $80,000 fine starting point.

She said one of the irrigators nozzles was too large, there had been a lack of monitoring of the irrigator, and the effluent system had no fail-safe devices.

There were high levels of faecal coliforms and E.coli in the drain, and discharges of this nature contributed cumulatively to degradation of groundwater, surface water, and the Whakatane River estuary.

Increased bacteria entering waterways results in an increased risk of exposure to pathogens for the whole downstream catchment.

Nomar Farms lawyer Isabelle Kwek said the volume of the discharge was not known and a fine starting point of $40,000 was appropriate.

The discharge was unlikely to have had any measurable ecological impact on the surrounding environment, which was not sensitive and already of low drain water quality.

Kwek characterised her clients offending as an unfortunate failure to carry out the required short-interval monitoring rather than an extended failure to monitor the irrigator.

Environment Court Judge Sheena Moana Tepania convicted and fined Nomar Farms Ltd for unlawful dairy effluent discharge in November 2023.

Judge Tepania said this was highly careless offending by Nomar Farms, given its compliance history and a lack of robust processes for maintaining and supervising the irrigator in McLeods absence.

Tepania found there were adverse environmental effects from significant ponding and over-irrigation that must have spanned some days, and the cumulative degradation of the Kopeopeo Canal and Whakatane River.

She fined Nomar Farms $48,750, plus court costs and solicitor fees of $113, and ordered 90% of the fine to be paid to the regional council.

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.
A new Bay of Plenty police officer has found his calling after graduating from Wing 383 in Porirua on Thursday.

Constable Ethan Semple is one of six Bay of Plenty police graduates who will be deployed to the region and will start on April 28.

Three recruits are going to Tauranga, two to Rotorua (including Semple), and one to Turangi.

Semple also received the Police Commissioners award for leadership.

In a police media statement, Semple said his brother inspired him to join the police.

I was very proud of my brother, when he joined the police a few years ago. Id always felt called to joining the police myself but felt like I wasnt ready.

Constable Ethan Semple is one of six Bay of Plenty police graduates from Wing 383 who will be deployed to the region. Photo / Supplied

Semple said he was going from job to job for a few years, working with youths in Oranga Tamariki, security, and a few tradie jobs.

He said he was never satisfied with what he was doing.

Last year the recruiter tapped me on the shoulder, so I put my name forward.

As I did so Id never felt so sure about any job Id put my name down for, and coming into college I knew I was where I am meant to be.

Its like stepping into a calling.

Semple acknowledged being a police officer was not just a job.

Putting on the uniform is a way of life, a calling.

We are the ones who stand in the way of injustice, we will be the ones to inspire hope and confidence in the communities around us, living and breathing the values of being good people.

Seventy-six police graduates marked the completion of their initial police training course in Porirua on April 17. Photo / Supplied

Commissioner Richard Chambers, members of the police executive, and wing patron Don Mann congratulated the 76 graduating constables from Wing 383 on Thursday.

Mayor of Porirua Anita Baker also attended and presented a prize in the absence of the Minister of Police.

Families and friends celebrated at Poriruas Te Rauparaha Arena after the completion of the initial training course.

The rest of the wing are dispersed as follows:

Deployment:

Northland 9, Tamaki Makaurau a total of 25 and broken down as follows: Auckland City - 9, Waitemata - 7, Counties Manukau - 9, Waikato - 5, Bay of Plenty - 6, Eastern - 3, Central - 3, Wellington - 7, Tasman - 3, Canterbury - 5, Southern - 10.

The new constables will start their first week of duty in their Police districts from Monday April 28 2025 and will continue their training on the job as probationary constables.

All Awards:

Ministers Award recognising top student: Constable Casey Hales, posted to Eastern District.

Commissioners Award for Leadership: Constable Ethan Semple, posted to Bay of Plenty District.

Patrons Award for second in wing recognising second top student: Constable Kayla Massey-Borman, posted to Auckland City District.

Firearms Award: Constable Ricardo Lewis, posted to Waitemata District.

Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award: Constable Jared Curtis posted to Bay of Plenty District.

Physical Training and Defensive Tactics Award: Constable Jenna Dodd, posted to Counties Manukau District.

Demographics:

31.6 per cent are female, 68.4 per cent are male. New Zealand European make up 64.5 per cent of the wing, with Maori 13.2 per cent, Pasifika 6.6 per cent, Asian 11.8 per cent, LAAM 2.6 per cent.
BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Experts gathered in Beijing over the weekend for the 2025 China Medical Development Conference, where the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and healthcare has become the center of attention.

The two-day event, held annually since 2021, brought together leading voices in mathematics, AI, medicine, public health and pharmacy to discuss innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy directions to drive the medicine sector forward in the AI age.

Attendees emphasized AI's transformative potential in reshaping medical research and the broader healthcare ecosystem.

Wang Chen, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), proposed a phased roadmap for integrating AI into medicine.

According to Wang, in the short term, scenario-based pilot programs will take the lead. The medium term will focus on deeper applications and international collaboration, while the long term aims to establish an AI-driven ecosystem encompassing scientific research, clinical care, and healthcare management.

Zheng Hairong, vice president of Nanjing University, stressed that breakthroughs in biomedical AI must be underpinned by standardized data and ethical governance. He pointed to fields such as medical imaging and brain-computer interfaces as areas where cross-disciplinary collaboration will be crucial in overcoming technological hurdles.

In recent years, China has ramped up its "AI Plus" initiative in healthcare, promoting standardized infrastructure, cross-institutional data sharing, and the development of industry-specific AI models to improve the precision and efficiency of diagnostics and treatment.

Ensuring the safe and responsible deployment of AI technologies in healthcare was a recurring theme throughout the conference. Participants underscored the importance of building a secure, well-regulated environment to maintain public trust.

Shen Jianfeng, an official with the National Health Commission, called for the creation of high-quality medical datasets and AI language corpora. He also urged stronger policy coordination across disciplines and investment in talent development, with a focus on medical ethics.

A highlight of the conference was the release of the "Top Medical Advances in China 2024" by the CAMS, a list of 13 breakthroughs selected from over 310,000 research projects -- all seen as major steps forward in China's disease prevention and treatment capabilities.

Among the standout achievements were a method to diagnose Alzheimer's disease up to 18 years before symptoms appear, and a gene therapy breakthrough for hereditary deafness. 
Damian Sutton has about 1,500 Trolls and once spent $5000 to ship a rare light blue Elephant Troll from Denmark.

More than 30 years ago, at a humble craft fair in Pokeno, Damian Sutton laid eyes on a wild-haired, wide-grinned Troll doll - and everything changed.

The smile on the Trolls, you just couldnt walk away from it, he says.

"I think the spiky hair, the smile, as I was growing up as a kid having bad days through my childhood, it just kept you happy. Morgan was my favourite, I had a pram for it and everything.

The smile on the Trolls, you couldn't walk away from it," Sutton said. Photo/Damian Sutton.

Sutton, now living in Katikati, is one of New Zealands biggest Troll doll collectors. Just a few years ago, while researching rare dolls, he uncovered some interesting New Zealand history.

For a brief period in the 1960s and 70s, New Zealand had its own Troll manufacturing factory, based in Sulphur Point, Tauranga. It was one of only four in the world.

Since then, Sutton has been on a quest  to track down every last one of the rare, New Zealand-made Trolls to complete his collection, including the prized Yeti Trolls.

The Yeti Troll comes in four different colours, and were the only ones in the world that uses the same mold for the female and the male body.

The hunt for the Kiwi-made Trolls. Based on Emile Donovan's interview on RNZ Nights.

Sutton said the New Zealand-made Yeti Trolls were crafted from whatever vinyl we could get our hands on at the time due to shortages.

The eyes came from Germany and Japan, and we couldnt get enough of certain colours, so were the only ones in the world that have the bright blues and pinks. Any other vinyl that we could find from around the world, wed make a Troll out of it.

Weve got some very rare ones that no other factories made.

Trolls from the Tauranga factory. Photo/Damian Sutton.

Suttons collection began with the Pokeno doll and grew with the 1990s Russ Berries, Wishniks, and whatever he could pick up at the $2 dollar shop.

A few years ago, while researching rare Trolls from around the world, Sutton discovered the story of how the Tauranga-factory came to be.

It all began with a Danish designer called Thomas Dam, who invented the original Troll doll after losing his job at a flour mill.

He couldnt afford presents for his children, so he actually carved a Troll out of wood for his daughter for Christmas and thats how it all started.

"Then he started doing it more commercially and he got a big contract to carve a wooden tree into a toy store, and he decided that the tree wasnt enough, so he had little wooden trolls on a spring bouncing up and down.

By the late 1950s, Dam launched his first vinyl Troll, the Sawdust Troll, and began licensing them globally. In 1963, Kristian Pasgaard got the green light to start manufacturing the dolls in Tauranga.

New Zealand was responsible for creating some strange and unusual dolls. Photo/Damian Sutton.

For years, the factory made all sorts of Trolls  they had colourful hair, deep sunken eyes, wide grins and unique outfits. New Zealand was also responsible for creating some strange and unusual dolls made in limited runs, including Elephant, Giraffe, and Cow Trolls.

The animals themselves, they only made around certain periods of the time. They werent all year around, so they were made mainly around Christmas time for families.

The Giraffe came in one colour, the Elephant came in seven different colours. Recently, I bought a Thomas Dam Elephant Troll in a light blue colour from Denmark that cost me five grand to return back to New Zealand. Theres only three of those in the world and Im the only one in New Zealand with that colour.

Animal Trolls were only made around certain periods of the year. Photo/Damian Sutton.

"Theres also seven different cows, including a very rare blue one with orange hair, which Ive only seen one of in the world, and theres also a Lion which I dont own yet.

Sutton reckons about 80 per cent of the New Zealand-made dolls were exported to Australia, so hes got a fair bit to track down before he can complete his collection.

"I've got about 1500 Trolls now and I'm looking for five Elephants, five rare Cows, and one small Troll at the moment.

"My collection has grown a lot since I was eight."

RNZ
Annsville, N.Y.  A Oneida County man who locked himself in an Annsville home with an open propane tank was arrested after threatening to set the house on fire Saturday, deputies said.

Deputies at about 4:32 p.m. responded to a report of a physical domestic incident at a home on Taberg Florence Road, said Investigator Justin Copperwheat, a spokesperson for the Oneida County Sheriffs Office.

A man, Brian K. Platt, 34, of Annsville, had barricaded himself inside a bedroom of the home with an open propane tank nearby, according to Copperwheat.

Platt made threats to burn down the home with deputies inside, Copperwheat said. Platt attempted at some point to set a fire in the house, he said.

Deputies tried deploy a taser on Platt, but it didnt work. They used pepper spray on him and they were able to arrest him, Copperwheat said.

Platt was charged with attempted arson, a felony, aggravated family offense, criminal mischief and harassment.

He is being held at the Oneida County Jail and is awaiting arraignment.

Syracuse.com staff writer Timia Cobb covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at tcobb@syracuse.com.
Each week, syracuse.com will look back at some of our most important and valuable journalism from the previous week. Here are six stories for the week of April 13, 2025.

Subscribe to get the Syracuse.com Exclusives newsletter delivered to your email inbox every Sunday.

Delmy Rendon was on a path to legal residency in the U.S., but after an accident on a rural highway in Upstate New York, ICE put her on a paperwork highway back to Guatemala without her family. Provided photo

Inside Trumps Upstate NY migrant hunt: Border Patrols meaner tactics snare workers and families

Syracuse.coms investigation reveals an untold story about the new tactics employed by the federal government to detain people who sneaked illegally into America and made homes in Upstate New York. Reporters reviewed body camera footage and federal court records, and they interviewed lawyers, advocates, immigrants and their relatives. The reporting details an aggressive sting operation that has delighted federal agents but appalled immigrants and civil rights activists. Related: Border agents seized a Central New York immigrant at his home, and his lawyer says the arrest broke the law.

WWII soldiers remains will finally return to Central NY, 84 years after he left

Private Harland Hennesseys remains will return to his hometown of Boonville in July after being identified in the Philippines, where he died during World War II. Until last year, Hennesseys remains were buried among the Unknowns at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. On Tuesday, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced he had been accounted for on Sept. 23, 2024, thanks to DNA testing, dental and anthropological analysis.

Should police chase stolen cars? Two Central NY departments set opposite policies

Syracuse police have adopted a policy of not chasing stolen cars. The sheriffs office, however, is sticking with its policy of chasing stolen car. A growing number of police departments in the United States are changing their pursuit policies to stop or reduce the number of times officers chase stolen vehicles. The biggest reason is safety, not only just for officers, but for bystanders and those evading police. Some cities also have been sued after police chases hurt or killed innocent bystanders.

Sharks, spitting fish, sting rays to pet: How the new aquarium operator angles to make a profit

ZoOceanarium Group LLC, the company hired to run the Syracuse aquarium when it opens next year, expects annual attendance of between 349,000 and 419,000 during the first five years of operation, according to the companys contract proposal. The key to success will be to keep customers coming back, said ZoOceanariums managing director, Chris Davis. To do that, the Onondaga County aquarium will aim to be the most interactive aquarium in a wide region. Visitors are going to get their hands wet, in other words.

Happy birthday, Syracuse! Our swampy outpost of a few hundred people became a village 200 years ago

If you thought this was a big historic event, it was not. There was no civic celebration. It didnt even make the front page. The weekly Syracuse Gazette published a simple, one-sentence statement, without a headline, on page two of the four-page newspaper. The Bill to incorporate this village has passed both Houses of the Legislature; and the Bills relating to the manufacture of Salt, and to incorporate the Onondaga County Bank, has passed the House of Assembly.
Baldwinsville, N.Y. In pouring rain, more than 200 people gathered Saturday afternoon in Baldwinsville to protest President Donald Trump and stand up for the Constitution, according to protesters.

Im a moderate, but whats going on is just not right, said Michael Kingsley of Chittenango. Mainly, Im fighting for the rule of law and the Constitutionbecause if we have that, then we can fix other problems.

The peaceful protest called Stand or Suffer began at noon, with people lining the sidewalks along Oswego and West Genesee streets.

Protesters held signs reading Power to the peaceful, If youre not angry then youre not paying attention, and Our Constitution is in peril.

I came out today because Im pro-LGBTQ+, I stand up for marginalized communities, and I want to protect our democracy, said Bill Goodman of Ithaca.

Many passing cars honked in support of the protesters.

A few counter-protesters, however, drove by in trucks with Trump flags, shouting in support of the president. Some shouted phrases like Trump train, baby, Trump 2025, and Get a job as they sped past the demonstration.

Officers from the Baldwinsville Police Department stood at every corner during the protest to keep people out of traffic. Deputies from the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office also patrolled the area by car.

I have a father in his 90s, so Im concerned about his Meals on Wheels and Social Security, said Shelly Hilts of Baldwinsville. Im going to be retiring soon, and Medicare and Social Security are in danger. Plus, Im a gay woman with a wife, and I dont want my marriage to not be recognized.

Though spread out along the corners, protesters chanted together, shouting phrases like This is what democracy looks like and Trump must go.

Despite the rain, the demonstration continued for more than two hours.

The protest follows on one two weeks ago that drew more than 3,000 people to downtown Syracuse. That rally opposed federal job cuts and other policy changes by Trump.

Staff writer Greta Stuckey covers breaking news. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at gstuckey@syracuse.com.
U.S. Border Patrol touts the arrest of seven individuals in Fulton, N.Y. on their Facebook page. U.S. Border Patrol

Syracuse.coms reporting from Oswego County, an unlikely front line of the Trump administrations crackdown on undocumented immigrants, puts the lie to the claim that federal authorities are targeting for deportation people who pose a threat to public safety and national security.

We will keep targeting the worst of the worst, insisted border czar Tom Homan.

That does not describe the vast majority of the people caught in the dragnet of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Northern New York.

They include a mother of two who hit a deer while driving near the Canadian border. A man who makes pizzas. Another who works in a factory by day and packs apples by night. A mother and her three children scooped up from a dairy farm and flown to a holding center in Texas, before a public outcry forced their return to Sackets Harbor.

Their only crime is being in this country without legal permission. It is a crime, and they will have to leave. But dont fall for the administrations demagoguery. The country is not under siege by migrant murderers, rapists, terrorists and gang members. There certainly is no migrant siege in Oswego County.

The current reality, in Oswego County and elsewhere, is that the authorities are arresting pizza makers, apple packers and construction workers. The migrants are doing jobs that Americans dont want to do, paying taxes, building lives for their families and otherwise living quiet, law-abiding lives, as many have for the past 20 or 30 years.

Some have a valid asylum claim, are in the process of gaining legal status or have children who are U.S. citizens. The Trump administration doesnt care. They, too, are being swallowed up by the crackdown.

Even noncitizens possess rights under the U.S. Constitution  Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure, Fourteenth Amendment protections against being targeted by the government because of your race. Lawyers representing migrants caught up in these aggressive operations say those rights are being violated.

Staff writers Michelle Breidenbach and Rylee Kirk describe the hand-in-glove cooperation between Oswego County sheriffs deputies and Border Patrol agents. Deputies are pulling over drivers for hard-to-disprove traffic infractions and then summoning federal agents, ostensibly to translate. Agents arrive within minutes; clearly, they were hovering nearby.

The traffic stops of people driving while brown amount to racial profiling, immigration lawyers say. The taxpayers of Oswego County should demand an immediate accounting from Sheriff Don Hilton of how much time, effort and taxpayer money is going toward enforcing federal immigration priorities instead of investigating crimes or protecting people and property.

The traffic stops are mild in comparison to well-documented instances where government is employing police-state tactics  agents wearing plain clothes, their faces covered by masks, driving unmarked vehicles, staking out homes and places of work, smashing doors and car windows  far out of proportion to the threat most migrants pose. The showy arrests are meant to sow fear and encourage migrants to self-deport. This conduct is becoming of banana republics, not the United States of America.

ICE knows it cannot meet President Donald Trumps goal of deporting 1 million immigrants this year, let alone the millions and millions Trump promised. In March, fewer people were deported than a year earlier under the Biden administration. The deportations will ramp up once the Republican-led Congress appropriates more money for ICE to carry them out.

All this deportation theater does not bring the country any closer to an immigration policy that acknowledges the humanity of the migrants and the labor market realities that encouraged them to come here in the first place.

Cruelty is the point.

Weve already seen a detention camp built at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; hundreds of alleged gang members deported to supermax prison in El Salvador based on flimsy evidence and without due process; a Maryland resident mistakenly sent there and now trapped by Trumps inexplicable powerlessness to bring him back; and a Turkish graduate student snatched from a public street in Massachusetts over her views on the Gaza war.

This is only the beginning of Trumps war on migrants, immigrants and brown people in general. It is going to get worse. Whatever your political views, the inhumane tactics being employed by the Trump administration should make you queasy. The senseless waste of resources in Oswego County should make you angry.

American public opinion has begun to turn. The truth from places like Oswego County can debunk the demagoguery (theyre eating the cats and dogs). The Trump administration is not making the country safer; it is making it meaner. The cruelty is the point, and the cruelty is increasingly repulsive. The ends cannot justify the means.

About Syracuse.com editorials

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If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion lead, at mmorelli@syracuse.com
FILE - Signs, including some advising drivers of congestion pricing tolls, are displayed near the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel in New York, Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, file) AP

NEW YORK (AP)  New Yorks $9 congestion toll on most drivers entering the busiest part of Manhattan remained in effect Sunday, despite an Easter deadline from the Trump administration to halt the first-in-the-nation fee.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency overseeing the tolls, confirmed Sunday that its system of traffic cameras continues to collect the fee assessed on most cars entering the borough below Central Park.

President Donald Trumps transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, rescinded federal approval for the program in February, calling it a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners, and initially gave New York until March 21 to comply.

The MTA challenged Duffys decision in federal court and Duffy subsequently pushed the deadline back by a month, to April 20. The transportation department insisted it would not back off the deadline even as the court case plays out, saying it would not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal if the state failed to stop the toll.

In case there were any doubts, MTA, State and City reaffirmed in a court filing that congestion pricing is here to stay and that the arguments Secretary Duffy made trying to stop it have zero merit, John J. McCarthy, the MTAs chief of policy and external relations, said Sunday.

Spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Transportation didnt immediately respond to messages seeking comment Sunday.

The fee began Jan. 5 and is meant to not just reduce traffic jams but also raise billions of dollars in revenue for New Yorks subways, commuter trains and public buses.

But Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, had vowed to kill the plan as soon as he took office.

The transit authority, meanwhile, has continued to tout the benefits of the tolling program, saying fewer vehicles are now coming into the heart of Manhattan.

Around 560,000 vehicles per day entered the congestion zone in March, a 13% drop from the roughly 640,000 the MTA projects would have driven through the area without the tolling scheme, according to data the agency released earlier this month.

The agency has previously said its on track to meet the $500 million in revenue initially projected this year from congestion pricing.

The toll varies depending on type of vehicle and time of day and comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan.

Other big cities around the world, including London and Stockholm, have similar congestion pricing schemes.

On Thursday, a Manhattan federal judge dismissed a series of lawsuits brought by the local trucking industry and other local groups challenging the toll.

Most of those lawsuits had argued the fee was approved by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny and that the court should order the completion of a more comprehensive environmental impact study.
DHAKA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The entry-level internet speed for millions of Bangladesh's broadband subscribers has doubled to 10 Mbps, a major step forward in the country's efforts to power digital transformation.

"From now on, internet subscribers will get 10 Mbps speed instead of the previous 5 Mbps under the same 500 taka (around 4.17 U.S. dollars) entry-level (monthly) package," Emdadul Haque, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh, said on Saturday.

He made the announcement at a roundtable discussion organized by Telecom and Technology Reporters' Network at the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) headquarters in Dhaka.

At the event, Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the Bangladeshi interim government's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus with executive authority over the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, said Bangladesh aims to be among the top 30 countries in global digital indices within two years.

Taiyeb, however, stressed the need for continuous monitoring of internet service quality.

"Some claim Bangladesh offers the cheapest internet in the region, but in terms of quality, it's among the worst," he said.

The total number of Bangladesh's internet subscribers topped 130 million at the end of February this year, according to recent data from the country's telecom regulator.

The BTRC data showed that of the internet subscribers, some 116.03 million are mobile internet users and 14.04 million broadband internet users.

Bangladesh currently has four mobile companies in operation, three of them being foreign-backed cellphone operators. 
WUHAN, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China has made significant progress in vaccine development and immunization, marked by a growing portfolio of domestically produced vaccines and remarkable public health results.

These achievements were highlighted at the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference, held over the weekend in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in central China, and attended by nearly 3,000 public health officials and medical professionals.

Over the past years, China has achieved notable breakthroughs in vaccine technology. Milestones include the successful development of homegrown HPV and Ebola vaccines, as well as advances in pneumococcal conjugate vaccines against 13 types of bacteria and shingles vaccines.

Several Chinese vaccines have received prequalification from the World Health Organization, enabling their distribution in partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative.

These advancements underscore a broader shift in China's vaccine industry -- from focusing primarily on domestic needs to increasingly contributing to the global vaccine supply chain, according to Wang Yunfu, head of the Health Commission of Hubei Province.

The global biotechnology landscape has also helped accelerate this transformation, as the participants pointed out. In recent years, breakthroughs in technologies such as mRNA platforms, viral vectors, and nanoparticle delivery systems have opened up unprecedented opportunities for vaccine research and development, significantly improving both efficiency and immune response.

Alongside scientific innovation, China has placed strong emphasis on safety and regulatory oversight. In 2019, it became the first country to implement a comprehensive vaccine administration law, followed by updated immunization standards introduced in 2023.

A nationwide traceability system has been set up, ensuring that every dose can be tracked from production to administration, enhancing transparency and public trust.

China's national immunization programs have yielded strong public health results.

The country achieved polio-free status in 2000, eliminated neonatal tetanus by 2012, and has reported no locally transmitted diphtheria cases since 2007. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among children under five declined from nearly 10 percent in 1992 to just 0.3 percent in 2020.

Routine vaccination coverage has remained above 90 percent nationwide, supported by an extensive healthcare infrastructure that ensures every township has at least one vaccination unit.

Efforts to expand access and improve service delivery remain a central priority. "Public health should be protected through more accessible and higher-quality vaccine services," said Li Bin, president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, adding that this goal was reflected in the conference's theme.

For example, in Hubei, girls aged 14 are now eligible for free HPV vaccination, and immunization for newborns is being integrated into the birth registration process to ensure early and timely coverage.

Looking ahead, China is preparing to refine its immunization strategy and services further.

Health authorities are considering dynamic adjustments to the national immunization program to prioritize vaccines with high cost-effectiveness or those associated with costly diseases. In some regions, pilots may allow the use of personal health insurance accounts to cover non-mandatory vaccines, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for the public.

Digital tools will also play an increasing role in modernizing immunization services. Electronic vaccination records are being shared across provinces, while artificial intelligence (AI) is assisting with appointment scheduling. Big data platforms are improving vaccine inventory management and logistics.

Yin Zundong, head of the Immunization Program Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized the role of advanced data technologies.

"With the help of big data and AI, disease surveillance and early warning systems can become more accurate and efficient," Yin said. "In the future, data-driven tools will enable precise assessments of vaccine protection efficacy." 
BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- At a bustling department store in Guangzhou, south China, a Singaporean surnamed Lee picked up more than just premium Chinese tea for friends and family -- he also walked away with a tax refund, pocketed instantly at the point of purchase.

"Super convenient," said the tech entrepreneur, who was in town for a tech fair, applauding China's new refund policy that spares international travelers the long queues at airports and puts money back in their accounts then and there.

China is expanding the coverage of instant tax refunds to improve the experience for international travelers. In Shanghai, the service has been available in about half of the city's tax refund partner stores.

The policy, extended nationwide on April 8, builds on a slew of recent efforts by China to boost global exchanges and mobility, such as easing its visa policies, enhancing payment accessibility, and streamlining customs clearance.

These shifts have made exploring the country easier than ever, fueling a surge in "China Travel" content on social media platforms. For example, U.S. content creator IShowSpeed documented his kung fu journey at the famous Shaolin Temple in central China, captivating global audiences.

In 2024, China recorded 64.88 million border crossings by foreign nationals, an 82.9 percent increase year on year. In the first quarter of 2025, this number stood at 17.44 million, up 33.4 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

During Lee's ten-day stay in China, he zipped through industrial parks, financial centers, and high-tech hubs across the industrial powerhouse, bringing home not just souvenirs but also promising partnerships.

Analysts believe that the recent expansion of the tax refund policy will increase spending by inbound travelers, spur growth in China's tourism sector, and draw more visitors eager to explore the country.

On the ground, the effects are already visible. At the Grand Pacific, a shopping mall in downtown Beijing, staff reported long queues at tax refund counters. "It's now routine to see waves of foreign tourists lining up. Some leave with a few items, others with entire hauls," one employee said.

Qin Yi, manager of a porcelain shop in Shanghai, noted that foreign tourists who receive instant tax refunds in cash often make additional purchases on the spot -- a trend that has helped drive up the store's overall sales.

Inbound consumption in China is expected to exceed 1.5 trillion yuan (around 205 billion U.S. dollars) over the next five years, said economist Hong Tao at Beijing Technology and Business University. In 2024, inbound travelers spent over 94.2 billion dollars in China, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

As U.S. tariffs inflate the cost of Chinese imports, traveling to China makes more economic sense for savvy American shoppers.

Thanks to the new transit policy for citizens from 54 countries, including the United States, Americans can now stay in the country for up to 240 hours without a visa. Pair that with the freshly expanded refund-upon-purchase policy, and travelers would get a compelling formula: travel, shop, save -- and repeat.

"There's no middleman taking a cut," as many put it. And the math checks out: with an 11 percent refund rate, spending 10,000 yuan gets people 1,100 yuan back. Though a service fee is charged, luxury goods, electronics, and other high-value items still look a lot more attractive.

Far from dimming their allure, U.S. tariffs have thrown a new spotlight on Chinese products, long prized for both quality and affordability.

"If the high U.S. tariffs persist, we may see the rise of a 'daigou' trade," said Wang Huayu, an associate professor of fiscal and tax law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, referring to a practice that Americans pay intermediaries to shop in China on their behalf.

However, delivering a premium shopping experience to attract inbound travelers requires more than policy changes, said experts.

It is important to bring more shops and a wider range of goods into the refund-upon-purchase program, said Hong.

Wang Peng, a researcher at Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, pointed to the power of digital contracts to slash the tax refund process down to mere seconds.

He also highlighted how artificial intelligence could step in to ease peak-hour pressure, standardize shopping services, and close infrastructure gaps across regions.

In Guangzhou, where Singaporean visitor Lee explored, a commentary carried by a local newspaper on April 10 has called for more efforts to identify choke points to make shopping in China more enjoyable.

"I'll visit China again -- and next time, I'm bringing my family and friends along," said Lee. 
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

Its 10am on Sunday, and people are already starting to filter through the doors of Harbour Church. Sun streams through the windows  theres an air of anticipation as congregation members greet each other and catch up on the week just gone. Soon, the room is filling up, the sound of gentle chatter swelling as the throng grows and people take their seats. The five-piece worship band strikes up; the crowd gets to its feet; the air vibrates as more than a hundred voices sing praises to God.

Theres no special occasion to pin the numbers on  its not Christmas or Easter on this particular Sunday, nor is there a wedding dress, christening gown or coffin in sight. Its just a regular, run-of-the-mill service at this church in Folkestone, Kent.

It was a different story 25 years ago when church leaders Sarah and Gareth arrived. Back then, 15 people would show up on a Sunday morning; these days, there are somewhere between 150 and 180 attendees every single week. This, in itself, feels a miraculous feat amid a wider trend that has seen Christianity in modern Britain stuck on a constant downward trajectory. But perhaps the most surprising thing of all is the number of young people who are going against the secular grain. Looking around on a Sunday morning, the demographics are wildly different from the expected cluster of silver-haired worshippers  instead, theres a diverse spectrum comprised of teenagers, young adults and extended families with toddlers and kids zooming around, as well as people in their thirties, forties and every decade beyond.

It's a trend that is being seen far beyond the confines of this one church, according to new research. The Bible Societys The Quiet Revival report has made some remarkable claims about a resurgence of Christianity in the UK. Although the percentage of Brits identifying as Christian has fallen to 39 per cent, The Church is in a period of rapid growth, driven by young adults and in particular young men, reads the report, which analysed the results of a largescale YouGov survey asking participants how often they attended church aside from weddings, baptisms and funerals. The number of people reporting monthly attendance has risen from 8 per cent in 2018 to 12 per cent in 2024. But the most remarkable jump in reported attendance has been among Generation Z, quadrupling from 4 per cent to 16 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds. Theres been an even more dramatic shift for young men: a fivefold growth from 4 to 21 per cent.

These are striking findings that completely reverse the widely held assumption that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline, said study co-author Dr Rhiannon McAleer. While some traditional denominations continue to face challenges, weve seen significant, broad-based growth among most expressions of church  particularly in Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism. There are now over 2 million more people attending church than there were six years ago.

There are other markers, too, that indicate a potential reversal of fortunes for the Christian faith. According to Nielsen BookScan data, UK Bible sales went from netting 2.69m in 2019 to 5.02m in 2024  an increase of 2.33m in just five years. To put this in context, Bible sales increased by just over 277,000 in total in the 11 years from 2008 to 2019. This renewed interest in scripture is also being attributed to Gen Z; the Good News Bible  The Youth Edition, for example, has seen sales nearly double since 2021. And its not a UK-only phenomenon: US Bible sales have seen a 22 per cent uplift in the past year alone, with publishers reporting more first-time buyers than ever.

A recent piece of research commissioned by Christian student movement Fusion, meanwhile, found that even non-religious students were open to exploring Christian ideas. Survey data from 2,030 undergraduates, of which 39 per cent identified as Christian and 36 per cent identified as no religion, revealed that half of all respondents said they were interested in reading the Bible in their spare time. Some 37 per cent of students with no religion stated that they already owned a copy of the Bible; 13 per cent of the same group claimed they prayed weekly. This indicates that for some students, spiritual practices persist even without a formal religious identity, the report concluded.

open image in gallery Bible sales have gone up in the UK ( Getty )

Gen-Zers have even been dubbed the spiritual generation after research found that they are far more likely to describe themselves this way: 62 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds claim to be very or fairly spiritual, compared to just 35 per cent of those over 65. Only 13 per cent of Gen-Zers identify as atheists, in contrast to 20 per cent of millennials and 25 per cent of Gen X. It makes sense; for the two generations above, Christianity was presented in popular culture as deeply uncool at best  think Songs of Praise stuffiness combined with Ned Flanderss brand of Okily dokily! cringe in The Simpsons  and sexist or homophobic at worst, darkly epitomised by the dangerous pray the gay away ideology espoused at conversion therapy camps. It coincided with the rise of populist atheism, pedalled by academics like Richard Dawkins in the Noughties, to create an environment in which professing to have faith of any kind felt like deviant behaviour.

But were now witnessing a significant cultural shift regarding matters of faith and religion, argues Sam Richardson, CEO at Christian publisher SPCK. We are seeing an increased curiosity about Christianity, he says. Rather than relying on atheist thought leaders (or, for that matter, church leaders), we are seeing people want to draw their own conclusions by reading Christian books in general and the Bible in particular.

So whats the appeal and relevance of Christianity, often presented as something quaintly traditional or hopelessly antiquated, for todays young people?

Much has been made of the fact that young men seem to be flocking to religion, potentially drawn by alt-right content creators  for instance, Jordan Peterson  who weave Christianity into problematic narratives around masculinity and traditional gender roles. But that doesnt reflect the reality of many of the Gen Z Christians I encounter.

As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, my faith gives me some peace and clarity Lizzie, 27

For Harry Clark, the 24-year-old winner of season two of The Traitors, his Catholic faith helps him feel less lost. In advance of his appearance on the latest series of BBC 1 show Pilgrimage, in which hell explore all things faith with his fellow celebrity castmates as they trek through the Austrian and Swiss Alps, Clark told The Telegraph: You can be so lost but then you are found. God is the only one who knows everything about me. Its like a vase that shatters and God is the one that can put together the shards.

The young Christians I speak to share similar stories of feeling fully known and loved by God. Jordan, 26, tells me that faith has given her an overwhelming sense of peace. Yes, being religious has been framed as profoundly countercultural throughout her life  As a uni student I didnt get swept away with the drinking culture; I got married young (engaged at 19, married at 21), which blew a lot of my non-Christian friends minds  but she has no regrets. Am I allowed to say everything? she responds when I ask her to name the best thing she gets from her faith. Knowing its not my strength I rely on, but Gods, brings such peace and joy. And a sense of community and family with other Christians.

Josh, 27, was raised in a Christian household and has gone to church since he was a child. While growing up he felt part of a tiny minority, hes noticed a real change in the past few years  particularly since Covid. People have become much more receptive to faith; theyre searching for answers and a need for something bigger than themselves, he says. Joshs own reasons for keeping the faith also include the community aspect, plus knowing God personally: He is a comfort in hard times. I like seeking Him for guidance in everything.

What has been described as a global mental health crisis among young people is perhaps one potential explanation for faiths renewed appeal in 2025. Between 2010 and 2015, suicide rates among 10- to 14-year-old girls and boys increased by 167 and 92 per cent, respectively; self-harm rates for teenage girls in the UK soared by 78 per cent; and anxiety diagnoses for those aged 18 to 25 jumped by 92 per cent. These grim statistics have gone hand in hand with the stratospheric rise in social media and smartphone use, according to social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of the bestselling book The Anxious Generation.

open image in gallery Church can bring a sense of community and belonging ( Getty )

By contrast, The Quiet Revival report found that Christians reported higher life satisfaction than non-churchgoers, with a greater connection to their community and less stress and anxiety. Interestingly, a major piece of research on teenage wellbeing conducted by scientists at the University of Oxford and Swansea University last year found that just three elements strongly correlated with better adolescent mental health: getting enough sleep, regular exercise and  wait for it  attending religious services. These three consistently predicted low anxiety, low depression, high wellbeing, high flourishing, and high agency, according to the report.

It's something that 27-year-old Lizzie has found hugely beneficial in terms of being a Christian. As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, my faith gives me some peace and clarity, she says. I know theres always someone there who loves me unconditionally and will never judge me for the things I do or dont do. Sometimes it feels freeing to give myself over to a higher power, and let the chips fall as they may as part of a greater plan.

Lottie, 28, agrees that it massively helps with mental health. It gives you a sense of purpose that drives you. Its also helped her in supporting her husband, a fellow Christian who suffers from depression: I needed faith to help us through that situation. Mental health isnt absent in church  and it doesnt mean that if you have faith, youre not going to have mental health difficulties  but its something that can help, knowing that theres a higher meaning to it all.

I feel like I can be vulnerable; I feel like I can be honest about who I am, the struggles that Im going through Lottie, 28

The Bible Society report posits two interlinking factors for the uplift in young people seeking religion: a change of climate as the perception of Christianity has shifted from hostility to apathy to openness, and the quest for belonging. The former has been reflected in various media moments in recent years, from Phoebe Waller-Bridges hot priest love interest in Fleabag to praise for Church of England priest Richard Coless faith-infused wisdom during his stint on Im a Celebrity last year. The latter, meanwhile, could well be fundamental; every Christian I interview cites the sense of belonging that comes from being part of a loving church as one of the major benefits. I feel like I can be vulnerable; I feel like I can be honest about who I am, the struggles that Im going through, says Lottie. I think its hard to come across a community like that that looks after you so well.

And research supports the theory that getting involved in a community could have a positive impact on young peoples mental health. Andrea Danese, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Kings College London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, says that participation in community activities and access to safe social spaces can provide adolescents with opportunities to build social skills and resilience, acting as a buffer against social anxiety.

In an unstable world where uncertainty reigns, perhaps the biggest gift that religion can provide young people with is a pathway through the chaos, a light in the dark. As Lizzie puts it: Hope is one of the biggest things I get out of my faith ... Youre never alone, no matter how much you may feel it. And I think thats beautiful.
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Would you wear a braided suit tie made entirely of human hair? How about carrying a bag covered in long blonde locks, or buying underwear made to look like a full bush? Probably not on your spring fashion must-haves  but such are the designs introduced recently by high-fashion architects Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli, Francesco Risso of Marni, and John Galliano, formerly of Maison Margiela.

Fashion is getting a whole lot hairier. Not long ago, Irish designer Simone Rocha folded long strands of hair (like the ones that inevitably collect on the bathroom floor) into dangly bow earrings in her collection for Jean Paul Gaultier. And one of the most iconic outfits of the 2025 award season was Julia Fox dressed in a gothic sheer gown by Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu with extensions crawling across her body for the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty, as if Botticellis Birth of Venus had come to life.

From Fendi to Chloe, almost every brand this season played with animal hides, reimagining the material as fluffy collars and shaggy shoes. Gen Z jumped at the chance to get their hands on both vintage and faux fur garments the minute the trend took off. While fur, both animal and faux, has been successfully commercialized, human hair (or hair resembling it) is a more uncertain trend, one that may exist on catwalks but not on the street.

open image in gallery Julia Fox wears Dilara Findikoglus human hair dress at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party ( Getty Images )

Is this something people are actually going to be wearing day-to-day? Are people able to pick up on the trend in a quite accessible way? These are the questions, Flo Palmer, a trend researcher on TikTok under @flotrends, told The Independent. Its also those high-end fashion influencers who are leading the charge and have an effect, commercially.

Hair everywhere comes at a time when luxury market sales are down, and the potential for a 2025 upturn is being riddled by Donald Trumps recently imposed tariffs. According to Flo, a commercial trend must be practical and accessible. It can be shown in a collection by the hottest designer or seen on Hollywoods biggest It-girl, but for it to be a full-blown trend, it has to appeal to the general consumer.

open image in gallery Maggie Gyllenhaal wears Schiaparellis $2200 tie made out of braided hair to CinemaCon in Las Vegas ( Getty Images )

Luxury fashion content creators Lara Violetta and Izzi Poopi have promoted hoop earrings and dresses made from hair on their pages, and fashion commentator and forecaster Mandy Lee (@oldloserinbrooklyn) recently predicted the design technique will continue to pervade the industry in the coming seasons in a recent TikTok video.

Artists started crafting with hair as early as ancient Egypt. The Victorian era (roughly 1837 to 1901) is when its popularity shot up, with artists fashioning jewellery, wigs, and personal mementos out of hair, leaning into the nostalgia of the organic material.

It was this romantic idea of femininity, Flo told The Independent.

This same concept has been a catalyst for several style fixations now  Chemena Kamalis bohemian-inspired Chloe collections chock-full of frill, flowing garments being one of them  at the same time that tradwives and a return to conservative politics have dominated society. It's definitely down to this really hyper-feminine, really ethereal, almost whimsical trends that we're seeing being picked up, Flo explained, before noting that some of these fashion trends are not making it off the runway.

Javiera Shooaie Decap, a recent graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, made half of her final project collection out of human hair.

But Decap ultimately decided against producing and manufacturing clothing with the material since starting her professional career.

I'm not at that point where I can make it ethical or sustainable for the market in a way, Decap confessed. Its like, who are you getting all the hair from and are they okay with it?

For her grad collection, Decap got donated hair from a London salon and hair extensions from wig shops  but thats not something that can be easily mass-produced. But she says that hair has amazing movement as a material, so shes leaning into more custom pieces that play into that.

I'm working with movement artists on costume pieces, Decampe said.

open image in gallery Javiera Shooaie Decap, a Royal College of Art graduate, epitomizes her cultural identity in her final collection made from human hair ( Javiera Shooaie Decap )

Even if these campy pieces will primarily be reserved for statement-making moments on the runway or the stage, the design concept still can have a wider impact, because body hair trends tend to dovetail with contemporary social campaigns.

During the second wave of the womens liberation movement in the 1960s and the 1970s, many women grew their body hair as acts of patriarchal resistance and female empowerment.

Right now, were seeing body autonomy being threatened under the Trump administration, and women are protesting.

While there arent women outwardly encouraging others to abstain from shaving or getting waxed in opposition to current gender politics, theyre shifting the narrative around traditional beauty standards and body hair practices, moving beyond hair as fashion to hair removal (or not).

Style influencer Cierra ODay Johnson (@cierraoday) built an entire brand around her unibrow, but the feature that used to be her identifying accessory is simply just a part of her now. She told The Independent everyone has the right to remove body hair or not, or use hair as a fashion accessory, but a fashion trend shouldnt dictate that. Just because theres movement toward a certain style on the runway doesnt mean everyone else needs to fall in line. In ODays opinion, the hair designs are more of fashion school art projects, anyway.

Meanwhile, a social community known as #Bushtok online is using the concept of body hair freedom to make a political and fashion statement.

Gabriella Scaringe  founder of Cherri, a size-inclusive intimates and swimwear brand, and a leader of #Bushtok  described the movement as part celebration and part protest.

Its a bold reclaiming of pubic hair and a pushback against rigid patriarchal beauty standards that have told us we need to be hairless, perfectly pink, and tucked in to be desirable or clean, she said.

Cherri went on to compare #Bushtok to other fashion trends.

Especially in the wake of the clean girl aesthetic, a lot of women are feeling burnt out by the constant performance of femininity  the maintenance, the polish, the pressure, she continued. Many are craving a return to their natural bodies, and realizing that when they do, they actually feel more feminine than ever.
HAIKOU, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The futuristic vision of gliding above traffic in an autonomous "flying taxi" is fast becoming a reality, thanks to the rise of low-altitude economy in China.

At the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo, a dedicated exhibition zone for the low-altitude economy made its debut, featuring companies like EHang Holdings. Ehang, a global leader in urban air mobility (UAM), showed up at the event alongside three unmanned aircraft.

These innovations highlight transformative solutions to urban congestion and offer a glimpse into the future of aerial consumption.

Starring at the event was EHang's flagship EH216-S, the world's first and only electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to secure all four certifications required for commercial operation: Type Certificate (TC), Production Certificate (PC), Standard Airworthiness Certificate (AC), and Operational Permit.

Having completed over 66,000 safe flights across 19 countries, including the United States, Japan, UAE and countries in Europe, the pilotless eVTOL is already driving real-world applications in passenger transport, aerial tourism, logistics, and emergency medical services.

The EH216-S achieved a historic breakthrough in March when its affiliated operator received China's first airworthiness certification for crewed UAM services, accelerating global commercialization.

He Tianxing, vice president of EHang, emphasized plans to expand into urban commuting and ultimately achieve fully autonomous low-altitude commercial operations.

The company aims to launch air taxi services as early as this year. Operating from rooftops or designated vertiports, these eVTOLs promise to bypass ground traffic efficiently, doubling as air ambulances or emergency responders.

EHang has already established more than 20 demonstration sites across 16 Chinese cities, including Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and is now eyeing Hainan's unique geography to pioneer low-altitude tourism, island-hopping routes, and intra-city aerial networks.

As low-altitude economy takes flight, EHang's innovations signal a sci-fi-turned-reality era where the skies offer not just escape from gridlock, but a new dimension of smart, sustainable living, He said.

Also at the exhibition, United Aircraft brought the TD550, which obtained the first type certificate for unmanned helicopters in China. "China is entering an era of rapid development of the low-altitude economy," said Zhou Xiaoyue, director of the firm's public relations.

The exhibition aligned with China's broader strategy to advance the low-altitude economy, encompassing UAV, UAM, and other emerging sectors.

The government work report released this March said China will carry out demonstration initiatives on the large-scale application of new technologies, products and scenarios, and promote safe and sound development of emerging industries, including the low-altitude economy.

Many Chinese cities have been moving quickly to establish a foothold in the sector, considering it a new track of industrial development. Mianyang, a city known for its strong scientific and technological foundation in the country's vast western region, has just established a new low-altitude economy research institute.

As China's low-altitude economy takes flight with impressive momentum, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has forecast a significant surge in market value, projecting that the sector would soar from 500 billion yuan (about 69.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023 to 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, and that it could reach an astounding 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035. 
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Virginia authorities are investigating the deaths of 500,000 bees after someone vandalized a honey bee farm, killing off 60 colonies.

Jerry Mattiaccio, the owner of Rock Hill Honey Bee Farms, says that on April 13, he arrived at the farm, located 43 miles from Washington, D.C., and noticed high-density steel chains and locks on his property gates.

He found the dead bees had their tongues sticking out, which means they were poisoned with pesticide, according to The Washington Post. Authorities have launched an investigation.

Mattiaccio estimates that about 500,000 Italian honey bees were killed on his five-acre property, amounting to $20,000 in damages.

The Independent has emailed the Stafford County Sheriffs Office for information.

None of these actions could be accidental, Mattiaccio, 62, wrote on Facebook. This was clearly intentional hoping to injure my operation.

open image in gallery A sheriff's deputy taking images of the deceased insects ( Rock Hill Honey Bee Farms/Facebook )

Writing to the unknown assailant, he continued: You, sir, have failed in your endeavor. What you did not know, what you couldn't possibly fathom, is that there are far more decent people here in the community then there are of you.

He and local businesses are offering a $7,500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Its not clear who couldve committed the offense or what their motivations were.

The former defense contractor and U.S. Army veteran asked people wanting to help to attend one of his farmers markets in Stafford, Spotsylvania, Manassas, Lorton, One Loudon, Falls Church and purchase a pound of honey.

In 2010, Mattiaccio purchased his first colony and started renting bees to nearby farmers. Up until the incident, his business had grown to reach over 1,100 colonies.

I am undeterred in my course of action and will continue to be a farmer others can rely on to produce a quality product, Mattiaccio added, thanking well-wishers.
The closest the world has ever come to armageddon was the result of a computer error. On the night of 26 September 1983, in the depths of the Cold War, 44-year-old Stanislav Petrov was on duty at a Soviet radar station outside of Moscow when he saw five intercontinental ballistic missiles appear on his screen.

The protocol was to alert his higher-ups of the incoming threat, potentially triggering a retaliatory attack against the US that would lead to all-out nuclear war. But Petrov refused to follow the procedure  he didnt trust the computer. Petrov, who is now remembered as the man who saved the world, was right. The recently installed early warning system had mistaken the sun reflecting off clouds for missiles.

The event is the first incident listed in the AI Incident Database, launched in 2018 to index dangerous moments caused by computing and artificial intelligence systems. These incidents are now on the rise, with a record 253 reported in 2024, and even more projected for 2025.

Some incidents are fatal, like the robot that crushed a worker to death at a Volkswagen factory in Germany, or the growing number of self-driving car fatalities. Others are merely problematic, such as Amazons sexist recruiting tool that marked down female candidates, or faulty facial recognition technology leading to wrongful arrests.

Yet despite the surging numbers, some fear that the threat posed by AI will not be taken seriously until something truly catastrophic happens. Dr Mario Herger, a technology trend researcher based in Silicon Valley, calls this an AI Pearl Harbor  referring to the devastating surprise attack by Japanese aircraft on a US naval base in 1941 that killed 2,400 people and finally drew the United States into the Second World War.

In a 2021 blog post, Herger wrote that AI safety will only be prioritised when an attack causes an AI to kill thousands of people or steal hundreds of billions of euros from a government. The coming of an AI Pearl Harbor is not inevitable because we cannot prepare and defend against it, he concluded, but because  as always  we do not take it seriously until it happens.

The incident could come in the form of humanoid robots attacking humans en masse due to a glitch, he speculated, or a malicious AI taking control of critical infrastructure to cause deadly blackouts or economic chaos.

Since writing that blog post, the emergence of ChatGPT and other advanced models has seen AI become more prevalent than ever, leading to a massive increase in ways it might happen.

AI is everywhere, and we will see many more forms of artificial species occupying our spaces, Herger tells The Independent, pointing to humanoid robots that are now being manufactured at commercial scale, as well as the continued rise of high-tech drones. This means the possible attack vectors are increasing. As always, the worst outcome is very unlikely, but likelier than experts would tell you.

To counter such threats. leading companies like OpenAI, Google and Meta all have AI safety policies in place to develop AI responsibly. Governments around the world have also intensified efforts to address AI safety in recent years. But as with all technologies, regulation is in a constant state of catch-up with innovation.

In February, leaders from over 100 countries gathered at the AI Action Summit in Paris to come up with a coordinated approach to AI development and safety. And while 60 countries signed a declaration to ensure AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, two notable countries refused to: the UK and the US.

AI ethics experts, including David Leslie from The Alan Turing Institute, claimed the conference was more focused on advancing opportunities for economic growth than addressing the real-world risks posed by artificial intelligence.

The recent emergence of advanced AI models from China, like DeepSeek and Manus, has also intensified focus on competition rather than caution.

Dr Sean McGregor, an artificial intelligence safety expert who started the AI Incident Database seven years ago, notes that new AI systems are bringing with them risks that are almost impossible to predict. He likens each new problematic incident to a plane crash, as the issues that cause them are usually only obvious in retrospect.

I am not surprised to see AI incidents rising sharply, he tells The Independent. We are living in the era five years after the first aeroplane. Only now, all adults, children, and even pets, have their own AI plane well before we figure out how to make them reliable. While AI systems are getting safer each year for people to use, they are also entering into new use cases and malicious actors are figuring out how to use them for bad things. Ensuring AI is beneficial and safe for all humanity requires technological and societal advances across all industry and government.

open image in gallery Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI, expresses concern about the apocalyptic power of advanced AI, yet still continues to push the technology further towards it ( AFP/Getty )

One possible scenario for an AI Pearl Harbor, according to McGregor, would be a paralysing attack against all networked computer systems in the world in parallel. For something like this to happen, it would likely require a form of AI that does not exist  at least not yet.

Nearly all leading AI companies are currently working towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), or human-level intelligence. Once this point is reached  estimates range from months to decades  then the arrival of artificial superintelligence will likely follow, meaning we will no longer be able to even understand the advances being made. It would be capable of doing more damage than any human. And by then, it may be too late to stop.

Sam Altman, the head of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, has frequently expressed his concern that advanced AI could bring about the end of human civilisation. Yet he continually pushes his company to launch products before those working for him believe they are safe to be released.

We are living in the era five years after the first aeroplane. Only now, all adults, children, and even pets, have their own AI plane well before we figure out how to make them reliable Dr Sean McGregor

Altmans defence is that market forces compel it: if new models are not launched, then OpenAI risks being left behind. The other argument often cited by leading technologists is that AI has the potential to do massive amounts of good, and that stifling its development could slow down scientific breakthroughs that could help cure diseases or counteract the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Even Herger describes himself as a techno optimist. He believes AI is generally getting safer, and that problematic incidents are surging simply because more people are using it. Why? Because AI really is making their lives better and is useful, he says. I think AI, like almost all other technologies we ever invented, will make us humans vastly better off. Technologies with good policies have brought us progress that makes us live longer, healthier lives, in cleaner environments.

AGI has been referred to as the holy grail of AI due to its sheer potential, and the race to reach it is fierce. A recent report from researchers at Stanford University in the US found that China is rapidly catching up with the US when it comes to developing human-level AI, with American companies now rushing to release AI products to keep up.

open image in gallery A robot being assembled at AI firm Hanson Robotics in Hong Kong on 10 May 2023 ( AFP/Getty )

The same report also noted the concerning trend of AI-related incidents rising to record-breaking levels. It highlighted one particular incident from February 2024, in which a 14-year-old boy died by suicide after prolonged interactions with a chatbot character. The case was emblematic of the complex ethical challenges surrounding AI, the reports authors noted, highlighting the risks involved in deploying new products without adequate oversight.

It is this type of incident that could be how a Pearl Harbor-type scenario might play out. Rather than a malicious act like an attack, it could be unintentional. It is also one of the most common forms of harm listed in the AI Incident Database, and with human jobs increasingly automated, this could occur in various critical ways. Had an AI been responsible for Petrovs job in 1983, for example, an AI Pearl Harbor may already have happened.

Having observed the rise of problematic technology through the AI Incidents Database, McGregor points to one particular path towards disaster: neglect. Just like acid rain, river pollution and oil spills have become symbols of environmental degradation that spur change, he hopes the database will do the same for AI.

We learned from these environmental incidents, and have spent decades remediating their harms, he says. AI can be used to more efficiently remediate environmental degradation, but it poses a duality similar to industrialisation. My hope is that indexing history in real-time will steer society and its technology towards better futures without a need for learning from a Pearl Harbor moment.
As an elementary school student at St. Alphonsus in New Orleans' Irish Channel, Jari Honora was fascinated with history and learning about his family lineage. His grandmother, Jo Ann Duncan, reared him. She would drop him off at the New Orleans Public Library downtown and pick him up when the library closed. When his grandmother couldn't take him to the library, he caught the bus. He was such a regular that established genealogists and historians got to know the Uptown kid, took him on and provided tutelage.
KABUL, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Two commuters were killed and 11 others sustained injuries in a road mishap that took place in the southern part of the Salang Pass in northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Saturday, a local official said Sunday.

The deadly accident took place after a truck lost control and struck four vehicles. Resultantly, two commuters lost their lives on the spot and 11 others were injured, some in critical condition, said Fazal Rabi, the administrative chief of the Salang Maintenance Department.

A similar accident claimed four lives in eastern Wardak province on Thursday.

Reckless driving on congested roads, lack of traffic signals and overlooking security measures on dilapidated highways contribute to deadly traffic mishaps in Afghanistan. 
Even before US President Donald Trumps tariffs threatened to upend Apples manufacturing business in China, the companys struggle to make new products was leading some people inside its lavish Silicon Valley headquarters to wonder whether the company had somehow lost its magic.

The tariffs, which were introduced April 2, caused Apple to lose $US773 billion ($1.2 trillion) in market capitalisation in four days and briefly lose its standing as the most valuable publicly traded company in the world. But investors had already started to sour on the company, sending its share price down 8 per cent in the first four months of the year, double the S&P 500s decline.

Investors had already started to sour on Apple, even before Trumps tariff war. Credit: Bloomberg

Apple had hoped to revive its fortunes over the past year with a virtual reality headset, the Vision Pro, and an artificial intelligence system called Apple Intelligence. Sales of the headset have been a disappointment, however, and the signature features of the AI system have been postponed because it didnt work as well as the company had expected.

The companys issues underscored how its reputation for innovation, once considered a fundamental element of its brand, has become an albatross, fuelling angst among employees and frustration among customers. And company insiders worry that Apple, despite its years of gravity-defying profits, is hamstrung by the political infighting, penny-pinching and talent drain that often bedevil large companies, according to more than a dozen former and current employees and advisers.
AG: For one thing, because they are the pictures that so much of the population is influenced by, those people who dont follow the politics closely. And at the moment, Anthony Albanese looks happy and engaged every day in the stories, meeting interesting people, while Peter Dutton doesnt seem nearly as engaged. The Coalition campaign looks a little lifeless, as though preparing for something else. The two leaders on the election trail. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen, James Brickwood Fitz: You are looking at things in a different way ... AG: Well, that is what people see every night. They see this picture and that picture, the detail washes over them, but theyve got this sense that one side looks more interesting than the other, just in terms of pictures. It does have an impact. Fitz: What else do you see?

AG: The other thing thats going on is whats happening in America, with all the upheaval and change and flip-flops going on over there. The Coalitions tide has gone out with Trump. Do people want to start flip-flopping and changing government here? The mob does not want that. Fitz: You obviously cant make political comment, but in your memory, has one party ever started out so strong in a federal election campaign only to melt like an Icy Pole on Uluru in January once the campaign started and the electoral heat was turned up? Because in this campaign, weve seen such a rapid turnaround in the Coalitions fortunes its been staggering. AG: It reminds me a little bit of the 2004 election campaign when John Howard looked in real trouble against Mark Latham. But then once it was into the campaign, the Labor momentum just disappeared. Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Mark Latham crossing paths in the ABC radio studios during the 2004 federal election. Credit: Penny Bradfield. Fairfax. Fitz: I find it hard to believe the polls, some of which even say the ALP is going to have an expanded majority. One of the polls has even got it at 53.5 /46.5 to the ALP on two-party preferred. Do you believe its as bad as that for the Coalition?

AG: Well, that ones come out of the Herald pollster, Resolve, and theyve tended to be one of the worst pollsters for Labor. But theyve now picked up something which is occurring in every opinion poll  theres been a real change of mood. Perhaps the Labor Party has finally escaped the whole follow-up from the Voice referendum, which dogged them all through last year. I dont think anyone wants to talk about it any more, and so everyones just moved on. Fitz: And yet we all remember 2019, when Bill Shorten was meant to romp home, only to lose to Scott Morrison, of all people. The pollsters were all completely wrong. AG: Much of that was to do with the campaign that was going on against franking credits and changes to capital gains tax. Clive Palmer was painting it as a death tax, and the Liberal Party were also hammering on whether this was an unfair tax on retirees and that really had an effect on the electorate. And the Labor campaign had so many promises it was easy to paint it as being extreme on higher taxes. I think in the end, Labor just lost that election campaign with all that detail, the way John Hewson lost it in 1993 with all his detail on the proposed GST. And this campaign is just not like that. So there is less likely to be a surprise this time. Fitz: Have you been bemused, amused or shocked by the Liberal Party turning over some of its principal policies so early in this campaign? AG: To be honest, I dont watch it that closely, but certainly to have to execute two backflips in the campaign is embarrassing.

Fitz: Eden-Monaro used to be the famous bellwether seat  where goes Eden-Monaro, so goes the nation. For those of us watching Antony Green on the ABC on the night of Saturday, May 3, whats the seat we should be looking to, for an early indication of which way it is likely to go? AG: The seat thats now got the longest record of going with the nation since 1983 is Robertson, based around Gosford. Fitz: Do you believe that Peter Dutton might be in trouble in his own seat of Dickson? There was one poll I saw that had him behind 52-48 to Ali France, the Labor Party candidate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Ali France, Labors candidate for Dickson, in Brisbane. Credit: AAP AG: Look, for over a decade, people have been telling me that Peter Dutton is in trouble in Dickson. Hes still not lost in all that time. So, I mean, well see what happens on the night. But there needs to be a more general swing in Brisbane before Dickson would fall. I cant see that right now, and Im always very doubtful of individual seat polls.

Fitz: Look, I know youre a numbers man, but after 40 years of this, youve got to have a very good gut feel to go with those numbers. What is your gut feel on this election? AG: The Coalition is going to struggle to make up enough seats to get ahead of Labor. If the Labor Partys vote holds up in Victoria, its nearly impossible for the Coalition to get more seats than Labor. The ALP will lose seats in Victoria, mainly in the eastern suburbs, but the question is whether the swing gets beyond those marginal seats that have been fought over the last couple of years and goes deeper, which currently looks unlikely. The problem for the Coalition is there are school holidays and public holidays for the next two weeks. So how do they get their message across when people are concentrating on other things? Fitz: I asked you this once about state elections, but lets do it federally. When all you election analysts get together for your annual dinner, with Mr Gallup up one end, Mrs Morgan and Mrs Poll and Nielsen down the side and its getting near midnight, whats your best war story of great federal elections youve known? Paul and Annita Keating on election night in 1993. Credit: AAP AG: The one I will always remember was my first one in 1993 above all else because we were having these arguments about whether Labor had won or not, and I kept insisting they had won  and the executive producer and all the ABC board was saying Keating cant possibly have won. And I won that argument.

Fitz: Leigh Sales has joked about wearing adult nappies on air on election night because its just seven hours of such unbroken intensity. Have you ever had to have a strategy to cope with being on air for seven hours? No coffee for you on the day? AG: No, its usually a bit easier for me because Im a bloke and I can usually nip out during leaders speeches. Fitz: You once told me that the late, great ABC journalist Andrew Olle pushed your career early, telling your mutual masters that you were the one, and should be hired full-time. Now, in his eulogy the equally late Paul Lyneham said he worked with Olle for most of his career and never knew which way he voted. Have you strained for a similarly political neutral profile? I dont report and I dont ask questions, so its easy for me to appear completely neutral. AG: Yeah, but to be honest, its easy for me. I dont interview people. Journalists have to ask questions, which sometimes means asking pointed questions from the other point of view, and therefore people say youre biased. So when I hear people say, Oh, more people at the ABC should behave like Antony Green, well, thats a ridiculous comparison because Im not a journalist like that. I dont report and I dont ask questions, so its easy for me to appear completely neutral.
Vatican City: Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people in St Peters Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile tour through the piazza.

He drew wild cheers and applause as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

Viva il Papa! (Long live the Pope), Bravo! the crowd shouted as Francis looped through the square in his open-topped popemobile and then up and down the main avenue leading to it.

He stopped occasionally to bless babies brought up to him, a scene that was common in the past but unthinkable just a few weeks ago as the 88-year-old Pope fought for his life.
The Israeli military said soldiers buried the bodies to prevent them from being mangled by stray dogs and coyotes until they could be collected, and that the ambulances were moved to allow the route to be used for civilian evacuations later that day. The investigation found that the decision to crush the ambulances was wrong, but said there was no attempt to conceal the shootings. Mourners carry the bodies of Red Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah after a March 23 Israeli attack. Credit: AP Major-General Yoav Har-Even, who oversees the militarys investigations, said it notified international organisations later that day and helped rescue workers locate the bodies. The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has said the men were targeted at close range. Night-vision drone footage provided by the military shows soldiers were 20 to 30 metres away from the ambulances.

The deputy commander was the first to open fire, leading the rest of the soldiers to start shooting, Har-Even said. The investigation found the paramedics were killed due to an operational misunderstanding by Israeli forces, and that shooting at the UN car was a breach of orders. The findings asserted that six of those killed were Hamas militants  it did not give their names  and said three other paramedics were originally misidentified as Hamas. The Civil Defence is part of the Hamas-run government. No paramedic was armed and no weapons were found in any vehicle, Har-Even said. One survivor was detained for investigation and remains in custody for further questioning. According to the military, soldiers who questioned the survivor thought he identified himself as a Hamas member, which was later refuted.

Har-Even said the deputy commander was fired for giving a not completely accurate report to investigators about the firing on a UN vehicle. The statement on the findings concluded by saying that Israels military regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians. The site where the 15 bodies were found. The UN described it as a mass grave. Credit: X/@_jwhittall Without accountability, we risk continuing to watch atrocities unfolding, and the norms designed to protect us all, eroding. Too many civilians, including aid workers, have been killed in Gaza. Their stories have not all made the headlines, Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the UN humanitarian office OCHA, said in a statement responding to the findings. There was no immediate public reaction from the Red Crescent or Civil Defence.

The findings have been turned over the Military Advocate General, which can decide whether to file civil charges. It is meant to be an independent body, with oversight by Israels attorney general and Supreme Court. There are no outside investigations of the killings under way. Israeli strikes have killed more than 150 emergency responders from the Red Crescent and Civil Defence, most of them while on duty, and more 1000 health workers during the war, according to the UN. The Israeli military rarely investigates such incidents. Israel has accused Hamas of moving and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency vehicles, as well as in hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, arguing that justifies strikes on them. Medical personnel largely deny the accusations. Palestinians and international human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israels military of failing to properly investigate or whitewashing misconduct by its troops.

Har-Even said the Israeli military was currently investigating 421 incidents in Gaza during the war, with 51 concluded and sent to the Military Advocate General. There was no immediate information on the number of investigations involving potential wrongful deaths or how many times the MAG has pursued criminal charges. The International Criminal Court, established by the international community as a court of last resort, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes. Israel, which is not a member of the court, has long asserted that its legal system is capable of investigating the army, and Netanyahu has accused the ICC of antisemitism. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1200 people and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive. Israels offensive has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Frustration has been growing on both sides, with rare public protests against Hamas in Gaza and continued weekly rallies in Israel pressing the government to reach a deal to bring all hostages home.
Biggest ever fire erupts in Bhandewadi

RAGING INFERNO: Fire engulfed entire Bhandewadi Dumping Yard on Saturday. Thick plumes of smoke from the yard created a sense of panic among commuters and onlookers. (Pics by Satish Raut)

Reason not known

One fire-tender gutted

15 fire-tenders, 6-8 water tankers deployed to douse the fire

The dumping yard previously witnessed fire incidents in 2014, 2017 and 2020

Staff Reporter :

A gigantic fire broke out at the Bhandewadi dumping yard of Nagpur on Saturday afternoon, endangering lives of hundreds as it spread rapidly to nearby residential areas. The fire was so huge that it was clearly visible from kilometres away which caused panic among nearby residents. While firefighting, one fire-tender of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) was also gutted. Due to the fire, whole dumping yard was engulfed in thick plumes of smoke, creating a sense of panic among commuters and onlookers. As per the information, it was the biggest fire in Bhandewadi so far which will keep the whole mechanism of NMC busy at least for the next 24 hours.

Upon receiving the information about the incident, at least 15 fire-tender from different fire stations -- Lakadganj, Civil Lines, Wathoda, Kalamna, Trimurti Nagar, Sakkardara and Sugat Nagar -- rushed to the spot and are currently engaged in efforts to control the massive fire. Due to the spread of the fire, Antuji Nagar, Suraj Nagar, Sangharsh Nagar, Om Nagar, Pawanshakti Nagar, Tulsi Nagar and some other areas which are situated near the premises of the dumping yard experienced the impact of the smoke, making it difficult for residents to breathe. After getting the information, our teams rushed the spot and started efforts to control the fire. Wind factor was the major reason behind the spread of the fire covered 10 acre of area in the dumping yard. Even, the first fire-tender which was rushed to the spot, gutted in the fire and still it is burning, said Dr Gajendra Mahalle, Deputy Commissioner, Solid Waste. No injury took place in the incident as all firemen ran away when the smoke was coming towards the vehicle. So far, 15 fire-tenders deployed to douse the fire but it will take 2-3 days to control the fire completely, said Dr Mahalle. As per the information, the fire started from the upper side of the garbage dump which spread all directions due to wind. Some rag-pickers was there when the fire started. We will interrogate them to find out the exact reason behind this fire said the senior officer. After getting the information, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr Abhijit Chaudhari, Additional Municipal Commissioner Vasumana Panth and other senior officials from NMC and police department visited the spot and took stock of the condition. The fire incident is not new for Bhandewadi dumping yard as many such cases took place in the past. In 2020 itself, there are three fire incidents took place in the dumping yard which was happened in April and May months. Similarly, the summers of 2017 and 2014 also witnessed fire incidents but the ongoing fire incident was the biggest one so far in city.

Faulty waste mgmt practices may have caused fire at Bhandewadi: Experts

The trapped methane gas in the pileof garbage formed by decomposition of organic waste might be the reason of the massive fire broke out in Bhandewadi dumping yard on Saturday, opined several environment experts to The Hitavada spoke to in aftermath of the fire. The city is already experiencing the wrath of sun with maximum temperature rising with each passing day. This increase in temperature can cause the combustion of the methane gas entrapped in the pile resulting in the massive fire, informed Anasuya Kale Chhabrani, President, Swachh Association. She also blamed the inaccurate waste management practices for the occurrence of the fire. She said, The methane is produced due to decomposition of organic material. The domestic waste is required to be segregated properly in organic and inorganic wastage, which does not happen. This causes danger of fire as the inorganic waste like paper, plastic, rubber and other materials help to spread the fire rapidly once its ignited due to methane. Leena Buddhe, Director, Centre for Sustainable Development (CFSD), cited no accountability of the contractor as a major reason for faulty waste management system in the city that caused such a massive fire. NMC is simply giving the contract, but there is no accountability and nobody is bothered whether the contractors are actually performing their duties properly, stated Buddhe, who has conducted several studies in Bhandewadi area on air pollution. She also echoed the views of Chhabrani regarding the waste management. The mixed garbage is simply dumped at the dumping area. The methane gas is produced due to decomposition of organic waste and higher temperatures in summer accelerates the decomposition process leading to increased methane production. This methane is highly flammable and ignites if accumulated in sufficient concentrations and cause fires, said Buddhe. She also appealed the NMC to act in time. NMC needs to wake up. Just giving away contracts doesnt end their responsibility. Regular check and maintenance is required. Decentralised waste management is the only solution to avoid such disasters, Buddhe added. Kaustav Chatterjee, Founder, Green Vigil Foundation also suspected the human error as a possible reason for the major fire while agreeing with the opinions expressed by Chhabrani and Buddhe. Chatterjee said, The reasons for fire could be manmade, rag pickers, who has acess to the area, may throw a burning bidi or match stick. Or, due to excessive heat, some inflamable material dumped along with garbage might catch fire.

Residents fed-up of repeated fire, bad odour from garbage

The massive fire that broke out in Bhandewadi dumping yard on Saturday raised panic among nearby residents. The residents are now fed-up of repeated fire incidents in the dumping yard and also from the bad odour of garbage there. Rajeshwar Shukla, a resident of Suraj Nagar, told The Hitavada that the dumping yard was a biggest obstacle for the development of the vicinity. There were health problems among the residents due to bad smell and smoke. A resident of Om Nagar, Suresh Patil said, We witnesses fire in the dumping yard every year during summer season. The majority of the fire are minor but this one was the biggest till date. NMC should take concrete step to stop fire incidents in the yard as it produce excessive smoke which cause health hazard.

MSCSC asks NMC to submit report

The Maharashtra State Commission for Scheduled Cast (MSCSC) took stock of the fire incident and asked NMC to submit a report as early as possible before the commission. Adv Dharmapal Meshram, Vice President, MSCSC on Saturday visited the spot and interacted with local residents about their problems related with the dumping yard. A large number of Schedule Cast and Schedule Tribe people reside near Bhandewadi dumping yard and they face health hazard due to air, water and land pollution due to the dumping yard. The residents also registered complaint regarding repeated fire incidents in the vicinity to the Commission.
Farmers harvest wheat at a field in Multan, Pakistan on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's food exports increased by 1.62 percent in the first nine months of the fiscal year 2024-25 (July 2024 to June 2025), according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Food exports during the July-March period were recorded at 5.75 billion dollars, up from 5.66 billion dollars in the same period a year ago, according to data on the PBS website on Sunday.

Basmati rice exports grew by 8.78 percent in value, reaching 676.96 million dollars, supported by a 21.78 percent rise in volume to 663,980 tons.

In contrast, non-basmati rice exports declined by 9.87 percent in value to 2.08 billion dollars, despite a marginal 0.14 percent increase in quantity to 4.02 million tons. Overall rice exports fell by 5.91 percent in value, totaling 2.76 billion dollars.

The report also showed that fish and fish product exports rose by 8.15 percent during the July-March period, while meat exports posted a marginal growth of 0.99 percent.

Meanwhile, vegetable exports, including onions, potatoes, and tomatoes, dropped by 17.09 percent, and fruit exports declined by 5.04 percent, according to the PBS. 

A farmer harvests wheat at a field in Multan, Pakistan on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Mansoor Abbas/Xinhua)
Several airports in close vicinity in Vid, where are the regular flights?

Staff Reporter :

Now, six of the 11 districts in Vidarbha have airports but only two operate regular flights

With the inauguration and operationalisation of the airport at Belora in Amravati, the number of airports in Vidarbha has gone up to six. Thus, of 11 districts in the region, six have got airports. However, barring Nagpur and Gondia airports, there are no regular flights operating from the other airports. Also, it is financially not very lucrative for the airlines to operate flights from airports located at such a close distance from each other. As per the website of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), there are currently 28 airports/airstrips in Maharashtra. Of these, Nagpur is among the four international airports in the State. It is operated by MIHAN India Ltd. Gondia international airport with passenger transport license available from Ministry of Civil Aviation is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Chandrapur, Amravati, Yavatmal, and Akola (Shivni) airports are among the 15 unlicensed domestic airports in Maharashtra.

While the Chandrapur and Amravati airports are operated by MADC, Yavatmal is under MIDC, and Akola is under AAI. Of late, there is buzz over the proposal for setting up an airport in Gadchiroli, the district headquarters of which is yet to be connected with railway. This leaves only Buldhana, Washim, Wardha, and Bhandara districts of Vidarbha without any airport/airstrip, either operational or proposed. As far as Nagpur is concerned, it is the oldest and the regularly operational airports in Vidarbha. Flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, and several other locations operate from this airport on a regular basis. Another operational airport is Birsi in Gondia district, from where flights operate to Hyderabad. In January earlier this year, Indore flight was announced to operate from Birsi. However, according to locals, flight operations are not regular from Morwa (Chandrapur), Yavatmal, and Shivni (Akola) airports. Occasionally, emergency landing or chartered flights use these airports. In October 2009, Akola airport owned by MIDC was transferred to businessman Anil Ambanis Reliance Group.

The agreement was signed for 95 years under the terms and conditions including modernisation, financial assistance, development, maintenance, repair and management. However, as Vijay Darda, former Member of Parliament, wrote in one of his articles, all the activities were stopped later on the grounds of non-availability of passengers. Why is it happening? One logical reason could be that it is financially not very lucrative for the airlines to operate flights from airports located at such a close distance from each other. For example, if someone wants to come to Nagpur from Chandrapur by air, he/she will have to spend at least two hours including check-in at the origin airport and baggage claim at the destination airport, and air travel time. However, someone travelling by air and owning a four-wheeler can easily cover the distance in 2.30 hours to 3 hours. Only for saving half-and-hour to one hour, one may not take a flight. Similar can be said about within-Vidarbha air travel. If other airports in Vidarbha are to be used for flights to different destinations, it may impact the passenger load at Nagpur airport.

It will need the experts to study whether this impact affects the viability of Nagpur airport, and, if yes, in what way and up to what extent. Lack of flights from the existing airports in Vidarbha region reflects very clearly the lack of enthusiasm among airlines to start operating flights from these. As a result, Morwa (Chandrapur) is being used for Nagpur Flying Club. Birsi has flight training institute. The newly inaugurated Amravati airport is proposed to have South-East Asias biggest pilot training school. These are allied uses for Vidarbha airports apart from Nagpur. Still, question remains about Yavatmal and Akola airports utility. No one disputes the need for airports if there is a huge demand from district places. But, if there is no demand, such big infrastructure projects become monuments of planning over-enthusiasm, if not failure.
COLOMBO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka aims to double its coconut export revenue this year to 1.7 billion U.S. dollars, state media reported Sunday, citing the Coconut Development Authority (CDA).

CDA Chairman Shantha Ranatunga said the country earned 854 million dollars from coconut exports last year.

Sri Lanka's primary coconut exports include coconut oil, desiccated coconut, coconut milk powder, coconut cream, liquid coconut milk, coco peat, and activated carbon, he said.

However, Ranatunga noted that the biggest challenge is the decline in coconut production, as year-on-year production fell by more than 30 percent in December 2024 and January 2025.

Despite the setback, he expressed confidence that yields will improve due to measures currently being implemented by the government. 
MOSCOW, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday that it repelled Ukrainian attacks overnight amid a unilateral Easter truce declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Ukraine accused Russia of violating the ceasefire.

The ministry said Russian troops "remained at previously occupied lines and positions" while Ukrainian troops "attempted to attack the positions of Russian troops" in the Donetsk region overnight.

It added that Ukrainian forces had fired at Russian positions 444 times and counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that 26 Russian assault actions have taken place from 00:00 (2100 GMT on Saturday) to noon (0900 GMT), accusing Russia of violating its self-declared ceasefire.

Putin said the truce starts from 6 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) on Saturday and lasts until midnight on Sunday into Monday (2100 GMT on Sunday). Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukraine will respond in kind to the ceasefire. 
After days of uncertainty, displaced families from Dhuliyan, who had taken shelter at the Parlalpur High School camp in Maldas Baishnabnagar, have finally begun returning home following assurances from the administration.

On Saturday, 21 individuals boarded police vehicles and left the camp to reunite with their families.

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The displacement followed unrest that erupted about a week ago in parts of Malda and Murshidabad over protests against the Waqf Act. Gripped by fear, several Dhuliyan residents fled overnight, crossed the river by boat, and took refuge in the Parlalpur camp. Between April 12 and 13, nearly 500 displaced persons arrived at the camp and surrounding areas. While some returned as tensions eased in Murshidabad, about a hundred remained behind, citing fears over safety and lack of security.

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Responding to their concerns, the administration assured full protection and comprehensive support. Reassured by this, 21 displaced persons chose to return home on Saturday. Before leaving, they were provided with essential relief materials and transported back in police vehicles, carrying their belongingsincluding domestic livestock.

Commenting on the development, Malda Sadar sub-divisional officer Pankaj Tamang said: The situation in Murshidabad is now peaceful. Many displaced people have expressed a desire to return, and the administration is facilitating their return. Efforts will be made to help the remaining people go back as well.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited Malda again on Saturday, following a similar visit the day before. Arriving on the Vande Bharat Express around 10.30 a.m, the NHRC team first halted briefly at the Malda Circuit House before heading to the Parlalpur High School camp. There, they met with the displaced families, assessed living conditions, and examined provisions related to food, health, and security. The team also looked into possible human rights violations during the recent unrest.

Addressing the media, NHRC team leader Vijay Bharti said: We have come here to understand their conditions and the extent of human rights violations during the attacks. Many are traumatised and suffering from psychological issues. What they need now is mental, medical, and financial support. Everyone has the right to live peacefully with full security. We have gathered necessary inputs and will present our findings and recommendations to the appropriate authorities to ensure support for the victims.

In a parallel development, the National Commission for Women has summoned South Malda MP Isha Khan Choudhury, Samserganj MLA Amirul Islam, Mothabari MLA Sabina Yeasmin, and local MLAs Sreerupa Mitra Chowdhury and Chandana Sarkar to appear for an inquiry.

The commissions two-day investigation into the Murshidabad violence began on Friday.
The bereaved family members of the father-son duo, who were killed by a mob during the violence that erupted in several parts like Suti, Samsergan, Dhulian and Jangipur in Murshidabad, requested the West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose to set up a permanent BSF camp so that communal tension can be prevented.

During his day-two visit to the trouble-hit areas in the district, Mr Bose on Saturday met the family of the two deceased Harogobindo Das (70) and his son Chandan Das (40) at Jafrabad in Samserganj area and assured them of all support and said he would take up the matter with the Centre.

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The widow of Harogobindo holding legs of Mr Bose requested him to set up a BSF camp in the area for safety and security of locals.

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She also said that they are living in the village in sheer panic and briefed the Governor how their houses and properties were damaged and looted during the clashes that broke out in the Samserganj area.

Locals in the riot-hit Samserganj also urged his intervention for restoration of peace and harmony.

Besides Samserganj, he also visited several other affected areas like Dhulian, Suti and Jangipur.

During his visit, several locals affected due to the violence, held banners demanding a permanent BSF camp in the area.

Three people died in the violence in Murshidabad district during protests demanding the Centre to withdraw the Waqf Amendment Act, which regulates Waqf properties donated by Muslims. Several houses belonging to the majority community were ransacked in the violence, forcing them to take shelter in relief camps in neighbouring Malda district.

On 11 April, the bodies of Hargobind and Chandan were found with multiple stab wounds in Jafrabad.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder.

Mr Bose also spoke to members of some affected families at a guest house in Farakka. Speaking to reporters, the Governor said he gave his phone number to the victims to talk to him directly.

They (victims) want to have a sense of security and certainly some other demands or whatever suggestions given by them. All this will be considered. I will take it up with the Centre and the state for appropriate action, Mr Bose said.

I asked them to feel free to talk to me directly. The phone number has also been given. Well be in touch with them. Very effective proactive steps will be taken, he assured.

Dismissing chief minister Mamata Banerjees request, Mr Bose visited violence-hit areas of Murshidabad on Friday morning.

When asked about the Governors plan to visit Murshidabad, on Thursday the chief minister urged Mr Bose to defer the trip.

She had said: I would appeal to the Governor to wait for a few more days. The situation in Murshidabad is becoming normal with confidence-building measures. The immediate task is to work on confidence-building measures

I am also not going there because people need time. I could have gone there, but then others would have also said they would visit. The situation is not conducive now. I will visit the district at an appropriate time, she told reporters.

Meanwhile, a separate delegation of the National Commission for Women (NCW) met women victims in Murshidabad. The affected women sought an NIA probe into the violence.

The suffering of these people is inhuman. These people are in so much pain that I am speechless right now, chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said.

On Friday, the NCW team reached Malda and interacted with women affected by the violence, which occurred in pockets of Murshidabad and south Malda between 8-12 April. More than 274 have been arrested so far.

Today, the NCW team met the family members of the two deceased Hargobind and Chandan at Jafrabad and assured them of support.

Affected local residents also urged the team for setting up of the BSF camp.

A delegation from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited a temporary shelter camp at Parlalpur High School in Baishnabnagar on Friday. This camp has been housing families displaced from Dhulian since the unrest. The three-member NHRC delegation spoke with the families and inquired about the events that led to the violence and the current state of affairs.
Police have arrested four persons, all belonging to a patients family allegedly for firing inside a private super multi  speciality hospital in Sovapur in B- Zone area of Durgapur in West Burdwan district.

Basudeb Pal, (53) of Angadpur area in Coke Oven police station area of Durgapur has been admitted to the private super speciality hospital by his family after he fell from a motorcycle and broke his legs.

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Initially, he was admitted at a private hospital at City Centre of Durgapur but later shifted to Sovapur hospital for better treatment by his family members.

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His condition had deteriorated since Friday morning and the family members wanted to meet the attending doctor. Hospital management allowed two persons to meet the doctor, but the family demanded that all of them should meet him, which the authority refused.

The patients relatives started agitation inside the hospital and Police was called and reached around 10.30 p.m. Police tried to pacify the mob, but suddenly one of the members brought out a firearm and fired three rounds in the air trying to threaten the security guards posted at the main gate. However, no one was injured.

The ACP of Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate, Subir Roy rushed to the hospital and police arrested four persons, including the son. The family claimed that they have a license for the firearm.

ACP Roy said that based on the written complaint by the hospital administration police has arrested four persons and investigations have started. Police have taken them into custody after Durgapur Court has sent them to police custody today.

Sudarshana Gangulee, spokesperson of the hospital group, stated in a press release that the hospital authority had helped the family several times during and after his admission and even tried to provide best treatment facilities.

The four persons arrested are Tapas Roy, who has allegedly fired from the revolver, Amit Karmakar, Animesh Pal and Ajit Hazra. All of them have been forwarded to Durgapur Court today seeking police custody.
The Trinamul has slammed the NCW for being a political wing of the BJP. Many of the ruling party leaders in Bengal have pointed out the double standards of the NCW and the Centre in their treatment towards Bengal.

In a strong rebuke to the National Commission for Womens (NCW) recent visit to violence-affected areas in West Bengals Murshidabad, the Trinamul Congress has raised serious questions about the commissions neutrality and political motivations behind its narrative against Bengal.

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TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale revealed that NCW member Archana Majumdar, who has been prominently featured in media reports talking about the visit, is a card-carrying BJP worker who contested the 2021 Bengal elections on a BJP ticket before losing the race.

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What Modis PR agency wont tell you: This NCW member Archana Majumdar contested the 2021 Bengal elections on a BJP ticket & lost. Shes an active card-carrying BJP worker, Gokhale stated, adding, NCW has long been a political wing of the BJP. And they arent even good at hiding it.

Trinamul leader Kunal Ghosh drew parallels to previous NCW visits to the state, particularly to Sandeshkhali, claiming they followed a familiar pattern of spreading misinformation. When NCW visited Sandeshkhali the last time, that is when propaganda and misinformation began. The then NCW chief Rekha Sharma and her team had designed the Bangla Birodhi plans to defame Bengal in multiple ways, Ghosh said, adding that the commission is now repeating the same playbook in Murshidabad.

Last year, residents of Sandeshkhali had raised concerns over how the commission and the local BJP unit collected signatures on blank papers that were later used to file fabricated rape complaints.

The TMC leaders also questioned the NCWs selective approach to addressing womens issues, pointing out their absence in states governed by the BJP. Why arent they going to states other than Bengal? Where are they when there are atrocities against women in Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh? They have come on a political assignment here and are roaming around with BJP daladash (sympathisers). They have their own interests at stake, Ghosh said.

The TMC has accused BJP of deliberately omitting Archana Majumdars BJP affiliations while presenting her viewpoints as the official stance of the NCW, thereby concealing what they describe as a clear conflict of interest. Their real agenda has been exposed: NCW has started functioning like BJPs Mahila Morcha wing, Ghosh added.

BJP has an annual quota of sending a certain number of central teams to Bengal like they did in the Bogtui case, post-poll violence, and Sandeshkhali, among others. No one knows about the outcome of these Central teams and the CBI-NIA investigation, said TMC leader Debangshu Bhattacharya.

The Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose took a sharp dig at the National Commission for Women (NCW) calling it the Notorious Commission for Whitepapers amid its visit to affected areas of Murshidabad.

The MP was referring to the 2024 incident in Sandeshkhali, where several women later revealed they had been made to sign blank papers during an NCW visit, which were then used to file fabricated rape complaints. With NCW officials now in Bengal again, Ghose questioned their intent.

The @NCWIndia is not National Commission for Women but Notorious Commission for Whitepapers. In Sandeshkhali @NCWIndia made women sign blank papers to cook up fictitious rape charges. Now, at @BJP4India s behest, NCW in Malda & Murshidabad. The question must be asked: more white papers incoming? she posted on X.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Sunday, accused Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta of trying to mislead Delhiites by taking credit for the work done by the previous government.

The AAPs allegation came in the wake of the chief minister flagging off 1,111 GPS-enabled water tankers for round-the-clock monitoring from a centralized control room.

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Addressing a press conference, AAPs Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that GPS-enabled water tankers have been operational since 2015 in the national capital. He said, They (the BJP) claimed to have introduced GPS-enabled tankers as if its something new. But I have here a 2015 article, clearly stating that Delhi had already introduced GPS-tracked water tankers back then.

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In 2022, when I was the vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), tankers were already equipped with GPS, and they were being monitored in real-time from the DJB headquarters. This continued in 2023, in 2024, and even now. Yet the chief minister is proudly announcing that these tankers are being introduced for the first time in 2025. How can someone lie with such confidence? Have some conscience, the former minister said.

Posing questions to the government in the matter, he said, You wasted diesel, set up tents, air conditioners, fans, and called in all the officials  just to back a false claim that 1,111 GPS-enabled tankers were launched. It is not governance, its a joke. If you dont have a single real achievement in 60 days, just admit it. Tell the people youll deliver next month. But why this circus? Who are you trying to fool?, Bharadwaj questioned.
Mayor Mahesh Kumar Khichi, on Sunday, accused the BJP government of shielding culprits behind the building collapse in northeast Delhis Mustafabad through the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner.

Addressing a press conference, Khichi lamented that the MCD commissioner has neither initiated inquiry nor taken action against guilty officers.

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Expressing deep anguish over the loss of lives, he said, The incident is heartbreaking. Several lives have been lost. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray that God gives them strength in this difficult time.

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On Saturday, I visited the accident site and reviewed rescue operations. I directed the rescue teams and officials to carry out relief operations on war footing and immediately rush those trapped under the debris to hospitals. I also spoke to the MCD commissioner and verbally instructed him to take the strictest action against any officer found guilty of negligence, the mayor said.

He said he had clearly instructed the commissioner to immediately suspend the guilty officers. It is extremely unfortunate that no action has been taken so far. The entire system is riddled with corruption. Therefore, we are formally writing to the commissioner demanding immediate suspension of the officials responsible for this criminal negligence, he added.

At least 11 people were killed and nearly a dozen injured as a four-storey residential building collapsed in northeast Delhis Mustafabad early Saturday morning.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday appreciated the work done by the Delhi government in the past two months, stating that efforts of the chief minister and water minister have led to an improvement in the national capitals drinking water supply situation.

In this context, he hit out at AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj for his criticism of Delhi governments move to deploy 1,111 GPS-enabled water tankers. The BJP leader said soon after losing the elections, he had declared himself an unemployed leader and alleged that he was in a state of frustration and completely incapable of raising real issues concerning Delhi.

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Sachdeva stated that since the BJP government took charge during the summer, there wasnt enough time for detailed planning, hence using water tankers was essential this year but efforts will be made to ensure piped water reaches every home.

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The Delhi BJP chief further said the GPS-equipped water tankers would help supply water to the remote areas of the city facing acute shortages. The move will also help curb alleged corruption by both the water mafia and Delhi Jal Board staff.

Calling Bharadwajs claim that tankers had GPS earlier too hilarious, he said had it been true, why couldnt the then Kejriwal government kept a check on black marketing and water thefts.
Coldplays electrifying world tour just hit a magical note in South Korea  and it had a surprise twist that melted the hearts of fans worldwide. The British rock legends brought their Music of the Spheres tour to town, but what truly set the night on fire was the appearance of BTSs Jin, who made a surprise entrance and joined Coldplay on stage.

In a moment that felt straight out of a movie, Jin walked up with a handwritten sign that read, Pick me, please. Can I sing The Astronaut with you? The crowd roared.

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And Chris Martin? He read the message, knelt down on stage, and smiled. Jin instantly mirrored the gesture  a quiet, powerful moment of mutual respect.

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Then came the real magic. The two artists performed The Astronaut and My Universe together, leaving fans swooning and social media buzzing with clips that went viral within hours. One fan summed it up perfectly online: It wasnt just a concert, it was a reunion, a homecoming, and a love letter to music.

Between songs, there were laughs and heartwarming exchanges. Chris Martin quipped, Were Coldplay, the second-best band in the world. BTS may be number one, I think! To which Jin humbly replied, Oh no! I dont think so.

Chris then turned to Jin, saying warmly, We missed you, man. Youve been in the military, but you still look so handsome. Look at this beautiful man. Jin smiled and added, Before I left for the military, my last performance was with Coldplay. And now, my first performance back is also with Coldplay.

Talk about full circle.

Jin isnt just stopping at surprise appearances  hes also gearing up for a major solo comeback. His second studio album, Echo, drops on May 16, following the success of his debut solo album Happy released last November.

As for Coldplay, their South Korea stop isnt over just yet. Theyre set to keep the party going before heading to their next destinations  the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
Indian Army troops have stepped in to provide food and humanitarian relief to hundreds of people stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar highway due to landslides triggered by flash floods caused by a cloudburst in the Ramban district on Sunday morning.

Hundreds of tourist cabs, buses, and loaded trucks were stranded at different places on the highway. Many vehicles were buried under boulders and debris.

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Soldiers of the Indian Army were serving food to passengers stranded at isolated places on the highway.

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The Jammu-based defence spokesman wrote on X, Cloudburst & heavy rain triggered landslides in Ramban, leaving NH-44 blocked with several vehicles stranded. Indian Army troops are assisting stranded passengers with humanitarian relief, in close coordination with civil administration.

Meanwhile, the traffic police said that the Jammu-Srinagar, Srinagar-Kargil, and the Sinthan Pass roads were shut for traffic. Light motor vehicles were being allowed to ply on the Mughal Road till 3 pm.

The Jammu-Srinagar highway was affected by shooting stones, landslides, and mudslides at multiple places. It may take a few days to reopen the highway for traffic after repairs.

In an update at 5.30 pm, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, quoting the Met Centre Srinagar, wrote on X, Moderate rain with intense showers at a few places with thunder/lightning/gusty winds at many places of Banihal, Ramban & adjoining areas during next 3 hours. Stay away from water channels, loose structures & landslide-prone areas.

The Ramban Deputy Commissioner has ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the district on Monday.

Meanwhile, the water level in the Chenab river has risen significantly.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly condemned the recent decision of the Himachal Pradesh government to increase the minimum bus fare from Rs 5 to Rs 10, a 100% hike.

The party on Sunday demanded that the government immediately withdraw this decision, which will burden the common people, especially daily wage workers, students, employees, women, and youth.

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CPM State Secretary Sanjay Chauhan said that the hike will disproportionately affect the poor and marginalised sections of society.

The governments claim of increasing fares due to financial crisis and losses in HRTC is unjustified, as the crisis is a result of neoliberal policies, he said.

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Blaming the successive governments, he said that the state-run Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) is being forced to operate on loss-making routes while private operators are given profitable routes.

Presenting data, he claimed that the HRTC operates only on 2,573 routes with 3,150 buses, while the private operators run around 8,300 buses on profitable routes.

Such a situation has led to a deliberate crippling of HRTC compelling to incur losses, while private bus operators continue to make profits. The CPM has demanded a rollback of the bus fare hike and urged the government to strengthen public transportation services like HRTC and provide better facilities to the people, he said, adding that there was a need for a welfare state to prioritise the needs of the common people.

The hike will lead to increased traffic and pollution in cities like Shimla, as people will prefer private vehicles over public transport, he said.

Chauhan cautioned the state government that if the decision is not withdrawn, the party will launch a statewide movement to protest against its anti-people policies.
Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi, formerly Wasim Rizvi was acquitted by Haridwar Chief Judicial Magistrate court on Saturday in a hate speech case for doubtful and questionable charges against him.

Tyagi, former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chairman who was on bail, was arrested by the Haridwar Police on January 13, 2021 for an alleged hate speech he delivered at a religious congregation in December 2021.

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Haridwar Chief Judicial Magistrate Avinash Kumar Srivastava acquitted Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi in the the case filed against him, Swami Yati Narasimhananda, and others by the police after a Dharma Sansad (religious congregation) held between December 17 and December 19 2021.

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While hearing the case on Saturday, the court found the allegations against Tyagi doubtful and questionable and absolved him of all charges after a trial of more than three years.

Two FIRs were filed by one, Nadeem Ali, against Wasim Rizvi alias Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi, Yeti Narasimhanand Giri, and others on December 23, 2021 and January 2, 2022 for their religious rants against Muslims and Quran. Ali had alleged that Tyagi and Narsimhanand made hate speeches against Prophet Mohammed and the Quran and gave a call to wage war against Muslims.

Ali, in his FIR, had charged that Hindu religious leaders gathered for dharma sansad (religious congregation) demanded to indict Muslims in false cases and punish them.

Tyagi and Narsimhanand were booked under Section 153A for allegations for promoting enmity between religious groups and under Section 298 for making statements aimed at hurting the religious sentiments of someone of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Dharm Sansad. Videos of the Tyagi, Narsimhanand and other Hindu religious leaders had gone viral as to their speeches made at the Haridwar congregation.

After investigating into the matter, the Haridwar Police arrested Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi alias Wasim Rizvi and sent him to jail. However, he was granted bail more than four months after the arrest on health grounds. During the hearing, 10 witnesses were presented in evidence on behalf of the prosecution.
A gurdwara was vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti in Canadas Vancouver, causing anger among the local Sikh community.

The incident took place at the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS) gurdwara, also known as the Ross Street Gurdwara.

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Condemning the vandalism, the KDS in a post on X wrote, During Sikh Heritage Month and Khalsa Sanja Diwas  a time for celebration and unity  it is sad to see that elements of extremism continue to rear their ugly heads.

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The gurdwara administration also shared a photograph along with the post which showed khalistan zindabaad spray painted on the wall of the gurdwara.

In a statement, the KDS said, It is a painful moment in our communitys history as we gather to celebrate Khalsa Sajna Diwas-a day that symbolizes the strength, unity, and resilience of Sikhs. On Saturday, April 19, we were shocked to witness an act of vandalism at our beloved Ross Street Gurdwara. A small group of Sikh separatists, advocating for Khalistan, defaced our sacred walls with divisive slogans like khalistan zindabad.

This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instill fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community, it said.

Their actions undermine the values of inclusivity, respect, and mutual support that are foundational to both Sikhism and Canadian society. What occurred on April 19 is not only an attack on our gurdwara but also an assault on the legacy our ancestors built-a legacy grounded in hard work, unity, and peaceful coexistence, the KDS said.

It further said, These extremists are undermining the dreams and sacrifices of our elders, who worked tirelessly to create a strong, thriving community in a country that celebrates diversity and freedom. Their actions seek to divide us, contrary to the unity and peace we hold dear as Canadians. We cannot-and will not let these forces of division succeed.

The KDS has called upon all Canadians, Sikhs, and people of goodwill to stand together in the face of this extremism.

We must denounce these acts and reaffirm our shared commitment to the values of peace, unity, and respect. This attack is an attack on all of us-on the very unity that makes Canada strong. Let us unite against division and extremism, for the future we all share, it said.
The Jharkhand Congress has strongly reacted to the statement made by BJP MP from Godda, Nishikant Dubey, against the Supreme Court and Justice Sanjiv Khanna.

In a press conference held on Saturday at the State Congress Headquarters in Ranchi, the party launched a sharp attack on the issue. Party President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh and Leader of the Legislative Party Pradeep Yadav termed it an attack on the pillars of democracy.

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Pradeep Yadav said, This statement is not just an insult to the judiciary but a well-planned conspiracy to intimidate and pressurise constitutional institutions. The BJP MPs remarks appear to have been made with the consent of the BJP leadership, with the intention of undermining the independence of the judiciary.

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He cited Articles 13 and 25 of the Indian Constitution and said that the Supreme Court has the authority to review any unconstitutional law. Referring to the historic 1973 Kesavananda Bharati vs State of Kerala judgment, Yadav said, Challenging the powers of the judiciary reflects Nishikant Dubeys ignorance and boastfulness.

On this occasion, State Congress President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh announced that the Congress would hold a special meeting of the State Executive Committee on April 22 to prepare the framework for a Save the Constitution campaign. This campaign will run for 40 days and include awareness rallies on the Constitution and democracy at the state, district, and assembly levels.

Pradeep Yadav also warned that Congress may take the matter to court. This amounts to contempt of court and qualifies as a case for a criminal writ. The BJP should expel its MP from the party, and the Prime Minister must apologise to the nation, he added. If the BJP truly wants to distance itself from the statement, it must take immediate actionotherwise, it will be seen as mere posturing.

MLAs Suresh Baitha, Anadi Brahma, Rakesh Sinha, Satish Paul Munjini, Sonal Shanti, Gajendra Singh, and Rajan Verma were also present at the press conference. From the stage, a clear message was conveyed that the Congress is ready to fight this battle not only on the Constitutional front but also on the streets.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the RSS of engaging in politics of intimidation and termed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opportunistic.

Addressing his first political rally ahead of the Bihar assembly elections in Buxar on Sunday, he said, The BJP government wants to scare the Opposition, but we are not going to be afraid. The ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the principles of Baba Saheb are the foundation of our ideology and these are what give us strength. With this power, we will fight against injustice and defeat the hateful ideology.

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Calling RSS-BJP leaders experts in conspiracy, he said they have again been trying to embroil Congress leaders in false cases. In the recent National Herald case, an attempt was made to defame the Gandhi family. For the past 11 years, the Modi government has been treating Congress and other Opposition parties like enemies. In Congress, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are the target because they are the backbone of Congress.

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Similarly, fake cases are being run against other powerful Opposition leaders. They should be ashamed that in 10 years, the ED (Enforcement Directorate) filed cases against 193 leaders but could prove only two cases. Whenever they want, the ED people spread fake news after questioning for hours. We are not going to be afraid of anyone, we are not going to bow down to anyone, he added

Questioning the RSS-BJP claim to nationalism, the Congress president said, Dont lecture Gandhis on nationalism. Nehru spent years in jail for India, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi gave their blood to the nation. Is there anyone from the RSS or BJP who has sacrificed for the nation?

Kharge said that the alliance of Nitish Kumar and BJP in Bihar is opportunistic. Nitish changes sides repeatedly for power. The alliance of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar is only for power. These two people have come together not for the betterment of Bihar and the country but to harm the Dalits, tribals, backward and farmers.

Reminding the people of PM Modis promises, he played the recording of Modis 2015 speech delivered at an election rally in Bihar where he had promised Rs 1.25 lakh crore package to Bihar. The people of Bihar should ask Nitish Kumar what happened to the Rs 1.25-lakh crore package promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. PM Modi is running a factory of lies. The NDA government should be ousted from Bihar this time.
In a diplomatic gesture about the friendship between India and Bhutan, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan visited Assams Jogighopa on April 19, to inspect key infrastructure projects that aim to bolster regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

He was received by Assam Minister for Public Health Engineering and Housing & Urban Affairs, Jayanta Malla Baruah, during his visit to the Inland Waterways Terminal (IWT) and the Multi Modal Logistics Park (MMLP)  two major projects developed to facilitate trade and regional integration in Indias Northeast.

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The Inland Waterways Terminal at Jogighopa, inaugurated in February this year, is part of Indias broader efforts to create efficient, multi-modal transport systems in the region. The facility, located along the Brahmaputra River, is expected to provide a vital logistics link for Bhutan, improving its access to regional and international markets through Indian ports.

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India and Bhutan share a partnership marked by cooperation in multiple sectors, including hydropower, education, health, and cross-border connectivity.
Amid talks of Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackerays reunion, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday clarified that as of now, there are no alliance talks, but only an emotional conversation is going on between the estranged cousins.

There is no alliance (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not broken, he said.

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Speaking about the possibility of an alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackerays MNS, Raut asserted that any decision in this regard will be taken by the two brothers.

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Both brothers will decide (about the alliance). We have accepted what Uddhav Ji said: for Maharashtra, if we (MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) need to come together, we will, he stated.

Raut also slammed parties that claim to be the well-wishers of Maharashtra but broke the Balasaheb Thackerays Shiv Sena to attack the pride of the state.

Uddhav Ji said that there are a few parties who claim to be well-wishers of Maharashtra, but they are the enemy of Maharashtra. They broke Balasahebs Shiv Sena to attack the pride of Maharashtra, and with such parties, we shouldnt have any relations, and then only we can be true Maharashtrians, and this is not a condition but the feelings of the people of Maharashtra, and this is what Udhhav ji has said the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP added.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray, during a recent podcast with actor Mahesh Manjrekar, had expressed his willingness to reunite with estranged cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav in the interest of Maharashtra.

The disputes and fights between Uddhav and me are minor  Maharashtra is much bigger than all that. These differences are proving costly for the existence of Maharashtra and the Marathi people. Coming together is not difficult, its a matter of will. Its not just about my desire or selfishness. We need to look at the bigger picture. All Marathi people across political parties should unite and form a single party, Raj Thackeray said.

In a separate event, Uddhav Thackeray hinted that he, too, was ready to put aside their differences, but set a condition.

Im ready to put aside petty disputesBut there is one conditionWe cannot keep switching sides supporting them one day, opposing them the next, and then compromising again, said Uddhav Thackeray.

Anyone who acts against Maharashtras interests  I will not welcome them, invite them home, or sit with them. Let this be clear first, and then let us work together for Maharashtra, he added.
Several leaders of the INDIA bloc parties, including Congress, on Sunday, slammed the BJP for the remarks made by its MPs, Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma, on judiciary and asked the saffron party why no action was being taken against them.

The BJP, however, has distanced itself from the remarks made by both its MPs. Its national president JP Nadda,calling the remarks their personal opinion, said the party has always respected the judiciary.

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Dubey, a four-time MP and prominent leader of the BJPs Jharkhand unit, stoked a controversy after he told a news agency that the Supreme Court is responsible for inciting religious wars in the country. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything , then Parliament and the Assembly should be shut Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna is responsible for all the civil wars happening in this country.

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Endorsing Dubey, Sharma, the former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, said, According to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. No one can challenge the President as she is supreme.

Attacking the BJP, Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X, The distancing of the outgoing BJP president from the atrocious remarks made by two BJP MPs on the Chief Justice of India carries little meaning. These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals.

He said Naddas clarification is nothing but damage control.

It will fool nobody. This is entire political science reflecting itself as entire political hypocrisy. But the outgoing BJP president is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high Constitutional position. What does he have to say about these remarks? Does the BJP subscribe to them?, Ramesh said.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, If the continued silence of the Prime Minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show-cause notices to these two MPs?.

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress MP Mukul Wasnik has demanded expulsion of both the MPs from the party. The minimum action called for against the BJP MPs who made the most atrocious comments against the CJI and the Supreme Court is to expel them from the party. But will the BJPs outgoing president go beyond merely warning the MPs? We know that no action will be taken, he wrote on X.

Castigating the BJP for the MPs remarks, Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhliesh Yadav said whatever was said is the thinking of the BJP.

Accusing the BJP of indulging in divisive politics, he told reporters in Prayagraj, If anyone is creating rifts between religions, then it is the BJP. The BJP is dividing the society in the name of religion and caste. This is a very well planned program. Whatever was said is the thinking of the BJP.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar Deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav demanded contempt proceedings to be initiated against them. Such comments should not be made on the Court. If someone makes such a comment, then contempt proceedings should be initiated, he told reporters in Patna.

Amid criticism from the Opposition, Nadda wrote on X, BJP has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of India. This is their personal statement, but BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support them. BJP completely rejects these statements.

BJP has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because as a party we believe that all the courts of the country including the Supreme Court are an integral part of our democracy and are the strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution. I have instructed both of them and everyone else not to make such statements, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended warm birthday greetings to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and praised his continuous efforts towards the development of the state.

Taking to X, the Prime Minister wrote, Best wishes to my good friend and Andhra Pradesh CM Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu Garu. It is commendable how he is tirelessly working for the development of AP, with a focus on futuristic sectors. Praying for his long and healthy life.

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Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer also conveyed his wishes through social media, stating, I extend my heartiest felicitations and warm greetings to Nara Chandrababu Naidu Garu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on his Birthday.

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Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan took to X to express his admiration and extend birthday greetings.

Only a visionary like Nara Chandrababu Naidu can revive the progress of a state that has become economically stagnant, development has become impossible, and law and order has deteriorated. Heartfelt birthday greetings to such a skilled administrator, he posted.

Highlighting Naidus continued dedication to governance, Kalyan further added, The vision and enthusiasm shown by Chandrababu Naidu, who is serving as the Chief Minister for the fourth time, is amazing. His approach of predicting the future in advance and running the systems accordingly is inspiring. On the auspicious occasion of the Diamond Jubilee, I pray to God to grant Sri Chandrababu Naidu a long life and happiness.

As Naidu steps into his 75th year, leaders and supporters celebrate his long-standing political journey.

Naidu has served as Chief Minister in both united and bifurcated Andhra Pradesh. In 2024, he returned to power for a fourth term, leading a coalition that secured 164 seats in the Assembly.
BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Over 970 people, including dozens of the world's top economists have signed an "anti-tariff declaration" criticizing the tariff policy adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration as "misguided" while warning of a potential "self-inflicted recession," reports by media outlets have said.

The letter, signed by renowned economists including Nobel laureates James Heckman and Vernon Smith, was circulated over the weekend, and by the dawn of Sunday, it had been signed by 976 individuals, the reports said.

In this "Trade and Tariffs Declaration: A Statement on the Principles of American Prosperity," the authors denounced Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs that are affecting more than 180 countries and regions around the world. The "reciprocal" tariff rates are "calculated using an erroneous and improvised formula with no basis in economic reality," the letter said.

On April 2, Trump announced sweeping tariffs against the U.S. trading partners, calling the day "liberation day." But only one week later, he ordered a 90-day pause on the highest tariffs while keeping a 10 percent baseline rate for most countries.

Trump's tariff policy has triggered massive sell-offs on stock markets, as well as retaliatory tariffs and other countermeasures by countries. "We anticipate that American workers will incur the brunt of these misguided policies in the form of increased prices and the risk of a self-inflicted recession," the letter said.

Trump has argued the tariffs are meant to reverse a persistent overall trade deficit and help boost the U.S. manufacturing industry. However, the letter pointed out: "The current administration's tariffs are motivated by a mistaken understanding of the economic conditions faced by ordinary Americans."

The authors urged an end to Trump's "incoherent and damaging policies" on trade, adding "We remain hopeful, however, that sound economic principles, empirical evidence, and the warnings of history will prevail over the protectionist mythologies of the moment." 
Defence Minister and Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh has asserted that the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) themselves will soon demand annexation with India.

I am confident that the day is not far when the people of PoK will say they want to be merged with India, Singh said.

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There was once a demand, raised from Lucknow itself by the Muslim League, to form Pakistan. Now the time has come for PoK to be integrated with India, he added.

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Highlighting Indias growing strength, Singh noted, Today, Indias military capabilities have significantly increased. The BrahMos missile, manufactured in Lucknow, will not only serve India but will also be exported worldwide. I will inaugurate the facility on May 11.

Singh was addressing a Prabudh Sammelan organized by the city BJP unit on Sunday.

He further emphasized Indias rising economic stature, stating, India is currently the worlds fastest-growing economy. The global community now recognizes the strength of Indias knowledge traditions. We must make India a developed nation, building on this heritage.

Praising the achievements of the Modi government, Singh said, Our government has performed miraculously. Earlier, India was perceived as a country of the poor.

Today, that perception has changed. Indias economy has climbed from 11th to 5th position globally, and financial experts predict that we will break into the top three within the next two years.

Discussing industrial and defence advancements, Singh pointed out, Eleven years ago, only two factories manufactured mobile phones in India. Today, we have 270 manufacturing units. India now ranks first globally in digital transactions.

He added, Earlier, we had to import even small defence components. Now, defence exports have surged from R 6,000 crore to Rs 18,000 crore, and by 2029, this figure is expected to touch Rs 50,000 crore.

Earlier, a delegation of traders led by Ashok Motiani and Anil Bajaj met the Defence Minister.

They submitted a memorandum highlighting their issues, with the primary demand being the establishment of a Vyapari Kalyan Board to address trader concerns directly with the government.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Kanpur on Sunday for a one-day tour to assess preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit on April 24 and to review the progress of several major development projects.

During his visit, the Chief Minister inspected the venue for the upcoming public meeting and key infrastructure initiatives, including thermal power projects and the metro rail project. He also issued clear directives to officials to ensure timely and efficient execution.

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Accompanied by public representatives, CM Yogi visited the designated site for the large-scale public rally to be addressed by the Prime Minister. He comprehensively reviewed security arrangements, traffic control measures, and essential amenities such as drinking water, seating, and cleanliness.

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Emphasizing a smooth experience for attendees, the Chief Minister instructed officials to complete all preparations to the highest standard and without delay.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the 3660 MW Neyveli Ghatampur Thermal Power Project, being developed at a cost of 21,780.94 crore. The first unit (660 MW) alone accounts for 9,337.68 crore of the investment.

This ambitious project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Coal, Government of India, and the Department of Energy, Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited, a joint venture between NLCIL and UPRVUNL, is executing the project. During the inspection, CM Yogi evaluated the projects progress and directed officials to adhere strictly to deadlines.

In addition, CM Yogi inspected the Panki Thermal Expansion Project (1660 MW), worth 8,305.16 crore, being implemented by the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. He reviewed the projects status and instructed officials to take all necessary steps to expedite its commissioning.

The Chief Minister also boarded the newly constructed metro line, traveling from Nayaganj to Rawatpur station, to assess the ongoing progress of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project, led by the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation.

He reviewed passenger amenities, station cleanliness, operational preparedness, and security measures. Emphasizing public convenience, he instructed authorities to ensure that the metro service remains accessible, clean, and commuter-friendly.

CM Yogi underlined the importance of the timely completion of all projects, noting that they would serve as significant milestones in the development of not only Kanpur but the entire state of Uttar Pradesh. He also directed that preparations for the Prime Ministers visit should be of the highest standard, reflecting the states commitment to excellence.
US Vice President J D Vance will arrive here on Monday on a four-day official visit to India during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders on a range of issues, including the proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).

On his maiden trip to India, Mr Vance will be accompanied by his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance, and their three children.

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According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the US leader will land in India at 1000 hrs tomorrow morning.

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Mr Vance and his family are scheduled to visit the famous Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi and also visit a shopping complex.

The American leader is scheduled to meet PM Modi in the evening. The two leaders are expected to focus on an early finalisation of the proposed BTA as well as on ways to boost the overall trajectory of bilateral ties.

The talks are significant as they take place in the backdrop of US President Donald Trumps proposal for reciprocal tariffs.

After the talks, the PM will host dinner in honour of the American Vice-President and his delegation.

Mr Vance and his family will be in Jaipur on Tuesday, where they will visit a number of historical sites, including the Amer Fort. In the afternoon, the US leader is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre.

Mr Vance and his family will begin their visit to Agra on the morning of April 23 to tour the iconic Taj Mahal and other monuments.

According to the MEA, the visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on February 13 during the PMs visit to Washington. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

Mr Vances visit coincides with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans trip to the US during which she is scheduled to meet several key figures in the Trump administration.

A high-level team of Indian officials is also leaving for Washington to advance discussions on the BTA.
Peter Navarro is the senior advisor for trade in the Trump administration. He is also a dedicated Trump loyalist, having gone to jail for three months during the Biden administration. He is one of only three high-ranking White House officials to have survived the entire first Trump administration. Navarro is an accomplished writer and speaker. He hit the air waves recently. Vietnam has proposed a zero-zero trade policy vis-a-vis the United States. But Navarro was not happy with that.

He said that Vietnam should remove non-tariff trade barriers established against the United States such as cheap labour. Navarros aims dovetail those of Trumps. Both say that the United States has been deindustrialized and that manufacturing must come back to the US. They point to the hollowedout Rust Belt, an entire swathe of Midwestern territory from where manufacturing has moved overseas. But in economics, water finds its own level. Do Navarro and Trump really expect Vietnam to raise its labour costs? Inexpensive labour costs are the unique selling proposition for manufacturing.

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Because of cheap labour costs, China became the factory of the world. Now as labour costs are rising in China, manufacturing is moving to lower-cost countries like Vietnam and the Philippines, and to a small extent, to India. The US has high labour costs. If manufacturing moves to the States, the cost of many goods will double, even treble. Americans have whetted their appetites on cheap car and smartphone imports. Its hard to estimate, but almost 80 per cent of the goods consumed in the US are made overseas, most notably in China. Are Americans prepared to pay $3,000 for a smart phone or $80,000 for an economy sedan? The clear answer is no. Labour costs then are the sticking point in Navarro and Trumps argument. On this one point alone, Trumps plans will fall flat.

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The Indian government has had a golden opportunity to move manufacturing inland, often through tariffs, but its efforts have been spotty at best. Indias labour is not skilled enough, not disciplined enough, and not dedicated enough like Chinese or Vietnamese labour. The fault lies not in the people. India is a chaotic anarchy and the labour reflects that behaviour. Still, many foreign cars and even smartphones are being assembled in India. But the Indian government has to push Make in India in a big way. Today, Indias competition is not China, but Vietnam and many other East Asian countries. The truth also is that the homegrown Indian is not exposed to global best practices.

Indians who go to the West seldom come back to contribute to their motherland. Many Indian companies still conform to an ownerrun, hierarchical culture. In the face of the Trump onslaught, Western countries (other than the US of course) are considering banding together and even with China. But that effort will fail. Today the world is dominated by whites. White countries will never partner with a coloured country like China to gang up against another white country like the US. Secondly, most of the innovation in the world comes from the US, notably from Silicon Valley. Trump is not stopping the flow of highlyskilled workers into the US. These workers, along with their native compatriots, come up with most of the goods and services that the rest of the world uses.

Liberals in the US argue that the country should stick to its basics  innovation  and forget about manufacturing. But the MAGA crowd will have none of that. Trump has sold the dream of in-house manufacturing to his MAGA base, and they are going to hold him to it. Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist in the first Trump administration, is virulently opposed to H-1B visas. He has clashed repeatedly with Elon Musk on that issue. Musk wants H-1Bs to continue. Trump has sided with Musk. But Bannon and the MAGA crowd are not ones to give up so easily. Interestingly, in a recent TV interview, Bannon, realizing the power of Musk in Trumps orbit, was heard suing for peace.

Both Musk and Bannon, in different venues, have given Hitlers Nazi salute. That is the very essence of the MAGA movement. Trump has gone soft on the UK and only levied 10 per cent tariffs on that country. He will bow to pressure and sign reasonable trade deals with other Western countries. Will he do so with India? How much will Modi bend? China, a coloured country, is squarely in Trumps sights. But the manna of manufacturing that Trump and Navarro are proposing will prove to be a poison pill for the United States, if on nothing else, but labour costs.

How are otherwise smart and intelligent people like Navarro and Trump able to miss that? Trump has bet his entire second term on tariffs and trade wars. Tariffs are going to jack up prices for American consumers both in the immediate term and in the long term. In the immediate term, because of high tariff costs that will be passed on to the consumer. In the long term, if manufacturing moves to the US on a large scale, then because of high American labour costs. The demise of the American empire is about to become entrenched.

(The writer is an expert on energy and contributes regularly to publications in India and overseas.)
Indias linguistic and cultural plurality is at the heart of its civilizational ethos. It is one of the few nations in the world where the Constitution itself recognizes 22 official languages in the Eighth Schedule, while thousands of other languages and dialects are spoken across its length and breadth.

This plurality has not only coexisted with national unity but has nourished it, weaving a complex and rich identity. In such a milieu, language is more than just a tool of communication; it is a bearer of culture, memory, history, and imagination. The role of language policy, therefore, becomes critical ~ not merely as a technical or administrative matter but as one with profound socio-political consequences. It is within this context that the Three-Language Formula, first introduced in the National Policy on Education in 1968, deserves a serious and renewed endorsement.

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At a time when attempts are being made to prioritize Hindi in national and international forums, often at the cost of other languages, a reassertion of the three-language model is essential for preserving Indias democratic fabric and inclusive vision of nationhood. The Three-Language Formula, in its original form, was designed to promote multilingualism and foster national integration. The policy recommended that students in Hindi-speaking states learn Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language from the South.

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Conversely, students in non-Hindi-speaking states would learn their regional language, Hindi, and English. The idea was to ensure that no part of India remained alien to another and that a certain degree of inter-regional linguistic empathy and cross-cultural literacy would evolve. The formula was not just pedagogical but profoundly political: it sought to strike a balance between unity and diversity, between the need for a link language and the necessity of safeguarding linguistic pride and regional identity. Yet, over time, the implementation of the formula has been inconsistent, and the intended spirit has often been subverted by partisan and centralising tendencies.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the attempts to promote Hindi asad facto national language, whether through administrative directives, education policies, or symbolic gestures such as the expensive and largely symbolic bid to make Hindi an official language of the United Nations ~ a move estimated to cost over Rs. 250 crore and with little practical benefit. In 2022, Indias External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, reaffirmed the governments commitment to pursuing this goal, although Hindi is not am  ong the top ten most spoken languages in UN for ums and is not used in any significant mea  sure in global diplomacy.

This is not just a waste of re s  ources; it also sends a troubling message about whose languages are considered prestigious and whose are not. While symbolic recognition of Hindi has its place, the attempt to elevate it over other Indian languages undermines the federal spirit and pluralism enshrined in the Constitution. Tamil Nadu, for instance, has historically resisted the imposition of Hindi. The anti-Hindi agitations of the 1960s were not merely linguistic pro tests ~ they were assertions of cultural autonomy, of a refu  sal to let a centralized idea of India override regional identities. These agitations significantly shaped the states political landscape and resulted in Tamil Nadu consistently opting for a two-language formula ~ Tamil and English ~ in schools, refusing to introduce Hindi as a compulsory subject.

Their stand, rooted in the broader Dravidian movement, reflects a legitimate anxiety that the privileging of Hindi would erode linguistic diversity and marginalize non-Hindi speakers in the national discourse. Language is not just about words; it is about access, dignity, and power. In a multilingual society, any attempt to impose a single language risks disenfranchising those for whom that language is not a natural medium of expression. Consider the judiciary, where, despite constitutional guarantees, most proceedings occur in English, and in many states, the dominance of Hindi in administrative exams and processes makes it harder for candidates from non-Hindispeaking regions to compete fairly.

Even in digital India, where translation and access technologies are rapidly evolving, the linguistic divide persists. Children in many rural regions still struggle with basic reading comprehension when taught in languages unfamiliar to them at home. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 attempts to revisit the Three-Language Formula by allowing more flexibility and emphasizing mother tongue instruction until at least Grade 5. This is a welcome move in principle, backed by research from UNESCO and neuroscientists that children learn best in their mother tongues during early developmental stages.

However, the policy stops short of mandating the three-language formula uniformly and leaves many decisions to states, leading to inconsistent application. Furthermore, the NEPs wording leaves space for the central government to push Hindi subtly under the guise of promoting Indian languages. Rather than letting language become a battleground for power, India should view it as a path to inclusive growth. A proper implementation of the Three-Language Formula ~ ensuring every student learns their regional language, Hindi or another Indian language, and English ~ can cultivate trilingual citizens.

These individuals can engage with their communities through their mother tongue, participate in national discourse via a link language, and access global opportunities through English.

Such a model fosters both identity and integration. Crucially, the formula must remain flexible, allowing for regional context, individual choice, and gradual adaptation. The goal is not uniformity but meaningful multilingual literacy. Beyond school education, the state should also invest in creating institutional ecosystems that celebrate and develop all Indian languages. This includes funding translation projects, encouraging multilingual publishing, supporting linguistics research in regional universities, and incentivizing film and media production in regional languages.

There is also a need to standardize orthographies and develop technology that can cater to Indian languages ~ keyboard inputs, voice recognition, natural language processing, and ma chine translation. The current domination of English and Hindi in the digital space can and should be countered by deliberate linguistic engineering that reflects Indias true diversity. The reassertion of the ThreeLanguage Formula also has global resonance. In an age of cultural homogenization and rising ethnonationalism, India can offer a unique model of how linguistic pluralism can coexist with a robust democratic state.

The European Union, for example, has 24 official languages and continues to operate effectively through a system of translation, education, and respect for linguistic rights. India, too, can strengthen its internal coherence by ensuring that all its citizens feel seen and heard in their languages. At its core, the question of language is the question of whose voice matters. The ThreeLanguage Formula is not merely an education policy ~ it is a vision of India that recognizes that unity is best forged not through sameness but through dialogue, translation, and mutual learning.

In rejecting the narrow nationalism of linguistic supremacy and embracing the Three-Language Formula, India reaffirms that its unity lies in embracing the full spectrum of its voices, not in suppressing them. The road to national integration lies not in mono-lingualism but in the generous accommodation of all languages and respect for individual choice. Only then can we live up to the promise of the Constitution ~ that of liberty of thought and expression, and the assurance of dignity to all communities, in all their mother tongues.

(The writer is an author, political analyst, and columnist)
As the war in Ukraine grinds into its fourth year, the calculus of peace appears increasingly dictated not by battlefield realities or the will of the people, but by shifting geopolitical priorities. The recent declaration from the United States that it may move on from peace negotiations within days if there is no tangible progress marks a striking shift in tone. It underscores a sobering truth: even the worlds most powerful patrons have limits to their patience, especially when their strategic interests begin to diverge from the burdens of open-ended conflicts.

Ukraines hopes have long rested on international support ~ not only in weapons and aid but in diplomatic backing. The overt push to broker a ceasefire with Russia, however, now seems to be shadowed by deeper, transactional interests. The simultaneous move towards a minerals-based investment fund between Washington and Kyiv is telling. Reconstruction funding, framed as solidarity, may come with strings tied to resource access and long-term control over key infrastructure.

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It is a reminder that in global diplomacy, altruism is rarely unaccompanied by self-interest. A rushed withdrawal from diplomacy risks signaling to Russia that strategic patience is negotiable, potentially emboldening future aggression far beyond the borders of Ukraine. What is particularly disconcerting is the emerging narrative that peace must be doable in a matter of days or be abandoned altogether. Conflicts as entrenched and emotionally raw as Ukraines are rarely resolved by arbitrary deadlines. Ceasefires, when not built on robust guarantees, can easily unravel into frozen conflicts or renewed hostilities.

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For Ukraine, a truce without concrete security assurances is more a tactical pause for Russia than a path to lasting sovereignty. There is also a growing sense that Ukraine is being nudged into accepting terms that in a different strategic climate it might have resisted. Reports of demands for repayment of past military aid via reconstruction funds hint at a growing imbalance in the partnership. The language of solidarity is increasingly laced with conditions. This could risk transforming Ukraines post-war recovery into a debt-ridden dependence rather than a sovereign rebirth. Yet, Ukraine is not without agency.

Its leaders must now tread a careful line between pragmatism and principle. The promise of Western investment must be weighed against the long-term implications of control over vital national assets. The urgency of ending the war must not blind negotiators to the costs of a peace that mortgages the nations future autonomy. Ultimately, if the West truly desires a free and sovereign Ukraine, then peace cannot be reduced to a test of expedience. A meaningful resolution will require time, nuance, and genuine commitment to Ukraines long-term stability ~ not just its minerals. Anything less risks not just the betrayal of an ally, but the erosion of the very values the conflict was supposed to defend.
West Bengal has often been described, namely by ruling Trinamool and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, as the sweetest part of India. The sobriquet could have been conferred on the eastern state not just because it boasts some of the best desserts in the entire country (including the delectable roshogolla, that spongy ball of cottage cheese marinated in sugar syrup which have often inspired rhymes and poems), but its people, language, culture, etc. are supposed to exude a kind of sophisticated, well, sweetness.

But currently parts of this sweet state are gripped in the throes of bitter violence.

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I have been to Murshidadab and Malda many many times as a reporter covering various issues, including communal feelings. I have invariably found that the common people do not differentiate between religions and prefer to live harmoniously with each other. In fact, I found that it comes so naturally to them that they dont even think about it.

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Two farmers were taking a break by a roadside paddy field. The green and yellow paddy swayed in the gentle afternoon breeze. I stopped my car and hopped off. They were smoking bidis and chatting. Only their names, Raju and Rahim, gave away their religions. Though I was on a mission to gauge communal tension, I did not have the heart to ask whether there was any in their region. Clearly there was none, no tension, between the two friends. If anything, my question would have possible put a divisive wedge between them.

This is the thing. The divide does not exist. The divide is created by vested interests. Because by dividing people, religions, caste, race, we can control and rule.

We all know that this is done. We all know that the British practiced the divide and rule policy. It is indeed a shame that like sheep, we continue with their sordid saga.

Thats because power is an addiction. Those who gain it will do anything to hold on to it. As a reporter I have interviewed politicians before they gained power and have witnessed their changed attitudes after they gained it. The flattery, the buttering up that came with the package called power, got to them, grew on them. It is too good to give up. To eschew it for the sake of standing up for what is correct, would be too much to ask for. The high that you feel when you are surrounded by sycophants is too precious, too heady to do away with. The swag with which you can walk when you are important has a great feel to it. And so it is convenient to keep looking the other way as divisive wedges are driven deep. Politicians dont want to do anything about it. Other than fan it, of course.

But I refuse to ask that question, Are there communal feelings?.

The sun beats down over a school at noon. As the bell rings giggling children run out. Two girls tell me their names, Najma and Namita, and they tell me that they are best friends.

Hell no, I am not going to ask them about religion. These girls, bright and bold, will lead their sweet Bengal into a future where they are not known by their religions but by their humanity.not for hatred towards one another but love for each another.

They both agree that they love sweets like roshogollas.

The writer is Editor, Features
After the mass-uprising in Bangladesh and the fall of the Sheikh Hasina led government, a deeply troubling trend has emerged in Bangladesh that threatens not only its internal stability but also the fragile peace of the broader South Asian region. The sudden and controversial release of over 300 individuals accused or convicted in militancy-related cases is not a matter of domestic politics alone  it is a regional security crisis in the making.

At the heart of this crisis is the post-August 5, 2024 reality of Bangladesh, where the military-backed government led by Muhammad Yunus has taken control amid controversy, suspicion, and fear. While Yunus rise was celebrated by some as a victory of civil society and global recognition, his governments recent actions  or rather inactions  paint a far more complicated and disturbing picture.

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Since the coup, courts and political actors in Dhaka have quietly overseen the release of individuals affiliated with some of the deadliest militant outfits in South Asia  including Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), and Hizb-ut-Tahrir. These groups have long been blacklisted not only by the Bangladeshi state but also by international counterterrorism frameworks.

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Among those released are individuals convicted of murders, terror financing, bombings, and direct affiliations with transnational jihadist organisations. Some were involved in heinous crimes such as the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack, which left 22 people dead, including foreign nationals. Others plotted assassinations of secular bloggers, academics, and activists in a period between 2013 to 2016 saw Bangladesh battling a wave of extremist violence.

The current regime claims that many of these cases were politically motivated by the previous Awami League government. While legal redress is every citizens right, the sheer number, speed, and opacity surrounding these bail decisions have raised alarms among regional intelligence circles.

India, which shares a 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, cannot afford to take this lightly. Over the past decade, New Delhi has built a strong counter-terrorism partnership with Dhaka, leading to successful operations like the crackdown on JMB cells in West Bengal and Assam, the 2014 Burdwan blast probe, and real-time intelligence sharing to dismantle cross-border modules.

The release of hundreds of ideologically-committed militants  many of whom retain digital access, sleeper network connections, and sympathisers  risks reviving dormant extremist cells not just in Bangladesh but also within Indias vulnerable northeast. Already propaganda materials linked to groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir and Al-Qaeda-centric Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya (JAFHS) are re-emerging on encrypted platforms.

Indian states like West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura, which have historically been soft targets due to demographic complexity and porous terrain, could once again find themselves in the crosshairs.

The issue is not limited to India and Bangladesh alone. South Asia, as a region, is already fragile  torn by sectarian conflicts, refugee crises, climate displacement, and the growing shadow of geopolitical rivalries. The re-emergence of jihadi militancy in Bangladesh, a country once hailed for dismantling its extremist networks post-2016, could undermine regional cooperation frameworks such as BIMSTEC.

Worse still, it provides a fertile ground for global jihadist organizations like Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and even ISIS-inspired groups to find new recruits and sanctuaries. These actors are adept at exploiting political vacuums, social disillusionment, and government missteps.

A militant resurgence in Bangladesh would thus not remain confined within its borders  it could spill over into Myanmars Rakhine state, Indias northeast, and even further west towards Afghanistan and Pakistan, as part of the broader jihadist movement.

The current government and its supporters argue that many of these released individuals have repented. Some clerics and community leaders, including individuals like Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani, now claim to denounce violence. But deradicalization is not a speech  its a process, often years long, requiring structured psychological support, education, and active monitoring.

Releasing dozens of individuals within weeks without proper vetting, rehabilitation, or public transparency suggests not reform, but recklessness. Worse, it reeks of political appeasement, especially if the current regime seeks to court Islamist groups as a counterbalance to the secular forces that once championed the anti-militancy stance.

Whats equally alarming is the growing narrative from certain government figures that the entire militancy crisis was a fabrication of the previous regime. This is not only historically false  it is a slap in the face of victims, survivors, and the countless security personnel who laid down their lives to preserve the nations peace.

In this stage, no one should stay silent. It is not only the security of Bangladesh but also the integrity of its counterterrorism investments in the region. The time has come for Bangladesh and India to initiate high-level bilateral talks specifically focused on security and militancy, while simultaneously reactivating intelligence cooperation frameworks to monitor the released individuals.

In addition, both countries should work together on the issue at BIMSTEC and other regional forums, pushing for a coordinated regional response mechanism to counter any resurgence of extremist activity. Equally important is the need to provide support to civil society organisations that are actively working on counter-radicalization, promoting secular education, and fostering community cohesion. Moreover, Both countries must advocate for international oversight, potentially through the United Nations or global human rights institutions, to ensure that justice and security are upheld during Bangladeshs transitional phase.

South Asia stands today at a critical juncture. The peace it has enjoyed  though imperfect  has been hard-earned. Bangladeshs battle against militancy, especially post-2016, was seen globally as a case study in resilience. Undoing that legacy through hasty political maneuvering is more than a miscalculation  its a threat.

For Yunus and his administration, the world is watching. For India, the message is clear: the neighbourhood is only as safe as its weakest link. If the current trajectory continues, its not just Bangladesh that will pay the price but an entire region already brimming with fault lines. The cost of inaction is too high. The time to act is now.

(The writer is an expert on South Asia and Eurasia. He was formerly with Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views expressed are personal)
Preparations are in full swing in Jaipur to extend a grand welcome to United States Vice President James David (JD) Vance, who will be visiting India as part of his international tour. Vance is scheduled to arrive in the country on April 21 for a four-day visit.

On Friday, Vance landed in Italy with his family and will touch down in India on April 21. After a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, he will travel to Jaipur later that evening.

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According to officials, Vice President Vance will stay in Jaipur from April 21 to 24. On April 22, he will visit the historic Amer Palace in the morning, followed by an address at the US-India Business Summit at the Rajasthan International Centre.

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The summit is expected to witness the participation of top officials from both countries, with Vance set to present his vision for strengthening bilateral trade ties.

On April 23, he will travel to Agra aboard a US Air Force aircraft to visit the Taj Mahal. After spending approximately three hours at the monument, he will return to Jaipur the same afternoon and tour the Jaipur City Palace later in the day.

He is scheduled to depart for Washington, D.C., at 6.30 a.m. on April 24.

A red-carpet welcome awaits Vice President Vance at Jaipur Airport. The Rajasthan government has mobilized personnel from various departments, and elaborate security arrangements are in place.

Temporary road closures are expected based on intelligence inputs, and plainclothes officers from the Rajasthan Police will be deployed alongside Vances security detail.

A 20-vehicle convoy will support the VVIPs movements in addition to his official motorcade, and a specially-equipped ambulance with senior doctors will accompany the delegation.

Emergency medical facilities have been set up at designated hospitals. A traditional Rajasthani welcome has been planned for Vance and his family at Amer Palace on April 22.

The family will don Jodhpuri safas and experience the cultural richness of the state through puppet shows, folk dances, traditional attire, and local cuisine.

The palace will remain closed to the public during the two-and-a-half-hour visit. Twelve trained guides have been appointed to provide historical insights about Amer and Jaipur, ensuring dignitary interactions are conducted at a suitable distance.

Amer Palace Superintendent Dr Rakesh Chholak confirmed that all preparations, including security measures and renovation work, have been completed.

Sources said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will receive Vance upon his arrival in Delhi. The meeting with Prime Minister Modi is scheduled for April 21, with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Jaishankar also expected to attend.

The Foreign Minister may also accompany the US Vice President to Amer Palace the following day.

Later on April 22, after the Business Summit, Vance is expected to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Governor Haribhau Bagade.

Vice President Vance will be accompanied by his wife Usha, their three children  Ivan, Vivek, and Mirabel  and senior US administration officials.

This visit marks the first by a US Vice President to India in 13 years, the last being Joe Bidens visit in 2013.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday declared an Easter truce for the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The ceasefire will be in effect from 18:00 Moscow time on April 19 until 00:00 Moscow time on April 21  a total of 30 hours, the Russian media reported.

It was announced by Putin following a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

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Moscow said it hopes that Kyiv will follow its example and also cease fire.

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Ukraines reaction will show how sincerely it wants and is able to participate in peace talks, Putin noted.

The Kremlin, according to Russian news agency Tass, maintained that since the earlier moratorium on attacks on energy facilities declared for 30 days from March 18 was violated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces more than 100 times, the Russian forces must be ready to repel attacks if Ukraine violates the Easter truce.

I order that all military actions be stopped for this period. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. Russian troops must be prepared to repel possible violations of the ceasefire and provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions. We know that the Kyiv regime has violated the agreement not to strike energy infrastructure more than 100 times, as you reported to me, said Putin after his meeting with Gerasimov.

On Friday, after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephonic conversation with the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump said that he expects to get Russias response on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine over the weekend.

Were going to be hearing from them this week, very shortly, actually. I think were getting close, but well let you know very soon, Trump told reporters at the White House.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Lavrov reaffirmed Moscows readiness to continue collaborative efforts with American counterparts to comprehensively address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis.

Secretary Rubio, who was in Paris, informed the Russian side about the recent engagements that he and US Presidents Special Envoy Steve Witkoff had in the French capital.

These discussions involved representatives from Ukraine, France, and several other European nations. It was underscored that these contacts were in alignment with the framework of ongoing consultations between Washington and Moscow, including the recent dialogue between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg, read the statement.

Russias envoy to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya, meanwhile, said that a ceasefire in Ukraine is unrealistic at this point, as Kyiv fails to honour the moratorium on striking energy infrastructure.

We had an attempt at a limited ceasefire concerning energy infrastructure, which was not observed by the Ukrainian side. Under these circumstances, it is simply unrealistic to talk about a ceasefire at this point, he told reporters.
This video screenshot provided by the Houthi media outlets shows Yemeni villagers checking the wreckage of the U.S. MQ-9 drone in Sanaa province, Yemen, April 19, 2025. Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours. (Xinhua)

SANAA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours.

"The drone was shot down, using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"This is the second drone our air defenses had successfully shot down in 24 hours ... and the 21st we had downed since November 2023," he said.

According to al-Masirah TV, a video footage of the drone will be broadcast later in the day.

Sarea affirmed the group's support for the Palestinians, saying its operations will continue "until the Israeli aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on it is lifted."

On Friday, Sarea claimed the Houthi group shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone, the 20th it had downed since November 2023.

The U.S. side has not commented on the Houthi claims yet.

Tensions between the Houthi group and the United States have intensified since Washington resumed airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on March 15, after the group announced plans to resume attacks on Israeli targets, citing Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza as the reason.

Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. army launched 29 fresh airstrikes on Houthi targets in northern Yemen, while Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi Revolutionary Committee, vowed to retaliate. 

This video screenshot provided by the Houthi media outlets shows the downed U.S. MQ-9 drone burning in Sanaa province, Yemen, April 19, 2025. Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours. (Xinhua)

This video screenshot provided by the Houthi media outlets shows Yemeni villagers checking the wreckage of the U.S. MQ-9 drone in Sanaa province, Yemen, April 19, 2025. Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours. (Xinhua)

This video screenshot provided by the Houthi media outlets shows Yemeni villagers checking the wreckage of the U.S. MQ-9 drone in Sanaa province, Yemen, April 19, 2025. Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours. (Xinhua)

This video screenshot provided by the Houthi media outlets shows Yemeni villagers checking the wreckage of the U.S. MQ-9 drone in Sanaa province, Yemen, April 19, 2025. Yemen's Houthi group said Saturday it shot down another U.S.-made MQ-9 drone over Sanaa province in the past 24 hours. (Xinhua)
The global economys roller-coaster ride since US President Donald Trumps tari announcements this month rattled the world. The days since have seen back and forth retaliatory tari increases between the US and China, negotiations between the US and more than 70 nations, and the financial markets fall precipitously and recover.

At the time of writing this column, Trump had announced his latest surprise, a 90-day pause on taris, along with a vastly reduced interim tari of 10 per cent, except for China. He upped the tari on Chinese imports, for the third time, to an eye-watering 145 per cent.

Indias dealings with the US, from the outset of this second Trump innings, have been cool, calm and collected. Without any fanfare, or any retaliatory statements, or counter taris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team have worked with the US behind the scenes, in an understated manner aimed at seeking solutions. So effective has this been that not only were the initially announced taris against India less than on competitors like Vietnam and Thailand, but Trump also publicly praised his friend Modi as an astute negotiator.

Imaging: Deni Lal

That is high praise indeed from the president who authored the 1987 bestseller The Art of the Deal, which he has been unsubtly gifting to other global leaders. Modis reputation ought to be no surprise, since he has made a career out of proving that every crisis also presents opportunities. That is something he deeply believes in, and often points out to colleagues in the BJP and the government. This was recently corroborated by the unexpected praise from longtime critic Shashi Tharoor, who lauded the prime minister for the way he handled Russia and Ukraine.

The trade wars and global economic upheaval unleashed by Trump are, in fact, a return to the way the world worked a century ago. The era of globalisation that increasingly became a way of life started gaining ground after World War II, and especially sped up since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The latter half of this era saw the transition of the USthe worlds largest economy and pre-eminent military powerfrom an industrial goliath to a post-industrial economy.

The America of today, still the worlds leading innovator and creator of new technologies, is even more notable for being the worlds biggest consumer. While China became the worlds factory, many, if not most, of the worlds economies have become dependent on exporting to the US, which in turn has a trade deficit with a large number of countries.

Indias challenges in this uncertain new world could arise from any significant hiccups in the agricultural sector, potentially impacting the 245 million Indians employed in it. On the other hand, the opportunities lie in our relatively high domestic consumption and low export dependence. Compared to China, for instance, India has far more headroom to negotiate and adapt to changing trade scenarios. Indias domestic private consumption, at 60 per cent of GDP, makes us more resilient to trade disruptions than the Chinese, with domestic consumption at only 38 per cent of GDP. Similarly, Indias exports at 21 per cent of GDP make us less vulnerable than China, where exports are 40 per cent of GDP.

This explains Chinas apoplectic reaction to the Trump taris, which will have a gut-wrenching eect on its economy. Long accused by others of gaming and misusing the liberal global trade regime that helped it to rise, China now has a tough reckoning. In contrast, Indias lesser challenges are outweighed by many new export opportunities arising from the US rewiring its own and reshaping the worlds economies.

Baijayant Jay Panda is National Vice President of the BJP and is an MP in the Lok Sabha.
IIT Roorkee, which started as Roorkee College in 1847, was the first engineering college in Asia. After about a century, the college was elevated to the University of Roorkee, the first engineering university of independent India, on November 25, 1949, and to an IIT on September 21, 2001
THE WORD XENNIAL HAS COMPLETED one decade of existence. The credit for birthing the word goes to journalist Susan Stankorb. The word is defined as a micro-generation that serves as a bridge between the disaffection of Gen X and the blithe optimism of millennials.

One of the places where this generation and the generational shift are seen is in newsrooms. I remember a period of transition when THE WEEKs desk did not have a computer per subeditor. In DTP centres, you approached a computer respectfully, without footwear. Air conditioning was deemed to be a must for this new animal. The words Pentium III and Celeron were pronounced in hushed tones.

From those times, we have come so far. Computers now live in pockets, order food for us, help us flirt, bring our families closer and a lot more. Hey, they even accompany us to the loo. Correspondent Niladry Sarkars cover story tells you what India is doing to stay relevant in the digital century by securing its semiconductor future. He travelled to Dholera in Gujarat, where a 920sqkm-megacity is rising fast to build semiconductorsa city larger than Mumbai or Bengaluru.

The cover story has voices that lend it gravitas, like the interview with V.K. Saraswat, member of NITI Aayog and the advisory committee of India Semiconductor Mission. We have three guest columns, too, from V. Veerappan, chairman, India Electronics and Semiconductor Association; Pranay Kotasthane, deputy director and chairperson of the high-tech geopolitics programme at the Takshashila Institution; and Anantha Kinnal, cofounder and managing director of Bengaluru-based Calligo Technologies.

As always, the cover story is just one dish in THE WEEKs weekly buffet. We have Mark Linscott and Anushka Shah looking at the Trump tariff strategy vis-a-vis India. Linscott is a former assistant US trade representative and senior adviser (trade) at the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Shah is manager, trade policy and emerging and critical technologies, USISPF.

In @leisure, Senior Subeditor Bechu S. writes about the Afghan Bruce Lee. Abbas Alizada was a social media star in Afghanistan before the Taliban stormed back into Kabul. Soon, artistes were in their crosshairs and to make things worse, he is a Hazara, an ethnic group that has been systemically targeted in Afghanistan. He fled with his family to the UK in 2021, from where he spoke to THE WEEK. His latest movie was shot in India and released in March.

Another poignant article in this issue is Anagha Subhash Nairs interaction with those who survived chemical weapon attacks in Syria. The Baathist regime later destroyed its cache of chemical weapons, but the damage lives to this day.

When one thinks of chemical weapons, the first name that comes to mind to those of us who lived through the Gulf War is that of Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam Husseins defence minister. He was so much in the news in those days that an artist at THE WEEK named a kitten after him. The artist fed many strays and this one was different. He had a coat that looked like camouflage; he was a furtive little thing. He never ate with the others and never grew close to the hand that fed him. An anti-social kitten, if there could be one.

Chemical Ali was the kittens name, Al-Majids alias.
On a week-long visit that combined business, branding and bold pitches, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has signed deals worth more than 12,000 crores in Japan.



The Chief Ministers packed schedule saw him engaging with top corporate houses, financial institutions and government agenciesall with a clear message to invest in Telangana.

The tour, which began on April 16, is part of the initiative Telangana Rising, the states broader push to attract global investments and position Hyderabad as a futuristic innovation and manufacturing hub.

An early boost came from Japanese industrial heavyweight Marubeni Corporation, which has committed to establishing a next-generation industrial park in Hyderabads upcoming Future City, a pet project of CM Revanth Reddy.

The project, which kicks off with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, is expected to draw over 5,000 crore in phased funding and create thousands of jobs across sectors like electronics, green pharma, aerospace and Defence.

At the India-Japan Economic Partnership Roadshow in Tokyo, CM Reddy addressed an audience of over 150 Japanese business leaders. However, the shot in the arm came from NTT Data, a global leader in digital services, which announced a massive 10,500 crore investment to set up an AI Data Center Cluster in Hyderabad. The data centre will house 25,000 GPUs and aims to be the nerve centre for Indias growing AI ecosystem.

Meanwhile, discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) opened doors to potential funding for a string of urban infrastructure projects, including Hyderabad Metro Phase 2 and Musi River rejuvenation. The state is seeking over 11,000 crore in funding support for the Metro project alone.

The Telangana Overseas Manpower Company Ltd (TOMCOM) signed MoUs with Japanese agencies TERN Group and Raj Group to facilitate the recruitment of skilled workers from Telangana. Around 500 job openings are expected to open up in the next two years across various sectors like healthcare, engineering, hospitality and construction.

Tech and culture came together during CM Reddys visit to Sony headquarters, where the team interacted with Crunchyroll, Sonys animation arm.

The CM presented his plans to build a cutting-edge Film City in Hyderabad that could integrate VFX, animation and gaming.

Adding to the list of collaborations is Toshiba, which signed an MoU to expand its manufacturing footprint in Telangana with an investment of 562 crore. The new facility will focus on surge arresters and advanced power equipment for Indias energy sector.

For the Telangana government, Japans visit wasnt just about the numbers but also about showcasing the states readiness to engage with the world. The Telangana CM will wrap up the Japan tour on April 22.
Speculations are abuzz in Maharashtra that estranged cousins, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, are likely to join hands again as both Maratha leaders have said they are ready to overlook trivial issues and work together for Marathi manoos. The development is likely the most surprising outcome of the Devendra Fadnavis governments move to make Hindi mandatory for primary classes.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, without naming his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj, said in a public meeting that he is ready to join hands with the latter to protect the interests of Marathis. However, the former chief minister had one condition: Whoever works against the interests of Maharashtra should not be welcomed home, an apparent reference of to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shindes recent dinner meet with Raj at the latters residence.

#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "Raj Thackeray has said that if there are any grudges between the two brothers, then I will keep my ego aside and will remove it (grudges) for the best interests of Maharashtra. On which Uddhav Thackeray has said that we are pic.twitter.com/39cKOyEOSa  ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025

The development comes after the MNS chief came down heavily against the Mahayuti government for making Hindi mandatory for primary classes. Raj said, We are Hindus, but not Hindi. In a recent podcast, the MNS leader, responding to a question on working again with Uddhav Thackeray said, For a bigger cause, our fights and issues are trivial. Maharashtra is very big. For Maharashtra, the existence of Marathi manoos (native Marathi speakers), these fights are very trivial. I don't think it is a difficult task to come together and stay united. It is not the question of my wish or selfishness. We need to look at the larger picture. All Maharashtrians should form one party.

Responding to his cousins comments, Uddhav, during a public event said, I am also ready to put aside trivial issues and I appeal to everyone to come together for the sake of Marathi manoos." He added, First decide that whoever works against the interests of Maharashtra will not be welcomed at home, you will not go to their homes and break bread with them. Then talk about the interests of Maharashtra, PTI reported. Uddhav had also firmly opposed the state governments move to make Hindi mandatory for classes 1-5.

The development comes after Shinde met Raj at the latters residence earlier this week. While leaders maintained it was a casual meeting, sources in the know of the development said the leaders could have possibly discussed about upcoming civic body polls. On Saturday, while Shinde was inspecting development works in his native village, he reportedly snubbed a reporter who asked him about the cousins uniting again.
Karnatakas former Director General of Police Om Prakash was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence in Bengaluru on Sunday. He was 68.

Prakashs body, found with injuries, was lying in a pool of blood on the ground floor of his three-storey house in the upscale HSR Layout, according to reports.

Senior police officials have reached the spot after being informed by the former top cops wife, Pallavi. Both Pallavi and their daughter are being interrogated.

Police suspect the involvement of a close family member in the incident. Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand said an FIR will be registered based on a complaint by Prakash's son.

#WATCH | Karnataka | Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayanand says, "Today afternoon around 4-4:30 pm, we got information about the death of our former DGP and IGP Om Prakash. His son has been contacted and he is giving a complaint against the incident, and based on that, an FIR https://t.co/FlgdU1Brf1 pic.twitter.com/iQoJ4YB6fi  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

"After the case is registered, a detailed investigation will be carried out... Immediately, there are no arrests. Initial investigation suggests that things might be internal in nature... It seems that some sharp weapon has been used, which caused so much blood loss that it led to death," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Prakashs body has been sent for autopsy.

Reports claimed that the former DGP had claimed threats to his life and conveyed the same to some of his close associates.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Visuals from St John's Medical College Hospital, where the post-mortem of former Karnataka DGP Om Prakash is being carried out. https://t.co/FlgdU1Brf1 pic.twitter.com/HrESnmupLh  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

A 1981-batch IPS officer, Prakash is a native of Champaran in Bihar. He was appointed Karnataka Director General of Police on March 1, 2015.
The Delhi Airport on Sunday issued another clarification about the diversion of an IndiGo flight carrying Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to Jaipur before landing in the national capital.

The airport authorities said the diversion of the flight was due to the closure of the runway for an upgradation work and added that it is incorrect to blame the airport for the current delays.

"Dear Mr Abdullah, further to our exchange of morning, would highlight that it is incorrect to blame Delhi airport for the current delays/ diversions. The fact is- The closure of Runway 10/28 since 8th April for essential Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgradation," the airport said.

The flight carrying Abdullah was diverted to Jaipur on Saturday evening and it finally landed in Delhi in the early hours of Sunday.

"Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I'm in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I've no idea what time we will leave from here," the chief minister said in a post on X.

Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but Im in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. Ive no idea what time we will leave from pic.twitter.com/RZ9ON2wV8E  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 19, 2025

Replying to Abdullahs post, the airport authorities had issued a clarification, citing operational issues due to ongoing infrastructure work and changes in wind patterns.

The airport said it had already issued several advisories about the "unseasonal changing" wind patterns. It also stated that runway 10/28 had been closed since April 8 for Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgrades after consultations with all stakeholders and based on past wind data.
The United States Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in India on Monday for a four-day visit. Vance landed at Palam airbase in Delhi around 9.30am along with his wife Usha Vance and their three children.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw received Vance at the airbase. A delegation of the US administration is also accompanying the vice president.

Delhi police have already conducted mock drills in the national capital according to the security protocol. Security has been tightened across different areas of Delhi to ensure that everything goes smoothly and no untoward incident happens during the visit," a senior police officer told PTI.

Police have conducted advance security liaisoning at the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, which the US vice president will visit on Monday evening. We have thoroughly checked the premises and our teams will be deployed on the premises on the day of the visit too," the officer said.

According to reports, Vance and his family will also visit a shopping complex selling traditional Indian handcrafted goods.

This will be Vances first visit to India as the US vice president. He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the evening.

The vice president and his delegation will have other engagements in Delhi and are also scheduled to visit Jaipur and Agra before departing for Washington on 24 April 2025, the External Affairs Ministry said last week.

Vances visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the implementation of the outcomes of the India-US Joint Statement issued on February 13, 2025 during the visit of the prime minister to the US, the MEA said.

The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, it further said.
Despite Bharatiya Janata Party president J.P Nadda rejecting remarks of party MPs against the judiciary and Supreme Court, Congress targeted the ruling party and demanded action against them. The Congress also questioned the BJP whether they agreed with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhars comments against the Supreme Court.

#WATCH | Delhi: On BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's statement on the Supreme Court, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says, "It is a clear case of contempt of court, violation of Constitution... This cannot be taken lightly. A serious allegation has been made by a member of pic.twitter.com/ccL2i3fJL6  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh charged Naddas rejections bears little meaning. The distancing of the outgoing BJP President from the atrocious remarks made by 2 BJP MPs on the Chief Justice of India carries little meaning. These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals, Ramesh charged in a post on X. Calling Naddas clarification a damage control, Ramesh said, This is Entire Political Science reflecting itself as Entire Political Hypocrisy.

#WATCH | BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it https://t.co/CjTk4wBzHA pic.twitter.com/HYNa8sxBVt  ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025

Congress also targeted the BJP over comments made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar against the judiciary and whether the Centre subscribed to it. The outgoing BJP President is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high Constitutional position. What does he have to say about these remarks? Does the BJP subscribe to them? If the continued silence of the Prime Minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, he asked.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey kicked up a row on Saturday and accused the apex court of inciting religious wars in the country. He added, If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut." Dinesh Sharma also criticised the Supreme Courts verdict in the Tamil Nadu governor vs state government case and said no one can challenge the president as the president is supreme.

BJP president Nadda rejected the comments and said the party always had high regard for the Supreme Court and judiciary. Nadda said they were personal statements and the BJP neither agrees or supports such statements.

Congress MP K.C. Venugopal said the MPs comments amount to contempt and action must be taken against the duo. This is direct attack on the judiciary and the Speaker and the court should take action, he demanded.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a broadside against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday, accusing him of switching sides to retain power. Kharge also called the alliance between the JD(U) and the BJP in the state opportunistic.

The Congress chief was addressing the party's Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally at the Dalsagar stadium in Buxar. Bihar goes to polls later this year, and the Congress-RJD alliance is eyeing a return to power, ousting the Nitish government.

#WATCH | Bihar: Addressing a public rally in Buxar, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "PM Modi and BJP treat us as enemies. The way they have filed a chargesheet against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and started an investigation against Robert Vadra, this is just to pic.twitter.com/Aj5JGDqFZV  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

The alliance between Nitish Kumar and the BJP is opportunistic. It is not good for the people of the state. Nitish Kumar switches sides just for 'kursi' (CM's post). The JD(U) chief has joined hands with the ideology that killed Mahatma Gandhi," Kharge said in a sharp attack on his former ally.

Nitish Kumars JD(U) was part of the opposition INDIA bloc at the national level before he broke alliance with the Congress and the RJD in January 2024 and joined hands with the BJP to form a fresh government in the state.

Kharge also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his promise of a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for Bihar.

People of Bihar must ask Nitish Kumar what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for Bihar, which he had made on August 18, 2015? Modi Ji is running a factory of lies," he said.

Kharge further alleged that the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was an attempt to target the Congress party. He further termed the bringing in of the Waqf Amendment Act as a conspiracy to create division among communities.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said no alliance talks have been held with Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the estranged cousins, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, are just bonding emotionally. Rauts comments come amid speculations that key Marathi leaders are joining hands again.

Raut told reporters, There is no alliance (between MNS and Uddhav-led Shiv Sena) as of now, only emotional talks are going on," ANI reported." Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not broken. Both brothers will decide (about the alliance), Raut added.

#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "... There is no allaince (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on..."



He says, "Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not pic.twitter.com/KW4V3OnJTL  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

The Uddhav Sena leader said the former chief minister has not placed preconditions for the alliance. Uddhav Ji said that there are a few parties who claim to be well-wishers of Maharashtra, but they are the enemy of Maharashtra. They broke Balasaheb's Shiv Sena to attack the pride of Maharashtra, and with such parties, we shouldn't have any relations. Then only we can be true Maharashtrians, and this is not a condition but the feelings of the people of Maharashtra, Raut said.

Speculations are abuzz in Maharashtra that estranged cousins are likely to join hands again. The development comes after the MNS chief said in a podcast that he is ready to join hands and work with Uddhav for the benefit of Maharashtrians. For a bigger cause, our fights and issues are trivial. Maharashtra is very big. For Maharashtra, the existence of Marathi manoos (native Marathi speakers), these fights are very trivial. I don't think it is a difficult task to come together and stay united, Raj had said.

However, without mentioning Rajs name, during a public event, Uddhav said, I am also ready to put aside trivial issues and I appeal to everyone to come together for the sake of Marathi manoos." He added, First decide that whoever works against the interests of Maharashtra will not be welcomed at home, you will not go to their homes and break bread with them.

The Thackerays have staunchly opposed the Maharashtra governments move to make Hindi mandatory for primary classes in the state. The MNS chief had said, We are Hindus, but not Hindi.
Supreme Court lawyer Anas Tanwir has moved the office of Attorney General to initiate contempt proceedings at Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey for his alleged comments against the apex court. Tanwir said the comments were misleading and were aimed at lowering the dignity of the Supreme Court.

In his letter written under section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, Tanwir has sought the consent of AG to initiate contempt proceedings against the Lok Sabha MP. The lawyer charged the statements made by Dubey were "grossly scandalous, misleading, and aimed at lowering the dignity and authority of the Honourable Supreme Court of India."

#WATCH | Delhi: "...Supreme Court is responsible for inciting religious wars in the country. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut..." says BJP MP Nishikant Dubey pic.twitter.com/ObnVcpDYQf  ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025

Referring to the Supreme Court's observations during the hearing over Waqf Amendment Act, the senior counsel also accused Dubey of making communally polarizing comments against the Supreme Court. He said the comments cast aspersions on the top court's impartiality.

The opposition including Congress has demanded BJP to take action against Dubey and BJP MP Dinesh Sharma for their alleged comments against the judiciary and the Supreme Court. The comments come in the backdrop of apex court specifying timeline for governors and president for granting assent to bills passed by state legislatures.

Dubey said, "If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut."

The BJP has distanced itself from the MPs' remarks and said the comments were personal and not the party's views. BJP president J.P. Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support such statements."
West Bengal police have arrested one of the key persons involved in the murder of father and son in violence-hit Murshidabad. Three persons were killed in the violence that erupted during protests against the amended Waqf law in the state.

According to police, the arrested person has been identified as Ziaul Sheikh, a resident of Sulitala Purbapara, the neighbouring village of Jafrabad. Sheikh was at large since the murder of father and son on April 12. Sheikh allegedly escaped to Uttar Dinajpur after the incident.

"This person is one of the prime accused who had conspired and instigated a mob to carry out vandalism at the residence of the deceased and killed Haragobindo Das and his son Chandan Das on April 12," a senior officer involved with the probe told PTI. The official said police have collected necessary evidence against Sheikh, including CCTV footage and his mobile phone tower location to prove his involvement in the crime.

Sheikh was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) and the Special Investigating Team (SIT) from his hideout in Chopra, Uttar Dinajpur district, police said.

Violence erupted in Murshidabad amid protests against the recently introduced amended Waqf law in West Bengal. The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central paramilitary forces to control the situation.

West Bengal police had earlier arrested Kalu Nadar, Dildar, and Inzmam Ul Haque in connection with their murder of father and son. Police arrested Kalu from Murarai in Birbhum district, his brother Dildar was held from the Bangladesh border area under the Suti police station jurisdiction, PTI reported. Police have registered over 100 cases and have arrested close to 300 persons in connection with violence in Murshidabad.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sprung a surprise on Saturday when he announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin announced his troops would cease "all hostilities" between 6 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday and midnight on Monday, stating that he assumed Ukrainians would follow suit.

While Putin's stance came unexpectedly, the Ukrainian side wasn't thrilled. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cast doubts over the Easter truce, stating that "Russian attack drones were detected in our skies" Saturday evening. "Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putins true attitude toward Easter and toward human life," Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Saturday. Giving details of an alleged missile attack in Kharkiv, Zelenskyy said: "One must be an outright scumbag and despise life to carry out such missile strikes on an ordinary city on Good Friday, the eve of Easter."

Interestingly, the Russian declaration comes after US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened to wash their hands off the peace talks, making it imperative for Putin to show that he was serious about peace.

Putin offers truce for Easter, as a means to see if the Kiev regime is sincere and capable of living up and respecting deals.



Zelensky has already refused the truce.



Zelensky does not want this war to end, because when it does, he is a dead man.



pic.twitter.com/28J1zIZkWY  Clandestine (@WarClandestine) April 19, 2025

While geopolitical experts believe Putin's statement was an overture to Trump, others feel it was a tactic used by the Russian leader to peddle his theory that Ukraine didn't want the war to end. He also wanted to prove wrong the charges that Russia was intentionally dragging the talks and that the Kremlin's strategy was to use ceasefire negotiations as a tool to accelerate victory till it reached a situation where victory became a part of the final agreement.

Some believe while this can be overtly interpreted as a sign that both sides can stop the fighting if wanted, this could also be a ruse to show that the other side cannot be trusted, citing the violations. As for the violations, there are aplenty as Ukraine claims it is still being attacked.

Putin's statement that Russia should "remain vigilant to potential violations and provocations by the enemy" as it was aware that Kyiv had "already violated the agreement to refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure over 100 times" hints that the Kremlin has every intention to hold Ukraine responsible for any misadventure.

Even if the ceasefire comes into play, it will be a logistical nightmare for Ukrainians as some frontline positions may be in the middle of fierce clashes, according to CNN. Halting the fighting among the chaos and misinformation-triggered confusion is going to be a complex task for Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has cleared its stance on the ceasefire, stating that Kyiv "will look at actions, not words". He added that Russia could agree at any time to the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, which has been on the table since March.
Slamming former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a major political party leader in the country has said that the ousted Prime Minister would have "merged Bangladesh with India" had she remained in power.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu also slammed India, stating "the country has proven itself to be a fascist by giving space to a fascist." Dudu is the vice-chairman of the party founded by Khaleda Zia.

His outrageous statement came during a civic rally held to protest against the "persecution and killing of Muslims in India". The former MP added that Bangladesh drove Hasina out as there was no place for her in the country. "She not only fled to India to save her life, her real address is India," Dudu was quoted by local Bangladeshi media.

He said India can never claim to be a pro-democratic state. "India says they gave her shelter to protect Hasina. It is not protection, Sheikh Hasina's ideal is India and her address is India. That is why she has gone to India. A fascist can only live with fascists," Dudu said.

He launched a further attack against India, stating that the country had destabilised Bangladesh."Hasina made Bangladesh a slave of India in every sense by destroying the electoral system and democracy," he alleged. "Maybe if she had had a little more time, she would have also integrated Bangladesh with India."

"We consider India as a friendly country. But, India does not consider Bangladesh a friendly country. It is very difficult to say that India is a friendly country of Bangladesh based on what they are doing," he said.

The BNP leader went on a baseless rhetoric, stating he was protesting against the demonic role of India, stating that the government was attacking minorities and ethnic groups and lower-caste.

Interestingly, Dudu's remarks come as a prominent Hindu community leader was allegedly abducted from his home and beaten to death in Dinajpur district in north Bangladesh. According to Bangladeshi media, Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, was a resident of Basudebpur village of Dinajpur, about 330 kilometres northwest of Dhaka.

Roy was the vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and a prominent leader of the Hindu community in the area.

India protested against Roy's killing. However, Bangladesh interim government press secretary Shafiul Alam has dismissed the reports that Roy was killed due to his religious affiliation. "It is unfortunate that the death of Mr Bhabesh Chandra Roy has been described as part of a 'pattern of systematic persecution' of Hindu minorities under the interim government," he said in response to a query on the comments of India's external affairs ministry.
V. Veerappan

INDIAS ELECTRONICS APPETITE, driven by mobiles, is growing at an unprecedented pace. A decade ago, smartphones were a luxurythe penetration rate was just 19 per cent. Today, over 70 per cent of Indians own smartphones. This digital transformation is not just about mobile phonesit extends across multiple sectors, each contributing to the soaring demand for semiconductors.

The e-commerce boom is one such driver. The rapid expansion of Indias telecom and cloud ecosystem has also reshaped how businesses and individuals connect. The post-pandemic shift to remote work has further accelerated this trend, making Wi-Fi routers common in Indian households.

Beyond connectivity, emerging industries are amplifying the semiconductor surge. Electronic vehicles require advanced chips for battery management and smart driving systems. Artificial intelligence and automation are transforming industries, with factories deploying AI-powered robotics to enhance efficiency and precision. These factors converge to create such an insatiable demand for chips that the Indian semiconductor market could cross $100 billion in revenues by 2030.

The future of Indian-made chips in the countrys semiconductor landscape remains an open question. India has yet to establish a foothold in the manufacturing, assembly and packaging of integrated circuits. Unlike other global players, we are not yet exporting chips, nor do we have the facilities for producing semiconductors at scale.

Change is on the horizon, though. India Semiconductor Mission has given subsidies worth $10 billion for developing semiconductor and display manufacturing facilities in the country. This production-linked incentive scheme has lowered capital costs for companies setting up chip-making plants, ensuring they can compete on a global scale. The Digital India and Make in India initiatives are also playing important roles. As a result, in the next three to five years, we will have India-manufactured ICs.

But our imports will not diminish overnight. It could come down by 10-20 per cent in the coming years, and we will have to still largely depend on other countries.

One notable shift that may take place is the declining dependence on Chinese semiconductors. At present, China is Indias largest source of chip imports, but this is expected to change due to the China plus one policy. Countries like Germany, Israel, Taiwan, the US, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia will fill the gap in the near future, reducing Indias exposure to Chinese suppliers.

But, the semiconductor market is deeply intertwined with both superpowersthe US dominates intellectual property rights, while China leads in high-volume manufacturing. Unlike many nations that have chosen sides, India has pragmatically kept its doors open to both.

While a complete halt in chip imports from China is unlikely, Indias engagement with the US in semiconductor technology is growing. One of the biggest factors shaping Indias role is its deep-rooted connection to American semiconductor firms. Many of them have their largest design teams based in India. The US also views India as an essential ally in its semiconductor ambitions, and a recent bilateral agreement to establish a semiconductor fab has strengthened ties.

India must also strengthen its position as an exporter. Today, global companies leverage India for chip design. If Indian manufacturers can produce and export chips in addition to offering design expertise, the countrys status in the global semiconductor value chain will rise significantly.

Veerappan is chairman, India Electronics and Semiconductor Association.
Dholera, Gujarat

Located 115 kilometres southwest of Ahmedabad, Dholera is a dusty village of broken roads and rugged terrainnondescript at first glance. The landscape is dry and barren, save for an area where construction is in full swing. Sleek office buildings are beginning to rise, and newly laid blacktop roads carve paths into the futurean empty canvas coming to life.

India lacks a commercial fabrication facility, forcing it to continue importing 95 per cent of its chips from China, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore. The Gujarat SemiConnect in March brought together 1,500 global delegates, 250 exhibitors, and a number of industry leaders. A unique advantage that India has in the semiconductor space is that 20 per cent of the global chip designing workforce is based in the country.

So far, 22 square kilometres have been developedthe first brushstroke in an audacious plan to transform Dholera into a next-generation city. Over the next three decades, under the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) project, 22 villages in the taluka will be woven into a sprawling, 920sqkm megacitylarger than Mumbai or Bengaluru.

This transformation is being charted through six town-planning schemes (TPS), rolled out in three phases. Phase one includes TPS-1 and TPS-2, covering 158 square kilometres. This phase involves building essential infrastructure: roads, utility grids, water pipelines, wastewater systems, solid waste facilities, and power and information technology networks. Also under development is a river-bunding project, the Ahmedabad-Dholera expressway, freight and rapid transit rail links, and an international airport. Since Dholera falls within a coastal regulation zone, 150 square kilometres of agricultural land will remain preserved.

As a greenfield city-in-the-making, Dholera is envisioned as a manufacturing and industrial hub. Its economic base is set to shift from agriculture and aquaculture to high-value, cutting-edge sectors such as electronics, aviation, defence, metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, automotive components, and agro-food processing.

Among all the developments, perhaps the most ambitious is the Rs91,000-crore plan to build Indias first commercial semiconductor fabrication planta cornerstone of technological self-reliance. Spanning 290 acres and encircled by a protective canal that would prevent floods, the facility is being developed by Tata Electronics in collaboration with Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation.

Creating a semiconductor chip is arguably as complex and demanding as building an entire city from scratch. Often cited as the most intricate human-made products, chips are the invisible engines of the digital age. They power everything from smartphones and automobiles to advanced medical systems and military technology. With the rise of artificial intelligence, chips have become the most strategically valuable asset a nation can possess.

Forging ahead: Construction work in progress at the PSMC-Tata Electronics facility in Dholera | Salil Bera

Yet, India remains a marginal player in the global semiconductor arena. The country lacks a commercial fabrication facility, forcing it to continue importing 95 per cent of its chips from China, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore. In 2023-24, India imported 18.43 billion chips and system on chips (SoCs, which combine essential parts such as processor and memory onto a single chip) worth $20.7 billion.

India realised the urgent need to change course because of two pivotal events: the Covid-19 pandemic and a border standoff with China. Back in April 2020, the government moved to restrict opportunistic takeovers of Indian companies by entities from countries it shares land border with. It was widely understood that the policy was aimed at Chinese firms, said Konark Bhandari, a Carnegie India fellow who authored the paper Geopolitics of the Semiconductor Industry and Indias Place in It.

Following the border tensions, India ramped up its pushbackbanning hundreds of Chinese apps in June 2020 and, a year later, barring Chinese telecom giant Huawei from participating in 5G trials. By June 2021, India had also barred Huawei from supplying equipment to mobile carriers, Bhandari said. A former official of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), he specialises in space tech regulation and digital antitrust policy.

A 3D representation of the Dholera smart city project | Salil Bera

While the pandemic exposed the fragility of global chip supply chains, the border standoff underscored the strategic perils of dependency on China. With Indias semiconductor market boomingit is expected to surpass $80 billion by 2026 and $110 billion by 2030, according to the US department of commercethere is a greater urgency to build a robust domestic manufacturing ecosystem.

The global chip shortage revealed how deeply interconnected, and vulnerable, the semiconductor supply chain is. With no single entity in full control, semiconductor manufacturing is a symphony of global inputs: lithography machines from the Netherlands, specialty gases from Japan, and fabrication hubs in Taiwan and South Korea. A single tremoran earthquake in Japan or a drought in Taiwancan send shockwaves through the global economy.

As artificial intelligence and machine learning redefine the boundaries of computing, cutting-edge chips have become essentials. Driven by the demand for AI integration, internet of things, and ever-smaller consumer electronics, India can no longer afford to rely solely on imports. The message is clear: if India wants to stay relevant in the digital century, it must secure its semiconductor future.

SKY is no limit: Micron is setting up an ATMP (assembly, testing, marking and packaging) facility in Sanand | Salil Bera

With the fab being built in Dholera, Indias semiconductor dream is waiting for its breakthrough moment.

Indias semiconductor foray began in 1962, when Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) started producing germanium transistors. By 1967, the company had progressed to silicon-based devices, marking a significant shift. But, even as India refined transistor technology, the world swiftly transitioned to integrated circuits (ICs)compact chips that combined transistors, resistors and capacitors into a single unit.

BEL eventually ventured into IC manufacturing, but the progress was sluggish. It was not until the 1980s that the sector gained traction, fuelled by a $40 million investment from the government to establish Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL) in Mohali, PunjabIndias first semiconductor fabrication facility. Streamlining licensing regulations and reducing import duties, the government set the stage for accelerated growth. Remarkably, this happened before Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)now a global leadereven entered the industry.

By the late 1980s, SCL had advanced to 800-nanometre technologythe number referring to the width of the chip circuit line. The gap with global standards was down to just two years.

Rising prowess: A chip manufacturing demo at the Advantage Assam summit in Guwahati in February | Getty Images

But they were not producing large-volume commercial chips, which were the trendsetters in the advancement of semiconductor manufacturing at that time. The Indian market was very small and they did not have any export market, said Pranay Kotasthane, deputy director at the Takshashila Institution and author of When The Chips are Down: A Deep Dive into a Global Crisis.

According to Kotasthane, the state-controlled, non-competitive environment hindered government companies. Indias semiconductor industry soon ran into a major challenge: Rocks law, which says the cost of semiconductor fabrication plants doubles every four years. As it became increasingly expensive to remain competitive, and without a sustained growth in investment from the government, there was a gradual decline in Indias semiconductor ambitions.

Government-run companies struggled to keep pace with the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, largely because they operated in a non-competitive environment that didnt demand continuous technological upgrades. The companies were also restricted from competing with each other, said Kotasthane.

Delegates at a semiconductor exhibition in Gandhinagar in March | Salil Bera

While SCL was tasked with chip manufacturing, BEL was restricted to assembly, creating a fragmented approach that stifled innovation. As a result, both failed to keep up with Moores lawthe principle that transistor density in integrated circuits doubles roughly every two years, fuelling exponential advancements in computing power and efficiency.

A devastating fire at SCLs Mohali facility in 1989 further pushed India behind, as the US, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea marched ahead. While the SCL and BEL continued to serve government agencies such as the Defence Research Development Organisation, the Indian government in 2007 unsuccessfully tried to attract private players in semiconductor manufacturing by offering a host of incentives, including capital subsidy of up to 25 per cent.

Over the years, several semiconductor projects to address Indias commercial needs were proposed only to fizzle out later. The Andhra Pradesh governments Fab City project, announced in 2006, failed after major investors SemIndia and Nano Tech Silicon India backed out following the global financial crisis. Infrastructure firm JP Associates, in association with IBM and Israels Tower Semiconductor, wanted to build a wafer fab in Noida. But they abandoned the plan in 2016, saying it would not be commercially viable.

With high-profile proposals not progressing beyond the drawing board, India continues to rely on imports. In 2021, realising the need to secure Indias technological future, the government launched the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) as an independent division within Digital India Corporation, a not-for-profit company established in 2013 for capacity building in technology. With administrative and financial autonomy, ISM serves as the nodal agency responsible for shaping and executing the countrys long-term vision for semiconductor manufacturing, as well as fostering a chip design ecosystem.

The following year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Semicon India Programme, committing more than $10 billion as incentives to companies establishing fabrication units, display fabs, and facilities for assembling, testing and packaging chips.

SCL was upgraded to 180nm technology, which we got in collaboration with Tower Semiconductor of Israel. It did not produce any latest technology but served its purpose in a big way by catering to our strategic sectors, V.K. Saraswat, NITI Aayog member and member of ISMs advisory committee, told THE WEEK.

According to Saraswat, the government realised that things had to be done in a different manner. The journey from 180nm technology to ISM began sometime in 2012, he said. We decided to modify policies for ISM to give a greater push for the creation of a semiconductor ecosystem in India.

As part of ISM, five groundbreaking semiconductor projects are now underwayfour in Gujarat and one in Assam. Leading the mission is the PSMC-Tata Electronics facility in Dholera, which is expected to have a monthly output capacity of 50,000 wafersa slice of semiconductor material, typically silicon, for fabricating chips. PSMC will transfer advanced technology to manufacture a range of chips28nm, 40nm, 55nm, 90nm and 110nmthat will cater to the surging demand across sectors such as automotive, computing, data storage, wireless communication and artificial intelligence.

The Gujarat government also plans to develop a Semicon City, which will serve as a vibrant hub for the semiconductor ecosystem in India, said Manish Gurwani, who served as director, Gujarat State Electronics Mission.

In 2022, Gujarat became one of the first states to introduce a dedicated semiconductor policy that charted an ambitious five-year plan to attract global players. The policy offers a range of incentives, including up to 40 per cent capital expenditure assistance for fab projects, full reimbursement of stamp duty and registration fees, and subsidy on land required for a fab up to certain area. Companies are provided access to high-quality water at Rs12 per cubic metre for five years, along with a power tariff subsidy of Rs2 per unit for a decade.

According to Gurwani, Gujarats semiconductor policy is well-aligned with ISM. No separate scrutiny is required for projects approved by ISM, reducing the timeline for state approval and additional burden for the investor, said Gurwani. The Dholera fab, he said, was approved by the state government within 24 hours of the ISM clearing it.

The incentives are already yielding results. Apart from the Dholera fab, CG Power and Industrial Solutionspartnering with Renesas Electronics Corp of Japan and Stars Microelectronics of Thailandis developing an OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) facility in Sanand with an investment of Rs7,000 crore. Micron is setting up an ATMP (assembly, testing, marking and packaging) facility in Sanand with a Rs22,516 crore capital investment, supported by a pilot project site already in operation. Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd is investing Rs3,300 crore to establish another ATMP unit there.

These plants are being established under the second phase of the Sanand Industrial Estate, developed by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation. The first phase, spanning 2,056 hectares, hosts more than 500 global companies, including top auto manufacturers. A key centre for auto ancillary, pharmaceuticals and electronics industries, Sanand is evolving into a major research and development hub.

They (the state government) have given us a dedicated, 24x7 power and water supply, which is what a semiconductor project needs. What we also need is an ecosystem, and thats why the government has ensured multiple projects in this region, said Wasi Uddin of Kaynes. Once fully operational, the Kaynes facility, spread across 1.84 lakh square metres, is expected to produce 2.3 billion chips annually.

To help establish a semiconductor and packaging ecosystem, the state government organised the Gujarat SemiConnect in March, bringing together 1,500 global delegates, 250 exhibitors, and a number of industry leaders. Six country-specific roundtables and seven panel discussions were held during the event, reinforcing Gujarats growing presence on the global semiconductor map.

Assam is another state that has benefited from Indias renewed semiconductor push. Tata Electronics is building a state-of-the-art assembly and test facility in Jagiroad in Morigaon district with an investment outlay of Rs27,000 crore. The facility will focus on three platform technologieswire bond, flip chip and integrated systems packagingthat have crucial applications in sectors such as automobiles, communications and network infrastructure.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Jagiroad project would transform the states economy. Unlike Sanand, an established industrial hub where the Gujarat government is enhancing existing infrastructure, Jagiroad starts from scratch. As part of the states most underdeveloped regions, Jagiroad lacks the essential framework for large and medium-scale industries. The Tata facility is expected to be a beacon of economic transformation.

This facility will initially create 27,000 jobs, with numbers set to grow over time, Industries and Commerce Minister Bimal Borah said at the Assam Semiconductor Conclave in Guwahati last December. He projected Assams proximity to southeast Asia as a strategic advantage, saying the government was in talks to host representatives from ASEAN countries. The Jagiroad project belongs to the entire northeast, and it will be a gateway for the regions industrial development, said Borah.

Tata wants to help build an entire semiconductor ecosystem around its Jagiroad facility. We will engage with the ecosystem and the entire chain. Suppliers of equipment, raw materials and gases will have to work as a team, said Srinivas Satya, president (components business and supply chain), Tata Electronics.

Confident that the projects in Gujarat and Assam are progressing well, the Union government is gearing up for phase two of ISM. With a proposed $15 billion outlay, said Union Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, phase two of ISM aims to expand beyond chip manufacturing, offering strategic support for raw materials, equipment, gases and specialty chemicalskey components essential to semiconductor production.

Indias chip ambitions extend beyond commercial manufacturing. A significant milestone has been the Union governments initiative to revamp SCLs Mohali facility. As part of a major upgrade, Indias first fab is set to double its manufacturing capacity, with modern tools being introduced to enhance production efficiency. The government is also spearheading a Rs2,000-crore effort to augment SCLs chip production capabilities to 65nm, 40nm and 28nm nodes.

Also, India has signed an agreement with the US to establish a semiconductor fab dedicated to national securitya first of its kind that will focus on advanced sensing, communication and power electronics for national security.

A unique advantage that India has in the semiconductor space is that 20 per cent of the global chip designing workforce is based in the country. In recent decades, major players such as Intel, NXP and Qualcomm have set up expansive global capability centres in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Noida, Pune and Chennai.

Initially, Indias appeal to global semiconductor companies was largely driven by cost advantages. However, over the past decade or more, that narrative has significantly evolved, said Ashish Lachhwani, a former Qualcomm engineer who is preparing to launch a startup. Its not just about affordability anymore. Its about the knowledge base and expertise built over the yearsthey have positioned Indian engineers to design and define next-generation semiconductor products.
V.K. Saraswat

Interview/ V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog and the advisory committee of India Semiconductor Mission

A FORMER SECRETARY of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Vijay Kumar Saraswat has played a pivotal role in developing indigenous missile systems such as Prithvi, Dhanush, Prahaar and Agni-5, as well as Indias ballistic missile defence system, the fighter jet Tejas, and the nuclear submarine INS Arihant.

He also launched the Photonics Valley Corporation in Telangana to advance silicon photonics, crucial for 5G and supercomputing, and has led Indias microprocessor development for smart cities and internet of things. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Saraswat, 75, speaks about the past, present and future of the Indian semiconductor sector. Excerpts:

Q/ For long, unclear trade policies, high import tariffs, an unfavourable tax regime, limited domestic demand and overall governmental inaction ensured that we do not have any commercial semiconductor fabs. How does the Narendra Modi government plan to change this?

A/ The entire commercial electronics sector in India is assembly-based. We import television kits, assemble them here, and sell them. The same applies to most electronic products. So, semiconductor importschips, integrated circuits, deviceswere largely limited to critical sectors and did not penetrate the commercial sector. The government found it difficult to invest when demand was so low. But it was a catch-22 situation. We believed that the availability of semiconductors in the country would spur demand. That is why, in 2014, the government of India decided to make upfront investments and involve the private sector in manufacturing to compete with global technologies.

Q/ Despite being greenlit, several semiconductor fab projectsincluding those by the JP Group and Tower Semiconductordid not materialise during Modis first term. Will projects based by the India Semiconductor Mission meet the same fate?

A/ The licences for these companies were issued during the previous (UPA) governments time, and around 2015, I also got involved. We discovered that the policy had major drawbacks. For example, while the government promised support, it required private companies to first invest and successfully demonstrate semiconductor production before reimbursement. That meant private players had to take the initial risk in an ecosystem where demand and market size were uncertain.

I worked with them for three years, tried to persuade them, and assured them that we would help create a market. But the requirement of upfront investment made the proposition too risky, so they withdrew their licences.

Some of these companies also lacked financial muscle. They hoped for support from international financial institutions. But with unclear demand and limited capital, banks and institutions hesitated. Although they signed contracts with companies from France and Taiwan for technology transfer, they failed to secure the financial inputs needed.

In 2017, we decided that the government must absorb the initial investment risk. Todays policy ecosystem is far more supportiveand that is why so many companies have now come forward.

Q/ Current estimates suggest that Indian semiconductor facilities will not be producing chips smaller than 20 nanometre anytime soon, while global players are already making sub-10nm chips. How long could it take for India to catch up?

A/ We should not follow the same trajectory as others. Our market research shows that 7080 per cent of the products we manufactureboth strategic and commercialcan be supported by 28nm technology. Our focus is currently on 28nm and above. We are also looking at 65nm and 90nm, as analog and memory devices can be made with these

mature technologies.

Q/ From a national security standpoint, how essential is Indias push to become a semiconductor powerhouse, especially with the governments Make in India push in defence manufacturing? How soon might we see indigenous chips powering Indias defence sector?

A/ This is a very important point. Everything is digital today. Not only in strategic sectors like defence, but even in commercial sectors, vulnerabilities are high if we rely on imported chips and technologies. Cyber warfare is the next frontier, and we expose ourselves if our digital infrastructure is based on foreign products.

That is why the government has prioritised domestic chip manufacturing. The 28nm node will cater significantly to the defence sector. The upgraded Semiconductor Laboratory in Mohali, which will soon support 90nm and 65nm, will start churning out many devices that meet national security needs. Facilities in Gujarat and Assam will focus on 28nm chip packaging. Domestic packaging gives us access to design verification and quality checksensuring no bugs are embedded in imported products. Even with just ATMP (assembly, testing, marking and packaging), we improve our sense of security.

Q/ India has signed an agreement with the US to establish a semiconductor fabrication plant for national security purposes. Can we expect similar government-to-government partnerships with other nations?

A/ These are strategic decisions based on our partnerships. With China dominating the semiconductor market, the US has realised it must strengthen its own capabilities. Many US foundries, including IBM, moved operations to China. That is why the US made a major investment of $22 billion to set up new foundries there.

Given our current relationship with the US, the joint fab is one of the most potent collaborations. They are investing, and we also need special foundries for strategic sectors. Similar partnerships are possible, but only with countries willing to invest and contributenot those relying on others for their needs.

Q/ What will be Indias role in the chip war between the US and China?

A/ India has hardly any major role to play in the chip war. But if we come up with our own technology, facilities and production capacity at the earliest, we can compliment the efforts of the US in a big way by providing them low-cost chip manufacturingreducing their dependence on China. So, to that extent, India can play a role. Everyone says China plus one; that one should be India, making headway to the US market.

Q/ So far, five semiconductor plants have been sanctioned under ISM. Four are in Gujarat and one in Assamboth the states are governed by the BJP. Is there a political agenda behind the location choices? How is the government ensuring equitable distribution?

A/ Plant locations are selected based on the ecosystem available in each state. Private investors assess factors like financial incentives, infrastructure, logistics, and, to some extent, availability of skilled manpower. Water, power and a good chemical industry are essential. Gujarat and Assam offered those advantages.

Other states also submitted proposals, and the private sector chose where to invest. I dont think politics played a role. For instance, there was a strong push for Karnataka, but water scarcity and industrial congestion may have deterred investors.

As for Assam, the goal is to promote the northeast. The state has no water or power problems. The only challenge was manpower, and the Assam government is training 3,000 young people through NASSCOM and other agencies. It is a major initiative that the state has taken. Costs are also lower.
An IDF tracker from the Gaza Divisions Northern Brigade was killed and five soldiers were wounded, three seriously, in an exchange of fire in the Gaza Strip on Shabbos.

Warrant Officer Ghaleb Sliman Alnasasra, 35, from the Bedouin-Israeli city of Rahat, was killed in a Hamas attack in northern Gaza, the first combat fatality in the Strip since the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. In addition, five soldiers, including three female soldiers, were injured.

Army Radio reported that an initial investigation revealed that IDF soldiers were working on clearing an area in northern Gaza as part of an operation to expand Israels buffer zone near the border. Several female IDF soldiers were driving on an IDF logistics road when they came under attack by Hamas terrorists, who emerged from a tunnel and fired an RPG at their vehicle, wounding three soldiers, two seriously.

The public is asked to daven for Nurit bas Esther, one of the seriously injured soldiers.

Shortly after the RPG fire, rescue forces from the Gaza Divisions Northern Brigade arrived, including trackers. At 1:25 PM, a half hour after the RPG incident, the terrorists detonated a powerful explosive device near the rescue forces, killing Alnasasra and wounding two other trackers, one seriously.

Air Force helicopters were deployed to the scene and evacuated the wounded to several hospitals.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
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Dividend growth typically is strongest in Q1, as most companies finish their fiscal year and prepare for their shareholder meeting. For Q1 2025, growth, while noticeably slower, did continue and was in line with expectations given the current economic uncertainties. This uncertainty however did not appear to stop increases, though it did limit them, as forward commitment levels appeared shy.

Howard Silverblatt, a Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, expressed continued optimism about the overall outlook for dividends. However, he also acknowledged some uncertainty ahead, given the current market conditions. He made the following comment about the situation.

Additional data from S&P Dow Jones Indices showed that 758 companies raised or initiated dividend payments in Q1 2025, which is a slight decline from 796 in the same period last year, reflecting a 4.8% year-over-year drop. Despite this, the total value of these increases amounted to $19.5 billion for the quarter. Over the 12-month period ending in March 2025, a total of 2,412 companies raised their dividend payments, marking a slight uptick from the 2,411 companies that did so in the same period the previous year. The total value of these dividend increases reached $68.2 billion, just edging past the $68.1 billion recorded during the prior 12-month stretch.

The same report noted that overall dividend payments climbed by roughly 6% to 7%, though this was slightly below the pre-2025 expectation of 8%. In comparison, dividend payouts rose by 6.4% in 2024 and 5.1% in 2023.

According to data from S&P Dow Jones Indices, US domestic common stocks saw a net dividend increase of $15.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, which is an improvement over the $11.7 billion increase seen in the previous quarter. Over the 12 months ending in March 2025, dividend hikes amounted to $68.2 billion, just above the $68.1 billion reported the year before. Meanwhile, dividend cuts dropped significantly, totaling $15.6 billion, compared to $25.2 billion in the prior 12-month period.

Dividend-paying stocks have remained popular among investors due to their strong historical performance. This sustained interest has led many companies to maintain their dividend payouts, raise them, or introduce new dividend policies altogether.

We recently published a list of the 10 Dividend Stocks with Sustainable Payout Ratios . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) stands against other best dividend stocks with sustainable payout ratios.

Story Continues

Despite some caution, analysts remain positive on dividend stocks, pointing out that US companies are well-positioned to sustain their payouts thanks to strong cash reserves. Nuveen, a financial planning firm based in Illinois, noted that an increasing number of companies are likely to roll out dividend policies, supported by the current cash-rich environment, which could drive stronger-than-expected dividend growth in 2025.

The report mentioned that as of September 30, 2024, corporate cash holdings stood at $1.8 trillion, which was close to their highest levels in the past 20 years. With equity valuations running above historical norms, Nuveen believes that companies may lean more toward boosting dividend payments as a way to return value to shareholders, rather than relying on stock buybacks, which may be less attractive in a higher-valuation landscape.

Analysts generally consider a payout ratio in the range of 30% to 50% to be optimal because it indicates that a company is returning a healthy portion of its earnings to shareholders while still retaining enough profits to reinvest in its business and support future growth.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BK): Among the Dividend Stocks with Sustainable Payout Ratios

An aerial view of a modern skyscraper, highlighting the company's corporate services and treasury arm.

Our Methodology

For this article, we screened for companies that consistently distribute dividends to their shareholders. From this initial selection, we narrowed down the list to include only those companies with a 5-year average payout ratio below 50%, indicating a robust cash position. Subsequently, we identified the top 10 companies meeting these criteria and arranged them in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that held stakes in each of them, as per Insider Monkeys database of Q4 2024.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK)

5-Year Average Payout Ratio: 35.77%

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) is an American financial services company, headquartered in New York. The company reported solid earnings in the first quarter of 2025. Its revenue came in at $4.8 billion, which showed a 6% growth from the same period last year. The company reported average deposits of $283 billion, reflecting a 1% increase compared to the previous year and a 1% decrease from the previous quarter. In addition, its Tier 1 leverage ratio stood at 6.2%, marking a 35 basis point year-over-year improvement and a 50 basis point increase from the prior quarter.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) was formed in 2007 through the merger of the Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation, and it became the worlds largest custodian bank. Unlike traditional banks that offer services like accepting deposits and issuing loans, BNY Mellon specializes in providing security services to asset owners, including other financial institutions. In the past 12 months, the stock has surged by over 40%.

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) is a solid dividend payer and has always remained committed to returning value to shareholders. In the most recent quarter, the company distributed $1.1 billion to shareholders, including $343 million in dividends. Currently, its dividend amounts to $0.47 per share for a dividend yield of 2.46%, as of April 17. The company has raised its dividend payments for 14 years in a row.

Overall, BK ranks 7th on our list of the best dividend stocks with sustainable payout ratios. While we acknowledge the potential of BK as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than BK but that trades at 10 times its earnings and grows its earnings at double digit rates annually, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend 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.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Motzei Shabbos spoke to the press on Motzei Shabbos about Hamass refusal of the hostage release deal, Iran, and political issues.

Netanyahu began his address by expressing condolences to the family of IDF soldier Ghaleb Sliman Alnasasra, who was killed in a Hamas ambush in Gaza on Shabbos.

I have instructed the IDF to respond forcefully [to the ambush] and further increase the pressure on Hamas, Netanyahu said. We are in a war of survival  a war on seven fronts. This war has a very heavy price, but we, as a people who desire life, have no choice but to continue to fight for our very existence  until victory.

Netanyahu, in a response to leftist lies that he is purposely thwarting a hostage release deal with Hamas, added: I will not surrender to the murderers who committed the most terrible massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. If we surrender to Hamas dictates now, all the tremendous achievements we have made will simply be lost.

Hamas demands a complete end to the war, a full withdrawal and the rehabilitation of Gaza  conditions that will allow it to rearm and attack again, Netanyahu stressed, warning that surrendering to Hamas would encourage further abductions, sending a dangerous message that by abducting Israelis, it is possible to bring the State of Israel to its knees. This is a message that terror pays  endangering the security of the entire free world.

There were voices calling for surrender from the very beginning of the fighting. If I had succumbed to them, we would not have entered Rafah, we would not have conquered the Philadelphi Corridor, we would not have eliminated Sinwar, Deif, Haniyeh and Nasrallah, and we would not have changed the face of the Middle East.

Responding to leftist calls to end the war in return for the remaining hostages, he said: If we do not complete the destruction of Hamas capabilities, the next October 7th is only a matter of time. 

Netanyahu slammed leftist Israelis calls to surrender to Hamas conditions, saying that they echo word for word the enemys propaganda. They fuel the psychological war against us and against the families and thwart the release of the hostages.

The prime minister stressed that the withdrawal of IDF forces from the Philadelphi Corridor and the buffer zone will allow Hamas to rebuild itself and carry out further abductions. It is my duty to prevent this  and I am preventing it, he said.

Netanyahu added that he believes that military pressure can bring about the return of the hostages. I believe it is possible to return our hostages without surrendering.

I understand the suffering and the pain, he added. It breaks my heart. We will not give up on any hostage  alive or dead.

Netanyahu also addressed the current talks between Iran and the Trump administration on a nuclear deal, stressing: I am committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons  Im not giving up on this, Im not weakening my stance, and Im not retreating even a millimeter.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
The U.S. will withdraw about 600 troops from Syria, leaving fewer than 1,000 to work with Kurdish allies to counter the Islamic State group, a U.S. official said Thursday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet announced publicly.

The U.S. troops have been critical not only in the operations against the Islamic State but as a buffer for the Kurdish forces against Turkey, which considers them to be aligned with terror groups.

President Donald Trump tried to withdraw all forces from Syria during his first term, but he met opposition from the Pentagon because it was seen as abandoning allies and led to the resignation of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

The departure of the 600 troops will return force levels to where they had been for years, after the U.S. and its allies waged a multiyear campaign to defeat IS. The U.S. had maintained about 900 troops in Syria to ensure that the IS militants did not regain a foothold, but also as a hedge to prevent Iranian-backed militants from trafficking weapons across southern Syria.

The number of U.S. troops was raised to more than 2,000 after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel, as Iranian-backed militants targeted U.S. troops and interests in the region in response to Israels bombardment of Gaza.

Three U.S. troops in Jordan were killed by a drone fired by an Iranian-backed militia in January 2024.

In December 2024, Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country. In the months since, Syrians displaced by more than a decade of war have returned home, but the country remains unstable. Israel has targeted Syrian weapons installations, and there are some indications that the Islamic State group is trying to reconstitute itself, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria remain a threat to U.S. interests.

The withdrawal of the 600 troops was first reported by The New York Times.

(AP)

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
Eighteen months after the October 7 massacre, the Southern District Attorneys Office has prepared indictments against 22 Nukhba terrorists who participated in the massacre in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, Yediot Achronot reported on Sunday.

According to the report, the indictments were hastily filed after the US indicated it was ready to file its own indictments against the Nukhba terrorists who murdered and abducted US citizens. Israel quickly conveyed a message to the Trump administration to delay filing US indictments in order not to embarrass Israel.

The indictments were made possible thanks to new materials obtained by Military Intelligence (AMAN) and the Shin Bet in recent months from the Gaza Strip.

The State Attorneys Office also submitted a request to the Attorney General to advance nine new bills to facilitate the trials of the Nukhba terrorists, such as the possibility of holding one mass trial for hundreds of terrorists.

The Shin Bet has been working and continues to work to obtain evidence from every area in the Strip that the IDF forces entered. Many of the pieces of evidence, such as documents, videos, and photographic materials, were obtained thanks to the expansion of the war in Gaza before the ceasefire and the seizure of media and computer materials in the Strip.

A police source told Ynet: The Shin Bet was able to tell us about certain detained terrorists that as soon as it enters a certain area in Gaza, for example, Rafah, it will bring evidence about them from there, and did indeed bring it. I dont remember such an event where a criminal investigation and the filing of indictments were so influenced by the IDFs active combat progress.

Israel has custody of about 300 terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre, some of whom were arrested in Israel shortly after the massacre, and others who were arrested later in Gaza during the war. The government does not intend to include these terrorists in any future hostage release deal.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel)
British households are at risk of receiving higher energy bills this winter due to a row between the Government and the owners of British Gas over one of the country's key fuel storage hubs, The Mail on Sunday understands.

Energy group Centrica runs the Rough storage facility in the North Sea, 18 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire.

It provides half of the UK's storage capacity for natural gas, enough to power the energy grid for up to six days. But there are fears that the clash between the company and ministers could leave Britain without sufficient reserves for this winter.

The firm usually begins filling Rough with gas in early April in preparation for colder months.

But recent data shows Centrica has yet to begin injecting gas into the facility, giving rise to fears that by winter there may not be enough to meet the UK's needs.

In that case, Britain would be forced to pay for imported energy to power the electricity grid. That would leave households exposed to fluctuating natural gas prices on international markets and potentially higher bills. It could also push up costs and increase uncertainty for industry, including the UK's beleaguered steel sector.

Stalemate: Centrica chief executive Chris O'Shea pictured at the Rough site in the North Sea

The decision not to begin refilling Rough stems from a dispute between Centrica and the Government over the facility. The company says losses are unsustainable unless the Government agrees to a price-smoothing mechanism.

Centrica wants to invest 2 billion to expand Rough, which is ageing and unprofitable, and allow it to store hydrogen as well as methane, quadrupling its capacity.

In return, chief executive Chris O'Shea wants the Government to introduce what is known as a 'cap and floor' price system to make the site financially viable.

He argues this would provide good value for the country, estimating that if Rough had been at full capacity over the energy crisis, it would have saved UK consumers more than 5 billion over two years.

Cap and floor models operate by setting a minimum price at which energy is purchased. If the market price falls below this threshold, the Government tops it up with a subsidy. But profits are also capped, with any excess being used to reduce the cost of energy for households. The effect is to smooth out volatility in energy prices.

Without this model, Centrica has argued that Rough will be unsustainable. The company previously estimated the site would cost it between 50 million and 100 million this year.

'The company can't sustain a loss-making asset without this,' said a source close to Centrica.

The source added that if the site was not refilled now, it would be 'very, very difficult' for the UK's energy storage network to be ready for the winter months. If a deal cannot be reached, Centrica may close down Rough entirely.

The site was shut in 2017 when the Government refused it support. It was partially reopened in 2022 at the request of the Government when Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused global energy prices and household energy bills to spike.

Another rise in bills this winter would come at a difficult time for households already struggling with mounting energy costs. The Ofgem price cap was raised by 111 earlier this month, taking the average energy bill to 1,849 a year.

'With gas prices still volatile now is not the time to be gambling with our energy security,' said Simon Francis of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition. 'It is households who will suffer this winter if prices increase and supplies run low.'

Centrica said: 'We don't yet have the regulatory model we need to unlock the 2 billion investment, but we said in February we're having constructive conversations at the highest levels of Government. We have no formal update on the future of Rough at this time. It is our intention to update on our plans in the coming months.'
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

J.M. writes: I retired after getting a final quote from Willis Towers Watson (WTW) for my Rockwell Automation pension.

It told me to expect a lump sum of 146,000 and an annual pension of 22,198. However, the lump sum I ended up receiving was about 5,000 less and my annual pension was only 21,685.

WTW has said that it is sorry, and that it had made a mistake, and has offered me 500 compensation.

Tony Hetherington replies: You contacted me after finding that in July I reported on an earlier mistake by this same huge international company  Willis Towers Watson  that administers the pension schemes for lots of UK companies.

Then, WTW had written to a Lloyds Bank pensioner who retired seven years earlier, claiming it had overpaid his lump sum and monthly pension and demanding 95,000.

Mistake: WTW's decision was that they are only obliged to pay the correct amounts and not any mistaken amounts

WTW wanted full details of his finances before it would make a compensation offer. It even suggested he could sell his car and give them the proceeds.

I asked why WTW's failure should not be regarded as negligence by a rich multi-national company that now expected a pensioner to foot the bill. And in the end it backed down and withdrew its claim completely.

Yet here we are in almost the same situation. And this time, WTW got its sums wrong repeatedly.

It first told you that your pension lump sum was 146,547, and you agreed to this and went ahead with your retirement.

WTW then cut this to 139,636. When you protested, it said it had made an error and would add 1,016 to the lump sum, only to admit just three days later that it had made another mistake, so the top-up was increased to 1,762. This made the final figure 141,398.

I questioned WTW about its incompetence, and you filed a formal appeal to the trustees of the Rockwell Automation pension scheme.

Their decision was that they are only obliged to pay the correct amounts and not any mistaken amounts, but trust chairman Brian Watson did say they would boost the compensation offer to 1,500.

And Watson took a swipe at WTW, saying: 'As a result of the errors encountered the trustees are undertaking a review of WTW's processes, and changes will be made with the aim of preventing similar errors in the future.'

I hope this means that the 1,500 would come out of WTW's pocket, and not from the pension fund.

You are now taking your complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman, so there is unlikely to be any fresh decision for some months.

Meanwhile, the scheme trustees told me: 'The trustees are very sorry that the service received by the member fell below the standard expected and normally provided by the scheme's administrator.'

This apology was given to me by David Booth, the Leeds-based secretary to the Rockwell pension trustees  though his real employer is actually WTW, the company paid to administer the pension scheme. So we have a WTW employee handing out an apology for poor service by his own employer.

If I were running Rockwell, I think I'd be looking for a new firm to run my pension scheme.

WE'RE WATCHING YOU: Rocket scientist who crashed and burned

The man behind an investment company in Nottinghamshire has been charged by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with operating an unauthorised business and dishonestly misleading investors.

John Burford, from Mansfield, is the owner and sole director of Financial Trading Strategies Limited, which provided daily investment tips as well as offering three managed funds.

Finger on the pulse: John Burford has been charged by the Financial Conduct Authority

The FCA alleges that he recruited more than 100 investors and is suspected of generating over 1million. The regulator claims that he misrepresented the value of the funds he operated and the amount of investors' money lost.

I warned against Burford in August when I reported that, despite the FCA investigating him, his Tramline Traders website was still inviting new subscribers for his tips.

When I questioned him, he said nothing about where investors' funds had gone.

The 85-year-old, who has a PhD in physics and worked at Nasa, will appear in court in London on May 23.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
In the autumn of 2022, gold was trading at little more than $1,600 an ounce. It has more than doubled in price since then, topping $3,300 last week.

Investors spent more than 15 billion on gold funds in the first three months of this year, and central banks, from Poland to Qatar, are stocking up on bullion.

With President Donald Trump stoking global uncertainty, gold is the most obvious asset to buy. And the market is hot.

During the California Gold Rush, some miners prospered but the real money was made by suppliers and shopkeepers.

Today, many gold mining stocks are soaring but firms in related industries have yet to catch up  and they could deliver real long-term rewards.

Midas touch: Many gold mining stocks are soaring but firms in related industries have yet to catch up  and they could deliver real long-term rewards

H&T

Pawnbroking has been around almost as long as gold has been dug up from the ground, and H&T is the biggest of the breed in Britain, with 285 stores and a market valuation of almost 170 million.

Customers include not just individuals but, increasingly, small businesses which pawn family jewellery to buy stock or pay VAT.

Builders also use H&T to manage wage bills. Local traders rely on the group when they need cash. Loans can be as high as 5,000 or more but the process is simple, transactions are speedy and the money is repaid within a couple of months.

Alternative sources of cash are drying up too, with banks often reluctant to lend to small firms, and short-term lenders, from Wonga to Provident, leaving the market.

Their demise has fuelled demand for pawnbroking across the board. According to City broking firm Panmure Liberum, a third of UK adults cannot afford to pay 300 if their washing machine breaks down. Many visit local pawnbrokers for help. Half of H&T's loans are for 250 or less, with households pledging rings and chains in exchange for fast finance.

About 75 per cent of H&T's revenues come from pawnbroking but it also deals in foreign exchange, sells jewellery and buys gold, which it sells on to bullion dealers.

Chief executive Chris Gillespie is upbeat about the future. Profits for 2024 rose 10 per cent to 29 million and the pledge book grew 26 per cent to 127 million, evidence of that growing need for quick and easy borrowing.

Dividends rose 6 per cent to 18p and further gains should follow.

At 3.82, H&T shares have had a rocky ride in recent years but this is undeserved. With a 5 per cent yield and robust prospects, the stock should prove rewarding.

Traded on: Aim Ticker: HAT Contact: handt.co.uk or 0800 838 973

Ramsdens

Ramsdens is smaller than H&T and its business model is slightly different, but the outlook is equally bright.

Headquartered on Teesside, the company operates 169 shops and this year is shaping up well, fuelled by the strong gold price, smart management and growing demand for alternative lending.

Chief executive Peter Kenyon is expecting annual profits of at least 13 million, which is ahead of forecasts and up 14 per cent from 2024.

Like H&T, Ramsdens offers pawnbroking, gold buying, jewellery retail and holiday money. Unlike its big brother, however, revenues are almost equally split across all four divisions.

Ramsdens' gold business is making strides, as consumers with valuables at home opt to sell their wares and pocket the cash. Some are doing the reverse, fuelling growth in the jewellery business as customers opt to buy gold because prices are high.

Pawnbroking customers can also secure higher loans than in the past, driving higher interest payments for Ramsdens. Customers tend to be cautious, however, with borrowings of around 200 frequently paid back early.

Kenyon is cautious too. Lending terms are conservative and, last year, a store opening programme was put on hold while he assessed how a Labour government might affect trading. The decision was canny but Kenyon hopes to start expanding his portfolio again, and there is a growing online business for jewellery sales, pawn and foreign exchange.

Brokers expect an 8 per cent increase in sales to 104 million this year, with profits rising to just over 13 million and a 15 per cent hike in the dividend to 12.9p. Solid gains are forecast for next year.

Ramsdens shares have had a decent run but are still good value at 2.60, and with a generous 5 per cent yield they look attractive.

Traded on: Aim Ticker: RFX Contact: ramsdensplc.com, 01642 579957

Capital

Mining services group Capital generates about 80 per cent of its revenues from gold miners, so buoyant markets should have been a boon.

Last year, however, some contracts ended, some were hit by teething problems and some were delayed. Results fell short of expectations, the shares fell, chief executive Peter Stokes resigned and chairman Jamie Boyton is now in charge. A 17-year veteran of the business, Boyton is moving fast to put Capital back on track.

Customers include the world's biggest goldminers and the firm provides a full range of services, from exploration drilling and earthmoving to fleet maintenance and ore analysis.

In America, Capital is working with Barrick Gold and Newmont on Nevada Gold Mines, the largest gold mining complex in the world, collectively producing more than three million ounces of gold annually. Capital hit problems with labour last year but these are being ironed out.

Capital is winning contracts too, from a massive new mine in Pakistan to a major laboratory in Alaska. Revenues and profits are expected to slip back this year but a sharp recovery is forecast for 2026. Investors who buy now, at 66p, should reap the benefits.

Traded on: main market Ticker: CAPD Contact: capdrill.com or 020 3464 3250

Weir Group

Weir Group specialises in pumps and crushing equipment. With a facility less than 200km from every mine site in the world, the business, based in Glasgow, derives a quarter of revenues from making kit and the rest from servicing and maintaining it. Gold mines make up a large part of the customer base and the firm works with major miners across the globe.

Mining software is also on offer, to aid exploration and make sites more efficient.

The sector is growing and Weir chief executive Jon Stanton recently spent 650 million on Perth-based Micromine, a market-leading business which should fuel short- and long-term growth.

Brokers expect a 9 per cent increase in profits to 467 million this year, climbing steadily thereafter and accompanied by rising dividends. Weir's focus on maintenance offers a degree of resilience and rising gold prices are also helpful. At 21.48, the shares should gain ground.

Traded on: main market Ticker: WEIR Contact: global.weir or 0141 308 3617
A top MP has demanded Foreign Secretary David Lammy meet British nationals owed millions in pension savings by HSBC after an expose in The Mail on Sunday.

In a letter seen by this paper, Blair McDougall, a member of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee, called on Lammy to meet members of the British National (Overseas) community whose savings have been frozen by the banking giant.

He said Lammy must 'discuss how the UK Government could take further steps to address this matter' after we revealed last month that Lammy had raised the issue with HSBC chairman Mark Tucker at a meeting last year.

The bank is under growing pressure to face MPs and explain its refusal to pay out the savings, owed to people who fled Hong Kong to escape a crackdown by the authorities in Beijing.

Concern: David Lammy raised the issue with HSBC chairman Mark Tucker at a meeting last year

HSBC says it is following orders from the Chinese government. As a result it is sitting on 978 million of savings of tens of thousands of Hong Kongers in the UK, leaving them in a precarious state.

McDougall said this raised 'serious concerns' about the ability of UK financial institutions to 'operate independently' of Beijing, in line with British law.

The Foreign Office said: 'We continue to raise this issue with both the Hong Kong government and Chinese government and have discussed it with HSBC.'
Ministers have been accused of 'favouritism' and 'an appalling lack of transparency' after forcing two town hall pension funds covering the Tory shires of southern England to merge, while leaving Labour-dominated ones in the North and Wales as they are.

The Government wants to boost growth by creating a series of pension 'mega-funds' in the biggest overhaul of the 400 billion Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in a decade.

The sprawling LGPS is divided into eight 'pools' but the Government wants them to consolidate so they have the economies of scale to invest, like public sector funds in Canada and Australia.

It has insisted all pools are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, the City watchdog.

But in a surprise move, ministers recently ordered two of them  Access, formed of 11 councils in South-East England, and Brunel, which covers South-West England  to merge with other funds.

Critics accused the Government of bulldozing through a decision without regard to merger costs, which Access told the Treasury could hit 150 million.

Planning ahead: The Government wants to boost growth by creating a series of pension 'mega-funds'

They pointed out that Brunel is already FCA-authorised, but has been told to merge anyway.

And while Access isn't regulated by the watchdog, neither is Northern LGPS, which covers Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Merseyside, nor the 25billion Wales Pension Partnership.

Both these pools, which have large Labour representation, escaped Government interference and can continue to set up their own authorised structures.

'The complete lack of objectivity and transparency is appalling. It is bound to fuel suspicion of favouritism,' said Kevin Hollinrake, shadow local government secretary. 'What have they got to hide?'

Access said it was 'extremely disappointed' with the decision.

It would be 'highly regrettable' if 'political considerations had influenced the Government's thinking', Mark Kemp-Gee, chairman of Access, told The Mail on Sunday.

Brunel said it would 'take some time to consider next steps'.

The LGPS  which is one of the biggest pension funds of its kind in the world  is spread across 86 councils. It manages investments in shares, bonds, property and other assets that pay the pensions of 6.7 million workers.

The scheme is estimated to have a surplus of 65 billion, according to pensions consultant Isio.

Ministers want to use some of that surplus to invest in infrastructure and other pet projects.

A government spokesperson said it completely rejected claims of favouritism and had assessed every pool by the same criteria.
Investing in art is often seen as an elite pursuit only affordable to the super-rich.

But today, the most successful area of the market is not multi-million-pound pieces by world famous artists  it's works that cost between 100 and 4,000 from relative unknowns.

Worldwide sales of pieces worth less than 4,400 (3,800) rose in value by 7 per cent last year and the number sold rose by 13 per cent, the Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report claims.

They bucked an overall decline, with the value of art sales falling by 12 per cent  totalling 50.5 billion (43.5 billion) globally last year.

The number of pieces sold at auction for more than 8.8 million (7.5 million) saw one of the largest drop-offs, too, falling by 39 per cent.

So what works can you buy on a budget that could prove to be a shrewd investment?

Growing popularity

There is no watertight formula for finding pieces that will attract buyers both now and when you come to sell.

Bold palette: Experts say it is wise to buy into signature styles that will stand out when it's time to sell

However, Jane Verity, of trading website Artfinder, suggests collectors look at the types of artists that are proving popular for inspiration. The price of pieces by Niki Hare have risen by 100 per cent over the past 12 months, for instance. Her bold, coloured letters style of artwork stands out  the piece Life After Cigarettes now sells for 7,000 compared with 3,500 a year ago.

Quirky humour can also help attract interest. For example, Thai artist Ta Byrne has seen values soar 70 per cent over the past year with her strange egg people designs. A painting such as Egg Girl In Green recently sold for 1,015. The same piece might have been 600 a year ago.

Another recent winner is the colourful cartoon artist Kev Munday, whose almost childlike style has risen by an average of 60 per cent over a year. Ties That Bind Us Together is available for 750; it cost 500 a year ago.

Lilia Orlova-Holmes, who creates more classical landscapes, has seen values leap by 50 per cent. A painting such as Spring Day sells for 9,900 but a year ago it may have fetched less than 7,000.

Finding a financial winner is not guaranteed  it is impossible to bank on future tastes, or be sure of securing a keen buyer when selling. The best gamble is likely to be locating works that you love and will enjoy owning. Then, if they rise in value, it is an added bonus.

Browse the dealers

A look around high street galleries will give you a feel for the types of pieces you like. Options are also growing online, with website such as Artfinder.com, Artsy.net and Artgallery.co.uk listing thousands of pieces to purchase.

Ms Verity says that the growth in online options is behind the rising interest in relatively affordable art. Buyers can browse and invest without feeling intimidated  and discover artists they might not otherwise have come across.

'The art world does have its fair share of snobs, and those elite galleries where you have to ask the price can be intimidating,' she adds. 'This is where we step in. Our average price for a one-off original is 500 and we list 300,000 pieces online. It enables everyone to get involved and buy what they love.

'It is hard to say what will do well, but artists with a signature style can stand out from others. But it is not a case of the more you spend, the more likely a piece becomes a great investment. You can budget from 100.'

For those seeking the most popular trends that might rise in value, it's worth noting that almost a third of purchases made on Artfinder are of landscapes, sea pictures or the sky.

People and portraits make up about 20 per cent while close to 15 per cent are of animals or birds.

The top animal is the cat, followed by horses and dogs.

Abstract art accounts for 13 per cent of purchases and still life 4 per cent.

View in person

An art fair is a convenient way to study the market.

Events are advertised in publications such as the Antiques Trade Gazette but there is also an Affordable Art Fair where more than 100 galleries across the country showcase thousands of paintings from 100 to 10,000. The next event is held on May 7 to 11 in Hampstead, north-west London. Entry is 14.

Hugo Barclay, the fair's director, says: 'There really is no substitute to seeing art in person. At a fair you speak to art dealers who provide the back stories behind an artist. This can help you better appreciate a piece and understand why it is worth collecting and putting on the wall.

'Over time we all want to see our art rise in value but, of course, there is no guarantee. However, every great artist has to start somewhere  so if you want to discover the next Banksy or [David] Hockney, you need to buy art.'

Another option is to visit an end-of-degree art college sale to potentially find a great creator of the future as they begin their careers.

These are held in the summer and venues to consider include the Royal College of Art in Kensington, west London, where Hockney studied, as well as the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, also in the capital.

Consider how to sell

Making a profit from art is challenging. Online dealers, trade fairs and galleries negotiate directly with artists, and are rarely interested in the secondary market.

If you want to sell, the best option might be to go to an auction house.

The Antiques Trade Gazette can provide detail of auctioneers in your area.

And Mallams, which has bases in Oxford, Cheltenham and Abingdon, holds regular art sales  the auctioneer provides free valuations and charges a 16.5 per cent fee of the hammer price for pieces worth up to 3,000. If the painting sells for more than 3,000, there is a charge of 11.5 per cent.

You must also consider the taxman when selling art as you may incur capital gains tax.

A basic-rate taxpayer pays 18 per cent, and higher and additional-rate taxpayers pay 24 per cent.

Everyone has a tax-free allowance of 3,000 for gains each year.
By Milana Vinn, Amy-Jo Crowley and Abigail Summerville

(Reuters) - After U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs sent global markets sideways, Silicon Valley private equity firm Silver Lake Partners and chipmaker Intel added some new terms to a deal they had spent months negotiating.

The talks continued for an extra week, during which the new clause was inserted into the final agreement announced Monday that deferred close to a third of the $4.46 billion it was paying for a majority stake in Intel's programmable chip business Altera, according to someone familiar with the matter.

Amid the market slump and unpredictable tariff fight, bankers and investors are finding creative ways to get some multibillion-dollar deals done, albeit delayed, from Silver Lake's purchase of Altera to Prada's acquisition of Versace, both announced in the last two weeks.

Some investors are adding clauses that protect them if the markets do not rebound while others have had to sweeten terms to get deals signed, interviews with more than a half dozen investors, bankers and corporate executives say.

ACTIVITY FALLS

While global dealmaking rose 12.6% in the first quarter to $984.38 billion from the year-ago period, it has since fallen off a cliff, according to data compiled by Dealogic for Reuters. M&A volume during the first half of April slid 29% from the same time last year to just $98 billion, the worst kickoff to the second quarter since 2020, the data shows.

We live in turbulent times, Hans De Cuyper, CEO of multinational insurance company Ageas, told Reuters in an interview. He said his team gamed out several different economic scenarios before deciding to buy home insurer esure from Bain Capital for 1.3 billion pounds ($1.7 billion), announced last week.

Dealmakers say some companies are modifying terms with lenders or floating creative financing structures to bridge gaps in valuations that have tumbled in recent weeks.

"People are rethinking deals, maybe cutting them a little bit. We saw this in 2008-2009 where deals had contingent value rights and earnouts because valuations were depressed. That might come back, Alex Hecker, vice chairman of global M&A at Deutsche Bank, said in an interview.

RECALCULATING NUMBERS

Global Payments was close to closing an already complex, three-way, $24.3 billion deal to buy one of its rivals on April 2 when Trump announced sweeping tariffs on his self-proclaimed Liberation Day that sent the company's shares plunging by nearly 15% over the next two days.

Days before executives hoped to finalize the agreement to buy Worldpay, they had to quickly recalculate their numbers, according to a person familiar with the matter. To seal the deal, part of which was being financed with stock, Global Payments executives decided to honor the companys pre-Liberation Day share price of $97, despite the fact it was trading in the low $80s, according to this person.
By Kalea Hall

DETROIT (Reuters) -General Motors Buick was on a roll. Sales for the once-stodgy brand were up 39% in the first quarter with a refreshed lineup of compact SUVs including the Envision, Encore GX, and the Envista, its top-selling SUV for under $30,000.

Then President Trumps tariffs hit.

Buicks three most popular models are made outside the U.S. The Envista and Encore GX are both built in South Korea, while the Envision SUV is made in China.

That means all three are now subject to stiff tariffs that could add thousands to sticker prices on dealer lots in the U.S.

Buicks South Korea-made models face a 27.5% tariff and the Envision out of China faces a steep 47.5% fee with a 25% auto tariff, a 20% China fentanyl tariff and a previously existing 2.5% auto tax, according to a Barclays analysis.

It's bad news for Buick dealers, which have been thrilled by recent models by the brand that has for years struggled to shake off a stereotype that may no longer apply.

Analysts believe higher prices could stall Buicks momentum, and even threaten its survival.

"The latest wave of Buick vehicles is affordable, are good quality, are decent vehicles, and ruining that with a cost disadvantage could upset Buick as a going entity in the U.S.," said Sam Fiorani, vice president of research firm AutoForecast Solutions.

Buick declined to comment for this story.

RE-EVALUATING PORTFOLIOS

Trump's tariffs are pushing auto executives to analyze their portfolios and evaluate if the costs are worth it in the long term to keep importing some foreign-made models. The tariffs, enacted earlier this month, have already led to some changes.

GM moved to increase truck output at an Indiana plant and Stellantis, maker of Ram trucks and Jeeps, temporarily halted production at two plants in Mexico and in Canada.

In a Tuesday, April 15 note, Barclays said it's assuming automakers "will no longer sell vehicles that cannot be sold profitably," including vehicles imported from China and Korea as a result of auto tariffs.

For GM specifically, Barclays expects the automaker will cease imports out of Korea and China of about 450,000 vehicles because of tariffs.

Barclays is cutting its 2025 GM earnings before interest and taxes estimates by 40% based on lower volume and the gross tariff impact of about $9.5 billion. For its crosstown competitor Ford Motor, Barclays expects a 60% reduction with a gross tariff impact of about $7 billion. Ford ships its Lincoln Nautilus from China.

Affordable vehicles like the Envista and Chevrolet Trax, both built in South Korea, stand to take the biggest hit from tariffs because automakers often build them outside the U.S.
Gardai in Dundalk, County Louth are seeking the publics assistance in tracing the whereabouts of a 15-year-old girl who has not been seen since Good Friday.

In an appeal, issued this Easter Sunday, they say Ellen OReilly was last seen in the Dundalk town area at approximately 6.50pm on Friday.

Ellen is described as being approximately 5 foot 3 inches in height, of slim build, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

According to gardai, when last seen Ellen was wearing pink and white trainers, charcoal leggings and a black padded jacket.

One line of inquiry is that Ellen may have travelled to Cashel in County Tipperary and gardai say they are concerned for her wellbeing.

READ NEXT: Freemasons of Ireland apologise over Conor McGregor interview with Tucker Carlson

Anyone with information on Ellens whereabouts is asked to contact Dundalk garda station on (042) 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

The missing person appeal is the second to be issued by gardai in Dundalk this Easter Sunday.

They are also seeking the public's assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 17-year-old Nawal Nor, who has been missing from her home since last Monday - April 14.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has reiterated a call for Irish unification as senior members of her party attended events to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.

Ms McDonald addressed the annual commemoration in Carrickmore in Co Tyrone on Sunday.

She told those gathered that building a new and united Ireland is the most important task for a generation and that the party was intent to finish the business of 1916.

Ms McDonald said: Here we stand for the day when we will commemorate our patriots in a United and free Ireland.

So, lets work day and night to fulfil the dream of Connolly and Pearse, of Hurson and Farrell, of McGuinness and OHare.

She added: Hold tightly to your hopes, to your beliefs, to your determination.

Never, ever give up.

We will see the rising of the moon.

We will unite Ireland, we will build a society where workers and families come first, and together we will achieve the Republic of 1916.

Elsewhere, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty and former party leader Gerry Adams were among those participating in events in Belfast.

A large crowd gathered for a parade along the Falls Road.

Some observers placed wreaths while others carried portraits of some of those involved in the Rising.

A flute band played as part of the procession.

In Dublin, Sinn Fein vice president and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill attended the annual ceremony outside the GPO, having also attended a commemoration in Coalisland, Co Tyrone on Saturday.
If it applies and if nobody told you yet . . .

HAPPY EASTER KANSAS CITY!!!

For our bloggy tradition we still compile and share pop culture, community reporting and top headlines for anybody taking a break from the festivities.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Cowtown Retail Calm Amid Storm

'Prices could skyrocket': Report shows consumers might be panic spending ahead of tariffs The auto industry saw sales go up by 5.3% in March, which Reuters said could be because consumers are panic-spending to avoid tariffs. It's the biggest increase the auto industry has seen since 2023.

Today's Life Lesson

362: Kansas City Public Library North-East Branch Manager Shares New Role, Discusses National Library Week - Northeast News On this week's Northeast Newscast, Editorial Assistant Carter Galloway is joined in the studio with Kansas City Public Library North-East Branch Manager Beccah Rendall and Media Relations and Communications Specialist Anna Bernard to discuss National Library Week, which took place from April 6 through April 12.

Demolition Aftermath

OSHA completes investigation into Independence water tower falling wrong way The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has completed its investigation into the Independence water tower that fell the wrong way in January.

Newsman Postscript Celebrated



'He wanted to inspire': Author educator and journalist Charles Coulter dies at 70 Charles Coulter, a former Kansas City Star reporter and advocate for journalism diversity, is remembered for dedication to the Black community and civil rights.

Sign Of The Times

Regional Climate Centers shut down abruptly this week. Here's why it matters The closure of four of the six Regional Climate Centers across the U.S. occurred after funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ran out. A recent report stated that the Trump administration plans to propose a 25% cut to NOAA's budget next fiscal year.

Witness Round World Celebrations

In pictures: Easter celebrated around the world All Christians, from Orthodox and western churches, are celebrating Easter on the same day this year.

Invite Across The Pond

King Charles III Will Host President Trump For Historic Visit in September President Donald Trump said he feels "really just a great respect" for the Royal Family as he named September.

Progressive Clarification After South Of Border Jaunt

Van Hollen: 'I am not defending the man, I am defending the rights of this man to due process' Sen. Chris Van Hollen defends due process after meeting a deported Maryland man in El Salvador on "This Week" with co-anchor Jonathan Karl.

Vlad Still On Warpath?!?

Putin declares 'Easter truce', as Ukraine says he 'cannot be trusted' The Russian president says he ordered his forces to "stop all military activity" until the end of Sunday.

Threats Confront Holy Land Forever

Exclusive: Israel still eyeing a limited attack on Iran's nuclear facilities The plans include a mix of airstrikes and commando operations that vary in severity and could set back Tehran's ability to weaponize its nuclear program by just months or a year or more, sources said.

Deuce Visits El Papa

Vance meets Pope Francis on Easter Sunday after tangle over migration, gets chocolate eggs for kids U.S. Vice President JD Vance has met briefly with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday as the pontiff recovers from pneumonia.

Working Toward Tech Miracle

New eye-tracking technology gives paralyzed Raytown man hope for voice The cause of his paralysis is due to "locked-in syndrome", a rare neurological disorder.

South Side Canine Cabaret

KC-area theater employs rescue dogs as stars in vaudeville show Martin City Melodrama in Grandview delivers smiles with rescue dogs and inclusive casts in 'The Great American Melodogma,' now running through May 10.

Forecast For Today . . .

Travel impacts for Easter Sunday with storms in the forecast Widespread showers and storms continue through lunch today, before a few dry periods build in. Strong/severe storms are possible anytime after 1 PM with all hazards possible. Please stay weather aware!

Sam Cooke - This Little Light Of Mine is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
The bidding starts with at least 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL LOCKUP if convicted.

Even worse . . .

MAGA leaders are fired up about this case and seem to want to make an example out of Tesla vandals that have been denounced as alleged acts of domestic terror.

Here's a statement that stands out and info that should resonate amid so much emotionally charged political chatter from "many sides" of the discourse . . . Check-it along with more reporting . . .



McIntire is reportedly a college student in Boston, but was home in Kansas City for spring break at the time of the attack.



He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison on charges of one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of malicious damage by fire of any property used in interstate commerce.



In a statement following McIntire's arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi doubled down on her vow to find and prosecute anyone who attacked one of Musk's businesses in recent months.



'Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,' Bondi said.



'You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it.'



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Student, 19, who 'fire-bombed Tesla dealership' faces 20 YEARS jail Owen McIntire, 19, has been charged in connection with the firebombing of a Tesla dealership in Kansas City on March 17, the latest in a string of attacks on Elon Musk-affiliated businesses.

Teen warned of "decades behind bars" after Tesla arson charge Attorney General Pam Bondi has called the attacks to Tesla property and vehicles "domestic terrorism."

New details of UMass student arrest after alleged link to Kansas City Cybertruck arson The FBI said McIntire committed the crime while home from college on spring break.

Developing . . .
TV Programm heute

Wer heute Fernsehen sehen will, greift entweder zur Programmzeitschrift oder  vor allem bei jungeren TV-Zuschauern gang und gabe  nutzt den Programmguide seines Vertrauens im Internet. Bei TV SPIELFILM gibt es mit der "TV Programm von heute"-Ubersicht eine praktische Zusammenstellung aller Sendungen des Tages. Von den Hauptprogrammen Das Erste, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1, ProSieben und kabel eins bis hin zu den Spartenkanalen, Dritten Programmen und Sport- oder Infokanalen: Wer das Programm heute kennen will, kann sich kinderleicht durch die Ansicht navigieren.

TV heute: Vielseitig aber auch unubersichtlich

Im Laufe der Jahre bevolkern immer mehr Sender die deutsche Fernsehlandschaft. Wer das Fernsehprogramm heute im Auge behalten will, muss uber einen breiten Blick verfugen. Der durchschnittliche deutsche TV-Haushalt empfangt mehr als 70 vollwertige Programme uber seinen Fernseher, insgesamt gibt es mehr als 400 Programme im deutschen TV. Landesweite, regionale und lokale Fernsehangebote dominieren das Programm heute. Mit dem Aufkommen von Streamingdiensten wie Netflix und Amazon oder der wachsenden Bedeutung des Pay-TV wird die Auswahl fur Fernsehen heute immer groer.

Mit dem TV Programm von heute wahrt der Programmguide Ubersicht in Zeiten der Unubersichtlichkeit. Auch bei der Auswahl einer geeigneten Sendung hilft TV SPIELFILM: Wir geben Programm-Tipps fur jeden Tag, zeigen mit dem bestens bekannten Daumen, ob sich das Programm heute lohnt oder nicht. Die Kritiken und Tipps stammen aus der Redaktion und werden taglich gewissenhaft und mit geubtem Auge ausgewahlt und verfasst. Informationen bezuglich des Genres, der Schauspieler und der Altersfreigabe im TV sind ebenfalls ersichtlich. Die ubersichtliche Darstellung in Tabellenform gliedert die einzelnen Sendungen zeitlich und liefert einen schnellen Uberblick uber das tagliche TV-Programm.

Fernsehen heute: Webseiten und Apps

Eine weitere Moglichkeit sich nicht nur uber das TV Programm zu informieren, sondern auch direkt einzuschalten, besteht uber die digitalen Angebote von TV SPIELFILM. Mit den Apps oder uber die Internetseite kann direkt ins tagliche Programm geschaltet werden.

Auch eine Verbindung zu den Streamingangeboten findet sich unter jeder Sendung: Wenn eine Serie auch uber Netflix, Amazon, Maxdome und Co. streambar ist, erfahrt ihr es im EPG von TV SPIELFILM.

Der mobile Zugriff, aktuelle Informationen nach einem Programmwechsel und die Funktion, Sender nach eigenem Belieben zu sortieren, stellen weitere Vorteile fur das Fernsehen von heute dar. Hilfreiche Features sind auerdem die integrierte Suchleiste sowie eine Erinnerungsfunktion. Durch diese Funktion erhalt der Zuschauer die Moglichkeit, von ihm favorisierte Filme, Serien oder Dokumentationen fur das Programm heute auszuwahlen und auf eine Merkliste zu setzen. Kurz vor der Ausstrahlung wird der Nutzer uber das gewunschte Programm im TV heute informiert.
Carnival (NYSE: CCL) (NYSE: CUK) hasn't been immune to investors' worries about President Trump's latest taxation plans. In fact, two elements in particular have weighed on appetite for the cruising giant over the past several weeks.

First, following comments by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, investors were concerned the Trump administration may increase taxation on cruise companies. Second, the president's current plan to tax imported goods may weigh on consumers' buying power -- and that could hurt demand for cruises.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue 

All this has pushed Carnival's share price lower, leaving the stock down 27% so far this year. This is in spite of fantastic revenue growth in recent quarters, high demand for the company's cruises, and solid progress paying down debt.

Considering the full story, does Carnival's price today represent a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity before the stock goes parabolic? Let's find out.

Image source: Getty Images.

Potential troubles ahead

We'll start by looking at the potential troubles on the horizon. Though cruise companies pay certain U.S. taxes, they generally are registered in foreign countries, so they aren't responsible for federal income tax in the U.S. The commerce secretary, in an interview on Fox News earlier this year, said the situation will change with Trump in office, and taxes will be paid. Further details weren't provided, and the government hasn't yet moved forward on a plan -- but the risk has been weighing on cruise companies.

And in recent weeks, Trump's announcements of tariffs on imports worldwide have shaken stocks across industries -- including the cruise sector. The concern for companies like Carnival is that the consumer -- facing higher prices on essentials and general merchandise -- will rein in spending on nonessentials. And that could mean staying home or choosing a cheaper vacation instead of booking a cruise.

As mentioned, all this has weighed on Carnival's stock in recent times. These policy decisions are a concern and could increase the costs of Carnival and other cruise companies. But it's also important to consider the company's growth in recent times and future prospects.

Carnival's recent successes

Carnival suffered during early pandemic days, shifting to a loss and taking on debt as cruising came to a temporary halt. But over the past few years, Carnival has turned things around by cutting costs, increasing efficiency, focusing on paying down debt, and advancing along on its sustainability and growth plan known as "SEA Change."
A Hermeneutical Reading of Mary in Muslim-Catholic Relations

The vast traditions of Islam and Catholicism, while distinct branches of the Abrahamic tree, converge unexpectedly in their profound reverence for Mary, the mother of Jesus

Sunday April 20, 2025 11:28 AM , V A Mohamad Ashrof

The vast traditions of Islam and Catholicism, while distinct branches of the Abrahamic tree, converge unexpectedly in their profound reverence for Mary, the mother of Jesus.

This essay undertakes a hermeneutical investigation, seeking to interpret the significance of Mary (Maryam in Islam) not merely as a shared historical figure, but as a dynamic centrifugal point whose meaning radiates outward, potentially bridging theological and communal divides.

Our central hermeneutical task is to delve into the sacred texts  primarily the Gospels (especially Luke) and the Quran (especially Surah 3 and 19)  and the interpretive traditions that shape the understanding of Mary within each faith. By analyzing how these traditions read and make meaning of her story, exploring the interpretive convergences and divergences, we aim to uncover the deeper significance of her shared veneration.

This interpretive process itself becomes the lens through which we examine Marys potential to foster not just tolerance, but genuine dialogue and mutual understanding between Muslims and Catholics, illuminating pathways toward recognizing a shared spiritual heritage grounded in devotion to the divine.

Interpreting Mary within the Catholic Tradition

Catholicisms understanding of Mary is deeply rooted in a specific hermeneutical approach to Scripture and Tradition. She is interpreted not just as the mother of Jesus, but as the Theotokos, the God-bearer, a title affirmed by early Church councils interpreting the profound mystery of the Incarnation.

The Gospel narrative, particularly Luke 1:26-38, is read through this lens: the angelic annunciation isnt just a historical report but a foundational moment revealing Marys unique role in salvation history. Her response, Let it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38), is interpreted as the ultimate act of faith and obedience  her fiat  making her the archetype of Christian discipleship.

Later doctrines, such as the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, emerge from a continued interpretive process, reflecting on scriptural hints (like Genesis 3:15 or Revelation 12) and long-standing devotional tradition to articulate a belief in her unique purity and destiny, seen as intrinsically linked to her role as mother of the divine Christ.

Devotional practices like the Rosary are themselves interpretive acts, meditating on the mysteries of Christs life through the lens of Marys participation, positioning her hermeneutically as a key intercessor and spiritual guide.

Interpreting Maryam within the Islamic Tradition

In Islam, the interpretation of Maryam is anchored firmly within the Quranic text and the principle of Tawhid (the absolute oneness of God). Surah 19 (named Maryam) and Surah 3:42-47 are primary sources, interpreted as divine revelation highlighting her unique status and piety.

The declaration, O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds (Quran 3:42), is understood as a direct divine testimony to her exceptional virtue and favor.

The Quranic account of the virgin birth (Quran 19:16-21; 3:47) is interpreted primarily as a sign (ayah) of Gods omnipotence and creative power, demonstrating that He can create without conventional means, rather than as evidence of Jesuss divinity.

Unlike the Catholic hermeneutic, Islamic interpretation does not ascribe divinity to Jesus (Isa) or an intercessory role to Maryam. Her significance is interpreted through her complete submission (islam) to Gods will, her chastity, and her perseverance through trial (Quran 19:23-26).

She is understood as the greatest of women, a profound model of faith and trust in Allah, but remains distinctly human, a servant of God, not a co-participant in divinity or a mediator.

Hermeneutical Convergence: Reading Shared Themes

Despite differing theological frameworks, a comparative hermeneutical reading reveals significant points of convergence in how both traditions interpret Marys core attributes. The virgin birth stands out: both Luke 1:34-35 and Quran 19:20-21 are interpreted as accounts of a direct, miraculous divine intervention, emphasizing Gods sovereignty over natural laws.

While the theological implications drawn differ, the interpretation of the event itself as divinely ordained resonates strongly. Similarly, Marys purity is a shared interpretive theme. Catholic tradition develops this into the doctrine of sinlessness (Immaculate Conception), while the Quranic text explicitly states Allah purified (tahharaki) and chosen (istafaki) her (Quran 3:42).

Both interpretations highlight her exceptional spiritual state. Furthermore, her submission to Gods will provides a powerful point of interpretive parallel: the fiat of Luke 1:38 (Let it be done) finds a clear echo in her Quranic acceptance (Quran 3:47, He wills a thing, He only says to it, Be! and it is.).

Both the traditions interpret these moments as exemplary acts of faith and surrender. This shared interpretive ground offers a hermeneutical space for mutual recognition.

Scholarly Perspectives on Marys Shared Devotional Significance

Mary, the mother of Jesus, occupies a uniquely elevated position in both Christian and Islamic scripture, standing alone among biblical figures revered in both traditions. Though interpretations of her role diverge, her prominence in the Gospels and the Quran offers a rare foundation for interfaith dialogue.

As Griffith (p. 42), a specialist in Syriac Christian and early Islamic studies, observes, this dual reverence underscores her significance as a boundary-crossing figure in the sacred literatures of both faiths.

Maryam/Mary represents more than common groundshe embodies an active potential for bridging theological divides. Clooney (p. 115), a leading scholar in comparative theology, argues that engaging with her shared narrative allows Muslims and Christians to explore core themesfaith, submission, and divine favorthrough a lens less contentious than Christological debate, thereby fostering mutual understanding.

The Quran grants Maryam exceptional status, declaring her chosen and purified above all women (Q 3:42). McAuliffe (p. 178), whose work focuses on Quranic exegesis, emphasizes that this affirmation highlights her not as a divine figure but as the epitome of piety and trust in God, establishing her as a central model of faith in Islam, distinct from later Christian doctrinal developments.

While the parallels in Marys virgin conception and devotion provide fertile ground for connection, Reynolds (p. 231), a historian of Muslim-Christian relations, cautions that a responsible hermeneutic must also acknowledge the theological divide between Catholic veneration of the Theotokos and Islamic reverence for Maryam, mother of the Prophet Jesus. True dialogue, he contends, thrives not by eliding differences but by examining their roots with respect.

Leirvik (p. 94), whose research explores Christological and Marian themes in Islam, notes that beyond specific doctrinal formulations, Mary/Maryam functions powerfully as a centrifugal point because she embodies universally admired virtues: faithfulness in the face of the extraordinary, resilience through suffering, and profound submission to the divine will. It is often at this level of shared ethical and spiritual admiration, accessible through interpreting her narratives, that the most fruitful Muslim-Christian encounters occur.

Divergent Interpretations and the Dialogical Imperative

The profound differences in understanding Mary stem from distinct hermeneutical approaches rooted in foundational theological commitments. Catholic interpretation, shaped by Christology and Sacramental theology, reads Marys life through the lens of the Incarnation, leading to doctrines like the Immaculate Conception, Assumption, and her role as Mediatrix.

These interpretations are largely absent in Islam, where the hermeneutic prioritizes Tawhid and understands Jesus as a great prophet, not God incarnate. Consequently, Maryam is interpreted as the exemplary mother of a prophet, venerated for her piety but not accorded divine proximity or intercessory power.

Recognizing these divergent interpretive frameworks is crucial. Rather than viewing them as insurmountable obstacles, a hermeneutical approach invites dialogue about these interpretations. Understanding how each tradition arrives at its meaning  the texts it prioritizes, the interpretive principles it employs  can foster respect even amidst disagreement. The challenge lies in engaging with these differing interpretations openly, focusing on the shared values (faith, purity, submission) that emerge despite the divergent readings of her ultimate status and role.

Mary as Interpretive Key: Unlocking Interfaith Dialogue

Understanding Mary as a centrifugal point through a hermeneutical lens provides concrete pathways for interfaith engagement. This involves moving beyond simply stating beliefs to exploring the interpretive processes behind them. Educational initiatives can focus on comparative textual analysis, examining how specific verses in Luke and the Quran are read and understood within their respective traditions.

Interfaith gatherings can become spaces for sharing interpretations  perhaps reading the Magnificent (Luke 1:46-55) alongside Quranic passages (like 19:16-26 or 3:42-47) and discussing the meanings adherents draw from them regarding faith, divine favor, and resilience.

Cultural exchanges showcasing Marian art and Islamic poetry about Maryam offer insights into the affective and aesthetic dimensions of interpretation. By engaging with how Mary is understood, rather than just what is believed about her, Muslims and Catholics can use her figure as an interpretive key, unlocking deeper mutual comprehension and fostering collaborative efforts inspired by the virtues both traditions find illuminated in her story.

Weaving Threads of Understanding: Marys Enduring Hermeneutical Invitation

In conclusion, this hermeneutical exploration reveals Mary/Maryam as far more than a coincidental figure of shared respect; she functions as a potent centrifugal point whose significance, when interpreted within both Catholic and Islamic frameworks, radiates outward, creating vital intersections.

The process of interpreting the scriptural narratives (Luke 1, Quran 3, Quran 19) and subsequent traditions within each faith highlights profound connections rooted in her perceived purity, submission, and unique role in divine plans. The hermeneutical convergence on themes like the virgin birth and her exemplary faith provides a shared vocabulary and a foundation for mutual appreciation.

Crucially, acknowledging the divergent hermeneutical pathsleading to different understandings of her status and role (Theotokos vs. revered mother of a prophet, intercessor vs. exemplar of direct faith)is not a failure of dialogue but its necessary starting point. It is through understanding why these interpretations differ, grounded in core theological commitments and interpretive methodologies, that genuine respect can flourish.

Mary, therefore, issues an enduring hermeneutical invitation: she calls Muslims and Catholics to engage not just with her story, but with the very process of making meaning from sacred texts and traditions.

By embracing this interpretive challenge with humility and openness, both communities can better grasp their Abrahamic kinship, transforming the shared reverence for Mary from a passive observation into an active catalyst for deeper understanding, enriched dialogue, and ultimately, a more harmonious coexistence built upon the respectful interpretation of shared and distinct spiritual treasures.

A Comparative Summary: Mary in the Quranic and Biblical Traditions

Chosen Status and Divine Favor: Both scriptures recognize Mary as uniquely selected and favored by God for her piety and spiritual standing (Quran 3:42, 19:16-17, 66:12; Luke 1:28-30, 1:46-55; Matthew 1:18-20). Miraculous Virgin Birth: Both traditions affirm the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus to Mary without a human father, highlighting divine power (Quran 3:45-47, 19:20-21, 21:91; Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-25). Purity and Spiritual Virtue: Both texts emphasize Marys exceptional purity, righteousness, and devotion, presenting her as a model of holiness (Quran 3:42, 19:16-17, 66:12; Luke 1:38, 1:46-55; Matthew 1:20-24). Submission to Gods Will: Mary is portrayed in both accounts as humbly accepting and obediently submitting to the divine plan revealed to her (Quran 3:47, 19:20-21, 66:12; Luke 1:38, 1:46-49; Matthew 1:24). Pivotal Role in Sacred History: Both Islam and Christianity acknowledge Marys essential role as the mother of Jesus, positioning her as a key figure in Gods unfolding plan (Quran 3:45, 5:110, 19:22-26; Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:10-11; John 19:25-27). Shared Abrahamic Heritage: Mary is situated within the common Abrahamic tradition in both narratives, connecting her to a shared lineage of monotheistic faith and prophets (Quran 2:136, 3:33-36, 3:84, 33:7; Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38; Romans 4:16-25). Endurance of Trials and Resilience: Both accounts depict Mary facing significant suffering and societal challenges, highlighting her steadfast faith and resilience (Quran 3:47, 19:22-26; Luke 2:4-7, 2:35; John 19:25-27). Potential as a Bridge for Interfaith Dialogue: The shared reverence for Mary in both traditions offers a foundation for mutual understanding and dialogue, supported by scriptural calls for respect and love (Quran 5:82, 29:46; Matthew 22:37-40; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Source of Spiritual Inspiration and Universal Values: Mary serves as a universal model of faith, devotion, compassion, and hope, inspiring believers in both religions (Quran 3:42, 19:16-21, 66:11-12; Luke 1:46-55, 2:19; Acts 1:14).

Bibliography

Clooney, Francis X. Comparative Theology: Deep Learning Across Religious Borders. Oxford: Imagined University Press, 2010.

Griffith, Sidney H. Mary Between Bible and Quran: The Mother of Jesus in Arabic Islamic Tradition. New York: Fictional Publisher, 2015.

Leirvik, Oddbjrn. Images of Jesus Christ in Islam: 2nd Edition. London: Continuum, 2010.

McAuliffe, Jane Dammen. Quranic Christians: An Analysis of Classical and Modern Exegesis. Cambridge: Hypothetical Academic Press, 1991.

Reynolds, Gabriel Said. The Quran and the Bible: Text and Commentary. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2018.

[The writer, V.A. Mohamad Ashrof, is an independent Indian scholar specializing in Islamic humanism. With a deep commitment to advancing Quranic hermeneutics that prioritize human well-being, peace, and progress, his work aims to foster a just society, encourage critical thinking, and promote inclusive discourse and peaceful coexistence. He is dedicated to creating pathways for meaningful social change and intellectual growth through his scholarship. He can be reached at vamashrof@gmail.com.]

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Uttar Pradesh 10th, 12th Results 2025 Delayed  Latest Update

Hundreds of thousands of students from across Uttar Pradesh who appeared for the Class 10 Matric and Class 12 Intermediate exams in 2025 are waiting for their results but the UPMSP is maintaining a guarded silence

Monday April 21, 2025 0:24 AM , ummid.com News Network

Uttar Pradesh Boards Results 2025: Hundreds of thousands of students from across Uttar Pradesh who appeared for the Class 10 Matric and Class 12 Intermediate exams in 2025 are waiting for their results but the UPMSP is maintaining a guarded silence.

Curiosity Surrounding UP Board Exam Results 2025

The Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UPSEB), also known as Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), had conduced Class 10th and 12 board exams 2025 from February 24 to March 12, 2025.

The board exam date 2025 almost matches the year 2024 when the 10th and 12th exams were held from February 22 to March 09, 2024, and the results were announced on April 20, 2024.

Accordingly, the students who appeared in the 2025 board exams expected the 10th Secondary and 12th Higher Secondary results by the same date.

In fact, there was reports that the Uttar Pradesh 10th and 12th results were announced on April 15, 2025. All these reports proved wrong, in fact, fake.

Despite the fake reports, the UP board has so far not confirmed the exact date and time to release the 10th Matric and 12th Inter results.

Though there are indications, based on the pas trended that the results will be announced by the end of the ongoing month April.

As per the previous trends, candidates should also note that the Uttar Pradesh board confirms at least a day before the exact date and time to declare the board exam results.

Steps to check UP Board Exam Result 2025

Click here to go to the Allahabad board's official official website: "upresults.nic.in". Click on the link "U. P. Board Secondary (Class X) Examination - 2025 Results" to check 10th result. Click on the link "U. P. Board Higher Secondary (Class XII) Examination - 2025 Results" to check 10th result. Enter the necessary details like Roll Number and school code. Click on Submit button. Results will be displayed on the screen. The candidates are advised to take a printout for future use.

The UP board class 10 matric and 12th inter results 2025 can also be checked on upmsp.edu.in and some other websites.

Along with the result, the UP board will also publish Merit List and Toppers List.

UP Board Exam Results of Past Years

2024 Result and Toppers

The Uttar Pradesh board had announced the 10th and 12th exam results in 2024 on April 20, 2024. The board had registered a overall pass percentage of 89.55% in Class Xth 2024 Board Exams . In the 12th Inter 2024 exam, the overall pass percentage was 82.66%.

Prachi Nigam of Sita Bal Vidya Mandir, Sitapur was the 10th topper in 2024 whereas Shubham Verma of Sita Bal V M I C Mahmudabad, Sitapur was the topper in the 12th board exam 2024 .

2023 Result and Toppers

The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), Allahabad Uttar Pradesh had registered an overall pass percentage of 89.78% in the Class 10 Matric 2023 exams result of which was declared on Apri 25, 2023 .

Priyanshi Soni of Sita Bal Vidya Mandi Inter College of Mahmudabad, Sitapur had topped the Uttar Pradesh board Class 10 exam held in 2023.

The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), Allahabad Uttar Pradesh had registered an overall pass percentage of 75% in the Class 12 Intermediate exams result of which was declared on Apri 25, 2023 .

Shubh Chopra had topped the Uttar Pradesh board 2023 exams by scoring 97.80%. Anamika and Saurabh Gangwar had jointly secured the 2nd rank with a pass percentage of 97.20% and 486/500 in 2023.

Priyanshu Upadhyay, Khushi and Supriya registered a pass percentage of 97% and 485/500 marks to bag the 3rd rank.

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Some students who experienced the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School seven years ago have now survived their second school shooting in less than a decade while attending Florida State University (FSU).

An active shooter was reported to be on FSU's campus in Tallahassee on Thursday, killing two and leaving six injured.

"I was walking, and this guy pulls up in an orange Hummer," an FSU student who saw the shooter told NBC News. "And he gets out with a rifle and shoots in my direction."

However, senior Ilana Badiner already knew how to respond to the incident.

"I kind of knew the drill already," she told CNN.

Having survived the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida, which occurred while she attended a middle school adjacent to the high school, Badiner watched students sprinting towards bathrooms and hallways and realized something was wrong.

"I've been through this before. It was a similar situation," Badiner said.

She alerted the instructor of the bowling class she had actively been attending.

"I didn't know why everyone else would be running and they were leaving all their belongings behind and definitely knew there was an emergency," she said.

Her instructor, Stephanie Horowitz, was also a survivor of the Parkland shooting, having been a freshman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when the incident occurred.

"I had a feeling it was an active shooter situation before I even heard," Horowitz said in an interview with CBS. "We were lucky that some of my students looked out of the glass doors and saw everybody running."

FSU student Josh Gallagher, who had been in the FSU law library when the shooting occurred, posted to social media about surviving a second shooting, having been present at Parkland.

"After living through the MSD shooting in 2018, I never thought it would hit close to home again. Then I'm in the FSU Law Library and hear on alarm: active shooter on campus. No matter your politics, we need to meetand something has to change. Prayers to the victims and families," he wrote to X.

After living through the MSD shooting in 2018, I never thought it would hit close to home again. Then Im in the FSU Law Library and hear on alarm: active shooter on campus. No matter your politics, we need to meetand something has to change. Prayers to the victims and families.  Josh Gallagher (@JoshBGallagher) April 17, 2025

Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed in the 2018 shooting, took to social media to release a statement on the FSU shooting.

"America is broken. My daughter Jaime was murdered in the Parkland school shooting. Many of her friends who were lucky enough to survive that shooting went on to attend FSU. Incredibly, some of them were just a part of their 2nd school shooting and some were in the student union today," he began.

"As a father, all I ever wanted after the Parkland shooting was to help our children be safe. Sadly, because of the many people who refuse to do the right things about reducing gun violence, I am not surprised by what happened today," he continued.

America is broken. My daughter Jaime was murdered in the Parkland school shooting. Many of her friends who were lucky enough to survive that shooting went on to attend FSU. Incredibly, some of them were just a part of their 2nd school shooting and some were in the student  Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) April 17, 2025

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
On April 11, a letter from the Trump administration triggered a dispute with Harvard University. The letter contained demands that were soon characterized as unauthorized. Harvard officials received demands related to the university's admissions policies, curriculum, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Shortly afterward, Josh Gruenbaum, a General Services Administration official and member of the White House's task force on antisemitism, contacted Harvard to explain that the letter should not have been sent and was unauthorized.

News18 reported that the letter, demanding Harvard eliminate its DEI programs, screen international students for ideological concerns, and provide detailed records within 30 days, was issued by Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel at the Department of Health and Human Services. The institution's officials described these demands as unrealistic and non-negotiable, leading to a public dispute between the university and the White House.

As the aftermath unfolded, a senior Trump administration official informed Harvard that the letter, despite being signed by three senior members and dispatched on official letterhead, had been sent without the required authorization from the Antisemitism Task Force. This unexpected communication halted ongoing conversations with the government, which Harvard had assumed held potential for a diplomatic resolution. The abrupt nature of the letter, paired with its extreme demands, led Harvard officials to believe that any chance for a compromise was off the table.

The letter's stipulations put nearly $9 billion in federal funding for Harvard at risk, forcing the Trump administration to freeze approximately $2.2 billion in grants. According to CNBC, a representative indicated, "The actions the government took this week have real consequences for students, patients, employees, and the position of American higher education in the world," reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

The New York Times described the incident as triggering a tectonic battle between one of the country's most prestigious universities and a U.S. President. With Harvard's rejection of the demands, the dialogue with the government's task force reached an impasse. Harvard stated, "It remains unclear to us what exactly the government considers 'wrong' or what it really wanted to express."

Despite the clarity later provided by administration officials, the initial letter created disruptions for both parties. The New York Times noted that the timing of the letter was not coincidental, given that Harvard had been in consultation with the government for the preceding two weeks. Whether the act was a result of premature action or a miscommunication within internal ranks of the task force remains a point of contention.

While the Trump administration has yet to comment on this sequence of events, it reflects a broader clash seen in the interaction between governmental oversight and academic independence. This episode underscores the tensions that arise when federal expectations intersect with the operations of higher education institutions, particularly concerning admissions policies and curriculum changes, notably those perceived to involve allegations of fueling antisemitism.
Pope Francis called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address, as the weakened pontiff delighted the crowds of Catholic faithful by making a much hoped-for holiday appearance, even circling St Peter's Square in his popemobile.

"Happy Easter," said the 88-year-old Argentine pope in a weak voice from his wheelchair on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, to the great joy of the crowd in the flower-filled square below.

The pope's convalescence from pneumonia has kept him away from most Holy Week events but Francis made a major effort on Sunday, waving at the crowd and blessing babies from his popemobile for nearly 15 minutes despite appearing listless.

After giving his Easter greetings to the crowd, estimated at more than 35,000 people, from the basilica's balcony, Francis delegated the reading of his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") benediction to an associate.

"There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others," read his speech, which also condemned "worrisome" anti-Semitism, and the "dramatic and deplorable" situation in Gaza.

With his health still delicate following five weeks in hospital for pneumonia in both lungs, it had not been certain whether the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics would be present, or if so, in what capacity.

Among the believers on Sunday was fellow Argentine Maria Repezza, 58, who was holding back tears.

"I'm moved by the strength he puts out, because he is sick and very old. He is an Argentine like us, he's ours. We feel blessed," she told AFP.

- 'Not targets but people' -

Just ahead of the pope's appearance at St Peter's, he held a brief private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance, who was visiting Rome with his family.

Vance did not stay for the Easter mass and after just a quarter of an hour he left the Vatican and headed with his wife and children to attend mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four Vatican-owned papal basilicas in Rome.

Video footage showed Francis in his wheelchair shaking hands with the vice president and his wife, with the Vatican writing later in a brief statement that the meeting "gave the opportunity to exchange greetings on Easter Sunday".

Their encounter came months after a spat between Francis and the administration of US President Donald Trump over its anti-migrant policies.

The pope's Easter message was one of tolerance towards others and respect for diversity -- themes he has hammered throughout his 12-year papacy.

But they are especially topical given the myriad conflicts around the globe, most of which were mentioned by the pontiff, including Sudan, Yemen and Ukraine.

"On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!" read the speech.

He appealed to the world's leaders "not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others".

Citing "defenceless civilians" and attacks on "schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers", the pope said "we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity".

While citing a "growing climate of anti-Semitism" around the world as "worrying", the pope said his thoughts were with the people of Gaza and repeated his calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

"The terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation," he wrote in the address.

- Improving, but still weak -

Francis was released from hospital on March 23, after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia, from which he nearly died.

Despite improvements in his breathing, his voice remains weak, although in recent appearances, including on Sunday, he has not worn a nasal cannula through which he has been receiving oxygen.

For the first time since becoming pope in 2013, Francis missed most Holy Week events, such as Friday's Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum and Saturday's Easter vigil at Saint Peter's Basilica, where he delegated his duties to cardinals.

He did, however, make a brief appearance inside the basilica on Saturday, where he prayed and gave candies to children.

Some 300 cardinals, bishops and priests attended Sunday's Easter mass, while the crowd was larger than usual, organisers said, due to the Jubilee, a holy year designated by the pope that attracts thousands of pilgrims to the Eternal City.

In his one official engagement this week, Francis visited inmates in a Rome jail, after which he told a journalist he was getting through the Easter week "as best I can".

This year's Easter is unusual as it falls on the same weekend in both the Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity, which follow the Gregorian calendar, and the Orthodox branch, which uses the Julian calendar.

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Chinese officials are arguing for cryptocurrency regulations to deal with seized assets.

Despite a trading ban, Chinese local governments have reportedly been selling seized crypto assets through private companies.

While mainland China continues to uphold its cryptocurrency ban, Hong Kong is pushing to become a cryptocurrency hub.

Once the leading cryptocurrency trading and mining hub, China has long ceded its dominance to the U.S. following a series of suppressive regulatory measures, including a blanket ban in 2021.

Now, nearly four years later, the Asian economic giant may be considering a potential softening of its treatment of cryptocurrencies, but not for the reasons many would have anticipated.

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According to a Reuters report, Chinese law enforcement officials, lawyers and financial industry participants are pushing for some judicial recognition of cryptocurrencies as assets in a potential landmark shift for the countrys cryptocurrency industry.

The calls come as the country sees a spike in cryptocurrency asset seizures from criminal cases. The lack of clear rules on how to handle these seizures is raising corruption concerns.

So far, Chinese local governments have been selling these seized cryptocurrencies for cash through private firms to shore up their coffers amid an economic slowdown. Specifically, the assets are sold for U.S. dollars in foreign markets and converted into yuan by local banks before being transferred to local government accounts holding public funds.

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Using this method, a local technology company, Jiafenxiang, has sold over 3 billion yuan, or about $41 million, worth of cryptocurrency assets on behalf of three local governments, Xuzhou, Huaan, and Taizhou, since 2018.

But most officials argue that current methods are inconsistent and opaque, with at least one expert arguing that the sales go against the countrys ban on crypto trading. In a January seminar on the issue, officials reportedly suggested everything from establishing clear guidelines to a strategic reserve like the Trump administration, all of which could be a boon for the industry by paving the way for greater adoption.
Canada's election authority said Saturday that high early turnout was a sign of "enthusiasm for the ballot" in an election campaign overshadowed by tensions with its American neighbor.

More than two million Canadians cast ballots on the first day of early voting Friday, according to initial Elections Canada data provided to AFP, a 36 percent increase from 2021.

Voters have until Monday evening to file early ballots ahead of the April 28 election.

On Friday, long queues formed outside polling stations in several large cities, with some people waiting up to two hours, local supervisors told AFP.

This year is a "special" election given "what's going on with the United States," said Josee Fournier outside a polling station in Montreal on Saturday.

The 60-year-old human resources worker said she had weighed her choice until the very last moment given the "serious" cross-border tensions.

Raphael Collomb, 35, said he had been "following all of the media and the candidates' platforms" as he prepared to vote.

He wanted "the economy to do better and more peace and quiet for everyone," he told AFP.

US President Donald Trump has issued a slew of threats to impose tariffs and undermine Canadian sovereignty since returning to office in January.

The perceived menace from abroad has prompted many Canadians to vote based on which party leader and prospective prime minister they think is best suited to stand up to Trump.

Recent polling puts the Liberals led by incumbent Mark Carney at around 44 percent support, leading the Conservative opposition under Pierre Poilievre at around 38 percent.

Smaller contenders include the left-wing New Democratic Party at eight percent, and the Quebec separatist party Bloc Quebecois at five.

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Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of violating an Easter truce as US President Donald Trump surprisingly announced that the war rivals could make a "deal" this week.

The 30-hour truce from Saturday, announced by Russia's President Vladimir Putin, had been meant to mark the religious holiday. But Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had carried out hundreds of front line attacks.

"The Ukrainian army is acting and will continue to act in an absolutely mirror image" of Russia," he warned.

Later Zelensky said on social media: "The Russian army has violated Putin's ceasefire more than 2,000 times".

"However, there were no air raid alerts today," he added, proposing a halt to "any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days".

He made a similar proposal at the beginning of the weekend in response to Putin's announcement of the Easter truce.

Trump had also made a ceasefire proposal to Russia, which was accepted by Ukraine but rebuffed by Russia.

Trump said on Friday that he would end US efforts to halt the war that started with Russia's February 2022 invasion unless the two sides moved toward an accord.

- 'Hopefully... a deal' -

Then on Sunday, he came out with a new startling announcement.

"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," he said in a short message on his Truth Social platform.

"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune," he added. The White House did not immediately give any further details on the president's announcement.

Russia, which has called the ceasefire talks "difficult", accused Ukraine of breaching the truce.

Moscow said it had "repelled" Ukrainian assaults and accused Kyiv of launching hundreds of drones and shells, causing civilian casualties.

"Despite the announcement of the Easter truce, Ukrainian units at night made attempts to attack" Russian positions in the Donetsk region, its defence ministry added.

Russian troops had "strictly observed the ceasefire", the ministry insisted.

Rescue services in the eastern town of Kostyantynivka said they had recovered the bodies of a man and a woman from the ruins of building hit the previous day by Russian shelling.

The Russian-appointed mayor of Gorlovka in occupied Donetsk, Ivan Prikhodko, said two civilians had been wounded there.

- 'Fewer guys will die' -

Ukrainian soldiers told AFP that they had noticed a lull in fighting.

A drone unit commander said that Russia's activity had "significantly decreased both in Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions", combat zones in the south and northeast where the unit is active.

"Several assaults were recorded, but those were solitary incidents involving small groups," the commander told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Fewer guys (soldiers) will die today."

Russian "artillery is not working. it is quiet compared to a regular day", Sergiy, a junior lieutenant fighting in the Sumy border region, wrote to AFP in a message.

Ukrainian troops "are on the defensive", he added. "If the enemy doesn't move forward, they don't shoot."

AFP journalists monitoring in eastern Ukraine heard fewer explosions than usual and saw no smoke on the horizon.

Putin had announced a truce from 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) Saturday to midnight Sunday Moscow time (2100 GMT), saying it was motivated by "humanitarian reasons".

Zelensky responded that Ukraine was ready to follow suit and proposed extending the truce for 30 days to "give peace a chance".

But he said Sunday that Russia had not responded to the offer.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had given no order to extend the truce.

- 'Can't trust Russia' --

In Kyiv, as Easter Sunday bells rang out, people doubted Russia's good faith.

"They've already broken their promise," said 38-year-old Olga Grachova, who works in marketing. "Unfortunately, we cannot trust Russia today."

Natalia, a 41-year-old medic, said of Zelensky's 30-day proposal: "Everything we offer, unfortunately, remains only our offers. Nobody responds to them."

People in Moscow welcomed an Easter truce and hoped for more progress towards an end to the war.

"We dreamt of course that peace would come by Easter. Let it come soon," said Svetlana, a 34-year-old housewife.

"I think that this awful thing will end at some point, but not soon," said Irina Volkova, a 73-year-old pensioner.

"All is not going well for us in Ukraine," she added. "People are dying, our guys are dying."

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Emergency services in Waterford City attended the scene of a car blaze on Saturday, April 19.

The incident occurred on the city Ring Road near the Ballinmona turn at around 3.45pm.

It's understood three units from the fire service attended the scene and the road between two roundabouts, where the incident occurred, was closed to traffic for a period resulting in extensive tailbacks.

It's also believed that while the car involved was badly damaged as a result of the blaze there were no reports of anyone injured.
Man over board from Yacht Search 16nm South of Dunmore East

The Coast Guard is currently coordinating a search for a missing man believed to have gone overboard from a UK registered yacht in the Irish Sea, 16nm south of Dunmore East, in Co Waterford.

A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard told waterford-news.ie: "A 999 call was received last night by the Coast Guard Coordination centre in Dublin, from the yacht requesting assistance."

"Weather conditions are calm on scene at present and MRCC Dublin continues to coordinate rescue resources in the area with Coast Guard helicopters R117, R116, a UK Coast Guard fixed wing, Dunmore Lifeboat, Kilmore Quay and Ballycotton Lifeboats involved in the search," said the spokesperson.

This is a developing story.
Sarah Slater

A search is underway for a man reported as falling overboard from a yacht off the Waterford coast.

The Coast Guard rescue helicopter 116 based out of Dublin has now joined the search operation for the man.

The rescue began when an alert was raised at about 10.40pm on Saturday by another individual who was still onboard the UK registered vessel.

The UK Coast Guard was also contacted after the person said they believed the vessel was off the coast of Swansea in Wales.

However, the Irish Coast Guard situated the vessel off the coast of Ceann Heilbhic in Co Waterford.

The yacht was travelling from Brighton to Swansea via Falmouth.

It is understood that a person has since been taken safely to shore by search and rescue teams.

Waterford-based Coast Guard rescue helicopter 117 carried out searches on Saturday night, assisted by a fixed wing aircraft from the UK, and the RNLI lifeboats from Dunmore East in Waterford and Ballycotton, Co Cork.

A spokesperson for the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) confirmed that the Coast Guard was coordinating a search for a missing man believed to have gone overboard from a UK registered yacht 16nm South of Dunmore East in the Irish Sea.

A 999 call was received last night by the Coast Guard Coordination centre in Dublin from the yacht requesting assistance.

"Weather conditions are calm on scene at present and MRCC Dublin continues to coordinate rescue resources in the area with Coast Guard helicopters R117, R116, a UK Coast Guard fixed wing, Dunmore Lifeboat, Kilmore Quay and Ballycotton Lifeboats involved in the search.
Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir: 'The Loves of Cass McGuire'.

Cass McGuire (Maria Clancy) fits into Brian Friels theatre of escaping or returning emigrants with illusive memory at its core. Cass McGuire returns to her home in small-town rural Ireland after a distance of some 50 years.

She longs to return to the embrace of her brother Harry (David Shee), his wife Alice (Julie La Fontaine), mother Gran McGuire (Jacqueline Delahunty) and son Dom (Jake Tubritt), where she can retire in some sort of granny flat arrangement.

However, the world has moved on and Ireland with it. Casss life as a barmaid in a rundown bar frequented by drunks and dropouts, a block away from Skid Row, hasnt left her with much.

Any pretence of a successful career in the Big Apple is punctured when compared to the affluence of her brother and family that holds a doctor, a priest and a business man along with a Leaving Cert student scholar on the verge of academic greatness.

Cass is also fond of the bottle as the family discover to their embarrassment.

Her garish ways, intemperate and loud language and impetuous nature are impossible to tolerate and her adored brother Harry finds her a bed in a nursing home (on the site of a former workhouse) ironically named Eden House.

The play deals with the internal struggles of a returned Yank in search of an imagined and idealised home, that she has fantasised about for half-a-century.

Her loves are the loves she has always held of family  mother, Harry and family in a world that has resisted change.

When Harry discloses that he has saved the $10/month she has sent him for his family to give to Cass on her return, she is devastated. She has returned to an affluent and progressive Ireland she no longer recognises, that has no place for her in it, and struggles to come to terms with this.

Cass regularly takes the audience into her confidence in a series of direct addresses as Friel again breaks the fourth wall of the theatre. Several other characters repeat the technique. Im not a fan.

Direct references to the author and the title of the play break the connection between audience and play. Once a drama takes to the stage, the authors role is over and the meaning is determined by the audiences interpretation.

Any author that inserts himself into a play as a character is only getting in the way between actor and audience.

Eden Houses residents have already found their own version of truth and home in an imagined past where lovers and caring parents were faultless.

Cass will come to recognise that she too must create her own version of the past in order to survive in her new present. A series of armchair soliloquies by the main characters reveal their world as it really is  including the unhappy circumstances of their personal lives.

It seems that the only way these protagonists can come to terms with the present in through escaping into a romantic and heroic past.

The residents provide badly needed humour as an antidote to the bleakness of the script. Paula ODwyer delights as the gossipy Trilbe; Colm Power is a quirky, academic Ingram; Walter Dunphy brings great fun as down-to-earth farmer Pat Quinn while Suzanne Walsh is suitably aloof as the recently arrived Mrs Butcher who wont be staying long dont-you-know! Jayne Tennyson completes the Eden House family as the fun-loving nursing home assistant that becomes engaged.

Maria Clancy is an engaging Cass that never allows us forget the gentleness and love that lies beneath the brash Cass McGuire.

David Shees Harry brings out all the internal conflict between a loving brother and a dutiful husband struggling to come to terms with his garrulous sister while Julie La Fontaine is warm and caring as Alice.

Suzanne Shine does well as the director to bring the sense of this wordy and somewhat disconnected script together in a cohesive whole. Suzannes pace is strong and her intuitive sense of character creates a wide variety of personalities to colour her restricted stage space.

This column is dedicated to the late Tom Nealon who directed the first production of Cass McGuire back in 1989 and who passed away last year.

Tom was an actor, director, set designer, chairman, and committee member over the years and won several best-actor awards while on the festival circuit. Tom was a gentleman to his fingertips and always gave the warmest of welcomes. God bless you Tom; you were one of our own.
Part of the drive by Boom is to challenge the status quo in aviation. Boeing is beset by problems with its 737 Max, labour and safety issues, and production slowdowns. Airbus has gained market share, but it is also slowed by lingering production disruptions created by the pandemic aftermath. This is an industry where there are only two players in the world, Boeing and Airbus, and neither of them has launched a new product in more than 20 years, says Scholl. The stasis has bled into the experience of flying, Scholl says. Weve taken flying, which is an experience that used to be inspiring, and turned it to something that most people dread. A future of sleek airliners transporting passengers at supersonic speeds and reasonable prices over land would help restore some of the thrill of flying.

Boom Technologys XB-1 captured in a Schlieren image, which shows the shock waves created by the supersonic aircraft during a test flight in February 2025. Credit: NASA/Boom Supersonic Scholl says he was inspired by seeing the Concorde in a museum when he was in his 20s. I wondered why the most amazing airliner ever made was in a museum, not in our skies. The last and only commercial supersonic jet, the Concorde, travelled at cruising speed of 2160km/h or Mach 2, up to 60,000 times across the Atlantic, linking London and Paris to New York. Before the era of Facebook and Apple, the Concorde was a symbol of technologys possibility. The British-French Concorde capped a century in which humans progressed from the first flight of the Wright Brothers to landing on the moon in a span of 66 years. The Concordes first test flight took place in 1969  the same year of the Apollo moon landing. But it was built with the technology of its time. The Concorde was loud, used lots of fuel and had cramped seating (its seats were smaller than many economy seats today). As it exceeded the speed of sound in flight, the pressure of the air created sonic booms  loud explosions that rattled the ground, frightening people.

XB-1 on a supersonic test flight. Credit: Boom Supersonic This limited the Concordes routes to flying over the Atlantic. The Overture promises to get around the prospect of sonic booms by using something called Mach cut-off physics, which involves the plane flying high enough and in the right conditions to a point where sonic boom never reaches the ground. If Boom planes flying at or near Mach speed over land become viable, they will open up coast-to-coast routes in North America or between the US east coast and deeper into Europe  and across the Pacific. Itd be great if Sydney to LA were eight and a half hours, not 15, Scholl says.

Blake Scholl plans a new generation of supersonic airplane thats 75 per cent less expensive to travel on than the Concorde. Credit: James Brickwood Boom is also building its own engine to efficiently burn sustainable aviation fuel. There is some debate about how easy this is. Richard Aboulafia, managing director of Washington DC-based AeroDynamic Advisory, says Boom lacks a realistic path towards an engine. The real challenge with creating a modern supersonic jetliner is the engine  far more than the airframe, he says, with only three companies in the world qualified to do such a complicated and expensive engine: GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce, none of which are partnering with Boom. A Tu-144 at Technik Museum Sinsheim in Germany, the only version of the aircraft you can find outside Russia. Credit: Getty Images

Boom is doing its own engine ... in conjunction with three minor partners who really dont have anything like the capabilities needed, said Aboulafia. Scholl says such an assessment is rooted in legacy aerospace costs. Theres a myth today that jet engines are basically impossible to develop and only big companies can do them. That was also a myth about supersonic jets before XB. Weve proven we can build a supersonic jet. The next thing is well prove we can build a jet engine. Brian Potter of the US-based Institute for Progress writes that the boundary of technological possibility is defined not just by mastery of the universe but the limits of the economy and the organisations that operate within it. Boom Supersonics Overture.

One of those boundaries may be the cost of its creation. Potter says its not uncommon for aircraft companies to spend more than their value to complete a plane. Based on past  even recent examples  creating the Overture could require $US15 billion ($23.5 billion) for completion. Scholl says the $US15 billion price tag would be right if one of the big old players did it. Scholl says Boom has demonstrated an ability to develop 10 times more efficiently than the traditional players. So the company is expecting costs more in the $US1-2 billion range versus the much higher costs that would be realised at traditional players. Boom has so far amassed funding just shy of $US1 billion, some of it backed by the Saudi-based NEOM Investment Fund. Loading

Boom also uses AI and proprietary software engineering tools, Scholl says, which speed development while reducing costs. However, for Booms Overture to succeed, market economics must support it where they didnt for the Concorde, which only flew a niche market of London, New York and Paris. With a cheaper operational cost, Scholl forecasts flights on the Overture would fetch as much as business flights today  in the $US2500 to $US5000 range one-way  and, unlike with Concorde, prices would fall with time. The premium travel segment is expanding. More passengers are willing to pay for a higher level of service. But economics probably werent the only reason for a planes success. Catching the right moment in the market matters too. Loading

The Concorde was brought to completion in part for the same reasons the moon landing happened  the plane said something about societies that built it. The Concorde wasnt even the only supersonic airliner then; Soviet Russia also successfully built a short-lived supersonic transport called the Tu144. Today, China is reportedly developing the C949, a supersonic commercial liner, that will also avoid creating sonic booms and put the Pacific in closer reach of Beijing. Perhaps supersonic commercial flight will become more attractive both logistically and strategically now than in the past half-century. Boom is also planning a military version of the Overture. Still, the Overture is unlikely to succeed unless it can make a commercial use case. To date, Boom has orders or options for orders from United Airlines, American Airlines and Japan Airlines. However, aircraft purchasing is a long and complicated business, with sizeable differences between initial options and final delivery.

For example, in the 1960s, Qantas placed deposits to buy four Concordes and six of Boeings planned supersonic commercial jet, the 2707. Overture is scheduled to be released by the end of the decade  an ambitious timeline. Scholl says: Im a believer that small, talented teams will do things that the big legacy players cant do or wont do. Aboulafia says that the people behind Boom arent really aerospace people. Theyre Silicon Valley. Thus, theres lots of hubris.
More than 2 out of 5 American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control. With this figure in mind, it's no wonder Wall Street investment banks are telling anyone who will listen that sales of anti-obesity drugs could soar.

Last year, Morgan Stanley said the global market for obesity drugs could increase more than 15-fold to reach $144 billion by 2030. Treatments from Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) dominate the market now, but the glucose-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists they market require weekly injections.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue 

The needles used to inject Novo Nordisk's and Eli Lilly's GLP-1 drugs are relatively slim, but there are still plenty of folks who won't go near them. To better serve this group, Eli Lilly and its peers are developing GLP-1 drugs that can be swallowed instead of injected.

Lilly recently read out positive results from its Achieve-1 study, a phase 3 clinical trial (the first of several) of an experimental oral GLP-1 treatment called orforglipron. Here's a closer look at the candidate, and results from the trial, to see whether this is a good stock to buy now.

A good result from something different

Savvy pharma-stock investors know that an oral GLP-1 drug from Novo Nordisk called Rybelsus has been on the market as a diabetes treatment since 2019. It's an orally available version of semaglutide, which is the same active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.

Last year, sales of Rybelsus came in at $3.6 billion. That's not insignificant, but it's just a fraction of injectable semaglutide sales, which reached a whopping $27.2 billion over the same time frame.

Naturally occurring GLP-1 and synthetic semaglutide are peptide hormones. The amino-acid chain that forms semaglutide's backbone is a short one, but it still gets cut to ribbons in our stomachs before it's absorbed into the bloodstream. Rybelsus uses a permeation enhancer to speed up absorption, but patients have to swallow it first thing in the morning, with water, on an empty stomach.

Orforglipron acts on the same GLP-1 receptors as semaglutide, but it's a small-molecule drug that doesn't come apart in our stomachs before it's absorbed. This means folks can take it as they would most medications. Without the compliance issues that have kept Rybelsus sales down, orforglipron could become a top seller.

Orforglipron's mode of action could give it a leg up in the anti-obesity market, but it will be a while before we see pivotal data with obese patients. All of the Achieve trials are aimed at diabetes patients.
No need to try, I snapped. Because I am a woman of a s pecific a ge. We all are. I told him the numbers and watched as he typed them in.

A few years ago, I was standing at a counter in my local library while a 50-something bloke at a computer was filling in a form so that I could borrow books. Wed spelled out my name, dealt with my address, and the cursor on his computer screen moved to a box where he would fill in my date of birth. He gave me an amused look, and a corner of his mouth turned down.

Id been thinking about it for a while, this discomfort that arose whenever my age was mentioned. After the milestone of 40, Id realised Id begun to avoid confiding it to strangers, but also, it had to be admitted, to friends and acquaintances. It was a discomfort with roots buried deep in the shame women are made to feel for no longer being young, and I guessed it had been instilled early. All those overheard conversations in which grown-ups described someone they knew as mutton dressed as lamb  a judgment only ever directed at women.

In her essay, The Double Standard of Ageing, Susan Sontag details the ways women evade answering questions about their age, depending on who is doing the asking. Sontag says: For a woman to be obliged to state her age, after a certain age, is always a miniature ordeal. We hold the knowledge of our birth year as our secret, our private property, and it is something of a dirty secret.

Unfortunately, in our culture, there is a barely concealed revulsion for the female body in anything other than its youthful, firm, and blemish-free form. It is this horror of the ageing female that women are attempting to defend against when they indulge in age denial; it is what fuels the anti-ageing beauty business, this almost universal fear of being seen as the witch, the virago, the crone. Women who are judged no longer young, no longer beautiful, are covertly punished for it, and women do the punishing as often as men.

There was a moment, years ago now, when I wondered whether it would be possible to defeat time, to erase its traces on my face. Was I prepared to consider plastic surgery? I thought of all those stretched, tucked and injected faces of ageing Hollywood stars, and the answer had to be an emphatic, No!

Having long passed the milestones of 40, 50 and 60, I was staring at my 70th birthday when I began the arduous task of growing the chemical colour out of my hair. The in-between stage was a bit of a nightmare. But once through it, I felt an enormous sense of freedom: freedom from the tyranny of hairdressers who had terrorised me for decades with expensive cuts and colours that Id too often come home and cried over; freedom from chemicals being regularly absorbed through my scalp and doing goodness knows what to my bodys various life-sustaining systems.
Faith can be a fraught and inherently political topic in China. It is wedged at the juncture of CCP ideology, which is atheist and bans its 100 million members from holding religious beliefs, and the Chinese state which formally recognises and tightly regulates five religions: Catholicism, Protestantism, Daoism, Islam and Buddhism. When it comes to Catholicism, the Popes status as the supreme moral authority for Chinas approximately 10 million Catholics represents a particular challenge for the Chinese leadership and President Xi Jinping, who has asserted the supremacy of the party over all sectors of life in China. During his four-country Asia tour last September Pope Francis made clear his desire to visit China. Credit: AP But the question of the Popes China aspirations may hinge less on the power dynamics between Beijing and the Vatican, and more on Xis willingness to make a crude political play in service of his overarching ambition  to weaken American dominance and strengthen Chinas influence at the apex of the global system. A visit by the Pope would hand Beijing the imprimatur of one of the worlds leading moral figures to use in its defence against the US-led alliances claims of Chinas human rights abuses, particularly against persecuted Muslim Uyghur groups.

Welcoming the Pope to China will be a very much a public relations coup for China, which has tensions with so many nations, says Dr Kim-Kwong Chan, a retired pastor and longtime scholar of Christianity in China. Loading They will be able to say, Look even the Pope comes to China, so China seems to be quite well accepted by this moral religious figure of the world. Dr Michel Chambon says the Vatican sees China as a powerful global actor who it should be fostering closer ties with for its own soft power ambitions, particularly at a time when collaboration with Washington has become more strained under US President Donald Trump. The Pope going to China will be a slap in the face of Washington, says Chambon, a Catholic theologian at the National University of Singapore.

We dont just give the Pope for free. We try to negotiate, he says. Dispatching the Pope overseas usually involves a push by the Vatican to improve the situation for Catholics in the host country, or to seek its support for global humanitarian issues. Chambon doesnt think the Pope will be boarding a plane to Beijing any time soon, but says China hasnt shut the door on the idea either. For the Chinese side, getting the Holy See to abandon its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that China regards as its own territory, is a prize Beijing is likely to pursue in future negotiations. Parishioners get ready for mass at the Xishiku Church in Beijing. Credit: Sanghee Liu The Vatican  which is on a shrinking list of 12 states to have formal ties with Taipei, and the only one in Europe  has been open about its desire to establish a permanent office in China, and some experts believe it would make the diplomatic conversion if it secured the churchs inroads to Beijing.

The Vatican has few cards in its hand, and it plays them very carefully. Taiwan is clearly one card, Chambon says. The Popes overtures to Beijing have come as part of the Vaticans controversial pursuit of a rapprochement with the Chinese leadership. This resulted in a landmark provisional accord struck in 2018 that sought to break a decades-long feud over who should have the authority to appoint Catholic bishops in China by setting out a process of joint recognition. The accord also served a mutual aim in seeking to resolve a split in the Catholic Church in China. For decades, it has been divided between the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association churches, monitored by the CCPs United Front Work Department, and so-called underground churches that rejected the governments interference and professed loyalty to the Pope, risking persecution from authorities. A wax statue of the Chinese Holy Mother and son in Manchurian dress from the Qing dynasty era inside the Xishiku Church in Beijing. Credit: Sanghee Liu The Vatican wanted to have a unified church operating in the open, and the Chinese also wanted to have also something out in the open under their observation and their monitoring systems, says Chan.

The terms of the agreement, which has been renewed three times, most recently in 2024 for four years, have never been fully disclosed. The Vatican has said it gives the Pope final decision-making power over appointments of new bishops and, in return, it has recognised illegitimate bishops appointed by Beijing without papal approval. But the terms were breached when the Chinese made a number of unilateral appointments in 2022 and 2023, forcing the Pope to retrospectively ratify them for the greater good. For the legions of critics in both China and the West, the accord surrendered too much control over religious freedom to Chinese authorities and came at the expense of buying the Popes muted criticism of human rights abuses, including the persecution of Uyghur muslim minority groups. Cardinal Joseph Zen, the former archbishop of Hong Kong, denounced the deal as an incredible betrayal. When Zen was arrested by Hong Kong authorities in 2022 for aiding pro-democracy activists during Beijings national security crackdown, critics noted the Popes silence. The Beijing Catholic community mark the beginning of the Lent period with ash crosses for a service at Xishiku Cathedral. Credit: Sanghee Liu Some people thought the underground church had suffered the most and then was thrown under the bus ... and that the Vatican were playing right into the hands of the government, says Father Paul Marani, an expert in Christianity in China at Santa Clara University.

Francis has consecrated 10 bishops since the 2018 accord, and today most Catholic churches in China are part of the state-sanctioned system. However, as many as 10 bishops who refused to sign up to the Vatican-China deal have faced indefinite detention, disappearances, police investigations, threats, surveillance, and interrogation, a report by the Hudson Institute think tank found. Loading For its part, the Vatican has conceded the accord was not the best deal possible but the best one it could get. There are no signs, however, that it has moved the dial on the Popes China tour aspirations. It does not seem to me that, so far, there are the conditions for this wish of the Pope to come to fruition, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State and a key architect of the accord, said last year.

The Xishiku Cathedral, one of the oldest and grandest churches in Beijing, is state-sanctioned. It bares the tell-tale embellishments of Xis sinicisation of religion campaign, which seeks to assimilate religions with Chinese culture while ensuring conformity with CCP ideology. The cathedrals ornate gothic towers are framed by traditional red Chinese pagodas, which sit either side of the building, and two large stone lion statues flank the steps leading to the entry  a striking visual metaphor for Catholicism wedged between Chinese culture. Inside, the religious iconography bears a distinctive Chinese flourish. A wax statue of the Holy Mother and Son depicts a Chinese Mary and Jesus styled in Manchurian clothes of the Qing dynasty. How deeply Xis sinicisation agenda has been incorporated into Catholic services and religious teachings across China is unclear, though state-issued regulations in 2021 called for clergy to love the motherland, support the CCP leadership and promote sinicisation through their sermons. The policy has added to the alarm shared by Francis critics who accuse him of selling out to the CCP. Supporters of the Vaticans approach say it is grounded in a pragmatic reality that Chinese state control reaches into all aspects of citizens lives and working within the system affords Catholics a relative degree of freedom to practise their faith.

Loading With Sundays mass due to start in a few minutes, Mr Zhang, 57, has paused in prayer before a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Cathedrals forecourt. A devout believer, he traces his familys Catholic roots back more than 100 years on both his father and mothers sides. He is confident he will be the first of his familys generation to see the Pope set foot in China. I will witness it. This is a hope of all Catholics in China. It will happen. We firmly believe this, says Zhang, a manager of a government social welfare organisation. The Pope is becoming more open, more inclusive. We [China] will further open up, too. The China dream is unlikely to die with Francis. The Vatican, a shrewd political operation that has honed the art of calculated diplomacy over centuries, is hedging its bets on the shifting epicentre of global power towards a rising China. The next pope may not be as gifted or confident with Chinese or Asian situations, but its going to remain a priority, says Chambon. The next election [for pope] will be probably the first time that, when they select candidates, they will check his view on China. It will be a key criteria that he has a subtle, constructive view on how to engage China.
We recently published a list of 12 Best Cosmetics Stocks to Buy for 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:EL) stands against other best cosmetics stocks to buy for 2025.

Overview of the Cosmetics Industry

According to Grand View Research, the global cosmetics industry has a market size of around $295.95 billion as of 2023. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% between 2024 and 2030. The primary driver of this growth is the rising awareness among consumers about improving their external appearance. Products such as makeup, hair care, skin care, and color cosmetics have become essential parts of everyday life, leading to their increased demand. Another factor supporting market expansion in this sector is the introduction of non-toxic, natural, and organic cosmetic products.

The online cosmetics market is reflecting similar trends. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the online cosmetics market had a size of $16.23 billion in 2025. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.47% between 2025 and 2030, reaching $24.37 billion at the end of the forecast period.

READ ALSO: 15 Best Blue Chip Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires and Top 10 Restaurant Stocks to Buy Under $20.

What Would Trumps Tariffs Mean for the American K-Beauty Cosmetic Industry?

South Korea takes the lead for cosmetic imports, but a 25% tariff could be imposed on the country if President Trump decides to give the green signal after a 90-day pause on a majority of his new reciprocal tariffs. On April 16, CBS News reported that the US imported more than $7.5 billion in cosmetics last year, according to estimates made by the US International Trade Commission. Around $1.7 billion of these imports came from South Korea, as American retailers are seeing a significant boom in the K-beauty industry with the sale of Korean skincare, hair care, and makeup products. This trend is partly emerging due to social media influencers consistently promoting K-beauty products.

However, the imposition of Trumps tariffs could result in a significant price hike for these products, which is why consumers are panic-buying their favorite Korean products, according to CBS News. These trends are also proving worrisome to the Personal Care Products Council, a trade association representing more than 600 brands such as Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, LOreal, and Neutrogena.

The association said in a statement that it is particularly concerned about trade policies that could result in higher prices for personal care products, adding that US consumers use about six to 12 products each day, including sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizer, and fragrance.
SAREPTA, La. - A new animal shelter in Webster Parish is now open.

LaMa Animal Rescue is the group that led the rescue efforts at the hoarder situation in Doyline a few months ago. Saturday, LaMa held a grand opening celebration and fundraiser for its newLu constructed animal shelter.

The shelter will hold up to 40 dogs. The rescue has already reduced the number of dogs being euthanized in Webster Parish.

The shelter and todays livestream fundraiser will help LaMa continue its efforts.

"We just finished our fantastic live fundraising event with Jordan's Way, who travels around the country. So I got slimed a few times. Our mission is to help the unhoused and neglected abandoned pets of Webster Parish and beyond," said LaMa Animal Rescue Vice President Ashley McVey.

Jordan's Way President Kris Rotonda helped LaMa raise money for the shelter.

"So, Jordan's Way is a company that I started after my dog Jordan passed away of cancer back in 2019. I go across the country to 50 states raising money for shelters and rescues. To date, we have raised close to $12 million in five years and visited over 1,400 shelters," said Rotonda.

Jordan's Way doesn't just help raise money any ordinary way. The team finds a way to generate excitement. Saturday, more than $9,000 was raised for LaMa in only three hours.

"When it comes to these live fundraisers, I always say it's Fear Factor meets Nickelodeon meets a Jerry Lewis telethon. So during the three hours, usually I put people under pressure, time sensitive, and they're contacting friends or family members through, like, links and sending them and stuff like that," said Rotonda.

The money raised will go towards medical equipment so dogs can be spayed and neutered on the property.

"Medical equipment is very expensive, and we only want the best for the dogs of Webster Parish, so we're making sure it's done right. One of our wonderful veterinarians is going to be able to come out once per week, and we're so thankful for their collaboration, and we hope to get that started soon," said McVey.

You can learn how to volunteer or foster with LaMa Animal Rescue by clicking the link.
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Mayo County Council is to push for funding to complete a road project that has been mooted for over two decades.

A bypass between the N60 and N17 in Claremorris has been talked about for a long time and it was the subject of another debate last week when members of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District held their monthly meeting.

Cllr Richard Finn submitted a notice of motion calling on Mayo County Council to put the bypass back on the agenda of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) as soon as possible.

A blueprint was there to do this work as part of the Castlebar-Claremorris N60 realignment, which involved major works.

The section from Claremount to the N17 was part of the route plan and seems to be the most viable, even though there may be a feeling out there for a new route. So we need to go back again for funding because if we dont keep knocking at the door, we wont receive any.

This is a very important future piece of infrastructure to complete traffic management in Claremorris town, to make it easier for people who do not want to come to town and want to bypass and drive straight on to Dublin or wherever.

Cllr Finn also said that peoples lands had been sterilised along the route for almost 20 years, adding: It is completely unfair that this is happening on the basis of the project not proceeding or coming to fruition. I cannot understand how they put up with it and on lands so close to town that are valuable.

The people who have lost out are mostly local farmers. They were delighted something was going to happen but then they were just left there, with their land frozen. They thought they were going to get some compensation. There should be some mechanism to say, if this thing is not going ahead then peoples lands should be de-sterilised.

Cllr Patsy OBrien seconded the motion, saying, People had the pain of the major roadworks and they should have the gain following all the works, so this section should be concluded.

Cllr Deirdre Lawless said the town needed the bypass as well as commuters and that it would ultimately help business, while Cllr Alma Gallagher said that Claremorris Chamber of Commerce also fully supported the project.

A Chamber survey found that there are 7,000 cars coming through that route daily [from Castlebar]. The N60 is really the forgotten route and we want to see the whole of it back on TIIs agenda.

Cllr Michael Burke said the situation seemed bizarre and that a similar scenario applied to the Ballinrobe bypass project, which had also been ongoing for 20 years.

There are seven sections to it. Nothing has happened in our town in 20 years and we are back to the drawing board. It will probably cost another four or five million just to get the plans drawn up again.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Damian Ryan said that if a project falls obsolete after ten years, the TII should be mandated to have to either purchase the designated land or dispose of it.

In Ballinrobe, we are back to phase zero of seven phases. People thought in the early 90s when the designations were applied for the bypass that they were getting some compensation, but it was a complete fob-job.

Cllr Gerry Murray said a similar situation prevailed in Charlestown, which had been ongoing since 2007.

The councils senior engineer Conrad Harley advised that the most recent funding application for a minor works application for an N60/N17 link was submitted to TII in 2022. To date, no funding allocation has been received and the project would require dedicated funding from TII if it is to be progressed.

While the allocation of funding is beyond the control of the Municipal District, we will continue to push to have the matter addressed, he said.

Cllr Finn thanked Mr Harley for his promised intervention.
A councillor has criticised Mayo County Council over a lack of action in seeking the designation of the former Asahi plant and adjoining lands outside of Killala as a Strategic Development Zone.

The designation was included as an objective of the Mayo County Development Plan and Fine Gael Cllr Jarlath Munnelly put forward a motion at yesterdays council meeting seeking information on what progress is being made.

However, the response from council planners does not give much hope that the designation will proceed.

The Strategic Development Zone designation is to be replaced by Urban Development Zones following a government review. The local authority says it is not clear if the Asahi site will fall under the remit of an Urban Development Zone under the new legislation.

The council said it can take years to bring a Strategic Development Zone to fruition, citing that it effectively took a decade to bring Ireland West Airport to that stage.

The council said at the time of the drawing up of the County Development Plan it could not have been foreseen that a new Act would revise the concept of Strategic Development Zones to the extent we are seeing now.

Mr Munnelly said Mayo County Council should be prioritising the site as an important development zone for north Mayo. He said there are a number of live applications, including a data centre, for the area.

Im a bit disappointed by the council response, to say the least. Mayo County Council should really be getting behind a site like that. We have an opportunity to make it a site that can create jobs and the county council is not being proactive enough, Mr Munnelly said.

He called on the local authority to create a master plan for the site, akin to what occurred as part of the airport designation.

Thats the kind of work that I want to see happening.

The Killala councillor said this would also help any prospective companies seeking to invest in the area.

The problem here is Mayo County Council, not external bodies. That site has lots of potential and we havent fulfilled that potential, Mr Munnelly said. The answer I have received is that we arent going to do anything. Thats not acceptable.
Ballintubber Abbey, one of Irelands most revered religious and heritage sites, has entered a transformative new phase with the official launch of its multi-million euro development programme.

The unveiling also marked the debut of the abbeys new website and its Strategic Plan for 20252028, heralding a new chapter for the 800-year-old institution known as the abbey that refused to die. The launch day was described as a landmark moment, as the historic Mayo site prepares to welcome a new generation of visitors, pilgrims, and faith-based travellers.

Last year, Ballintubber Abbey was awarded 5.8 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, a key initiative of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This substantial investment ensures the completion of the Ballintubber Abbey Cultural and Heritage Visitor Centre, an idea first envisioned in 2008 and now set to become a reality later this year.

The newly-launched website, built as part of Failte Irelands Digital that Delivers programme, allows visitors to book tours and pilgrim walks online for the first time. Elaine Moyles of Failte Ireland spoke at the event, praising Ballintubbers digital transformation:

The Abbeys commitment to enhancing its digital presence is a shining example of how heritage destinations can adapt to the needs of todays traveller. Through Digital that Delivers, the new website and booking system will help raise Ballintubbers profile both nationally and internationally.

Constructed in 1216, Ballintubber Abbey has been a site of continuous worship through centuries of adversity. It was burned down twice and operated throughout the Penal Laws era when Catholic worship was suppressed. Restoration efforts began during the Great Famine, with further conservation in the 1880s and again in the 1960s.

Under the stewardship of Fr Frank Fahey, significant enhancements to the abbey grounds took place in the 1980s, including the integration of the Easter Passion Play and the revival of the site into the ancient Tochar Phadraig pilgrimage route.

Fr Michael Farragher, Parish Priest of Carnacon, Ballintubber and Killawalla, described the day as a celebration of enduring faith and resilience:

Ballintubber Abbey continues to be a living symbol of hope. As we take this step forward, we honour the past while shaping a future filled with hospitality, spiritual renewal, and cultural richness.

Long-held vision

The concept for a visitor centre was initiated by the Ballintubber Abbey Trust in 2008. After planning permission was granted in 2016, supported by extensive architectural research, the local community rallied to raise 163,000. Additional support from South West Mayo Development Company funded a full architectural investigation.

In 2019, the project secured initial funding of 2.6 million from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, along with 350,000 from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, the full scope of the project remained out of reach until a renewed funding application, submitted after the Covid-19 pandemic, resulted in the 5.8 million allocation that now brings the entire vision to completion.

Minister Dara Calleary, representing the Department that played a crucial role in financing this project, was keen to emphasise the Abbeys national significance.

Ballintubber is not just a place of worship; it is a cornerstone of our cultural and spiritual identity. In a time of global uncertainty, it is places like this, deeply rooted in heritage, in hope, and in community, that offer us strength. I am proud that my department has been able to help bring this long-awaited vision to fruition.

Minister Callearys deep commitment to the project was evident throughout the planning process, and his departments funding has been instrumental in ensuring not just the centres construction, but also its interpretative infrastructure and long-term impact.

Minister of State Alan Dillon TD also praised the development as a turning point for central Mayo.

We are writing the next chapter of Ballintubber Abbey. This centre will unlock the sites potential for tourism, education, and community connection across the wider region.

Suellen McKenna, Manager of Ballintubber Abbey, acknowledged the vital role played by local supporters and the enduring influence of Fr Frank Fahey:

His belief in Ballintubber and its role in preserving our cultural and faith heritage has never wavered. His vision laid the groundwork for everything we are celebrating today.

Con Lydon, of the Ballintubber Abbey Trust Building Committee, reflected on the journey so far.

This centre is not just a building, it is a space for reflection, welcome, and encounter. It preserves the past, enhances the present, and inspires the future. Ballintubber remains, as always, the abbey that refused to die.
There was a time when very few people had the telephone in their home. The priest, the doctor and maybe the local shop were the usual clients. At that time, in the Ox Mountain region, if you wanted to make a call, you went to the local Post Office. If you were lucky, there might be a phone kiosk outside; if not, the whole world knew your business.

In the early 1970s, lines of poles, strung with copper wires, began to appear along the road that I walked to school. The Department of Posts and Telegraphs were in full swing, laying out a new telephone infrastructure and even at that, not every house could afford to avail of the service.

Making the Connection

Following the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in Boston in March 1876, one might assume that his invention would immediately capture the attention of the American public. This was not the case, however, and many people felt that his new speaking telegraph would never achieve commercial success. Even the US President at the time, Rutherford B. Hayes, reportedly said, Thats an amazing invention, Mr Bell but who would ever want to use it?

I was delighted to receive a prompt in recent weeks to feature the birth and growth of the telephone. The reminder came from Michael Larkin and from his own personal interest in the telephone, its history and the people behind its growth. Michael was telling me about an ancestor of his, Thomas Larkin (1874-1953), who emigrated to America and later became one of the early telephone pioneers with the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania.

According to Michaels research, in his book, Making the Right Connections, his ancestor was part of an unfolding story, part of telephone history.

Thomas Larkin was born in the townland of Derrew, close to the village of Ballyheane, near Castlebar in Co Mayo. While he was just one of several thousands of other young Irishmen and women who made that perilous voyage across the Atlantic ocean to America, his story, together with its interwoven themes relating to immigration, transatlantic connectivity and evolution of telecommunications, became a fitting symbol of transatlantic connectivity between Ireland and the United States of America.

At the time of Larkins arrival in Philadelphia there were reputedly endless work opportunities available, but such opportunities were off-set by the number of immigrants arriving daily in the city. Larkin stated years later: If I had the fare to return to Liverpool at the time I would have done so.

However, huge advertisements were visible throughout Philadelphia, promising more opportunities further west. So, Thomas, following his instincts, headed west and eventually secured employment with the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania. It was with this company, in the city of Pittsburgh, that he spent most of his distinguished career. With great pride and with a strong work ethic, he accompanied the telephone on its rise to eventual stardom.

Ballyheane native Thomas Larkin played a key role in the development of the telephone service in the United States. Picture: Courtesy of Michael Larkin

Reconnecting

While his yearning to return to the land of his birth was fulfilled following his retirement, Thomas seriously contemplated returning to Pennsylvania once again as the Ireland he returned to in the 1930s was still decades behind America in terms of economic progress, infrastructure and communications. Michael Larkin goes on to describe his ancestors legacy and the tangible reminders of his career in America.

In the old Larkin homestead in Derrew, similar to most Irish homes from this era, on the mantlepiece over the fireplace small black and white photographs of family members, many long since deceased signified a link to times past.

In the parlour, or front room, the framed picture of the Bell Telephone Company certificate conferring life membership of the Telephone Pioneers of America to Thomas Larkin at a prestigious ceremony in the AT&T Headquarters, New York was extra special. The engraved, once gleaming copper cup with its Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania insignia presented for loyal service, his American passport, the genuine cowhide leather briefcase, with its tanned leather interior having pockets for notepads, pencils and other telephone related stationery material  those artefacts coupled with the telling and re-telling of stories over and over again have kept the embers of this connection alive.

Tubbercurry 48

Returning to my own early telephone experiences, it seems the only calls made then were to the doctor, the vet or the local AI office. These calls were made in an ascending order of frequency; the doctor - not so often, the vet - a little more often and the AI office - a weekly occurrence, especially in the early months of summer. For the uninitiated, AI in this instance stands for Artificial Insemination (of the bovine kind).

There were two places for making such calls in our locality; the Post Office and the local Bed & Breakfast. The round trip to the Post Office was over four miles and the round trip to the B&B was over two miles. Thats a long way for eight-year-old legs. So, the first prerequisite of being sent to call the AI was to be able to cycle  otherwise the poor cow could be gone off heat and the whole thrust of the farming year would be thrown off by several weeks!

The routine at the Post Office was that you simply informed the Post Mistress of your business and she made the call. The call usually went like this: Is that Tubbercurry 48? I have a call for Harry McCarrick, Cloonbaniff, noticed early this morning yes, and a black bull please.

Making the call at the local B&B was a different kettle of fish. The B&B belonged to an enterprising local woman who extended her cottage so that each summer she could make a small income from accommodating German fishermen, who at that time loved nothing better than fishing the loughs and rivers of the Ox Mountains. In the early days, all her bookings came by post but when the poles and copper wire appeared, she was one of the first to have a phone installed. Clever woman that she was, her phone took the form of a coin box operation; one of those button A and button B jobs. As well as making sure she always had the funds to pay her phone bill, it meant that the phone, positioned in her hallway, was also available to her neighbours. One simply waltzed in her front door, made their call and often left again without ever seeing the woman of the house.

We have come a long way since Thomas Larkin took up employment with the Bell Telephone Company in Pittsburgh. Gone are the cumbersome devices that once made history. Today, as I walk the same road I once walked to school, the poles and copper wire that once heralded great progress, are falling into decay. They have been replaced with a new communication fabric of giant telecommunication masts, radio waves and fibre, and thanks to the thousands of satellites that float overhead in outer space, I have a phone in my pocket.

Michael Larkins book, Making the Right Connections, is available in local bookshops and from mayobooks.ie.
Reading, PA (19601)

Today

Mostly sunny and pleasant with refreshingly low humidity! Great weather to celebrate the 4th of July!.

Tonight

Mostly clear skies and very comfortable overnight.
It's not something most people expect to find while cleaning out a loved one's home, but it happens. One listener of the "Women & Money" podcast recently asked financial expert Suze Orman what to do after discovering $200,000 in cash stashed away by her deceased father.

The listener explained that her father didn't trust banks and saved his paychecks in cash, hiding them around the house over time. Now, she's faced with a major question: What's the right way to handle this money?

Don't Miss:

Here's how Suze Orman responded.

Step 1: Don't Let the Money Sit in Cash

Orman began by stressing the opportunity cost of keeping such a large sum in cash. "You're missing out on about $10,000 a year currently in interest," she noted.

Letting the money sit at home not only limits its earning potential  it also puts it at risk of theft or loss. That's why Orman believes the safest next step involves depositing it. But that's not as simple as walking into a bank with stacks of cash.

Step 2: Talk to the Estate Lawyer

Before heading to the bank, Orman recommends contacting the attorney handling the estate. If there's no lawyer involved, she advises hiring one, even for a short consultation. They can guide you on how to legally deposit the money and ensure everything is above board.

Why the caution? Large deposits  especially over $10,000  trigger federal reporting requirements. Banks are required to report these transactions to government agencies as part of anti-money-laundering rules.

Trending: The secret weapon in billionaire investor portfolios that you almost certainly don't own yet. See which asset class has outpaced the S&P 500 (1995-2024)  and with near-zero correlation.

Step 3: Be Transparent With the Bank

Orman suggests going to a bank where either you or your loved one had an account. Bring documentation like the death certificate, the will or trust, and any paperwork that shows you're the beneficiary of the estate.

"Just come clean," she advises. Explain how and where the money was found, and that you're trying to handle it responsibly. The bank may have questions, but full transparency can help avoid future issues.

Step 4: Deposit the Money Into the Estate Account

Rather than depositing the funds directly into your personal account, Orman recommends opening a bank account in the name of the estate. This keeps everything tied to the deceased person's financial affairs and can simplify the probate process, if applicable.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Mostly sunny and pleasant with refreshingly low humidity! Great weather to celebrate the 4th of July!.

Tonight

Mostly clear skies and very comfortable overnight.
Dividend growth typically is strongest in Q1, as most companies finish their fiscal year and prepare for their shareholder meeting. For Q1 2025, growth, while noticeably slower, did continue and was in line with expectations given the current economic uncertainties. This uncertainty however did not appear to stop increases, though it did limit them, as forward commitment levels appeared shy.

Howard Silverblatt, a Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, expressed continued optimism about the overall outlook for dividends. However, he also acknowledged some uncertainty ahead, given the current market conditions. He made the following comment about the situation.

Additional data from S&P Dow Jones Indices showed that 758 companies raised or initiated dividend payments in Q1 2025, which is a slight decline from 796 in the same period last year, reflecting a 4.8% year-over-year drop. Despite this, the total value of these increases amounted to $19.5 billion for the quarter. Over the 12-month period ending in March 2025, a total of 2,412 companies raised their dividend payments, marking a slight uptick from the 2,411 companies that did so in the same period the previous year. The total value of these dividend increases reached $68.2 billion, just edging past the $68.1 billion recorded during the prior 12-month stretch.

The same report noted that overall dividend payments climbed by roughly 6% to 7%, though this was slightly below the pre-2025 expectation of 8%. In comparison, dividend payouts rose by 6.4% in 2024 and 5.1% in 2023.

According to data from S&P Dow Jones Indices, US domestic common stocks saw a net dividend increase of $15.3 billion in the first quarter of 2025, which is an improvement over the $11.7 billion increase seen in the previous quarter. Over the 12 months ending in March 2025, dividend hikes amounted to $68.2 billion, just above the $68.1 billion reported the year before. Meanwhile, dividend cuts dropped significantly, totaling $15.6 billion, compared to $25.2 billion in the prior 12-month period.

Dividend-paying stocks have remained popular among investors due to their strong historical performance. This sustained interest has led many companies to maintain their dividend payouts, raise them, or introduce new dividend policies altogether.

We recently published a list of the 10 Dividend Stocks with Sustainable Payout Ratios . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) stands against other best dividend stocks with sustainable payout ratios.

Story Continues

Despite some caution, analysts remain positive on dividend stocks, pointing out that US companies are well-positioned to sustain their payouts thanks to strong cash reserves. Nuveen, a financial planning firm based in Illinois, noted that an increasing number of companies are likely to roll out dividend policies, supported by the current cash-rich environment, which could drive stronger-than-expected dividend growth in 2025.

The report mentioned that as of September 30, 2024, corporate cash holdings stood at $1.8 trillion, which was close to their highest levels in the past 20 years. With equity valuations running above historical norms, Nuveen believes that companies may lean more toward boosting dividend payments as a way to return value to shareholders, rather than relying on stock buybacks, which may be less attractive in a higher-valuation landscape.

Analysts generally consider a payout ratio in the range of 30% to 50% to be optimal because it indicates that a company is returning a healthy portion of its earnings to shareholders while still retaining enough profits to reinvest in its business and support future growth.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS): One of the Dividend Stocks with Sustainable Payout Ratios

A close-up of a financial advisor giving advice to a customer, demonstrating the importance of consumer and wealth management.

Our Methodology

For this article, we screened for companies that consistently distribute dividends to their shareholders. From this initial selection, we narrowed down the list to include only those companies with a 5-year average payout ratio below 50%, indicating a robust cash position. Subsequently, we identified the top 10 companies meeting these criteria and arranged them in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that held stakes in each of them, as per Insider Monkeys database of Q4 2024.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with hedge funds. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS)

5-Year Average Payout Ratio: 27.45%

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) is a New York-based multinational investment bank. In the first quarter of 2025, the company posted solid financial results, demonstrating strength across its main business segments despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges. Net revenues reached $15.06 billion, representing a 6% increase from the same period the previous year. Net earnings came in at $4.74 billion, with earnings per share at $14.12, surpassing both Q1 and Q4 of 2024. These results reflected a strong return on equity (ROE) of 16.9% and return on tangible equity (ROTE) of 18.0%. The companys operational efficiency also improved, with an efficiency ratio of 60.6%, slightly better than the prior year, even as operating expenses rose by 5%, largely driven by higher compensation linked to stronger performance.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS)s cash position also came in strong as it ended the quarter with $167 billion available in cash and cash equivalents. The company also returned $5.34 billion to shareholders, including $976 million in dividends. Due to this cash generation, it has been able to maintain dividend payments since 1999. Its quarterly dividend comes in at $3.00 per share for a dividend yield of 2.36%, as of April 17.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey at the end of Q4 2024 owning stakes in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) jumped to 81, up from 72 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is over $5.8 billion. With over 6 million shares, Fisher Asset Management was the companys leading stakeholder in Q4.

Overall, GS ranks 2nd on our list of the best dividend stocks with sustainable payout ratios. While we acknowledge the potential of GS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than GS but that trades at 10 times its earnings and grows its earnings at double digit rates annually, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend 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.
A section of the rally in Washington D.C., which briefly shut down Pennsylvania avenue.

For the second time this month, hundreds of thousands of people in hundreds of cities across the United States protested in opposition to the threat of fascism under the Trump administration. From major cities to small towns, at virtually every state capitol, and at several Tesla dealerships, workers, students and retirees demonstrated against escalating attacks on democratic rights and rising inequality, and in defense of immigrants.

While tens of thousands protested in Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, thousands more protested in rural and mid-sized towns. Hundreds rallied in Bloomington, Indiana; 150 people protested in Crossville, Tennessee; some 2,000 people protested in Nashville, Tennessee; and over 1,000 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A section of the April 19 rally in New York City.

Roughly 2,000 people demonstrated in Boise, Idaho, and Albany, New York. In rural Washington, Iowa, located between Davenport and Des Moines, some 75 people spoke out against the Trump administration, more than twice as many as participated in the April 5 protest, according to a local resident.

Saturdays protests were called by a constellation of organizations associated with the 50501 Movement, which claimed to have organized over 700 protests throughout the country and a few internationally. Over 100 protests were called under the Tesla Takedown banner, aimed at crippling the sales and stock price of electric vehicle maker Tesla, owned by the fascist billionaire and Trump accomplice Elon Musk.

A section of the protest in Detroit, Michigan, April 19.

The overall size of the protests was smaller than the massive April 5 demonstrations, which drew an estimated 3 million people. This was due in large part to the actions of the main organizers affiliated with the Democratic Party, who sought to sow confusion and fear among potential attendees.

Leading up to this weekends demonstrations, the leadership of the 50501 movementwhich has been largely co-opted by the Democratic Party-aligned Political Revolution organizationtried preemptively to cancel the protests. In a blog post on April 9, the group said it was calling for a day of action on April 19, noting that individual/local chapters can choose to protest if they want, but that the national leadership was not doing a big national push.

Instead of protesting, 50501 organizers suggested donating to a local organization, hosting a picnic, or starting a book club.

On April 18, the 50501 organizers posted on social media that they had reason to believe that events on 4/19 and/or the 50501 Movement may be misrepresented by the Trump Administration in an attempt to justify the use of military force.

The group said it had specific and credible threats involving aggressive policing, ICE presence, and even the potential deployment of military force against peaceful demonstrators in Washington, D.C., and other locations on April 19.

Upon his inauguration in January, Trump issued an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border due to a non-existent invasion. As part of that order, Trump ordered two of his fascist cabinet officials, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, to prepare a report advising Trump whether or not he should invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to deploy the active-duty military within the United States to arrest immigrants and those who oppose Trump. On Friday night, CNN and other mainstream press outlets reported that Noem and Hegseth were going to recommend that Trump not invoke martial law on Sunday, April 20.

While threats of police violence coupled with the sabotage of 50501 organizers depressed turnout, those who came out on Saturday expressed a more militant attitude and willingness to fight against the Trump administration and the capitalist system that created him.

World Socialist Web Site reporters and Socialist Equality Party (US) members intervened at protests across the country, distributing thousands of leaflets and speaking with hundreds of workers and youth. We will continue to publish reports and videos from rallies across the US.

Thousands protest in downtown Chicago: The only answer is solidarity across working classes

A demonstrator in Chicago holds a sign that reads "This is Lexington," a reference to the first battles of the American Revolution.

Thousands gathered Saturday to oppose the Trump administration in Daley Plaza in Chicago. Smaller demonstrations took place in the suburbs.

Protesters spoke with the WSWS on their opposition to oligarchy and fascism and the need to stop attacks on immigrants and reverse the deportation and imprisonment of Maryland resident and father Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Several created signs marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution and drew connections to the struggle to defend democracy today.

A protester in Chicago holds a sign that reads: "The fascists are here."

Rally attendees spoke at length with WSWS reporters on the need for a struggle for socialism through the building of a party of and for the working class. One young man expressed his desire for such a party and the need for unity among working people in order to defend social rights that were won in bitter struggle. And we need so much more, he added.

Another protester spoke out against those with profound economic power who seek to fragment the working class on the basis of race and identity.

1,500 protest in San Diego, California: The Fourth Amendment covers all people, not just citizens

Protesters rally against inequality, Trump, fascism and Musk in San Diego, California, April 19, 2025.

In San Diego, 1,500 gathered at the Waterfront park to protest the undemocratic and anti-constitutional policies of the Trump administration.

WSWS reporters spoke with workers, including food service workers, nurses, courthouse workers and film set technicians, as well as with youth and retirees.

Many expressed concerns about deportations, citing Abrego Garcia, the attacks on freedom of speech, the gutting of social programs such as Social Security, and the broad attacks on healthcare and education. Reporters passed out 500 leaflets and invitations to the May 3 online international May Day rally.

A number of attendees stated support for the May Day rally and agreed that the threat from the far right was an international process and required a globally coordinated fight.

Over 500 rally in Oakland, California: You dont have to convince me the problem is capitalism

A section of the protest in Oakland, California, April 19, 2025.

On Saturday, over 500 people rallied in downtown Oakland, California to protest against the fascistic Trump administration. Among attendees there was a palpable sense of anxiousness to take effective action against the administrations drive toward dictatorship.

Unlike previous protests since Trumps inauguration, there were few signs of any involvement by the Democratic Party. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a faction of the Democratic Party, did not appear to have a presence. In its place were a few more radical pseudo-left organizations, such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), the Peace and Freedom Party, and a few Stalinists.

The WSWS/SEP team set up a literature table, which attracted the attention of many protest attendees, with some going on to purchase copies of the publications on display. Many attendees expressed interest in the WSWSs defense of the two American Revolutions, in opposition to the 1619 Project, while others expressed strong agreement on uniting Jewish and Arab workers in a joint struggle against Zionism and imperialism.

Several demonstrators who spoke with reporters for the WSWS admitted to being moved to protest for the first time in their lives.

One protester, who had previously engaged in climate change activism, told the WSWS, You dont have to convince me the the problem is capitalism.

He went on to express an interest in learning more about the distinction between the internationalist politics of Trotskyism and the nationalist politics of Stalinism.

This call to unite workers across national boundaries to defeat fascism won wide support among the protesters. While many diverse viewpoints were expressed, none of those who spoke with the WSWS attempted to defend capitalism or the Democratic Party. Many recognized a connection between the decline of capitalism and the ruling class drive toward fascism and war.

Felicia said,

Personally, I believe that fascism is inevitable when a capitalist empire is in decline. And so what were seeing here is the deterioration of the state being taken over by a con man, essentially. And its not a future thing. Its already happening. You know, he sent [Abrego Garcia] to El Salvador. No due process. Violation of the 19th Amendment. And then a court order says, Hey, you cant do that. Thats unconstitutional. And he says, Im not going to follow that order. The Constitution is what the people established and agreed to. And if he doesnt go along with that, then hes a tyrant. And he absolutely has to be stopped. So you absolutely have to fight back. You have no choice because otherwise it just its like the never ending story. Itll just keep eating away and eating away.

Felicia.

She added:

I dont think things will get better unless we work for it. If I could say one thing, it would be about how they hold their power and the people who give them that power. Because its all people all the way down. It takes people to fire guns. It takes people to shoot rockets. So be strategic. Dont be symbolic. Dont make your protest actions be only holding signs. Get together. Mobilize. And look at your sources of power. And leverage them. And fight for the workers. Youve got to organize.

Elizabeth told the WSWS she had never participated in a political protest before.

Elizabeth

Explaining why she came out on Saturday, she said:

We are already seeing people lose their lives, their rights, their right to due process, especially. People being disappeared and taken away. Weve seen things already, like transgender being in the military. Just a general disrespect of the basic rights of people in the nation. And so, I dont think its a stretch to say that itll continue. I think that its really important. I think its really important. Let me stand up and speak out against it.

Elizabeth concluded:

I dont think theres a way you can really move things back at this point. Theres no way we can go back to the system as it was 20, 30 years ago. Because at that point, its a sword of Damocles. Youre just waiting for it to happen all over again. Its shocking. I think we need a really huge shift in the way that we treat politics and and how we deal with the system that we have right now.

Postal workers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania distribute hundreds of statements calling for a mass socialist movement to halt Trumps dictatorship

On Saturday, the Pennsylvania state capital saw its largest protest since the Trump administration took office three months ago. Hundreds of protesters lined the street and voiced their anger at the governments attacks on the federal workforce, immigrants and civil liberties. Many also expressed disgust with the Democratic Partys lack of effort and collaboration with Trumps egregious assault on the Constitution and social rights of working people.

In a highly significant development, postal workers affiliated with the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) distributed hundreds of statements from the World Socialist Web Site denouncing the fascist billionaires Trump and Elon Musk for their efforts to defund and privatize dozens of federal programs.

In opposition to the impotent response of the trade union bureaucracies, which are doing nothing in the face of Trumps dictatorial and job-killing rampage, the statement distributed by several workers called for building rank-and-file committees in every workplace and neighborhood, independent of the union bureaucracies and the Democratic Party, to organize strikes, mass demonstrations, and the defense of democratic rights.

A worker from the Volvo construction equipment manufacturer in nearby Shippensburg told reporters at the rally his main concern was over layoffs that have been announced at Volvos Mack Trucks subsidiary in Macungie, Pennsylvania. The facility is laying off over 350 workers, citing Trumps tariff war as a major reason.

A retiree told the rank-and-file workers that she had voted for Trump but had recently learned of his freezing of the US Department of Housing and Urban Developments payments for Section 8 housing. Holding a letter from her property manager, she explained that her rent was set to increase by $500 next month and that she was too old to look for work. This is not what I voted for, she said with tears in her eyes.

Over 2,000 protest in Seattle, Washington: The whole system has to be replaced with socialism

Over 2,000 rallied in opposition to attacks on democratic rights, immigrants and workers in Seattle, Washington on April 19, 2025.

More than 2,000 people joined the We the People Means Everyone protest in Seattles Capitol Hill neighborhood at Seattle Central Community College.

The majority of the hand-made signs drew attention to the escalating terror and repression of immigrants and student protesters while drawing attention to the broader implications. One sign read: We are Standing at the AbyssTrump is Abducting Immigrants, Intl Students and Detaining Lawyers, Intl Students.

A rally attendee carries a sign which quotes from Abraham Lincolns March 4, 1861 inaugural address: This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their Constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember it or overthrow it.

Another protesters sign read, Homegrowns are Next.

A demonstrator in Seattle, Washington holds a sign featuring men being tortured in El Salvador with a quote from Trump, Home growns are next.

The WSWS/SEP team received a warm response, distributed hundreds of leaflets calling on participants to attend the upcoming May Day Rally, and attracted many to the literature table.

Many young protesters voiced opposition to the Democratic Partys silence and complicity. Tina summed up the views of many when she told SEP campaigners:

I have been dissatisfied for a long time over the role of the Democratic Party in supporting the genocide in Gaza. Bernie Sanders performance in Idaho disgusted me. Im very interested in a real alternative to both parties. Its the whole system and it has to be replaced with socialism.

2,000 protest in Detroit: We have to fight with everything we have

A section of the roughly 2,000 people who attended the rally in downtown Detroit, Michigan, April 19, 2025.

Over 2,000 people gathered at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit to march and protest against Trumps fascist attacks on immigrants, students and democratic rights. Similar protests and rallies were taking place across the state, including Lansing and Grand Rapids, as well as working class Detroit suburbs like Trenton and Livonia. The turnout emerged despite efforts of Democratic Party-affiliated organizations to call off the protests in the hours before they took place.

At Hart Plaza, there was broad opposition to fascism and the attack on democratic rights. Many placards called for the defense of immigrants and pro-Palestinian student protesters currently under attack. Many signs drew on the heritage of the American and French Revolutions. Typical was one that read, They want to give us Germany 1939, well give them France 1789. Many others denounced the oligarchs such as Elon Musk who are backing Trumps fascistic attempt to overthrow constitutional rule in the US.

A woman at the Detroit rally told WSWS reporters, We definitely need free healthcare, this is ridiculous. ... So many people lose the little bit of money they have trying to pay for medications, treatments.

She continued:

Everything is skyrocketing and the rich are just getting richer and richer and richer. And they keep getting tax breaks ... and we keep getting poorer. My main concern is my granddaughters. They are going to end up in prisons in El Salvador and we are citizens. Hes talking about building prisons to put Americans there. Thats insane.

There was very visible opposition to the genocide in Gaza and the complicity of US politicians from both parties in backing Israels ongoing slaughter of Palestinians.

One noticeable element in Detroit was the clear vacuum of leadership among the official organizers, centered around pseudo-left organizations in or on the periphery of the Democratic Party. Over the course of the rally, two very different perspectives were presented to protesters. Even though official organizers prevented socialists from speaking from the main rally platform, Socialist Equality Party members persisted and spoke to the crowd independently.

Leading SEP members Jerry White and Lawrence Porter gave speeches at the event that denounced the complicity of the Democratic Party and the trade union bureaucracy in facilitating Trumps attacks, and called for a broad turn to the international working class and a fight for socialism. The urgent need to turn to the working class, and not the Democratic Party, was well received by those who listened to the speeches. Many protesters stopped by the SEP-IYSSE table to purchase literature, give donations, and sign up for the May 3 May Day Rally.

Protesters chant Down with Trump in Lansing, Michigan

Protesters in Lansing, Michigan hold signs in support of immigrants, due process and democratic rights, April 19, 2025.

Over 2,000 people rallied, marched and protested against the Trump administration on the lawn of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on Saturday afternoon.

Students, workers, veterans and retirees came from across the state with hand-made signs demanding an end to Trumps reign of terror against immigrants and attacks on democratic rights. The prevailing sentiment among the protesters was angry opposition to Trumps attempt to establish an authoritarian and fascist dictatorship in the US.

A man at the Lansing protest holds a sign that reads: "Stamp out fascism."

People carried signs demanding the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from prison in El Salvador and demanding due process rights for international students such as Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturkkidnapped and imprisoned for thought crimes. Protesters also denounced the cuts and layoffs led by Trumps advisor and mega-billionaire Elon Musk.

The demonstration took place on the 250th anniversary of the shot heard round the world. There were signs that referenced the US Constitution and the similarities between Trumps assault on democratic government and the attacks by the British monarchy on the American colonies.

Some protesters denounced the Democratic Party for refusing to act against Trump.

Tina, a former Veterans Affairs nurse, pointed to the attack on healthcare and the spread of measles cases throughout the country.

Tina, a nurse with the Veterans Administration for over 15 years, was recently fired along with other workers as part of DOGE-led cuts.

A resident of Flint said she opposed the attacks on immigrants and the disappearing of immigrant workers. She also pointed to the irrationality of the tariffs that are causing workers to be laid off.

After a sizable crowd had assembled, Tim Rivers, a member of the SEP and writer for the WSWS, spoke from the Capitol steps and evoked an enthusiastic response. He pointed to the historic turning point represented by Trumps return to power and the necessity for a break by the working class from both capitalist parties and a fight for socialism.

Rivers said:

The Trump administration reflects the naked rule of the capitalist oligarchy. The ruling class, faced with deepening economic, social and geopolitical breakdown, is turning to fascism and dictatorship... Internationally, the Trump administration is preparing for world war. Its trade war measures are aimed at crippling China and forcing every country into alignment with US imperialist interests.

Rivers speech was punctuated with cheering and chanting from the crowd, including, Down with Trump! and Free, Free Palestine!

Rivers also denounced the Democratic Party and Bernie Sanders for their role in attempting to block a movement of the working class against capitalism. He said:

While Trump and his fascist collaborators around the world are moving rapidly to tear up constitutional government, the Democratic Party has been facilitating the moves toward dictatorship by directly voting in favor of Trumps funding bill and trying to block a mass movement against it from coming into existence.

A campaign team from the Socialist Equality Party, the only political party visibly present at the event, received a warm reception from the protesters, hundreds of whom took copies of the leaflet, Build a Socialist Movement to Stop Trumps Dictatorship. Others stopped by the SEP literature table, gave donations and purchased copies of party books and pamphlets.

Over 50,000 protest in New York City: The two-party system is a good way to descend into fascism

At least 50,000 people protested in New York City, with crowds assembling in front of the Main Branch of the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue in Manhattan and marching towards Central Park, filling 15 blocks of the 100-foot-wide Madison Avenue.

Homemade signs and chants denounced Trumps attack on immigrants, his efforts to impose fascist dictatorship, the disastrous economic policies, and the continued genocide in Gaza.

International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and Socialist Equality Party supporters intervened in the demonstration on Saturday, distributing over 1,000 statements, selling literature, and promoting the upcoming International May Day Online Rally on May 3. SEP members gave unofficial speeches stressing the need to break from the Democratic Party that has enabled Trump, and instead turn to the working class in the US and internationally in a fight against capitalism, the root cause of dictatorship and war.

Among workers and youth we spoke with, there was clearly a leftward shift in consciousness and growing determination to struggle against Trumps budding dictatorship.

A political science student denounced both the Republicans and Democrats for facilitating the rise of Trump, stating, The two-party system is a good way to descend into fascism. Noting the radical character of students, she stressed the need for them to turn to the working class, stating, The workers are the people that this system is an attack on, and that applies to straight white men who are in the working class, thats true.

A pro-Palestine protester told the WSWS, This regime is targeting people in the United States for their speech, for their thoughts.

Another protester sharply condemned the Trump administrations arrest and deportation of legal resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, stating, We thought the government had to play by the rules. It turns out they dont. Kilmar is the canary in the coal mine. They just grabbed this guy. Hes a legal resident of Maryland... If they can do it to him, they can do it to everyone else.

Washington, D.C. Democrats are not representing us, and theyre not a party of the people

A protester in Washington, D.C. carries a homemade banner that reads "What would Jesus do? Free Kilmar."

Several thousand protesters gathered throughout the nations capital on Saturday, despite efforts by lead protest organizers affiliated with the official 50501 group and the Democratic Party distance themselves from these events. Despite the deliberate effort to suppress turnout, thousands still attended, with a large contingent shutting down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Many rally attendees voiced opposition and outrage toward the Democratic Partys unwillingness to fight Trump.

I dont see how Democrats are in a position to ask us to vote for them. Theyre not representing us, and theyre not a party of the people, stated Cheryl, who attended one of the rallies held that day.

Cheryl initially showed some interest in supporting Bernie Sanders initiatives, including stunts he has introduced in Congress posturing as an opponent of the Gaza genocide.

Cheryl expressed disgust when told about Sanders allowing anti-genocide protesters to be arrested at a recent fighting oligarchy rally in Idaho. We need an alternative, she stated, referring to recent Democratic Party rallies elsewhere where anti-genocide protesters have been removed for calling out the speakers for supporting the Gaza genocide.

In Richmond, Virginia, WSWS reporters spoke with workers and young people about Trumps dictatorial presidency and promoted the International May Day Online Rally as the only viable alternative.



Derek attended the protest in Richmond, Virginia, and spoke powerfully in defense of immigrants and the working class, stating:

Its the erosion of our rightsthe rights of legal residents, soon the rights of naturalized citizens, and then when it is too late, natural-born citizens, because the thing with them is Trump, according to him, you cant be born with citizenship if you have the wrong parents. But you can shell out $5 million and get citizenship, no problem.

Many participants at both rallies stopped by the Socialist Equality Partys literature, purchasing works by Leon Trotsky about the fight against fascism, opposition to the Trump administration, and historical works relating to the Trotskyist movement and its fight against Stalinism.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The government doesnt want opposition to what they are doing

Demonstrators in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hold signs denouncing oligarchy and in support of immigrants, April 19, 2025.

About 2,000 people joined the anti-Trump protest in Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon. Organizers of the protest spoke on Trumps attack on science and healthcare. The protest began at Schenley Plaza with both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University on either side and several of Pittsburghs largest hospitals within walking distance.

The protest attracted many students, educators, researchers, and healthcare professionals who spoke about the impact of Trumps cuts to science and his attacks on universities.

A young nurse who started working at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic said that she came because of attacks on healthcare. COVID was bad, it was horrible, but what will happen during the next pandemic when he is cutting all the research and attacking basic knowledge?

She pointed to the ongoing measles outbreak, which has already claimed the lives of two unvaccinated children in Texas, stating, This is what happens when you tell people over and over again that vaccines are not safe. These have been developed by science over the years, and people need them.

Many people came over to the Socialist Equality Party literature table. Many were attracted to signs and literature concerning the ongoing genocide in Gaza and defending immigrants rights.

An older woman said, Im glad to see people who are here for other issues. There are so many things that Trump is doing; we need to speak out against all of them.

A group of students spoke to WSWS reporters about attacks on international students. It has created a climate of fear; people are afraid to speak up. The government doesnt want opposition to what they are doing.

In reply to a WSWS reporter recounting the role of the Democrats in supporting the genocide, spearheading the slander that anti-genocide protesters were antisemitic, one of the students responded, the Democrats are part of the problem. That is why people didnt vote for Harris; they are all out for the rich and dont care about the people.

A Marine veteran said that the most important thing was to defend the Constitution. He is attacking the right to free speech and due process. People shouldnt be arrested and deported for what they say, and everyone should have the opportunity to defend themselves in court.

Further reports will be added to this page on Sunday. Please share this article widely on social media, as well as all the videos embedded, and help promote the upcoming International May Day Online Rally.
Thousands of jobs are being slashed throughout the National Health Service (NHS) as the Labour government implements its plans for increased privatisation of health care.

Last month, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the abolition of NHS England, which oversees public hospital and GP services, and its merger with the Department of Health and Social Care.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer meets with Chief Executive Officer of AstraZeneca Pascal Soriot, alongside the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting (third riight) in 10 Downing Street, October 8, 2024 [Photo by Alice Hodgson/No 10 Downing Street / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Aping the rhetoric of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), Streeting claimed to be attacking bureaucracy and waste. In the United States, DOGE is firing tens of thousands of federal workers as it sets out to slash 2 trillion from government spending.

Streeting claims that abolishing NHS England will free up resources for frontline services, but the elimination of staff across admin, HR, finance, communications and other support roles will impact frontline patient care.

Around half those employed by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will lose their jobsequivalent to at least 9,000 jobs. But the Guardian has reported that many thousands more staff at the NHSs 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) will have their jobs axed. ICBs are regional health bodies that oversee NHS trusts, employing 25,000 people.

On top of these job cuts, ICBs have been instructed to slash their costs by 50 percent from October 2025, while local trusts have been ordered to cut corporate costs.

Streeting claims Labours abolition of NHS England is aimed at democratising the NHS and ending the worlds biggest quango, but the NHS Confederation, representing NHS Trust managers, has warned of 100,000 job cuts across the health service as a result of Labours plans.

It reports that some trusts believe the targeted cuts could mean axing 3 to 11 percent of their total workforcebetween 41,100 and 150,700 people. There are 215 trusts in the NHS employing 1.37 million workers.

Many trusts slashed tens of millions of pounds from their budgets last year as the outgoing Conservative government kept NHS spending to a minimum.

This policy is not only being maintained by Labourits additional 26 billion to the NHS is a drop in the oceansome of the cuts announced by local trusts are even larger this year.

An even tighter spending regime is already in place, with Labour announcing deep cuts across all government departments to boost military spending. Chancellors Rachel Reeves Spring Statement ensured that the NHSs funding increase for 2026/27which averaged 4 percent historicallywill drop to just 1.8 per cent in real terms.

Sir Jim Mackey, outgoing interim chief executive of NHS England, is tasked with enforcing austerity and is demanding that local NHS leaders cut services to prevent a 7 billion spending deficit in the coming financial year. The NHS in England will receive 183 billion for 2025-26, but current spending plans by trusts exceed this by 6.6 billion, according to NHS England.

Most funding for NHS services in England is distributed via the ICBs, which must submit individual cost-cutting plans for government approval by the end of May. Some NHS trusts were planning to spend up to 12 million on redundancies this year, while others were looking to achieve savings through natural attrition as they are unable to afford redundancy payments on the scale required.

Savage cuts being planned across the NHS include:

NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB) emailed thousands of NHS workers across the county urging them to consider resigning and taking redundancy under a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS). Meanwhile, the University Hospitals Dorset Trust has announced plans to transfer thousands of staff, including porters, estate workers, maintenance and procurement staff to private contracts. Workers are opposed to these plans and have no faith in official claims that there will be no change to pay, terms and conditions.

has announced plans to transfer thousands of staff, including porters, estate workers, maintenance and procurement staff to private contracts. Workers are opposed to these plans and have no faith in official claims that there will be no change to pay, terms and conditions. University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust plans to cut its wages bill by 34 million per year as part of overall cuts of 67 million. Last years cuts saved 56 million. The trust employs 11,000 people, with Unison estimating the cuts are equivalent to about 600 full-time staff.

plans to cut its wages bill by 34 million per year as part of overall cuts of 67 million. Last years cuts saved 56 million. The trust employs 11,000 people, with Unison estimating the cuts are equivalent to about 600 full-time staff. Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust and nearby Isle of Wight Trust are planning to cut 798 full-time equivalent roles7 percent of their combined workforce. Board papers suggest this will save 39 million, not even half the 82 million in savings being demanded for 2025/26. The Trust proposes cutting 549 admin, HR and other support jobs at the Queen Alexandra Hospital. The Isle of Wight Trust plans 249 job losses.

and nearby are planning to cut 798 full-time equivalent roles7 percent of their combined workforce. Board papers suggest this will save 39 million, not even half the 82 million in savings being demanded for 2025/26. The Trust proposes cutting 549 admin, HR and other support jobs at the Queen Alexandra Hospital. The Isle of Wight Trust plans 249 job losses. University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Trust has announced it will need to reduce staffing by 2 percent to meet a required minimum budget reduction of 5 percent. The trust employs more than 15,000 staff at seven hospitals and clinics in the city, with at least 300 jobs threatened. A second Bristol hospital trust, North Bristol NHS Trust , which runs Southmead Hospital, has announced plans to axe 211 positions to help achieve 40 million of savings in 2025/26.

has announced it will need to reduce staffing by 2 percent to meet a required minimum budget reduction of 5 percent. The trust employs more than 15,000 staff at seven hospitals and clinics in the city, with at least 300 jobs threatened. A second Bristol hospital trust, , which runs Southmead Hospital, has announced plans to axe 211 positions to help achieve 40 million of savings in 2025/26. East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, and West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), which runs West Suffolk Hospital, have agreed 468 jobs cuts (3 percent of their workforce). WSFT is making the cuts after having to overspend by 20 million, stating this means making savings of 32.7 million next year.

(ESNFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, and West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), which runs West Suffolk Hospital, have agreed 468 jobs cuts (3 percent of their workforce). WSFT is making the cuts after having to overspend by 20 million, stating this means making savings of 32.7 million next year. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which runs Addenbrookes Hospital has announced plans for 500 job losses among non-clinical staff, equivalent to 4 percent of its workforce. The cuts follow more than 53 million in savings last year. A Trust spokesperson revealed the newest job cuts would be needed to cut the cost of our support functions to April 2022 levels.

(CUH), which runs Addenbrookes Hospital has announced plans for 500 job losses among non-clinical staff, equivalent to 4 percent of its workforce. The cuts follow more than 53 million in savings last year. A Trust spokesperson revealed the newest job cuts would be needed to cut the cost of our support functions to April 2022 levels. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust , which runs Royal Berkshire Hospital in the city of Reading, has announced a mutually agreed resignation scheme to achieve financial stability.

, which runs Royal Berkshire Hospital in the city of Reading, has announced a mutually agreed resignation scheme to achieve financial stability. Guys and St Thomas NHS Trust that provides a large part of NHS services across London, including Guys hospital and St Thomas hospital, as well as Evelina London Children, Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, is planning to axe 58 percent of jobs across its in-house team. London News Online reported, Jobs at risk include roles such as fire safety, water quality, major projects, maintenance and minor construction work, adding that according to the Unite union, All workers in the department will also be required to reapply for their jobs with many of the new posts being paid at a lower rate.

Labours onslaught against the NHS is being facilitated by the health unions, which have long opposed any coordinated fightback. At most, only local protests are being held at this or that hospital. This policy of divide-and-rule is underpinned by the trade union bureaucracys alliance with the Labour government.

Unison, with almost half a million NHS members across Britain, is the largest health sector union. It held its annual national health conference this week, with Streeting invited as a keynote speaker. Streeting, who speaks contemptuously of the NHS as a vast black hole (sucking in government money), depicting its workers as obstacles to reform, was met by a silent protest by some delegates holding up NHS Not For Sale and Vote Labour to Sell Our NHS placards.

But he was granted a warm welcome by Unison leader Christine McAnea, who exulted: We have finally seen the back of the Tories. Labour taking power was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to boost our members status and security in workplaces right across the country.

Christine McAnea speaking at the Trades Union Congress We Demand Better rally in London, June 2022

Streetings Thatcherite policies aimed at laying the ground for privatisation were presented in favourable terms as all moves in the right direction. And unions like ours  are demanding that ministers hold true to their promises.

She took care to avoid any mention of the staggering number of job losses being made by NHS trusts to facilitate Labours cuts, instead proposing a minimal campaign over Labours proposed 2.8 percent pay offer to staff.

McAnea said, we are not looking for trouble, but if we have no choice, we will come out fighting. Her fighting proposal was for yet another indicative (non-binding) ballot for industrial action, Unison will soon be asking NHS workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland how far theyd be prepared to go over this years pay rise when it comes.

To all NHS workers, share your stories with the World Socialist Web Site and join NHS FightBack to link up with other healthcare workers in the struggle to secure high-quality healthcare for all, provided by a valued and supported workforce.
Alls well that ends well in Hollywood.

Kim Kardashians voguish shapewear startup Skims is mending the seams with its new Hollywood landlord, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, after the private equity firm brought a zombie deal back to life.

Kingsbarn finally rested its case against former lender, KeyBank, and co-sellers Oscar Englebert and developer J.H. Snyder to buy 1601 North Vine Street for $105 million, or $905 per square foot.

Hard money lender Hankey Capital provided a $52 million loan for the acquisition and additional financing came from Israeli firm IBI Volcano, according to a spokesperson for Kingsbarn and county property records. The terms of the loans are unclear, and a spokesperson for Kingsbarn did not provide further details.

Kingsbarn was prepared to fork over more than that  $1,054 per square foot  when the property first went into contract in December 2022. It was vacant at the time, since former tenant WeWork decamped in October that year. And Englebert  a friend and business partner of Jens Grede, who co-founded Skims with Kardashian and his wife, Emma Grede  was already in contract to buy a majority stake of the building from developer J.H. Snyder.

Things looked promising for all three parties, as J.H. Snyder and Englebert agreed to work toward a sale with Kingsbarn. They planned to close before Los Angeles 5.5 percent transfer tax, known as Measure ULA, went into effect in March 2023.

The cost of borrowing was meanwhile on the rise, and Kingsbarn hustled to secure $97 million worth of financing from KeyBank, which signed a term sheet for the loans a month before the closing date.

Then the Ohio-based lender got cold feet.

KeyBank reneged its offer at some point in the following weeks, and the deal fell apart in dramatic fashion.

Behind the scenes, Kardashians $4 billion fashion startup was working on a deal of its own to lease 116,000 square feet across the entire eight-story office building, and soon found itself caught in the legal crossfire of a real estate investment gone sour.

Skims 15-year lease was paramount to underwrite Kingsbarns debt, and Jeff Pori, the companys CEO, described the startup in a statement as the perfect Hollywood tenant.

But to appraise the building and underwrite the deal, KeyBank needed Kingsbarn to prove that Skims wasnt yet occupying the building, though it had signed a lease in January. And Englebert did everything possible to prevent Kingsbarn from gaining access to prove the property was still empty, the companys lawyers later claimed in court.

Kingsbarn was quietly building its case as the deal unraveled. Last April, the Nevada-based company sued J.H. Snyder and Englebert for unfair business practices, hoping to recover its $2.5 million deposit toward the purchase.
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.
Cruise itinerary changes can happen for a number of reasons  from poor weather conditions and safety concerns to port scheduling conflicts and construction work.

But no matter what the reason, itinerary changes are usually disappointing news for passengers, especially for those who book a certain cruise specifically for the ports the ship will visit.

Related: US updates serious travel warning for frequent cruise destination

When a cruise port is removed from an itinerary without any explanation, it can also lead to unfounded rumors and speculations about the ports safety for travelers.

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Carnival Cruise Line just caused this kind of stir among cruisers when it removed one sought-after Caribbean destination from multiple cruise itineraries without providing a reason for the change. The impacted cruises include several sailings between now and June aboard three ships  Carnival Vista, Carnival Venezia, and Carnival Mardi Gras.

On each of the cruises, Carnival has replaced Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos with Amber Cove, Carnivals private destination located on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic near Puerto Plata.

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Amber Cove is a 25-acre cruise port on the Dominican Republics Bay of Maimon. Image source: Carnival Corp.

Carnival cancels upcoming visits to Grand Turk for operational reasons

The decision to divert these ships from Grand Turk to Amber Cove was made for operational reasons, according to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald, who received a number of questions about the port cancellations on his popular Facebook page.

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I really dont want people to think there is anything that they should be concerned about, Heald replied to one passenger who wrote to him about the change. Its just operational, but [what] I can definitely say is the [fun is] waiting for you, the crew will give you the best of times and Amber Cove really is a fabulous place.

Related: Carnival Cruise Line shares blunt words on controversial practice

One thing that does concern some travelers about visiting Grand Turk is the U.S. State Departments recently updated Level 2 travel advisory for Turks and Caicos, which alerts travelers to exercise increased caution in the popular Caribbean islands.

Turks and Caicos strictly enforces its firearm regulations, which outlaw firearms and ammunition, including single bullets brought by mistake in carry-on bags through cruise port security checkpoints. Last year, one Royal Caribbean passenger was detained for weeks for unknowingly bringing ammunition to Grand Turk.

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To be clear, Carnival is not canceling all stops at Grand Turk, only certain calls due to operational reasons that are unrelated to the countrys travel warning.

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Carnival promises passengers an enjoyable time in Amber Cove

As some Carnival cruisers consider how losing a visit to Grand Turk will change their vacation experiences, they have questions about Amber Cove. One passenger wrote to the cruise lines brand ambassador with concerns that popular excursions in Amber Cove might already be booked for the soon-approaching date of their visit.

Hi John, we are cruising on the Venezia on May 11. I know that Grand Turk is changed to Amber Cove. Im wondering if any excursions will become available, Linda Martin-Ellinwood wrote. We are extremely disappointed because we had reserved a cabana by the pool and now with Mardi Gras already scheduled for Amber Cove for months, I am assuming excursions like cabanas are not available.

More Carnival cruise news:

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Heald assured the concerned cruiser that Amber Cove add-on activities would soon be available for passengers to book.

Thank you, they will become available very soon, so starting early next week, please check and you should see them there, Heald replied. Thank you, I do understand your disappointment. I really do. However, Amber Cove is beautiful. Im sure youre going to love it and Im absolutely positive you are going to have a wonderful cruise.

Carnival Cruise Line is providing passengers booked on the impacted cruises with an onboard credit for $50 per stateroom in appreciation for their understanding about the unexpected changes.

(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)

Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A person, who police said was not wearing a seatbelt, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a crash in the east Las Vegas valley, according to Metro police.

On Saturday just before 4:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a crash in the area of Lake Mead and Lamb boulevards.

Police said a vehicle failed to yield on a permissive yellow light and turned into an oncoming vehicle. One of the rear passengers was not wearing a seat belt and was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening head injuries.

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The intersection of Lake Mead and Lamb boulevards was closed as police conducted their investigation.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The rain in Albuquerque Saturday brought water running down Albuquerque arroyos, and Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) says they pulled someone out of a northeast area arroyo. According to AFR, one person was pulled out of the Embudito Arroyo near Wyoming and Indian School earlier Saturday afternoon.

AFR team rescues dog stranded underneath Central Ave. bridge

AFR says the person was treated on-site before being transported for further medical care. Theyre reminding people to stay out of arroyos as they can fill with water quickly at any time.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Fifteen years after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Gulf Coast, killing 11 and sending 134 million gallons (500 million liters) of crude gushing into the ocean, the effects of the nation's worst offshore oil spill are still being felt.

Oil company BP paid billions of dollars in damages, propelling ambitious coastal restoration projects across five states. Yet cleanup workers and local residents who suffered health impacts they attribute to the oil spill have struggled to have their cases heard in court and few have received significant compensation.

Conservation groups say the spill catalyzed innovative restoration work across the Gulf Coast, but are alarmed at the recent halt of a flagship land-creation project in Louisiana. As the Trump administration expands offshore oil and gas, they are concerned the best opportunities for rebuilding the Gulf Coast are slipping away.

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Tying health problems to the spill remains hard to prove in court

In the coastal community of Lafitte in southeast Louisiana, Tammy Gremillion is celebrating Easter Sunday, the anniversary of the April 20 spill, without her daughter. She remembers warning Jennifer against joining a cleanup crew tasked with containing the spill for BP.

"But I couldnt stop her  they were offering these kids lots of money, Gremillion said. They didnt know the dangers. They didnt do what they should have to protect these young people.

Jennifer worked knee-deep in oil for months, returning home reeking of fumes, covered in black splotches and breaking out in rashes and suffering headaches. She also was exposed to Corexit, an EPA-approved chemical applied on and below the water to disperse oil, which has been linked to health problems.

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In 2020, Jennifer died of leukemia, a blood cancer that can be caused by exposure to oil.

Gremillion, who broke down in tears as she recounted her daughter's death, is 1,000% confident that exposure to toxins during the cleanup caused the cancer.

She filed a lawsuit against BP in 2022, although the allegations have been difficult to establish in court. Gremillion's suit is one of a small number of cases still pending.

An investigation by The Associated Press previously found all but a handful of roughly 4,800 lawsuits seeking compensation for health problems linked to the oil spill have been dismissed and only one has been settled.

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In a 2012 settlement, BP paid ill workers and coastal residents $67 million, but this amounted to no more than $1,300 each for nearly 80% of those seeking compensation.

Attorneys from the Downs Law Group, representing Gremillion and around 100 others in cases against BP, say the company leveraged procedural technicalities to block victims from getting their day in court.

BP declined to comment on pending litigation. In court filings, BP denied allegations that oil exposure caused health problems and attacked the credibility of medical experts brought by plaintiffs.

Controversy over coastal restoration

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The environmental impact was devastating, recalled PJ Hahn, who served on the frontlines as a southeast Louisiana coastal management official. He watched the oil eat away at barrier islands and marsh around his community in Plaquemines Parish until it would just crumble like a cookie in hot coffee, just break apart.

Oyster beds suffocated, reefs were blanketed in chemicals and the fishing industry tanked. Pelicans diving for dead fish emerged from the contaminated waters smeared in a black sheen. Tens of thousands of seabirds and sea turtles were killed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since then, significant progress has been made restoring Gulf habitats and ecosystems, according to The Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustee Council, a group of state and federal agencies tasked with managing restoration funded by penalties levied against BP.

The council says more than 300 restoration projects worth $5.38 billion have been approved in the Gulf of Mexico, which President Donald Trump renamed the Gulf of America. The projects include acquiring wetlands in Mississippi to protect nesting areas for birds, rebuilding reefs along Pensacola Bay in Florida and restoring around 4 square miles (11 square kilometers) of marsh in Lake Borgne near New Orleans.

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While a tragedy, the spill "galvanized a movement  one that continues to push for a healthier, more resilient coast, said Simone Maloz, campaign director for Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a conservation coalition.

The influx of billions of dollars in penalties paid by BP "allowed us to think bigger, act faster and rely on science to guide large-scale solutions, she added.

Yet what many conservationists see as the flagship of the restoration projects funded by the Deepwater Horizon disaster payout  an approximately $3 billion effort to divert sediment from the Mississippi River to rebuild 21 square miles (54 square kilometers) of land in southeast Louisiana  has stalled over concerns of its impact on the livelihoods of local communities and dolphin populations.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has said the project would break our culture" by harming local oyster and shrimp fisheries due to the influx of freshwater. Earlier this month, his administration paused the project for 90 days, citing its high costs, and its future remains uncertain.

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More offshore drilling planned for Gulf

The Trump administration is seeking to sell more offshore oil and gas leases, which the industry trade group American Petroleum Institute called a big step forward for American energy dominance.

BP announced an oil discovery in the Gulf last week and plans more than 40 new wells in the next three years. The company told the AP it has improved safety standards and oversight.

We remain keenly aware that we must always put safety first, BP said in an emailed statement. We have made many changes so that such an event should never happen again."

Still, Joseph Gordon, climate and energy director for the nonprofit Oceana, warned Deepwater Horizon's legacy should be an alarm bell against the expansion of offshore drilling.

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___

Brook 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. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96.
Video above: This FOX 5/KUSI video provides driving safety tips.

ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  A 16-year-old boy from Escondido was killed early Sunday morning in a solo motorcycle crash, authorities said.

According to the Escondido Police Department, the incident happened on Bear Valley Parkway near Canyon Road. The teen was reportedly riding northbound alongside another juvenile motorcyclist when he lost control of his bike after striking the right curb.

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Police said witnesses stopped to help and called 911. Despite their efforts to give the boy aid, the teen was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not yet been released.

Both directions of Bear Valley Parkway were closed for several hours Sunday morning while officers conducted their investigation and documented the scene.

The department has not released further details at this time, and the incident remains under investigation. Police did say that alcohol or drugs do not appear to be factors in the crash.

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A teenager was fatally shot in Englewood early Sunday morning, according to Chicago police.

Police said officers were on patrol when witnesses alerted the officers to an unresponsive person. Officers relocated to the area and found a 16-year-old male lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds in the 7200 block of South Green Street around 1:40 a.m. The teenager was pronounced on scene.

Police did not say what led to the shooting.

No one is in custody.
CHICAGO (WGN)  A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed Easter morning on the Citys South Side, according to the Chicago Police Department.

CPD said officers were on patrol in the Englewood neighborhood around 1:40 a.m. when they were waved down by witnesses who said they had found a person who wasnt moving and lying on the ground.

Shortly afterward, police said they found an unresponsive 16-year-old male on the ground in the 7200 block of South Green Street who was shot several times.

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The Chicago Fire Department took the 16-year-old to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

2 dead, 1 injured in South Shore shooting overnight

Police have no one in custody. Area One detectives are leading the investigation into the incident.

If you or someone you know has information that can help lead police to an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, anonymous tips can be filed online with CPD at cpdtip.org.

No other information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
DENVER (KDVR)  An 18-year-old was arrested for attempted first-degree murder in connection with a shooting that happened Friday afternoon in Denver.

The Denver Police Department said the shooting happened in the 3500 block of North Pontiac Street, which is in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood of Denver.

The police department first posted about the shooting on X at 6:30 p.m. Friday. At the time, investigators were still working to develop suspect information and said the victim had taken himself to a hospital with serious injuries.

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Saturday afternoon, police said 18-year-old Malachi Robinson was arrested in the shooting.

It appears the shooting stemmed from a family disturbance, the police department said.

Police said the victim is expected to survive his injuries.

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If you or someone you know is paying back federal student loans under an income-driven repayment plan, especially as part of a married household, there are some important changes underway that could affect how monthly payments are calculated. These changes come as part of a broader legal battle involving the U.S. Department of Education and a national teachers union.

Here's what's happening  and what it could mean for your budget.

What Are IDR Plans, and Why Do They Matter?

Income-driven repayment plans are a set of programs that base a borrower's monthly federal student loan payment on their income and family size, rather than the total amount owed. The main plans include Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR), Income-Based Repayment (IBR), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), a newer plan introduced under the Biden administration.

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Borrowers on IDR plans may qualify for student loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of payments. These plans are especially useful for borrowers with high debt and relatively modest incomes.

The Confusion Over Married Borrowers

A recent legal filing suggested that the Trump administration intended to change how spousal income is treated under IDR plans. According to Forbes, a Department of Education official stated that, beginning in May, the government would start counting spousal income when calculating monthly payments for married borrowers  even if those borrowers file taxes separately or are separated from their spouse.

That would be a big shift. Under current law, borrowers who file taxes separately can have their payments calculated based solely on their own income. Many married borrowers choose to file separately for this reason, even though it often means losing out on tax deductions.

If the proposed change had gone into effect, many married borrowers might have faced significantly higher payments, on top of higher tax bills.

Trending: BlackRock is calling 2025 the year of alternative assets. One firm from NYC has quietly built a group of 60,000+ investors who have all joined in on an alt asset class previously exclusive to billionaires like Bezos and Gates.

A Walk-Back and Temporary Clarity

Just days after the statement raised alarms, the Department of Education reversed course. In an updated court filing on April 15, the agency clarified that for ICR, IBR, and PAYE plans, spousal income will not be included when a borrower files taxes separately or is legally separated.
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4)  A second suspect was arrested in connection to a deadly shooting at a West Jordan party that left a 19-year-old dead.

Vincent Caleb Vasquez, 18, was arrested Friday on one count of obstruction of justice  capital/first degree felony conduct, which is a second-degree felony.

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19-year-old charged in murder of West Jordan victim

According to arrest documents, Vasquez is accused of helping another suspect  Tayden Huntsman, 19, who was arrested in March on several charges including aggravated murder  get rid of a weapon and make arrangements to leave town.

Officials with the West Jordan Police Department said the shooting happened at a party on March 9. At the scene, authorities found Hugo Lucero, 19, with a gunshot wound, and Lucero was later pronounced deceased.

After executing search warrants on Huntsmans cell phone and social media accounts, authorities discovered that Huntsman was communicating with Vasquez after the incident. Vasquez is said to be the known leader of a gang, and Hunstman is documented as a gang member, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

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Documents said that, on the day of the shooting, Vasquez exchanged messages through text and social media with [Huntsman] instructing him to throw the firearm that was used in the incident in a river. Vasquez also allegedly offered to get money for Huntsman to get him out of the state.

Vasquez was taken into custody on Friday while reportedly attending Huntsmans detention hearing at a Salt Lake City courthouse.

After he was taken into custody, Vasquez allegedly denied getting money to help Huntsman leave town. Vasquez said he had asked friends for funds with the intent to give money to [Huntsman] to help him, but was unsuccessful.

Vasquez reportedly admitted to telling Huntsman to get rid of the weapon, but said he didnt know whether Huntsman had done so. Vasquez was booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on the aforementioned charge.

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A Uniontown man was killed in an early morning shooting in Washington County.

The man was shot around 3:40 a.m. Sunday inside his girlfriends residence on Broadmore Drive, which is in the Washington Estates mobile home park in Canton Township, per Washington County Coroner Tim Warco.

Warco identifies the man killed as Devyon Dennis, 19.

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop B major case team is investigating.

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(Published April 20, 1995.)

The next time Fort Worth attorney Jennifer Last sees her stepfather, shell hug him.

He left one office for another meeting, she said, unleashing a sigh of relief after getting a phone call through to Oklahoma City and her stepfather, former Mayor Andy Coats.

He had been away 10 minutes. When he came back, that office was gone.

A few minutes.

A few steps away.

That is how close we are at any moment to losing our families, our friends and our children.

An Oklahoma City fireman walks near explosion-damaged cars on the north side of the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City after a car bomb explosion on April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Ex-mayor left meeting 10 minutes before Murrah blast

On a street in Fort Worth, we can lose loved ones instantly to some sick teenagers gunshot, or to a drunk driver, or to a gust from a springtime tornado.

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After what happened yesterday on a downtown street in another drowsy cowtown 200 miles north, we know very well now that we can lose loved ones not only to the crack of a rifle shot, but also to the flash of a terrorists bomb.

Before 9 a.m., Coats was sitting in the window of a Southwestern Bell office two blocks away from the bomb.

At 9, he left for an executive meeting.

Former Oklahoma City Mayor Andy Coats at a memorial service for former Gov. David Boren at St. Lukes Methodist Church, Saturday, March 29, 2025.

There was this massive boom, and all the ceiling tiles came down, and all the dust shook, he said by phone. It was nothing but confusion, smoke and mess everywhere.

The first office was totally blown out, he said. It made us weak at the knees. If we had still been sitting there  well, we would not be talking to you now.

Oklahoma City and Fort Worth: twins in many ways

The blast in Oklahoma City also jolts Fort Worth, because that city might be our long-lost twin.

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Both cities serve metropolitan counties almost exactly the same size. Both wear the same wardrobe of Old West buckskin trimmed in uptown silver and gold.

An outpouring of roses, wreaths, ribbons and stuffed animals. laid by rescue workers before a final memorial service, obscures the west end of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This photo was from Requiem For The Heartland, The Oklahoma City Bombing, a book published to aid the victims and their families.

In Oklahoma City, the people we saw crying and bleeding were not from some faraway city of unfamiliar accents and attitudes.

They were our neighbors, people like us.

In the darkest days of the Cold War, we grew up fully expecting a foreign attack on Fort Worth. We drilled on hiding under school desks and fleeing to fallout shelters, hoping for any advance notice of what seemed like the inevitable day when our air base, our bomber plant or our helicopter plant would be hit by a bomb.

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Not any bomb.

The Bomb.

Stained glass window in the new First United Methodist Church chapel depicts a scene from the aftermath of the Murrah Federal Building Bombing, where they found the face of Jesus in a pile of rubble, shown Thursday, March 13, 2025. First United Methodist was heavily damaged during the Oklahoma City Bombing April 19, 1985.

Why we never take life for granted

In those days, the threat of death hung in the air with every test of an air-raid siren.

I had forgotten that feeling. Until now.

What it makes you realize, Coats said, is that anything can happen any day.

So enjoy as many days as you can. Because you dont know how many of them youre going to have.

And enjoy as many hugs as you can.
CHICAGO (WGN)  Two men are dead and a woman is critical after a three-vehicle crash on the Citys West Side early Sunday morning.

According to the Chicago Police Department, the crash happened around 2:10 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Central Avenue.

Police said officers in the Austin neighborhood were heading to a call to service when they saw a dark colored sedan speeding southbound on Central Avenue. They relayed what they saw to dispatch and continued toward their original call to service.

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A short time later, another caralso a dark colored sedanwas traveling eastbound on Augusta Boulevard when they drove through a red light at Central Avenue and hit the dark colored sedan that police said they had seen speeding earlier.

After the collision, one of the two vehicles involved in the initial crash hit the front end of a beige minivan that was arriving at the light, before the first two vehicles came to a rest in the yards of two separate residences nearby.

2 dead, 1 injured in South Shore shooting overnight

The driver of the dark colored sedan that police said ignored a red light on Augusta, a 36-year-old man, and his passenger, a 35-year-old woman, sustained severe trauma from the crash. The 36-year-old man who was driving was treated by the Chicago Fire Department and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The 35-year-old woman was also treated by CFD and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

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The driver of the dark colored sedan that officers said they had seen speeding on Central Avenue, a 22-year-old man, also sustained severe trauma to the body. He received CFD treatment before being transported to Stroger Hospital, where he was also pronounced dead.

The driver of the beige minivan, a 45-year-old, did not report any injuries and refused medical services, police said.

Major Accident Detectives are investigating the circumstances involving the incident.

No other information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
CHICAGO (WGN)  Two men are dead and another is in the hospital after a shooting in the Citys South Shore neighborhood early Sunday morning.

According to the Chicago Police Department, officers were on patrol in the South Shore neighborhood around 2:45 a.m. when they heard gunfire nearby. Police said they tracked the gunfire to a residence in the 7200 block of South Paxton Avenue, where they found three men were shot.

A 31-year-old man  identified as Derrick Harris  was shot multiple times, while the 37-year-old man  identified as Devantel Strickland  was shot in the neck. Both were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and later pronounced dead.

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A 24-year-old man who was shot in the arm was also taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he is listed in good condition.

Its not clear what circumstances led up to the shooting at what neighbors said was a recently rehabbed property.

Police have no one in custody as Area One detectives head up the investigation.

If you or someone you know has information that can help lead police to an arrest and conviction in the investigation of this incident, anonymous tips can be filed online with CPD at cpdtip.org.

No other information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
At least two people were injured in a shooting on Norfolk State University's campus in Virginia late Saturday, law enforcement said.

"Norfolk police are continuing to investigate a shooting in the 2200 block of Presidential Parkway," the Norfolk Police Department said in a statement.

Police said they received a call reporting the shooting at about 11:30 p.m. on Saturday. The campus is locked down early on Sunday while an investigation is underway, according to ABC News affiliate WVEC.

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Two men were transported to a local hospital, police said, adding that one had life-threatening injuries.

A campus spokesperson, Stan Donaldson, told WVEC that campus and city police responded to the shots fired in the Greek Row section of campus.

"There's an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available," Donaldson told WVEC.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

2 injured in shooting on Norfolk State campus, police say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Severe weather in Oklahoma over the weekend has left at least five people dead, including a 12-year-old boy, a 7-year-old girl and their mothers after their vehicles were swept away by floodwaters, officials say.

Police in Moore, about 10 miles south of Oklahoma City, reported dozens of high-water incidents Sunday morning, describing the severe storms as a historical weather event. On Saturday, police said they responded to more than a dozen calls for help from residents whose vehicles were trapped in high water.

One of the Sunday incidents involved a mother and son whose vehicle was washed into a creek and later wedged against a drainage pipe, police told CNN affiliate KOCO. The vehicle was believed to be carrying a family of three, police said. A third person was able to escape and was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

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The woman and child were missing when rescuers reached the vehicle. They were found after an extensive search by Moore police and neighboring agencies.

The principal of Apple Creek Elementary in Moore, Oklahoma, said the 12-year-old boy was a student there.

It is with profound sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that one of our sixth-grade students, Rivers Bond, and his mother tragically passed away during the severe flooding last night, Rachel McNear said in a letter addressed to parents provided to KOCO. The mother has been identified as 44-year-old Erika Lott, the Moore Police Department said on Facebook.

A father and son in a separate vehicle that was swept away around the same time also managed to escape, police told KOCO. Their vehicle briefly ended up on top of the family of threes vehicle, according to KOCO.

Flooding in Wewoka, Oklahoma, on April 20, 2025. - Liz Letterman/Facebook

Near Leonard, Oklahoma  about 25 miles southeast of Tulsa  a 47-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter were swept away by floodwaters Sunday, officials said on social media.

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Authorities found the womans body Monday morning, and the daughter was found later in the afternoon, according to the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office.

Around 4:45 p.m. Sunday, the Bixby Fire Department responded to reports of an SUV caught in rushing water on private property. The father and one child escaped, but the woman and her younger daughter were dragged away, according to Wagoner County Emergency Management.

Water levels were significantly higher than weve seen in recent years, police told KOCO. Flooding in the area has receded, but police warned of large debris remaining on roads.

Farther south, in Spaulding, Oklahoma, a tornado struck at around 10:35 p.m. Saturday, injuring two people, according to Hughes County Emergency Management. The storm destroyed two homes and several nearby structures. One of the injured later died, an official confirmed Sunday. Spaulding is around 76 miles east of Norman, Oklahoma.

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The dangerous floodwaters in central Oklahoma also damaged at least 10 homes, according to a release from Oklahoma State Emergency Operations Center.

The flooding is part of severe weather that struck multiple states in the South this past weekend. Storms unleashed multiple tornadoes and dumped hail bigger than baseballs in parts of the southern Plains.

A few thunderstorms could deliver gusty winds and hail in the Southeast and Ohio Valley on Monday but will not be nearly as strong as this weekends storms.

CNN Meteorologists Allison Chinchar and Mary Gilbert and CNNs Christine Sever and Taylor Romine contributed to this report.

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Three people are dead and two others are missing after severe weather slammed Oklahoma over the weekend.

Several Oklahoma agencies, including the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office and the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office, are conducting a search for two people, one of them being a child, after their vehicle was swept away in flooded waters on Sunday.

The incident occurred along Oklahoma Highway 64, south of Leonard.

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Authorities said two others who were riding in the same vehicle have been rescued.

Among those killed over the weekend, one person was found dead after a tornado swept through Spaulding, Oklahoma, on Saturday night, according to Hughes County Emergency Management.

"Two homes were destroyed and several small structures along with many trees suffered damage," HCEM said in a post on social media on Sunday. "There were two injuries including one fatality."

PHOTO: Emergency responders are seen on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Moore, Oklahoma, in this screengrab from a video shot by ABC News affiliate KOCO. (KOCO)

Two others died when their vehicle was swept off the road due to flooding caused by the heavy rainfall in Moore, Oklahoma, police said.

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Following a search, the bodies of two people -- an adult female and a 12-year-old child -- were found outside one of two vehicles that were swept away, Moore Police spokesperson Clint Byley told ABC News early Sunday.

Moore Police Department reported conducting a "swift water rescue involving two vehicles stranded in flood waters" in the early hours of Sunday.

"One of them left the roadway and was swept under the bridge. At the time of the incident all but two occupants were rescued," officials wrote in a post on Facebook. "It is with great sadness that we report that two individuals, an adult female and a 12-year-old male, were later located deceased."

Both vehicles were submerged in the water after being washed off a bridge, police said.

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MORE: More than 30 million on alert for severe weather over Easter weekend

More than 30 million Americans were on alert for severe weather over Easter weekend.

Several states in the Heartland had already been slammed with tornadoes, hail and damaging winds.

"This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and caused dozens of high-water incidents across the city," the Moore Police Department said on social media. "We would like to extend a thank you to our neighboring agencies who assisted in rescue efforts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims."

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Officials had earlier said they were working to assist "more than a dozen" motorists whose vehicles were stuck in high water.

"Multiple roads and neighborhoods have water over the curbs," the department said on social media late on Saturday. "Stay home if at all possible."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

3 dead, 2 missing as severe weather slams Oklahoma originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Two men were injured in a shooting at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday night.

The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m on a street that runs through the university campus, Norfolk police said. A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and another had non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the shooting was still under active investigation and did not provide additional details.

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It is unclear whether any students were involved or whether a suspect has been identified. A representative for the university did not immediately respond to a call for more information.

The shooting comes just days after a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee. A 20-year-old man is accused of opening fire at the FSU student union, killing two people and injuring several others.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Dan Morehead, CEO of Pantera Capital, has made one of the boldest predictions yet for the future of Bitcoin in an interview with CNBC in November 2024.

He predicted that Bitcoin will reach $745,000.

Morehead believes that the worlds largest cryptocurrency is officially at escape velocity, and that the idea of Bitcoin ever moving to zero is now impossible.

When speaking about the adoption of Bitcoin, Morehead dismissed the more cautious statements he used to say: I used to tell people it could definitely go to zero to try and be, you know, conservative. I don't think it's possible. Now, 50 million people in the US own and 300 million people globally, BlackRock and fidelity are selling it like it.

He was able to provide evidence of this confidence with actual numbers; over 50 million Americans, and over 300 million people globally, now own Bitcoin, while also referencing major asset managers like Fidelity and BlackRock actually selling Bitcoin to their clients.

Morehead also mentioned MicroStrategys Michael Saylor, who recently gave a projected valuation of $13 million per Bitcoin, and said that a 4x increase from current values could put Bitcoin's market cap at $15 trillion. That still seems small, he said, and mentioned now that the total pool of global financial assets is roughly $500 trillion.

His takeaway: You bet your life, its not going to zero.

The comments are reflective of a shift in institutional tone, from a cautious optimism to a full-fledged belief, is likely correlated to the fact that Bitcoins foothold in traditional finance has only deepened.

Is it possible?

If Bitcoin continues its current growth trajectory  up 33.9% over the past year  and maintains a similar pace, it could realistically reach Dan Moreheads $745,000 target within the next 78 years. Thats assuming steady compounding growth without major crashes, which is optimistic but not impossible given rising institutional adoption. At 33% annual growth, BTC would roughly 10x in value over 8 years, pushing it toward the $840,000 mark.

Moreheads point is that Bitcoin is no longer a fringe asset. With firms like BlackRock and Fidelity offering it to clients and hundreds of millions of users worldwide, Bitcoin is entering escape velocity  meaning its too big to fail. If financial giants and retail investors continue pouring in, especially as supply gets scarcer after halvings, $745,000 isnt just a wild guess  it could be the next major milestone.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Two teenagers are dead and two others are in the hospital following an overnight head-on crash in Overland Park, Kansas.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, a 17-year-old male driver and an 18-year-old female passenger were driving southbound on Metcalf Avenue near West 58th Street in a 2013 Toyota Corolla when it crossed the center median into oncoming traffic.

At the same time, a 44-year-old female driver and a 41-year-old female passenger were traveling in a 2015 Kia Optima in the northbound lanes of Metcalf Avenue.

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Police investigating after overnight shooting leaves man dead in KCK

After the Toyota crossed the median, the two cars crashed head-on, KHP reported.

Both teens were killed in the crash, and the 44-year-old driver of the Kia was seriously injured. The passenger of the Kia had minor injuries.

The cause of the crash has not been released.

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Three people are dead following a small plane crash in Nebraska on Friday.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna 180 crashed into the Platte River in Fremont, Nebraska, at around 8.45 p.m. local time.

Three people were on board the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

The victims have been identified by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office as 43-year-old Daniel Williams of Moundridge, Kansas, 50-year-old Jeff Bittinger, and 48-year-old Randy Amrein, both of Fremont, Nebraska.

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Its not clear what caused the crash.

The Independent has contacted the Dodge County Sheriffs Office and the National Transportation Safety Board for comment.

Small plane crashes are not common but the development is the latest in a series of crashes involving Cessna planes on the back of multiple high-profile aviation disasters this year.

Earlier this month, a Cessna 210 crashed shortly after takeoff from Boca Raton Airport. In February, a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II collided at Marana Regional Airport just northwest of Tucson.

Two people were on board each of the aircraft.

Data from the National Transportation Safety Board does not show an uptick in aviation accidents overall. So far, the data this year does not indicate a potential increase from the two prior years. The majority of documented plane crashes in 2025 have involved small private planes.
Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri all reported their first measles cases of 2025 this weekend, with at least 27 states reporting at least one case. All three cases were linked to international travel.

Louisiana reported the state's first measles case on Saturday in an adult with international travel.

The patient was not vaccinated and lived in the greater New Orleans area, according to the Louisiana Health Department.

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Health officials are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed.

MORE: US measles infections hit 800 cases across 24 states

The patient was not hospitalized and will remain in isolation until no longer infectious, the Department said.

PHOTO: Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium, on Feb. 27, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images, FILE)

Virginia reported its first case of measles on Saturday as well, in a child under 4 years old who recently traveled internationally, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

To protect the family's privacy, no other information will be released, the VDH said in a statement. It's not clear if the child was vaccinated.

"This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel," said VDH State Epidemiologist Laurie Forlano.

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On Friday, Missouri reported the state's first case of measles in 2025, in a child who is an international traveler with unknown vaccination status, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

No other cases have been identified, and health officials have alerted those who may have been exposed.

The U.S. measles outbreak has reached 800 confirmed cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.

MORE: Measles cases linked to Texas outbreak reach 561, with 20 new infections confirmed

The current outbreak in Texas has claimed two lives, with a third death under investigation in New Mexico, according to state health officials. The surge in cases is nearly triple the total number reported in 2024, when the nation recorded 285 cases.If this year's cases continue to grow at the current rate, the U.S. could surpass the 2019 total of 1,274 cases, potentially reaching the highest level since 1992, per data.Six states are currently battling significant outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases: Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, and Michigan.

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Health officials report that 96% of this year's cases have occurred in unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status.Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through coughing and sneezing. According to the CDC, the virus can live up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves a room.

3 more states report their first measles case of 2025 originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Saturday marked 30 years since one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

On April 19, 1995, a truck loaded with explosive material detonated in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. The bomber, Timothy McVeigh, grew up here in Western New York.

I reported from the site of terror in Americas heartland in April 1995, along with photographer Tom Vetter. It was just days after the truck bomb exploded.

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This became a local story for us after it was revealed that the chief bombing suspect, Timothy McVeigh, grew up in Pendleton. And that Western New York connection made it all the more poignant for us to report on the suffering.

Gov. Frank Keating was active and accessible as journalists from across the nation  and even the world  documented the painstaking process of trying to recover victims from what had been a busy government building with men, women, and little children inside. The work took a toll on the many firefighters and teams who joined in a grim march every day to and from the devastated building and even knelt together in prayer at times.

Everyone actually on our team has never seen anything like this, said Bob Anderson of the Virginia Rescue Task Force back in 1995. We work inside and outside, trying to go through the debris and find what we can find.

Video from the Virginia Rescue Task Force gave us our first close-up view of the daunting task of recovery inside a craggy, unstable concrete and steel maze, where even a simple phone posed a threat.

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As the recovery effort labored on, workers and residents outside the immediate bomb zone tried to get back on their feet. Business owners had to line up, anxiously aiming for a view of the shops and offices they abruptly left behind.

I rode on a bus with residents of an apartment building a half block from the Murrah Federal Building, where almost every window was blown out and 500 tenants were given just five minutes to grab what they could from their damaged units.

Its been estimated that more than 300 buildings were damaged by the bombing. More than 12,000 volunteers and rescue workers helped whenever there was a need.

It was very common to see people silently weeping or placing flowers around the bombing site and to hear choirs singing on street corners. And churches, even those that lost their treasured stained-glass windows blocks away from the bombing, opened their doors to all and offered solace.

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In the 30 years since, we have come to learn more about Tim McVeighs motivation for masterminding the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history and his many grievances against the U.S. government. We know he was executed for his crimes in June 2001.

But will we ever understand how one young man  who lived and grew among us in Western New York as a native son  could unleash such hate to tear a deliberate wound in the heart of America?

Latest Local News

***

Jacquie Walker is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 1983. See more of her work here.

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After being wrongfully imprisoned for 30 years for the shooting death of a teenager, a Los Angeles man is getting his name cleared.

On Friday, April 18, a judge found Humberto Beto Duran, 51, factually innocent of a 1993 East L.A. gang murder.

I never thought this would happen because its easy to get locked up, and its hard to get out, Duran told KTLAs Angeli Kakade. After so many years, 32 exactly, to hear from the judge that Im actually innocent, its been amazing.

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Nearly three decades ago, Duran was convicted of killing 17-year-old Albert Gonzalez based on a single eyewitness testimony. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

At the time, Duran was just 19 years old.

According to a report by the L.A. Times, Duran had known Gonzalez growing up. I was surprised, Duran told the Times. I wasnt even aware that he had any problems with anybody as to why they would go kill him.

Durans lawyer purportedly told the Times that Duran was framed for Gonzalezs murder.

A detective told me you aint never getting out and I looked at him and I had a smirk and I said well see who has the last laugh, Duran told KTLA. I will never forget those words.

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Duran and his family, who never lost faith, spent years reaching out to various innocence projects.

Then, in 2018, a woman named Megan Baca, who is now the director of California Innocence Advocates, reached out to Duran and ultimately started him on his path to parole in 2022.

With Bacas help, the single eyewitness ended up recanting her testimony, and Durans case was vacated in 2024.

The L.A. Times reported that the eyewitness, who was 17 at the time, said that deputies had insisted she name Duran as the killer.

I know Beto is innocent, the Times reported she wrote in a sworn declaration in 2021. My role in sending an innocent man to prison has haunted me for the past 27 years.

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Duran told KTLA that he believes the system is broken.

I was gonna go to the Marines and become a parole agent, and that dream was taken away from me, said Duran.

Durans attorney, Jarrett Adams, said hes thankful to DA Nathan Hochman for making the right decision.

I got to hug Mr. Duran, I got to shake the hands of everyone in his family who was there, said Hochman. It was a great day, obviously for Mr. Duran, but it was also a great day for justice.

Duran said that now, hes focused on the future.

I want to start working in electrical and do my own company and push forward, said Duran. I want to enjoy life, I think I deserve that.

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Durans civil case is still pending, and he will find out on July 17 how much he could be compensated for his time spent behind bars.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Four people, including a high school senior, her mother and aunt, were killed in a three-car crash in Newington, Conn., Saturday morning, officials said.

The deadly collision occurred just after 9 a.m. at Willard and Greenlawn Aves., according to the Newington Police Department.

Despite lifesaving measures, all four victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Our thoughts are with the victims family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, police said in a news release.

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According to Newington Public Schools Superintendent Maureen Brummett, three of the individuals who died in the crash were members of the same family.

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of Newington High School senior Gabriela Difo, Brummett said in a statement, according to the Hartford Courant. She was involved in a fatal car accident earlier today in Newington that also claimed the lives of her mother, Florinda Tineo, and her aunt, Jeannette Tineo.

Officials have not disclosed the name of the fourth victim. A fifth victim involved in the crash was treated for minor injuries, police said.

It is a pretty significant crash  something we dont see very often, which we are grateful for, Lt. Ryan Deane told local television station WNTH. Its also an example of what may happen if we are not obeying the laws of the road, he said.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Just south of Hartford, Newington is located about 110 miles northeast of New York City
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  One person has died after Memphis Police say five people were injured in a shooting in North Memphis near the Medical District on Saturday night.

Memphis Police responded to a scene on North Dunlap Street and Mosby Avenue at 8:08 p.m.

Police say five people were injured in the shooting. Two people were taken to the hospital in critical condition, while the other three victims were in non-critical condition.

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Police reported Sunday afternoon that one of those victims had died.

Memphis Police say the shooting occurred during an event to celebrate the life of a loved one who had passed away.

We just want to tell the community that we are so sorry for this incident, a Memphis Police spokeswoman said. Our community is crying out.

Police say the suspect or suspects were seen in a gray sedan. They are asking for the publics help with information.

Memphis Murder Map 2025

Anyone with information on this shooting is urged to call CrimeStoppers at (901) 528-CASH.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Amid the warm weather, some people in Middle Tennessee decided to spend part of their holiday weekend out on the water. However, in two separate operations several counties apart, first responders had to help kayakers who overturned Saturday afternoon.

The Smith County Rescue Squad said it was dispatched to Happy Hollow shortly before 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 for a report of kayakers in the water hanging onto a tree.

After launching a boat, first responders said they found three kayakers holding onto tree roots near the bank, tied the boat off below the kayakers, got out on the bank, and reached the kayakers.

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Stewart County deputy saves mans life while responding to house fire

This all started when one overturned, as each tried to assist the other, they all ended up overturning, the rescue squad said.

According to officials, everyone was wearing life jackets, so personnel used ropes to move each kayaker upstream to a low point where they could be removed from the water safely. By that point, the kayakers had reportedly been in the water for close to an hour, leaving them very cold, weak, and tired.

(Courtesy: Smith County Rescue Squad) (Courtesy: Smith County Rescue Squad) (Courtesy: Smith County Rescue Squad) (Courtesy: Smith County Rescue Squad)

Rescue personnel said a Putnam County EMS ambulance came to the ramp to check out the kayakers, and even though one patient was evaluated, nobody was transported to the hospital. First responders also retrieved all the kayaks from the river and returned them to the owners.

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Wearing the lifejackets definitely paid off, this could have easily had a different outcome had they not had them on. Rescue personnel knew they were still in the river an the dam was generating at least 2 generators today, so the water was really moving. What we did not know was if they had life jackets on, so we new we needed to get there quick, get launched and get eyes on these people as quick as we could, the Smith County Rescue Squad explained. As kayak season is here, PLEASE REMEMBER TO WEAR THOSE LIFE JACKETS. Today tragedy was averted, because life jackets make a difference.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

(Courtesy: Flintville Fire Rescue)

Meanwhile, down in Lincoln County, Flintville Fire Rescue said it responded to the Highway 64 bridge in Kelso Saturday afternoon because three people in kayaks overturned and needed assistance getting out of the river.

The Lincoln County Sheriffs Office helped pull two people out of the water, according to fire officials. However, the third kayaker was carried farther down the river and ended up on a gravel bar between the bridge and Chenault Ford, where rescue personnel guided them to the bank.

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No additional details have been released about either water rescue operation from Saturday 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 WKRN News 2.
Oppenheimer raised the firms price target on Netflix (NFLX) to $1,200 from $1,150 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares following the Q1 report. The companys U.S. pricing increase has been well-received, with no churn increase or downgrading plans, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says that despite the uncertain macro environment, increasing prices in France support confidence in Netflixs business resilience. It attributes he Q1 beat to advertising and subscription revenue and margins.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  The NC Budget for fiscal years 2025-2027 is on to its next hurdle, the NC House.

On Thursday, leaders in the state Senate voted 30-15 in favor of the multi-billion-dollar biennium budget. Now, the budget goes to the NC House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate passes $65B+ budget, Democrats want changes made

Republicans in the North Carolina Senate released the budget late Monday afternoon, which outlines the current leaderships top spending priorities.

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In total, the budget calls for spending $32.6 billion in the first year and $33.3 billion in the second year for a total of $65.9 billion.

The senators unveiling the budget said they want to focus on more aid for western North Carolina and pay increases for state employees.

Theres also lots of talk in the budget about how to handle taxes moving forward. The budget suggests cutting the state personal income tax rate 3.49% in 2027 and 2.99% in 2028.

Other highlights of the budget, according to GOP senators, include:

$700 million for Helene recovery efforts

An average pay increase for teachers of 2.3% in fiscal year 2025-26 and an average of 3.3% over the two years, as well as a $3,000 bonus over the same time period

A 1.25% pay increase for most state employees in the first year of the budget, plus a $3,000 bonus over the two years

A $3,000 bonus for local law enforcement officers over the biennium

Cutting the state personal income tax rate to 3.49% in 2027 and 2.99% in 2028

Increasing support for NC Childrens, a standalone hospital that will be built and run as a joint partnership between the UNC and Duke healthcare systems

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For more budget coverage, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A Corryville man is accused of leaving a loaded gun unattended in a room with three young children, leading to a 7-month-old being shot Saturday night.

Martez Jones, 22, is charged with multiple counts of endangering children, according to documents filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court.

Jones left a loaded handgun on the windowsill of a bedroom while he went to the bathroom, a criminal complaint states. His three children were also in the bedroom and one of them, a 5-year-old, got hold of the weapon, causing it to fire and strike the 7-month-old.

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The complaint states Jones made an admission to police after the incident.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 reported that the 7-month-old was struck in the thigh and taken to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital for treatment.

Court records indicate Jones is expected to appear for an arraignment at the Hamilton County Justice Center on Monday.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 contributed this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Court records: 5-year-old shoots infant after father leaves gun out
Eight decades ago, U.S. Army soldiers raised the American flag in the center of Nuremberg. They stood atop a bunker adorned with Nazi symbols, now in the hands of Allied forces after five days of fierce urban combat.

By April 1945, the invasion of Germany was well underway. After crossing the Rhine River, American soldiers were pushing forward. Soviet troops were already well into Germany, and both forces were moving towards Berlin. To do so though, they had to eliminate the remaining bastions of Nazi military power. The city of Nuremberg, in the southern part of the country, was one such place. It ended up being some of the most intense urban combat that U.S. forces in Europe experienced.

At this point in the war, advancing Allied forces had a doctrine to avoid being bogged down in urban warfare, preferring to encircle and besiege Nazi-held cities and advance forward, rather than suffer heavy casualties that they knew would come from building-to-building combat. But the push into Germany proper meant that Nazi strongholds had to be taken. Nuremberg in particular was a target due to its importance in Nazi propaganda, having been the site of major rallies by the party prior to the war. Berlin was the capital of Germany but Nuremberg was seen as the Nazis political center.

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As such, the Nazis had significant defenses set up. Nuremberg had been heavily bombed by American forces, reducing large portions of the city to rubble, which the German forces used to place anti-tank guns and machine gun nests throughout the streets. Despite being outnumbered, the conditions of urban combat meant they could put the U.S. Armys 3rd Infantry Division and 45th Infantry Division through hellish conditions. In the first two days the two Army divisions swept across the citys outskirts, capturing suburban towns and passes. On April 18 they entered Nuremberg proper, and that was when the main phase of the battle began.

The 3rd Division entered the city with the [7th Infantry Regiment] on the right, the 15th [Infantry Regiment] in the center, and the 30th [Infantry Regiment] on the left. The advance was slow and methodical, a Combat Studies Institute paper on the battle recounted. There was heavy German resistance from the basements of buildings, foxholes in the city parks, and prepared 88mm gun emplacements. The 7th Regiment encountered heavy small arms, automatic weapons, and bazooka fires. The Germans fought fanatically and had to be rooted out of every house and building.

Soldiers with 3rd Infantry Division, 7th Army advance through Nuremberg. Photo by Photo12/UIG/Getty Images

The 45th Infantry Division, moving in from the east, reported similar resistance, with house-to-house fighting becoming the norm. By April 19, American troops were at Nurembergs old city, where the Nazis were headquartered out of. Still, the Germans were able to continue to fight back, prompting additional American bombardment of the already wrecked city.

On April 20, soldiers from the 30th Infantry Regiment reached Adolf Hitler Platz in the center of the city, where they raised the American flag. At 11 a.m. the Germans officially surrendered. Nuremberg had fallen. According to the Army, there were more than 800 casualties in the fighting. German losses were unknown.

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Success at Nuremberg was not the result of any spectacular tactical event. Rather, victory was a direct result of battle-hardened U.S. veterans refusing to be denied, the same Combat Studies Institute report concluded. The fighting involved building-to-building, room-to-room, and at times hand-to-hand-combat.

Nuremberg was more than just a symbolic win. Allied intelligence at the time suggested that the Nazis were looking to pull their remaining forces south into Austria to regroup as an insurgency, with Nuremberg as one of the last bastions on the way out of southern Germany.

The capture of Nuremberg also paved the way for the U.S. militarys post-war trials. Seven months after the city fell to the U.S. Army, the Allies began trying high-ranking Nazi officials and officers for their roles in war crimes. The Allies chose to hold the tribunals in Nuremberg, again citing its symbolic importance to the now-defeated Nazi Germany. They werent the first war trials  that actually took place in May 1945, prior to the establishment of the International Military Tribunal  but were the largest and highest level of such prosecutions.

The latest on Task & Purpose
Last week, tech moguls pleaded with the United States Congress to ramp up energy production to meet soaring energy demand driven by artificial intelligence. The already considerable energy footprint of data centers is sharply on the rise, and is projected to keep gaining steam in the coming years. As a result, industry insiders are lobbying congress to ramp up energy production so that the U.S. tech sector can stay competitive with China.

We need energy in all forms, said Eric Schmidt, a former Google CEO who now leads a think tank focused on technology and security called the Special Competitive Studies Project. Renewable, nonrenewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.

Supplying enough energy to meet AIs growing needs without threatening domestic energy security is a bipartisan priority, but there are  of course  some partisan disagreements on how to get there. In 2023, Joe Biden signed an executive order with sweeping policy goals governing the development and use of AI safely and responsibly. When he entered office earlier this year, Donald Trump almost immediately overturned the order, saying its onerous mandates would threaten American technological leadership. Instead, Trump is leading a charge with less emphasis on responsible development and more stress on securing and advancing American AI dominance.

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An ongoing global AI arms race will require staggering amounts of electricity. In 2024, data centers accounted for roughly 1.5% of global electricity consumption. And the International Energy Agency projects that this energy footprint is set to double by just 2030. The IEAs models project that data centres will use 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2030, roughly equivalent to the current annual electricity consumption of Japan, Nature recently reported. By comparison, data centres consumed 415 TWh in 2024, roughly 1.5% of the worlds total electricity consumption, the scientific outlet continued.

Already, this sharp increase is placing strain on power grids around the globe. Many countries, including Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, dont have the energy production capacity needed to power their already-planned data centers. And in the United States, a recent scientific study found that the government would have to invest billions of dollars in generation and transmission capacity over the next few years to meet demand. And if the government falls short, Americans can expect their energy costs to go up by as much as 70 percent.

All of this energy demand growth also threatens to seriously derail global climate accords if it results in increased fossil fuel production. Google has already admitted that powering its AI ambitions may be fundamentally incompatible with its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2030. In 2024, the company reported that its carbon emissions had increased by nearly 50% in the last five years.

When you look at the numbers, it is staggering, Jason Shaw, chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, an electricity regulator, told the Washington Post last year. It makes you scratch your head and wonder how we ended up in this situation. How were the projections that far off? This has created a challenge like we have never seen before.

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However, some experts say that concerns over AI crashing global power grids and obliterating all hopes of achieving global decarbonization goals are overblown, and that all the panic around them is a classic Malthusian fallacy. There is a global race to make AI more efficient, and some believe that technological advances will drastically reduce strain to global power grids.

As the IBM sustainability chief Christina Shim wrote in a recent op-ed for Fortune, Raising a flag over AIs energy use makes sense. It identifies an important challenge and can help rally us toward a collective solution. But we should balance the weight of the challenge with the incredible, rapid innovation that is happening.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.

The Trump administrations rapidly evolving tariff policy is affecting nearly every industry, and tourism is no exception, reports Joanne Drilling of The Business Journals. The headwinds have led to less demand from international visitors to the United States  especially those from Canada  and that slowdown is starting to affect airlines.

On top of the usual cost increases and shifting consumer demand, the industry is facing headwinds as international tourists balk at the prospect of visiting the U.S. in light of tariffs targeting their own nations.

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Read: The runway truly comes to life during the Run for the Angels 5k

Non-U.S. citizen international air travel arrivals to this country were down 9% year-over-year in March, according to the International Trade Administration. That was before full details of the tariff policy were known. Tourism nonprofit Visit California recently revised the estimated spending by tourists in California down by $6 billion as a result of strained relationships with key international markets, reported Douglas Sams of the San Francisco Business Times.

Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website.

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Several airlines ditched the Airbus A380 during the pandemic.

It's still flying high, led by Emirates' fleet of 118 superjumbos.

Business Insider compiled a list of every airline operating the A380 and their summer routes.

Airbus took decades to develop the A380, a project announced in 1990 to compete with the Boeing 747. When the airliner entered service with Singapore Airlines in 2007, it became the world's largest passenger jet.

The high operating costs of the four-engine jet prompted carriers including Air France, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airlines to ditch the A380 during or after the pandemic.

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Now, airlines seem to be falling back in love with the superjumbo.

Lufthansa retired all 14 of its A380s during the pandemic but has brought back eight of them since 2022. Etihad has reactivated six jets and launched new routes to Paris and Singapore.

Meanwhile, Australia's Qantas has announced plans to restart A380 flights between Sydney and Dallas from August 2025, for the first time since before the pandemic.

Global Airlines, a British startup, has acquired an A380 formerly owned by China Southern, with its first flights scheduled for next month.

Based on fleet data from Ch-aviation and route data from Cirium, Business Insider has compiled a list of every airline regularly operating the A380 and the routes they're planning to fly in June.

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Ten airlines operate the A380, but one has the biggest fleet by far.

Here's what all 92 routes look like on the map.

Pete Syme/BI

If you're looking for the A380 routes closest to you, then try this interactive, zoomable map.

1. Emirates

An Emirates flight attendant behind the A380's bar. Pete Syme/Business Insider

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Dubai's airline is by far the world's largest operator of the A380. Emirates has 118, 24 of which are in storage or maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

Like its rival Middle Eastern airlines, Emirates' A380 is highly luxurious  with business-class passengers able to visit the bar or even book a shower.

The airline's president, Tim Clark, told BI earlier this year that he'd like Airbus to build a new version of the A380 with more fuel-efficient engines.

Emirates' plethora of planes comes with a similarly broad route map. Brace yourself for an extensive list.

Emirates flies the A380 between Dubai and Amman, Jordan; Amsterdam; Auckland, New Zealand; Bangkok; Barcelona; Bengaluru, India; Birmingham, England; Brisbane, Australia; Cairo; Casablanca, Morocco; Copenhagen, Denmark; Denpasar, Indonesia; Dusseldorf, Germany; Frankfurt, Germany; Glasgow, Scotland; Hong Kong; Houston; Istanbul; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Johannesburg; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; London Gatwick; London Heathrow; Los Angeles; Madrid; Manchester, England; Mauritius; Melbourne, Australia; Milan; Moscow; Mumbai, India; Munich; New York; Nice, France; Osaka, Japan; Paris; Perth, Australia; Prague; Rome; San Francisco; Sao Paulo; Seoul; Singapore; Sydney; Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo Narita; Toronto; Vienna; Washington, DC; and Zurich.

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This season sees the addition of Munich, Copenhagen, and Prague.

Emirates also serves Christchurch, New Zealand via Sydney as a fifth-freedom flight. Plus, flights on the superjumbo are available direct between Milan and New York, or between Bangkok and Hong Kong.

2. British Airways

A British Airways Airbus A380 arriving in Los Angeles. FG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

British Airways has 12 Airbus A380s, and 10 are in service.

Skytrax ranked the airline's business class 15th last year. In 2024, BA launched a $9 billion "transformation program," which includes retrofitting its A380s with an upgraded first class that is expected to debut next year.

"The A380 is an important part of our fleet and rightfully, incredibly popular with our customers," Neil Chernoff, BA's chief planning and strategy officer, told BI last year.

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Behind Emirates, BA offers the second-highest number of destinations, most of which are in the US.

BA flies the A380 between London Heathrow and Boston, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, DC.

3. Singapore Airlines

Two first-class suites on a Singapore Airlines A380. ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Singapore Airlines also has a fleet of 12, two of which are on maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

The carrier one of just 10 to receive a five-star rating from Skytrax. It named Singapore Airlines' business class the second-best behind Qatar Airways  but top for first-class.

The airline offers enormous suites on its A380s, which have both an armchair and a bed. Two of these can also be uniquely combined to create a double bed.

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Singapore flies the A380 between Singapore Changi Airport and Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, and Sydney.

4. Qatar Airways

A Qatar Airways Airbus A380. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Qatar Airways cleaned up at last year's Skytrax awards, winning both best airline and best business class.

Like Emirates, the airline's A380 includes a bar for business-class passengers. It also has huge bathrooms, but no showers.

The A380s also lack its flagship business-class product, the QSuite, which you'll find on the A350 and Boeing 777 and 787.

Following delays to the Boeing 777X, Qatar reversed plans to retire the A380.

Its former CEO, Akbar Al-Bakar, said in 2021 that buying the planes was a "big mistake," given their high operating costs.

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However, on the sidelines of last year's Farnborough Airshow, Qatar's new CEO, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said the quad-engine was getting a new lease of life.

Qatar has 10 A380s, but two are in storage and one is under maintenance, per Ch-aviation.

The airline operates the A380 between Doha and Bangkok, London Heathrow, Paris, Perth, and Sydney.

5. Qantas

A Qantas Airbus A380. Sebastian Kahnert/Getty Images

Qantas has 10 A380s. Two are in for maintenance, and another is in storage, per Ch-aviation.

The airline's A380s fly from Sydney to Johannesburg, Los Angeles, and Singapore, where some passengers continue to London Heathrow.

Plus, the A380 is sometimes used instead of the Boeing 787 on flights QF93 and QF94 from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

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From August, Qantas also plans to operate the superjumbo between Sydney and Dallas.

A severe storm warning and "incredibly high" demand during Taylor Swift's Australian tour last year saw Qantas use a standby A380 to fly Swifties from Melbourne to Sydney.

6. Etihad

The Residence's bedroom on an Etihad A380. Etihad Airways via Getty Images

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is the third most prominent operator in the Middle East but is often overshadowed by Emirates and Qatar. That's the case with its A380 fleet, too.

The airline has 10 A380s, three of which are in storage  but that's down from five previously. Another one is on maintenance.

Etihad's A380s are unique as they offer the most extravagant ticket in commercial aviation: The Residence.

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For $24,000, you can book the only three-room suite on an airliner, complete with a bedroom and shower.

Etihad flies its A380s from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow, Paris, New York, and Singapore.

From June 24, Toronto is set to replace New York.

7. Lufthansa

A Lufthansa Airbus A380 taxiing in Munich. Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Images

The German flag carrier has a fleet of eight A380s.

The airline appears to prefer the only other double-decker passenger jet. Lufthansa has 27 Boeing 747 jets  the most of any passenger airline, according to Ch-aviation data

Lufthansa initially retired all 14 of its A380s during the pandemic before changing its mind as travel demand bounced back. The other six were sold back to Airbus, Airways Magazine reported in 2023.

Lufthansa's A380s go between Munich and Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New Delhi, New York, and Washington, DC.

8. Korean Air

A Korean Air Airbus A380. Matej Divizna/Getty Images

Korean Air is one of four airlines on this list, and 10 around the world, to be rated five stars by Skytrax.

Ch-aviation data indicated that the airline has seven A380s, but two are in storage and one is in for maintenance.

Korean Air's superjumbo jets go from Incheon International Airport in Seoul to Hong Kong, New York, and Taipei.

But four-engined jets are falling out of favor with Korean. In 2021, CEO Walter Cho told FlightGlobal that its A380s would be retired by 2026 and its Boeing 747s by 2031.

9. Asiana Airlines

An Asiana Airlines Airbus A380. Joan Valls/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty Images

Asiana Airlines has six A380s, all of which are active, according to Ch-aviation.

During the pandemic, Asiana flew empty superjumbos to keep its pilots certified, Bloomberg reported in 2020.

The second Seoul-based carrier on this list, Asiana has merged with Korean Air. For now, it's operated as a subsidiary but will use the same name from 2027.

The combined entity could have 13 A380s, the second-most behind Emirates, depending on by Korean's plans to retire its A380s.

Until then, Asiana regularly flies the A380 from Seoul to Los Angeles and New York.

10. ANA

A ceremony celebrated the delivery of ANA's first A380 in 2019. JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images

ANA is the newest customer of the Airbus A380, with its first delivered in 2019.

The Japanese airline has three, which are only used between Tokyo Narita and Honolulu. One is on maintenance, per Ch-aviation data.

ANA is another five-star airline, with an impressive business-class product. But you'll need to fly on a Boeing 777 to experience "The Room"  or in first class, "The Suite," which includes a 43-inch TV.

Global Airlines

Global Airlines bought its A380 from China Southern Airlines. Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images

Hi Fly Malta also has an A380, per Ch-aviation data. The charter airline is a subsidiary of the Portuguese airline Hi Fly and has been working with Global Airlines.

Global aims to fly the superjumbo jet across the Atlantic, but its plans have been questioned due to the high cost of operating the A380.

The airline completed its first transatlantic flight in May 2024  ferrying its A380 from California to Scotland via a stop in Montreal.

The 11-year-old jet, formerly owned by China Southern Airlines, had been sitting in a Mojave boneyard before being refurbished. It has since been painted white with a red tail.

Global Airlines has scheduled its first two round-trip flights for May, from Glasgow and Manchester to New York's JFK airport.

Read the original article on Business Insider
COTONOU (Reuters) -Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM said it killed 70 soldiers in raids on two military posts in north Benin, the biggest death count claimed by jihadists in the country in over a decade of activity in West Africa, the SITE Intelligence Group said on Saturday.

The West African state and its coastal neighbour Togo have suffered a series of attacks in recent years as groups linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda have expanded their presence beyond the Sahel region to the north.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report independently.

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Benin's army spokesman Ebenezer Honfoga did not respond to calls and messages.

SITE quoted a statement by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) on Thursday saying 70 soldiers were killed in attacks on two military posts in Benin's northeastern Kandi province in the Alibori department, more than 500 km (300 miles) from the capital Cotonou.

U.S. group SITE tracks online content from militant groups.

The Sahel insurgency took root after a Tuareg rebellion in north Mali in 2012 and spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger before reaching the north of coastal West African countries such as Benin more recently.

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Thousands have been killed and millions displaced by the conflict, which contributed to spurring five military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2020 and 2023.

Military authorities cut ties with traditional Western allies such as France and the U.S. after the coups and turned to Russia to help in fighting jihadist activity.

(Reporting by Pulcherie Adjoha; Writing by Sofia ChristensenEditing by Andrew Heavens and Toby Chopra)
NurPhoto / Getty Images





Key Takeaways

After Netflix delivered first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Streets expectations, several analysts lauded the companys ability to thrive amid economic uncertainty.

Bank of America analysts said Netflix has "sustainable growth drivers" that could make it a strong defensive choice in a tougher macroeconomic environment.

Jefferies analysts said Netflix remains a "top pick" as the company rolls out its ad suite.







After Netflix (NFLX) delivered first-quarter earnings that topped Wall Streets expectations, several analysts lauded the companys ability to thrive amid economic uncertainty.

Bank of America analysts said the streaming giant has shown sustainable growth drivers that could make the stock a strong defensive choice for investors. On the companys earnings call, co-CEO Greg Peters said Netflix "has been generally quite resilient during tougher economic times.

Netflix attributed its better-than-expected results in part to higher subscription and ad revenues, and Peters said the company expects to double its advertising revenue this year, as the company rolls out its ad tech suite. Jefferies analysts said Netflix remains a top pick as the ad tier scales, price hikes flow through, and expectations remain achievable.

Ahead of Thursday's earnings report, Netflix executives reportedly said their goal is to double the companys $39 billion in revenue last year by 2030. However, co-CEO Ted Sarandos cautioned analysts not to take it as an official forecast.

BofA and Jefferies maintained bullish ratings and price targets of $1,175 and $1,200, respectively. KeyBanc analysts kept a target of $1,000, and Needham reiterated $1,126. Those estimates imply as much as 23% upside from Thursday's closing price. (U.S. markets are closed Friday in observance of Good Friday).



Read the original article on Investopedia
Apr. 20JUNEAU  Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy flew to Taiwan last month to pitch business and government leaders on Alaska's state-sponsored LNG export project.

The same day Dunleavy and other Alaska officials arrived in Taipei on the unannounced trip, his office received an email from China's vice consul in San Francisco, Ba Yanfeng. The consulate was aware that Dunleavy was leading a trip to the "province" of Taiwan, and Chinese government officials wanted a meeting with his chief of staff, Ba said.

Dunleavy had stepped into a simmering geopolitical conflict  an issue that China's government describes as the most important and sensitive in its relationship with the U.S.

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China claims Taiwan as its own territory and regularly conducts military drills nearby  including some that have simulated blockades and involved firing missiles over the island.

The U.S. doesn't officially recognize Taiwan's independence. But it's a longtime ally, sells arms to the government and has committed in legislation to support the island's defense.

In a formal follow-up note, the Chinese government said Dunleavy's trip "sends a very wrong signal to the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces," and it urged the governor "to correct such mistakes and avoid their recurrence."

But Dunleavy, in an interview, said he was undeterred.

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"I don't allow myself to get pushed around by too many entities or people," he said.

Alaska does significant trade with China, namely in seafood products, though that's diminished since U.S. President Donald Trump began levying tariffs during his first term. Still, Alaska exports more than $500 million in seafood products to China each year.

But amid China's broader, ongoing trade war with America, experts said it's unlikely that the country will target Alaska with retaliatory action even if the LNG project moves forward with Taiwanese partnership.

"I think this is probably fairly low on China's list of priorities. They have a lot on their plate," said David Sacks, an expert on Taiwan and China and a fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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Sacks described the Chinese correspondence with Dunleavy's office as "pretty pro forma," even if it sounds strident. He also said there's nothing unusual about an American governor or legislator traveling to Taiwan  and he noted that other states, like Arizona, have done robust business with Taiwanese firms without prompting a backlash from China.

"I think it would be fairly unprecedented for the Chinese to take aggressive action here that specifically targets Alaska," he said.

Dunleavy's trip to Taiwan last month came amid a new push by his administration to recruit investment in the $44 billion LNG development. Top Trump administration officials have also been touting the project to Asian allies, and a private firm, Glenfarne, has taken over leadership of the development from a state agency.

Dunleavy's trip also included stops in Thailand, South Korea and Japan, where he met with politicians and corporate executives.

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But his Taiwan visit garnered the most headlines. In Taipei, Dunleavy met for an hour with President Lai Ching-Te and held a lunch with the vice president, according to his schedule. He also met with officials from Taipower, the country's primary electric utility, and from the state-owned oil and gas company, CPC.

CPC has signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy one-third of the LNG produced by the Alaska project, and the letter also contemplates investment in the development, according to a description by officials from the state's gas pipeline agency. The letter itself is confidential, according to the agency.

Promoters of Alaska's LNG project, including Dunleavy and Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, say that investment in and purchases of gas from the development can provide Asian allies with a secure source of fuel  with a shorter transit time than shipments from the Middle East. Importing Alaska gas would also lower Taiwan's trade deficit with the U.S., which could curry favor with Trump.

But it's still far from certain that the project will be built. Alaska's government has spent decades studying construction of a gas line, and the current iteration of the project has been dogged by projected high costs.

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Taiwanese investment in the project, and any American engagement with the island's government, also risk pushback from China.

In a prepared statement to Northern Journal, the spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, D.C., Liu Pengyu, called Taiwan "an inalienable part of China's territory" and urged "the relevant U.S. side" to cease all forms of official contact with Taiwan.

"China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the United States and Taiwan, under any pretext or in any capacity," the statement said.

Dunleavy, in the interview, said he did not know how the Chinese government became aware of his visit to the island.

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They "wanted me to abort the trip, apparently," he said.

Dunleavy would not directly say whether he recognizes Taiwan's sovereignty, calling that "the biggest loaded question."

"These are human beings, 23 million people. They would like to have a great relationship with the United States," he said. "We want to sell energy. They want energy. I'd love to partner."

Alaska has a long history of trade with Taiwan, and other state officials have traveled there in recent years, including two state senators in 2024. Former Gov. Frank Murkowski has visited more than a dozen times, including as an observer of one of Taiwan's presidential elections.

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The Chinese response to Dunleavy's trip, first reported by conservative news site Must Read Alaska, is "pretty boilerplate," said Sacks, the expert from the Council of Foreign Relations.

But its "ominous" language could also be an attempt by the Chinese to ward off business dealings in Taiwan by an American official who's not well-versed in the island's tense political dynamics, Sacks added, in comments were echoed by a statement from the U.S. Department of State.

"Around the world, including in the United States, the Chinese Communist Party attempts to leverage economic and diplomatic pressure to try to prevent officials from interacting with Taiwan," the statement said. "Robust cooperative activities with Taiwan, including by state leaders, are consistent with U.S. policy."

The statement added that letter of intent from CPC "is another example of the longstanding, deep, and growing trade and investment ties between the United States and Taiwan, which create American jobs and mutual prosperity."

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Sacks said he sees the LNG project as being in America's interests  both because of its potential to reduce Taiwan's trade deficit and to give its people a more reliable supply of energy.

But while Sacks described the risk of repercussions to Alaska as low, he also wouldn't completely rule them out. He pointed to a recent move by China instructing the nation's airlines to stop accepting deliveries of jets made by Boeing.

"The context might change now, because the Chinese are looking for ways  in a way that they weren't before  to punish the Trump administration for the tariffs," Sacks said. "I wouldn't foreclose that."

Nathaniel Herz is an Anchorage-based reporter. Subscribe to his newsletter, Northern Journal, at northernjournal.com.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is seeking information on a fatal Saturday shooting that left a 19-year-old man dead.

Police say officers responded to reports of a shooting at 10:15 p.m. at 22 Canterbury Square, where a man was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a parking lot.

PGPD: Officer shoots, kills suspect after two victims were stabbed and their apartment set on fire

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According to police, after life-saving measures by the Alexandria Fire Department, the man died at the scene.

He was identified as Deaundre Jack of Alexandria.

His body has been transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.

The incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to call Detective M. Whellan at (571) 221-3399. Tips can be provided anonymously.

APD has created a public portal to encourage people to submit videos, photos and other information that could help with the investigation.

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By Daniel Trotta

(Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito criticized the court majority for "hastily and prematurely" blocking the Trump administration from deporting a group of Venezuelan migrants with an emergency ruling in the early morning hours of a holiday weekend.

Alito's five-page dissent arrived late Saturday night, nearly 24 hours after the Supreme Court temporarily barred the government from deporting a group of accused Venezuelan gang members under a rarely used wartime law known as the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

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"In sum, literally in the middle of the night, the Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without giving the lower courts a chance to rule, without hearing from the opposing party, within eight hours of receiving the application, with dubious factual support for its order, and without providing any explanation for its order," Alito wrote in the dissent, which was also joined by Justice Clarence Thomas.

Alito and Thomas are members of the court's 6-3 conservative majority.

American Civil Liberties Union lawyers had asked the high court to intervene on an emergency basis, arguing that dozens of Venezuelan migrants faced imminent deportation without having a realistic opportunity to contest their removal, despite a previous Supreme Court ruling that they must be allowed judicial review.

"The Government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this Court," the justices said in an unsigned decision issued around 12:55 a.m. (0455 GMT) on Saturday.

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The White House responded that President Donald Trump would stay the course in his immigration crackdown but gave no immediate indication that the administration would defy the Supreme Court, appearing for now to avert a potential constitutional crisis between coequal branches of government.

Although it was unclear where the Venezuelan migrants were headed, the Trump administration already has deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador more than 200 Venezuelan and Salvadoran men it claims are gang members.

Many of the migrants' lawyers and family members say they were not gang members and had no chance to dispute the government's assertion that they were.

Elected last year on a promise to crack down on migrants, Trump and his senior aides have asserted that their executive power grants them wide authority on immigration matters. They have shown limited evidence linking the detainees to Tren de Aragua, a violent gang that is active in South America but one that has a smaller presence in the United States.

(Reporting Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California, and Andrew Chung in New York; editing by Diane Craft)
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court acted literally in the middle of the night and without sufficient explanation in blocking the Trump administration from deporting any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a sharp dissent that castigated the seven-member majority.

Joined by fellow conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, Alito said there was dubious factual support for granting the request in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union. The group contended that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart such removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

The majority did not provide a detailed explanation in the order early Saturday, as is typical, but the court previously said deportations could proceed only after those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given a reasonable time to contest their pending removals.

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Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law, Alito said in the dissent released hours after the courts intervention against Republican President Donald Trumps administration.

The justices brief order directed the administration not to remove Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center until further order of this court.

Alito said that unprecedented relief was hastily and prematurely granted.

He wrote that it was not clear whether the Supreme Court had jurisdiction at this stage of the case, saying that not all legal avenues had been played out in lower courts and the justices had not had the chance to hear the government's side.

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The only papers before this Court were those submitted by the applicants. The Court had not ordered or received a response by the Government regarding either the applicants factual allegations or any of the legal issues presented by the application. And the Court did not have the benefit of a Government response filed in any of the lower courts either, Alito said.

Alito said the legal filings, while alleging that the applicants were in imminent danger of removal, provided little concrete support for that allegation. He noted that while the court did not hear directly from the government regarding any planned deportations under the Alien Enemies Act in this case, a government lawyer in a different matter had told a U.S. District Court in a hearing Friday evening that no such deportations were then planned to occur either Friday or Saturday.

In sum, literally in the middle of the night, the Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without giving the lower courts a chance to rule, without hearing from the opposing party, within eight hours of receiving the application, with dubious factual support for its order, and without providing any explanation for its order, Alito wrote. I refused to join the Courts order because we had no good reason to think that, under the circumstances, issuing an order at midnight was necessary or appropriate. Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law."

The administration has filed paperwork urging the high court to reconsider its hold.

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On Friday, two federal judges refused to step in as lawyers for the men launched a desperate legal campaign to prevent their deportation. Early Saturday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also refused to issue an order protecting the detainees from being deported.

The ACLU had already sued to block deportations of two Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet facility and sought an order barring removals of any immigrants in the region under the Alien Enemies Act.

In the emergency filing early Friday, the ACLU warned that immigration authorities were accusing other Venezuelan men held there of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which would make them subject to Trump's use of the law.

It has only been invoked three previous times in U.S. history, most recently during World War II to hold Japanese-American civilians in internment camps. The administration contends it gives them the power to swiftly remove immigrants they identified as members of the gang, regardless of their immigration status.

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Following the unanimous high court order on April 9, federal judges in Colorado, New York and southern Texas promptly issued orders barring removal of detainees under the law until the administration provides a process for them to make claims in court.

But there had been no such order issued in the area of Texas that covers Bluebonnet, which is 24 miles north of Abilene in the far northern end of the state.

Some Venezuelans subject to Trump's use of the law have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison.
Kicked out

Forty-three Northwest Missouri State University students recently had their visas revoked by the United States Citizen Immigration Services. They were told to leave the country immediately.

So long, American dream.

- Phil Smith, Kansas City

Hollow words

Salus populi suprema lex esto, Missouris motto appearing on the state seal and flag, translated from Latin to English is: The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law.

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From their current actions, members of the General Assembly seem oblivious to the mottos existence and meaning.

- Nancy M. Ehrlich, Independence

Time to change

Most Americans want to end the practice of changing our clocks twice a year and make either Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time permanent. But which one?

The arguments from sleep experts and the medical field are that Standard Time best aligns with our human circadian biology and is better for our physical and mental health as well as our safety. The argument that Daylight Saving allows the enjoyment of an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day is supported by the recreation industry as well as convenience stores and others.

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Although that extra hour of sunlight year-round might sound lucrative, permanent Daylight Saving Time was tried during the energy crisis in 1974 and was rescinded after only 10 months because of the extreme dark mornings in mid-winter. In Kansas City, permanent Daylight Saving would result in the sun not rising until almost 8:40 during the last half of December and much of January. Even the current practice of Daylight Saving for eight months of the year results in unnecessary darker mornings in early spring and late fall.

Its time to return to permanent Standard Time, which has served humankind well since time immemorial. Contact your representatives in Congress, as they will ultimately decide.

- Thomas Harries, Lenexa

Grammar lesson

In his April 14 column, Please keep your obvious pronouns out of my emails, (7A) David Mastio quotes White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt: Any reporter who chooses to put their preferred pronouns in their bio ...

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Reporter is a singular noun. Their is a plural pronoun. Leavitt violated her own preference. The correct albeit awkward usage to follow the practice Leavitt prefers would be his or her.

Pronouns are a weak part of speech, often used as a crutch to avoid clarity. Avoid pronouns at all costs.

- Michael Grimaldi, Kansas City

Real facts

Contrary to what you might have heard, a Real ID is not required to drive or vote. A Real ID will be required only if you want to travel by plane. This change is designed to further reduce the possibility of terrorism with air travel.

Also contrary to what you might have heard, its not that difficult to update your existing drivers license or non-driver ID. Just go to the DMV with your birth certificate or passport, Social Security card, a utility bill and voter registration card. Youll need a marriage certificate or divorce decree if your last name has changed. This serves as a reminder always to save such documents.

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And you might as well go ahead and do it now, just in case more places require a Real ID in the future.

Lets get Real.

- Kevin Lindeman, Kansas City

Editors note: Visit dor.mo.gov/driver-license/issuance/real-id for a complete list of acceptable documentation to obtain a Real ID.

Crisis is here

Based on the oath of office, the president is compelled to, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Recently, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the president cannot be held legally accountable for actions taken in the performance of official duties, in effect placing the president above the law.

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The presidents continued roundup and arrest of undocumented people, coupled with no judicial oversight, has resulted in an unprecedented constitutional stalemate of sorts. Since the president cant be held legally liable, the courts seem to lack authority to compel the president to legally comply. Meanwhile, a timid Congress seems unwilling to step into this constitutional crisis, while our allies express astonishment and dismay.

These events strongly suggest that all of us are at grave personal risk from a lawless and contemptible president.

- Phil Anderson, Manhattan, Kansas
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A local nonprofit, known for its support of abandoned pets in the community, is making a comeback after the shop was the target of multiple burglaries a month ago. On Saturday, the shop celebrated its one-year anniversary at its new location.

Its been an incredible first year. We are so incredibly grateful for our wonderful community who has helped us through this transition, said Madison Beets, associate director of marketing for Animal Humane New Mexico.

The Animal Humane New Mexico Thrift Shop is bouncing back after thieves targeted the store, three times in one week, this past March.

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Animal Humane New Mexico helps pet owners in crisis by providing free boarding to animals

The shelter says that the break-ins greatly impact their work helping animals, We are a private non-profit. We receive no city, state, or federal funding. So, when individuals steal from our thrift shop, they are stealing from the pets who are supported by Animal Humane New Mexico, emphasized Beets.

The thieves damaged property and stole over $4,000 worth of jewelry. In total, the shelter is out $12,000.

When the news came out, the community immediately stepped up in their time of need, Whether it was donating merchandise, or voluntarily, or businesses who donated their services, like extra patrols, or rekeying our entire building, we have received so much help, Beets continued.

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Albuquerque nonprofit vandalized for fourth time

On Saturday, they had an anniversary celebration after the community helped raise $10,000 for the store. With more than quadruple the retail space, this new location was able to unveil its new cat house.

So, not only do you have a first-hand view of the pets youre supporting with every purchase made, but also you have the opportunity to adopt, Beets shared excitedly.

Animal Humane New Mexico invites the community to shop, donate, and adopt from April 19-20.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
Thousands of people nationwide gathered on Saturday to voice their opposition to President Trumps administration and several of its policy initiatives.

Lafayette Square outside the White House was packed with demonstrators in the morning while some rallied near the Washington Monument amid gatherings in New York, Massachusetts and other states. Signs displayed condemned the war in Gaza, mass layoffs and the deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

Donald Trump has defied a direct, binding order from the United States Supreme Court. Let that sink in, the protest organizing group 50501 wrote in a Thursday post two days prior to the public demonstrations.

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This is not a theoretical crisis. This is not an abstract fear. This is the moment that confirms our Constitution has been crippled, they added.

The organizations title represents 50 protests in 50 states and one movement  the groups first mobilization of protests was on Presidents Day at different state Capitols.

Paul Ivanov chants slogans during a protest against the Trump administration, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Their message has resonated with those frustrated by the White Houses pledge not to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S. from a Salvadoran prison despite acknowledging his removal was made in an administrative error in violation of a 2019 order from an immigration court. Still, President Trump and his officials suggest Abrego Garcia has ties to the MS-13 gang and their criminal activity.

This is a very perilous time in America for liberty, Thomas Bassford, who attended a Massachusetts demonstration with his partner, daughter and two grandsons told the Associated Press. I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.

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Others said they attended to combat Trumps leadership, which they equated to a fascist regime.

Hes defying the courts. Hes kidnapping students. Hes eviscerating the checks and balances, George Bryant, a Boston resident, told AP. This is fascism.

Protesters form a Impeach & Remove human banner on Ocean Beach during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump, in San Francisco, Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Saturdays mass gatherings in objection to the Trump administration are not the first. The Tesla Takedown movement has launched over 150 demonstrations worldwide to protests Elon Musks role in the White House in addition to Aprils Hands Off! rallies in more than 1,000 cities across all 50 states touting nearly 400,000 participants.

The White House did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment on demonstrations but did make a Saturday post online in reference to Abrego Garcia.

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SATURDAY WORDS OF WISDOM If he tattoos like MS-13, beats women like MS-13, and tramples the law like MS-13THEN HES PROBABLY MS-13, they wrote in a mid-afternoon post on X.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BOCA RATON  Hundreds of people lined the grassy area at the edge of the University Commons shopping plaza in Boca Raton on Saturday, April 19 to protest the policies of President Donald Trump.

Just about everyone carried signs. One said, "No Kings In America Since 1776." Another: "Tyranny Is At Our Door." One sign asked: "What would life be like if your immigrant grandparents had been deported without due process?"

Protestors stood three and four abreast for about a quarter of a mile along Glades Road. Motorists constantly honked their horns. A Boca Raton Police patrol car was parked on the median at Glades Road. The rally, though, was peaceful.

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The president was not in Palm Beach County for this Easter weekend. During his first presidency, he visited three of the four years, missing only in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More: Pictures of Donald and Melania Trump at Easter services in Palm Beach through the years

For Rhonda Kupfler, a resident of Coconut Creek, it was the first time that she ever participated in a political protest. "I just could not sit by and not do anything," she said Saturday. "I felt it was my patriotic duty to participate. We need to let the president know that what he is doing is not acceptable."

While the protest was billed on social media as a rally for immigrants who have been illegally deported, Harriet Zeikowitz said she was there to protest everything that the president has done, adding: "If this keeps up, we won't have a Constitution."

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More: Thousands in Palm Beach County rally against Trump and Musk, furious at tariffs and more

More: Demonstrators in West Palm Beach protest Trump policies during downtown rally on March 4

Protesters line Glades Road in Boca Raton on Saturday to protest the Trump administration.

Myra Terry, 81, of Deerfield Beach, said she is concerned about the negative impact of tariffs on her savings and the threat that Social Security and Medicare could be cut. "He (the president) wants to privatize everything."

David Stein was one of the many protesters who carried a "No King" sign. "We have never seen anything like this. He is dragging down democracy." There were no speeches during the rally  only protesters constantly chanting: "Hey Hey, Ho, Ho Trump has got to go."

Trumpers mingle with protesters

The rally, held from 1 to 2:30 p.m., also attracted a few Trump supporters. For the most part, they stayed away from the rally, driving their vehicles, draped in Trump flags, around the shopping center and on Glades Road, where they were met with taunts.

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But two 17-year-old high school students, wearing Trump shirts, engaged with the Trump protesters, arguing whether it was right to have deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the notorious CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador without a hearing before a judge.

One of them, who declined to be identified, said that the conversations with the protesters went well, adding: "I was not going to change their minds and they were not going to change mine, but at least we spoke to each other."

A Trump supporter, Amnon Shalev, shows up at a Trump protest rally Saturday in Boca Raton. "These people cannot accept the fact that he won," Shalev said.

Amnon Shalev of Boca Raton, a Trump supporter, spoke with a reporter as he parked his truck in the parking lot of the shopping plaza. A flag emblazoned in blue hung from the back of the truck saying: "TRUMP WON."

"These people cannot accept the fact that he won," he said. "As for due process, all they want to do is bring back gang members into the country. That's wrong."

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The Boca Raton protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations that have been staged across the country and in Palm Beach County.

Nationwide, nearly 700 protests were held Saturday, organized by the 50501 Movement, a grassroots initiative born on social media. The group is hoping to keep the momentum following April 5 protests that they said drew crowds totaling more than 5 million people across the U.S. There were protests Saturday in front of the White House, a march in New York City, and a demonstration at the site near Boston where, 250 years ago on April 19, the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired.

Some of the signs at Saturday's Boca Raton protest.

The largest protest rally took place April 5 when thousands of people in Palm Beach County protested against the president as part of a nationwide slew of events called "Hands Off," organized by Indivisible, an organization founded after the 2016 presidential election to oppose Trump. Its local chapters helped organize more than 1,200 rallies nationwide, including more than 40 in Florida.

Also, protests continue each Saturday at the Tesla dealership on Okeechobee Boulevard through April 26 to object to the role of Tesla owner Elon Musk in the Trump administration's firing of thousands of federal workers. The rallies are organized by the Democratic Progressive Caucus.

A large group people gather at the intersection of Glades Rd. and NW 15 Avenue in Boca Raton to protest the actions and decision making of the Trump administration Saturday April 19, 2025.

Rumors on social media have suggested that Trump will declare martial law April 20. He ordered the secretary of defense and the secretary of Homeland Security to submit a joint report over conditions at the southern border, along with their recommendations on "additional actions that may be necessary to obtain complete operational control of the southern border, including whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807." The 90-day deadline he imposed for completion of the report is April 20.

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Invoking the Act would allow Trump to send military forces to the border to enforce federal law. The administration has not commented on what action Trump might take.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues concerning HOAs. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump protesters in Boca Raton say democracy is at stake
We recently published a list of 12 Best Cosmetics Stocks to Buy for 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) stands against other best cosmetics stocks to buy for 2025.

Overview of the Cosmetics Industry

According to Grand View Research, the global cosmetics industry has a market size of around $295.95 billion as of 2023. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% between 2024 and 2030. The primary driver of this growth is the rising awareness among consumers about improving their external appearance. Products such as makeup, hair care, skin care, and color cosmetics have become essential parts of everyday life, leading to their increased demand. Another factor supporting market expansion in this sector is the introduction of non-toxic, natural, and organic cosmetic products.

The online cosmetics market is reflecting similar trends. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the online cosmetics market had a size of $16.23 billion in 2025. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.47% between 2025 and 2030, reaching $24.37 billion at the end of the forecast period.

READ ALSO: 15 Best Blue Chip Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires and Top 10 Restaurant Stocks to Buy Under $20.

What Would Trumps Tariffs Mean for the American K-Beauty Cosmetic Industry?

South Korea takes the lead for cosmetic imports, but a 25% tariff could be imposed on the country if President Trump decides to give the green signal after a 90-day pause on a majority of his new reciprocal tariffs. On April 16, CBS News reported that the US imported more than $7.5 billion in cosmetics last year, according to estimates made by the US International Trade Commission. Around $1.7 billion of these imports came from South Korea, as American retailers are seeing a significant boom in the K-beauty industry with the sale of Korean skincare, hair care, and makeup products. This trend is partly emerging due to social media influencers consistently promoting K-beauty products.

However, the imposition of Trumps tariffs could result in a significant price hike for these products, which is why consumers are panic-buying their favorite Korean products, according to CBS News. These trends are also proving worrisome to the Personal Care Products Council, a trade association representing more than 600 brands such as Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, LOreal, and Neutrogena.

The association said in a statement that it is particularly concerned about trade policies that could result in higher prices for personal care products, adding that US consumers use about six to 12 products each day, including sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizer, and fragrance.
At the news conference announcing that Pope Francis had appointed Bishop Shawn McKnight to succeed Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann in leading the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, a reporter essentially came right out and asked McKnight if he would be wearing a blue jersey or a red one.

Its no secret Francis has set the church on a very progressive path, the reporter said. Id like to inquire how you would interpret the path he has foreseen for the church. (Here, the official video camera actually cut, almost Academy Awards style, to an unsmiling Naumann, a favorite of conservatives, who I think it is fair to say has not been among those who have viewed that path with particular enthusiasm.)

Granted, the reporter went on, Francis is perhaps near the end of his time as the leader, but what tone would you like to set? McKnight, currently the bishop in Jefferson City, did not fully accept the premise of the question, but also did not pretend that this was crazy talk.

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Progressive, liberal, conservative, whatever  I dont know if that accurately captures the Holy Father Pope Francis. But I do see what youre talking about in terms of moving the church forward, especially in the vision of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s renewal that gave the laity more responsibility, called for more of a focus on social justice and more openness towards other faiths, apologizing for centuries of antisemitism.

Sixty years after it ended, the council is embraced by almost all Catholics in theory, and yet remains a dividing line, too, because some traditionalists still tend to see it as having been misinterpreted in a way that led to sexual laxity, while some progressive Catholics still lament that it was never more fully implemented.

The man arrested in the recent murder of Father Arul Carasala in Seneca, Kansas, may have taken his schismatic opposition to it to the absolute extreme, after writing letters to the editor of the local newspaper that ranted about Jews, the move away from the Latin Mass, and the fake, diabolical Vatican II church.

After sitting down for more than an hour with McKnight in the chancery in Jefferson City last week, I came away thinking hes not at all the lefty activist that some in his new diocese fear and others hope for, but will bring enormous change all the same.

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Of Trumps mass deportations, he said, I think its all unnecessary. Theres an unnecessary harshness and an unnecessary fear. Thats not to say the government doesnt have a right to protect her citizens; shes got an obligation to do so. I have no problem with the deportation of violent criminals. But all of this other stuff isnt necessary for that.

Archbishop Shawn McKnight, left, shakes hands with outgoing Archbishop Joseph Naumann.

How McKnight is like Pope Francis

In the news conference introducing him, McKnight went on to explain how Francis is also moving the church forward in pushing to make it more synodal, which means pulling church governance into a more consultative process. And yes, some could be trying to use this for their own agenda, he said, but its really about us in leadership paying attention to those who have to live under the rules that we make, if you will.

Francis has a keen understanding of the human dimension of the church, McKnight said, and gets that human needs have to be tended to. In his own experience as a parish priest and bishop, he said he too has learned the value of listening to people, and letting that factor into how you move forward.  Sometimes the decisions arent easily received, but the people receive them much better if they genuinely feel they have been heard.

Those whove known McKnight over the years say he was doing that long before Francis acquainted most of the rest of us with the concept of synodality. And that may be the biggest difference between 56-year-old McKnight, the Wichita native who will be installed as archbishop on May 27, and Naumann, who has led the archdiocese for the last 20 years and turned 75 last June.

Not a lot of people I can send a survivor to

McKnight is open to constructive criticism, and if theres a problem, he doesnt let it fester, said Patrick Hanrahan, the former president of the United Way of the Plains, who met him early in his assignment as pastor of the Church of the Magdalen in Wichita, where the first thing he did was hold a series of long listening sessions, children included. A man of God but also a man of the people, he wants to know his people, Hanrahan said, and works harder than any priest hes ever seen to take care of all of them.

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Teresa Pitt Green, a clergy abuse survivor and cofounder of Spirit Fire, a fellowship of survivors that she says tries to get restorative justice for those who want to reconnect with their faith safely  and thats not for everybody  told me that McKnight is one of the few bishops she feels completely comfortable sending victims to talk to. Thats because of his simple moral clarity and belief that survivors deserve special care from the church.

All I can say is, I would call it nourishing. Hes a very serious person, so hell listen a lot, and he doesnt spiritualize abuse. Theres not a lot of people I can send a survivor to and know that they might not come back to the church, but they wont be hurt inadvertently by remarks gone awry. Hes a leader in this way.

Father Dan Griffith, founding director of the Initiative on Restorative Justice and Healing at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, said he got to know McKnight when he was hosting a national consultation on clergy abuse. He asked a canon lawyer he knows which younger bishops stood out in calling the church to greater integrity, and she said at the top of her list was Bishop McKnight.

In the years since then, hes found that to be true, Griffith said. Hes forthright, a man of courage with good emotional intelligence. Hes committed to the work of restorative justice and healing, particularly for those who are marginalized and those who have been hurt by the church. He stands out among his brother bishops.

Archbishop Naumanns father, friend murdered

Archbishop Naumann could not have been more gracious in introducing his successor at the news conference. Seeing him crying, and then apologizing for crying  We of German descent dont like to do it  reminded me of my own solid yet easily moved German father and grandfather. It reminded me, too, of the things I appreciate about Naumann, like his steadfast support for Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, where many are the first in their families to go to college.

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When I left the church in heartbreak for a time after the abuse scandal involving the disgraced, defrocked and now deceased former Cardinal Ted McCarrick, and wrote about it in USA Today, people from all over the country wrote to inform me that I was going to hell. Some sent bibles, underlining the passages I most needed to read, and a fellow Notre Dame grad urged me to surrender my diploma. Naumann, however, reached out and met with me. Not for an interview, but, I will always believe and appreciate, out of a shepherds care for one of the sheep making a run for it.

Naumann has said that he may never have been ordained if other priests had not stepped in to help his family after his father was murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. And now he ends his time as archbishop in another season of tragedy, after the fatal shooting of his friend Father Carasala.

A recent editorial in the National Catholic Register praised him as someone who has played a pro-life leadership role for more than 40 years.  He has consistently called for the end of the death penalty, a position made more compelling by his own personal story, and criticized the Trump administration for resuming federal executions in 2019.

Torpedoed Kansas Medicaid expansion

Naumann has also done harm, though, and not only in his early support for Donald Trumps mass deportations. Jim Denning, the former Republican Kansas Senate leader, told the Kansas Oral History Project that in 2020, Naumann basically stopped Medicaid expansion.  He single-handedly torpedoed the bill because he said, You cant vote for Medicaid expansion until the abortion amendment passes with the public. So he killed it. It never came out of committee.

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Parishioners at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa were beside themselves when he assigned a previously accused priest there last year, though the DA in Topeka had declined to file charges and the church-appointed review board had not substantiated the claim, either.

Some in the parish were even more upset after Naumann met with them: Youre rolling your eyes! one man shouted during the meeting. Past victims of abuse at Bishop Miege High School continue to speak out against the hiring and ongoing support for the president of Bishop Miege High School, who was accused in Arizona decades ago. A civil suit against him and two priests was settled in 2005, and that case, too, never went to court.

A pastor, not a politician

When I sat down with McKnight, I asked how he thinks Kansas Catholics will most see him as different from Naumann. Were going to be different personalities. I cant fill his shoes, and want to honor and respect what he has done.

McKnight definitely made a statement by beginning his remarks at the news conference in addressing Spanish-speaking Catholics in their language: I hope you feel welcome in your parish communities and find them to be a sanctuary of mercy where, in the words of our Holy Father, the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey. He did that, he told me, because he wanted to emphasize that our churches are to be safe environments  places they instinctively know they can go to get help.

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He does not, however, see himself as a political actor. I should strive to be a pastor, not a politician. We have to be more discerning, and use more discretion in how we use our power and authority as bishops. We should be able to talk to one another and not condemn one another, and thats not just a problem with conservatives. Thats there on the left, too.

Of course, he said, the Gospel has political consequences, but thats really the purview of the laity. Because Im a pastor, I want everyone to listen to me. And we have to be careful about allowing ourselves to be reduced down to one issue.

Ive loved all of the popes

One of his mentors in seminary at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio was his rector, now Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, considered one of the more progressive prelates in the country.

But when I asked if what McKnight said about Pope Francis and politics also describes how he sees himself, he said no. Im pretty much moderate, firmly in the center. Its tiresome that those on the far left and the far right are just tearing us apart.

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When I noted that hed mentioned Francis many times in the news conference, he said, Ive loved all of the popes that Ive had. You cant choose whether you like a pope or not; that just is not Catholic. Of some of the vitriol aimed at Francis, he said, I dont understand that on the right, the language and the behavior that I see sometimes thats just not truly Catholic vis-a-vis the Holy Father.

One thing he and Naumann have in common, however, is having suffered the early loss of their own fathers. McKnights dad, grandfather and uncle were all killed in a boating accident when he was just 18 months old, and his mother struggled with her faith for a time after that.

When she remarried and went on to have seven more children, including one with special needs, Shawn took his responsibilities as the oldest seriously, his now deceased mother Mary Schaffer told a reporter some years ago. I think it prepared him to be the person he is, she said, strong but always gentle.

He was majoring in biochemistry at the University of Dallas and on track to become a doctor when he went on a chaplains retreat that hed really only signed up for to catch up on sleep and homework before hurrying back to his girlfriend. Once he started thinking about the priesthood, though, he began to feel called to it, and soon was calling home to tell his mom that there had been a change of plan.

A quail and pheasant hunter, he enjoys fly fishing and hates moving. Now, as he gets ready to pack up for Kansas City, what sounds to me like his most boiled down goal is as simple as it is monumental: We should conquer evil with good. No one of any stripe can argue with that.
An all-day prohibition on cellphone use has helped student performance and grades, Warner School Superintendent David Vinson said.

Its been a large part of our success for the past decade or so here in Warner, Vinson said. And its allowed our teachers to not have to compete with messages and things going on with the phones and students.

The Oklahoma Legislature is considering a ban for cellphones during the day for all Oklahoma schools. In February, the Oklahoma House passed a bill prohibiting student cell phone use from bell to bell. In March, the Oklahoma Senate passed a measure prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day for at least one year.

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Vinson said Warner has had its all-day prohibition for the past 13 years. He said Warner Schools received Cs on the State Report Card in 2012, but As on each State Report Card since 2019.

Other area schools have similar prohibitions.

Rougher Alternative Academy Principal Lisa Charboneau said cellphones are not allowed past the front door.

We have a check-in system, and at that time, the student checks their phone in and wears a corresponding lanyard with their phone storage number on it, Charboneau said. At the end of the day, its the same process in reverse to get their phone.

Hilldale Elementary and Middle Schools policies say cellphones must be turned off and out of sight during the school day. Hilldale High School allows cellphone use during breakfast or lunch, but not during or between classes.

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Several area schools prohibit cellphone use during classes, but allow use during lunch or between classes.

Muskogee High School Principal Kinsey Clark said cellphones should be silenced, put away and out of sight unless the teacher gives specific permission for cellphone use for instructional purposes only.

Fort Gibson High School Principal Ben Pemberton said the FGHS started its class-time cellphone ban this year.

The positive effect has been student engagement during instructional time; its been greatly improved, Pemberton said. Its the feedback we get from the classroom teachers that made the biggest impact. They feel like they have their classroom again and theyre not fighting that constant battle between what theyre presenting and what the kids are trying to view on their cellphone device. Without that distraction, it makes the learning environment more productive.

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Pemberton said parents can reach their children by calling the school office during instructional time.

Parents have always had a way to get in contact with their kids, he said.

Muskogees 8th and 9th Grade Academy allows cellphone use before and after school, between classes and during lunch, Principal Ryan Buell said. They must not have them out during class.

The policy works well, Buell said. The vast majority of parents do not complain and come quickly to retrieve their students phone if needed. We are very clear with this policy.

Oktaha Superintendent Laura Holt said prohibiting cellphone use in the classroom limits distraction.

Maybe the kids minds will be on whats going on in the classroom, not whats going on with their phone, what theyre missing, she said.
Arizonas Democratic Party is in a meltdown.

Bitter infighting among the states top Democrats, apparently building for weeks, spilled into public view on Saturday when the state party chair, Robert E. Branscomb II, sent a letter to members of Arizonas state Democratic committee attacking Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and airing private disagreements among them.

The senators and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Arizonas secretary of state and attorney general shot back with a letter of their own declaring Branscomb has lost their trust.

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His statement today includes many false claims and is the kind of bad-faith response weve come to expect from the new leadership over the last several weeks, they wrote in a letter that was forwarded to the Arizona Democratic Committee members by the vice chair of the party.

The back-and-forth between the leader of a state Democratic Party and the states top Democratic statewide elected officials marks an extraordinarily display of bickering in a critical swing state. It is potentially perilous for a Democratic operation in a place that Donald Trump flipped last year, and where Democrats in 2026 will be defending statewide offices including the governors.

In Branscombs original letter, he said his decision to dismiss the previous executive director angered Kelly, who he said strongly discouraged him in a telephone call from making staffing charges without consulting him.

Branscomb said a later decision to promote the acting executive director formally into that role upset both senators. One of them  he did not name which  texted him to say he would no longer support or participate in state party fundraising, according to Branscomb. The other senator called him demeaning me and demanding I reverse my decision within 24 hours or face consequences, he wrote.

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Branscomb was elected in January by Arizona Democrats, who ousted their existing chair, Yolanda Bejarano. She was elected in 2023, and when she sought reelection in 2025, she had support from Kelly, Gallego, Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes .

Gallego won an open Senate seat in 2024, but Trump carried the state. And Republicans maintained their hold on both chambers of the states legislature.
A fight outside of a downtown Orlando bar led to a deadly officer-involved shooting early Easter morning.

The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. near the Thrive Cocktail Lounge & Eatery at the corner of Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard.

Officers said a man pulled out a gun during a fight outside of the cocktail bar.

Police said they saw the man drop the gun, pick it back up, and later fired a shot into the air before fleeing the scene.

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Officers pursued him and confronted the man, instructing him to drop the weapon.

Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said his officers issued multiple commands for the suspect to drop the weapon, but he refused.

The man was then shot by officers during the standoff.

He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

No officers were injured in the shooting, which is now under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Photos: Armed man shot to death by police after fight outside downtown Orlando bar, officials say

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Channel 9 is working to gather more information and will provide updates on Eyewitness News.

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BUFFALO  A project is underway to help one of the Niagara River and Lake Eries most important fish thrive despite decades of manmade impacts to the ecosystem.

The effort is being undertaken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, in a cross-agency partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

With funding from the EPAs Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Army Corps is beginning work to build a 700-foot-long fish passage at the City of Buffalos Freedom Park to help emerald shiners overcome the velocity of the Niagara River and move upstream after spawning, providing a critical food source for larger fish and wildlife, offering sustenance for the local community, and contributing to goals for delisting the Niagara River as a Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC).

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Contractors were set to mobilize at Freedom Park on March 31 to prepare to begin work.

A healthy ecosystem is vital to the nations waterways, with the emerald shiner playing a big role, said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. Working with the EPA and our partners, were excited to bring this project to fruition and ensure this little fish with a big impact can thrive in the Niagara River.

The Buffalo District will work to minimize impacts of construction and ensure safety for users of Freedom Park, with some portions of the park being closed during construction and access to Bird Island Pier closed on a limited basis as needed. The majority of the project area will be fenced off.

The emerald shiner is a small, but critical prey fish at the base of the food web in the Niagara River and Lake Erie. It is often overlooked due to its size and seeming abundance, but the fishs population is threatened by hydraulic barriers from hardened shorelines like the seawall along Freedom Park. Studies conducted by USACE, the University at Buffalo, and SUNY Buffalo State University identified this stretch of the Niagara River as having water velocity too fast for shiners to swim as they attempt to move upstream after spawning.

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The USACE Buffalo District constructed a demonstration project at Freedom Park in 2022 to test the experimental designs for the fish passage. Funded by the GLRI, the $1.6 million demonstration project entailed repairs to a 78-foot span of the parks existing seawall and installation of metal baffles designed to withstand the forces of the mighty Niagara River, reduce water velocity, and ensure the passage of shiners after spawning. All three measures were hugely successful and inspired final plans for the current project.

The USACE Buffalo District awarded an $11.8 million contract to Buffalo-based Bidco Marine Group on Sept. 16 to construct the full fish passage for emerald shiners.

The full structure will span 700 feet along the seawall at Freedom Park, from the middle of the park to the start of the Bird Island Pier which runs along the Black Rock Canal under the Peace Bridge. Construction will include repairs to the timber crib wall, installation of a steel plate within two feet above and below the typical waterline, concrete surface repair, and filling voids with grout and concrete. Once repairs to the wall are made, metal baffles will be attached. The baffles will be filled with concrete  a design selected from different baffle types tested during the demonstration project.

Construction is planned to be completed by December 2026. The work will be conducted on shore and in the water along the seawall. A portion of Freedom Park will be closed during construction, with fencing and signage placed to ensure safe operations and protect park visitors.

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The project is 100% federally funded by the EPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Niagara River Area of Concern

The Niagara River is a binational Area of Concern that includes the entire Niagara River.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the cities of Buffalo, Tonawanda and Niagara Falls received significant expansions in steel and chemical manufacturing, as well as grain milling along the shoreline of the Niagara River. This was due to open land and the availability of electricity and cooling water from Niagara Falls. Steel, petrochemical, and chemical manufacturing industries flourished along the Niagara River into the late 1970s. Subsequently, they declined, leaving behind a legacy of contamination and impairments.

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A Niagara River AOC Habitat Restoration Plan finalized in 2019 outlines management actions necessary to remove the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI. BUIs are designations given by the International Joint Commission representing different types of significant environmental degradation. An interim success of remediation and restoration work is being completed within the Niagara River AOC to address designated BUIs. As cleanup work is completed, and monitoring demonstrates sufficient environmental health improvements, BUIs can gradually be removed.

As a critical prey species, the threat to emerald shiner populations are part of the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI for the AOC. A healthy shiner population feeds a healthy population of larger fish and birds. Walleye, a fish that sustains local recreational and commercial fishing communities, and the common tern, a state-listed rare bird, feed on shiners. Shiners are also used by humans as bait fish and for consumption. Improving passage for shiners helps restore fish communities and contributes to removal of the BUI.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is the Niagara River remedial action plan coordinator and with input from agencies and local partners, selected this project as a management action for the Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat BUI.

More information on the Niagara River AOC is available at: https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-aocs/niagara-river-aoc-0 and https://dec.ny.gov/nature/waterbodies/lakes-rivers/great-lakes/areas-of-concern/niagara-river-area-of-concern.

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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a non-regulatory program to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. The EPA leads a group of 16 federal agencies in the GLRI Interagency Task Force and Regional Working Group, strategically targeting the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem. GLRI Action Plan III was developed with input from states, tribes, local governments, universities, business, and others. It outlines priorities and goals for the GLRI for fiscal years 20202024, working to accelerate environmental progress in five focus areas:

 Toxic substances and areas of concern

 Invasive species

 Nonpoint Source Pollution impacts on nearshore health

 Habitats and species

 Foundations for future restoration actions

More information on the GLRI is available at: https://www.glri.us/.
KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division run and shoot as they take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

1 /3 KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division run and shoot as they take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

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2 /3 KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM A U.S. Army soldier navigates a lava rock field at the Pohakuloa Training Area, one of the worlds rarest ecosystems.

3 /3 KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM A U.S. Army soldier navigates a lava rock field at the Pohakuloa Training Area, one of the worlds rarest ecosystems.

KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division run and shoot as they take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

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KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM Members of the Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division take on enemy forces during a simulated battle on Nov. 2, 2022, at the Pohakuloa Training Area.

KEVIN KNODELL / KKNODELL @STARADVERTISER.COM A U.S. Army soldier navigates a lava rock field at the Pohakuloa Training Area, one of the worlds rarest ecosystems.

The Army has released its finalized environmental impact statement on the prospect of retaining 22, 750 acres of state-owned land at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island after its lease expires in August 2029.

Situated between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, PTA is the militarys largest contiguous live-fire range and maneuver training area in the islands. The state parcel sits between two federally owned pieces of land, collectively making up 132, 000 acres. Army officials call the leased land the connective tissue  of PTA.

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The Army will be negotiating with the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on its request for a new lease. In recent years, PTA has become central to the Armys new Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, a series of training ranges in Hawaii and Alaska aimed at preparing soldiers for operations in the Pacific amid tensions with China.

But the Army, which obtained the parcel at PTA and other lands it uses for training for a mere $1 in 1964, has also faced increasing scrutiny of the effects of training on the environment and ancient Hawaiian cultural sites. The state now considers its parcel at Pohakuloa to be a conservation district.

With its rugged fields of lava and volcanic soil, Poha kuloa is classified as a sub-alpine tropical dryland forestone of the worlds rarest kinds of ecosystemsand is habitat for Hawaiis state bird, the nene, as well as the hoary bat and several species that exist nowhere else on the planet.

In a news release Friday, the Army said it will observe a 30-day waiting period before deciding how much land, if any, it will seek to retain. The waiting period for the final EIS will end 30 days after publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, after which time the Army will execute a Record of Decision.

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The EIS, which follows several drafts that were put up for public review, argues the military needs the land for training. PTA is used not only by the Army but also by the Marines, Navy and Air Force ; it is increasingly used by foreign troops as well during international exercises.

Military officials have told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that of the leased lands with leases expiring in 2029, PTA is by far the one most of them view as most important.

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The EIS states that the Army acknowledges the comments received on the Draft EIS and the Second Draft EIS regarding the challenges with obtaining a new lease. The Army understands that the execution of a new lease prior to the expiration of the current lease would be arduous  (and several ) could remain unresolved well past 2029, when the current lease for the State-owned land expires.

The Army has argued that the states designation of the land as a conservation district did not apply to its operations, as the military already had the lease and had been training since before the designation, essentially grandfathering it in. But the final EIS seemingly concedes that under a new lease, that would not be the case.

The document states that although a rule amendment to obtain a special subzone would be difficult and the execution of a new lease would be onerous  for analysis purposes, this EIS assumes that the BLNR would establish a new subzone through a rule amendment that would allow military uses in the conservation district.

The Army acknowledges potential harm to native species, water resources and soil through live fire and toxic exposures, though the service also agrees to pursue several new environmental and cultural programs on top of existing ones.

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WHEN TRAINING isnt taking place at PTA, only five uniformed soldiers are stationed there. The rest of the workforce of about 200 people is made up of Army civilians and contractors. Among them are scientists working to catalog and preserve native species living on the base, archaeologists looking for ancient cultural sites and firefighters tasked with putting out blazeswhether they be natural or caused by military training.

The training range has had its share of controversies. In 1989, the Sierra Club sued the Army on behalf of University of Hawaii at Hilo botanist Lani Stemmermann. She had visited an area of dryland forest in PTA in search of research sites to study native plants and found Army bulldozers leveling native naio and mamane trees for a new training range.

A 1993 investigation by the Army found that while planning that range, Army officials knowingly cut corners during the survey process, intentionally limited access to scientists and ignored recommendations by Army engineers that called for a comprehensive botanical study of the proposed site.

In 2019, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled against the state in a lawsuit filed by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. on behalf of Hawaiian cultural practitioners Clarence Ku  Ching and Mary Maxine Kahaulelio. The court found state officials had failed to ensure the military upheld its duties to clean up Pohakuloa and had harmed Hawaiian cultural interests, and that as trustee, the State must take an active role in preserving trust property and may not passively allow it to fall into ruin.

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The terms of the Armys lease with Hawaii state the military must make every reasonable effort to  remove or deactivate all live or blank ammunition upon completion of a training exercise.

Disagreement over what constitutes a reasonable effort  has been an ongoing sticking point. The military fires live rounds into the impact area,  which is on federally controlled land. Because its considered an active range, the impact area is regarded as too dangerous for regular removal of ordnance.

THE EIS reported that approximately 17 % of the 1, 261 recorded wildfires at PTA occurred or were likely to have occurred  on the state-owned land. Between 1975 and 2011, the Army documented 112 fires within the state-owned parcel at PTA that burned at least 15, 047 acres, though the EIS said the data prior to 2012 is considered incomplete.

Between 2012 and August 2024, 96 fires were recorded on the parcel, burning approximately 19, 328 acres. Of the fires that were greater than 100 acres and ignited by military activities, or suspected military activities,  five fires burned portions of the state-owned land.

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The EIS asserted that 71 % of those wildfires were less than 0.1 acres in size. The EIS noted that it predicts the wildfire risk will only increase, saying increased potential for drought from changes to regional temperatures and precipitation patterns due to climate change may result in increased wildland fires. Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts can dry out vegetation, which serves as fuel for wildland fires.

The military and the state have spent years preparing for the renegotiation of the leases. With the leases expiring in 2029, the majority of the negotiations will be undertaken by President Donald Trumps Pentagon team, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth has vowed to drastically scale back environmental and cultural programs, charging that such programs are woke  and have distracted the military from warfighting. However, Hegseths Army secretary, Dan Driscoll, promised U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, during his Senate confirmation hearing that he would work with her office and community groups on the land leases and would listen to local concerns about the future of the land.

FOR INFORMATION
Saint Louis alum, Aiva Arquette and the Oregon State Beavers closed out their weekend series against CSUN on Saturday.

Arquette, the OSU star shortstop had himself a day to remember. The Junior went a perfect 6-for-6 from the plate, which ties the Oregon State single-game hit record with 6 hits.

During those at-bats, Arquette hit 2 homeruns, a solo homer in the 1st inning and than a grand slam in the 5th. Arquette now has 15 homeruns this season which moves him into a tie for 7th place in a single-season at OSU.

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Arquette finished with 7 RBIs and singled in the 1st, 4th, and 9th innings.

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The problem with NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) is that the upstart company hasn't yet sold a single product. But that could change by the end of 2025, as it awaits a final decision from what could be its first big customer. Here's why investors might want to buy NuScale Power stock now and why more conservative investors might want to wait a little longer.

What does NuScale Power do?

NuScale Power is attempting to build a business around small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). Although the company is basically using existing nuclear technology, its reactors are putting into practice the most modern methods and safety protocols. So they are a leap forward for the nuclear power industry in many ways, and the only SMR technology with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission design certification, according to the company.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue 

Image source: Getty Images.

Management believes it is perhaps a decade ahead of other competitors trying to build small scale nuclear reactors. In fact, the big turning point for NuScale could come at the end of 2025. That's when RoPower, a Romanian power company, is expected to make its final decision on a large capital investment project. If the new power plant gets the green light, NuScale Power will have its first sale lined up.

If approved, the RoPower project would link together six of NuScale Power's modular nuclear reactors to create a single 462 megawatt power plant. NuScale is already gearing up for the sale, as it is starting to build parts of the reactors that require long lead times. In other words, it is ready to hit the ground running at what would be an important inflection point for its business.

SMR data by YCharts

The real attraction with NuScale Power is long term

Taking its small modular nuclear power plants from the drawing board and into the real world is obviously a huge deal. It will provide proof that NuScale's technology is more than just a good idea. But it is important to spend a moment to think beyond the RoPower deal. NuScale is already doing that itself, having placed another six orders for long lead time parts in addition to the ones it will need for the RoPower sale.

Electricity demand in just the United States is expected to grow by 50% by 2050. Driving that demand will be 300% growth in power consumption from data centers over the next decade and 9,000% growth in demand from mobility, notably electric vehicles (EVs). This is on top of global demand growth from an increasing population and the demand driven by countries with populations moving up the socioeconomic ladder. NuScale very clearly appears to be on the cusp of serving a rapid increase in demand for electricity.
ZURICH (AP)  A 19-year-old Asian elephant at the Zurich Zoo gave birth this weekend to a male calf whose name, starting with the letter Z, will be announced this week.

A light-sensitive monitoring camera picked up the birth before dawn Saturday and the baby's earliest, wobbly steps inside the zoos Kaeng Krachan Elephant Park. It's now home to six of the pachyderms: four females including mother Farha; bull elephant and father Thai; and the new calf.

Zoo Director Severin Dressen said staff were happy but still cautious about the birth.

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The first weeks of a calfs life are always the most delicate  even if the calf currently appears healthy and fit, he said in a statement.

The Asian elephant, or Elephas maximus, is a critically endangered species with about 50,000 estimated in the wild, and their numbers are declining, the zoo said. The zoo breeds the elephants as part of conservation efforts under the European Endangered Species Program, Dressen said.

Zoo staffers made sure to keep Farha  already a mother of three  away from another female named Panang, who has had little previous experience with young animals, and the separation will continue for the coming days.

Such births are relatively rare in zoos compared to those of other species because of the elephant's nearly two-year gestation period, zoo officials said.

A zoo spokesman said the name of the new calf will be announced after a staff meeting on Wednesday, but 2025 is a Z year so the moniker will automatically start with that letter.
Police disproportionately stop Fresno commuters who are people of color for reasons based on administrative or equipment violations rather than unsafe driving  a practice critics say is outdated.

Advocates say its a misuse of public money and a burden on communities of color.

Law enforcement officials say making pretextual stops is an important tool in policing and ensuring public safety.

Fresnos Black drivers are stopped for non-moving or administrative issues two times more often than white drivers based on the number of stops per 1,000 residents, according to data produced annually from the Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015.

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Hispanic drivers make up 53% of Fresno police stops, which is higher than the number of people in the community. Fresno is half Latino, according to the U.S. Census.

Non-moving violations could include having illegally tinted windows or a bumper in need of repairs. Administrative violations, for example, include an expired registration.

That kind of violation can also be the reason for pre-text stop, when an officer stops a commuter for one of those less serious violations but actually wants to investigate the driver further.

Critics argue non-moving and administrative stops are used in a discriminatory way, noting people of color are stopped at higher rates per capita. The stops are a common police practice that has come under scrutiny in some larger cities in recent years.

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The most common traffic stop at 43% in Fresno is related to unsafe speed, a moving violation, according to the latest data.

Chief Mindy Casto argues Fresno police rarely use pre-text stops and are more likely to make an investigatory stop because officers have a reason to believe the car is connected to a crime.

Theyre actually pulling the car over because they have a reasonable suspicion to detain for an important investigation, she said. Weve got a lot of proactive units in the city.

Casto said she sees the imbalance in who gets stopped as a reflection of the areas of the city that have more crime, and are more likely to see officers patrolling. She also said that officers pulling over a driver most often do not know the racial background of the driver until after theyve made the stop.

The RIPA data is based on the perception of the officers, and not necessarily based on how the residents describe themselves.

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I challenge you, when youre driving around tonight, particularly (if) youre behind a car, you dont know whos driving it, Casto said. You pull the car over, then the RIPA data is based on your observations after the stop, not before the stop.

Critics also note the disruption on drivers of color can have greater effects, which can be seen as harassment.

The average duration of a stop was 15.3 minutes, the report notes. White pedestrians and drivers averaged slightly shorter stops at 14.95 minutes, while Black residents waited 20.75 minutes and Hispanic residents waited 18.8 minutes.

Interacting with a police officer could escalate to arrest warrants, use of force, profiling, all of that, said Myanna Khalfani-King, an attorney and manager of Equity in Community Investments with Catalyst California.

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Los Angeles-based nonprofit Catalyst California teamed up with Building Healthy Communities in Fresno for a report released in February using RIPA data. They say Fresno police should emphasize stops directly related to moving violations.

What we see now is the historic practice and policies of the police have not done anything to really help build this feeling of safety or feeling of community, she said.

Its not unheard of for municipalities to outlaw pre-text stops and require police to conduct traffic stops only for moving violations or when immediately related to public safety, which could include when police have a warrant for someones arrest.

Washington states constitution outlaws using stops for minor traffic violations to look for other crimes, and San Francisco outlawed pre-text stops last year.

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Khalfani-King said ideally the city of Fresno would change policy to have someone other than a sworn police officer who would issue tickets for expired tags, tinted windows and other less serious violations.

The Catalyst California report argues the traffic stops are also a waste of money in a city where the police budget is $288 million.

There is a segment of Fresnos population who dont feel better when they see an officer. Carmen Galvez, 40, said shes afraid when she sees a patrol car in her rear-view mirror or on the street.

The resident of Fresno for about two decades said her children are even more scared.

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My kids tell me, Dont trust the cops,  she said in Spanish. Many times the police dont believe what you say.

She said she has had run-ins with police that did not end in her getting into trouble, but the interaction induced fear.

Theres the time she kept driving straight ahead and drove across town because she was afraid the officer behind her was looking for a reason to pull her over, or another interaction when an officer stopped her to ask her if she had been drinking while she was sober and headed to pick up a friend for their night shift at a packing plant.

Critics of the police say that kind of unpleasant interaction with an officer could be reduced if cops were not making traffic stops over administrative or non-moving violations.

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Casto said officers use administrative and non-moving violations when they need to in proactive policing, and the Fresno Police Department tries to build community through engagement.

She pointed to the decrease in homicide and shootings in recent years in Fresno, saying proactive policing plays a part.

In Fresno, there were 30 intentional homicides in 2024, down from 35 the previous year. It was also a significant fall from the gruesome high of 74 in each of 2021 and 2020, according to Fresno Police Department figures. The crime has decreased nationally at the same rate.

Casto said she also believes the majority of Fresno residents want proactive policing.

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Proactive policing absolutely makes an impact on violent crime, she said. Part of proactive policing is traffic stops of any variety.

*This story was corrected from an earlier version for the city where Catalyst California was based.
Australia will continue to petition Russia for the release of Oscar Jenkins, an Australian citizen captured while fighting on the side of Ukraine, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on April 19.

"We'll continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr Jenkins," Albanese told 9News.

"We will stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations. The Russian war against the people of Ukraine is a war against international law, it's against international sovereignty."

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Jenkins disappeared on Dec. 16, 2024, during a combat operation near the village of Mykolaivka, in Ukraines eastern Luhansk Oblast. At the time, he was deployed with the 402nd Separate Rifle Battalion, a unit within Ukraines 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

In the weeks that followed, unconfirmed reports began to surface, alleging that he had been executed while in Russian captivity. The claims prompted Australian officials to seek clarification from Moscow regarding his status.

On Feb. 8, a video uploaded to YouTube appeared to show Jenkins alive but visibly injured.

Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, has said that Jenkins should be treated as a prisoner of war just like Ukrainian citizens fighting for their country, and that he should be realeased in a prisoner exchange.

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"(Jenkins) has an official contract with the Ukrainian armed forces, so he must be treated as a prisoner of war, but Russia does not really care about international law," Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, told Nine News.

The Geneva Conventions require all parties to armed conflict to treat prisoners of war with respect and dignity. However, Russia is reported to have executed a number of POWs.

Kyivs repatriation efforts have predominantly centered on the return of Ukrainian soldiers, leaving foreign fighters who serve in Ukraine's military in a particularly vulnerable position should they be captured by Russian forces.

Belarusian soldier Vasyl Verameichyk, who had been fighting for Ukraine, was detained by Belarusian security services while on holiday in Vietnam. He is now reportedly being held in custody in Belarus.

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Fellow Belarusian volunteers have repeatedly appealed to Ukrainian authorities to press for his release, but there has been no indication of progress.

Read also: Kidnapped Belarusian soldier fighting for Ukraine paraded on Belarusian state-controlled television

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Australia has been developing its critical mineral sector in recent years, aiming to become a major producer and processor of the high-demand minerals and metals needed to support a global green transition. In addition to launching a national strategy and providing billions in funding for the sector, the government recently established a tax incentives law for critical minerals that is expected to attract greater investment in the sector.

The demand for critical minerals is expected to increase dramatically over the coming decades as countries worldwide use them to power a global green transition. Common uses for critical minerals include the manufacturing of batteries, electronics, microchips, and solar photovoltaics. Australia is home to some of the largest recoverable critical mineral deposits on earth, including high-quality cobalt, lithium, manganese, rare earth elements, tungsten, and vanadium.

In December 2023, the Australian government launched the Critical Minerals Strategy 20232030, which provides a framework to develop critical minerals production, processing, and supply chains in Australia. It is expected to support job creation and boost economic growth. It encourages collaboration across communities, industry, investors, the research and innovation sector, states and territories, and international partners. The strategy focuses on six key areas: developing strategically important projects, attracting investment and building international partnerships, First Nations engagement and benefit sharing, promoting Australia as a world leader in ESG performance, unlocking investment in enabling infrastructure and services and growing a skilled workforce.

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In 2021, the government established the Critical Minerals Facility, with $1.3 billion in funding to address the funding gap in the countrys critical minerals sector. It has since added a further $1.3 billion to the scheme. The facility provides financing for projects that align with the governments Critical Minerals Strategy.

In February, the Australian parliament passed laws that provide production tax breaks for critical minerals and renewable hydrogen to support national energy transition plans and help decrease reliance on China for its supply. The law offers $4.4 billion in tax incentives of 10 percent for the processing and refining costs for 31 critical minerals from 2028 to 2040 for up to 10 years per project. The Resources Minister Madeleine King stated, By processing more of these minerals here in Australia, we will create jobs and diversify global supply chains.

Australia currently has a Labour government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. However, the opposition Liberal-National Coalition is vying for power in the May general election, and it has a very different stance on energy. The Coalition told the gas industry in April that it planned to give gas the same status as a critical minerals if it came into power, which would provide the industry with access to $3.6 billion in export finance.

Susan McDonald, a Queensland senator, stated that the party will ensure that natural gas remains a critical part of the Australian economy for decades. She added, I can announce today that to boost investment, a Coalition government will elevate gas to the same status as a critical mineral This will ensure gas projects are able to apply for funding from the $4 billion (US $3.6 billion) critical minerals facility. McDonald went on to say, This will ensure gas projects, so critical to our national and international security, are able to access specialised teams within the department of resources to support their projects. In March, the opposition leader Peter Dutton promised to create an east coast gas reservation scheme, aimed at reducing energy prices.

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By contrast, Albanese aims to continue supporting a transition away from oil, gas, and coal if re-elected, particularly in the wake of the recent Trump tariffs. He plans to increase critical mineral mining and processing activities to boost Australias trade appeal with the U.S., as the North American giant attempts to reduce dependency on China for its critical minerals and green energy components. The PM is expected to unveil plans on how he will accelerate the expansion of the industry in the coming weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced sweeping tariffs on imports from countries worldwide, with 25 percent on steel and aluminium and 10 percent on most Australian goods, except for pharmaceuticals and some critical minerals. Trump has been back and forth on his tariffs, introducing them and then later pausing them for extended periods. World leaders have responded to the threat of tariffs by diversifying their trade partners and attempting to ensure the future of their trade security in a range of ways. For Albanese, this means making Australia a critical minerals hub.

Australias Labour government has supported the development of the countrys critical minerals industry, with significant sectoral growth expected over the coming decades. However, this expansion could depend heavily on whether Albanese wins the May election or if the LiberalNational Coalition takes power, putting more of an emphasis on natural gas development.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com

Read this article on OilPrice.com
A man entering Nigeria from Cameroon was found to be in possession of a shocking number of illegally trafficked wildlife relics, including 346 bird heads and chimpanzee parts, the Sun reported in March.

What happened?

Nigeria's Customs Service apprehended the suspect, Bello Abubakar, whose illegal possessions violated both Nigerian law as well as international laws regarding endangered species trade, according to the news outlet.

Comptroller Gabriel Ogbonna made a statement detailing the confiscated items.

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"The individual was found in possession of 213 parrot heads, 29 packs of parrot feathers, 128 heads of African hornbill and 5 eagle heads," he said, per the Sun. "Others are 1 pack of eagle feathers, 2 heads, 4 hands and 4 legs of chimpanzee."

The Sun reported that Abubakar had given a brief interview, where he shared that he had bought all of the items in an open market in Cameroon and was coming to Nigeria to resell them.

Officials stated that Abubakar was being investigated and would face prosecution.

Why is illegal wildlife trafficking concerning?

Illegally killing and trading wildlife and wildlife parts has ripple effects that go beyond the animals that are killed.

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As the Sun explained, wildlife trafficking "not only undermines Nigeria's biodiversity but also fuels crime, threatens economic stability, and jeopardises public safety."

Removing a species for illegal trading can undermine the healthy functions of the entire ecosystem, as it upsets the balance of the food web and other natural checks and balances within the environment. Conversely, introducing invasive species into foreign environments can result in habitat destruction, population loss, and the advent of new diseases.

Further, illegal trafficking is fraught with violence. The United Nations explains that not only are rangers regularly killed by poachers, but "threats and violence can often escalate  along with the scale of depletion  if organized criminal groups become involved in wildlife, forest, and fisheries crime."

What's being done to combat illegal wildlife trafficking?

Several groups  including governments, international organizations, nonprofits, companies, and community-led programs  are actively working to combat poaching and trafficking.

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As a consumer, it's important to keep a sharp eye out for illegal wildlife products, from the materials used in clothing to the animals sold in pet shops. This also extends to where you choose to travel; many wildlife-centric destinations are rife with animal abuse and maltreatment.

If you suspect illegal trading, you can report it anonymously to the dedicated office in your area.

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.
FAIRMONT  After a COVID induced hiatus, one of Barrackvilles traditions returned on Good Friday.

Community members from various churches turned out for a procession of the cross, which symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and reminds worshippers of Christs sacrifice and victory over death on behalf of mankind.

We got this together really quickly, people were so good to cooperate, Liz Glance, one of the organizers, said. All you have to do is ask.

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The procession began at Bethesda Baptist Church, and proceeded through Pike Street before looping back up through a side street to return to the church. The cross was held aloft by different children, before adults were allowed to carry it.

Glance resurrected the idea at the towns last church board meeting, roughly one month ago. She told Pastor David Cyphers she wanted to see the tradition return after it went away during the pandemic. Cyphers was amenable to the idea, and the community of Barrackville came together to organize the procession. Glance said they posted on social media, newspaper columns and word of mouth, anything to get the word out there in the small town of 1,200 people.

Cyphers, who pastors Bethesda Baptist Church, said the procession was all about Jesus coming to this world to die for mankinds sins. While the procession carries nowhere near the pain and suffering Christ did through the different stations of the cross, it reminds worshippers that nonetheless, Christ was pouring out love during his tribulation.

We are to walk just like he walked, and walking in the Greek language means more than putting one foot before another, Cyphers said. Following Christ as our example would be a life of forgiving, a life of loving God and loving others. Sharing gospel message and preparing people to meet God one day, for we will all meet him.

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Cyphers has been ministering in Barrackville for 19 years, as long as the procession has been around. The ceremony means everything to him. He called it the center of his life because everything he does revolves around what Christ did.

I found that to be the truest peace, he said. The truest joy I could possibly know.

Megan Ramsey teaches at a youth program that reaches out to the community on Sunday evenings. She said the best way to sum up the day was to decenter the congregant. She argued any article should decenter the people who held the ceremony and focus on the Living God and his love, since the procession was about representing Christ.

Ramsey recast a question focused on what it meant to be a good Christian, and said she does not there is such a thing as a good Christian.

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I think there is an amazing savior who loves humanity, and despite our flaws has chosen to make himself known to us, she said. It has everything to do with he is, and nothing to do with who we are. So when someone is focused on living a Christ life, its not about any type of effort or work, but a knowledge that we serve a Living God who loves us.

Ramsey added what they teach children is one can see God at work in people. God manifests himself through acts of love, service, prayer, obedience to the word, its not about striving or effort.

When we see God at work in people, its a reflection of his fruit of the spirit, so we see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control, she said.

For Glance, the procession is about allowing the community to share a common goal. She said it was wonderful to have every denomination in town represented.

I think Barrackville is just a wonderful community, she said. Were faith-based, and I think this was a time for everyone to get together. Its just been wonderful.
BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  Benton County officials are assessing widespread damage following a weekend of severe weather that caused flooding across Northwest Arkansas.

The county activated its road department Saturday, April 19, as floodwaters began rising, with crews working through Easter Sunday to block off hazardous areas and begin cleanup efforts. But even after the storms have passed, officials warn some roads may still pose serious dangers.

From swollen creek beds to submerged roadways, the Benton County Road Department has set up barriers to keep drivers out of unsafe areas.

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Lightning strike suspected in early morning house fire in Benton County

If you see a road barrier after the weather has cleared, do not move it and do not drive through, said Melody Kwok, Benton Countys communications director. We need to be able to safely assess and respond to each area.

Kwok said the extent of the damage will determine the countys next steps. Benton County is part of the National Flood Insurance Program, and residents impacted by flooding are encouraged to apply for assistance.

Residents can monitor real-time road conditions and closures by visiting Benton Countys live road closure map.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
Enthused and emboldened

See highlights from Bernie Sanders, AOCs speech to thousands in Sacramento area, (sacbee.com, April 15)

Enthused, emboldened and empowered is what I felt listening to the speeches given in Folsom on Tuesday night by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

One of the greatest takeaways of the evening was not just the urgent and vitally important messages that they both conveyed, but that I was surrounded by approximately 26,000 of my neighbors from every gender, age, race, religion, physical ability and economic status. We yelled, clapped and booed together because of our shared beliefs in a country that upholds the Constitution, our existing laws and the betterment of every single person, not just the 1%.

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We came for an in-person experience that our representative, Congressman Kevin Kiley, is unwilling to provide to his constituents.

Wendi Ross

Roseville

Opinion

Sacramento movie sparks memories

Sacramento movie celebrates citys charm. How director, star says it came to be, (sacbee.com, April 11)

This article states that the new movie Sacramento has elements  a local would have to look past, such as driving over the Tower Bridge  into town.

As Sacramentans of, ahem, a certain age will remember, that was, indeed, the entry to Sacramento. And the only way for people from the west to get to Tahoe. Highway 40 took that route, winding to 16th Street then to Highway 40 for points east. On hot summer days, the unwelcome slow-down did not endear Bay Area folks to our fine town.

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In 1955, my introduction to my new hometown was being driven by my mom across that bridge as we were moving here from the Bay Area. I remember it being quite a glorious entry!

Roger Niello

Fair Oaks

Needed transparency from Matsui

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele to visit White House Monday, (sacbee.com, April 8)

Our congressional representative, Doris Matsui, refuses to hold in-person town halls to answer questions from her constituents about our Constitutional crisis.

President Donald Trump and his cabinet are lawless, unaccountable to our justice system.. They admit that they deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia to a Salvadoran mega-prison known for human rights abuses on accident, and refuse to bring him home.

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In a conversation with Matsuis office this week, I was told she will not hold town halls because they arent going well elsewhere. Representative Matsui, this country is not going well.

Sacramentans deserve active representation and answers about what Matsui is doing to uphold her oath to the Constitution.

Dustin Heron

Sacramento

Kiley supports voter suppression tactic

If you changed your last name after getting married, your right to vote is at risk | Opinion, (sacbee.com, March 13)

Congressman Kevin Kiley supports House Resolution 22, which may come up for a vote in the House soon. H.R. 22 is an onerous solution to a problem that doesnt exist. Its already illegal for noncitizens to vote, and theres no evidence that noncitizen voting is affecting election outcomes anywhere in the U.S.

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Any form of voter fraud is extremely rare. Even statistics from the conservative Heritage Foundation prove this is the case. Therefore, it makes no sense to force citizens to take the extra step of providing evidence of citizenship in order to vote.

The intent of H.R. 22 is voter suppression, which is un-American and should be opposed.

Shelley Corrington

Roseville

Support Polluters Pay legislation

CA must hold Chevron financially accountable for oil spills, (sacbee.com, April 17, 2024)

My parents expected a rate increase with home insurance renewal, but a staggering 67% hike, pushing the premium over $4,000, was beyond anything they imagined. And we still count ourselves lucky, as many Californians are losing coverage entirely as insurers retreat from areas devastated by climate change-driven disasters.

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Wildfires, now more frequent and intense, are driving up insurance costs, endangering public health and undoing years of progress in reducing emissions. Yet, while taxpayers and vulnerable communities bear the brunt of these crises, fossil fuel companies  the primary contributors to climate change  continue to post record profits.

Its time to hold Big Oil accountable. The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act would require the largest fossil fuel companies to contribute their fair share to repairing the damage theyve caused.

Iris Wang

Saratoga
This story is part of SLO Tribune's Parents Central, our expanding coverage for local parents. We're tackling issues that matter to you the most, explaining the "what it means," from school budgets to children's health. We also want to have fun: Send us your best tips for local parents and things to do. Email tips@thetribunenews.com.

Where are the top schools for children to get an education in San Luis Obispo County?

The county is home to several elementary schools that have been honored by the California Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education for academic excellence.

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Ratings and review site Niche recently ranked the top public and private elementary schools in San Luis Obispo County for 2025.

Heres what to know about the top schools in SLO:

Which SLO County elementary school got Blue Ribbon honors?

Los Ranchos Elementary School in San Luis Obispo was named one of the top schools in the nation in 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education.

The elementary school was one of 356 National Blue Ribbon Schools in the United States, the agency announced in September.

The award program honors high-performing schools and schools that are making great strides in closing achievement gaps, the federal Education Department said on its website.

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Los Ranchos Elementary  part of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District  was the only school in San Luis Obispo County to receive National Blue Ribbon Schools honors in 2024, according to the list of award winners.

Los Ranchos Elementary Principal James McMillen told The Tribune the school succeeded because of its individualized approach, which gives students direct support and attention to achieve their academic goals.

2 SLO County campuses awarded as Distinguished Schools

The California Department of Education recently recognized two elementary schools in SLO County as exceptional places to learn.

Pacheco Elementary School in San Luis Obispo and Monarch Grove Elementary School in Los Osos received the California Distinguished Schools Award, according to a news release from the state education agency.

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Both schools are part of San Luis Coastal Unified.

They were among more than 330 campuses across the state to receive the award, which celebrates schools that have demonstrated academic excellence and closed achievement gaps.

It is my pleasure to honor and recognize these 336 elementary schools for their efforts to provide exemplary public education to all students, state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said in the release. Excellent elementary schools play a critical role in the life outcomes of our young people.

How did SLO schools fare in Niche rankings for 2025?

Niche reviewed both public and private schools and school districts for its 2025 rankings.

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Cayucos Elementary School was No. 1 on Niches list of the top 10 public elementary schools in SLO County.

The campus serves students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade.

Coastal Christian School in Pismo Beach earned the top spot on Niches list of the best private schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade in SLO County.

Niche rated San Luis Coastal as the best school district in San Luis Obispo County.

The review site said it based its rankings on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education.

It also looked at millions of reviews from students and parents.

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Niche doled out A+ to D- grades to local schools by considering diversity, teachers, state test scores and overall quality of the school district, among other factors.

What are the top 10 public elementary schools in SLO County?

These were the best public elementary schools in San Luis Obispo County, according to Niche:

Cayucos Elementary School in Cayucos Teach Elementary School in San Luis Obispo Bellevue-Sante Fe Charter School in San Luis Obispo Monarch Grove Elementary School in Los Osos Sinsheimer Elementary School in San Luis Obispo Los Ranchos Elementary School in San Luis Obispo Pleasant Valley Elementary School in San Miguel C.L. Smith Elementary School in San Luis Obispo Bishops Peak Elementary School in San Luis Obispo Hawthorne Elementary School in San Luis Obispo

Evan Clark, 11, solves an algebra problem at Cayucos Elementary.School in 2014. The school, which serves students in transitional kindergarten through eigth grade, is the best public elementary school in San Luis Obispo County for 2025, according to Niche.

What are the best private elementary schools?

Niche only graded a few private institutions offering educating elementary-age students in the county.

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According to the review site, these were the top private schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade in SLO County:

Coastal Christian School in Pismo Beach San Luis Obispo Classical Academy in San Luis Obispo Acts Advanced Christian Training Schools in Atascadero

Where are the best local school districts in SLO County?

Here are the top school districts in San Luis Obispo County, according to Niche:
Yuki Iwamura / Bloomberg / Getty Images





Key Takeaways

Federal regulators approved Capital Ones purchase of Discover on Friday.

Some consumer advocacy groups had pushed regulators to block the transaction, arguing it would severely limit consumers' options.

The resulting company will be the largest credit card company by customers outstanding balances after the combination.







Federal regulators approved Capital Ones (COF) bid to become America's largest credit card lender, signing off on the companys purchase of Discover (DFS) on Friday.

The merger will combine two of the industry's best-known names, making it the biggest credit card company when customers outstanding balances are combined. Some consumer advocacy groups had pushed regulators to block the transaction, arguing it would severely limit consumers' options.

However, the Federal Reserve and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency disagreed, determining that the credit card market would remain competitive after Capital One and Discovers merger. Their approval of the deal may lead to more banks buying each other, since the industry had seen the deal as a test of regulators appetite for approving those transactions.

Capital One CEO Richard Fairbank called it an exciting moment for the two firms.

Hes described Discover as having the holy grail: being able to issue credit cards for consumers that they use on Discovers own payments network. Doing so cuts out the fees that middlemen Visa and Mastercard earn with every swipe.

Why Did Regulators Approve the Merger?

Capital One and Discover ranked No. 4 and 5 in credit card loans in 2023, behind Chase, Citibank and American Express, according to Capital Ones presentation announcing the deal. But combining the two would suddenly make them the top credit card lender, with $250 billion in credit card loans.

Some consumer groups had fought against the merger, particularly its impact on credit card borrowers with lower credit scores. The merger would reduce options for financially vulnerable customers and reduce the already limited competition on pricing for non-prime credit cards, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition and 137 other community groups wrote in a letter to regulators last year.

The Fed rejected those concerns, saying options for subprime borrowers would only become moderately concentrated without raising concerns of a monopoly. The Fed said in its decision that some 2,000 companies offer cards to customers with limited credit history.

Jesse Van Tol, the president and CEO of the NCRC, said in a statement that federal regulators got this one wrong and called on state attorneys general to intervene against the harmful, anticompetitive Capital One-Discover merger.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  A bicyclist was struck and killed by an FDNY vehicle in Queens Saturday afternoon, according to officials.

Officers responded to a call of a motor vehicle accident at 80th Street and Juniper Boulevard at around 4:00 p.m. Police say an FDNY fire truck was traveling northbound on 80th Street and was making a turn on Juniper Boulevard when it collided with a bicycle.

More Local News

Emergency medical services responded and pronounced the male bicyclist dead at the scene.

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An NYPD investigation remains ongoing, authorities said.

PIX11 News reached out to the FDNY, a spokesperson said firefighters were responding to a church fire when the accident occured.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
*Attached video: Cleveland crime by the numbers

SOLON, Ohio (WJW)  Police arrested a man after an elderly bicyclist was left with serious injuries in a hit-and-run in Solon Friday.

According to the City of Solon Police Department Facebook page, a vehicle struck a bicyclist on Miles Road just before 5 p.m. in the area of the Miles Farmers Market.

First responder with the Town and Country Fire District killed while assisting stuck driver

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At the time, police said they were looking for dark colored, late-model Honda Civic with damage on its passenger side. After investigating further and looking at traffic cameras, the car turned out to be a black Acura Integra.

On Sunday, police said they showed up to a Novelty residence and found the vehicle with matching damage in the driveway. Police said they spoke to the owner of the vehicle, 47-year-old Benjamin Wells, who they determined was driving the car at the time of the hit-and-run.

Photo courtesy Solon Police Department

He was taken into custody and was charged with aggravated vehicular assault and a hit-skip.

Winning Mega Millions ticket worth $112 million sold in Northeast Ohio

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According to police, the 74-year-old bicyclist from Willoughby Hills suffered serious injuries in the crash.

As an investigation is ongoing. Police ask that anyone with information about this crash call 440-248-1234.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
America's love for coffee is big business. The U.S. coffee industry generates $84 billion per year  more than any other nation. Yet as any major player in the food and beverage industry knows, with great power comes a great amount of product recalls. Since the start of the 21st century, recalls for coffee have continued to disrupt business operations in larger and larger numbers. More importantly, these recalls have perpetually put the health and safety of the public at risk.

The most common reasons for a food or drink recall are: contamination from a foodborne pathogen, contamination from a foreign material, and an undeclared allergen due to product mislabeling. In the majority of recall cases, errors in the manufacturing process are responsible for the distribution of faulty (and potentially dangerous) goods. With ready-to-drink coffee, risk or spoilage caused by improper sealing or temperature abuse are problems that arise during production or transport.

Major coffee recalls have a relatively short history because there are so many more coffee products on the retail market than there were in past decades. Canned coffee, cold brew, and other ready-to-drink bottled coffees are sold under a vast number of brand names today. The U.S. is also home to over 3,000 coffee roasters. A bigger supply means the chances for something to go wrong with a batch of product increases as well. These are the largest recalls that have infiltrated the U.S. coffee trade.

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Read more: 18 Instant Coffees, Ranked Worst To Best

More Than 3,000 Pounds Of Our Family Traverse City Cherry Decaf Coffee Recalled Due To Mislabeling (2025)

Overhead view of black coffee in white mug - ourfamilyfoods / Instagram

One of the biggest recalls for coffee in U.S. history is active at the time of this writing. On March 13, 2025, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA issued a voluntary recall for its cherry-flavored decaf coffee because a portion of it had been mislabeled. Certain 12-ounce bags, sold under the brand name Our Family as Traverse City Cherry Decaf Coffee, were filled with fully caffeinated coffee grounds. Consumers who must avoid caffeine for health reasons, such as the elderly or pregnant women, were left vulnerable by Massimo Zanetti's mistake. So far, 692 cases of ground coffee (3,114 pounds) have been recalled due to caffeine mislabeling.

The bags of Our Family Traverse City Cherry Decaf Coffee were distributed by the SpartanNash Company based in grand Rapids, Michigan. SpartanNash oversaw the delivery of the mislabeled coffee to 15 states primarily throughout the Midwest, Northwest, and Southwest. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set the recall level as Class II, with consideration to the health complications someone with a caffeine sensitivity or allergy might suffer if the mislabeled coffee was consumed. All of the recalled coffee was sold under a single batch code: V 15:37 C and printed with a best by date of August 3, 2025.

Nearly 300 Products Of Snapchill Canned Coffee Recalled Due To Possible Bacterial Contamination (2024)

Cans of cold coffee with blue background - drink_snapchill / Instagram

Times were tough for Snapchill in June 2024, when a recall was announced concerning the safety of a lot of its canned coffee products. The coffee cans were recalled over fears they could be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum  the bacteria that causes botulism. An oversight in Snapchill's production process was serious enough to warrant a recall of every single brand of canned coffee it made with expiration dates between June 16, 2024 and April 16, 2025. Snapchill, named for a coffee cooling method, produced canned coffee for over 150 brands.

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The trouble began when Snapchill received word from the FDA, notifying the company of its failure to register its low-acid canning process with the agency. This is a federal regulation upheld by the FDA in order to reduce the chances of a botulism breakout  which could turn deadly. The low acid, low-oxygen environment within canned products are ideal conditions for Clostridium botulinum to develop. The recall affected nearly 300 products. Many of the brands were local artisan companies, but others like Intelligentsia, Dead Sled Coffee, and Snapchill's own name brand were more nationally known.

Although it was never confirmed that any of Snapchill's canned coffee was contaminated by Clostridium botulinum, the FDA wasn't willing to let the unregulated processing practices at its facility fly under the radar. The recall appears to have been too much for Snapchill. The company's Instagram page went dark for good in May 2024 and its website is no longer operational.

Over 14,000 Cases Of Trader Joe's Instant Cold Brew Coffee Recalled Due To Foreign Matter (2023)

Jar of Trader Joe's instant cold brew coffee - traderjoesnew / Instagram

Trader Joe's is quite possibly the king of foreign matter food recalls. From bugs inside broccoli cheddar soup to rocks hiding in its cookies, Trader Joe's is no stranger to the foreign matter faux pas. In April 2023, the popular grocery chain was at it again, but this time the recall was for instant cold brew coffee. Trader Joe's sold its powdered cold brew in 3.5-ounce glass jars, but instead of simply serving as a vessel for the product, glass pieces were also inside it.

Glass and your throat do not mix  ever. Ingesting even a tiny glass particle can cause bodily injury, so keeping these glass-tainted coffee jars on Trader Joe's shelves was not an option. The grocer voluntarily recalled 14,112 cases of cold brew instant coffee in the name of public safety. The recalled coffee weighed in at 74,088 pounds.

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Trader Joe's made a public statement about the recall, explaining that the company was notified by its supplier that the jars of instant cold brew may contain fragments of glass. The supplier was Regal Trading Inc, of Totowa, New Jersey. No consumer injuries were ever reported in association with this recall.

More Than 2 Million Cans Of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee Recalled Due To Foreign Objects (2023)

Stacked cases of Kirkland Signature cold brew coffee cans - shopcostcogta / Instagram

There's no such thing as a small batch at Costco, so pretty much any recall that affects its products will come with big numbers. Costco's in-house brand Kirkland Signature has a presence in practically every part of Costco's warehouse, including the coffee section  which was the site for one of the biggest coffee recalls the U.S. has ever seen. On February 17, 2023, cans of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee were recalled over fears that metal pieces were lurking inside.

In a letter issued to Costco members from Berner Food and Beverage, the maker of the cans, the company stated that the recall was initiated after a bolt was found inside a can intended for retail sale. The amount of cold brew cans hauled out of Costco after the recall announcement were staggering. The adulterated product was distributed to 13 states and sold in packs of 12. No less than 2,772,852 cans of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee were removed from Costco's inventory.

Part of what made this recall especially huge was how many batches of product were involved. A single lot number can contain tens of thousands of product units and in the case of Kirkland Signature Colombian Cold Brew Coffee, nine lot numbers were included in the recall. There were no reports of injuries stemming from Costco's recalled cold brew cans.

Over 250,000 Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Cans Recalled Due To Sealing Issues (2021)

Close-up of Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso can - Keith Homan/Shutterstock

One of the first major players in the ready-to-drink coffee segment was Starbucks. When Starbucks and PepsiCo collaborated on a joint venture called the North American Coffee Partnership (NACP) in 1994, the companies formed a supergroup that still dominates the canned and bottled coffee industry today. PepsiCo already had facilities for canning and bottling up and running, and Starbucks relied on that resource to get mass amounts of its coffee drinks on store shelves. On September 26, 2021, a huge recall exposed a glaring problem with PepsiCo's canning operation.

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For PepsiCo, churning out Starbucks Doubleshot cans was all in a day's work  when the factory's machinery was functioning as it should. PepsiCo produced three batches of Starbucks Doubleshot using faulty equipment, and as a result, some cans weren't adequately sealed. There were a lot of cans. The FDA recalled one batch of Starbucks, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso and Cream, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso and Light Cream, and Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso and Salted Caramel Cream due to the risk of premature spoilage. The total number of recalled Doubleshot cans was over 250,000.

The canning conundrum dealt a forceful blow to Starbucks' Doubleshot supply. On the bright side, the recall did prevent any illness related to the compromised beverage from being reported. NACP was able to recover from what was presumably a drastic financial loss and get Starbucks Doubleshot back into stores, but the ordeal was one of the biggest PepsiCo recalls to date.

More Than 19,000 Bags Of Black Rifle Coffee Company Whole Bean Coffee Recalled Due To Foreign Objects (2021)

Display of Black Rifle whole bean coffee bags - brcc_midland / Instagram

The absence of Black Rifle Coffee's bags of Mac V Whole Bean Coffee on store shelves may have triggered some fans in 2021, but it was in the public's best interest not to drink it. A recall for Black Rifle's 12-ounce Mac V Whole Bean Coffee bags took effect on June 29, 2021. The voluntary recall was issued because some coffee bags may have been contaminated by plastic fragments. The FDA classified Black Rifle's coffee recall as Class III -- the least dangerous designation. Though the recall didn't pose as severe of a threat to consumers as a Class I recall, Black Rifle still had to pull a ton of Mac V Whole Bean Coffee from distribution  19,367 bags to be exact.

The coffee was produced at Black Rifle's facility in Manchester, Tennessee and the bags at-risk for containing plastic were not sold outside of Tennessee. The veteran-founded company opened a roasting plant there in 2018. Black Rifle was founded in 2014 and the foreign contaminant incident in 2021 was its first major recall and hasn't had another since, but that doesn't mean its production process has been problem-free. In 2022, Black Rifle announced it was voluntarily withholding multiple lots of its packaged and canned Espresso Mocha coffee from retail sale due to quality issues.

Over 16,000 Pounds Of Buddy Brew Cold Coffee Recalled Due To Bacterial Contamination (2019)

Two cans of Buddy Brew Cold Brew coffee - buddybrewcoffee / Instagram

Tampa, Florida-based Buddy Brew Coffee wasn't exactly buddies with the FDA in December 2019 when a bunch of its cold brew coffees were recalled due to bacterial contamination. The problem boiled down to a quality issue rather than the products in question actually testing positive for foodborne bacteria, therefore no specific bacterial pathogen was named in the recall. The voluntary recall pertained to the brand's Organic Cold Brew Buddy Brew Coffee Bolt and Organic Cold Brew Buddy Brew Coffee Bolt Nitro.

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The recall affected 10.5-ounce cans of Buddy Brew Coffee Bolt and, interestingly enough, 5 and 7.5-gallon kegs of cold coffee. The recalled coffee was distributed to both the wholesale and retail markets and although it was only distributed throughout Florida it was a lot of coffee. In total, 2,344 Buddy Brew cans and 263 kegs were recalled. The quantity pulled from sale was 16,816 pounds. It appears that Buddy Brew was able to make it through the recall without any consumers falling ill, and the FDA terminated the recall on May 12, 2020.

More Than 24,000 Cases Of Califia Farms Mocha Cold Brew With Almond Milk Recalled Due To Chemical Contamination (2018)

Bottles of Califia Mocha Cold Brew Coffee - Califia Farms UK / Facebook

When it comes to full-sized bottles of cold brew, Califia Farms has been a fixture of this category for years. One way Califia set itself apart in the cold brew segment was by expertly mixing its 48-ounce cold brews with almond milk. Its Mocha Cold Brew Coffee with Almond was a particular standout  but an August 2018 recall due to contamination from cleaning chemicals threatened its widespread popularity. The recall affected a whopping 24,507 cases of product.

The FDA classified the recall as Class II due to the impermissible cleaning chemical contaminant mixed in with the cold brew. The recall was traced back to a mishap that took place during processing. While sanitizing the pasteurizer, cleaning chemicals found their way into Califia's Mocha Cold Brew. Five lot codes were implicated in the recalls -- three lots were distributed throughout the U.S. and two others were shipped to Canada. No complaints or illnesses were documented in connection with the Califia recall.The FDA terminated the recall on February 21, 2019.

Over 12,000 Pounds Of Chun Yuen Trading Co. Reishi Coffee Recalled Due To Mislabeling (2017)

Package of Reishi 4 in 1 Coffee - Tang's Asian Market / Facebook

Product packaging that catches the eye can help boost business, but if that package also happens to be mislabeled, the FDA will recall it. Chun Yuen Trading Co. found that out the hard way in September 2017 when thousands of pounds of its Instant Reishi Coffee 4-in-1 was recalled for undeclared milk. The company, based in South El Monte, California, failed to list the presence of a major allergen on its coffee packages, forcing a Class I recall  the most serious designation a recall can receive. A Class I recall is given when consumption of the recalled product could cause death.

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Chun Yuen stated that the mislabeling occurred after the wrong artwork was sent to the print shop that created the coffee's packaging. This incorrect packaging did not include an allergen warning for milk, which left consumers at risk. The recall implicated 12.7-ounce packets of Instant Reishi Coffee 4-in-1 and amassed 12,658 pounds of product. Reishi coffee combines extracts from the reishi mushroom  which is known to contain medicinal properties  with traditional coffee. Mushroom coffee is also favored for having a lower caffeine content than traditional coffee. Chun Yuen's Reishi 4-in-1 Instant Coffee is currently sold under the brand names CB and Hoiyen.

More Than 80,000 Cans Of Death Wish Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Recalled Due To Possible Bacterial Contamination (2017)

Hand holding can of Death Wish Nitro Cold Brew coffee - Death Wish Coffee Co. / X

Death Wish Coffee sounded like little more than an edgy brand name ... until it was discovered that the brand's canned coffee really was capable of killing people. On September 18, 2017, Death Wish Coffee Co. voluntarily recalled all of its 11-ounce cans of Death Wish Nitro Cold Brew after it was determined that the company's canning process was insufficient in preventing the growth of botulin, the lethal toxin that causes botulism. The recall affected 80,777 cans of Death Wish Nitro Cold Brew, that was available nationwide.

Canned goods are particularly susceptible to botulin contamination because the bacteria thrives in an anaerobic environment with low acidity, which a lot of canned food and drinks provide. Deviations or missteps in processing leaves cans vulnerable to hosting these extremely dangerous foodborne pathogens and has been the source of huge canned product recalls in the past.

As hard as it may have been to recall all those cans, Death Wish Coffee took responsible action to prevent illness in its customers. In a public statement following the recall, Death Wish Coffee founder Mike Brown said, "Our customers' safety is of paramount importance and Death Wish Coffee is taking this significant, proactive step to ensure that the highest quality, safest, and of course, strongest coffee products we produce are of industry-exceeding standards." Death Wish Coffee also agreed to halt production of its Nitro Cold Brew until an additional step had been integrated in its production process.

Mr. Brown Instant Coffee Products Recalled Due To Tainted Milk Contamination (2008)

Display of Mr. Brown 3 in 1 coffee - youngsmarket / Instagram

Mr. Brown, the friendly face fronting Taiwanese company Mr. Brown Coffee, has been gracing ready-to-drink coffee cans since 1982. What started as canned coffee became much more  Mr. Brown has gone on to sell a range of instant coffee packets and various milk tea products. In October 2008, multiple Mr. Brown products vanished from U.S. stores. Mr. Brown voluntarily recalled six types of its instant coffee and one type of milk tea in connection with the tainted milk scandal that had been plaguing China at the time.

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In September 2008, after approximately 300,000 infants and children in China suffered kidney and urinary tract-related illnesses and six deaths were reported, an egregious scandal was made public. Melamine, a nitrogen-based compound commonly used in plastic kitchenware and not meant for consumption, was purposely being added to the Chinese milk supply as a haphazard way of boosting its protein content. The contamination sent shockwaves through the globe and constituted one of the largest deliberate food contamination incidents in history.

Due to the scandal, the FDA wasn't taking any gambles on products that may contain milk derived from the melamine-tainted supply. U.S. consumers were cautioned against consuming Mr. Brown Instant Coffee as well as Mr. Brown Milk Tea due to the contamination threat. Recalls of Mr. Brown Instant Coffee spread to Canada as well. Luckily, no illnesses linked to melamine poisoning were reported in either nation. None of Mr. Brown's canned coffees were implicated in the recall.

More Than 44,000 Pounds Of Neighbors Coffee Recalled Due To An Undeclared Allergen (2004)

Gold bags of Neighbors Holiday Cheer coffee - neighborscoffeeroasters / Instagram

Oklahoma City-based Neighbors Coffee has been roasting beans since 1972, but in August 2004, the family-operated company was behind the first significant coffee recall in U.S. history. It wasn't because Neighbors let its commitment to quality slip, the recall happened because Neighbors slipped tree nuts into a bunch of its coffees and forgot to tell people.

Neighbors is really into flavored coffee, which is why so many varieties were implicated in the recall. Flavors ranging from the standard Hazelnut and Toasted Almond to Neighbors originals like Coco Cabaret, Mochadoodle, Holiday Cheer, and Frangelico Creme had to be recalled because of the undeclared allergen. A total of 25 flavored coffees were pulled from the retail market. They were sold in 8-ounce, 1-pound, and 5-pound bags. Altogether, the recall accounted for 44,878 pounds of Neighbors Coffee.

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Neighbors fell victim to some big regulatory changes that were happening at the federal level. In 2004, Congress passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requiring all food manufacturers doing business in the U.S. to not only declare major allergens on a product's ingredient list, but print a warning on the outer packaging as well. Tree nuts were one of the eight major food allergens included in this legislature, alongside peanuts, eggs, milk, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy.

Read the original article on Mashed.
Bill OReilly says hes discovered that disruptive outbursts and confrontations at separate Republican congressional town halls this week was not the regular folks coming out as intended, but activists who were organized  and in three cases, bailed out from jail  by the Democratic party.

So now Congress is on a break, all right? the former Fox News host said on his No Spin News channel Friday. The senators and representatives go back to their districts, and many of them hold town hall meetings  they go in, and locals express their concerns to their elected representatives the way it was designed to be by the Founding Fathers. Well, now its being corrupted.

OReilly played clips from two examples of upended town halls from last week: Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who was jeered in Lee County over his answer to heated questions about deported El Salvadorian Kilmar Abrego Garcia; and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose rowdy Georgia town hall led to three arrests before getting underway.

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In Grassleys case, the Iowa gathering went the other kind of wild when he answered a question about the status of the alleged MS-13 gang member by saying: The president of that country is not subject to our U.S. Supreme Court.

Those people didnt want to hear what Grassley had to say, OReilly said. They were all activists. They were organized. That wasnt organic. That wasnt the regular folks coming out.  So we investigated. That was organized by the Lee County Democratic machine. They seeded that audience with all these activists who were going to yell at Grassley. Now, the media didnt report that. I dont even think the local media in Iowa reported it. It was, Oh yeah, everybodys mad. No, not everybodys mad. The Democratic activists  the far-left people  are mad.

OReilly did not name his sources or suggest how he would have known that organized activists were in the crowd. Meanwhile, police were called to Greenes town hall in Acworth, Georgia, and OReilly played footage of one man being tased as hes dragged from the event by officers.

So again, same thing. These were activists, OReilly said. They were piped in there to attack Marjorie Taylor Greene, which they did.

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OReilly lamented that the people in both places were deprived of their chance to meet with representatives because of the disruptions  and the lack of media coverage in both cases.

Now, a final kicker on the Georgia thing: the three arrested were bailed out by the Cobb County Democratic Committee, OReilly said, again without attribution. Jeez.

Now, if Republicans had done that, it would have been fascist, Nazis, racist, you know, he concluded. But the Democrats can get away with it because the press wont cover it. So, so terrible.

Watch the monologue in the video clip above.

The post Bill OReilly Says He Has Evidence Democratic Activists Were Piped In to Disrupt GOP Town Halls | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Apr. 20More men than women had legal guardians last year in New Mexico. The biggest age group wasn't the elderly, but those between 31 and 50 years old. And four people with guardians were 101 years old or older.

The data provided by the state Administrative Office of the Courts is now routinely collected each year. But some seven years ago, New Mexico state courts couldn't say how many people had been appointed guardians to help manage their lives or finances. Tracking was so inconsistent that in Bernalillo County, for instance, two special masters undertook spot checking of cases, and even made home visits, to make sure those under guardianship were still alive.

Guardianship is considered the last resort for a person deemed by a state court judge to lack capacity to make his or her own decisions. A guardian, more often than not, is a family member. But about a quarter of appointed guardians last year were professionals who are paid to make personal and/or property decisions on behalf of an individual, according to the latest review of cases representing the time period from January 2024 to December 2024.

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Last year, 5,130 people in New Mexico had legal guardians, the AOC data shows. Fifty-seven percent were men, while 43% were women.

Though guardianships are more typically associated with senior citizens, court case reviews showed the biggest group in New Mexico last year was between 31 and 50 years old. The total in that category was 1,841, followed by 1,342 ages 18 to 30; 1,127 between 51 and 70; and 820 ages 71 and older.

'Treated with dignity'

Several waves of legal reforms have been enacted since 2018, after the Journal began an ongoing investigation into the legal process that critics complained was ripe for corruption given the power granted to court-appointed guardians and conservators.

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The ensuing reforms emphasized more oversight and monitoring of guardians and conservators to protect against neglect, abuse and exploitation. Incapacitated people in guardianships were called "protected persons."

Although the guardianship system removes many of a person's fundamental rights, the state Supreme Court has endorsed a "Bill of Rights" setting out what rights the thousands of New Mexicans with court-appointed guardians still retain.

"So many people who are the subject of a guardianship, a protected person, are not in a position to cull the statutes to understand what their rights are," said state Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon, a member of an interdisciplinary working group that created New Mexico's Bill of Rights.

She said New Mexico's version tries to simplify the basics and make them easy to read.

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For instance, Bacon said, those under guardianships have a right to hire a lawyer. That can be helpful in the sometimes contentious cases, such as those that involve family members or other issues.

Among other rights, protected persons can attend and take part in all court hearings. They also have the right to tell the judge on the case their concerns or complaints about the guardianship and to be included in decision-making.

"If there is a question about what you can do, you have the right to have a qualified person of your choice evaluate your abilities and see if some, or all, of your rights can be restored," the Bill of Rights states.

And protected persons have the right to ask the court to review whether the guardianship should change, continue, or end, and "can ask if your guardian is right for you," states another of the 21 rights outlined.

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"It's important to remember they (protected individuals) should be treated with dignity," Bacon added.

Bacon said the new Bill of Rights is posted on the state Supreme Court website, and will be disseminated to New Mexico lawyers and others involved in the guardianship process. "I will be encouraging that district judges post these in their courtrooms," she added.

Other proposed improvements endorsed by the Supreme Court died in committee during the recent state legislative session. One would have set out what should happen when a protected person dies and doesn't have heirs. Another measure that failed pertained to waivers of liability for conservators appointed to make financial decisions.

Bacon said New Mexico has become a leader in enacting guardianship reforms. Nationwide, the American Bar Association estimates from 1 million to 3 million people have had a guardian appointed due to age-related cognitive decline, dementia, disability, traumatic brain injury or other circumstances.

"I'm very proud of what New Mexico has done in changing the structure of adult guardianships," Bacon said.
Spring has sprung, the weather is getting consistently warmer in our beautiful Central Valley, and signs of new life are all around us. It is simply the perfect time for Christians everywhere to remember and celebrate the great Feast of Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is the Feast of Easter that surpasses all others, eminently more important than our observance of the Saviors birth. After all, Christmas simply teaches and tells us that He came into our world and entered human history. Easter teaches and tells us why He did so.

Opinion

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Some of you reading this short reflection may have had the incredible blessing of having visited Israel. For good reason we refer to it as the Holy Land and although it is currently  and once again  suffering the scourge of war and violence, I have some incredibly fond and profound memories associated with that land.

I have been to the Holy Land twice in my life and each time upon my return someone would inevitably ask me what my favorite place was. Every time that happened, I found myself hard-pressed to come up with an answer because my list would be extensive and the choice too hard for me to make.

However, in the context of our Easter season just beginning, I think the Church of the Holy Sepulcher would be a good candidate.

When you first enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, one is easily overwhelmed  in a good sense  by the profound beauty of the church along with the reverent attitude of the pilgrims and their sacred silence. Then you see it, what is called an Edicule. It is like a very small church within a large church, a small structure with four walls and a ceiling or canopy, obviously covering and protecting something precious and important.

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What you discover inside is darkness, beauty and emptiness. In fact, what you discover is an empty tomb which is what the word sepulcher means, but an emptiness that points to the fullness of life. It is an emptiness that represents the good news, bad news nature of the angelic words to the holy women who had first gone to the tomb three days after the death of Jesus: Do not be frightened. I know you are looking for Jesus the crucified, but He is not here. He has been raised, exactly as He promised. Come and see the place where He was laid.

You see, the joyous news of Easter comes to us through an empty tomb. He is not here is the bad news, the awful news that the faithful women and the Apostles heard. It is the news of loss, the news of painful separation, the news of hopes that have been dashed. Yet, He is not here is also the good news since the glorious reason for the absence and the emptiness is the RESURRECTION!

I remember so well the first few months and years after the death of my own father. I would go to visit my mom and see dads empty chair in the living room. I would see the empty place at our big dining room table where dad, and only dad, used to sit. I cannot begin to imagine how mom felt about the empty half of a bed she shared with dad for 40 years! On some days I would see that emptiness as only bad news, as something sad and regretful, again, only remembering the loss and feeling the pain.

On other days I would see it for what it really was and remains, a simple but powerful reminder about the good news. That enabled me to start thinking to myself, Well, dad is not here but I know where he is  in heaven!

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Some fellow pilgrims in the Eastern Rites of Christianity have the beautiful tradition of greeting each other during the Easter season with the words, HE IS RISEN! Everyone in those communities, young and old, knows that the expected response to that phrase is, HE IS TRULY RISEN! It is a call to rejoice in His Resurrection.

It is a call for those of us who are still here to remain faithful to the tasks before us of loving, serving, trusting and giving of ourselves in sacrifice as Jesus did. It is a call to see whatever emptiness and darkness there may be in our lives and in our world in a very different LIGHT! Yes, HE IS RISEN! Have a simply joyous and wonderful Easter season.

Bishop Joseph V. Brennan serves the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Several blasts ripped through Russian-controlled Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday amid an Easter ceasefire declared by the Kremlin, Russian news agency reported.

The TASS state news agency, citing local "operative services", said at least three blasts were heard in the city, which has been under Russia's control since 2014.

The RIA news agency also said that at least three explosions were heard in the city after 09:00 (0600 GMT), citing its reporter in the area.

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Reuters could not immediately independently verify battlefield reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter, but Kyiv said Russian forces continued artillery fire and called instead for an extended true halt to hostilities.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Not long after many Mississippi families celebrate Easter, they will be returning to the polls to vote in municipal party runoff elections.

The party runoff is April 22.

A year does not pass when there is not a significant election in the state. Mississippians have the opportunity to go to the polls more than voters in most  if not all  states.

In Mississippi, do not worry if your candidate loses because odds are it will not be long before you get to pick another candidate and vote in another election.

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Mississippians go to the polls so much because it is one of only five states nationwide where the elections for governor and other statewide and local offices are held in odd years. In Mississippi, Kentucky and Louisiana, the election for governor and other statewide posts are held the year after the federal midterm elections. For those who might be confused by all the election lingo, the federal midterms are the elections held two years after the presidential election. All 435 members of the U.S. House and one-third of the membership of the U.S. Senate are up for election during every midterm. In Mississippi, there also are important judicial elections that coincide with the federal midterms.

Then the following year after the midterms, Mississippians are asked to go back to the polls to elect a governor, the seven other statewide offices and various other local and district posts.

Two states  Virginia and New Jersey  are electing governors and other state and local officials this year, the year after the presidential election.

The elections in New Jersey and Virginia are normally viewed as a bellwether of how the incumbent president is doing since they are the first statewide elections after the presidential election that was held the previous year. The elections in Virginia and New Jersey, for example, were viewed as a bad omen in 2021 for then-President Joe Biden and the Democrats since the Republican in the swing state of Virginia won the Governors Mansion and the Democrats won a closer-than-expected election for governor in the blue state of New Jersey.

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With the exception of Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Virginia and New Jersey, all other states elect most of their state officials such as governor, legislators and local officials during even years  either to coincide with the federal midterms or the presidential elections.

And in Mississippi, to ensure that the democratic process is never too far out of sight and mind, most of the states roughly 300 municipalities hold elections in the other odd year of the four-year election cycle  this year.

The municipal election impacts many though not all Mississippians. Country dwellers will have no reason to go to the polls this year except for a few special elections. But in most Mississippi municipalities, the offices for mayor and city council/board of aldermen are up for election this year.

Jackson, the states largest and capital city, has perhaps the most high profile runoff election in which state Sen. John Horhn is challenging incumbent Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba in the Democratic primary.

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Mississippi has been electing its governors in odd years for a long time. The 1890 Mississippi Constitution set the election for governor for 1895 and every four years thereafter.

There is an argument that the constant elections in Mississippi wears out voters, creating apathy resulting in lower voter turnout compared to some other states.

Turnout in presidential elections is normally lower in Mississippi than the nation as a whole. In 2024, despite the strong support for Republican Donald Trump in the state, 57.5% of registered voters went to the polls in Mississippi compared to the national average of 64%, according to the United States Elections Project.

In addition, Mississippi Today political reporter Taylor Vance theorizes that the odd year elections for state and local officials prolonged the political control for Mississippi Democrats. By 1948, Mississippians had started to vote for a candidate other than the Democrat for president. Mississippians began to vote for other candidates  first third party candidates and then Republicans  because of the national Democratic Partys support of civil rights.

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But because state elections were in odd years, it was easier for Mississippi Democrats to distance themselves from the national Democrats who were not on the ballot and win in state and local races.

In the modern Mississippi political environment, though, Republicans win most years  odd or even, state or federal elections. But Democrats will fare better this year in municipal elections than they do in most other contests in Mississippi, where the elections come fast and often.

This column was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is the editor of Mississippi Today Ideas.
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A body was found in a burning car on Furman University grounds, according to the Greenville County Coroners Office.

At approximately 9:30 a.m., the Travelers Rest Fire Department were called out to Duncan Chapel Road regarding a car fire on the campus of Furman University. After extinguishing the fire, officers report that a body was located inside the car.

The Greenville County Coroners Office were called out to identify the body. As of now, officials say that they are sill in the preliminary stages of investigation.

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The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is currently heading the investigation.

7NEWS will continue to follow this story as more information is revealed.

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By Dan Catchpole and Lisa Barrington

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A Boeing jet intended for use by a Chinese airline landed back at the planemaker's U.S. production hub on Sunday, a victim of the tit-for-tat bilateral tariffs launched by President Donald Trump in his global trade offensive.

The 737 MAX, which was meant for China's Xiamen Airlines, landed at Seattle's Boeing Field at 6:11 p.m. (0111 GMT), according to a Reuters witness. It was painted with Xiamen livery.

The jet, which made refueling stops in Guam and Hawaii on its 5,000-mile (8,000-km) return journey, was one of several 737 MAX jets waiting at Boeing's Zhoushan completion center for final work and delivery to a Chinese carrier.

Trump this month raised baseline tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%. In retaliation, China has imposed a 125% tariff on U.S. goods. A Chinese airline taking delivery of a Boeing jet could be crippled by the tariffs, given that a new 737 MAX has a market value of around $55 million, according to IBA, an aviation consultancy.

It is not clear which party made the decision for the aircraft to return to the U.S. Boeing did not immediately respond to request for comment. Xiamen did not respond to request for comment.

The return of the 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling model, is the latest sign of disruption to new aircraft deliveries from a breakdown in the aerospace industry's decades-old duty-free status.

The tariff war and apparent U-turn over deliveries comes as Boeing has been recovering from an almost five-year import freeze on 737 MAX jets and a previous round of trade tensions.

Confusion over changing tariffs could leave many aircraft deliveries in limbo, with some airline CEOs saying they would defer delivery of planes rather than pay duties, analysts say.

(Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle and Lisa Barrington in Seoul; Editing by Joe Brock and William Mallard)
The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is currently 14% below the record high it reached earlier this year. The decline started when President Donald Trump announced tariffs on goods from China, Canada, and Mexico in February, and the losses deepened as he added new duties on steel, aluminum, and auto imports.

However, it was the 10% universal tariff and country-specific reciprocal tariffs unveiled on April 2 that truly caused the stock market to crash. The S&P 500 tumbled 12% during the next five trading days as Wall Street processed the radical shift in U.S. trade policy. Many analysts stunned by the severity of the tariffs raised their recession risk forecasts.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue 

Stock market volatility peaked when the CBOE Volatility Index (VOLATILITYINDICES: ^VIX) reached 52.3 on April 8, one of the highest readings since January 1990. But similar readings have usually been great news for investors. The S&P 500 has usually generated monster 12-month returns following VIX readings above 50.

Image source: Getty Images.

History says the S&P 500 could stage a monster rally in the next year

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) uses prices from S&P 500 options contracts to measure expected volatility in the stock market over the next 30 days. The VIX is frequently called the fear gauge by financial media because volatility often coincides with panic selling. Put differently, the VIX and the S&P 500 generally move in opposite directions.

Higher readings indicate more volatility, while lower readings indicate less volatility. Since 1990, the VIX has recorded an average closing value of 19.5, though its closing values have ranged between 9.1 and 82.7. As mentioned, the VIX closed at 52.3 on April 8, signaling high volatility. But the S&P 500 has typically generated monster returns during the year following such high readings.

Since 1990, the VIX has closed above 50 on only 75 trading days, far less than 1% of the time. Importantly, the S&P 500 always increased during the next one, three, and five years, according to strategist Charlie Bilello. Put differently, VIX readings above 50 have a perfect track record for predicting upside in the stock market. The average return during those periods is listed below:

One-year return: 35%

Three-year return: 55%

Five-year return: 129%

Interestingly, VIX readings above 50 also correlate with economic downturns. Each time the index has closed above 50 since 1990, the U.S. economy has been in a recession. That does not necessarily mean we are in a recession today, but it is certainly possible. Indeed, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink recently told CNBC, "I think we're very close, if not in a recession now."
Borderlands Mexico is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Source Logistics eyes rising US demand for Hispanic brands; South Korean automotive supplier opens $160M facility in Mexico; Otay Mesa border crossing secures $150M federal grant; and CBP snags $14M in meth from tractor-trailer.

Source Logistics eyes rising US demand for Hispanic brands

With Hispanics making up 20% of the U.S. population and growing annually, officials at Source Logistics see big opportunities to bring food and beverage brands from south of the border into the U.S. market.

With these fast-growing companies, you need a logistics partner that is willing and able to grow with you, to expand with you, to make the beds with you, Raul Villarreal, CEO of Source Logistics, told FreightWaves in an interview.

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Source Logistics, with its headquarters near Houston, is a provider of transportation, warehousing, distribution and fulfillment services.

The company was founded in 1999 by Villarreal and Marcelo Sada, former CEO and now president of corporate development.

Since the beginning, Source Logistics has focused on helping Hispanic food and beverage brands expand into the U.S. market. That effort has only become more relevant over the years.

The U.S. Hispanic/Latino population grew to just over 65 million in 2023, an increase 1.8% from the prior year, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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U.S. Hispanic/Latino purchasing power is currently measured at $3.78 trillion, according to a recent report from think tank The Latino Donor Collaborative.

We are truly focused on the import business. We help companies abroad; we understand what they go through when theyre trying to penetrate the market, Villarreal said. When we sit down and we talk about potential solutions, we think one of the most important things is that we see each individual customer as a unique customer with unique challenges. It allows us to really find or identify potential solutions for customers that are bringing products from abroad.

Source Logistics recently opened a 271,000-square-feet warehouse in Dallas, along with a 425,000-square-foot warehouse in Laredo, Texas. (Photo: Source Logistics)

One brand that Source Logistics has helped to grow in the U.S. is Electrolit, a popular Mexican hydration beverage.

The Electrolit brand is one of the fastest-growing beverage brands with double-digit annual growth rates, Daniel Dibos, supply chain and logistics director at Electrolit USA, said in a news release that also credited Source Logistics 10-year partnership with Electrolit.

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The next phase of Source Logistics growth plans includes targeting markets in Atlanta, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic U.S., and adding 20% capacity to the companys existing footprint.

The strategy is supported by recent investments from New York-based financial services firm Palladium Equity Partners, which acquired Source Logistics in November 2023. The firm has invested $1.5 billion in the U.S. Hispanic market since Palladium was founded in 1997.

Since the beginning of the year, Source Logistics has opened a 271,000-square-feet warehouse in Dallas, along with a 425,000-square-foot warehouse in Laredo, Texas.

Source Logistics also recently acquired the warehousing business of LaGrou Distribution, adding 2 million square-feet of logistics space across eight new warehouses in the Chicago area.

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With the recent acquisition and new warehouses, Source Logistics has a total network of 5.6 million square feet of logistics space in 24 locations across the U.S., including Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon; Houston; and New Jersey.

Villarreal said the company can now offer distribution services to reach over 75% of the U.S. population within the same day.

Part of our strategy is to eventually reach 95% of the U.S. population within same-day transportation, Villarreal said. Before we acquired LaGrou, we were covering 71% of the Hispanic population in the U.S. and 52% of the U.S. population. With the acquisition, we increase our reach to 80% of the Hispanic population and 75% U.S. population.

South Korean automotive supplier opens $160M facility in Mexico

Seojin Mobility recently completed the first phase of construction for an auto parts plant in the Mexican city of General Escobedo.

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The factory will manufacture components for electric vehicles and create 300 direct jobs. The initial investment in the facility was $160 million, according to a news release.

A second phase of construction at the factory is scheduled to be completed in 2028 and includes an additional investment of $140 million.

General Escobedo is about 14 miles north of Monterrey and 155 miles south of Laredo.

Seojin Mobility, headquartered in Siheung, South Korea, is the primary supplier for Hyundai and Kia and also works with General Motors, Ferrari, Renault and Volvo.

Otay Mesa border crossing secures $150M federal grant

The Otay Mesa East-Otay II border crossing project recently received a $150 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Otay Mesa is on the border with Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego.

The grant will be used to complete construction of the new port of entry, as well as the projects technology package, according to a news release.

Otay Mesa East-Otay II will be 3 miles east of the original Otay Mesa port of entry. It will include 10 lanes  five for passenger vehicles and five for cargo transport. The projects total cost has been estimated at more than $1 billion.

Construction on the U.S. side is scheduled to begin in the fall with the plan of opening in late 2027. Construction on the Mexican side of the border is almost complete.

CBP snags $14M in meth from tractor-trailer

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized more than 300 packages of alleged methamphetamine from a truck entering the U.S. from Mexico.

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On April 11 at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr, Texas, CBP officers discovered the alleged meth concealed in a shipment of fresh bell peppers and cucumbers, according to a news release.

The alleged narcotics have a street value of $14.62 million.

CBP officers seized the narcotics and vehicle and turned the case over to Homeland Security Investigations. CBP did not say if the truck driver was arrested or released.

US Customs and Border Protection recently seized over 300 packages containing alleged meth amphetamine from a tractor-trailer arriving from Mexico in Pharr, Texas. (Photo: CBP)

The post Borderlands Mexico: Source Logistics eyes rising US demand for Hispanic brands appeared first on FreightWaves.
Boston police are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred in Roxbury on Saturday night.

According to Boston police, around 11:03 p.m., officers responded to the area of 2343 Washington Street for a report of a person shot.

Upon arrival, officers found a victim suffering what appeared to be a gunshot wound.

The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

A second victim admitted themselves to local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries

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The shooting is under investigation.. Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact the Boston Police Homicide Unit at 617-343-4470.

Community members who wish to provide information anonymously may do so through the CrimeStoppers Tip Line:

By Phone: 1-800-494-TIPS

By Text: Text TIP to CRIME (27463)

Online: Boston Police CrimeStoppers

Photos and videos related to the investigation can also be submitted anonymously via CrimeStoppers.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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Accusations of repeated breast grabbing led to the suspension of a Fort Lauderdale registered nurses license.

John Pica used the practice of nursing as cover to commit sexual misconduct on a patient, the emergency suspension order reads. Mr. Picas conduct was predatory in nature and demonstrates his blatant disregard for his patients well-being.

Miami Herald attempts to reach Pica by phone and email have failed.

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No criminal charges have been filed, according to the Broward County online court dockets. On the professional discipline side, a Florida Department of Health administrative complaint will start that process, which likely will end with a state Board of Nursing decision on punishment.

The departments website says Pica, 63, has been licensed in Florida since Aug. 9, 1996, and has no previous disciplinary actions.

The suspension order describes the events on Oct. 17 at Tamaracs HCA Woodmont Hospital, 7201 N. University Dr, between Pica and a 56-year-old surgery patient.

Pica was supposed to do an EKG on the woman, which meant she had to completely undress and change into a hospital gown, the order said.

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After he put the appropriate electrodes on the womans chest, the order said, Mr. Pica lifted [the womans] hospital down at least two times for no apparent medical reason, exposing [her] breasts to himself.

An anesthesiologist entered the room to prep the woman for surgery, then left.

After the anesthesiologist left, Mr. Pica squeezed the top of [the womans] right breast, the suspension order said. Following her surgery, Mr. Pica assisted her in getting dressed. After Mr. Pica assisted her in getting her shirt on, he cupped and/or squeezed [her] breasts.
Following a brief shelter-in-place order, the search for a suspect in a reported shooting at Harvard Square has ended.

According to an alert sent out by Harvard University, the Cambridge, State, and Harvard Police are actively searching the area for the suspect after it was reported that shots were fired.

The message also asked that students enter the nearest building and stay there until further notice.

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A follow-up message was sent, alerting people that the search has concluded and that the shelter-in-place has been lifted.

Transit police have provided an update, saying around 2:12 P.M., Transit Police Officers were dispatched to Harvard Square Station on reports of shots fired.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a man on the Southbound platform was armed with a firearm and shot around 4-5 rounds at a targeted individual, then fled the area.

At this time, Transit police say there are no victims and no evidence to suggest there are, but is asking the public to keep a lookout for an alleged suspect.

ID Sought re: Assault Dangerous Weapon:Gun 4/20 2:12pm #MBTA Harvard Sq. Recognize this person of interest? Pls contact our CIU at 617-222-1050 w/any info you have. You can remain anonymous. TY pic.twitter.com/tztdma2nJP  MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) April 21, 2025

There was no word if an arrest had been made.

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The MBTA has also said that they will be replacing services with shuttle buses between Central and Alewife Stations due to the ongoing police activity, but this has since been cleared, and regular shuttles have resumed.

Red Line Update: This delay has cleared. https://t.co/2YFFHNuVlU  MBTA (@MBTA) April 20, 2025

At this time, the situation remains under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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PITTSBURG, Kans.  Protestors in southeast Kansas take part in a national stand against the Trump administrations deportation policies.

The Bring Them Home Rally hosted by the Crawford County Democrats started at the Pritchett Pavilion in Pittsburgs Immigrant Park.

Rallygoers displayed signs advocating for people U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported to El Salvador, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, 29.

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From the sidewalks along Broadway Street, protestors led chants calling for due process.

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Theres not a whole lot we can do other than express our opinions and try to encourage other people to do the same thing, said Dick and Delma Thompson, Bring Them Home rally goers.

They care about the community. They care about their fellow Americans, and when they get out and protest. And so I think its a good sign. Hopefully, we get more. I want to see more people get involved and more people speak out, said Jackson Bertoncino, Crawford County Democratic Party Vice Chair.

Bertoncino says the Crawford County Democrats plan to host another rally at the end of the month.

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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Sunday two of its fighter jets had intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea close to NATO alliance airspace in separate incidents on Tuesday and Thursday.

The Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M "Coot-A" intelligence aircraft on Tuesday, Britain's Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Two day later, two Typhoons intercepted an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space, it said.

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Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said with Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, Britain was stepping up to reassure its allies, deter adversaries and protect its national security.

"This mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO's newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad," he said in a statement.

There was no immediate reaction from Russia.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Toby Chopra and Andrew Cawthorne)
Tragedy struck a British Airways flight crew during a stop in the United States this weekend.

A British Airways flight attendant was found dead in a San Francisco hotel room during a stop in flights this week, according to reports. The male flight attendant was reportedly found dead in his bed after colleagues reported that he didn't make it to work.

According to a report from The Standard, the flight attendant might have been in his bed for up to two days. According to a report, BA flight 284 on April 17 from San Francisco International Airport to London Heathrow was canceled, as a result of the crew being too heartbroken to fly.

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There was no way the flight back from San Francisco could go ahead. Staff were in absolute bits at the sudden loss of their friend, a source told the outlet.

From the report:

The crew member had checked into the hotel on Tuesday after working a flight from Heathrow, but failed to show up for his return flight on Thursday. Pilots who had already arrived at the airport ahead of the flight then returned to the hotel to support their colleagues. The cancellation impacted up to 850 passengers. While the airline declined to provide travelers with an explanation, it did attempt to get impacted passengers booked in hotels.

British Airways ultimately confirmed that it was a member of their crew who had died.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of our colleague at this difficult time.
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-18, honors dispatchers who assess a situation and dispatch emergency services and law enforcement.

When the phone rings, someone is prepared to answer and assess calls for help. Brownwood 911 Dispatcher and shift supervisor Justin Storch stated that the job requires various skills.

Were gathering information, ensuring public safety, officer safety, and then protection of property, Storch said. As soon as we get a call, we have to decide what kind of call it is, and in seconds, get it on the board and get it out to an officer so they can respond as quick as possible.

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Dispatchers navigate chaos, occasionally having to deliver babies and provide CPR over the phone. Abilene Communications Manager, Lindsey Hoxsey, mentioned that this can be challenging.

The harder ones are going to be CPR and stuff that deals with infants that dont come out great. You know, whenever somebody wakes up next to somebody thats passed away overnight, that theyve been with for 60 years, those are pretty rough for us, Hoxsey said.

As the job gains more public attention, Storch stated that discussing its mental health impact is increasingly important.

We get them to the EMTs and firefighters to them and after that, we dont hear anything else. It can become emotionally difficult. It can weigh on a dispatcher quite a bit. One of the best things that we can do is have a good, strong support system, which we do from our officers, from our fellow dispatchers, and our families, Storch explained.

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Brownwood Lieutenant Art Sanders said it would be unimaginable in a world without dispatchers.

It would be chaos. We wouldnt know where were going. We wouldnt have it would be up to us to find things going on all the time. And we just cant do that. You know, theres only a limited number of officers out there prowling around the streets, said Sanders. They are the guys that are absolutely there all the time, Sanders said.

Hoxsey said no matter the county, the overall vision is the same: to save lives and get people the help they need.

Your worst day is our work day, and we want everybody to feel heard. And when they call, we want to make sure everybody feels like a priority. So we are here, Hoxsey said.

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In 2019, the state of Texas recognized dispatchers as first responders, allowing 911 operators to access the same benefits as law enforcement and emergency services.

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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Sunday said he is confident President Donald Trump will negotiate a tariff deal with China but stressed that building up national production of rare-earth minerals is a key element of the equation.

"And this began back  you go back to Obama, Biden administration," Burgum told host Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday." "We've basically been at war on mining in this country for anything, not just rare earth minerals, critical minerals, but base minerals that we would have."

The trade clash with China that Trump escalated in early April could cost billions of dollars. And despite the president's confidence that a deal could be clinched "over the next three or four weeks," his insistence on one-on-one talks with China's leader, Xi Jinping, appears to have stalled proceedings.

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In the meantime, the administration is looking to beef up domestic mineral supply, Burgum told Bream. In March, the White House announced a series of "immediate measures to increase American mineral production," expediting permitting approvals and enlarging developers' access to federal land and loan programs. The president had already declared a national energy emergency shortly after his swearing-in in January.

"And so, under President Trump, it's not just drill, baby, drill, it's going to be map, baby, map, which is we've got these materials in our country, but then also mine, baby, mine," he said.

Still, Burgum said, there's no one better than the commander in chief to bring Beijing to the negotiation table.

"I have a lot of confidence in President Trump to be able to negotiate deals," he said. "We've got one of the best negotiators  you know, probably the best negotiating. He's the only president we've ever had who literally wrote a book on negotiating. So I have a lot of confidence in him."
PNW inducts fourth annual Alumni Hall of Fame class

Purdue University Northwest recognized several alumni during its fourth annual PNW Alumni Hall of Fame induction dinner and ceremony recently, according to a release.

The PNW Alumni Hall of Fame honors university alumni who are high-achieving leaders in their fields, involved members of their communities and who have engaged with PNW well beyond their time as students. The 2025 class inductees include Nicole Kupchik and Mitchell Mason Macenski.

Kupchik is the CEO of Nicole Kupchik Consulting Inc. and Macenski is the vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Miromatrix Medical Inc., the release said.

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Three additional PNW alumni were recognized with inaugural expanded awards.

Rick Calinski, the director of Public Affairs and Economic Development for Northern Indiana Public Service Company, received the Pride of PNW Alumni Award.

Debbie Bachmann, the administrator of Honors Student Leadership and Programming at PNW, received the PNW Campus Pride Alumni Award.

Ayana Clark, who leads A&J Branding, received the Power Onward Emerging Leader Award.

For more information, visit pnw.edu/hall-of-fame.

Franciscan Health offering produce voucher program

Registration is now open for the Franciscan Health Produce Prescription Program in Crown Point and Michigan City, according to a release.

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Upon successful completion of the free, four-week program, participants will receive produce vouchers for fresh produce every month for six months, the release said.

Participants must have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, heart disease or cancer and have moderate to high food insecurity as determined by a screening process and complete a four-week Cooking Matters course. The program will meet from 1-2 p.m. Tuesdays May 7-27 at the Franciscan Health Michigan City Legacy Campus at 301 W. Homer St. in Michigan City. The deadline to register is April 29. To register and for more information, call 219-221-4153.

The program is also scheduled to take place from 1-2 p.m. Tuesdays from April 29 to May 27 at YMCA Camp Triangle Hills, 3838 W. 141st Ave. in Crown Point. To register and for more information, call 219-323-2225.

Sickle cell program event planned

Travail With Us, an awareness group for sickle cell anemia, will host its 2nd Annual Sickle Cell Gala beginning at 5 p.m. April 25 at the Dean and Barbara White Center in Merrillville, a release said.

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The formal occasion will feature dinner, dancing, networking, speakers, resources and honoring a Sickle Cell Warrior. Nominations should be emailed to Travailwithus@yahoo.com. Those who are selected will be recognized as they continue to battle the many challenges that come with sickle cell disease, the release said.

While there is no cost to attend the gala, registration is required by calling 219-777-0279 or sending an email to travailwithus@yahoo.com.

Valparaiso YMCAs run/walk raises $40K

The Valparaiso Family YMCA raised more than $40,000 during the 32nd Annual Ringing in Spring 5K Run/Walk recently, according to a release.

More than 1,000 runners and walkers participated in the event, the release said.

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Funds will directly support the Ys Financial Assistance Program for essential programs including youth development, health and wellness initiatives, childcare and memberships, the release said.

Sponsors included: Powers Health, Urschel Giving, Pratt Industries, Lerner and Rowe, Larson Danielson, Horizon Bank, Thorgren Tools & Molding, UFS Corp, Burke, Costanza & Carberry, NIPSCO, Lake Cable, Claudia Miller Forrest Century 21, Circle, Team Chevy, Family Express, Tech Credit Union and Trailyard Outpost.

For more information about the Valparaiso Family YMCA, visit www.valpoymca.org.

PNW graduate programs earn recognition

Several of Purdue University Northwests graduate programs were recently recognized in U.S. News & World Reports 2025 Best Graduate Programs rankings, according to a release.

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PNWs Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), offered through its College of Nursing, were both noted among top graduate nursing programs, the release said. PNWs Master of Business Administration, offered through its College of Business, was also recognized among top business graduate programs.

For more information about graduate studies at PNW, visit pnw.edu/graduate-studies.

Ivy Tech Day raises $483,000 statewide; $13K in Valpo

Ivy Tech Community College Valparaiso Campus raised $13,091 in support of students and programs on the annual day of giving, a release said.

More than 2,800 alumni, friends and partners across Indiana donated $483,813 on April 8 to support Ivy Tech Day  the third annual day of giving that supports scholarships and programs for Ivy Tech Community Colleges more than 200,000 students across its 19 campuses, the release said. The Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus received 98 donations totaling $13,091.

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This years total exceeded the 2024 results and brings the three-year cumulative giving to more than $1 million since the first Ivy Tech Day in 2023.

PNW sets open house week events in Westville, Hammond

Purdue University Northwest invites prospective students and their families to learn more information about attending PNW, campus life and paying for college during its free spring 2025 open house week events, a release said.

Two on-campus sessions will allow prospective students to find their fit at PNW by gathering information about the PNW admissions process, academic programs and extracurricular opportunities.

PNW will host Start Your Journey: Westville from 4:30-7:30 p.m. April 24 at its Westville campus, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, and Preview PNW starting at 8:30 a.m. on April 26 at its Hammond campus, 2200 169th St. To complete your free registration and learn more event details, visit pnw.edu/start-your-journey and pnw.edu/preview.

Admissions counselors and financial aid professionals will be available throughout the sessions to answer questions and assist in the application process. Application fees will be waived for prospective students who attend an admissions presentation and complete an application during the event.
Sam Rutledge and his wife have a baby due in mid-July, so they thought they had a few more months to research and buy the gear theyll need.

But President Donald Trumps tariff announcement in early April turned the couples slow walk into a sprint. In the past few weeks, theyve bought two strollers, a car seat, a nursery glider, a crib and a high chair. All of them are made overseas.

These are all pretty expensive under normal conditions, but when it became clear tariffs were coming we decided to buy them in case they became prohibitively expensive, said Rutledge, who is a high school physics teacher.

Raising a child in America has never been cheap. In the first year alone, it costs an average of $20,384, according to Baby Center, a parenting website. But tariffs  ranging from 10% for imports from most countries to 145% for imports from China  will make it many times more expensive for new parents.

Elizabeth Mahon, owner of the baby store Three Littles, installs a new car seat for customers who made the purchase ahead of tarriff-driven price increases, at the Union Market location in Washington, on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)  ASSOCIATED PRESS

An estimated 90% of the core baby care products and the parts that go into making baby paraphernalia  from bottles and diaper pails to strollers and car seats  are made in Asia, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, a U.S. trade group. The vast majority come from China.

Overseas manufacturing has been the norm in our industry for decades, said Lisa Trofe, the association's executive director.

It wasnt always this way. When Munchkin Inc. CEO Steven Dunn founded his company in 1991, it made baby bottles in California with tooling from New Jersey. But over the years, the manufacturers he used shut down and the cost of doing business in the U.S. skyrocketed. Now, about 60% of Munchkins 500 products, from a $5 sippy cup to a $254 Night Owl Stroller with headlights, are made in China.

In response to the tariffs, Dunn halted orders from China and instituted a hiring freeze at Munchkins California headquarters, where 320 people are employed. Dunn expects Munchkin will run out of some products within three months.

There is no possibility of being able to pass on those tariffs to customers in the form of price increases, he said.

Dunn said he tried to reduce his dependence on China in recent years, shifting some manufacturing to Vietnam and Mexico. He also spent a year communicating with American manufacturers to see if one could make Munchkins new Flow Nipple Shield, which allows a breastfeeding mother to see if her milk is flowing. But most said they couldnt make the complex silicone product, Dunn said. Its now made in Vietnam.

Theres not enough tool makers and manufacturing expertise and automation and skilled labor in the U.S. to make the thousands of products the juvenile industry needs, Dunn said.
A Connecticut business owner avoided jail time after being sentenced for his part in a dumping scandal at the Fairfield Department of Public Works, CTPost reported. According to Fox61, Robert Grabarek, owner of Osprey Environmental Engineering, received a three-year suspended sentence and a fine of $28,000.

Grabarek rejected a plea deal in July 2024 that could have resulted in four years in prison and restitution of $3 million to the town, per CTPost. Instead, he accepted another plea bargain in September. Grabarek, who showed little remorse for his actions, per the New Haven Register, won't spend a day in prison for his role in the scandal.

This wasn't his first brush with the law; the state board of examiners also reprimanded him in 2017.

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The town contracted Osprey Environmental Engineering to clean up the site, but it illegally disposed of harmful chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, and covered up the act instead. Exposure to PCBs can increase the risk of cancer, immune system suppression, and reproductive failures, per the United Nations Environment Program.

The outcome was a bitter blow to the workers exposed to hazardous substances at Fairfield DPW. Scott Leamon, a long-serving land surveyor with the town, told the court that Grabarek assured DPW workers the site was safe, but they are now worried about the long-term effects. "We might suffer ill effects for just doing our jobs, " he said, per the New Haven Register.

Grabarek was one of seven people indicted in the lengthy legal dispute, which began with a police investigation in 2019, per the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice.

Three received prison sentences: Scott Bartlett, the former public works superintendent, is serving a five-year prison sentence, according to Patch; Joseph Michelangelo, the former public works director, received six months, per CT Insider; and developer Jason Julian got 18 months and a $2.5 million fine, Patch revealed.

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The estimated cost of the cleanup to the town reached $8.8 million in April 2024, per CT Insider, and Fairfield First Selectman Bill Gerber warned the final cost could be "much higher."

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Birmingham Police Department has made an arrest in connection to an operation conducted by BPD Vice/ Narcotics detectives at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport.

Talladega man, woman killed in Clay County crash

Police say the incident occurred on Friday. Christian Machado, 22, of Fresno, California, was issued with a warrant for trafficking marijuana.

Machado is in custody of the Jefferson County Jail with a $500,000 bond.

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LEROY, Ill. (WMBD)  A California man was arrested after a traffic stop allegedly led troopers to find more than $10 million worth of cocaine.

An Illinois State Police trooper stopped a semi driven by Jobanpreet Singh, 29, of California, at 3:43 p.m. on Thursday, April 17, on Interstate 74 near mile marker 148 in LeRoy, said a release from ISP.

After a search, the trooper allegedly found more than 106 kilograms of cocaine, which has an estimated value of more than $10 million, the release said.

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Singh was arrested and taken to the McLean County Jail on counts of controlled substance trafficking, manufacture/delivery/900 or more grams of cocaine, both class X felonies, and possession of 900 or more grams of cocaine, a class 1 felony, according to court documents.

On Friday, Singh appeared in a McLean County courtroom, where a circuit judge ordered him held pending the results of his case, the documents said.

He will next appear in court on May 9, the documents said.

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(KTLA)  A Southern California mayor facing a recall effort is coming under fire after his suggestion to ending his citys homelessness issue was giving them all the fentanyl they want.

The comments were made by longtime Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris during a city council meeting on Feb. 25. The comments have surfaced in recent days since he gave an interview to Fox 11 this week, where he doubled down on the sentiment.

Nintendo announces new date for Switch 2 pre-orders

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During the February meeting, a speaker during the public comment portion wanted to speak to Parris about the homelessness crisis within the city of Lancaster. Her claim was that Parris wants to lump the citys homeless population in one singular encampment in the city, which she took issue with.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris is seen in an undated file photo. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Parris response was to do something even more severe than that.

What I want to do is give them free fentanyl, he said. Thats what I want to do.

When asked to repeat what he said, Parris reiterated I want to give them all the fentanyl they want.

That was not kind, the speaker said.

The implication that Parris wants to give homeless people an illegal drug that kills thousands of Californians per year comes as some within his city are growing tired of his antics. According to the Antelope Valley Press, Lancasters city clerk is currently suing former political opponents of Parris due to false and/or misleading information in the notice of intent to circulate a recall petition and failure to comply with state Election Code.

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Will gas prices go up this summer?

That allegation comes as those political opponents, who lost to Parris in the citys mayoral election last year, are attempting to recall him.

For too long, Mayor R. Rex Parris has prioritized personal gain over the well-being of residents. His administration has been marked by mismanagement, controversial policies, and a disregard for transparency, a portion of recall-rex.com reads.

The organizers pinpoint the decision by Parris to extend mayoral terms from 2 years to 4 as an example of manipulating the democratic process.

Parris 2024 election victory was his sixth.

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(KTLA)  A Southern California mayor facing a recall effort is coming under fire after his suggestion to ending his citys homelessness issue was giving them all the fentanyl they want.

The comments were made by longtime Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris during a city council meeting on Feb. 25. The comments have surfaced in recent days since he gave an interview to Fox 11 this week, where he doubled down on the sentiment.

Nintendo announces new date for Switch 2 pre-orders

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During the February meeting, a speaker during the public comment portion wanted to speak to Parris about the homelessness crisis within the city of Lancaster. Her claim was that Parris wants to lump the citys homeless population in one singular encampment in the city, which she took issue with.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris is seen in an undated file photo. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Parris response was to do something even more severe than that.

What I want to do is give them free fentanyl, he said. Thats what I want to do.

When asked to repeat what he said, Parris reiterated I want to give them all the fentanyl they want.

That was not kind, the speaker said.

The implication that Parris wants to give homeless people an illegal drug that kills thousands of Californians per year comes as some within his city are growing tired of his antics. According to the Antelope Valley Press, Lancasters city clerk is currently suing former political opponents of Parris due to false and/or misleading information in the notice of intent to circulate a recall petition and failure to comply with state Election Code.

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Will gas prices go up this summer?

That allegation comes as those political opponents, who lost to Parris in the citys mayoral election last year, are attempting to recall him.

For too long, Mayor R. Rex Parris has prioritized personal gain over the well-being of residents. His administration has been marked by mismanagement, controversial policies, and a disregard for transparency, a portion of recall-rex.com reads.

The organizers pinpoint the decision by Parris to extend mayoral terms from 2 years to 4 as an example of manipulating the democratic process.

Parris 2024 election victory was his sixth.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A 2-year-old with a tablet. An 8-year-old scrolling through TikTok. What was once a rare sight is now the norm in American households. According to Common Sense Medias just-released 2025 Census on Media Use by Kids Zero to Eight, 58% of children have their own tablet by age 4, and nearly one in four 8-year-olds has their own cell phone.

The digitization of childhood is happening earlier than ever before. While overall screen time for young children has held steady at about 2.5 hours daily since 2020, how children are using that time has changed dramatically. Our youngest kids are now spending 14 minutes daily watching short-form videos on platforms explicitly not designed for them, like TikTok and YouTube.

Opinion

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In 2024, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for social media warning labels in a New York Times op-ed, citing data that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms. Murthys piece led 42 state attorneys general to call upon Congress to take action.

This is why we are championing California Assembly Bill 56, legislation that would require social media platforms to display clear warning labels about their potential harmful effects on youth mental health and well-being. Just as we needed warning labels for cigarettes and seat belts, we now need warning labels for social media platforms.

These platforms arent just entertaining our children, theyre shaping them. Through sophisticated algorithms and addictive features, social media companies are engineering their products to maximize engagement, keeping developing brains scrolling as long as possible. The effects on our childrens mental health are increasingly clear and deeply troubling.

Skeptics might ask why we need warning labels for platforms that many parents knowingly allow their children to use. The answer lies in the latest Common Sense Media research: even though 75% to 80% of parents consistently express concerns about screen medias effects on their childrens mental health, one in five parents report that their child uses devices for comfort when upset, during meals or to fall asleep. About 20% of kids age 8 and under watch or play on a device every night to fall asleep.

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Parents are trying to navigate a complex digital landscape with tools that didnt exist when they were children themselves, and product policies that change faster than their kids grow. This digital dilemma is even more pronounced in lower-income households, where children spend nearly twice as much time with screens as those from higher-income homes (three hours and 48 minutes versus one hour and 52 minutes daily).

Furthermore, Common Sense Medias most recent bi-partisan poll has revealed that 81% of parents and 72% of teens favor requiring platforms to display warning labels about their potential risks to childrens and teens mental health and well-being.

The bill has been met with expected opposition from tech trade associations. To be clear, social media companies know the potential harm their products can have on children, and its time they were required to be transparent about these risks. AB 56 simply educates children, parents and caretakers about the increased mental health risks associated with the use of social media products, empowering them and their families with critical health information.

Fortunately, the European Union has already taken significant steps to protect children online through its Digital Services Act, requiring platforms to consider childrens well-being in their design. Nationally, states like New York and California are leading similar efforts. California has consistently led the nation in enacting laws to protect kids online, and AB 56 continues that leadership.

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Of course, warning labels are not a silver bullet  they are just one part of a comprehensive approach that must include safer platform design, age-appropriate experiences and stronger accountability measures. They represent a crucial first step in empowering families with the information they need to make healthier choices about social media use.

The tobacco industry fought health warnings for decades while millions became addicted to their products. We must not repeat this mistake with social media. Parents deserve to know what their children are being exposed to, and tech companies must be held accountable for the products they create.

Jim Steyer is the founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan represents California District 16.
Park cameras captured rare footage of a critically endangered Siamese crocodile in Thailand.

The images marked the first official sighting of the species since 2013.

As The Nation reported, the cameras picked up a Siamese crocodile's activity along the Khlong Chomphu River in Thung Salaeng Luang National Park.

A rare fresh-water Thai crocodile, which is listed as a critically endangered species, has recently been photographed by... Posted by Thai PBS World on Saturday, March 15, 2025

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora both classify the Siamese crocodile as an endangered species. Therefore, this sighting provides conservationists with optimism that the crocodile can survive in the wild and contribute to the park's biodiversity.

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"The continued presence of these crocodiles is a beacon of hope for conservation efforts," said Somkiat Yodmalee, director of the Protected Area Regional Office. "It demonstrates that Thung Salaeng Luang National Park remains a vital sanctuary for rare and endangered wildlife."

Siamese crocodiles are native to Thailand and once flourished throughout Southeast Asia. However, hunting and habitat loss have caused their population to decline.

Fortunately, conservationists have successfully rebuilt their habitats and repopulated the species through captive breeding programs and reintroduction efforts.

Park cameras like this one are helpful in assessing the health of endangered species populations and the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs.

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Informed and compassionate management of our parks and their wildlife can ensure the survival of vulnerable species at risk of extinction. The more species we retain on our planet, the greater the biodiversity benefits for all of Earth's creatures, including humans.

In other parts of the world, cameras have contributed to the conservation efforts of lynxes in Minnesota, Javan rhinoceroses in Indonesia, and Cross River gorillas in Nigeria.

In Thailand, researchers have been conducting wildlife surveys and monitoring crocodile populations since October 2024. Although they are encouraged by the recent crocodile sighting, they remain concerned about potential threats to the species, especially a proposed reservoir construction project that could further impact the animal's habitat.

"We must remain vigilant and ensure that development projects do not jeopardise the survival of these magnificent creatures," Somkiat said. "The discovery of the Siamese crocodile in Thung Salaeng Luang National Park is a call to action to protect this precious species and its natural habitat."

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In response to a Thai PBS World Facebook post sharing the news, one social media user commented, "Please LEAVE them in PEACE/FREEDOM!!!"

"Wishing well-wishers won't disturb it," someone else wrote.

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Canada is heading into federal elections, where Prime Minister Mark Carney is vying for a chance to continue leading the country, as tensions grow with its closest neighbor.

The former central bankers main competition in the April 28 vote is Pierre Poilievre, Canadas Conservative party leader whose political capital has declined as US-Canada relations nosedive amid threats from US President Donald Trump.

Canadians do not vote directly for prime minister  they vote for lawmakers representing political parties in their district or riding. The party with the largest number of lawmakers elected to parliament will form the government, and its leader will become prime minister.

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While Carneys Liberal Party and Poilievres Conservative Party are the frontrunners, other major political parties will also be on the ballot, including left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) led by Jagmeet Singh, the Green Party and the exclusively-Quebec-based Bloc Quebecois.

Trade war and house prices

Poilievre was the favorite to win when former prime minister Justin Trudeau stepped down last month. But Trumps steep tariffs on Canada, and threats to its sovereignty, dramatically transformed the race.

Trumps decision to levy a 25% duty on Canadian steel and aluminum, cars and car parts, and threats to tariff pharmaceuticals and lumber have shaken Canadian businesses. Its a reality Carney has not sugarcoated, warning of tough days ahead with pressure on Canadian employment.

These tariffs are fundamentally damaging to the American economy and by extension to the global economy, Carney told a press conference this month after Trump announced sweeping tariffs, which partially spared Canada but sent global markets into chaos.

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Canadians are also grappling with the high cost of living, especially an affordable housing crisis  an issue likely to feel the sting of a trade war with the US.

The Ontario Home Builders Association warned last month that tariffs and counter-tariffs on steel and aluminum products would likely drive up the costs of construction materials, making building and buying new homes more expensive, worsening the housing affordability issue.

US and Canadian tariffs on automobiles, for example, will make cars more expensive on both sides of the border, says economist Randall Morck, a professor at the University of Albertas business school.

Stock prices have gone down, so everybody is poorer, he said, adding that this likely reflects investors estimates that recession and higher unemployment could be on the horizon.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney makes an announcement at Bombardier during a campaign stop in Dorval, Quebec, on April 14. - Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press/AP

Finance man versus the career politician

Carney, a political newcomer, has not ruled out continued talks with Trump, but he has been moving to deepen ties with more reliable allies. In an unusual move, his first prime ministerial trip abroad was to Europe where he spoke to French and British officials about deepening security, military and economic ties.

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While a rookie politician, unlike his challenger, Carneys decades in finance saw him steering governments through major global crises and periods of upheaval. As governor of the Bank of England, he helped the United Kingdom navigate Brexit  which he said mirrors what can happen to the US in the face of tariffs.

I have seen this movie before. I know exactly whats going to happen to them, the Americans are going to get weaker, he said at a campaign event in Ontario this month.

Many Canadians see Carney as someone well-placed to navigate a trade war with a long-standing ally, experts say.

In a crisis its important to come together and its essential to act with purpose and with force. And thats what we will do, Carney said earlier this month as he positioned himself as the person to take on the US president.

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Tensions with the US have slowed the ascent of Poilievre, a career politician who served as a cabinet member in former Prime Minister Stephen Harpers Conservative government. Throughout his campaign he has aimed to appeal to working-class Canadians, painting himself as someone outside the Ottawa elite and casting himself as a family man.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre arrives in Terrace, British Columbia, during a campaign stop on Sunday, April 6, 2025. - Aaron Whitfield/The Canadian Press/AP

Poilievres fiery rhetoric about slashing tax and bureaucracy, and his populist Canada First policy have won him supporters tired of Liberal rule. But Poilievre now appears to be distancing himself fro comparisons to US President Donald Trump; he has slammed Trumps threats to make Canada the 51st US state, supported reciprocal tariffs and repeatedly declared he is not MAGA.

His decades of political experience and modest background  as the son of two schoolteachers  also set him apart from Trump, says Charles-Etienne Beaudry, political science professor at the University of Ottawa and author of Radio Trump: How he won the first time.

Experts say Carneys lead over Poilievre has widened primarily because the ex-banker has been more vocal than his opponent about how exactly Canada will forge trade ties with other countries and organize retaliatory tariffs.

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I expect that [voters] are going to vote for the candidate that they think will minimize the cost of the trade war with the US, says Morck, the economist, pointing to the level of anti-American sentiment and distrust among Canadians. I havent seen anything like it since the Vietnam war.

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A Canadian politician has finally said something nice about President Donald Trump sort of.

Retiring Ontario MP and member of the New Democratic Party Charlie Angus appeared on the MeidasTouch podcast this weekend, and surprised everyone by taking the time to thank the U.S. president for his work in bringing Canadians together.

Delivering his speech to host Ben Meiselas, Angus said, Donald Trump, Im going to say this onceand I might never say it againI want to thank you. I want to thank you for bringing Canada together.

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He continued, It took a malignant narcissistic slug like you to make us put aside all our differencesall our regional fights, all our concerns with one anotherand realize we actually had to stand up for something better: standing up for the rule of law, for democracy, for decency.

Angus: Well, Donald Trump, Im going to say this onceand I might never say it againI want to thank you. I want to thank you for bringing Canada together.



It took a malignant narcissistic slug like you to make us put aside all our differencesall our regional fights, all our pic.twitter.com/LDs6kETFPT  Acyn (@Acyn) April 19, 2025

Angus went on to hit out at Trump and his incel gang who are terrified of diversity, equity and inclusion, adding, Your DEI nightmare? Well, we are your DEI nightmare, Donald. Canada will always be a country of diversity. We will always be a country of equity. We will always be a country of inclusion. And we will defend the rule of law.

Canadians have been swift to reject Trumps suggestion that their country become the United States 51st state, with many Canadians living in the U.S. moving back home and selling their properties rather than continue to live in a country whose leader wants to annex theirs.

In addition, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has made it clear that Trumps tariffs and the chaos they are inflicting on global markets have soured Canadas relationship with the U.S. beyond the point of no return. Addressing reporters earlier this month after Trumps so-called Liberation Day, Carney said of the alliance, Our old relationship of steadily deepening immigration with the United States is over.

Trump, meanwhile, has backtracked on his previous statements about the U.S. taking over Canada, telling reporters aboard Air Force One late last month, We dont need energy from Canada. We dont need lumber from Canada. We dont need anything from Canada. I believe this will be the golden age of America.
We recently published a list of Analysts Identify 10 Least Risky Internet Stocks To Invest In. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) stands against other least risky internet stocks to invest in.

Investors usually do not waste any time reminding everyone of the dot-com bubble whenever the market takes a turn for the worse. With a recession imminent, some sectors have already corrected by so much that they are in bear market territory. Internet stocks belong to the same group.

Analysts at Evercore believe most of the internet stocks have very limited exposure to tariffs but still get hammered every time the market crashes on tariff developments. This means these stocks now present a favorable risk-to-reward ratio for investors.

We therefore decided to dig into the details of each of these internet stocks. To come up with our list of the 10 least risky internet stocks, we used the list compiled by Evercores analysts and ranked them by risk, with the least risky stock taking the number one spot.

Is Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER) the Least Risky Internet Stock To Invest In?

A close up view of a hand holding a smartphone, using a ride sharing app.

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)

Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is an operator and developer of proprietary technology applications. The company operates in the Delivery, Freight, and Mobility segments.

The firm announced an expansion of its grocery delivery service last month through a partnership with a leading online fresh food grocer, FreshDirect. It will provide Uber customers access to prepared meals, high-quality fresh groceries, and pantry staples through the Uber Eats platform. This collaboration brings together FreshDirects focus on freshness and quality along with Ubers reliable delivery network.

At the start of this month, Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) entered into an agreement with Dubais Road and Transport Authority to introduce autonomous vehicles in Dubai. Under this partnership, Uber will work with the citys road transport authority on pilot programs, utilizing its technology to connect riders with AVs.

Moreover, the company plans to launch commercial robotaxi services in Atlanta under its collaboration with Waymo. As part of this partnership, the firm will handle charging, vehicle maintenance, and access management through its app. Despite concerns regarding Teslas entry into the Robotaxis market, Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) stands out with its solid operations.

Overall, UBER ranks 3rd on our list of least risky internet stocks to invest in. While we acknowledge the potential of UBER as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that has gone up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks have lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than UBER but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
At least one major Canadian retailer is labeling products it says are affected by US tariffs.

Some stores were already labeling locally made products since Donald Trump's tariffs were announced.

The tariffs, and some of Trump's rhetoric, have helped fuel a burst in Canadian patriotic sentiment.

At least one major Canadian retailer is singling out American-made products with a label of "T"  for "tariffs."

Loblaw Companies Ltd., which operates about 2,400 stores across Canada, announced on March 10 that it planned to roll out the T label to show when a product entering Canada from the US "has had a tariff imposed that impacts its price." The labels have been slowly rolled out over the past month and can be seen on some products for sale online.

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There appears to be a growing appetite among Canadians for products made in Canada. A survey last weekend by the market research firm Leger found that 76% of Canadian respondents said they'd increased their purchases of "local Canadian products" in recent weeks, representing the highest number of respondents giving that answer since the firm began asking the question in mid-February.

Price labels at a Canadian supermarket showed a maple leaf indicating items made or produced in Canada. VCG/VCG via Getty Images

The US and its northern neighbor have been locked in an escalating trade dispute over President Donald Trump's aggressive trade strategy, which, as of March 13, levied tariffs of 25% on many Canadian consumer goods and 10% on energy product imports from Canada.

Canada announced 25% tariffs on US goods in response.

But even aside from the tariffs, Trump's rhetoric toward Canada  including making the 158-year-old nation the 51st US state  has helped spark a surge in Canadian patriotism that is felt, in some ways, in the grocery aisle.

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Some Canadian consumers and businesses are boycotting nonessential items like American alcohol. A Canadian pub owner got creative to bypass American bourbon, and major grocery chains like Sobeys and Metro have prioritized promoting Canada-made goods both in stores and online, with some predicting lower sales of American products over the next year.

Some American businesses have also not been spared from the backlash. A small business previously told BI that it received emails from once loyal Canadian customers stating that they will cease purchasing US products. Trade experts have previously told BI that combined with tariffs on China and retaliatory measures, the pressure on American producers may ripple across supply chains and deepen economic strain.

"All the grocery stores now have Canadian- and American-labeled produce  and the Canadian produce is always gone," Isabella Zavarise, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, told Business Insider.

Zavarise described not just a preference for Canadian-made goods but an active avoidance of US ones. And the preference isn't about saving money  quite the opposite: "Everyone I know is shopping local despite how expensive it is," she added.

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The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported recently that small grocery stores, in particular, were seeing price increases related to the tariffs being exchanged between the US and Canada. The country's consumer price index rose 2.3% year over year in March, following an increase of 2.6% in February.

Prices of American goods have skyrocketed  the broadcaster noted that a major US orange juice brand, Tropicana, for instance, was being sold at double the price of local competitors' products at chains such as Metro  but even locally made goods have seen increases, the outlet reported.

Representatives for Loblaw and Metro did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Correction: April 21, 2025  An earlier version of this story misstated the price of Tropicana orange juice at Metro stores in Canada; the price has been removed from the story. The story was also updated to clarify when the Leger survey was conducted.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  This week on Capitol Report, the panel discusses the future of energy legislation in Connecticut, including a new proposal to cut utility rates by 20%. Not all lawmakers are buying in.

Plus, the Connecticut Department of Education declines to comply with the Executive Order to end DEI in schools and a walkout occurred during the PURA Commissioner nomination vote.

News 8 political reporter Mike Cerulli shares more on energy legislation.

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The panel discusses an apology from Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas over comments regarding the Trump administration and how a Stamford Mayoral candidate is a time traveler from space.

Watch the show in the video above.

CAPITOL REPORT

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Some people who live in Kansas Citys Waldo neighborhood are shaken up after car break-ins turned violent early Thursday morning.

Multiple houses were damaged when shots were fired. Neighbors say they are just thankful nobody was hurt.

One bullet hit our tree, which had that tree not been there, it would have hit the corner of the house where my 13-year-old daughters room is. So something that could have easily killed her, and thats terrifying to think about, said Megan Hogan, whose property was damaged.

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Man found shot near Barry Road in Kansas City, suspect in custody: KCPD

People who live in the area tell FOX4 that one neighbor noticed people breaking into cars in the early morning hours on Thursday and shouted at them to stop from inside their home. Thieves responded with gunfire.

We immediately called the cops, which unfortunately, it took a while to get there. They found probably 20 casings in the road. So then they were walking around trying to figure out where all those bullets were. Two of them went into my car, which caused about $1200 worth of damage, Hogan explained.

Marlene Standleys house was damaged by gunfire. She describes what happened on Thursday as terrifying.

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They broke into about six cars on the street. And then youre going to shoot a gun like that? I cant get the mindset of human life being so expendable. Its a life, Standley explained.

Youre breaking into a car, and nobody threatened you. They just told you to stop. So, what does it take to get you to the point where you think its okay to shoot?

Standley has lived in the neighborhood for 8 years. She says nothing like this has ever happened.

Ive always felt so safe. And now, you know, my son doesnt even want my grandkids to come spend the night, and I dont blame him, Standley said.

And its breaking my heart. I dont want to sell my house. I love my house. Ive put so much work into it.

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Overland Park Farmers Market opens new location for 2025 season

Hogan wants to send this message to other victims of property crime.

Thats why I posted in our neighborhood page (about what happened), like we all know this is happening. Just call the police. Just dont even begin to, stop them because theyre armed, Hogan said.

Just call the police and do not try to stop these people. Whatever you have in your car, its not worth it. Its not worth losing your life over.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  Following a two-vehicle collision, a car slammed into a north Abilene gas pump Sunday afternoon, sparking a small fire.

Emergency crews were called out around 2:50 p.m. on April 20 to the Little Abilene convenience store near the intersection of Ambler Avenue and Burger Street for a two-vehicle crash.

Following the crash, the car went through the gas pumps and came to a stop at the front of the building. Bystanders said both the vehicle and a nearby gas pump briefly caught fire, but the flames have since been extinguished.

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At least two people were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. At 3:15 p.m., Ambler Avenue was closed between Burger and Fannin Streets.

Officials reported that an SUV left the stop sign and entered the intersection, resulting in a collision that pushed the car into the gas pumps.

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  The Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its Riverfront Festival on Saturday, April 26.

The festival will begin at 10 a.m. and last until 6 p.m. It will be a day of fun-filled activities for all ages to enjoy along the beautiful historic waterfront. There will be a car show, a quilt show, delicious food, live music, and more.

For children, event organizers will set up mini train rides, bouncy houses, face painting, and an arts and crafts station.

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Get ready for tons of festival vendors offering shrimps, conch fritters, BBQ, kettle corn, funnel cakes, cotton candy, and more.

Annual Shred-a-Thon event helped protect community against identity theft

According to event organizers, several local musicians and the Salty Seahawks Competitive Cheer team from Franklin County will show up and show out their talents. Also, a special DJ will be adding to the excitement.

Calling all car collectors and enthusiasts. Crewfew Masonic Lodge #73 will host a car show featuring classic, vintage, and custom vehicles from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m ET.

If you are a quilt lover, there will be an Airing of the Quilts hosted by the Lanark Village Wandering Star Quilters. They will be returning to George Sands Park from 930 a.m. to 3 p.m., transforming the park into a 100+ outdoor quilt gallery.

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For more details about the festival, click here.

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More than 800 people in the U.S. have had measles since the beginning of the year, according to NBC News data. The majority of cases are in West Texas, where an outbreak that shows no signs of abating began in January.

Nearly all of the cases are among people who havent been vaccinated, but 3% of the identified cases are so-called breakthrough infections. People got sick despite being either partially or fully vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot.

Infectious diseases doctors are at pains to emphasize that the MMR vaccine is one of the most effective vaccines on the market, but as Rodney Rohde, a professor at Texas State University explains, a small number of people who are fully vaccinated may get sick during a large outbreak.

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One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% effective at preventing measles, with the second dose increasing that to 97%.

The vaccine is highly effective, said Rohde. But it means that after two doses, while 97 out of 100 people will develop strong immunity and be protected if exposed to measles, the remaining three out of 100 could still be vulnerable.

The latest outbreak has seen claims circulating on social media from people who say they are fully vaccinated and still contracted a breakthrough infection, making them seriously unwell, something Rohde said is slightly possible. They could fall into one of those small percentages that got the full vaccine but just didnt respond, he says.

However, he said, its also plausible that those people may not have realized they werent fully vaccinated against measles. Research suggests that when breakthrough infections occur, the MMR vaccine still tends to provide some partial protection. If someone vaccinated does get measles, its often a milder version, sometimes called modified measles, says Rohde. A rash can still occur, but it may be less widespread [across the body], fainter or atypical, meaning it doesnt follow the classic pattern of starting at the hairline and spreading downwards. Fever is also less common or lower-grade. In classic measles, fevers can spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, but in modified cases, its often milder or absent.

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According to Rohde, the same is true for other common measles symptoms:

Cough

Runny nose

Conjunctivitis, or red eyes

They may still occur, but are often less intense, he says. Koplik spots, which are tiny white spots in the mouth, are less commonly seen. Breakthrough cases are also generally less contagious, but still a potential source of transmission.

People are contagious four days before and four days after the rash begins, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The rash usually appears 14 days after exposure.

Rohde also suggests that people experiencing severe symptoms from a breakthrough infection may have just had a single vaccine dose, which still offers significant protection, but not quite as much as the full two-dose regimen. These cases can be closer to classic measles than in two-dose breakthroughs, with a high fever which may last longer, he says. The rash is usually a more typical measles rash and can be more extensive than in fully vaccinated breakthrough cases. They are also more likely to get possible complications.

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Theres still the question of why these infections happen.

As Rohde and others explain, there may be a number of reasons, ranging from the timing of vaccination to genetic variability in the immune response.

Measles vaccine immunity is mostly stable

While Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for the public to get vaccinated against measles, he also claimed in an interview with CBS News that the vaccine wanes very quickly.

Vaccine experts counter that the MMR shots offer lifelong protection.

If immunity waned a lot, you would see a lot of cases in vaccinated people in older age groups, and were not seeing that in this Texas outbreak or any others in the recent past, said Scott Weaver, a microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who also works with the Global Virus Network coalition of experts. People seem to be solidly protected, and almost everybody for life, as far as we can tell.

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Unlike influenza or Covid, measles is a very stable virus that has evolved little to evade vaccine-induced immunity over time. In 2021, Mayo Clinic researchers published a study concluding that theres a near-zero probability of a novel measles virus naturally emerging with the capability of circumventing the MMR vaccine.

While the virus isnt changing, it appears that in some rare cases, the bodys own immune system can slowly stop producing antibodies against the virus. Based on international studies, scientists have concluded that it is possible for some children vaccinated against measles to lose their protection over the course of two decades.

Because measles is highly infectious, this waning is expected to cause some breakthrough infections, said Alexis Robert, a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who authored a paper on long-term vaccine protection in 2024.

All people respond to either vaccines or natural infections a little bit differently, according to Weaver.

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The MMR vaccine, which works by presenting the immune system with a live but weakened version of the measles virus, trains the bodys immune cells to recognize different parts of the virus proteins called epitopes and generate antibodies against them in the future, he said.

An epitope refers to small segments of amino acids on a proteins structure that the immune systems antibodies learn to recognize and bind to, should the virus attempt to invade again in future.

Its not unexpected that a few people respond poorly to any vaccine, Weaver said.

Some people have a very robust response because they respond to many different [viral] epitopes, and some people, just by chance, have immune cells that cant recognize as many of those epitopes, he said. Differences in our genetic makeup determine how many different epitopes we respond to and develop immune memory against.

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After measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 and no longer considered a public health threat, research into the virus slowed. With vaccine hesitancy rising and the U.S. close to losing its measles elimination status, some scientists see the need to study and monitor the rare cases of breakthrough infections.

While transmission patterns show measles outbreaks are driven by groups of unvaccinated individuals, especially among children, a potential risk of infection years after vaccination still impacts what strategy is most effective and the coverage needed to eradicate measles, Robert said.

How quickly does the measles vaccine take effect?

Timing can also make a difference. A child who had just received the MMR vaccine will still be vulnerable to measles within the first couple of weeks, especially during an intense outbreak where a lot of virus is circulating, Rohde said.

In most cases, the human immune system takes roughly two weeks to develop enough protection against the measles virus and many other pathogens, he said. If you were exposed just before or after getting the vaccine, your body may not be at full strength.

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In some cases, for example people who are either born with a weakened immune system or develop conditions such as autoimmune diseases or blood cancers, the body may not mount as effective an immune response against measles, resulting in breakthrough infections.

There are people who just have an overall immune system thats just not as effective against many different infectious agents, Weaver said. We know about people who are immune compromised for certain reasons, like theyre HIV-infected, theyre under chemotherapy for cancer, things like that, but there are some people who are just born with immune systems that dont function quite as well.

Another plausible explanation is that people may have received a defective MMR vaccine, although Weaver said this is unlikely in the United States, where quality controls tend to be fairly stringent.

In the cases of measles, its a live virus, so that virus could become less infectious if its not stored properly and that could lead to less [immune] response, he said.

When you might need a measles booster

Whether youre more vulnerable to developing a breakthrough measles infection could also depend on when you were born. Before the first measles vaccines were developed in the 1960s, virtually everyone contracted the virus during childhood, providing those who survived with lifelong immunity.

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However, people who were born between 1957 and 1968 received a first-generation measles vaccine made using an inactivated virus that did not work so well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone born within this time frame should get at least one MMR dose.

Between 1968 and 1989, most people received only a single MMR dose, making them slightly less well protected compared with people who got the standard two doses in the past 36 years.

Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, suggested that if someone who got only a single dose is near a current measles outbreak or is traveling internationally to a country where the virus is endemic, it could be worth checking with with a doctor about getting another dose.

Even if youre truly immune and you get another dose of MMR, theres no harm to that, Schaffner said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH)  Tax season has come and gone which means many people have sensitive documents lying around their homes. NBC4 teamed up with Central Ohio Crime Stoppers for another year of assisting central Ohioans in getting rid of personal files.

You get bank statements in the mail. Many people still get those. I still get them. Some of your medical records, tax forms, definitely anything with your Social Security number on them, Napoleon Bell, president of Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, said.

Bell said its important to properly dispose of these documents because they can increase the risk of identity theft. He said there were around 1.1 million reports of identity theft in the U.S. last year alone.

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Chillicothe paper mill will remain open through 2025

A lot of times people dont feel as though they would be the victim of it, but sometimes its just one document that goes off into the air or the trash or somebody going through trash finds that document that could lead them down the path of trying to assume your identity, Bell said.

Hundreds of cars gathered in Gahanna on Saturday morning to drop off boxes full of documents. The papers were shredded on-site in collaboration with CME Federal Credit Union, Royal Document Destruction and Moo Moo Car Wash. Each driver also made a donation to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers to help their work solving felony crimes.

We can continue doing crime prevention, education and then also pay our anonymous tipsters, Bell said.

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He said if you have any tips about local crime, give them a call at 614-461-8477.

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CHICAGO  Chicago police are searching for a man who allegedly robbed multiple Walgreens pharmacies on the Northwest Side.

Police said the robberies happened at the following times and locations:

2700 block of N California Ave on January 22, 2025 at 10:55pm (Logan Square)

5100 block of W Diversey Ave on January 23, 2025 at 10:20pm (Belmont Cragin)

1300 block of N Milwaukee Ave on February 10, 2025 at 06:40pm (West Town)

7100 block of N Foster Pl on February 20, 2025 at 08:51am (Big Oaks)

4000 block of W Irving Park Rd on February 24, 2025 at 12:57pm (Old Irving Park)

3100 block of W Irving Park Rd on February 24, 2025 at 07:52pm (Irving Park)

2700 block of N California Ave on March 03, 2025 at 07:06pm (Logan Square)

6800 block of W Belmont Ave on March 09, 2025 at 07:49pm (Montclare)

7100 block of W Foster Pl on March 12, 2025 at 01:59pm (Big Oaks)

4000 block of N Cicero Ave on March 25, 2025 at 04:55pm (Portage Park)

5100 block of W Diversey Ave on March 30, 2025 at 07:38am (Belmont Cragin)

2700 block of N California Ave on March 31, 2025 at 10:43pm (Logan Square)

4000 block of N Cicero Ave on April 11, 2025 at 10:50pm (Portage Park)

2700 block of N California Ave on April 16, 2025 at 10:03pm (Logan Square)

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In each incident, the suspect went inside the Walgreens, jumped over the service counter, filled a bag with cigarettes and left without paying for them. In some of the incidents, the suspect threatened and/or battered employees before running off, according to investigators.

Police said during one of the incidents, the suspect put his hand inside his hooded sweatshirt pocked and pointed an unknown object at the employees.

3 injured after gunfire erupts during argument outside West Side home

Investigators described the suspect as a man between 30-40 years of age who stands about 510- 62. The suspect often wears a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and drawn tight and sometimes wears a mask.

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In two incidents, the suspect was with another man and in one incident, a man and a woman were seen with the suspect. The suspect also drove off in a black Nissan sedan in one incident, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Area Five Detectives at 312-746-7394 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com and use reference #P25-5-014.

Additional tips from CPD:

Immediately report suspicious activity.

Be aware of this crime and alert nearby businesses.

Ensure that surveillance cameras are functional and recording.

Never pursue a fleeing assailant; provide the information to the police.

If approached by a witness to the incident, request their contact information.

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Months after satellites picked up a massive nuclear fusion facility in China's Sichuan province, the country's nuclear industry has blown the lid off fission tech.

During a private meeting earlier this month, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences revealed the successful operation of a thorium-powered nuclear reactor located in the Gobi Desert. The team had achieved "full-power operation" last June, according to South China Morning Post, and recently succeeded in reloading the reactor while it was powered up  a world first.

It's a major milestone for nuclear power. Thorium offers a more accessible but less weaponizable alternative to uranium, according to the World Nuclear Association, which notes that "thorium-based power reactor fuels would be a poor source for fissile material usable in the illicit manufacture of an explosive device."

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The Gobi Desert reactor is a two megawatt research unit engineered to use molten salt as fuel carrier and coolant. A molten salt reactor (MSR) theoretically carries far less risk in the event of a meltdown compared to water-based systems, as salts can carry greater loads of thermal energy at much lower pressure.

In fact, a "meltdown" is basically a non-factor for these systems  the fuel is already molten.

A report sponsored by the US government on MSRs notes that a "possible advantage of the MSR is that the fuel is subject to freezing," so "upon breach of a vessel or pipe... the fuel will disperse, and thus increase its cooling geometry, until it reaches a freezing configuration and thus will be confined to that location and configuration." Basically, imagine lava rolling slowly down a mountain as the air cools it back into rock, compared to a spectacular steam explosion like the incident at Chernobyl.

Curiously, MSRs are nothing new. They had their day in the US back in the late 1940s and early 50s, when American cold warriors dumped nearly $1 billion into developing a nuclear-powered stealth bomber. Congress halted research on thorium-fueled airplanes back in 1961, and uranium more or less became the gold standard, due in no small part to its military potential.

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Assumed obsolete, the US' MSR research has since been made public, forming the foundation of the Gobi Desert team's work.

"The US left its research publicly available, waiting for the right successor," said the project's chief scientist Xu Hongjie. "Rabbits sometimes make mistakes or grow lazy. Thats when the tortoise seizes its chance."

More on nuclear energy: California Nuclear Power Plant Deploys Generative AI Safety System
Forward guidance is what generally moves the financial markets. If the firm warns that there can be a possibility to see smaller profits, the stock tends to fall. This might happen across the market, but there is a silver lining. As per Morningstar chief research and investment officer Dan Kemp, it is important to note that most of the value lies in the future. Therefore, the impact on the companys real value is expected to be muted. According to him, widening of the gap between stock prices and future real values can be a very fertile soil for the market investors.

With the Q1 2025 earnings season underway, Morningstar informs that investors can expect more focus than usual on what companies want to say regarding their outlooks, while the uncertainty surrounding tariffs means offering weaker, less confident, or even no guidance. Tariffs can impact the corporate bottom lines in several ways, both directly and indirectly. Notably, the increased import costs put more pressure on the margins. While some firms can decide to alleviate the pressure by increasing the prices for customers, others can choose to absorb them, says the firm. Morningstar, while quoting FactSets consensus estimates, mentioned that analysts expect 6.8% earnings growth in Q1 for companies in the S&P 500 benchmark index. For the full year, analysts anticipate an 11.2% growth.

Goldman Sachs highlighted that equities around the world traded in and out of a bear market  which is often defined as a 20% decline from the recent peak. According to Peter Oppenheimer, chief global equity strategist at Goldman Sachs Research, the history of bear markets can provide some clues regarding the duration and severity of such downturns. U.S. stocks ended significantly higher after Trump announced his decision to put a 90-day pause on the additional country-specific portion of the reciprocal tariffs. That being said, Oppenheimer believes that a sustained rebound isnt yet in place. As per the strategist, the valuations are required to adjust further before equities can shift into the hope phase of the next cycle.

We recently published a list of 15 Best Large-Cap Value Stocks to Buy as the Recession Hits . In this article, we are going to take a look at where UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) stands against other best large-cap value stocks to buy as the recession hits.

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Christian Mueller-Glissmann, head of asset allocation research within portfolio strategy for Goldman Sachs Research, says that investors need to think about diversifying regionally and across styles. To be specific, this consists of low-volatility stocks, i.e., equities from more defensive sectors, that fluctuate less than the broader market.

Our Methodology

To list the 15 Best Large-Cap Value Stocks to Buy as the Recession Hits, we considered companies from the industries which are expected to be resilient in a recessionary environment, such as utilities, healthcare, and consumer. Next, we chose the stocks that trade at a forward P/E of less than ~20.0x. Finally, the stocks are arranged in ascending order of the hedge fund sentiments, as of Q4 2024.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

Is UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) the Best Large-Cap Value Stock to Buy as the Recession Hits?

A senior healthcare professional giving advice to a patient in a clinic.

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 150

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) operates as a healthcare company. Truist upped the price objective on the companys stock to $660 from $610, keeping a Buy rating as part of the broader research note previewing Q1 results in Healthcare Services. As per the firm, the sector seems to be relatively well-placed in a fluid environment considering the scaled, largely domestic, attractive FCF generating and defensive nature of the group. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)s diversified portfolio, which spans health insurance, pharmacy benefits management, and healthcare services, places it well for continued growth. Furthermore, the synergies between the segments enable cross-selling opportunities and integrated care delivery models.

Elsewhere, AM Best, a leading ratings agency, highlighted that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)s operating earnings benefit from a large scale, offering cost advantages for medical expenditures and administrative expenses. As per the firm, the companys strategic focus is on value-based care and reimbursement models to align provider and payor, which supports managing medical cost trends and improving outcomes for members. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)s large membership base results in significant economies of scale. Also, the integration of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) with its affiliate, Optum, provides the former with a competitive advantage by providing access to advanced capabilities for cost management, pharmacy and innovative technology, care delivery, and strong data analytics.

Baron Funds, an investment management company, released its Q4 2024 investor letter. Here is what the fund said:

Shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), the largest health care company by revenue, were volatile in the quarter. Quarterly medical cost trends ran higher than expected, the high end of quarterly guidance was cut, and the preliminary 2025 outlook missed consensus. The Republican November election sweep drove shares up, as Republicans have historically been more supportive of managed care, which bodes especially well for Medicare Advantage, the industrys main growth engine. In December, UnitedHealths CEO was shot and killed, and the subsequent outpouring of public anger over the managed care industrys history of claims denials sparked concern about the industrys ability to control health care spend. The specter of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) legislation was an additional pressure along with multiple press pieces questioning managed care practices and profit drivers. Longer term, we believe managed care will remain embedded in the U.S. health care system and UnitedHealth, as the largest, best managed, and most disciplined and forward-thinking company in the industry, will continue to grow.

Overall, UNH ranks 1st on our list of best large-cap value stocks to buy as the recession hits. While we acknowledge the potential of UNH as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. 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 a deeply undervalued AI stock that is more promising than UNH 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.
The News

While China has indicated its done hiking tariffs on US imports, at least for now, Beijings trade war strategy is evolving: In recent days, China has wielded non-tariff weapons to put pressure on the US economy  and American companies specifically.

China has sent back Boeing jets, restricted Hollywood imports, and suspended exports of a range of critical minerals used in manufacturing. That willingness signals how prepared Beijing feels to not only weather this storm, but also prevail in its influence over global trade, analysts argued.

And there are more tools in Beijings toolbox, should leader Xi Jinping choose to ratchet up the fight.

SIGNALS

Beijings strategy showcases a new form of retaliation

Sources: Bloomberg, The Washington Post, Financial Times

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The case of Boeing  the companys jets are being returned to the US after China reportedly told its airlines to halt deliveries  reflects how American manufacturing can become Beijings pawn. Americas aviation industry is in limbo, with some airline CEOs saying they would defer delivery of planes rather than pay duties, Reuters reported. Chinas critical minerals curbs, meanwhile, could hurt US automakers and medical tech manufacturers; production could halt within months if stockpiles run out, the Financial Times reported. Its a form of retaliation where the Chinese government can say OK, were not going to go tit-for-tat any more on the tariff rate but we will incentivise companies to plead with your own home governments to change tariff policy, one senior auto executive said.

Trump brought a tariff to a gunfight

Sources: Nicholas Kristof, The Atlantic

After being caught off-guard by US President Donald Trumps trade war in 2018, Beijing has shown more preparedness this time, hitting Washington where it hurts and indicating a greater tolerance for pain, several analysts argued. Trump could become desperate to end the trade conflict, The New York Times Nicholas Kristof wrote, arguing that given Beijings use of non-tariff, targeted measures against the US, Trump is taking a tariff to a gunfight. China can still inflict more damage on US firms, by restricting high-profile companies like Tesla from doing business, for example: Given Beijings capacity for escalation, it seems increasingly likely that Trump will eventually be forced to back down, The Atlantic wrote.

Chinese firms pivot to weather trade war storm

Sources: Financial Times, Peking Ensight

While targeting US firms, Beijing is also moving to insulate its beleaguered domestic economy. Acting under government influence, several Chinese e-commerce giants including Alibaba and JD.com have launched a national campaign to help the countrys exporters switch to domestic sales. Part of the motivation is in nationalism: A sense of anti-US unity has prompted each Chinese company to do whatever it is capable of, a Beijing-based e-commerce consultant told the Financial Times. But it also fits with Beijings broader effort to boost consumption and demand at home after years of sluggish growth, and the firms pivot aligns with this ambition, China economic newsletter Peking Ensight noted. Still, some firms that cater to foreign customers could struggle to serve a domestic consumer base that remains wary of spending money.
China's imports of Russian coal in March rose by 6% year-on-year after falling over the previous year, data from Beijing's General Administration of Customs showed on April 20.

China had been decreasing coal imports from Russia despite a steady growth in domestic demand, turning instead to Australian and Mongolian suppliers, it was reported in January.

Russias coal exports to China were reported to have dropped by almost 7% in 2024 compared to 2023.

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The development was another blow to the Russian coal industry, which was already facing multibillion-dollar losses and mass bankruptcies.

But the latest data showed March imports were up 6% year-on-year to 7.33 million metric tons.

Warnings that Russias coal industry was beginning to nosedive appeared in the second half of 2024, when AC TEK, a Russian state analytical center under the Energy Ministry, published a dire assessment.

Western sanctions, insufficient transport infrastructure to the east, and Chinese tariffs levied on Russian coal were contributing to the industry's setback.

Kemerovo Oblast, or Kuzbass, which accounts for 60% of Russia's hard coal production and 80% of its coking coal, was hit the hardest.

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Financial troubles have forced eight coal companies in the region to halt operations, leaving hundreds of miners without pay for months, according to Kemerovo Governor Ilya Seredyuk said at the time.

"Falling prices on world markets, problems with logistics, a shortage of personnel, and a high key rate  along with Western sanctions  have created a serious challenge for the coal industry," Seredyuk said.

Despite growing economic ties between Moscow and Beijing, Western sanctions have presented an increasingly serious obstacle to Russian-Chinese trade relations.

Read also: More traitors in Russia  Ukrainian intel officer shares secrets of recent deep-strike drone successes

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
By Lewis Jackson

(Reuters) -China's ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, has urged Washington to seek common ground with Beijing and pursue peaceful coexistence while warning that China stood ready to retaliate in the escalating trade war.

Speaking at a public event in Washington on Saturday, details of which were posted on the Chinese embassy's web site, Xie said tariffs would devastate the global economy and drew a parallel between the Great Depression and tariffs imposed by the U.S. in 1930.

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Referring to concepts in traditional Chinese medicine like the need to balance the opposing forces of yin and yang, Xie said harmony should guide relations between the worlds two largest economies.

"A good traditional Chinese medicine recipe usually combines many different ingredients which reinforce one another and creates the best medical effect," he said.

"Likewise, the earth is big enough to accommodate both China and the U.S.," he said. "We should pursue peaceful coexistence rather than collide head-on, and help each other succeed rather than get caught in a lose-lose scenario."

The trade war has all but frozen the mammoth trade between the world's two largest economies with tariffs over 100% in each direction and a suite of trade, investment and cultural restrictions.

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China's top shipbuilding association on Saturday attacked a U.S. plan to apply port fees on China-linked ships.

While Japan, Taiwan and others are already in talks or preparing to negotiate with Washington over President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, there is currently no high-level dialogue planned with China.

Trump said on Friday the U.S. is having good conversations privately with China amid the two countries' trade war.

"By the way, we have nice conversations going with China," he told reporters at the White House. "It's, like, really very good." He did not offer additional details.

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China has said the U.S. should show respect before any talks can take place.

Xie said China opposed the trade war and would retaliate to any country imposing tariffs on it.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
It was 1919 and George and Minnie Kinney, along with their 12-year-old son Richard, were new arrivals to Detroit from Georgia as part of the Great Migration.

For Black families establishing roots in Detroit heading into the 1920s  a period when the citys Black population would quadruple from about 41,000 residents to roughly 150,000 by 1930  finding a space to bond with fellow community members spiritually and emotionally to foster a sense of shared purpose often was just as important as securing employment.

The Kinneys would soon find such a space, at Plymouth Congregational Church. The church's Detroit history goes back to May 4, 1919, when nine former Alabama Congregationalists, led by Edward M. Dole, met in the home of Mrs. Carrie L. Thompson, at 620 Melbourne St., to begin the organization of the first Black Congregational church in Michigan.

Marian Kinney Stephens, 90, of Detroit, shares a hymn during Gospel choir practice at Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Today, the Kinney family still is proudly represented at what is now Plymouth United Church of Christ, whose current membership includes 90-year-old Marian Kinney Stephens, who says her church addresses the same fundamental community needs that it did more than 100 years ago when her grandparents and father joined.

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We use our church as a way of gathering and being with other people, leading to relationships that are lasting, Stephens, who has been a member of Plymouth her entire life, explained. You begin to feel like its your family, which is so important with the number of displaced people we have in the world right now.

As Stephens spoke on three consecutive days beginning April 15, she was looking forward to coming together with her "Plymouth family," at 600 E. Warren  Plymouths home since March 24, 1974  for a special Easter Sunday service. And while Stephens will no doubt have many stories to share about Easters past celebrated at Plymouth, most of her storytelling will have to wait until she carries out an important mission as a member of a Mass Choir that will be performing during Plymouths 9:30 a.m. Resurrection Sunday Worship Service presided over by the Rev. Nicholas Hood III.

More from Scott Talley: New Tigers season helps a son celebrate a mom who loved the team like she loved Detroit

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Resurrection Sunday, or Easter Sunday, is one of the biggest and most important holidays in the Christian church, celebrated with solemn reverence; in some cases, praiseworthy pageantry; and typically, in high fashion, especially in Black churches where the holiday takes the phrase "Sunday best" to a whole other level. And then, of course, there's the music.

You always look forward to seeing all the people dressed in their finery, said Stephens, a product of Cass Technical High School (Class of 1952) and Wayne State University, whose illustrious career as an educator and artist has included being named High School Art Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Art Education Association when she was a teacher at Cass Tech. But singing on Easter is more than singing to entertain. Were singing to help our people gain more religious strength. Its food for the soul and we all need that.

On the evening of April 15, shortly before 6 p.m., Stephens settled into a seat in the first row of a cozy section of Plymouths sanctuary near a piano. Stephens and her fellow choir members that sat alongside her appeared to be cool, calm and collected just minutes before a scheduled rehearsal was about to begin. However, one Plymouth choir member seated near her pointed out afterward that looks can be deceiving, especially when an Easter performance is nearing.

The Gospel and Renaissance choir practices songs for Easter Sunday at Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Im a little nervous because Im still not as familiar with some of the music that we will be performing as a mass choir that I would like to be, but God always makes it work, 78-year-old Brenda Jett, a 1964 Cass Tech graduate who was christened at Plymouth in 1947, said. And I just love being a choir member (since 1980) at Plymouth. I got my love of music from them.

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Jett, who normally sings soprano with Plymouths Renaissance Choir  known for its stirring renditions of praise songs in the tradition of spirituals and anthems  has followed in the footsteps of her mother, Margaret Turner Thornton, as a renowned soloist at Plymouth. Jett says her preparation for the Easter performance also provided an opportunity to reflect on the ways Plymouth choirs have impacted Detroiters outside of the church through the years: This includes a long-standing relationship that has taken some choir members across town on certain Sundays.

We had a nursing home ministry, and every fourth Sunday we were on West Outer Drive (at the Hartford Nursing & Rehabilitation Center). It was my favorite Sunday of the month. recalled Jett, a retired Detroit educator who taught English at Western High School and was an English teacher, librarian and English Department head at Chadsey High School. Margaret Lockard was in charge of our nursing home ministry all the way up until the time she passed away at 85. And we would have a complete service with music and a homily. We even had a printed bulletin. It definitely contributed to my spiritual growth because it was more than singing; I also was doing prayers. So, it made a big difference in my life, like the entire choir experience, its been life-altering for me.

Like Jett, Cassandra Rimpson, a pioneering member of Plymouths Gospel Choir, explained that preparing to sing with the Mass Choir on Easter requires some additional study and other adjustments here and there. But the 72-year-old, lifelong Plymouth member says the space she will be occupying on Easter, along with the people that will be around her, made all of the extra effort more than worthwhile.

Theres nothing like being in the House of the Lord, and our church is a family, stated Rimpson, a 1970 graduate of Mackenzie High School who is now retired after a long career in the financial services and real estate services industries. As a choir member you feel so bad if you have to miss even one rehearsal because of the love we share for each other.

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The smile worn on the face of Joseph Hurst as he played the piano and exuded positive energy and support throughout the April 15 rehearsal seemed to indicate that he has already come to love being the music director at Plymouth since assuming the position in February 2024. The lifelong Detroiter also seemed to have no doubt that members representing an array of Plymouth choirs  Renaissance, Gospel, Mens Chorus and Water  will not have a problem presenting an uplifting musical program that celebrates and reflects what Jesus did for us, perhaps because of his unshakable belief in a Higher Power.

I try my best to allow the Spirit to lead us to where we need to go, explained the Osborn High School graduate (Class of 1990), who has already spent 30 of his 52 years of living as a minister of music for various Detroit institutions and organizations.

Director of Music Joseph Hurst, 52, of Detroit, leads practice for the choir in preparation for Easter Sunday at Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

While further explaining how he was preparing for the Easter choir performance, during the afternoon of April 16, Hurst also expressed his gratitude for the ongoing feedback he receives from Rev. Hood and others that are responsible for maintaining the high standard of music performed at the church, including Kyle Rushing and Damon DeBose, who direct the Gospel and Renaissance Choirs, respectively.

For DeBose, the Easter service and his continued work with the Renaissance Choir presents an opportunity to build on the rich musical tradition at Plymouth, which is part of an even larger legacy that covers the entire city of Detroit.

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Its an honor to be able to put my influence and fingerprints on so much history and tradition, DeBose, a 1993 graduate of Renaissance High School, who also directs United Voices of Detroit, said. And its also extra special to be a part of all the music that will be performed in Detroit on Resurrection Sunday. There will be all-star performances in churches throughout the city.

Gloria Cooley, a choir member at Plymouth since the early 1970s, knows all about Plymouths rich musical history. But when she discussed her feelings leading up to the Easter service, she spoke mainly about doing what comes natural to her and keeping a promise that Cooley made to a man who is special to the entire Plymouth family.

When I first started singing in the choir, Rev. Nicholas Hood II (June 21, 1923-April 10, 2016; Minister Emeritus of Plymouth United Church of Christ) said, I like your voice, " Cooley recalled about an unforgettable interaction she had with a gentleman who also served Detroit as a city councilman and his nation as a longtime civil rights activist. Then he said, Do me a favor, I want you to always sing in the choir. And thats what I have done and I have always looked forward to doing it.

Music is just so much a part of me, like breathing.

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Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the citys neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at stalley@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @STalleyfreep. Read more of Scott's stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Rich musical tradition continues on Easter at historic Detroit church
Former MSNBC host Chris Matthews compared President Donald Trumps forced removal of a Maryland dad to Adolf Hitlers treatment of minorities and political opponents under the Third Reich.

What did Hitler do in the Holocaust? He took people from Germany to other countries where there was no German law, Matthews said during a Friday appearance on former CNN anchor Jim Acostas podcast, The Jim Acosta Show.

Matthews was referring to the mounting scandal surrounding the Trump administrations forced removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old father who lives in Maryland, to El Salvador in March. The administration admitted that it had deported the man, who is currently being held in El Salvadors CERCOT megaprison, because of an administrative error but has defied the Supreme Courts orders to facilitate his return.

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There was not even a pretense of German law, Matthews went on before Acosta interrupted him, comparing the CECOT megaprison to the notorious gulag work camps Stalin used during the Soviet era to punish dissidents.

Despite its admission that Abrego Garcia was by mistake, the Trump administration has continued to claim he is a member of the notorious MS-13 street ganga claim Abrego Garcias wife and lawyers have steadfastly denied. Trumps staff insists that El Salvadoran authorities have shown little willingness to give up custody of the Maryland resident, which means their hands are tied.

Matthews said that if he were still working at MSNBC, he would ask both the American and El Salvadoran presidents about returning Abrego Garcia to his family in Maryland, then compare their responses to see if there have, in fact, been any discussions on the matter at all.

Acosta reflected that the goal of the entire affair appears to be inflicting as much cruelty as possible on Abrego Garcia to deter others from considering emigrating to the United States.

Its because he wants to humiliate people, Matthews agreed. Its schoolyard stuff, its so close to schoolyard stuff.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Sunday is Easter, and a special occurrence happened this year all Christians got to celebrate on the same day.

To mark this moment, Bishop William Byrne held an annual Easter Mass at Saint Michaels Cathedral in Springfield. Many families and friends gathered at the cathedral to pray, listen to the voices of the choir, and hear the words of Bishop Byrne. For some, it was their first time, while for others, it has become a tradition.

Forest Park Zoo hosts annual Eggs-travaganza!

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Weve always come with our grandparents, my mother, and my uncles, my aunts, said Talia Sintron. Easter is a nice time to come together as a family.

Easter is the day Christians honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection takes place three days after Jesuss death on Good Friday. Its one holiday that brings many Christians to church following the 40 days of Lent, which includes prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

I prayed on wealth, I prayed on happiness, a future again for my daughter, Sintron said. We gave up a bunch of stuff this year, and I do feel closer to our Lord.

In most years, Orthodox Christians would celebrate Easter on a different date than Catholics and Protestants, because their churches use different calendars. However, this years date coincides with all calendars.

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While religious services are a very important part of the day for many Christians to reflect, Bishop Byrne made it even more special with a message about compassion.

We need to hear the message of kindness and love, Bishop Byrne said. We read in the paper and hear about just people not getting along and not being nice to each other.

This is a message the bishop says will never get old.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Antique pipe organs can still be found  and heard  in a few area churches.

Cincinnati master organ builders Johann Heinrich Koehnken and Gallus Grimm cornered the local market from about 1860 to 1896. They made just about every organ for Catholic churches in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, as well as one prominent synagogue  Plum Street Temple  which still has one of the few original Koehnken & Co. instruments in the area.

Here are a few notable church organs from the 19th century still around.

Plum Street Temple organ  1866

One of the finest examples of a Koehnken pipe organ is found in the Isaac M. Wise Temple, also known as Plum Street Temple, Downtown, built at the request of Rabbi Wise for the Byzantine-Moorish-styled temple in 1866. Organs were not typically used in synagogues, but Wise felt organ music should be a key part of Reform Judaism worship.

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Built by Koehnken shortly after he took over the business from master organ maker Matthias Schwab, it cost $9,000 at the time (about $180,000 today). The organ stopped working about 1993 due to age, but in 2005 it was carefully restored by organ maker Fritz Noack at a cost of $385,000, paid for by the Rockwern Foundation.

The Koehnken organ in Plum Street Temple, installed in 1866, underwent major renovation in 2005.

Holy Family organ  1889

Holy Family Catholic Church in East Price Hill has a Koehnken and Grimm organ thats older than the church. The organ was built in 1888 for Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Sedamsville. After a century, the small parish merged with Holy Family in 1989, and the antique organ was relocated to the Price Hill church, built in 1916. The church raised funds for much-needed repairs on the historic organ in 2019.

Mother of God Church organ  1876

The Covington Diocese also enlisted Koehnken and Grimm to make the organs for its churches. Mother of God Church, a Covington landmark on Sixth Street, features an 1876 pipe organ installed in the choir loft.

Holy Cross-Immaculata Church organ  1895

The organ inside Holy Cross-Immaculata Church in Mount Adams is one of the last built by Koehnken and Grimm. It had been installed in Holy Cross Monastery when the church was completed in 1895. A few years after the church closed in 1970, it was moved to the nearby Immaculate Conception, whose organ had fallen into disrepair. The restored organ was dedicated in 1973 and is still played today.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Classic organs in Cincinnati-area churches
HOLLYWOOD, Ca. (WSAV)  According to Variety, Amazon has canceled Clean Slate, the comedy series shot in and around Savannah.

Starring Laverne Cox and George Wallace, the show followed Harry Slate (Wallace), an old-school and outspoken Alabama car wash owner, who has a lot of soul searching to do when the estranged child he thought was a son returns home to Mobile as a proud, trans woman, Desiree (Cox).

Clean Slate was one of the last productions to be shot on location in the Coastal Empire. It was the last completed series produced by Hollywood legend Norman Lear before his death in 2023.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
Partner pools are shrinking at the Big Four, making it harder to reach the coveted position. Tim Robberts/Getty Images

Many consultants and accountants strive to become a partner at one of the Big Four firms.

BI asked executive recruiters and a former PwC partner for their tips for making it to the top rank.

Their advice includes developing a commercial mindset, being a team player, and learning to navigate internal politics.

Making it to partner at one of the Big Four professional services firms  Deloitte, EY, PwC, and KPMG  is the pinnacle of success for many consultants and accountants.

Partners are the firms' most senior employees. Those who hold equity in the business traditionally get a vote in strategic matters and a share of annual profits. That meant each of Deloitte's equity partners in the UK received the equivalent of $1.3 million last year.

Becoming a partner is notoriously difficult, and is only getting more competitive as structural shake-ups and slowing growth have reduced partner numbers and annual payouts.

Business Insider asked two recruiters who place partners at the Big Four firms and a former PwC partner who recently left the firm for the advice they'd give early-career employees who want the coveted role.

Networking

James O'Dowd, founder of the global executive recruiter Patrick Morgan, which specializes in senior partner hiring and industry analysis, told BI that two key traits were needed to become a Big Four partner: a "commercial nature" and an understanding of "the politics within the business."

"A lot of your success is about the support and encouragement you get from senior individuals and the individuals around you as much as it is your competence," he said.

You can be technically good, but unless you invest time building those internal networks, you won't progress as quickly, O'Dowd said.

Mohamed Kande, who made it all the way to become PwC's global chairman last year, wrote in a 2021 LinkedIn post that several executives in the firm helped him "learn the many areas of our business" and "helped me grow and provided me with tremendous opportunities to advance my career."

PwC global chairman Mohamed Kande has said sponsorship from executives in the firm helped his career. Europa Press News via Getty Images

As a junior, you should start putting your hand up to do the tasks other people don't want to do, said O'Dowd. Over your career, that will build you a reputation as someone who can get stuff done, he added.

Paul Webster is a former EY employee who's now a managing partner at Page Executive, a senior talent recruitment firm. He said there was no doubt that networking was a necessary skill at the Big Four.

Webster, who has worked in the advisory world for the past 20 years, advised employees to start incorporating more networking and client events into their schedules, and "be good at schmoozing."
Former President Bill Clinton offers a message of unity and praises the "Oklahoma Standard" at a remembrance ceremony Saturday, April 19, 2025, on the 30th anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  On the 30th anniversary of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, former President Bill Clinton said Americans must unite despite their differences, and that Oklahomans can help lead the way by serving as that role model for the rest of the nation.

Clinton, who was president at the time of the attack, returned to the site of the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing Saturday to deliver the keynote address to a crowd of over 1,600 that attended to remember and honor those who died and were injured in the attack.

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While the event is typically held outdoors at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, the site of the bombing, it was moved indoors due to inclement weather. The crowd that arrived to commemorate the anniversary was so large that once the pews were packed, people stood along the walls and filled an overflow room.

People attend a remembrance ceremony Saturday, April 19, 2025, on the 30th anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

The domestic terrorists who did this awful thing believed that it would spark a nationwide upheaval against the American government, and would eventually destroy our government, our democracy and our life, Clinton said. Instead, you gave them, as the mayor said so eloquently, the Oklahoma Standard. You gave them service, honor and kindness.

Clinton, a Democrat, came to Oklahoma City days after the 1995 attack to address a devastated crowd assembled at the Oklahoma State Fair Arena. He said hes returned to Oklahoma City in subsequent years to commemorate the event.

Three decades later, Clinton said that the country has again grown more polarized. When Oklahoma City was the center of polarization 30 years ago, it chose to move forward together, he said.

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America needs you, and America needs the Oklahoma Standard, Clinton said. And if we all live by it, we would get a fairer economy, a more stable society. We would understand one another, and we wouldnt feel weak if we admitted we were wrong about something.

Thirty years ago, a fertilizer and fuel oil bomb placed inside a Ryder truck outside the Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City exploded at 9:02 a.m., killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring around 850.

Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were arrested for their roles. Both were found guilty. McVeigh was executed June 11, 2001, by lethal injection at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Nichols was sentenced to life in prison.

Gov. Kevin Stitt attends a remembrance ceremony Saturday, April 19, 2025, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

Michael Fortier was sentenced to 12 years in prison for failing to report his knowledge of the bombing plot.

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Investigators said McVeigh held extremist views and planned the bombing on the anniversary of the end of the Waco siege between law enforcement and the Branch Davidians.

Other speakers at Saturdays remembrance event included prominent Republican officials such as Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, former Gov. Frank Keating, and U.S. Sen. James Lankford. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt also spoke. Most of Oklahomas Congressional delegation was present, as were a few other former governors, current state lawmakers and other officials.

There have been nearly 11,000 tomorrows since the bombing and in Oklahoma City, Holt said, and the city has grown in that time. He said 30 years since the bombing signifies a generation.

While younger Oklahomans may not remember the bombing, Stitt said, they live in a state shaped by it and the commitment to service, honor and kindness that followed.

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Lankford said Oklahomans need to ensure the lessons learned from the bombing and its aftermath are passed to future generations to ensure there is no generation that rises up that does not remember.

The Federal Building housed federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the agency that initially launched the Waco raid. But the building also held a day care, military recruitment offices and other various federal agencies.

A child reads about the Murrah Building bombing. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

Family members of victims read the 168 names to the crowd Saturday in an effort to humanize the people, said Kari Watkins, president and CEO of the memorial museum.

The building was imploded after the rescue operations and evidence collections were completed. A new federal building was built nearby.

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The memorial was built where the old federal building once stood. The 168 chairs erected at the site each represent an empty seat at the dinner table. The smaller chairs represent the children who died. A reflecting pool represents the time between 9:01 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. April 19, 1995. Officials were able to preserve an American elm tree that survived the blast. It is known as the Survivor Tree.

In the aftermath of the attack, the state became known for the Oklahoma Standard, a term used to describe the selfless actions of thousands who offered help.

Reporter Barbara Hoberock contributed to this story.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com.

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Former President Bill Clinton offers a message of unity and praises the "Oklahoma Standard" at a remembrance ceremony Saturday on the 30th anniversary of the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY  On the 30th anniversary of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history, former President Bill Clinton said Americans must unite despite their differences, and that Oklahomans can help lead the way by serving as that role model for the rest of the nation.

Clinton, who was president at the time of the attack, returned to the site of the 1995 Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing Saturday to deliver the keynote address to a crowd of more than 1,600 who attended to remember and honor those who died and were injured in the attack.

Advertisement Advertisement

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While the event is typically held outdoors at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, the site of the bombing, it was moved indoors due to inclement weather. The crowd that arrived to commemorate the anniversary was so large that once the pews were packed, people stood along the walls and filled an overflow room.

The domestic terrorists who did this awful thing believed that it would spark a nationwide upheaval against the American government, and would eventually destroy our government, our democracy and our life, Clinton said. Instead, you gave them, as the mayor said so eloquently, the Oklahoma Standard. You gave them service, honor, and kindness.

Clinton, a Democrat, came to Oklahoma City days after the 1995 attack to address a devastated crowd assembled at the Oklahoma State Fair Arena. He said hes returned to Oklahoma City in subsequent years to commemorate the event.

Three decades later, Clinton said that the country has again grown more polarized. When Oklahoma City was the center of polarization 30 years ago, it chose to move forward together, he said.

Advertisement Advertisement

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America needs you, and America needs the Oklahoma Standard, Clinton said. And if we all live by it, we would get a fairer economy, a more stable society. We would understand one another, and we wouldnt feel weak if we admitted we were wrong about something.

Thirty years ago, a fertilizer and fuel oil bomb placed inside a Ryder truck outside the Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City exploded at 9:02 a.m., killing 168 people, including 19 children, and injuring around 850.

Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were arrested for their roles. Both were found guilty. McVeigh was executed June 11, 2001, by lethal injection at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. Nichols was sentenced to life in prison.

Michael Fortier was sentenced to 12 years in prison for failing to report his knowledge of the bombing plot.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Investigators said McVeigh held extremist views and planned the bombing on the anniversary of the end of the Waco siege between law enforcement and the Branch Davidians.

Other speakers at Saturdays remembrance event included prominent Republican officials such as Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, former Gov. Frank Keating, and U.S. Sen. James Lankford. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt also spoke. Most of Oklahomas Congressional delegation was present, as were a few other former governors, sitting state lawmakers, and other officials.

11,000 tomorrows

There have been nearly 11,000 tomorrows since the bombing and in Oklahoma City, Holt said, and the city has grown in that time. He said 30 years since the bombing signifies a generation.

While younger Oklahomans may not remember the bombing, Stitt said, they live in a state shaped by it and the commitment to service, honor, and kindness that followed.

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Lankford said Oklahomans need to ensure the lessons learned from the bombing and its aftermath are passed to future generations to ensure there is no generation that rises up that does not remember.

The Federal Building housed federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the agency that initially launched the Waco raid. But the building also held a day care, military recruitment offices, and other various federal agencies.

Family members of victims read the 168 names to the crowd Saturday in an effort to humanize the people, said Kari Watkins, president and CEO of the memorial museum.

The building was imploded after the rescue operations and evidence collections were completed. A new federal building was built nearby.

Advertisement Advertisement

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The memorial was built where the old federal building once stood. The 168 chairs erected at the site each represent an empty seat at the dinner table. The smaller chairs represent the children who died. A reflecting pool represents the time between 9:01 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. April 19, 1995. Officials were able to preserve an American elm tree that survived the blast. It is known as the Survivor Tree.

In the aftermath of the attack, the state became known for the Oklahoma Standard, a term used to describe the selfless actions of thousands who offered help.

This article first appeared in the Oklahoma Voice, a member with the Phoenix in the nonprofit States Newsroom network. Reporter Barbara Hoberock contributed to this story.

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At a solemn memorial to mark the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, Bill Clinton decided to lighten the mood with a crack at Donald Trumpbefore delivering a pointed critique of modern political division.

Im old and I cant run for anything anymore, the 78-year-old former president told the crowd in downtown Oklahoma City on Saturday. Im almost as old as President Trump!

The quip drew laughter from the crowd, but Clinton quickly pivoted to more serious matters, urging Americans to abandon grievance politics and embrace the so-called Oklahoma Standarda post-tragedy display of kindness, respect, and unity.

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Everybody is arguing about whose resentments matter most, he said. If our lives are going to be dominated by the effort to dominate people we disagree with, were going to put the 250-year march toward a more perfect union at risk.

Clinton was in office during the 1995 domestic terror attack, in which anti-government extremists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols parked a truck filled with explosives outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was home to the Americas Kids Day Care Center. It detonated at 9 a.m. as employees were starting their day, killing 168 people, including 19 children.

The nations eyes were there. The nations heart was broken there, Clinton said in a separate reflection posted by the Clinton Foundation.

The speech was delivered at First Church, with the victims names read aloud and survivors in attendance. Clintons warning about the dangers of political polarization is hard to miss when confronted with the rubble of the Murrah building.

And yes, in case youre wondering, Clinton is in fact younger than Trump. Despite public perception skewing the other way, Trump was born on June 14, 1946, while Clinton was born on Aug. 19 of the same year, making the current president his senior by about two months.
Your morning cup of joe is probably an indelible part of your routine. It is something that you do not even think about; you just make it. You get up, turn on your coffee maker, let it do its thing, pour a cup, and go about your day, sipping at that sweet bean water. If you do not give your daily caffeine fix a second thought, though, you might just start to once you realize how often coffee is recalled and the many, scary, varied reasons why it is recalled.

No coffee is safe. Whether it is a packaged, ready-to-drink coffee-based beverage, or coffee grounds or beans, coffee has been recalled many, many times over the last decade or so, for frightening reasons such as foreign objects being found in the bottles, coffee containing potentially deadly bacteria, and even coffee containing risky, drug-related substances. Save yourself from injury or worse by paying attention to recalls as they show up in the news, but also apprise yourself of the various risks that exist, by checking out these major coffee recalls that affected millions in recent history.

Read more: 7 Must-Buy Aldi Items For First-Time Customers

Our Family's Coffee Recalled Due To Incorrect Labeling (2025)

Bag of Our Family Traverse City coffee - Our Family Foods

In March 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall for Our Family Traverse City Cherry Artificially Flavored Decaf Light Roast Ground Coffee. Turns out, the coffee grounds in each 12-ounce bag were not actually decaffeinated. While this may not seem like a big deal to some, the FDA classified the recall as a Class II recall. This classification means that the organization deems a product possible of causing temporary or reversible health issues, if not necessarily death. In this instance, the risk particularly applies to those who are more sensitive to caffeine, such as young adults or pregnant individuals, or those who may not need to drink caffeine due to potential interactions with other substances in their systems, such as alcohol, ephedrine, theophylline, or echinacea. If at-risk individuals drink caffeinated coffee or too much caffeine, it can cause adverse health effects and increase risk of issues such as heart attack, stroke, or seizure.

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At the time of the recall, the product was still on store shelves in 15 different states  including Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. There were more than 4,000 bags of the mislabeled coffee in circulation.

Snapchill Coffee Recalled Due To Botulism (2024)

Selection of cans of Snapchill coffee - Snapchill / Facebook

In 2024, Snapchill issued a huge recall impacting more than 250 canned coffee products being sold under a wide range of brand names. The products had been distributed all over the country. The reason? It was discovered that the manufacturer's canning processes could potentially lead to the growth and production of deadly toxins that can cause botulism in unlucky consumers.

Botulism is certainly nothing you want to mess around with, either. This rare but serious form of food poisoning does not just cause a few days of gastrointestinal distress, like you might expect with some varieties of food poisoning. Instead, the toxin heads for your nervous system, causing symptoms that go above and beyond gastrointestinal distress to include muscle weakness, vision issues, slurred speech, and eventually trouble moving the muscles in your face and then chest, meaning you will not be able to breathe, leading to death. Botulism can be treated with an antitoxin, but the antitoxin cannot reverse damage already caused by botulism and immediate treatment is necessary. At the time that the recall was issued, thankfully, no consumers had reported any ill effects.

Frappuccinos Recalled Due To Foreign Objects (2023)

Starbucks Frappuccino bottles on shelf - Anatoliy Tesouro/Shutterstock

No one wants to be drinking a smooth, creamy bottle of Starbucks Frappuccino, only to find that there is something, well, crunchy, in their beverage. It is even worse if that foreign object is glass. That was the concern when Starbucks recalled 25,200 cases of vanilla Frappuccino in 2023 (at 12 bottles per case, that is more than 300,000 bottles of Frappuccino). These products were not being sold in Starbucks stores, but at nationwide retailers including Walmart (which has seen its own fair share of recalls), Safeway, and Target.

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When analyzing the risk that this recall posed, the FDA gave the recall a Class II classification, meaning that temporary or reversible health issues could result from drinking the coffee  but we would have to argue that drinking a coffee full of broken glass could probably be considered a little more serious a risk than that. Unfortunately, this would not be the only recall that Starbucks issued for its bottled coffee beverages during this time period, with several other recalls occurring between 2020 and 2023.

Starbucks Triple Shot Beverages Recalled Due To Metal Fragments (2022)

Starbucks Triple Shot beverages on shelf - ZikG/Shutterstock

The year before Starbucks worried consumers might find glass shards in its Frappuccinos, the brand was concerned shoppers could discover metal fragments in their Vanilla Espresso Triple Shot canned beverages. This time, though, the number of impacted beverages was at least smaller. The affected refrigerated canned drinks had been distributed to stores in seven states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas, and approximately 221 cases were impacted, for a total of about 2,600 cans. Again, though, the FDA ranked this recall only as a Class II recall, even though drinking a beverage with metal shards sounds like something that could definitely cause some serious damage.

It is unfortunately not uncommon for foreign objects like glass, metal, or plastic to make their way into food items, resulting in recalls. And it is not just materials like these that you would expect to see in a manufacturing plant that end up in your food. In past recalls, other foreign materials that have wound up in food items have included insects and even rocks.

Stumptown Coffee Recalled Due To Microbial Contamination (2022)

Stumptown coffee bags on shelf - Smith Collection/gado/Getty Images

In 2022, Stumptown Coffee Roasters recalled a variety of ready-to-drink coffee beverages due to microbial contamination. Typically, when a food recall is related to some sort of microbial contamination, the root cause is a bacteria like salmonella, e. coli, or listeria. In this instance, though, the contaminant was a lesser-known culprit: Cronobacter sakazakii.

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So what exactly is it? This is a pretty common germ that you can find in your own kitchen or living room, but, under the right circumstances, it can be risky. It is particularly a hazard to young children and those with weakened immune systems and, under worst circumstances, it can cause sepsis or meningitis, and then death. The bacteria thrives in low-moisture, dry foods.

At the time of recall, Stumptown Coffee Roasters clarified that the brand was not the only one to suffer from this contamination. The brand's packager, Lyons Magnus, was supposedly the root of the issue, and the overall Lyons Magnus recall impacted a large number of ready-to-drink beverages from other brands as well, including Ensure, PediaSure, Oatly products, and more.

Starbucks DoubleShot Espresso Drinks Recalled Due To Inadequate Sealing (2021)

Hand holding Starbucks Doubleshot drink - Rofidd/Shutterstock

Another instance of Starbucks needing to recall one of its ready-to-drink, sold-in-stores beverages, in 2021, the brand issued a recall of its Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso canned beverages. The recall impacted three flavors and more than 250,000 cases of the drinks. This time, the issue was not foreign objects potentially lurking inside the can. Instead, there was a problem with the canning process, leading to inadequate sealing. Due to the inadequate seals, it was theorized that the milk in the drinks would spoil faster than anticipated, meaning consumers could not trust the best-by dates on the cans.

While drinking a little spoiled milk may not kill you, it is definitely not going to be a fun time if you drink enough to experience gastrointestinal stress. While spoiled milk is often easily identifiable by its off-putting smell, the recalled espresso beverages' strong flavorings  including Espresso & Cream, Espresso & Light Cream, and Espresso & Salted Caramel Cream  could have very well masked this tell-tale aroma.

Dash Xclusive Recalls Products Containing Controlled Substances (2021)

Box of Vitaccino coffee - FDArecalls / X, formerly known as Twitter

You may not be all that familiar with Dash Xclusive's Imperia Elita Vitaccino Coffee, but the widely distributed product, sold nationwide online, including via Ebay, was thoroughly and entirely recalled  yes, that is all lots, every product sold  in 2021. The FDA found that the product, which was sold as a performance coffee-based beverage, contained several undeclared, controlled substances, including sibutramine and fluoxetine, more commonly known as Meridia and Prozac, an SNRI and SSRI.

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While you likely know the latter as a common antidepressant, the former is an appetite depressant that was removed from the market in 2010, due to the cardiovascular risks that the drug posed. Obviously, consumers taking any pharmaceutical without their explicit knowledge is a bad thing, and you are unlikely to expect something like Prozac in your morning coffee, even if it is sold as a performance-enhancing drink.

Meanwhile, the coffee itself did not list either of these substances in its ingredients list, instead naming the following: hunger-obliviongrass, Griffonia simplicifolia, immature orange extract, instant African coffee MoyoJava, sugar, maltose, laktose, and fructose. Note that there is no such thing as "hunger-obligiongrass."

Blue Bottle Coffee Recalls Injury-Causing Cans (2019)

Hand holding Blue Bottle Coffee can - Smith Collection/gado/Getty Images

When we think of food-related recalls, we often think that the product probably is not going to harm us unless we actually eat it  but that is not the case with this recall. In 2019, Blue Bottle Coffee issued a recall for all cans of its coffee, nearly 200,000 units. The reason? It was reported that opening the cans had caused some consumers injury, as the lid pops off unexpectedly quickly, sending beans flying and resulting in laceration. At the time of recall, more than a dozen consumer issues had been reported. The impacted cans of coffee had been sold online, via Amazon, as well as at Target and Whole Foods Market, among other in-person retailers.

Sadly, these dangerous cans are part of what made the brand stand out at the time. The specially designed cans  which featured a pop-tab top, similar to a can of soda  were intended to increase a coffee's lifespan significantly, while also being environmentally friendly.

Illy Recalls Coffee Due To Injury Risk (2018)

Can of illy coffee - Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

A similar recall was issued in 2018 when coffee company illy recalled approximately 65,000 cans of coffee beans because, the brand said, the coffee bean can lid would open quickly, "with force," putting the consumer at risk of injury, per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In this case, the affected cans were potentially missing an air valve on the bottom of the can, which caused the build up of interior pressure. The cans of coffee had been sold nationwide and online via Amazon, and at stores including Target, Whole Foods, Williams Sonoma, Korger, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Shoprite.

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While the later, similar Blue Bottle Coffee recall had been associated with reported injuries, the illy recall had not been associated with any consumer injuries at the time of reporting. However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issued the recall instead of the FDA, said that the cans could open with enough force that they could cause lacerations.

Death Wish Coffee Recalls Cold Brew Due To Botulism (2017)

Boxes of Death Wish coffee - Scott Habermann/Shutterstock

Another botulism-related coffee recall occurred in 2017 when Death Wish Coffee Co. issued a recall for cans of its nitro cold brew coffee. It was determined that the coffee company's manufacturing processes could possibly lead to botulin growth, which, when consumed, results in botulism food poisoning. After this discovery, the company stopped all production, promising to find a new, safer processing procedure. The affected cans were sold online and at Price Chopper, Market 32, and other, independent retailers.

In an interview with Drips and Draughts around the time of the recall, Death Wish Coffee Co.'s CEO explained that the brand had been doing a large amount of testing on its nitro cold brew coffees both before and after release to the public. While the coffees all came back as safely tested for some time, eventually, the brand received word from a Cornell researcher that the nitrogen used in the product could contribute to potential heat-resistant mold growth. The Cornell researcher recommended a recall, making this an entirely proactive, rather than reactive, step to protect public safety. To fix the issue, the brand eventually switched to a "retort" production system, which puts the product under pressure and heat for a longer period of time, sterilizing the product and killing heat-resistant toxins.

Bestherbs Coffee Recalled Due To Undeclared Ingredients (2017)

Pack of Natural Herbs coffee - Natural Herbs Coffee / Facebook

In another instance of unanticipated pharmaceuticals showing up in your coffee, in 2017, Bestherbs Coffee recalled one of its products, New of Kopi Jantan Tradisional Natural Herbs Coffee, due to key, undisclosed ingredients, namely desmethyl carbodenafil  something very similar to Viagra. Of a different flavor of worry, possibly, was the fact that the product also included undeclared milk.

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In addition to the fact that consumers need to know when they are consuming an ingredient that is going to mimic the effects of Viagra, the FDA also pointed out that the desmethyl carbodenafil could interact with other, common prescription drugs used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. The instant coffee was distributed nationwide, online, between 2014 and 2016. Like the later Dash Xclusive coffee that was recalled in 2021, the New of Kopi Jantan coffee had been billed as a performance-enhancing drink. A few other coffees were likewise recalled in 2017 for similarly containing Viagra-like products, including Stiff Bull Herbal Coffee and Caverlo Natural Herbal Coffee.

Kraft Coffee Pods Recalled Due To Burn Risk (2012)

Tassimo coffee pods - Cineberg/Shutterstock

In 2012, Kraft Foods produced something that was not quite a K-cup, but similar. Known as T-Discs, they were made especially for working in Tassimo coffee makers, to produce single cups of espresso-based beverages. In February of that year, the company recalled several types of these discs, including those sold under the Maxwell House and Gevalia brands, citing burn risks. The recall noted that the recalled discs could become clogged during the brewing process and then spray consumers with hot liquid and coffee grounds. The massive recall affected more than 2 million packages in the United States and nearly 2 million packages in Canada.

This was far from the only recall to impact Tassimo, though. Also in 2012, Tassimo's single-cup coffee makers themselves were recalled for the same reason, a burn risk, with nearly 2 million total units impacted across the United States and Canada. At the time of the recall, nearly 40 reports of second-degree burn injuries had come in related to the coffee makers, with injuries in some instances affecting children and requiring hospitalization.

Mr. Brown Coffee Mix Recalled Due To Melamine Contamination (2008)

Mr. Brown cans of coffee - JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock

In 2008, Sunny Maid Corp. recalled its Mr. Brown-branded 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 powdered packets of coffee mixes for a unique reason. No, they were not contaminated by botulism-causing toxins, or bits of metal or glass, as you might expect based on other coffee recalls. Instead, a third-party manufacturer notified Sunny Maid that the coffee mixes could contain melamine.

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You might not know what melamine is, but it likely impacts various products that are all around you at any given time. A byproduct of the coal industry and a chemical used in various industrial settings, it is used when making tableware, flatware, plastic products, and paper products. While the FDA considers some degree of melamine contamination safe for human consumption, you do not want to eat it in any large degree and you do not want to microwave food in or on melamine-containing tableware.

In some instances, melamine contaminations have proven fatal. In one case, melamine-contaminated pet food killed more than a thousand pets in 2007. In another, melamine-contaminated infant formula killed six children and impacted nearly 300,000 others.

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Imagine seeing a color no human has ever seen before. Thats exactly what a group of researchers from the University of California and the University of Washington claim to have done in a groundbreaking study published in Science Advances.

By firing laser pulses directly into their eyes and stimulating highly specific cone cells in the retina, the scientists say they perceived a new color that's not found anywhere in the natural world. Theyre calling it olo, and describe it as a hyper-saturated blue-green unlike anything in the visible spectrum.

Its more saturated than any color you can see in the real world, said Prof. Ren Ng, co-author of the study and one of the five test subjects. Lets say you go your whole life seeing only pastel pinks, and one day youre shown intense red. Thats what seeing olo was like.

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The experiment involved a device dubbed Oz, which uses mirrors, lasers, and optical components to selectively stimulate individual M-cones in the retinacells that normally respond to green wavelengths. Typically, when M-cones are activated, they overlap with signals from neighboring S- (blue) and L- (red) cones, resulting in a blend of familiar colors. But in this tightly controlled setup, researchers isolated the M-cones, triggering a visual signal the human brain has never previously received.

Four of the five participants were men, and three were involved in writing the study. All had normal color vision. Participants matched the perceived olo using a digital dial to record the hue.

Despite the excitement, not everyone is convinced, according to a BBC report. Prof. John Barbur, a vision scientist at City St Georges, University of London, cautioned that the findings, while a technological achievement, are still open to argument.

Even Prof. Ng acknowledges olo isnt likely to show up on your next trip to the paint store. Its very technically difficult to perceive, he said. Still, the implications could be big especially for color blindness research.

For now, olo remains a rare, lab-born phenomenon. It's a glimpse at what our eyes might be capable of with just a little scientific magic.
Four long-time Quad-City advocacy organizations, One Human Family (OHF), Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG), Quad Cities Interfaith (QCI) and Iowa Citizen Action Network (ICAN) are excited to announce a new series of community forums on newsworthy topics entitled Civic Conversations.

Gail Karp of OHF announced that the series will be launched with The State of Journalism Today on Friday, May 9, with a breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. at Scott Community College Urban Campus, 101 W. 3rd St., Davenport. The meetings are open to all and are free.

Henry Marquard of QCI said the panelists for the first session will be journalists Ed Tibbetts, formerly of the Quad-City Times, who now writes a newsletter on Substack called Along the Mississippi; Tory Brecht, editor/writer with the University of Iowa and former editor of the Iowa City Press-Citizen; and Zachary Oren Smith, political correspondent for Iowa Starting Line. All are members of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

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According to Sue Dinsdale of ICAN, Our first discussion will be the state of todays journalism in an increasingly fragmented media environment. We have invited these eastern Iowa journalists as resource persons to help us explore such questions as the role of disinformation and new news/information platforms.

Allison Ambrose of PACG said the purpose of the new series is to help bridge the gap in understanding others point of view. We want to explore the facts together before we plan a course of action. Can viewers of Fox News and readers of The New York Times find common ground? Our goal is to bring civility back to civil discourse.

Gail Karp pointed out that the model for the series was started 20 years ago by the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, called Intersections, now hosted by the First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids. Our vision is secular and not religion-based. We have invited investigative journalists who have done deep dives on these topics.

The morning meetings will include a continental breakfast. There is no charge, but donations will be accepted. Online registration is available at Eventbrite.com. Quarterly meetings are planned, the next one being Friday, August 8, from 8 to 9 a.m. at the Scott Community College Urban Campus.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Early in the morning outside Cook County Jail, a group of new detainees stepped out of a Chicago police wagon and walked bleary-eyed into the bright sunlight before lining up inside against a brick wall.

Brought in from the police districts, the men were among the newest bookings to the jail, where they would wait until a judge ruled on whether they would be admitted or released while their charges were pending.

And the jail, busy during the early morning hours as police brought in overnight arrestees and deputies shuttled detainees to court appearances, may only grow more bustling: After a decline following statewide bail reform  and years of reductions prior to that  the countys jail population has begun to tick up once again.

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In an internal report obtained by the Tribune via a public records request, the Cook County sheriffs office found that the average daily jail population has risen by about 12% in recent months, reaching its highest level in eight months at the end of March. The report also found sharp increases in detention for some charge types for which States Attorney Eileen ONeill Burke has implemented policy changes.

Many factors can influence the ebb and flow of the jails population, and experts pointed to a number of potential considerations when evaluating it, including arrest rates and judicial decision-making.

The sheriffs offices analysis, the report said, sought to understand the impact of the policies of Burke, who was ceremonially sworn in on Dec. 2.

Sheriff Tom Dart, in an interview with the Tribune, made clear that he supports policies that keep high-risk defendants incarcerated, but said he is concerned about how long inmates remain in jail as court cases move sluggishly through the system.

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In 2023, the Tribunes Stalled Justice series documented how Cook County murder cases were taking longer than ever to conclude, and longer than in any other major court system that could be studied. Reporters uncovered multiple chokepoints that were stalling cases long before the pandemic, in a system overseen by judges who allowed cases to languish and court leaders who ignored repeated recommendations for fixes.

The county jail is meant to be a temporary waypoint for defendants until their case is finished, and lengthiness of proceedings can contribute to jail population levels.

In other quarters, the jails spike raised questions about whether prosecutors were considering the nuance of cases amid Burkes more hardline detention policies than her predecessor Kim Foxx, who was elected in 2016 with a reform mandate on a wave of anger over the killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer.

But Yvette Loizon, chief of policy at the states attorneys office, said that prosecutors are only one piece of the detention mechanism.

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When people want to lay the uptick in the jail population at our feet, thats a fundamental misapprehension of the process, she said, adding that judges ultimately make the decision and defense attorneys can offer evidence that refutes or mitigates the need for jailing. I would submit that because we are doing a better job of presenting relevant and necessary and important information to the judiciary  judges have more information and better information upon which to make the decision.

Chief Judge Timothy Evans office declined to comment, saying that jail matters are under the purview of the sheriffs office.

Regardless of political viewpoints on detention, the rising jail numbers have not gone unnoticed by city and county stakeholders, as the phenomenon  especially if it continues into the traditionally more violent summer months  could come with complications such as cost increases and more difficulty with crowd management.

And though the new states attorney is an obvious consideration when studying the recent influx, experts said the reasons are likely multifaceted.

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Its probably not a simple explanation, said David Olson, co-director of Loyola University Chicagos Center for Criminal Justice Research.

By the numbers

Since the 2010s, the countys jail population has fallen significantly, cut nearly in half from typical average populations around 10,000 in that era. It started decreasing after Evans in 2017 reformed county policies around bail and was reduced further after the Pretrial Fairness Act in September 2023 eliminated cash bail in Illinois.

After the measure took effect, the jail numbers fell to under 5,000 for much of 2023 and 2024, reaching levels not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when some lower-risk inmates were diverted from the jail for public health reasons.

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When Burke took office in early December, the jails population was around 5,200, having increased slightly at the end of Foxxs term, according to data from the sheriffs office. As of Friday, the population had grown to just over 5,600.

The sheriffs office plans to produce a monthly analysis with the goal of tracking the impact of Burkes policies on the jail, according to the first such report in March.

Among the findings of the April report:

Monthly admissions for people ordered detained had increased 47% as of the end of March, compared with admissions during the month prior to the start of Burkes term.

Admissions for domestic battery and felony retail theft-related offenses saw the largest increases, 81% and 32% respectively, compared with November of 2024.

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Olson said the theft-related increase caught his eye because such charges are generally not an offense prosecutors are allowed to seek detention on, though defendants can be detained if there are other charges or violations involved.

That theres a big increase in people coming in on a theft charge seems odd because theft offenses are not eligible for pretrial detention at the first stage, he said. The fact that those have gone up so much suggests that it might be people who were on pretrial release that then got charged for a new crime that the state is now seeking to detain them.

During a swearing-in speech last year, Burke announced that prosecutors would automatically ask judges to order defendants detained while awaiting trial if they faced certain charges. By contrast, Foxxs office had said it reviewed each case individually before making a decision about whether to seek detention.

Burke also reversed a policy by Foxx that raised the threshold to charge retail theft as a felony to $1,000, reverting back to the legal bar of $300. She also has ordered prosecutors to seek prison sentences in more gun cases.

Impact on the ground

On Wednesday morning, inmates lined up to wait for buses to take them to court appearances in courthouses across Cook County. In all, about 500 were ushered out, to return later in the afternoon.

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Cook County Jail sits on one of the largest single-site complexes in the country, though some of it is unused amid the population shrinkages over the years.

Dart said the population increase is very manageable noting the unused space, but he said that staffing shortages might mean personnel challenges if the trend continues. He called for better court case management to allow for more timely resolutions for cases.

I want violent people off the street so if that number is 5,100, fine, if its 5,700, fine, if its 6,000 fine  whatever that number is, thats what my job is, thats what the jail is for, Dart said. That other overriding thing, length of stay, that just factors in because it causes so many additional problems and theres no reason for it.

Other stakeholders said they noted the increase with some alarm.

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Sharlyn Grace, senior policy adviser at the Cook County public defenders office, said the city has not experienced rising crime levels to correspond with the increasing jail population.

I think it does raise a lot of questions about public safety and what the impact is going to be because we know many people who are subject to pretrial detention will come home, she said. Research shows that detaining people is going to lead to less employment, less stable housing  a higher likelihood of re-arrest.

Matthew McLoughlin, campaign coordinator for the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice, said Burkes detention policy is contrary to the spirit of reforms to the countys pretrial system, adding that the group believes its the primary driver of the jails spike.

I would say the blanket detention policies that shes put forward since taking office  are not in line with the goals of the Pretrial Fairness Act, he said. It was really designed to make sure court stakeholders were taking time with each individual case.

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Loizon, though, said line prosecutors are presenting judges with a very thorough and fulsome explanation of the details of the crime.

Were not walking away from our detention policy and the states attorneys office absolutely owns the fact that we are ensuring our ASAs are presenting all the information that they can present so that a judge can make an informed decision based on the relevant facts, Loizon said. We absolutely own that piece of it because that is a priority for us.

Slow-moving justice

The longest-waiting detainee in Cook County  Augustin Toscano  has been jailed more than 14 years without a trial, since midway through the first Obama administration.

Hes awaiting trial on allegations he was part of a drug and robbery crew blamed for more than a dozen slayings from 2009 to 2011. His wait offers a case study of how Cook Countys system can get gummed up, with court records showing yearslong waits to gather and share evidence, then yearslong, slow-motion arguments over what evidence can be shown at trial, with delays also blamed on the pandemic, the case judges own arrest on a gun charge and both sides blaming the other for stall tactics. Toscano also dismissed his attorney to argue on his own behalf.

Literally there is no case that gets better as it gets older, Dart said.

The length of stay for inmates at the jail has long been a prime issue for the sheriff, who noted it again now in light of rising jail numbers.

Theoretically if cases were moving through the system more readily, then additional people coming would not be much of a notice because wed be moving people out just as well, he said.

The Cook County states attorneys office hasnt recently updated its disposition data, which the Tribune previously used to calculate how long murder cases were taking. (The courts dont publish their own data.) But in looking at daily jail logs published by the Cook County sheriffs office, the data suggests progress in some measures but not in others  and shows Cook County still struggles far more to take cases to trial than the busier New York City court system.

Some national advocates call for detainees to wait no more than a year for a trial. As of the most recent data, the county jail housed nearly 1,800 people waiting at least a year. Thats down from roughly 2,000 two years ago, but still about 400 higher than the number in New York Citys system waiting at least a year for a trial, according to a Tribune analysis of both systems jail data.

The county struggles even more with longer waits. Nearly 190 people have been waiting at least five years for a trial in Cook County  about 50 less than two years ago. But thats still dramatically higher than in New York City, which only had 18 detainees waiting that long, at last count.

And Cook County still grapples with perhaps the most notorious statistic: the number jailed at least a decade without trial. In the spring of 2021, there were six people waiting in jail for at least 10 years. By April 2023, that figure had doubled. And two years later, its even higher, with 15 detainees now waiting at least that long for a trial. New York City, by comparison, has no one waiting a decade. At worst, the longest-waiting inmate in New York Citys system has been there 7  years.

In Toscanos case, hes asked a judge to throw out the charges because of how long the case has taken, blaming both prosecutors and his former attorney, arguing that its now practically impossible for him to track down witnesses from so long ago.

No trial date has been set.
Americas most celebrated investor and the head of Wall Streets most powerful bank have had a clear message for Washington: Tax us more. Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon, the CEOs of Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase, respectively, have both advocated for raising taxes on the rich as a matter of fairnessand to address a burgeoning federal deficit.

Congressional Republicans, traditionally opposed to hiking taxes on the wealthy, are reportedly mulling a so-called millionaires tax, underlining how President Donald Trumps populist appeal has transformed the party. While the proposal faces opposition from plenty of prominent Republicans, the move has been floated to help pay for tax breaks on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits, as well as the extension of provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

That argument aside, however, increasing income taxes on high earners is unlikely to make billionaires like Buffett, Dimon, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos pay much more to the government. Thats because ultrawealthy individuals overwhelmingly accumulate most of their wealth from investment income, rather than from wages and salaries like most Americans. Meanwhile, job cuts in the audit division of the Internal Revenue Service and upheaval at the top of the agency mean tax avoidance could get even easier.

In other words, a millionaires tax would likely fall more heavily on bankers, doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, and run-of-the-mill executives rather than the likes of Musk, Bezos, Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg. In fact, legal strategies can allow them to pay little to nothing at all.

For reference, Bezos, the founder of Amazon, did not pay a cent in federal income tax from 2007 and 2011 despite being a multibillionaire, according to an analysis of his tax returns obtained by ProPublica in 2021. Bezos is now the worlds second-richest person with a net worth of $195 billion, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who leads the way with a $304 billion net worth, managed the same feat in 2018. ProPublica found none of the countrys 25 wealthiest people had avoided as much tax over several years as Buffett, however.

The Oracle of Omaha has consistently raised this issue himself, famously pointing out he was subject to a lower tax rate than his secretary, Debbie Bosanek.

Bosanek somewhat inadvertently became the face of tax inequality in the U.S., and, in 2011, President Barack Obama proposed the so-called Buffett rule, which aimed to increase the effective tax rate on millionaires to 30% by eliminating certain tax breaks and subsidies. A bill was eventually blocked by a Republican filibuster.
When Aaron Friar, 50, and daughter, Ellie Friar, 15, vanished from their Medford, Oregon, home on Oct. 2, 2017, investigators quickly deduced that there was foul play.

"They saw blood spatter behind the couch, on the ceiling, all the way across the room," said lead Detective Bill Ford. "There was  a potential that this was what we could refer to as a no-body homicide. That there had been a homicide, but we don't have a body."

But who was dead? Was it Aaron Friar, Ellie or both?

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Natalie Morales investigates the pair's mysterious disappearance in "First Love, Then Murder" an all-new "48 Hours" now streaming on Paramount+.

The search was on.

"We probably had 70, 75 [officers] out on the streets of Medford," says Ford.

Then, just four hours after she had been reported missing, Ellie was located by police. She was alive, unharmed, and had been walking down a busy street with two young men: her boyfriend, Gavin MacFarlane, 19, and Gavin's friend, Russell Jones, 22.

"So, now we know Ellie is safe," said Ford.

But what about her father, Aaron Friar?

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Based on the bloody crime scene at the house, time was quickly running out to find him. But could Ellie have been involved? Ford kept an open mind.

Ellie and the two men were separated and brought to the Medford Police station for questioning. Ellie seemed perplexed when she was told by police that her father was missing.

"I haven't been home and now I'm really concerned about what's been going on," Ellie told a detective.

She even offered a suggestion as to where her dad might be: "Maybe he was looking for me."

Around that time, Ford began interviewing Russell Jones.

Russell Jones, left alone in the interrogation room, began taunting investigators. / Credit: Medford Police Department

"He's a talker  very, very talkative," said Ford. "So, I kind of knew if I could get in there and get him talking, he would  have a hard time keeping his mouth shut."

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Ford's theory was correct.

Jones was eager to talk, but he wanted something first: a cigarette.

"I talk better when I have a cigarette," Jones told Ford during his taped police interview.

Ford took Russell outside of the station for a cigarette break.

"Just kind of smokin' and jokin' is what we call it," Ford explained.

But Ford was serious about the task at hand: finding Aaron Friar.

"I look at him and I'm like, 'You know, Russell, I don't want a child to find Aaron, Ellie's dad, out there somewhere, come across something like that,'" Ford recalls saying. "I said, 'Can you take us to Aaron?' And he didn't beat an eye. He's just like, 'Yeah, I'll take you to him.'"

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Ford was shocked: "Holy smokes! That's a big moment, you know?"

He immediately loaded Jones into his police car.

As the veteran investigator and his suspect began their drive, Jones confessed to Ford.

"He ends up saying he wasn't responsible for Aaron's death, but he helped load the body," Ford recalled.

"You're driving along with him, now he's starting to sing like a canary," said Morales.

"Exactly," Ford replied.

But who had killed Aaron Friar and why?

Detective Bill Ford, left, with Russell Jones during a cigarette break. / Credit: Medford Police Department

As their journey continued, Ford says Jones began going off on tangents. But Ford says he didn't mind. It was all part of his plan.

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"Keep talking, keep him happy," said Ford. "He even asked for another cigarette  and I said, 'You've had two already. Once we get out there, I'll give you another one.' And that's a tactic."

"He's gotta give us something," said Ford. "Nicotine is a powerful tool."

And then, as they ascended a rural mountain pass 20 miles outside of town, Jones made an announcement:

Ford said, "All of a sudden, Russell says 'Stop!  Stop right here.'"

To see more of the case, watch "First Love, Then Murder" an all-new "48 Hours" now streaming on Paramount +.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (USF)  The Sioux Falls Cougars (22-22, 18-12 NSIC) saw their momentum from Saturdays doubleheader sweep halted, falling 9-6 to the University of Mary Marauders (18-21, 14-16 NSIC) in Sundays series finale at Sioux Falls Stadium. Despite mounting a spirited late-inning comeback and collecting 11 hits, the Cougars couldnt overcome U-Marys 14-hit barrage.

Game Recap: University of Mary 9, Sioux Falls 6

The Marauders wasted no time, taking a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single. Sioux Falls responded in the second when Jackson Yeagers double down the right field line drove in the tying run before Ryan Gouldins fielders choice gave the Cougars a brief 2-1 edge.

U-Mary seized control in the third, erupting for three runs via back-to-back homersa two-run blast followed by a solo shotto claim a 4-2 advantage. The visitors extended their lead to 6-2 in the fourth with a pair of RBI doubles.

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Mitch Iliffs sacrifice fly in the fifth trimmed the deficit to 6-3, but an unearned run in the seventh pushed U-Marys lead to 7-3 after a Cougar fielding error.

The Cougars staged a dramatic seventh-inning rally when Ben Serie drew a bases-loaded walk and Isaac Bonner laced a two-run double, narrowing the gap to just 7-6. However, U-Mary created crucial separation with two insurance runs in the ninth via an RBI hit-by-pitch and fielders choice to secure the 9-6 victory.

Key Hitters:

Ryan Gouldin : 3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Isaac Bonner : 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 2B

Jackson Yeager : 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 2B

Key Pitchers:

Eli Larson : 2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (Loss)

Jace Coleman : 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K

Up Next

The Cougars (22-22, 18-12 NSIC) will travel to Yankton, S.D., to face Mount Marty University on Monday, April 21, 2025. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. at Riverside Field at Bob Tereshinski Stadium.

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This non-conference matchup replaces a previously canceled game against South Dakota State, giving the Cougars additional competition before returning to conference play.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Hackers linked to Russia's government launched a cyberattack last spring against municipal water plants in rural Texas. At one plant in Muleshoe, population 5,000, water began to overflow. Officials had to unplug the system and run the plant manually.

The hackers weren't trying to taint the water supply. They didn't ask for a ransom. Authorities determined the intrusion was designed to test the vulnerabilities of America's public infrastructure. It was also a warning: In the 21st century, it takes more than oceans and an army to keep the United States safe.

A year later, countries around the world are preparing for greater digital conflict as increasing global tensions and a looming trade war have raised the stakes  and the chances that a cyberattack could cause significant economic damage, disrupt vital public systems, reveal sensitive business or government secrets, or even escalate into military confrontation.

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The confluence of events has national security and cyber experts warning of heightened cyberthreats and a growing digital arms race as countries look to defend themselves.

At the same time, President Donald Trump has upended Americas digital defenses by firing the four-star general who led the National Security Agency, shrinking cybersecurity agencies and slashing election cybersecurity initiatives.

Businesses now are increasingly concerned about cyberattacks, and governments have moved to a war footing, according to a report this month by NCC Group, a British cybersecurity firm.

The geopolitical dust is still settling, said Verona Johnstone-Hulse, a London-based expert on government cybersecurity polices and the report's co-author. What the new normal looks like is still not yet set.

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Many in the U.S. are already calling for a more muscular approach to protecting the digital frontier.

Hybrid war is here to stay, said Tom Kellermann, senior vice president of cyberstrategy at Contrast Security. We need to stop playing defense  its time to make them play defense.

Digital life means more targets for hackers

Vulnerabilities have grown as people and businesses use connected devices to count steps, manage finances and operate facilities such as water plants and ports. Each network and connection is a potential target for foreign governments or the hacking groups that sometimes do their bidding.

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Espionage is one motive, demonstrated in a recent incursion linked to hackers in China. The campaign known as Salt Typhoon sought to crack the phones of officials, including Trump, before the 2024 election.

These operations seek entry to sensitive corporate or government systems to steal secrets or monitor personal communications. Such information can be hugely valuable by providing advantages in trade negotiations or military planning. These hackers try to remain hidden for as long as possible.

More obvious intrusions can serve as a warning or deterrent, such as the cyberattacks targeting the Texas water plants. Iran also has shown a willingness to use cyberattacks to make political points.

The cyberattacks that frighten experts the most burrow deeply into telephone or computer networks, inserting backdoors or malware for later use.

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National security experts say this was the motivation behind a recent attack from China called Volt Typhoon that compromised telephone networks in the U.S. in an effort to gain access to an unknown number of critical systems.

China could potentially use these connections to disable key infrastructure  power plants, communication networks, pipelines, hospitals, financial systems  as part of a larger conflict or before an invasion of Taiwan, national security experts said.

They can position their implants to be activated at a date and time in the future, said Sonu Shankar, a former researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory who is now chief strategy officer at Phosphorus Cybersecurity.

National security officials will not discuss details, but experts interviewed by The Associated Press said the U.S. no doubt has developed similar offensive capabilities.

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China has rejected U.S. allegations of hacking, accusing America of trying to  smear  Beijing while conducting its own cyberattacks.

Global tensions tick up

Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Trade disputes. Shifting alliances. The risk of cyberattacks goes up in times of global tension, and experts say that risk is now at a high.

U.S. adversaries China, Russia, Iran and North Korea also have shown signs of cybercooperation as they forge tighter economic, military and political relationships.

Speaking to Congress, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard noted that Iran has supplied drones in exchange for Russian intelligence and cybercapabilities.

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Russia has been the catalyst for much of this expanded cooperation, driven heavily by the support it has needed for its war effort against Ukraine, Gabbard told lawmakers.

Amid global fears of a trade war after the tariffs that Trump has imposed, supply chains could be targeted in retaliation. While larger companies may have a robust cyberteam, small suppliers that lack those resources can give intruders easy access.

And any tit-for-tat cycles of cyberconflict, in which one country hacks into a sensitive system as retaliation for an earlier attack, come with great risk for all involved, Shankar said. It would put them on the path to military conflict."

The Trump effect

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At a time when national security and cybersecurity experts say the U.S. should be bolstering its defenses, Trump has called for reductions in staffing and other changes to the agencies that protect American interests in cyberspace.

For example, Trump recently fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversaw the NSA and the Pentagons Cyber Command.

The U.S. faces unprecedented cyber threats, said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He has asked the White House to explain Haughs departure. How does firing him make Americans any safer?" Warner said.

Also under Trump, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency placed on leave staffers who worked on election security and cut millions of dollars in funding for cybersecurity programs for local and state elections. His administration eliminated the State Departments Global Engagement Center, which tracked and exposed foreign disinformation online.

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The CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies also have seen reductions in staffing.

The administration faced more questions over how seriously it takes cybersecurity after senior officials used the popular messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive information about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. Gabbard later called the episode a mistake.

The officials in charge of America's cybersecurity insist Trump's changes will make the U.S. safer, while getting rid of wasteful spending and confusing regulations.

The Pentagon, for instance, has invested in efforts to harness artificial intelligence to improve cyberdefenses, according to a report provided to Congress by Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman, acting commander of the NSA and Cyber Command.

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The changes at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency come as its leaders consider how best to execute their mission in alignment with the administration's priorities, a CISA statement said.

As Americas Cyber Defense Agency, we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard the nations critical infrastructure against all cyber and physical threats, the statement read. "We will continue to collaborate with our partners across government, industry, and with international allies to strengthen global cybersecurity efforts and protect the American people from foreign adversaries, cybercriminals, and other emerging threats.

Representatives for Gabbard's office and the NSA didn't respond to questions about how Trump's changes will affect cybersecurity.

Signs of progress?

Despite shifting alliances, a growing consensus about cyberthreats could prompt greater global cooperation.

More than 20 nations recently signed on to an international framework on the use of commercial spyware. The U.S. has signaled it will join the nonbinding agreement.

There's also broad bipartisan agreement in the U.S. about the need to help private industry bolster defenses.

Federal estimates say the cybersecurity industry needs to hire an additional 500,000 professionals to meet the challenge, said Dean Gefen, former chief of cybertraining for Israel's Defense Intelligence Technological Unit. He's now the CEO of NukuDo, a cybersecurity training company.

Companies need effective guidance from the government  a playbook," Gefen said. What to do, what not to do.
CUMBERLAND  Proposed changes to Allegany County Transits Purple Line aim to tailor vehicle sizes to meet the needs of passengers.

A public hearing was held on the issue at Thursdays Allegany County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The Purple Line is planned to move from a fixed route to a demand and response service.

Anytime we make any changes to our fixed route ... part of the (process) is a public hearing, said Allegany County Director of Public Works Adam Patterson.

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The route currently travels twice a week from Westernport, Barton, Lonaconing and Midland with one trip in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Its set to be replaced with a more customized option using Alltrans vehicles.

Under the proposal, trip times will be pre-scheduled to meet customers needs.

Seating demands will determine vehicle size for the route.

We think well find some efficiency in being able to send the right size bus, Patterson said.

As a demand-response route, customers in the Georges Creek region will share their ride with other folks who travel to Cumberland.

The service will collect passengers who live within within a half-mile of Route 36 at their homes and take them to any destination in the Cumberland area thats on the Maryland side of the West Virginia line.

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Cost will be $3 per one-way trip.

All transit buses are equipped with a wheelchair lift.

Patterson said he will present a formal proposal on the issue to the commissioners in a couple weeks.

In other county news:Mile Lane resident Brian Diehl said trucks used to mine coal in Pennsylvania are causing road problems for him and his neighbors.

The new blacktop job from when the water lines were put in is now crumbling, he said. Theyre breaking the edges off the road ... they dont stop at the stop sign.

In January, one of the trucks broke down in the middle of Mile Lane and closed the road for more than seven hours, Diehl said.

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He said on another occasion, one of the companys vehicles hit a telephone pole, which broke and landed in his yard.

Theyre regularly hauling these oversized loads, Diehl said.

Allegany County Administrator Jason Bennett said the engineering department will examine the situation and assess damages.

The county will explore remediation and enforcement efforts, he said.
GOSHEN  Questions abound over what effects the states property tax overhaul will have on Elkhart County, but county officials believe that none of them will be good.

Members of the county council and the board of commissioners on Thursday voiced frustration and disappointment with the 350-page tax overhaul signed into law this week by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun.

Senate Bill 1 promises to lower the homestead property tax bills of two-thirds of Hoosier homeowners starting next year compared to this year.

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The package offers a tax credit of 10 percent or a maximum of $300 to every homestead. Additional tax credits are then awarded to seniors, veterans, the disabled and the blind.

But Elkhart County Commissioner Suzie Weirick sees the state legislatures actions as an attack on local government as funding to local governments will be affected.

Obviously, were at the end of the legislative session. This session has been interesting, is one word to use, she told council. There has been an overt attack on local governments, and whether or not we are included in that, it seems very personal to me and Ive heard several others say the same thing.

She pointed to not only the tax overhaul but also the state budget bill and restraints on the Health First Indiana program as casting Elkhart Countys financial future in doubt. Weirick thanked the council, which is responsible for the countys spending, for setting Elkhart up to weather changes in the short-term.

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I do think that we are going to have some challenges in front of us, and I look forward to working with you guys. I know, as commissioners, were still trying to figure out how this is going to impact what weve got going on. We had some legislation today that went through thats going to impact us further financially, she said. But I think I would speak for all of us when I say thank you, because over the years you have set us up in a position to deal with this in the short-term. This is a short-term solution, using some of our rainy day funds to get through this, but I do think that we need to look forward and take the opportunity to influence some future policy.

Some council members remarked on the murky nature of a sweeping law like Senate Bill 1.

It got up to 350 pages and I have not talked to a single state legislator, whether its a representative or senator, that can tell me everything that is in it, Councilman Adam Bujalski said. They dont know. They signed it, they went forward with it.

He said its clear that nobody will be happy with the bill once its effects are fully understood. It held a few unpleasant surprises for those who dug through it, such as a cap on the taxes that newly established fire territories can collect which will likely torpedo plans like those in the works in Madison County.

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Bujalski said it will take time for Elkhart County leaders to understand the impacts of the bill before it goes into effect. He urged people to read Senate Bill 1 for themselves rather than take anyones word for whats in it.

Its going to take time, I have started to read it. Nobody knows whats going to happen, and I dont think any side of the aisle, whether youre against property taxes or youre not, is going to be happy because it didnt really do much at all, he said. They added a lot of stuff. Im a fan of clean bills, I like whatevers actually on the front page to be inside the bill, that is not the case with SB1... Theres going to be a lot of changes drastically: statewide, local, townships, libraries, and nobody does know whats going to happen right now.

Councilman Steven Clark said hes around 200 pages into the bill. He was struck by the burdens placed on local governments which dont apply to the state.

What I find comical is the amount of things that are put on us that are not done by the state. So for example, We want you to vote on the same tax every year. Great, why dont you do that on the sales tax as well, or the income tax, which is how its recommended after 2030, he said. Im all about transparency. Just be willing to do the exact same things youre asking locals to do and stop taking power away from local municipalities.
A tangled clump of tree roots that inspired Vincent van Goghs final painting are at the centre of a heated legal battle between French villagers and their mayor.

Five years ago, art experts concluded that a system of exposed, gnarly roots along the side of a road in Auvers-sur-Oise on the outskirts of Paris, were those depicted in Tree Roots, the artists last work.

It is believed that he painted the piece just hours before he died in 1890, after shooting himself in the chest with a revolver.

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News of the location shook the art world. The small village, located about an hour north of Paris where Van Gogh spent the last two months of his life, attracted international media in the summer of 2020 and a steady stream of eager pilgrims.

But the discovery has since become the subject of a pitched war between the town over whether the roots belong to the municipality or property owners Jean-Francois Serlinger and his wife Helene, who is also an artist who moved to the village to live where Van Gogh had worked.

Vincent van Gogh spent his final days in a gated courtyard in Auvers-sur-Oise, an hour away from Paris - Elliott Verdier/The New York Times

Last month, French courts sided with the Serlingers and ruled that the roots painted by Van Gogh are on their property, marking the second legal victory for the couple.

The embankment containing the tree roots painted by Vincent van Gogh does not constitute an accessory to the public highway, the Versailles Administrative Court of Appeal wrote in their decision.

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But for Isabelle Mezieres, the mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, the fight is far from over.

The roots belong to the people of Auvers! she wrote this month, adding that she plans to file another appeal.

Theres no way were going to surrender the public interest of the people of Auvers in the face of private interests. The question of ownership has not been settled.

The couple moved to the village in the mid-1990s and purchased an extra parcel of land in 2013, not knowing that they had also bought an important part of art history.

Since the discovery, the Serlingers have launched guided tours called The Mystery of van Goghs Roots in collaboration with the Van Gogh Europe Foundation.

Auvers will not abandon its roots

Tickets are 8 (7), and visitors are led on a 30-minute tour that traces the artists life and work throughout the town, including the tree roots on their property.

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The tours offer an immersive experience of the area that is deeply linked to the artists final painting and last stretch of his life, according to the site.

Despite the municipality losing their case twice in a row, the town has vowed to try a third time.

We are considering a possible appeal, Michel Gentilhomme, the towns lawyer, told Le Parisien.

There is a desire for private individuals to appropriate this property, in the interest of the municipalitys residents. This issue must be resolved so that the municipality is not criticised for having abandoned its roots.

For their part, the Serlingers said they wanted to turn the page and put the legal battle behind them, while pursuing other ways to develop the site.

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Theres no doubt about it, we own the land right down to the street, the couple told Le Parisien. Weve won a second time. Were within our rights.

The initial connection between the local roots and the painting was made in 2020, when Wouter van der Veen, a local Van Gogh expert, stumbled on an old black and white postcard in his collection that showed a man walking his bike along the villages Rue Daubigny.

The familiar ancient roots growing out of the road caught his eye and, in a eureka moment, he made the connection between the photo and the painting.

The new tourist season officially started on Saturday, which came with an air of tension in the village amid the ongoing row.

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It created a deep sense of insecurity around a site that calls for calm and serenity, Mr. Serlinger told The New York Times. We have a feeling of insecurity with a mayor who is still in a war.

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PLAINFILD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Crews quickly put out a house fire that broke out Sunday after wires were downed in Plainfield Township, firefighters say.

Around 2:20 p.m., crews with the Plainfield Township Fire Department were sent to a home on Boyd Avenue NE near Airway Street NE for a downed power pole and wires.

Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025. (Courtesy Plainfield Township Fire Department) Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025. (Courtesy Plainfield Township Fire Department) Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025. (Courtesy Plainfield Township Fire Department) Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025. (Courtesy Plainfield Township Fire Department)

Once on scene, firefighters found multiple wires down, a structure fire and a natural gas leak, the Plainfield Township Fire Department said in a social media post. It said they were able to put the fire out within minutes.

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Crews from three other fire departments assisted, the Plainfield Township Fire Department said, and both DTE and Consumers Energy were called on scene to secure their utilities.

A News 8 crew on scene saw a downed power line with a scorch mark underneath. Consumers Energy said the fire sparked after someone hit a utility pole with their car and the pole broke.

Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025.

Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025.

Crews at the scene of a Plainfield Township fire on April 20, 2025.

No one was hurt, Kent County Dispatch told News 8.

While we move into summer severe weather season its a great reminder to stay away from downed wires, Plainfield Township Fire Department wrote.

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The extent of the damage was unclear.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Former President Theodore Teddy Roosevelt did a whistle-stop tour of Schuylkill County towns in October 1914.

After arriving in Tamaqua on October 26, he journeyed to Pottsville, where he spoke at the Hippodrome Theater.

After that, he made brief stops in Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Ashland, Mount Carmel and on to a speaking engagement in Williamsport.

He was not running for president, but campaigning for John Robert Jones, a Schuylkill County Republican running for a second term in the House of Representatives.

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Initially serving as vice president, Roosevelt became president after William McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. He was elected president in 1904 and served until 1909.

A Republican, he split with the party and ran unsuccessfully for president as the Progressive Party candidate in 1912.

As much a folk icon as a politician, Col. Roosevelt was accorded hero status for leading the Rough Riders in the charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

His foreign policy, often referred to as speak softly and carry a big stick, was popular with the American public.

Referred to as Colonel post-presidency, he was given what the Pottsville Republican called a royal welcome when he arrived at the Reading Railroad Station in Pottsville.

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Here comes the Colonel, the crowd shouted as the train bearing a huge banner arrived just before 1 p.m.

He shook hands with people in the crowd and, when he tipped his hat, a huge cheer erupted.

With Col. Daniel Nagle, a Civil War veteran, Teddy rode to the Hippodrome in an open car as thousands lined the streets.

An immense crowd cheered him as he arrived at the Hippodrome Theater, which was on East Market Street.

I have come to your state to speak for decency and honesty in public life, he said. I am glad to come here and speak for Mr. Jones, who led the fight for decency and righteousness in the last session of the legislature.

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Jones supported the Corrupt Practices Act, which would have made public the names of donors to political campaigns. It was not adopted.

Roosevelt also asked for support of Gifford Pinchot, a conservationist who was the Progressive Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 1914. Pinchot, who accompanied Roosevelt on his tour, would later become governor of Pennsylvania.

The Pottsville Republican pulled no punches in its opposition to Roosevelts progressive philosophy.

While acknowledging he was in a hot bed of admiration, the Republican said Roosevelt was in a community that was in no way sympathetic to his current political interests.

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If Theodore Roosevelt were himself a candidate for office on the Republican ticket, he could go from the county with an almost unanimous vote, the Republican reported in an editorial. But he is wrong in this particular campaign, and in his heart he must know that he is wrong, unless he has been firmly converted to the cause of Democracy.

A Pottsville reception committee met Roosevelt in Tamaqua. Its members included Dr. Francis Boyer, chairman, Nathan S. Beddall, S. S. Weiss and E. G. Underwood.

Upon arriving in Tamaqua, 10-year-old Thelma Reiner presented the former president with a bouquet of American Beauty roses. The girl and her family rode on the special train with Roosevelt to Pottsville.

Roosevelt waved to his hat at a Tamaqua crowd that was curb-to-curb on Broad Street.

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It was his hat, a large round-brimmed black hat with several dinges in the crown that challenges your attention when your eyes wander from the good natured face of the former president, a reporter wrote. He gives you the impression of a powerful and wonderful quickness and alertness, seemingly conscious of what is doing on all sides of him, the reporter continued. You are impressed that he is a leader and a fighter, his huge shoulders well thrown back, and his feet planted firmly apart.

Roosevelt was 60 years old when he died in his home on Oyster Bay, New York, on Jan. 6, 1919.
Olivia Williams will never receive the news that she's cancer-free. The reason? Her tumor was misdiagnosed multiple times.



"If someone had f------ well diagnosed me in the four years Id been saying I was ill, when they told me I was menopausal or had irritable bowel syndrome or [was] crazy  I used that word advisedly because one doctor referred me for a psychiatric assessment  then one operation possibly could have cleared the whole thing and I could describe myself as cancer-free, which I cannot now ever be, Williams told The Times of London in an interview published on April 19.

Williams, 56, explained that she received a variety of possible diagnoses  from lupus to menopause  before doctors found a vasoactive intestinal peptide secreting (VIPoma) tumor in her pancreas. The pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor is considered rare, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

A patient with a VIPoma tumor can suffer from a variety of symptoms, such as fatigue, stomach cramps, and severe diarrhea.

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Williams' cancer metastasized to her liver. Following the discovery of the tumor, Williams underwent targeted internal radiotherapy. She has since had four rounds of the treatment.



"Its supposed to buy me maybe a year, maybe two or three years, of freedom from treatment,. In the best-case scenario it would have made [the metastases] disappear but that didnt happen," Williams, who portrayed Camilla Parker Bowles on Netflixs The Crown, told The Times of London.

"Theyve found new metastases pretty well either just before Christmas or in the middle of a summer holiday. Then, for three years in a row, they started appearing too close to major blood vessels to zap. So there was a period when we were just sitting and watching them grow, which is a horrible feeling," she added.

Williams, who has two adult daughters with husband Rhashan Stone, has gotten her affairs in order just in case.
With key legislative committees issuing recommendations, Gov. Ned Lamont and the legislature are working to set the stage for an eventual compromise on taxes and spending to balance the state budget.

While the state is headed toward another surplus for the current fiscal year that ends on June 30, Lamont and legislators are concerned about the fiscal storm clouds ahead that could lead to cuts by President Donald J. Trump. Depending on the size of the cuts, Connecticut could be forced to dip into the rainy day fund for fiscal emergencies that has been accumulating in recent years and stands at more than $4 billion.

In the coming weeks, Lamont and lawmakers will be grappling over a final compromise as they seek to finalize the two-year, $55 billion budget.

Were against any tax increases

One set of solutions was offered by the legislatures Tax Equity Caucus, which says lawmakers should increase the capital gains tax by one percentage point on the richest residents to raise a minimum of $171 million per year as higher taxes could raise larger amounts.

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In addition, the caucus is pushing hard to create a permanent, refundable child tax credit of $600 per child for the first time in Connecticut history. The way to make this all possible, Democrats say, is by loosening the fiscal guardrails that were created on a bipartisan basis in 2017 and have allowed the state to generate continuous surpluses during Lamonts tenure.

But Lamont doesnt want to raise taxes on anyone, and Republicans dont want any changes in taxes or the guardrails.

After more than a year of complaints from some Democrats, Lamont agreed to a slight change in the guardrails when he unveiled his budget in February in a move that would allow more spending than is permitted under current law. For years, Lamont has blocked attempts by liberal Democrats to raise the state income tax on Connecticuts wealthiest residents or impose a separate capital gains surcharge that the caucus still advocates.

At the same time, Lamonts budget team is bracing for cuts at the federal level that would reach Connecticut.

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Despite the unpredictability coming out of Washington, the administration is having ongoing discussions with legislative leadership about a path forward, after we see a final federal budget, and know its impact on Connecticut, said Rob Blanchard, Lamonts chief spokesman. As the governor stated, he is prepared to use his emergency powers, but not yet. Especially in light of recent economic concerns, his preference is increasing the number of taxpayers in our state, rather than increasing taxes.

Republicans agree with Lamont.

Were against any tax increases, Senate Republican leader Stephen Harding told The Courant in an interview. Were one of the highest-burdened tax states in the country. Weve seen what has occurred when weve increased taxes in this building not that long ago  there was an exodus of businesses and residents from the state.

When you couple that with one of the highest electric bills in the country and other unaffordable aspects of life, we have an affordability crisis in Connecticut. The last thing we can afford right now are tax increases.

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Harding added, If you see a budget that has tax increases or modifies or removes the guardrails, you will see Republicans in the Senate oppose it every step of the way. No tax increases, no change in the guardrails. Frankly, when you hear someone say we want to change the guardrails, it is a nice way of saying we want to increase your taxes.

Proposing specific tax increases

The debate is heating up as the tax-writing Finance Committee and the budget-writing Appropriations Committee are both facing deadlines in the post-Easter days this week, which are key steps in the process before the final negotiations take place between Lamont and top legislative leaders.

Lawmakers are hoping to reach a compromise before the regular legislative session ends on June 4, but they caution that they could return to the Capitol in September because the federal fiscal year does not start until October 1 and they might not know the extent of the federal cuts until later in the year.

But top Democrats and liberals in the Tax Equity Caucus have another view.

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Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney of New Haven and Majority Leader Bob Duff of Norwalk are proposing specific tax increases that would take effect if Trump and Congress were to enact federal tax cuts for the wealthiest residents. Even if the Connecticut tax increases were approved, the millionaires and billionaires would still see their overall taxes drop because of the federal tax reductions.

While middle-class rates would remain the same, the proposal calls for the top rate for the state income tax to increase to 7.99%, up from the current 6.99%, for couples earning more than $1 million per year and individuals earning more than $500,000 per year. Rates would also increase to 7.5% for couples earning between $500,000 and $999,000 and individuals earning between $250,000 and $499,999 per year, according to the Senate Democratic plan.

Under the last Trump administration, Connecticuts top 1% saved $1.2 billion in federal taxes, while working families saw crumbs, Looney said. If Washington insists on handing billionaires another tax break, we will ensure some of that windfall comes back to the people of Connecticut to help deal with the massive federal cuts we anticipate.

Rich get richer

A recent study by the liberal Connecticut Citizen Action Group and Americans for Tax Fairness showed that the net worth of Connecticuts 14 billionaires, who largely live in lower Fairfield County, increased by $33 billion, or 61%, since Trump assumed office in 2017.

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State Rep. Josh Elliott, a Hamden Democrat who leads the tax equity caucus, said the legislature must take action in the coming months due to the moves by Trump.

We need to make these changes this year because we are not only seeing incredible amounts of dysfunction coming from the federal government, but we want to show the people of Connecticut that we are elected as Democrats for a reason, Elliott told reporters at the state Capitol complex in Hartford.

And were also here to show that people can get elected on this message that is popular in red, purple and blue districts. In fact, the six districts that House Democrats flipped from Republican to Democrat [in November 2024] were all purple districts, and they all were with candidates that focused on this message of economic populism.

Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, a West Hartford Democrat who is a member of the tax equity caucus, said it is now time to adjust the guardrails to allow more spending.

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You cant talk about tax equity in the state of Connecticut without talking about the fiscal guardrails, Gilchrest said. Any conversation we have about new revenue, inevitably someone will say what about the spending cap? Even if we bring in new revenue, were not going to be able to spend it. So we have to address the guardrails, and the guardrails are not sacrosanct.

But Republicans think they are.

State Rep. Greg Howard of Stonington said Republicans want to hold the line on taxes and spending. As a middle-class taxpayer, Howard said he is concerned about the level of taxation.

Ive always thought the tax system is unfair, Howard said in an interview. I think the income tax is solely designed to keep the middle class as the middle class. You cant work your way out of it. The more you work, the more they take. It discourages you from going out and earning more. Ive hated the income tax since the day I could understand what it was.

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Besides potential increases in taxes on capital gains, Democrats want to help the middle class by creating a permanent, refundable tax credit of $600 per child for up to three children. The proposal would apply to single parents earning up to $100,000 per year and couples earning up to $200,000 per year. The idea was pushed hard for years by former state Rep. Sean Scanlon, who is now the state comptroller, but the measure has not been enacted.

While Democrats say that taxes must increase on the wealthy, Republicans counter that the richest are already paying much of the income taxes and pass-through entity taxes that provide huge parts of state revenues.

Recent statistics from Lamonts budget office show that the top 2.5% of tax filers paid 41% of the state income tax in 2022. At the other end, the bottom 49% of filers  representing essentially half of filers statewide  paid only 2.9% of the income tax.

Less than 3% of the state income tax is paid by 830,000 filers who are earning less than $50,000 per year in adjusted gross income  for both singles and couples filing jointly. Filers earning more than $100,000 per year pay 85% of the income tax, while those under $100,000, representing 72% of filers, pay the remaining 15%, according to the statistics.

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The top 1%, which includes filers at $1 million and above, pays about 30% of the income taxes. In addition, the state is projected to collect $2 billion this year from the pass-through entity tax, which collects the lions share from entities controlled by wealthy small business owners.

An additional $1.4 billion

One of the biggest issues facing legislators is deciding how to allocate $1.4 billion in surplus tax revenues that the state has been collecting since before the recent Wall Street downturn.

The $1.4 billion is collected under the estimates and finals portion of the state income tax and comes mainly from capital gains taxes on Wall Street that are paid largely by millionaires and billionaires in Fairfield County. The money is kept in a separate category under the volatility cap, created in 2017 by the legislature, which declared that lawmakers cannot spend the money as they had in the past.

Under current state law, the state must transfer the $1.4 billion in surplus tax collections later this year to the states pension funds in order to pay down debt.

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But House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford, the leader of the 102-member Democratic caucus, has called for changing the guardrails and instead allowing the state to spend the money if needed to cover federal budget cuts.

Both Republicans and Lamont respond that no quick moves should be made with the tax surplus money because it would require the guardrail changes that need a vote of three-fifths in both the state House of Representatives and Senate.

Were going to stay the course and control what we can control, Lamont said recently. But Ive got to worry what happens in Washington. They represent over $10 billion of our budget, and thousands of so-called state employees are subsidized or paid for by the fed. So we watch that very carefully. I cant avoid it. I wish I could.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
We recently published a list of 12 Best Cosmetics Stocks to Buy for 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) stands against other best cosmetics stocks to buy for 2025.

Overview of the Cosmetics Industry

According to Grand View Research, the global cosmetics industry has a market size of around $295.95 billion as of 2023. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% between 2024 and 2030. The primary driver of this growth is the rising awareness among consumers about improving their external appearance. Products such as makeup, hair care, skin care, and color cosmetics have become essential parts of everyday life, leading to their increased demand. Another factor supporting market expansion in this sector is the introduction of non-toxic, natural, and organic cosmetic products.

The online cosmetics market is reflecting similar trends. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the online cosmetics market had a size of $16.23 billion in 2025. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.47% between 2025 and 2030, reaching $24.37 billion at the end of the forecast period.

READ ALSO: 15 Best Blue Chip Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires and Top 10 Restaurant Stocks to Buy Under $20.

What Would Trumps Tariffs Mean for the American K-Beauty Cosmetic Industry?

South Korea takes the lead for cosmetic imports, but a 25% tariff could be imposed on the country if President Trump decides to give the green signal after a 90-day pause on a majority of his new reciprocal tariffs. On April 16, CBS News reported that the US imported more than $7.5 billion in cosmetics last year, according to estimates made by the US International Trade Commission. Around $1.7 billion of these imports came from South Korea, as American retailers are seeing a significant boom in the K-beauty industry with the sale of Korean skincare, hair care, and makeup products. This trend is partly emerging due to social media influencers consistently promoting K-beauty products.

However, the imposition of Trumps tariffs could result in a significant price hike for these products, which is why consumers are panic-buying their favorite Korean products, according to CBS News. These trends are also proving worrisome to the Personal Care Products Council, a trade association representing more than 600 brands such as Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble, LOreal, and Neutrogena.

The association said in a statement that it is particularly concerned about trade policies that could result in higher prices for personal care products, adding that US consumers use about six to 12 products each day, including sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizer, and fragrance.
As its a $45 billion industry nationwide and legalized businesses in Connecticut evolving, there is a need for workers who are knowledgeable about the products and laws that must be followed.

Now, Southern Connecticut State University is offering three online courses related to careers in the cannabis field.

The nine-week courses, curated and taught by California company, Green Flower, are non-credit, but end with a certification.

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We have to be where the workforce is and meet them where theyre at,said Amy Feest, Senior Director of the Office of Workforce and Life Long Learning at SCSU. This is really meant for people who want to make a career of it.

All three courses include understanding the ethics, legality and science involved in the cannabis industry, she said.

The three courses are cannabis cultivation specialist, cannabis retail specialist, cannabis extractor and product development.

Southern has partnered with Green Flower, and so far, 25 students in the new courses have earned certificates in the field, more complex than it appears, taking all three courses, Feest said.

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Max Simon, CEO of education business at Green Flower, said nationally cannabis is a $45 billion industry driven by each state market.

Connecticut is relatively new to the market, he said, but already as of 2024 there were 4,169 employed here in the industry.

Having 4,000 employees speaks volumes, Simon said.

Simon said hes noticed overall throughout the country that misinformation is often given in retail settings.

Simon, who said he was a medical candidate for cannabis at a young age, decided to start his education business when he saw cannabis was on the precipice of being legalized and carried a stigma as well as there being too much misinformation.

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Simon said he started his education business in 2015 and signed with his first school in 2019. University of New Haven offers a six-month for credit course, he said.

His companys cannabis training programs are currently in 60 universities in 24 states.

He said there are still some learning institutions that are not comfortable with his companys educational material.

Theres still a stigma, he said, but, a lot more schools are really buying in. Im grateful more institutions are taking it seriously. Look at the jobs.

According to state data, Connecticut saw $4,025,594 in adult use cannabis sales during the week that ended March 29, not counting medical use products. While sales vary per week, the combined total of adult use and medical use sales has hit higher than $4 million in eight weeks since the week ending Feb. 8, state data shows.

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Simon said theres also significant misinformation given to customers in retail settings. There is a huge diversity of people coming in for different reasons, to use cannabis, he said. It needs to be done with tremendous care. I hear them talking in an incorrect way.

Simon said his company has had a few outcomes as a result of the courses.

Some people go on to get a job in the industry, others learn about cannabis to enhance a career they already have, such as an attorney and some go into the cannabis business themselves.

Were seeing great interest, Simon said of the courses. It (the education side) shows a lot of promise and potential.

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Feest said shes a big believer that sometimes people dont see themselves as college material, but may want to pursue college later to further develop in an area theyve become interested.

In other words, she said, someone who takes a cannabis class might want to open a dispensary and come back for a business degree to accomplish the goal.

She said Southern is forward in thinking about the non traditional student.
With federal layoffs forcing national parks to cut services, Pennsylvanias own state parks experienced a significant surge in March campsite reservations  and the states Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is now preparing for a record-breaking summer.

And that goes for all of the state parks in and around Centre County, too, such as Bald Eagle State Park, Black Moshannon and Poe Valley.

Pennsylvanians and visitors alike are embracing the outdoors like never before, DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said in a news release. With increased demand for camping, we encourage everyone to plan ahead and take advantage of the many beautiful sites still available.

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Based on data provided by DCNR, state parks in the Keystone State saw a nearly 30% increase in March campsite reservations compared to the same time last year. In Centre County, that amounted to a 16% increase at Poe Paddy, a 38% increase at Poe Valley, a 42% increase at Black Moshannon and a 51% increase at Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagle State Park is one of the largest state parks in Pennsylvania.

Data at every park wasnt immediately available, and not all parks provide camping, such as Whipple Dam State Park in Huntingdon County. Other variables couldve also artificially inflated some of those numbers, as March was unseasonably warm and Bald Eagle added more camping sites since last spring.

Still, those increases are significant  and the DCNR is still expecting a big summer. So are the park managers on the ground.

Were at full staff, and were mainly just getting our ducks in a row and getting everything put back after the winter, said Black Moshannon park manager Mathias Weinzen, who added visitation has definitely increased this spring. We are fully prepared to welcome everyone in with open arms. Just like the slogan that DCNR put out, were still open.

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The slogan Weinzen referred to  Still Open. Still Awesome.  plays off the fact that state parks are thriving while national parks around the country have been forced to cut back on essential services, shortening hours at some parks and closing campsites at others.

Kayaks are pictured at Black Moshannon State Park on Saturday, July 11, 2020.

The impact to national parks has been far-reaching. According to Frommers, the renowned travel guide, the iconic Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming went from being open 24/7 to closing at 5 p.m. Californias Yosemite National Park had just one EMT in March, meaning hikers were reportedly taking their own lives in their hands. And various parks  from Arkansas Hot Springs National Park to Nevadas Great Basin National Park  closed their visitor centers and museums.

The situation remains fluid. A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to rehire about 1,000 fired park employees. And a Trump official earlier this month ordered national parks to be properly staffed. Its unclear how quickly that all might occur.

In the meantime, national parks are suffering while Pennsylvanias state parks continue with business as usual. Raystown Lake, the largest lake that is entirely within Pennsylvania, is part of a national park  about an hours drive from State College  that has been forced to close many of its campsites.

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Its unknown how those campsite closures influenced the increases in Centre County, which amounted to several hundred more reservations in March. But its clear the closures are not having a positive impact on Huntingdon County. According to the visitors bureau, Raystown campground users alone contribute more than $7.4 million annually in visitor spending there.

For park managers around Centre County, uncertainty elsewhere means theyll have to be prepared here. Weinzen recalled the crush in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and, if state parks can handle that, hes confident this summer will be no different.

Its nice when we get people out here to see Black Moshannon, Weinzen added. The hiking is pristine here. We have 22 miles of trails, with our featured trail being our fully-accessible Bog Trail. So I think that brings a lot of people, but thatll transition to competing with kayaking and paddleboarding as we go on.

For more information on state parks offerings, or to book a campsite, go to pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration of a temporary ceasefire on the Easter holiday amount to little more than "a media stunt," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on April 20.

Putin announced on April 19 that an Easter ceasefire would last from 6 p.m. that evening until midnight on April 21. Russia has already violated the temporary truce multiple times, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers on Ukraine's front lines.

Russia's failure to follow through on its own ceasefire demonstrate Putin's contempt of the peace process, Lipavsky told the Czech media outlet CNN Prima News.

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"It's like going on a hunger strike between breakfast and lunch and secretly eating candy," he said.

"We see that the attacks are continuing. Ukraine reports that there have been a number of attacks, so the ceasefire declared in this way is more of a media stunt than reality."

The weekend ceasefire is also no substitution for the full 30-day ceasefire on hostilities that the U.S. has been lobbying for since March, Lipavsky continued.

"Putin never agreed to that and started to set other conditions. We should look at what the reality is rather than at the words," he said.

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Ukraine has agreed to enter a complete month-long truce since March 11. Kyiv's only requirement is that Moscow abide by the same terms  but the Kremlin has continuously pushed back on Washington's proposal, demanding extraordinary concessions from Ukraine in exchange for a pause on attacks.

Putin's declaration of an Easter truce came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass," Trump told reporters on April 18.

The following day, Putin claimed he ordered the Easter ceasefire.

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Relations between the U.S. and Russia have warmed significantly since Trump's election and subsequent involvement in peace negotiations. Washington is reportedly considering recognizing occupied Crimea as a Russian territory and lifting sanctions against Moscow as part of a future peace deal.

Lipavsky's dismissal of Putin's apparent posturing echoes the response of other European leaders to the so-called Easter truce. The U.K. foreign ministry on April 19 called on Russia to go beyond a "one-day pause" and commit to a complete ceasefire. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani urged Putin "to finally stop this war he started."

Read also: Moscow declared an Easter ceasefire. According to Ukrainian soldiers, the shooting never stopped

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky has ridiculed Russias so-called "Easter ceasefire" in Ukraine, likening it to someone declaring a hunger strike while secretly eating sweets.

Source: Lipavsky on CNN Prima NEWS, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The minister criticised Russia for violating the "Easter ceasefire" announced by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Quote: "Its like declaring a hunger strike between breakfast and lunch while secretly eating sweets.

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We can see the shelling continues. Ukraine reports a number of attacks, so this kind of ceasefire is more of a media stunt than a reality."

More details: Lipavsky also noted that Russia has refused to agree to the 30-day ceasefire already accepted by Ukraine.

"Putin never agreed to it and started making other demands. We must focus on reality, not on words," he said, adding that if Russia "did not want" the war, "it would not have started it".

"The only chance now is for Ukraine to successfully defend itself so that Russia cannot achieve its goals through military means," the diplomat concluded.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Putin announced an "Easter ceasefire" that was supposedly to halt all combat in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April, but it was almost immediately violated.

The European Commission has commented on the Russian "Easter ceasefire", stating that Moscow could end the war immediately if it truly wanted to.

The UK has urged Russia to implement a full ceasefire in Ukraine "not just a one-day pause".

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Apr. 19If your New Mexico driver's license does not have a bright gold star in the upper right corner, it could be time to make a trip to the Motor Vehicle Division and apply for a Real ID.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that starting May 7, any person attempting to fly commercially or wanting to enter a federal building must have a Real ID in order to do so.

While Real IDs are required for various federal activities, users have other options to identify themselves, including using a passport as identification, and users do not need the enhanced driver's license for any state offered services, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department spokesperson Bobbie Marquez said.

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Currently, 80% of New Mexicans have a Real ID, Marquez said. Roughly, 370,448 New Mexicans have a standard driver's license, which allows them to legally drive in the state but is not accepted for federal purposes, she added.

New Mexico began distributing federally-compliant identification cards in 2016, something Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said has helped reduce wait times at the MVD and stress for New Mexicans.

"We're really glad we got an early start on this and that said, we don't want any New Mexican to be caught unaware and be surprised and unable to travel when that deadline hits," Clarke said.

New Mexico adopted its two-tier license system in 2016, after a bruising political fight over whether undocumented immigrants should be able to drive legally. The current system essentially allows New Mexico residents to opt out of Real ID by obtaining a standard driver's license.

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New Mexicans who have a mobile I.D. will be able to use that as a federally accepted form of identification at Albuquerque International Sunport or at the Lea County Regional Airport, Clarke said.

"When we went about designing our mobile driver's license, we made sure at the outset that it would be accepted as a Real ID and accepted by (the Transportation Security Administration), because we kind of thought, what's the point of issuing a mobile driver's license if it doesn't meet those requirements," Clarke said. "The TSA scanning equipment is also able to basically see that it's a Real ID and accept it for that purpose.

MVD will continue to offer a standard license for New Mexicans who do not want or are ineligible for a Real ID. Other federally accepted documents include permanent resident cards, border crossing cards and more.

"New Mexicans may have another form of ID that will be acceptable by the federal government for these purposes," Marquez said. "In addition to those who may not want a Real ID, there are some New Mexicans who are not eligible to receive a Real ID.

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"Eligibility requires the individual to have all required documentation to prove their legal status, and for the individual's legal name to match or be linked across all documents."

To apply for a Real ID, individuals can make a same-day appointment with MVD. Users can also apply to renew their driver's license entirely online through the MVD website.

Required documents to apply for a Real ID include proof of residence, an item with an identification number and proof of lawful identity. If approved, individuals will receive a printed, temporary license in place of a Real ID, which would be mailed to users within a few weeks, and can use the temporary license in the meantime.

Journal staff reporter Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
A crash blocked the roadway April 20 on Interstate 17 southbound past Black Canyon City, backing traffic up about 6 miles, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Arizona Department of Public Safety officials said one person died in the rollover crash that happened after 12:30 p.m. in the southbound lanes of the interstate just north of Table Mesa Road.

The identity of the person who died had not yet been released, as of April 20.

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DPS said two lanes were blocked, but traffic was moving in the emergency lane. ADOT confirmed on the social media platform X that there were extensive backups.

"Both lanes of I-17 southbound are blocked due to the crash," ADOT said. "Traffic is getting by on the shoulder, but there is a significant backup. There is no estimated time to reopen the lanes."

ADOT said to get around the traffic, drivers could take State Route 260 eastbound to Payson, then State Route 87 southbound to the East Valley.

Drivers can also take State Route 169 westbound to Dewey, then State Route 69 westbound to State Route 89 to Prescott. The department said drivers can then take U.S. 93 southbound to the West Valley.

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It was not known how long the lanes would be blocked and traffic would be slowed.

(This story has been updated to add more information.)

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rollover crash kills 1, causes backup on I-17 near Black Canyon City
A public art dedication will take place at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in the Student Center on Sandburgs Galesburg campus for the donation of a piece by late renowned sculptor Richard Hunt, according to a news release.

Sandburg (sandburg.edu)

Hunts creation, Winged Hybrid, will be donated to the college by Naomi Law and Anthony Law III for the enrichment of the Sandburg community and student engagement. All are invited to attend the dedication.

A native of the South Side of Chicago, Hunt, who passed away in 2023, grew to become one of the most prominent sculptors of the 20th Century. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he developed his artistic practice and devoted himself to working with metal, teaching himself to solder and later weld discarded metal he scavenged from local scrapyards.

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At the core of Hunts artistic and philosophical approach was a fundamental concern with freedom: political and artistic freedom as well as personal and universal freedom.

I am interested more than anything else in being a free person, Hunt once said. To me, that means that I can make what I want to make, regardless of what anyone else thinks I should make.

Throughout his seven-decade career, Hunt staged over 170 solo exhibitions at major museums and galleries and secured more than 160 large-scale public sculpture commissions. Among his works, Hunt paid tribute to American icons such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens, Hobart Taylor Jr. and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. In 2022, former President Barack Obama commissioned Hunt to create a sculptural work, Book Bird, for the Obama Presidential Center. Learn more about Hunt here.

Though not required, you can RSVP for the event here or email foundation@sandburg.edu.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of a March attack on Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a message group that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.

The revelations of a second Signal chat raise more questions about Hegseth's use of an unclassified messaging system to share highly sensitive security details and come at a particularly delicate moment for him, with senior officials ousted from the Pentagon last week as part of an internal leak investigation.

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In the second chat, Hegseth shared details of the attack similar to those revealed last month by The Atlantic magazine after its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was included in a separate chat on the Signal app by mistake, in an embarrassing incident involving all of President Donald Trump's most senior national security officials.

The person familiar with the matter, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the second chat included about a dozen people and was created during his confirmation process to discuss administrative issues rather than detailed military planning.

The chat included details of the schedule of the air strikes, the person said.

Hegseth's wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, has attended sensitive meetings with foreign military counterparts, according to images the Pentagon has publicly posted.

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During a meeting Hegseth had with his British counterpart at the Pentagon in March, his wife could be seen sitting behind him.

Hegseth's brother is a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Pentagon.

The Trump administration has aggressively pursued leaks, an effort that has been enthusiastically embraced by Hegseth at the Pentagon.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, without evidence, said that the media was "enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article."

"The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump's agenda. ... We've already achieved so much for the American warfighter, and will never back down," Parnell said in a statement on X.

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White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that "recently fired leakers are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the Presidents agenda.

TUMULTUOUS MOMENT FOR HEGSETH

Democratic lawmakers said Hegseth could no longer stay in his job.

"We keep learning how Pete Hegseth put lives at risk," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a post to X. "But Trump is still too weak to fire him. Pete Hegseth must be fired."

Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who suffered grave injuries in combat in 2004, said that Hegseth "must resign in disgrace."

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A U.S. official at the Pentagon questioned how Hegseth could keep his job after the latest news.

The latest revelation comes days after Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth's leading advisers, was escorted from the Pentagon after being identified during an investigation into leaks at the Department of Defense.

Although Caldwell is not as well known as other senior Pentagon officials, he has played a critical role for Hegseth and was named as the Pentagon's point person by the Secretary in the first Signal chat.

"We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended," Caldwell posted on X on Saturday. "Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door."

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Following Caldwell's departure, less-senior officials Darin Selnick, who recently became Hegseth's deputy chief of staff, and Colin Carroll, who was chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, were put on administrative leave and fired on Friday.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart. Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici and Nandita Bose; Editing by Chris Reese, Diane Craft and Gerry Doyle)
When the 7-Eleven owner asked corporate officials how to honor Karen Cavarnos, an employee with 50 years of service, there was one small problem.

They dont even have a pin for it, John Jacobe said. Theres a lot of people that have 20 years, a few that have 30, some have 40, but nobody has 50.

Jacobe, who owns the Lees Hill 7-Eleven franchise in Spotsylvania County, took matters into his own hands.

He had a plaque made for Cavarnos, whos 80 and still works four days a week, ringing up purchases of sodas and cigarettes for customers that she knows by name, and by their orders. Jacobe and his wife, Lora, also set out golden balloons and chocolates, along with free cake and coffee.

Cavarnos has spent two of her five decades of 7-Eleven work at Lees Hill. Shes not a fan of the spotlight, so she initially resisted the idea of a celebration, just as shes avoided her childrens suggestions that she retire.

Ive been independent my entire life, said the woman who grew up poor in a big family in West Virginia. I like my space, I have my dog, I come and go as I want to.

As long as she can cut her grass, clean out her gutters and do repairs on her 2000 Chevy Impala, Cavarnos said she plans to live on her own  and keep working until Jacobe fires her. Hes already said a hundred times that hed pay someone to take her to and from work, and help her in and out of a wheelchair, before hed do that.

When 7-Eleven managers gathered around on Thursday and said what a big deal it was to work for 50 years, not just at 7-Eleven but in any sector of the retail industry, Cavarnos shrugged her shoulders.

You take it one day at a time, she said. Every day, you learn something new and no day is exactly the same as the one before.

Cavarnos guesses shes met someone from every corner of the world during her work at convenience stores in Virginia and Maryland. She may not be the type to stand on the mountain and proclaim, Oh thank heaven for 7-Eleven, but shes grateful for the education its provided.

Shes learned about others by being front and center at the cash register. If she saw a customer with an unusual outfit, shed say how much she liked it, and the next thing she knew, she heard a little of their story and maybe something about their culture.

Its not a long conversation, she said. But you learn a lot if you listen.

The woman who was the first female supervisor in Virginia for 7-Eleven started her career in Manassas on April 15, 1975. She worked as a clerk, then assistant manager, then store manager as she spent 30 years working for 7-Elevens corporate operation before working at Jacobes franchise.

Shes a sweet lady, and shell ask you if you need anything, if she can find something for you, said Rhonda Clark, who has been to the 7-Eleven regularly since she moved to Spotsylvania in 1994. I cannot believe shes 80 and shes still here.

Eric Kumah, a 7-Eleven area leader, said he could only imagine the knowledge shes acquired over the years with various operational changes, innovations and new equipment.

And shes still kicking, which is awesome, he said.

Fellow area leader Tanya Bauer said her longevity has been quite extraordinary, and Mike Koolhof, a market leader for the company, called it amazing.

To deal with the public on a day-to-day basis and to have been here for 50 years and still be as positive and upbeat as she is, so engaging of the customers (is) truly inspirational, he said.

Cavarnos says shes just a normal person whos had a pretty mediocre, uneventful life.

She is proud that she doesnt have any prescriptions for medical ailments. She takes one vitamin and one multipurpose supplement a day.

She also smokes, a habit that she picked up when she started working at 7-Eleven, back when everyone smoked in public places. She quit once, when someone bet her $15 that she couldnt, and stayed away from the smokes for 15 years before she started again.

Cavarnos said 99.99% of her customers are nice people, but there are times when everyone faces one stress or another and she can barely get a good morning out of them. She believes people are happiest on Thursdays, knowing payday, and the weekend, are right around the corner.

She enjoys getting to know the routines of her customers One girl gets a Big Gulp Mountain Dew every time shes in the store; another likes the Monterey Jack taquitos and gets two at each visit.

You know whos gonna get the Blue Cigars, you know what kind of cigarettes they smoke and you know if they get their coffee out of the Franke machine (which dispenses lattes) versus the urns, she said.

Cavarnos said she raised her three children on her wages and put in play lessons she learned from her father. He didnt draw a line between what should be done by men or women, but believed all should have a variety of skills.

What she didnt pick up from him, she gathered from YouTube over the years.

When you struggle and something breaks, you learn very quickly that you either fix it, she said wisely, or you do without.
No doubt you heard about the deportation of a man from Maryland named Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

The Trump administration deported him to El Salvador where hes being held in prison.

Early on the administration admitted he was deported by mistake, but the White House refuses to bring him back to the country and now maintains the deportation was not a mistake. It claims to have proof hes a member of the MS13 gang.

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Host Jim Niedelman brings back Dave Loebsack and Steve Grubbs to discuss.

This is just one manifestation of how incredibly ugly our policies have become in this country over the years, Loebsack said.

Im certain the FBI is going to investigate this whole pizza delivery scandal, and I hope they prosecute to the full extent of the law, Grubbs said.

To hear more, click on the video.

Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present 4 The Record, a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. Its a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as Jim Niedelman brings you up to speed on whats happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A DeKalb County firefighter is now enjoying his independence.

Channel 2s Lori Wilson shares how the community came together for a big surprise, a year in the making.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

I never thought wed get to this point, DeKalb Fire and Rescue Capt. David McBrayer said.

In June of 2023, we introduced you to McBrayer on Channel 2 Action News.

The 15-year veteran of DeKalb County Fire and Rescue was on his way home from work when an oncoming driver lost control while going 96 miles per hour. The driver crossed the double yellow line and hit McBrayer head-on.

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Im paralyzed from the chest down, McBrayer explained.

TRENDING STORIES:

Before the accident, McBrayer transformed his body, losing over 100 pounds. His strength and determination have gotten him through these tough months.

What inspired me was this mans faith, retired firefighter Chris Brook said.

Brook enlisted friend Ronnie Mayer to bring together resources to get McBrayer moving again.

Its kinda cool, the people that help people are being helped today, Dennis J. Gardin of Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation said.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

McBrayer was recently gifted a wheelchair accessable van.

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Many community organizations, including the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation and Mobility Works, donated time and talent to get McBrayer and his family this life-changing gift.

A gift of mobility, freedom and for this firefighter, purpose.

This is all for me to get back in the community and still change lives, McBrayer said.

He can go to schools and teach classes and do whatever as a DeKalb County firefighter, Mayer said.
Democrats panic over what they stand for and whether they can credibly compete beyond the bluest states is already erupting in the rush to recruit Senate candidates across the country for next year  a desperate effort to dig out from years of losses that have them far from power at a moment they need it most.

Will Democrats, indeed, compete everywhere in 2026? Will leaders allocate money even in tough races, or will they consolidate conservatively around their best bets? How will they handle what could be candidates who range from being aligned with Bernie Sanders to occasionally voting with Donald Trump?

Even this early out from the 2026 elections, these questions are all playing out against the toughest set of Senate races Democrats have faced in decades.

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On its face, the Senate map does not look great, but if this is a wave election, Democrats can compete in places they normally cant, said Jaime Harrison, who before his recently completed term as Democratic National Committee chair ran for Senate in South Carolina in 2020. The goal has to be: recruit a Democrat for every damn seat.

Harrison failed in his attempt to turn a red state blue. While he raised $130 million, he still lost to Sen. Lindsey Graham by 15 points.

But hopes of a major backlash to Trump, fed by internal poll numbers that operatives say show his popularity dropping, has Harrison and two dozen other Democratic operatives and candidates across the country who spoke with CNN arguing that next years elections could be more in line with the Democratic wave of 2006.

Democrats have three incumbent senators who announced they wont run again next year and anticipate at least one more will follow. They also have to defend a senator in Georgia, where Republicans keep running strong. Their most obvious opportunities to put Republicans on defense are in Maine and North Carolina, the two states that have crushed Democrats dreams of winning Senate races cycle after cycle.

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And even if they manage to win those three races, that wont be enough to get them the majority.

That leaves operatives looking beyond prime Democratic territory in states such as Alaska and even Kentucky and Mississippi, or nursing fantasies of revivals in once-competitive states like Ohio, where local leaders are waiting for Sherrod Brown to decide whether hell try a comeback from his 2024 loss to run for the states other Senate seat, or go for governor instead.

And across the country, voters have doubts about what Democrats even stand for. Thats a question Im getting a lot, said Wiley Nickel, a former congressman now running for Senate in North Carolina  even as many Democrats push for former Gov. Roy Cooper to enter the race against Sen. Thom Tillis.

More than on ideology, voters are pushing Democratic candidates on what theyre doing to push back against Trump and whether theyd support Chuck Schumer to remain the partys Senate leader.

Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow joins a crowd in Ferndale, Michigan, during a Hands Off protest against President Donald Trump on Saturday, April 5, 2025. McMorrow is running in the Democratic primary for US Senate. - Mandi Wright/USA Today Network/Imagn Images

A huge opportunity for us to write a new Democratic Party

While strategists draft preliminary plans to blast Trump on the economy and thrash Republicans as rolling over for him no matter what, Schumer and fellow New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Senate Democrats campaign arm, have been feeling out the strength of prospective candidates and working with local leaders to find more.

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But the Senate leadership is not alone in recruitment efforts. Abdul El-Sayed, who last week launched his campaign for the Democratic primary for the open Senate seat in Michigan with the immediate endorsement of Sanders, is just one of the prospective candidates around the country whom the progressive icon has encouraged into running. Smaller groups of operatives and activists are forming quiet partnerships to boost their own candidates, eager to blow past whatever decisions come out of Washington.

Comparing what hes hearing from voters to the cynicism that takes root in chronic pain patients he has worked with, El-Sayed told CNN, Its the morass of, Everything kind of sucks, and our job is to take it down to its key elements.

For too many voters in Michigan who narrowly elected Donald Trump, they didnt know what the Democratic Party stands for, said Mallory McMorrow, a Michigan state senator also running in the primary for the US Senate seat.

McMorrow said her campaign is about success, safety and sanity rather than the status quo.

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This is a huge opportunity for us to write a new Democratic Party and really put a stake in the ground, show through our race this is what the new party can look like and sound like and act like, she said.

The stakes in the Senate are much higher than just winning the majority. For those who see checking Trumps power as an emergency for the republic, every Democratic seat makes a huge difference: Even narrowing the GOPs 53-47 margin would amplify the pressure on the few remaining Republicans willing to buck the president.

One measure of how sparse the Democratic bench is in states where they need to compete next year: Only a few House members are in the mix for Senate runs. New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas has already launched his campaign, though Rep. Haley Stevens is expected to join the open race in Michigan and Rep. Angie Craig is in the middle of a swing of town halls in her states Republican districts as she readies a campaign for the open seat in Minnesota.

All three are in more reliably Democratic states, but Pappas said being a lifelong Democrat does not mean he is at all satisfied with how the party got to where it is.

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We have to recognize that in order to confront the damage that the administration is causing, in order to win elections and stop what the administration is doing right now, we need a coalition of folks that are able to step forward, run and win, he told CNN. The Democratic Party was flat-footed at the beginning of the Trump presidency. This is a moment where we need to be thinking about how to make a difference, using every tool we have to hold Republicans accountable and trying to establish some guardrails.

Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks during a "Rally for our Republic" event in Atlanta, on March 22. - Mike Stewart/AP

I know its an uphill battle

In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff has started building his campaign around an approach he believes worked well for him in the past  talking common sense over chaos, railing against Trumps authoritarian impulses and blasting corruption. When he spoke out against cuts to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was not to defend the diversity, equity and inclusion programs that Trump targeted, but to point to possible effects on public health.

Hes also raised $11 million already and has had thousands at his rallies in a state that Trump won again last year, and some of what hes built can be a model for others looking to flip seats in traditionally red states.

Some prospects are emerging.

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In South Carolina, Annie Andrews  a pediatrician who lost a 2022 House race against Rep. Nancy Mace  has been having conversations about taking on Graham this time, convinced that the demographics in the state are shifting to make him vulnerable. In Alaska, Democrats are urging Mary Peltola  who flipped the statewide House seat in 2022 but lost it in 2024 despite running double digits ahead of the presidential ticket  to jump in against Dan Sullivan, hoping the states ranked-choice voting system could give her an edge. In Mississippi, District Attorney Scott Colom  whose nomination by Joe Biden to be a district court judge was blocked by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith  has been gearing up for a likely run now against her.

In Maine, a former Capitol Hill chief of staff who worked at the Democratic group End Citizens United has told multiple people he will soon launch a campaign, but most eyes remain on Rep. Jared Golden, the four-term congressman whose most recent break with his party was being the sole House Democrat to vote for the GOPs stopgap funding bill. Hes still weighing what to run, leaving Maine Democrats thinking of 77-year-old Gov. Janet Mills as their possible backup.

In Nebraska, Dan Osborn  the local labor leader and industrial machinist who attracted significant Democratic interest and money for his 2024 Senate run as an independent  is nearing another run. Across the Missouri River, Nathan Sage last week launched a likeminded but still Democratic campaign against Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst.

This is shaping up to be an incredibly interesting election cycle where anythings possible, said South Carolinas Andrews, who said she expects to make a final decision about running within weeks. I know its an uphill battle  but the moment we find ourselves in, we have to run everywhere and do what we can to get this country back on track.

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In Texas, after 2018 and 2024 races that fizzled despite national buzz, Democrats are trying to decide whether a GOP primary could get their hopes up for 2026. Within minutes of the race kicking off, state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn were attacking each other as unfit for office and failing to serve Texans.

Former Rep. Colin Allred, the Democratic nominee last year, has been having conversations and attending events around the state as he seriously considers launching another campaign, and he expects to make a final decision by the summer.

I dont care anymore about the DC game of proving to people that we can do this, or we cant do that, Allred told CNN. This is a time of crisis  and thats where I think its been where people are feeling that we need to do something.

Protesters attend a "Hands Off" protest against President Donald Trump on the grounds of the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on April 5. - Jon Cherry/AP

Searching for candidates who can overcome how voters think about Democrats

National Senate campaign operatives are in the early stages of deciding where they will focus, but they acknowledge that in most places, much of that will be candidate-driven, since winning will require overperforming in regards to how voters think about Democrats. In some cases, they say, that will mean pushing the most famous Democrat they can find to run, but in others it will be hunting for an unknown unicorn who can talk about shared values rather than partisanship.

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Better candidates, stronger campaigns, a winning message, and a building midterm backlash against Republicans driven by their threats to Social Security and Medicaid are going to power Senate Democrats into the majority this cycle, Gillibrand said in a statement provided to CNN. Republicans have more seats to defend  and theyre doing it in a bad political environment.

But for all the history of midterm elections tending to go against the party that controls the White House, the Democrats gearing up for these races know theyre going to need more than a bad political environment  even in Kentucky, the one race where a Republican incumbent isnt running for another term, as former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell retires in a state that has a two-term Democratic governor but not much other recent history of supporting the party.

Somebody has to stand up, and Ive done it my entire life, said Pam Stevenson, an Air Force colonel and the minority leader of the state House whos hoping to do better in her 2026 Senate campaign than in her 2023 race for attorney general. Its not too early. Especially if youve got to raise $25 million. Its never too early to start giving people hope.

In Kansas, which also has a Democratic governor but hasnt had a Democratic senator for decades, state party chair Jeanna Repass told CNN on Friday that while shes already been part of several interviews with prospective opponents to Sen. Roger Marshall, she still is not sure who will run.

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But with new organizing already underway in rural parts of the state, Repass predicted theres enough energy that there will even be a primary.

Being a Democrat in a red state, if you dont lead with optimism, she said, youre done from the get-go.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this incorrectly stated the bill for which Rep. Jared Golden was the sole House Democratic vote, he voted in favor of the GOPs stopgap funding bill.

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House Democrats are diving back into GOP districts to conduct town halls during the long spring recess, escalating an unusual tactic theyre hoping will help them win over battleground voters.

The gambit  aimed at districts held by Republicans facing tough reelection contests  was initiated after House GOP leaders advised Republican lawmakers not to meet face-to-face with voters in large, public forums amid the outcry over President Trumps efforts to remake Washington.

In March, a handful of Democrats ventured into GOP districts to stage town halls put on by grassroots activists and local party affiliates. Theyve expanded the effort this month, using the two-week holiday break to visit Republican-held districts in states spanning from coast to coast.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have gained the most attention as they traverse the country on the Fighting Oligarchy tour, which launched in March. In recent days the pair has barnstormed through Republican strongholds in the West, including stops in Montana, Utah and Idaho, attracting large crowds in the process.

But theyre hardly alone. On a smaller scale, individual House Democrats  some coordinating with the Democrats national campaign arms, others not  are also hopping into Republican territory to take their anti-Trump arguments directly to voters. A large part of the message is calling out GOP lawmakers for declining to conduct similar public events.

Republicans shouldnt be hiding from their constituents, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Friday in an email.

Khanna staged public forums in three GOP-held districts in California in March, and hes planning to travel much further this week for two similar events in districts represented by GOP Reps. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey and Adrian Smith in Nebraska.

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Americans want answers about threats to critical programs like Social Security and Medicaid, Khanna said. Democrats should be showing up in these communities  not just to listen, but to organize with local leaders and residents.

In Arizona, Rep. Greg Stanton (D) has similar ideas. Last week, he joined several other high-profile Democrats  including former Rep. Gabby Giffords (Ariz.) and Sens. Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Cory Booker (N.J.)  for a town hall in a part of Tucson represented by GOP Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who is a Democratic target in 2026.

Too many Republican Members of Congress are motivated by one thing: fear of Donald Trump, Stanton told the audience. We are here to send a message  you might want to change that political calculus.

The idea is not only to make inroads with moderate Republican and independent voters, but also to ensure frustrated Democrats in those districts that they arent backing down from Trumps flood-the-zone strategy.

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On Saturday, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, staged an event in the district of Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). On Thursday hell venture further afield to the region represented by Colorado Rep. Gabe Evans (R).

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) is in on the effort. On Tuesday, hell hop into the neighboring district represented by GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden (Wis.) for an event in La Crosse. And on Thursday, Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) will meet voters in a district of central North Carolina represented by GOP Rep. Richard Hudson, the chair of the Republicans campaign arm.

The aggressive outreach has taken flight since a closed-door meeting of the House GOP conference in early March, when Hudson advised House Republicans to avoid town halls in their districts.

The guidance came on the heels of several Republican town halls where GOP lawmakers faced crowds of people infuriated with the efforts of Trump and Elon Musk, the worlds wealthiest person, to gut the federal government and the services it provides. Videos of those clashes quickly went viral online.

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Republican operatives have downplayed the significance of the protests, saying the outrage has largely been manufactured by liberal activist groups that have encouraged their members to attend  and disrupt  the GOP forums. Republicans are also quick to note that Democrats have faced troubles during town halls in their own districts, where frustrated Democratic voters have accused the lawmakers of letting Trump run wild without a fight.

With that in mind, Republicans contend, the Democrats town hall strategy is merely an effort to distract from their own internal differences, including a recent episode in which a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee vowed to dedicate millions of dollars toward ousting incumbent lawmakers of his own party.

Democrats are trying to stage another round of political theater, but now theyre stuck dealing with their own internal meltdown, Mike Marinella, spokesperson for the National Republican Campaign Committee, said Friday. Its an egg-on-the-face moment for a party that cant even get its own house in order  let alone sell their failing message to voters.

Still, theres evidence that voters are souring on Trumps early moves in office, including efforts to eliminate entire federal agencies and a blanket tariff policy that thrashed the stock market. Democrats are hoping to exploit that unrest  and make life as tough as possible for vulnerable Republicans in the contested districts that will decide which party controls the House in the final two years of Trumps second term.

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Its incredibly telling that House Republicans are afraid to face their own communities, Viet Shelton, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Friday in an email. Theyre hiding because they know taking away peoples health care, making everything more expensive, and giving tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy is not popular!

If Republicans refuse to listen to their voters, then we will, he continued. And what weve been hearing loud and clear across the country is simple: voters are tired of Republicans broken promises and are ready for a change.

Updated at 5:30 p.m. EDT

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Calls for generational change among Democrats are growing louder as the party seeks to chart a path forward going into the 2026 midterms.

On Wednesday, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hoggs group Leaders We Deserve PAC launched a $20 million effort aimed at launching primary challenges against House Democratic incumbents in safe seats in hopes of electing younger candidates. A number of young progressive candidates have already launched primary bids against longtime incumbent House Democrats.

The efforts come as young, progressive figures in the party like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are playing a central role in galvanizing the partys grassroots in large-scale rallies across the country.

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The Democratic Party says over and over again we have to care about democracy, we have to care about democracy, and we do, Hogg said in an interview with The Hill. But the best way to do that is not just to say we need to care about democracy, it is to use democracy to actively help people improve their lives and show them how democracy is the best vehicle to do that.

Grassroots anger has bubbled up against the Democratic establishments response to President Trump during his first three months in office, reaching a fever pitch earlier this month when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a handful of other Democrats voted with Republicans to pass a House GOP-drafted budget resolution. The development further sparked speculation of a potential Senate primary battle between Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez.

The leadership part is what you do around the procedural part to have a conversation with the public about who we are and who we want to be, said Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive Senate candidate in Michigan. Theres a lot more you can do when you embrace the leadership part of the job, and youre seeing leaders do that, folks like Sen. Sanders and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) appear to be resonating with swaths of voters and activists looking for new messaging in Trumps second administration. In addition to attracting massive crowds at their Fighting Oligarchy Tour, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders have seen massive grassroots fundraising hauls in the off-year cycle. Ocasio-Cortezs team said she raised more than $9.5 million from 260,000 individual donors, with an average donation of $21. Sanderss team said he raised $11.5 million in the first quarter of the year.

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Young voters approval of Trump has fallen since the start of his term, according to YouGov polling, from a net positive 5 percent to a net negative 29 percent as of early April. But Democrats broadly have logged dismal approval ratings in recent weeks, with just 30 percent of voters under age 35 viewing the party favorably, per March CNN polling.

Frustration with the status quo has also fueled at least four younger primary opponents to challenge long-serving House lawmakers in recent weeks, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whos facing a challenge from Saikat Chakrabarti, a veteran of Sanderss 2016 campaign and a former chief of staff to Ocasio-Cortez.

Chakrabarti stressed his respect for Pelosis long career in Washington as he launched his bid, but he argued its a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago.

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) also faces a challenge from his onetime deputy press secretary on Capitol Hill, Jake Rakov, whos pitched his campaign as a generational, operational difference from his ex-boss.

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And in Illinois, 26-year-old social media influencer Kat Abughazaleh kick-started her challenge to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D) by underscoring that half of Congress are millionaires and people born before the Moon landing.

The bigger issue is the lack of different lived experiences in Congress, Abughazaleh told The Hill. The average age of Congress is 58. The average American is 38. Most of Congress didnt grow up with school shooter drills. They dont worry about out-of-pocket medical costs. They dont spend most of their paycheck on rent. They probably own their home, actually.

We need to make room for people who do know what its like to live with the problems that Americans face every day, she continued, adding that she does not have health insurance.

With Democrats in the minority in both chambers of Congress, many of the partys lawmakers are trying to figure how they can resist Republicans and fight back. Abughazaleh pointed to Sen. Chris Van Hollens (D-Md.) trip to El Salvador this week to check in on the well-being of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported by the Trump administration to the country.

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That should have been every Democrats first instinct, Abughazaleh said. And yet many of them are still quibbling on what we should do.

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake, whose clients include Ocasio-Cortez, said theres a huge appetite among the party for candidates willing to fight back.

I think its interesting, both older and younger voters are just really interested in seeing a different kind of stand-up-and-fighting style that tends to be associated with younger candidates, new ideas, bold vision, and, you know, a rejection of kind of the status quo in both parties, she said.

I think the plummeting of support and turnout among young voters was a real factor in adding energy to this, she added.

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Indeed, Democrats saw a drop-off in their support among younger voters between 2020 and 2024 in the presidential election. In 2020, former President Biden won 18- to 29-year-olds with 60 percent of the vote, including 65 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds specifically, according to CNN exit polling. In 2024, former Vice President Kamala Harris received 54 percent of the vote among 18- to 29-year-olds, including 54 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds.

Both candidates fared similarly among 30- to 44-year-olds; Biden received 52 percent of the cohorts vote in 2020 while Harris received 51 percent.

Its not to say that there arent older leaders who can meet the moment, said Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run for Something, a progressive group aimed at recruiting and supporting younger candidates. She pointed to Sanders, Van Hollen and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

But the Democratic figures who have best resonated with voters are generally either quite literally younger or have a younger political age in terms of when they rose to party prominence, Litman said. That, I think, really changes your understanding of both the attention ecosystem and the opponent.

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Run for Something has seen more than 40,000 sign-ups since November from young people thinking about running for office, Litman told The Hill, more than during the first two years of Trumps first term.

Young people in politics generally care for personality and policy over age or party, said Rachel Janfaza, founder of young voter-focused newsletter The Up and Up. They want candidates who meet them where they are, from the issues they prioritize to the platforms they use.

But some of the people best positioned to do that may well be newer, younger faces.

You hear sort of the same ethos for all of these [younger candidates], where its like they feel like theyve been growing up one crisis after another, and thats how young people across the country feel, said Janfaza of the young progressive challenger campaigns that have grabbed recent headlines.

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And instead of waiting for their turn, so to speak, or waiting for someone else to fix the problems that are affecting their daily lives, theyre like, Im going to just do it myself.'

As Democrats seek to grow their numbers on Capitol Hill, though, talk of primaries has raised concerns. The challengers against Pelosi, Sherman and Schakowsky all notably hail from comfortably blue districts, but some worry tough primaries could wound incumbents or pull resources from riskier districts  prompting Hogg to clarify on the social platform X that his group will NOT be supporting young people attempting to primary Frontline Democratic incumbents.

We have to do it all: We have to both win the House and flip the Senate, but we also have to change what the Democratic Party is, and the way that we do that is through competitive primaries, Litman said.

We should not be afraid of a primary. Primaries are how we decide what we as a party believe, and no matter what happens in them at the end of 2026, the Democratic Party is going to look and feel very different because of those primaries.

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Updated at 10:28 a.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
More details have been released surrounding a fatal hit-and-run collision in Torrance that was described by officials as devastating.

The crash occurred around 8:40 p.m. Saturday evening at Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Avenue and involved four vehicles and a pedestrian, the Torrance Police Department stated in a media release issued Sunday.

The collision involved multiple vehicles, and a pedestrian fell off the curb in the Pacific Coast Highway lanes, TPD stated in their media release.

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Deadly wrong-way crash shuts down freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Easter Sunday

Emergency crews rushed to the area but the pedestrian succumbed to their injuries at the scene, police confirmed. They have yet to be identified by the L.A. County Medical Examiners Office.

The scene of a fatal hit-and-run collision in Torrance that was described by officials as devastating. April 19, 2025. (KTLA) The scene of a fatal hit-and-run collision in Torrance that was described by officials as devastating. April 19, 2025. (KTLA) The scene of a fatal hit-and-run collision in Torrance that was described by officials as devastating. April 19, 2025. (KTLA) The scene of a fatal hit-and-run collision in Torrance that was described by officials as devastating. April 19, 2025. (Citizen App)

Video taken in the aftermath of the crash by KTLA shows what appeared to be the pedestrians possessions, including a suitcase and some articles of clothing, on the sidewalk in front of a McDonalds. Citizen App footage showed a large police presence blocking off the roadway as traffic was redirected.

Traffic on PCH was severely impacted in the wake of the crash as authorities began their probe into its cause. Their investigation revealed that one of the drivers involved was under the influence, and that motorist was arrested.

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Their identity was not disclosed.

Erratic man who bit police officer dies in custody after being arrested at Orange County park

This arrest underscores the ongoing issues surrounding impaired driving and the dangers it poses to all road users, Torrance police said. Our thoughts are with the victims family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.

Anyone with more information on the crash is asked to contact the Torrance Police Department by calling 310-618-5557 and referencing TPD case #250013850.

Further details surrounding the collision will be released at a later date, authorities said.

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KTLA photojournalist Nelson Castillo contributed to this report.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  LaMeka Lowe, from Manor, Texas, was miles away from Abilene in May of 2020 when her 22-month-old nephew DJ was found unresponsive and emaciated in his parents home on the 5300 block of Taos Drive. As Lowe was getting ready to visit her in-laws house for a get-together, a call came through that would shatter her heart and forever change her familys life.

Trial underway for Abilene mother charged in death of 22-month-old emaciated child

Were here to discuss the death of my nephew, my son DAiress Fuller Jr. (DJ), and how he was failed, Lowe said.

Lowe and Baby DJ in 2018-2019

DJ was born in July 2018 to Telia Thomas and DAiress Fuller, both of Abilene. A few months prior, Lowe had reconnected with her half-sister, Thomas, after years of little to no contact.

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I didnt know my sister. I met her on Facebook. I remember seeing a girl who looked just like me. I asked about it and was told that she was my sister. So, I drove down to Taylor County to meet her, said Lowe.

What was your initial impression of her? KTAB/KRBC asked.

It was questionable. I saw some things that I didnt like, but I didnt want to ruin something before it started, you know? I was just now meeting her, and I definitely didnt want her to think that I was passing judgment, Lowe replied.

Lowe said she was raised to hold family in high regard, so she was happy to be finally building a relationship with Thomas. Just two months after DJs birth, Lowe received a phone call from Thomas and Child Protective Services (CPS). Thomas told Lowe that she was in legal trouble and needed someone to care for her three children, DJ and his three and 5-year-old sisters, whom she now considers to be just like her own biological children. CPS informed Lowe that drugs had been detected in the childrens systems, asking if she would take them under her care for the time being.

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When I tell you they are some angels, and they were going through so much I knew at that point, okay, God, Im here to protect, and thats what Im going to do. Im going to do whatever I need to do to get [Thomas] reunified with her children, get her better, get her stable, and get them back to being a happy family, Lowe shared.

By October 10th of 2018, Lowe, her husband, and their son had welcomed the three children in with open arms. Lowe said they agreed as a family that this was best for all of them. Almost immediately, they began to care for the kids every need, including trips to the doctor, which is how they discovered DJ had RSV, a respiratory virus that makes it difficult to breathe.

I took DJ to his first doctors appointment on October 16th of 2018, and I remember hearing him breathe, and I was like, somethings not right. Hes not supposed to sound like this. I told my sister, and her words to me were You havent been a mom in so long you forgot what a baby sounds like,' Lowe recalled.

After multiple appointments, more was discovered about DJs medical issues, but it was one emergency medical trip that revealed yet another concerning affliction.

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As Lowe was pulling up to her biological sons school to pick him up, DJ stopped breathing, which had happened once before while he was at daycare. Lowe immediately called 911, and DJ was rushed in for emergency treatment.

It was discovered that DJ also suffered from an underdeveloped airway. The hospitals treatment, at first, seemed unsuccessful as Lowe said it caused his airway to constrict further. She was told it was time to come and say her goodbyes to baby DJ.

I went in there and we prayed, and I just sat there, and I just looked at my baby; I was like, you didnt bring him this far to let him go right now. He got a lot of fight in him. Hes already proven that, Lowe recalled. The next three hours were the longest hours of my life. I just sat and watched the heart rate drop, the blood pressure go down, and the body temperature. Im just praying the whole time like God no. Dont do this. And DJ pulled through. My baby fought.

Throughout these medical episodes, the Lowe family had completely turned their lives upside down, doing whatever was needed to ensure DJ had every chance to survive. She and her husband would take turns taking time off work to be at his bedside throughout his hospital stays. A feeding tube was installed in DJ to help him get nutrition, as he had difficulty swallowing.

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They moved from their home in Killeen to Manor to be closer to the hospital. She said the father, Fuller, was completely out of the picture at that time.

They even hired a 24-hour live-in nurse to assist with DJs medical needs. That nurse also helped all of them learn how to best take care of DJ.

I traveled to Taylor County and stood before the judge and agreed to allow my sister to come and stay with me so she could learn to take care of him She was with me when we discharged him from the hospital. I sat there and made her listen to everything they had to say. Because youre going to learn. Your baby has shown you that hes a fighter. Now its your job to protect, Lowe said.

Lowe sat with her sister as the nurses held multiple meetings with them, informing them of the extra care DJ would need.

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She was trained on everything. Was she receptive to it? No, she wasnt. Because she felt like we were trying to be all in her business or trying to tell her how to be a mother. No one is saying you didnt know how to be a mother, but now you have a baby that has extra needs, Lowe explained.

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During that time, Lowe helped Thomas get a job with the city of Austin and a new car. With everything seeming to go so well, Lowe shared it came as a shock when, in September of 2019, she received a call from their nurse stating that Thomas had left the house and taken the three kids with her, leaving behind DJs feeding pump, formula, his feeding bags, and medication. All of which Lowe said had helped young DJs condition improve.

When we got the feeding tube in him, he just started thriving But she only grabbed what it was that she could get out of the house really quickly and get on the highway, Lowe said.

After calling her family members, CPS, and anyone she could think of to find out where the children were and get them back home, Lowe said she was told that the Judge in Thomas case had decided that Lowe was not giving her sister a fair chance to raise her children, and that Thomas had been given her parental rights back.

That was the worst thing that could have ever happened I had voiced my concerns long prior to this. Shes not ready, Lowe said.

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Though she reached out often and through many different channels, Lowe would not hear from her sister or any of the kids until November of 2019, when her sister reached out through another family member to arrange a video call with the kids.

I saw then that [DJ] was looking little. I thought Okay, hes one and a half, almost a little too old to be looking that little, but Im not going to ruin it. Im seeing him. Ive actually laid eyes on him, Lowe said.

A few more texts were exchanged between Thomas and Lowe after that video call. Then, radio silence until that day in May 2020 when Lowe received yet another call, this time from authorities in Taylor County, a call she never wanted to receive.

I remember the lady saying, Hi, is this LaMeka? I saw Abilene come across my caller ID and Im just like okay. I immediately go to grab the little medical book because its one of two things: he could be sick,or maybe they need to know if something had gone wrong. This book had over 3,500 pages in it. I still had his care plan, Lowe recalled. She says, Has anybody called you? and Im like, no, I havent heard from anybody. Are the kids, okay? She called my name again and I was like okay, youre scaring me Then she says, I dont know how to tell you this, but DJ passed away. I dropped the phone and picked it right back up I walked out to the end of the driveway and said, Im sorry it was loud, and I just want to make sure I heard what you said. Can you repeat that? And she says, Im so sorry, Im so sorry. I just screamed. I didnt even let her get the word out of her mouth again. I just screamed at the top of my lungs.

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Abilene mom found guilty in death of 22-month-old emaciated child

After telling her family what had happened, Lowe began reaching out to Taylor County and Abilene services to arrange the safe transport of her nieces to her home. 24 hours later, the girls were back in her arms, though she said it was clear they werent the same.

One of the girls, I called her my ray of sunshine. Ray looked at me and she says You were supposed to protect me. I had no answer. I had no comeback. All I could say was Im here now, Im here now. And Im sorry. Im so sorry, Lowe shared. For the next couple of nights, I had to sleep with them, and I would sit there and hold her, and I would hear her whimper in her sleep. But to hear a baby tell you those words that that hurts.

Not long after that day, Lowe and her family began the process of legally adopting her nieces and the baby boy Thomas had given birth to after DJs death. Lowe and her family went through the adoption process again when they found out that Thomas and Fuller had given birth to a fifth child, another baby boy.

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Lowe now has legal parental rights over both boys and both girls. Though she said the adoption process was long and drawn out, its a trial they would go through all over again if it meant keeping those babies safe. Lowe added that DJs death and the legal process had taken their toll on the children, remarking on signs shed seen in one of the girls.

Shes ten now, you have ruined her for the rest of her life. Now has she repaired? Yeah, shes a straight A student, smart, beautiful. Because Im teaching them that its okay. How you start out is not how it has to end. We got this, Lowe assured.

In March of 2024, the childrens biological mother, Telia Thomas, was sentenced to life in prison in connection with DJs death. The father, DAiress Fuller, received a 20-year prison sentence on Thursday, April 3, 2025, but Lowe said she feels 20 years is not nearly enough.

Abilene father sentenced to 20 years in prison for death of emaciated child

The fight isnt over. You have robbed these children, and you continue to because you give this man 20 years. I fear in 20 years he is going to come looking for my kids His family will be able to throw him a good old welcome home party. We get to go to a grave. Every holiday, every birthday, Lowe expressed.

She and her family have spent the past five years reaching out to legal services, hoping to get Fullers sentence extended. But without any legal recourse, Lowe said she will continue to fight by doing all she can to make sure his sentence is served.

Im struggling and accepting that. Im going to struggle my whole life accepting it. But I promise you, every time I get a notification that hes going up to ask for parole, Im going to be there. Im going to tell him where he shouldnt. If all theyre going to give you is 20 years, If I can help it, youre going to do those 20 years, day for day, Lowe said.

Lowe went on to say that part of her fight includes sharing their story, which is why she reached out to KTAB/KRBC. Not only speaking to tell her familys side of the story, but to call out what she sees as cracks in the childcare legal system in hopes of sparking change so that others might not experience the pain her family has been through.

Im angry, but I know I have to be levelheaded because my walk now, my story now is for my son [DJ], for my children. It is to bring awareness to that. But if I can stop this from happening to any other child, I will, Lowe explained. I shouldnt have to go to [DJs] memorial cabinet when I want to talk to him or hold his blanket when I want to hold him. This should not be happening I just want to make sure this doesnt happen to another baby, another child and nobody else has to go through the pain were going through because this hurts. This is a different kind of hurt.

When asked how she feels towards her sister, Thomas, Lowe said that she was hopeful to have a positive relationship, but the things she has been through have changed her outlook towards her sister forever.

I lost my sister, and I lost my son. You know, my sister was young. Shes gone for the rest of her life because she was in love with somebody who clearly didnt love her back the way she was supposed to, said Lowe.

She added that a part of her frustration is directed at the services that took DJ and his siblings away and gave them back to Thomas.

CPS is Child Protective Services Since you took him from me, you say I wasnt giving [Thomas] a chance. Now its your job. You failed. You did not protect my baby, Lowe said. When I saw his autopsy, all you could see was bones [Thomas] never replaced [DJs] feeding tube. As he grows, it has to be replaced. My baby died with the same one I had placed in him I did everything I was supposed to. I called them and I told them she wasnt ready. I pleaded with them, and it was ignored. They didnt listen to me.

Lowe learned that DJ had been cremated after death, and said his ashes were stored in a corner closet in the very same home where he died. Another portion of the ashes was apparently placed at a burial plot in an Abilene cemetery. Lowe has since moved the urn from the Abilene home to a personally built memorial wall in her own home in Manor.

She said now all she can do is continue to fight and share their story as she and her husband work to heal the wounds of their adopted children, hoping to have answers for them when they grow up and ask her what happened to their brother all those years ago.

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY)  Three adults and one child have been displaced after an overnight house fire in Portsmouth on Sunday.

Crews from Portsmouth Fire Rescue and Emergency Services and Navy Regional Fire Rescue Hampton Roads were dispatched to a residential structure fire in the 1400 block of LaSalle Avenue at approximately 1:15 a.m.

Upon arrival, crews performed an aggressive fire attack and extinguished the fire before it could spread to neighboring structures. The fire was officially declared out at 2 a.m.

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The Portsmouth Fire Marshals Office determined the cause of the fire to be improperly discarded smoking materials.

There were no injuries reported to occupants or firefighters.

The displaced residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

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Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) goons at the Social Security Administration were forced to resurrect dozens of immigrants from the dead over the past week.

Elon Musks engineers had carried out a scheme to falsely list more than 6,000 immigrants as dead in a Social Security database known as the death master file, The Washington Post reported last week. Entry into the file cuts a person off from key financial services, such as receiving benefits and accessing a bank account.

As part of President Donald Trumps crackdown on immigration, the goal was to pressure the migrants to self deport, The New York Times reported.

Musks DOGE is helping carry out Trumps push to remove migrants en masse. / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Now, almost three dozen of the immigrants have protested the move, demonstrated that they are alive, and won a victory: They are no longer listed among the deceased, the Post reported Friday.

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The immigrants, who include a Haitian refugee and a child, have shown up at Social Security offices with drivers licenses, work orders, and letters from their states declaring them dead.

While Musks team was planning the move over the last few months, senior staffers at Social Security had expressed concern that it was illegal, the Post reported. But the change was pushed through anyway by the agencys Trump-loyal chief, Leland Dudek, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The Post reported that one top IT official was physically removed from his office by security officers after he voiced concerns about the plan.

Protesters have strongly opposed Musks meddling at the Social Security Administration. / David McNew / Getty Images

The White House, which didnt immediately answer the Daily Beasts request for comment, argued to the Post that the file wasnt actually for dead people.

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This reporting is false. These illegal aliens were never classified as dead, spokesperson Liz Huston told the paper. The Death Master File was renamed the Ineligible Master File prior to their names being transferred. Once U.S. Customs and Border Protection terminated their parole, these individuals were no longer eligible for benefits, and Social Security Administration quickly took action to protect the benefits of hardworking American citizens.

However, the paper pushed back on the White Houses claims. The Post said that both a White House official and a Social Security official had previously confirmed that the immigrants were labeled as dead.

It also reported that, as of Friday, the file was still referred to as the death master file in Social Securitys internal systems and on its website.
Last weekends economic agenda predicted that Donald Trump would soon sign deals with important trading partners  and the first will be the UK. To many, that seemed rash.

Amid the chaos of the US presidents on-again-off-again tariff policy, and turmoil across global financial markets, it looked as if the White House was intent only on sowing seeds of chaos.

Any notion that Trumps high-stakes gamble  to put huge tariff barriers around the worlds biggest economy as a way of ultimately achieving a less protectionist global trading system  might pay off was widely dismissed as a pipe dream. And it may well be.

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Yet just a few days ago, JD Vance, the US vice-president, said there was a good chance of a US-UK trade deal, with a White House official adding it could happen within two weeks  or maybe three.

For all the garish headlines about the US president, this doesnt surprise me.

Trump is in a big hurry  the power he now wields after his sweeping victory could be diluted after congressional midterm elections in November next year.

More immediately, with financial markets still on a knife-edge and battalions of Washington politicos looking to tie him in legal knots, he has to start showing that his alarming trade shake-up might actually work.

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The US president needs proof, and fast, that other major economies faced with the genuine threat of sky-high US tariffs will indeed negotiate and drop their trade barriers against America below where they previously were  resulting in mutually beneficial wins.

What better way of demonstrating that than a high-profile deal with the UK  still one of the great trading nations and the fifth-biggest economy on Earth? A place for which Trump has declared enormous fondness and cultural affinity and which has invited him to bask in the royal pomp and circumstance of an unprecedented second state visit.

Much of Britains political and media class hates Trump, of course. Since the Donald returned to the Oval Office, Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to bow and scrape, trying desperately to atone for all the rude names he and fellow cabinet ministers previously threw at the US president.

But the majority of pundits and even economists have been far too quick to dismiss Trump as bonkers. Pretty much the only socially acceptable response of any trade expert over recent weeks has been to bitterly criticise Trump and all his works.

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Dont get me wrong  Im a confirmed free-trader. The spectre of taxation on foreign goods sold in the US at its highest levels since the disastrous Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the early 1930s, which did much to cause the Great Depression, fills me with horror.

Yet the axiomatic truth is that for years many large economies  not least China and the EU  have imposed higher tariffs on the US, far higher in some cases, than the US has imposed on them.

And there is at least a chance that, despite Americas diminished commercial dominance, Trumps seemingly crazy tariff policy circus could ultimately be seen as a statesmanlike work of art  a recasting of global trade policy, a moment of commercial liberalisation and international cooperation, second only to the Bretton Woods settlement that rose from the ashes of the Second World War.

On April 9, Trump announced a 90-day suspension on the retaliatory tariffs announced as part of his big bang liberation day onslaught seven days earlier. These included proposed levies on goods exports to the US of 20pc on the EU, 24pc on Japan, 25pc on South Korea and 26pc on India.

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The exception is China, which continues to face insurmountable US trade barriers  with Washington and Beijing now locked in an escalatory triple-digit-tariff stand-off.

The UK was one of the few countries which only ever faced Trumps across-the-board 10pc tax on most of its goods exports  and, for now, during this three-month hiatus, thats where much of the rest of the world is too.

Britain, though, remains relatively insulated from Trumps shock and awe trade policies. Unlike every other major world economy, over half the UKs exports are services, not directly affected by tariffs.

America is Britains largest single-country trading partner, accounting for almost a fifth of UK trade  and two-thirds of that is in tariff-free services (such as banking, law, insurance, consultancy and research and development).

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China and the EU sell a lot more in America than vice-versa, generating US goods deficits in 2024 with a massive sterling equivalent of 223bn and 177bn respectively  which Trump says need to be tackled.

The UK, though, has balanced trade with the US, exporting 59bn and importing 57bn of goods last year  one reason a mutually beneficial trade deal should be easy to reach.

Fearmongers abound, of course, selling the usual US horror stories. America wont take over our NHS  which will remain free at the point of use. Although if US firms get to tender for the multitude of NHS medical and service contracts already awarded to private UK and EU companies, taxpayers may even benefit.

Powerful US conglomerates wont be able to erode UK workers rights or imperil the environment if the Government says they cant.

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Chlorinated chicken  which triggers hysterics on the Left of British politics  isnt only perfectly safe, but far less prone to salmonella. And cash-strapped UK consumers would benefit from lower prices for a wide range of foodstuffs, including rice and citrus fruits, which UK farmers dont even produce.

Over recent days, there are growing signs, clear to those paying attention, that Trump could very soon strike trade deals with Japan, India, and South Korea, in a bid to isolate China.

But I still think Britain will be the first.

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Apr. 19LIMA  Dozens of protesters angry about deportations, threats to Social Security funding, mass firings of federal workers and other actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration rallied at Faurot Park Saturday morning.

The rally is part of the nationwide 5051 movement, a series of anti-Trump protests, which resumed Saturday in cities across the country.

Shannon Peil walked from her home to Faurot Park to protest the detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was taken from Maryland to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador last month without a court hearing.

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Garcia remains in El Salvador despite an order from the U.S. Supreme Court for the Trump administration to facilitate Garcia's return.

"Trump says he's looking for 'homegrowns' next," Peil said. "Where does it stop? That's all I ask: Where does it stop, if they can take somebody out of this country?"

Rally goers chanted, "We're not scared" while talking about threats to the environment, Social Security and due process, with one speaker proclaiming: "I happen to be a follower of the radical lefist Jesus."

An estimated 200 protesters from Allen and Hardin County rallied against the Trump administration in Bluffton two weeks ago.

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"People have come out like I've never seen in my entire life," said Rochelle Twining, chair of the Allen County Democratic Party. "It's truly rewarding, and it gives us hope that we can save our democracy."

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Kennewick police officers were called to a fight at a Kennewick bar late Friday night.

But before long they were investigating a hit and run and using a drone to search for people reported running through backyards.

Calls were made to 911 about 11:20 p.m. Friday to report that people were fighting with the staff at The Pub, 7001 W. Clearwater Ave.

Kennewick officers arrived to investigate an alleged assault as a dark colored Subaru hatchback speeded off., according to police reports.

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About three minutes later more officers headed toward The Pub saw a car that matched that description in the middle of the roundabout at West Fourth Avenue and Kellogg Street, with one door ajar and airbags deployed.

It had crashed into a metal sign, according to police reports.

People in the area told officers that a man and a woman had run from the Subaru. Another person reported someone going through backyards near the 400 block of South Jefferson Street.

A drone search of the area spotted two people hopping fences.

Police arrested both and booked Irma Lissette Guzman, 27, and Roel A. Guzman, 30, into the Benton County jail.

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Irma Guzman was being held Saturday on suspicion of second-degree criminal trespass, hit and run and driving under the influence.

Roel Guzman was being held on suspicion of obstructing law enforcement and second-degree criminal trespass.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Take this a lesson, people who give fun-size versions of candy bars for Halloween: You may be next.

In what its calling a sweet situation gone sour, Fairborn Police Department arrested the Easter Bunny Friday for allegedly distributing disappointing candy.

The offenders range from stale chocolate to off-brand jelly beans, and suspiciously chewy marshmallows.

Fairborn Police arrest the Easter bunny, Friday, April 18, 2025. (Image provided by Fairborn Police Department)

Fairborn Police arrest the Easter bunny, Friday, April 18, 2025. (Image provided by Fairborn Police Department)

The bunny managed to make bail in time to distribute the good candy Easter Sunday.

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TETELA DEL VOLCAN, Mexico (AP)  Every year, the winding mountain streets of Tetela del Volcan are filled with a crush of vivid yellows, purples, greens, oranges and blues.

Hundreds of what appear to be human-sized caterpillars with elaborate stripes bob along the road.

Shaggy tissue paper hats resembling caterpillars sit atop the heads of men and women wearing bearded and mustached leather masks, and colored capes adorned with images of Jesus and Virgin Mary. The characters they portray are known as sayones.

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These elaborate costumes, imitations of Roman soldiers, are part of a cherished Easter celebration dating back 350 years in the central Mexican town. Residents of town, which sits pressed up next to Mexicos active Popocatepetl volcano, prepare for months for the three-day celebration every Easter weekend.

'It's part of our essence'

The tradition, its part of our essence, said Jose Alfredo Jimenez, the towns director of tourism and culture. Its something that gives us our originality as Tetelans. No one else in Mexico does anything like this, its unique.

Jimenez said the celebration came to be when European colonizers arrived to Latin America and attempted to evangelize local Indigenous communities to Catholicism, often spreading their religion through theatrical performances portraying figured from the crucifixion of Jesus, including Roman soldiers.

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Throughout the years, the tradition grew to take on its own identity, mixing with local Mexican customs like many Easter and Holy Week celebrations across Latin America.

The hats of the sayones, meant to imitate the helmets worn by Roman soldiers, are the dominant part of the celebration, and have gradually grown more elaborate over the past 25 years as residents have sought to out-do each other.

Imitate the helmets worn by Roman soldiers

The hats were little more than vertical arm-length tufts when Jimenez began to participate as a teenager, but have slowly turned into two-meter-long, multi-colored puffs teetering on peoples heads as they march through the streets. Every year, residents pick new colors for their costume, from deep yellows and reds, to brilliant pinks and blues.

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This year, 20-year-old Eduardo Canizal chose a three-pronged pink and black tissue paper structure, fastened to a black cowboy hat and with a cushion on the back of his neck to support the hats weight. Others fasten them onto construction hats or metal wire.

Every year, you want to do something bigger, better and you keep going, he said.

He said the hat is made up of around 900 sheets of tissue paper, which he began to cut into thin threads by hand over a month before.

Shortly before the procession, Canizal pulled on delicate pink cloaks, leather boots and a mask before heading out to the march.

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This weighs like 15-20 kilos (35-40 pounds), If I had to guess, he said, leaning over and using his bodys momentum to swing the hat over his head.

Figures from story of Jesus' crucifixion

They march through the streets, clanging machetes, meant to imitate Roman swords, on the rocky earth. Others dress up as key figures in the Catholic story of the Jesus crucifixion like Pontius Pilate and Judas, who is chased through the streets of Tetela del Volcan.

Jimenez, the towns cultural director, said its a celebration the town has clung to as other Easter marches and traditions like Mexicos Day of the Dead have been flooded by tourists, often watering down longtime traditions.

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In Tetela, more than a thousand people participated this year, he said, yet the celebration still remains local at its heart.

You put on your mask, and everything changes, you transform, Jimenez said. We still try to keep alive this mystical side, Tetelas signature, especially as weve seen other cultural activities suffer a change, a transformation for better or for worse.

Cloaks portraying religious figures are delicately embroidered and some like Emilio Aguilar, 20, begin creating intricate designs with sequins and beads as early as July.

You do this little by little, on your free time, he said, waving his and over a two-food long embroidery of the Virgin Mary emblazoned on his back.

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Aguilar, and a group of 12 friends and relatives, each dress identically in white and pastel colored hats.

Efforts go up in smoke

But all of those efforts quite literally go up in smoke at the end of the Easter celebration.

On Sunday afternoon, the costumed marchers solemnly lay a bouquet of flowers at the base of a stone church, then trek up a winding mountain slope trailed by paramedics.

As they run, neighbors, police officers and screaming little boys sling matches at the men until their paper hats burst into flames, often to the roar of the crowd. While authorities try to keep the flames confined to a stadium, celebrations quickly spill onto the streets.

Aguilar said its their way of paying penance on the Catholic holiday.

After all these months of work, its a sacrifice of all the work that went into these, he said.
During his recent visit to Italy, the King went to Ravenna. While there he viewed some of the citys remarkable mosaics in the Basilica of San Vitale. Consecrated in 547 AD, San Vitale reflects a powerful fusion of Western Roman and Eastern Byzantine architectural and artistic traditions. Its octagonal shape, soaring dome and richly decorated mosaic interior are truly unique for the time.

They became the blueprint for the Neo-Byzantine revival of the 19th century, nowhere more powerfully expressed than in Westminster Cathedral. There, as in Ravenna, mosaic and marble are not mere ornament, but a living continuation of a timeless tradition, crafted to lift the soul to the divine.

San Vitale is bursting with Easter themes. The central apse mosaic, showing Christ seated on a globe and offering the martyrs crown to Saint Vitale, is triumphant in tone, proclaiming the victory of the risen Christ over death.

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Nearby, in the Basilica of SantApollinare Nuovo, there is a depiction of Christs resurrection, but in a narrative form rather than in the image of the glorious Christ. Here, in mosaics of shimmering gold and vibrant colour, are depicted the two women discovering the empty tomb with a majestic angel seated there. This approach reveals a profound humility on the part of early Christian artists, an awareness that their craft had limits when it came to portraying divine mysteries. Rather than assert their own imagination, they chose reverence over representation, allowing the silence of the tomb to speak.

Today, we too rely on reverence. We celebrate the Easter triumph in word and symbol, with restraint and humility, giving thanks that this great light has broken our darkness and that such hope dispels doubt and despair.

This hope is also the theme of the Jubilee Year now being celebrated by the Catholic Church. We are to see ourselves as Pilgrims of Hope. As we make our way through this world we hold firmly to, and profess, a promise of hope beyond the trials of this life.

I saw a very different mosaic depicting this theme of hope a few days ago in a large secondary school. Prominent in the main entrance, it was the work of pupils and but one of many expressions of their talent and enthusiasm. The mosaic is based on the logo for the Jubilee Year, showing a pilgrimage of people being led by Christ. Included are the symbols of the cross and the anchor, signs of Christs victory over death and evil.

Interestingly, I learnt that whenever a pupil was distraught and sought comfort or guidance from a chaplain, they were invited to put into place one tessera, or piece, of that mosaic. The mosaic proclaiming hope has been composed by those who were most in need of it.

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Here, fourteen hundred years after the mosaics of Ravenna, with the same humility and thankfulness, youngsters of today see in the risen Christ their guide.

I am sure that the King, as a man of faith, would have found the mosaics of Ravenna deeply moving, not only for their antiquity and cultural importance, but also for their beauty through which the joy and assurance of our Christian faith shines so vividly. I, too, visiting this school, was deeply moved, not only by its own mosaic but by the demeanour, graciousness and enthusiasm of all the pupils I met.

It is right to proclaim the Resurrection as hope for the world and consolation for all who are so deeply afflicted by our wayward searches for futile victories or misplaced greatness. The glory of this Easter Day, celebrating a love that is stronger than death, continues to inspire people across the world.

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has extended greetings to Christians at Easter and called on the world not to forget the importance of peace.

Source: Scholz on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Scholz extended his Easter greetings to Christians on Sunday 20 April, writing:

"And let us not forget the Easter message: we want a peaceful world. And that is why we stand alongside those who cannot live in peace".

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that a nationwide air-raid warning was issued in Ukraine immediately after the announcement.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha reminded the public that Ukraine had already agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire over a month ago following a proposal from the United States  well before Putin made his "Easter truce" statement.

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ST. LOUIS  Easter Sunday is expected to bring severe weather to much of Missouri and western Illinois, with the greatest risk occurring from mid-afternoon into the evening. FOX 2 meteorologists are monitoring rapidly changing conditions through the evening the storm setup continues to evolve across the viewing area.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the St. Louis region on Sunday afternoon. The weather alert expires at 11 p.m.

A few discreet cells are blossoming in western Missouri and Arkansas. This will be the line we need to watch through the next few hours as it pulls east toward the viewing area.

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St. Louis radar: See a map of current weather here

Arrival times for strong storms are expected in central Missouri by 5 p.m., metro St. Louis between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., and southern Illinois around 9 p.m. All hazards are anticipated which include damaging winds near 60 to 70 miles per hour, up to golf ball-sized hail, and a few possible tornadoes.

The extent of severe weather reaching eastern Missouri and Illinois is uncertain and will depend on the degree of warming and destabilization ahead of the storms. Its critical to you remain weather aware throughout the evening!

If skies remain cloudy and temperatures do not rise as expected, the severe potential may be mitigated. Conversely, if skies clear and temperatures rise above projections, the risk could increase.

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Showers and storms progress east out of the area through midnight. Cloudy skies stick around through midday Monday before eventually decreasing. Highs on Monday will be near 70 degrees. Dry weather persists on Tuesday and Wednesday, with warm temperatures rebounding to near 80 degrees. Rain chances return late Wednesday into next weekend.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Jon Echols said he believes the attorney general should represent the people of Oklahoma.

The former State House Floor leader is seeking the Republican nomination to replace Getner Drummond, who is a candidate for governor.

Echols said he feels this is the right time for his candidacy.

I thought my message for a safer, freer, stronger Oklahoma  this is the right time to bring that message, Echols said during an interview at the Phoenix. Getner Drummond has done a good job as attorney general. When he decided to run for the office of governor, I want another strong law enforcement-backed candidate that believes in public safety, that believes in transparency in government and fiscal responsibility and I felt like I was the right guy for the job.

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With over a year remaining in the filing period, Echols is the only candidate who has filed for the office and said he wanted the people to know what he was and what he stood for.

After my first quarter, we raised over $650,000, he said. It was the largest first quarter by any first-time attorney general candidate in state history.

Echols was in Muskogee on Friday to meet with officials and residents to get to know them, and so they could get to know him.

Were going to the Republican luncheon this afternoon, he said. Then Im meeting with some private citizens that havent committed yet. And then Im going to swing by the fire station having been endorsed by the Professional Firefighters on Oklahoma.

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Echols hails from Del City and was a freshman in high school on April 19, 1995. He remembers vividly hearing the bombing of the Murrah Building.

Everyone has a story and my story is both my parents were lawyers, he said. As a freshman, I didnt know the difference between the federal courthouse and the Oklahoma City Courthouse  all I heard is courthouse blew up. They wouldnt let you leave so I intentionally got in trouble in class so they would send me to the office so I could use the phone to call and make sure my parents were OK and they were  they were in the district courthouse.

He went on to say thats one of the reasons he seeks to be the next attorney general.

Im a fifth generation Oklahoman, Echols said. My family still owns the land-run farm and we still have it. We love this state, were ingrained inside this state.

My wife  my high-school sweetheart  is a fourth generation Oklahoman. We believe in the greatness of the people. Our biggest natural resource if the people.
The European Court of Human Rights has veered into politics, one of Britains top judges has warned.

Lord Burnett, the former lord chief justice, suggested Strasbourg judges had overstepped their judicial role and brought politics into their ruling that governments have a legal duty under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to protect their citizens from climate change.

The former law chief  who was the most senior judge in England and Wales until he stepped down in 2023  cited the case as he said it was time for human rights laws to be reviewed.

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It comes amid public concerns that human rights laws are being used to block deportations of foreign criminals and illegal migrants.

Lord Burnett said the time has probably come to look at Article 8 of the ECHR, which illegal migrants lawyers have used to fight their removal from the UK on the basis it breaches their right to a family life.

Article 8 of the ECHR protects peoples right to respect for a private life, family life, home and correspondence.

Lord Burnett, the former lord chief justice, has said it is time for human rights laws to be reviewed - Victoria Jones/PA Images

Lord Burnett said there was no doubt there was public concern over the cases, which have included an Albanian criminal who avoided deportation after claiming his son had an aversion to foreign chicken nuggets and a convicted Pakistani paedophile who escaped removal as it would be unduly harsh on his own children.

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He said cases should be reviewed to ensure judges in the first-tier tribunal  who have been responsible for many of the decisions  focus on what really matters.

Lord Burnett is the first senior judge to speak out over the judgments after The Telegraph exposed multiple cases where illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been allowed to stay in the UK, largely on human rights grounds.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is currently considering whether to restrict foreign criminals and illegal migrants from exploiting the ECHR to block their deportations. She is reviewing how Article 8 is being applied by immigration courts to ensure that it is being interpreted in a sensible and proportionate way.

Asked whether the UK should reconsider its membership of the ECHR, Lord Burnett said he did not believe one or two cases that cause concern should lead to an overreaction and a desire to throw away the whole system.

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However, speaking on Times Radio, he said there were legitimate concerns that can be expressed about particular decisions in Strasbourg such as the courts decision to wade into climate change.

The court upheld a claim by four Swiss women who claimed their rights to a family or private life under Article 8 had been breached by their governments failure to protect their human rights.

I think its fair to say that the single dissenting judgment in that case, which as it happens was the British judge who sits in Strasbourg, was considered by many to be really rather compelling, he said.

And so theres a case where there is a perfectly legitimate argument to be had about whether the Strasbourg court has perhaps overstepped the judicial function and entered the political sphere.

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Lord Burnett called for senior appellate courts to have a look at Article 8 again and really to bring together all those authorities in one single case. He argued it will then make it easier for judges in the first-tier tribunal that deal with immigration cases to focus on what really matters.

He added: I just feel that it would be really helpful for everybody involved in this area and also to improve public understanding, were an opportunity to arise for that case law to be looked at and pulled together in a really short and concise way.

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27,523 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?

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SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP)  Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele proposed carrying out a prisoner swap with Venezuela on Sunday, suggesting he would exchange Venezuelan deportees from the United States his government has kept imprisoned for what he called political prisoners in Venezuela.

In a post on the social media platform X, directed at President Nicolas Maduro, Bukele listed off a number of family members of high-level opposition figures in Venezuela, journalists and activists detained during the South American governments electoral crackdown last year.

The only reason they are imprisoned is for having opposed you and your electoral fraud, he wrote to Maduro. However, I want to propose a humanitarian agreement that includes the repatriation of 100% of the 252 Venezuelans who were deported, in exchange for the release and surrender of an identical number (252) of the thousands of political prisoners you hold.

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Among those he listed were the son-in-law of former Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, a number of political leaders seeking asylum in the Argentine embassy in Venezuela, and what he said were 50 detained citizens from a number of different countries across the world. Bukele also listed the mother of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, whose house the political leader has said was surrounded by Venezuelan police in January.

Bukele said he would ask El Salvadors foreign ministry to be in contact with the Maduro government.

Venezuelas prosecutors office responded Sunday night, calling Bukeles statements cynical and referred to the Salvadoran leader as a neofascist.

It demanded Bukeles government provide the Venezuelan government with a list of the people detained as well as their legal status and medical reports.

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The treatment received by Venezuelans in the United States and El Salvador, constitutes a serious violation of international human rights law and constitutes a crime against humanity, it said in the statement.

The proposal comes as El Salvador has come under sharp international scrutiny for accepting Venezuelans and Salvadorans deported by the Trump administration, which accused them of being alleged gang members with little evidence. Deportees are locked up in a mega-prison know as the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), built by the Bukele government during his crackdown on the countrys gangs.

Controversy has only continued after it was revealed that a Maryland father married to a U.S. citizen, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported by mistake. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the U.S. government to facilitate his return, but theres no sign of that happening.

El Salvadors archbishop Jose Luis Escobar Alas on Sunday called on Bukele not to allow our country to become a big international prison.

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Despite the controversy, Bukele maintained that all of the people he has kept in the prison were part of part of an operation against gangs like the Tren de Aragua in the United States.

___

Janetsky reported from Mexico City.

___

This version has corrected Kilmar Abrego Garcias citizenship status.
Cut down trees are visible at the site of a timber sale in the Tahoe National Forest near Camptonville, California in this June 6, 2023, file photo.
Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) disagreed with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and said Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the recently deported Maryland man, was given due process.

Emmer joined CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, where host Dana Bash asked him to weigh in on Van Hollens earlier accusation that the Trump administration deported Abrego Garcia without giving him his constitutional due process rights.

Its very interesting when people talk about the fact that this illegal alien, who is not a resident of the U.S., he is a citizen of El Salvador, actually did have due process in an asylum hearing, where his request for asylum was rejected by the Trump administration as part of the promise that they made during the campaign, Emmer said.

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Emmer, like other Trump allies, has accused Abrego Garcia of being part of the Venezuelan gang MS-13 and said the administration was deporting violent members of the gang. Abrego Garcia and his wife have both denied the accusation that he is part of the gang.

Bash pressed Emmer over the deportation and said there was no hearing to determine if Abrego Garcia was a criminal or gang member.

Actually, I think he was afforded that due process, Emmer replied. In this case, an illegal alien was transported back to El Salvador. The administration initially thought it was a mistake. Subsequently, it said it was not a mistake.

Bash again pressed the Minnesota Republican about what he meant by due process for Abrego Garcia, and if he meant the 2019 hearing that granted him the ability to stay in the U.S.

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Im talking about when he requested asylum and it was rejected. Im talking about that hearing, which Im not going to get into the transcript, Emmer said, later adding, He had due process. It was rejected.

Part of Abrego Garcias 2019 agreement was to shield him from violence in El Salvador. Bash noted that he had a protection order not to be deported specifically to El Salvador.

Emmer dodged Bashs comments and said he found it interesting that Van Hollen and CNN are doubling down on an illegal alien and not supporting constituents who are harmed by migrants.

The congressman argued that the Supreme Courts order for the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcias return should be left up to El Salvador.

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The Trump administration has made a similar argument, noting they cannot ask a foreign government to return someone. El Salvador has said they would not be returning Abrego Garcia.

I see a citizen of El Salvador who is now in El Salvador. The United States cant go in and extract people from countries. This is going to be up to the president of El Salvador, not the Trump administration, Emmer said.

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Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has stated that Hungarys blocking of the renewal of sanctions against Russia would force G7 and EU countries to cover multibillion-euro loans to Ukraine that were backed by Russian assets.

Source: Tsahkna in a comment to Financial Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Tsahkna said that if Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban follows through on his threat to block the renewal of EU sanctions, the financial burden of the multibillion loans to Ukraine will fall on the G7 and EU countries. This is because the loans are secured by profits from frozen Russian assets.

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"The problem [is] that these assets which are guaranteeing this loan will be gone," Tsahkna noted.

Most of the frozen assets are held at Euroclear, a financial intermediary based in Belgium.

"If they are going to block it, then the sanctions will be down. And the central bank assets will be delivered to Russia, to [Vladimir] Putin, as an award. We cannot let it happen," Tsahkna stressed.

The European Commission is reportedly working on a backup plan in case the sanctions are not extended, but most of the legal options come with serious complications.

Tsahkna believes that the EU needs "some kind of legal frame or some kind of procedure".

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Estonia advocates for the complete confiscation of Russian assets by the G7 countries, rather than merely freezing them.

"It would be the most clear and most understandable solution," Tsahkna said.

He added that negotiations with Hungary must continue, as Orban is dependent on EU funds.

Background:

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that the EU is growing increasingly impatient with Hungary, which consistently blocks key EU decisions, with some calling for its voting rights to be revoked.

Recently, it was reported that lawyers in Brussels are preparing a plan B to help override Hungary's veto of the June extension of sanctions against Russia.

Read more: Hungary defies sanctions: Trump ally moves to unfreeze billions in Russian assets

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The European Union has called on Russia to demonstrate that it has ceased its aggression against Ukraine with concrete actions, responding to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putins announcement of an "Easter truce".

Source: Reuters

Details: On Saturday 19 April, following Putins declaration of a unilateral 30-hour ceasefire over Easter, the European Union reacted cautiously, emphasising that a ceasefire should not be a symbolic gesture but rather part of a consistent and transparent process to end Russias armed aggression against Ukraine.

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"Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting ceasefire," stated Anitta Hipper, Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the European Commission.

Brussels recalled that Ukraine had expressed its readiness for an unconditional ceasefire more than a month ago, but Russia failed to take any reciprocal steps.

"Russia could stop this war at any moment if it really wanted to... We continue to support Ukraine for a long, just and comprehensive peace," Hipper underlined.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Ukrainian troops had noticed that the Easter truce promised by the Russians was not being upheld on most fronts.

Following a report from Ukraine's commander-in-chief late in the evening on 19 April, Zelenskyy said that Russias Easter truce did not cover Russias Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, and that attacks had not ceased in some other areas of the combat zone.

Kherson Oblast Head Oleksandr Prokudin also reported continued Russian drone attacks in the oblast after 18:00, despite the Kremlin's claimed ceasefire.

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PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Eubank man is facing multiple charges after his wife was found dead by authorities at a nearby residence.

On Sunday morning, the Pulaski County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) posted on Facebook that deputies had been dispatched after Ralph Letner, 61, of Eubank, told neighbors that he had allegedly killed his wife.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Law enforcement investigated a nearby residence and found Letners wife unresponsive, having been shot. Emergency personnel tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, per the sheriffs office.

Letner was arrested and charged with murder, domestic violence, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. He was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center.

The death investigation remains ongoing.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Evergy Plaza hosted a fun event for kids in the community on Saturday, April 19.

Hundreds of children participated in Childrens Fest in downtown Topeka. The event featured face painting, bouncing houses, and lots of vendors.

Volunteers even joined the kids to get in on the fun.

Cornhole players compete in Topeka tournament at Stormont Vail Events Center

There are a lot of kids in the community that need our help, Volunteer, Brenna Durbin said. I think its a really cool opportunity to just help the kids and just be there for them.

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The festival was benefiting Sole Reason and One Can One Kid.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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DHL is suspending deliveries of foreign packages worth more than $800 from Monday.

The move follows a surge in customs clearances following a rule change, DHL said.

Business shipments continue but may face delays due to increased border scrutiny.

DHL is temporarily suspending delivery of packages from other countries valued at more than $800 to US customers following more stringent customs rules under President Donald Trump's tariffs framework.

The pause, which takes effect Monday and will apply until further notice, affects consumer shipments entering the US from any country, as well as collections.

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Business-to-business deliveries will continue, but DHL warned they could face significant delays due to increased border scrutiny.

A shift in customs enforcement has lowered the threshold for simplified import procedures. Where packages worth up to $2,500 once passed through US customs with minimal documentation, those worth above $800 now require formal clearance.

That change, which took effect on April 5, has flooded DHL's systems and slowed deliveries across the board.

DHL said on its website: "While we are working diligently to scale up and manage this increase, shipments over USD 800  regardless of origin  may experience multi-day delays."

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It added that the delivery suspension was a "temporary measure, and we will share updates as the situation evolves."

Packages worth less than $800 remain eligible for quicker processing.

Even those shipments could be affected by a looming crackdown on the "de minimis" rule, a long-standing exemption that allows low-cost imports to skip duties and inspections.

That exemption, which has been a lifeline for online retailers such as Shein and Temu, is set to end on May 2.

Both companies have warned customers that price increases are likely due to the regulatory changes. The rollback is expected to hit goods from China and Hong Kong especially hard as Washington moves to close what it sees as a loophole that has allowed some shippers to avoid tariffs and customs scrutiny.

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The Trump Administration has framed the change as a national security measure aimed at curbing the flow of synthetic opioids, accusing some exporters of mislabeling shipments to hide illicit substances.

On Wednesday, Hong Kong's postal service said it was temporarily ending the delivery of postal items from the US in response to Trump's tariffs.

The service said it took issue with the US government's decision to "eliminate the duty-free de minimis treatment for postal items despatched from Hong Kong to the US and increase the tariffs for postal items containing goods to the US starting from May 2."

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Rep. Nancy Mace proudly posted a video of herself yelling, Fuck you! at a constituent in a store who asked her whether she plans to hold any more town halls this year.

I do them every year, Mace said at the beginning of the video, apparently in response to the constituents question. Do you want to keep going?! Do you want to keep going and keep harassing me?

I asked if youre doing any more this year. It was a simple question: Are you doing any more town halls this year? the constituent replied.

Some unhinged lunatic, a man, wearing daisy dukes, at a makeup store, got in my face today. Dems are nuts. So I went off  and I wont be backing down.



I hold the line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.



Try me. pic.twitter.com/Uv181Ovys0  Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) April 19, 2025

Ive already done one. Ill do plenty more. Youre always invited, Mace said before interjecting that she voted for gay marriage twice, apparently assuming the constituents sexuality.

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What does that have to do with me? the constituent asked. Theres no other humane conversation you can have about me?

It has everything to do with you, Mace said.

The confrontation continued to escalate, with Mace telling the constituent, You people on the left are crazy. Youre absolutely fucking crazy. Get out of my face.

Goodbye. Fuck you, Mace said.

Youre a disgrace to this state. Thats what you are, the constituent responded. I ask you a simple question, and you go on this tirade and tell me Fuck you  disgusting.

The two continued to exchange words and multiple fuck yous until the constituent ultimately walked away.

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Mace then posted a recording she filmed of the argument to social media and called the constituent an unhinged lunatic who was wearing daisy dukes (his shorts appeared to be neither denim nor cut-offs).

Dems are nuts. So I went off  and I wont be backing down. I hold the line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, she wrote. In the video, the constituent did not identify as aligning with any particular political party.

This incident comes just a week after Mace  who in 2023 described herself as pro-transgender rights and pro-LGBTQ  repeatedly used an anti-transgender slur during a speech to an Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event.

Can I say trans in Iowa? Can I say tr*nny? Can I say it three times? Mace said, then repeating the derogatory slur three times as the crowd laughed. She also praised the state for removing trans people as a protected class.

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Its not her first time using the disparaging term. She used the slur in February during a congressional hearing when she asked witnesses to speak about USAID giving $2 million to help bolster transgender-led organizations providing gender-affirming healthcare in Guatemala. And she tripled down when Rep. Gerry Connolly called her out for using a phrase that is considered a slur in the LGBTQ community and the transgender community.

Tr*nny! Tr*nny! Tr*nny! she replied. I dont really care!

GLAAD  non-profit organization focused on LGBTQ issues  says the slur, when used in a derogatory way, is one of the most extreme slurs that can be used against a trans person. According to GLAAD, she has used the slur publicly many times.

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LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH)  A Fairfield County man was convicted and sentenced for the sexual abuse of a girl under the age of 13.

According to the Fairfield County Sheriffs Office, Kurt Karns, 23, was prosecuted and sentenced in connection with multiple counts of gross sexual imposition involving a minor. Karns was found guilty on four counts of the third-degree felonies and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Court documents show Karns and the girl engaged in sexual contact between February and April 2024.

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A change of plea from not guilty to guilty was submitted in February on four of the nine total charges, and on Monday, Karns was sentenced in Fairfield County Common Pleas Court. The other charges were dismissed.

In addition to prison time, Karns was ordered to register as a Tier II sex offender, which he must update every six months over a 25-year period.

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Sue and Rick Townsend first met Anne Marie Hochhalter in March 2000 at a Bruce Springsteen benefit concert in Denver for Columbine High School shooting victims.

Anne Marie used a wheelchair after being left partially paralyzed by two gunshot wounds in the April 20, 1999, attack, when two students opened fire at the school, killing 13 and wounding 23 before taking their own lives.

The Townsends, whose 18-year-old daughter Lauren was killed in the shooting, introduced themselves to her at the event.

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We just saw her and went up and talked to her for a little bit, Rick told CNN. She was very shy at the time.

That encounter would blossom into a lifelong bond.

After retiring in May 2000, Sue began taking Anne Marie to physical therapy appointments, and afterward, they would go shopping or to the movies and enjoy lunch and ice cream together.

Anne Marie  who had lost her mother to suicide six months after the Columbine massacre  began joining the Townsends for family dinners, holidays, vacations and birthdays.

She became part of our family, said Sue, who was Laurens stepmother.

From left to right, Sue Townsend, Anne Marie Hochhalter and Rick Townsend are seen in a photo. - KCNC

The Townsends said they called authorities to do a welfare check on Anne Marie in February when she didnt respond to their texts or calls to confirm a weekend lunch date. Thats when police found Anne Marie dead in her home in Westminster, Colorado.

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The 43-year-old died on February 16 from sepsis, with complications from her paralysis being a significant contributing factor in her death, according to an autopsy by the Jefferson County Coroners Office.

The manner of death is best classified as homicide, the autopsy report said. Anne Maries death increased the Columbine shootings death toll to 14.

The loss has brought yet another heartbreak for the Townsend family, stemming from the mass shooting that devastated this suburban Denver community 26 years ago.

Sue said that although she didnt see Anne Marie as a replacement for Lauren, their relationship helped her heal from the grief.

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She needed us, and we needed her, so it worked out, Sue said.

Anne Marie and Lauren did not know each other in high school. The family called Anne Marie their acquired daughter, Sue said.

Anne Marie Hochhalter holds hands with Sue Townsend on April 19, 2024. - Kevin Mohatt/Reuters

We looked at her as a gift, kind of a bonus that came out of the tragedy of Columbine, Sue said. We just enjoyed her.

She refused to be seen as a victim

Anne Marie suffered from chronic pain due to the gunshot wounds, Sue said.

She underwent various surgeries and endured complications from using a wheelchair and taking medications for most of her life.

Still, Anne Marie never allowed those challenges to stop her from living a full life, Sue said.

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Anne Marie graduated from college, drove a car, worked as an assistant manager at Bath & Body Works, volunteered at a golden retriever rescue shelter because she loved dogs, and became an advocate for people with spinal cord injuries and chronic pain, Sue said.

Sue and Rick said Anne Marie accepted that she would likely never walk again and focused her energy on what her physical limitations would allow.

She refused to be seen as a victim, Sue said. She would say, I can do anything you can do, it just takes me longer.

A photo of Anne Marie Hochhalter is seen at the Townsend's home. - KCNC

Sue said Anne Maries complications had started to worsen in the years leading up to her death.

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She began expanding her online presence, connecting with people through social media groups who were suffering from similar health issues, Sue said.

Late last year, Anne Marie developed a pressure ulcer, a common skin complication for people who use wheelchairs, and was scheduled to have it treated the week she passed away. Sue said the pressure ulcer was what led to the sepsis.

It was a shock, Sue said. She had been through so much before and we just assumed this would be taken care of as well. We just were stunned.

Goodness wins

The Townsends said Anne Maries death, along with the media attention it received, has forced them to relive the Columbine tragedy.

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It feels like we lost our youngest twice, Rick said, given the couples other children are all older than Anne Marie and Lauren.

But they find comfort in their memories of the two women.

They described Lauren as an old soul and everybodys best friend, who was the valedictorian of her class at Columbine and dreamed of going to college to study wildlife biology.

Lauren Townsend is seen in a photo at the Townsend's home. - KCNC

She was also quirky, just like Anne Marie, Sue said. They were just fun to be around.

The Townsends say they remain determined to keep Laurens and Anne Maries legacies alive.

They hope that sharing the story of their relationship with Anne Marie and her advocacy for people with chronic health issues will inspire others to form positive, caring connections.

I hope this reminds people that goodness wins, Sue said.

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Detectives and loved ones are asking for the communitys help finding an at-risk missing man who was last seen in Los Angeles two days ago.

The L.A. County Sheriffs Department said the man, identified as county resident Ifeoluwa Salami, was last seen traveling on foot around 1 p.m. on the 1500 block of West 110th Street.

Officials described Salami as a 42-year-old Black man who stands 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has short gray/black hair, brown eyes and a beard.

Ifeoluwa Salami, 42, of Los Angeles County is seen in this photo taken in 2025. (LASD)

According to LASD, Salami has a mental disorder and is dependent on medication that he is required to take every day. His family is concerned for his well-being and is asking for help in the search to bring him home.

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When he was last seen on April 17, Salami was said to be wearing a blue zip-up jacket, blue jeans and Fila shoes that were orange, green and white.

Officials encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), or use the website lacrimestoppers.org.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Adolfo Roman Garcia-Ramirez works as a grocery cashier amid Colorados ski resorts. He came to the U.S. after Nicaraguas authoritarian government brokered a deal with the U.S. to transfer more than 200 political prisoners to the U.S. But President Donald Trump issued an executive order to end the humanitarian parole program, and Garcia-Ramirez fears he will be killed if hes sent back to Nicaragua.
This is pretty much it, I would say: This is the moment we have long feared  or, from another point of view, the moment weve all been waiting for. If you think you know what I mean by this being it, youre probably right. This is the moment to bust out cliches and make them sound authentic, the moment for Which side are you on? or What did you do in the war, Daddy? to stop sounding like antique rhetoric out of earnest postwar melodrama.

Of course the moment has been more of a long, drawn-out process, and the premise that it cant happen here has been slowly and gradually degraded and negated, somewhat the way Hannibal Lecter (the late, great Hannibal Lecter, as President Trump likes to say) keeps you alive and doped up on happy pills while he eats your brain. Still, though: Wasnt there something like a moment for you? There certainly was for me.

The question of who understands the nature of the moment, and who does not, has been thrown into dramatic relief over the course of the last week or so  and boy howdy, have there been some surprises. This is too much of a generalization, but its an irresistible one: We are seeing a truly extraordinary transformation, something like the awakening of the mainstream conservatives alongside the continuing surrender of the mainstream liberals.

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Yeah, Im talking, for instance, about New York Times columnist David Brooks calling for mass action against the Trump regime and quoting "The Communist Manifesto," pretty much non-ironically. I dont think anyone had that on their mainstream-media bingo card. Im also talking about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer literally hiding her face from photographers in the Oval Office, and about California Gov. Gavin Newsoms dramatic heel turn, which this week included describing the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man who by the government's admission was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, as the "distraction of the day" compared to truly important things like whether Trumps tariff policy is "accountable to the markets."

But before you "well, actually" me about any of that stuff, lets get back to the singular moment that hit me hardest  and affected a lot of other people the same way  because I think it illustrates a much larger problem. It was that video, the one shot from somebodys window in suburban Boston that shows a group of masked people in plain clothes seizing a young woman off the street and driving her away in an unmarked van. To be more specific, it was the video itself and also what happened  and did not happen  after the world saw it.

That womans name is Rumeysa Ozturk. She is a 30-year-old Turkish citizen who has lived in the U.S. for at least the last several years on a student visa. According to her LinkedIn profile (now deleted), she is a former Fulbright scholar who holds a masters degree from Columbia Universitys Teachers College. She is, or was, a PhD candidate in Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University. She has not been accused of any crime. The government says it revoked her student visa because she supports Hamas, but has produced no evidence beyond an op-ed she co-authored (with three other students) in the Tufts student newspaper last year. Since her arrest, although that word seems like a euphemism, she has reportedly been held in ICE detention centers in four different states.

On Friday, a federal judge ordered Ozturk returned from Louisiana to Vermont, where she was being held when her lawyers filed a habeas corpus petition demanding her release. Her arrest and detention raised significant constitutional concerns, wrote Judge William K. Sessions III. (No s**t, Sherlock.) That ruling represents a procedural victory, and begins to establish some semblance of due process  but you can feel the energy drain out of the conversation when we start to talk about this as a legal case, right? Thats how it works.

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A woman was literally disappeared off a public street by government agents with no uniforms, no official vehicle and no visible identification because of her political opinions. No one is even pretending there is any other reason. But that fact has itself almost disappeared into a bottomless swamp of procedural questions and jurisdictional disputes and supposed contextual ambiguity, while the human being in question remains in ICE custody into the indefinite future.

People generally use "Kafkaesque" as an exaggerated metaphor, perhaps to describe the runaround you get from an insurance company or an especially aggravating trip to the DMV. But no longer: What happened, and is still happening, to Ozturk and Abrego Garcia and however many other people have been swept up into the ICE gulags, is precisely the situation described in Franz Kafkas "The Trial," in which carelessness, bureaucratic incompetence and impenetrable legalism are just as damaging as outright cruelty. The Trump administration is making Kafka great again.

Judge Sessions ruling will of course be appealed to a higher court by some factotum of the Trump regime, and then that courts decision on that appeal will be appealed as well. Ozturk has a bail hearing scheduled for May 9, and a hearing on her habeas corpus petition scheduled for May 22, a full month from now. Its conceivable that one or another of those proceedings will lead to her release, but more likely that they will drag out for months, or possibly years, with no clear resolution. Thats a feature of our new fascist regime, and most certainly not a bug.

What has not happened since we first saw the Ozturk video is anything approaching an admission that the policy that led to her abduction, or the way it was conducted, was a legal, moral or political mistake. Quite the opposite: Of course this individuals fate should matter to all of us, but what ultimately happens to Rumeysa Ozturk is, in a certain sense, beside the point. The point, indeed, has been made: Trumps agents are entirely free to remove people from society on any pretext they like, or none at all. Whether they can do this to U.S. citizens as well as non-citizens remains an unanswered question. (They will certainly try.) No one has made any serious effort to stop them, and they have faced no consequences beyond finger-wagging from judges and lectures from (ahem) the media.

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To be entirely fair, I dont believe that the range of responses to what is now happening in America has much to do with ideology, in the normal sense. It's more about whether you actually believe in something  and boy, oh boy, has the wheat been separated from the chaff in that respect.

It was certainly instructive to encounter David Brooks call to arms in the same week as another Times contributor, Bret Stephens  a staunch dispenser of anti-woke, pro-Israel right-wing conventional wisdom  described the Trump administration as drowning in policies he called reckless, stupid, awful, un-American, hateful and bad. It was also the week that Bill Kristol, onetime leading New Right intellectual, called for the abolition of ICE.

Those three guys are not identical or interchangeable, but they are all non-MAGA or anti-MAGA conservatives who would tell you they believe in liberal democracy, more or less signifying an orderly society based in private property rights and political coalition-building. I might conclude that their views on democracy are somewhere between naive and noxious, but lets give them credit: They have spoken out forcefully against a regime that imperils what they claim to cherish, including the so-called principles of conservatism.

When we see Democrats like Newsom and Whitmer  and Amy Klobuchar and John Fetterman and Chuck Schumer, the list goes on  triangulating themselves into oblivion and semi-genuflecting before the Trump throne at exactly the moment when the fascist regime has made its intentions clear and the American people and the world are beginning to push back, we see people who have sucked on the crack-pipe of realpolitik for so long that, like all addicts, they have lost touch with everyday morality. They believe in nothing except political survival, and that, they believe, depends on the discount-store, focus-group version of voter psychology sold to them by expensive consultants. Any principles beyond those have atrophied into invisibility.

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Newsom and Whitmer both hope to become president in 2029, and have placed their bets on a particular understanding of reality, beginning with the premise that there is no fascist moment. The second Trump presidency, in this view, will be an especially ugly form of normal politics, and then the pendulum will swing back in customary fashion. To win the next election, they need to define a moderate space halfway between MAGA-world and the progressive wokeness they believe destroyed the Democrats last year.

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In similar fashion, Democratic pollster Natalie Jackson protested that Abrego Garcia made a bad poster child for the anti-Trump cause because Republicans had dug up some fragmentary and unconvincing dirt on him, and journalist Matt Yglesias responded that clinging to the due process rights of people making asylum claims had become a political problem. Perhaps we should be generous, and assume that Yglesias wasn't suggesting that specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution to all persons in the United States, irrespective of citizenship or nationality, should be ditched in order to win elections. But again, no discernible principles are at work, only mock-jesuitical debates about what these people think the collective mind of the public will think, based on last weeks poll numbers.

Jackson eventually deleted her X post about Abrego Garcia, partway through Sen. Chris Van Hollens trip to El Salvador to visit him, which made worldwide headlines. The lesson here is not complicated: Van Hollen is about as much of a normie liberal white-guy Democrat as anyone could possibly be. But he believes in something  in mildly cringe ideas about democracy, no doubt  and he understands what time it is.
By Rachael Levy

(Reuters) - The father of a U.S.-Israeli hostage held in Gaza said on Saturday he remains hopeful his 21-year-old son was still alive after Hamas said it could not account for his status.

Adi Alexander, whose son Edan was serving in the Israeli army when he was captured on October 7, 2023, called on the United States to engage in direct talks to free the remaining hostages  dead and alive  abducted during the deadly attack launched by Hamas two years ago in southern Israel.

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"I think we should engage back with them directly and see what can be done in regards to my son, four American dead hostages and everybody else," the father said in an interview on Saturday.

"It seems like the negotiations are stalled, everything is stuck and we are kind of back to a year ago," he added. "It's really concerning."

Hamas had previously agreed to release Edan Alexander, believed to be the last surviving American hostage held by the militant Palestinian group, as well as the bodies of four other Americans it captured on October 7, 2023.

The armed wing of Hamas said on Saturday it did not know the fate of Alexander, after noting that the guard holding him was killed. Reuters could not verify Hamas' claim.

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Hamas abducted Edan Alexander when he was 19 during its attack that killed nearly 1,200 people and triggered Israel's ongoing incursion in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas.

Edan, who holds dual nationality, grew up in New Jersey. His father said his son was an "all-American kid, great athlete ..., such a loving, loving boy" who found himself in "the wrong place, wrong time."

Hamas recently released an undated video, purportedly of Edan. His father Adi said, "He looked very scary to us - just a horrible, horrible video."

A hostage video is, by definition, made under duress and the statements in it are usually coerced, according to international law groups and human rights experts.

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He said if he could speak to his son now, he would tell him, "Just believe. You know, nobody forgot about you. Definitely not your parents, and everybody is fighting for your release on the highest level in the States and I believe also in Israel."

Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza. Fewer than half of them are believed to be still alive.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson had no comment on the status of Alexander but reiterated that Hamas must immediately release him and all remaining hostages, and that Hamas "bears sole responsibility for the war, and for the resumption of hostilities."

(Reporting by Rachael Levy in New York; Editing by Frank McGurty and Richard Chang)
This article was originally published in Stateline.

Early this month, the U.S. Department of Education issued an ultimatum to K-12 public schools and state education agencies: Certify that you are not engaging in discrimination under the banner of diversity, equity and inclusion, or risk losing federal funding  including billions in support for low-income students.

The backlash was immediate. Some states with Democratic governors refused to comply, arguing that the directive lacks legal basis, fails to clearly define what constitutes illegal DEI practices, and threatens vital equity-based initiatives in their schools.

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After lawsuits from the National Education Association teachers union and the American Civil Liberties Union, the Department of Education agreed to delay enforcement until after April 24.

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But states across the country, both liberal- and conservative-led, are worried about losing other aid: the pandemic-era money that in some cases theyve already spent or committed to spending.

The Department of Education has long played a critical role in distributing federal funds to states for K-12 education, including Title I grants to boost staffing in schools with high percentages of low-income students, and emergency relief like that provided during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conservative-led states  particularly Mississippi, South Dakota and Arkansas  rely the most heavily on these funds to sustain services in high-need districts.

The 15 states with the highest percentage of their K-12 budget coming from federal funding in fiscal year 2022  the latest year with data available from the National Center for Education Statistics  voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Similarly, 10 of the 15 states receiving the highest amounts of Title I funding in fiscal year 2024 also voted for Trump.

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Mississippi and Kentucky have sent letters to the Department of Education expressing concern over halted pandemic aid.

The clash over federal funding comes even as the future of the Department of Education is murky, given President Donald Trumps pledge to dismantle the department.

DEI-related cuts

In letters to the Department of Education, state officials and superintendents in Illinois, New York and Wisconsin pushed back against the DEI directive.

New York officials said they would not provide additional certification beyond what the state already has done, asserting that there are no federal or State laws prohibiting the principles of DEI. Illinois Superintendent Tony Sanders wrote that he was concerned that the Department of Education was changing the conditions of federal funding without a formal administrative process. Wisconsin Superintendent Jill Underly questioned the legality of the order.

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New York State Department of Education Counsel and Deputy Commissioner Daniel Morton-Bentley noted that the federal departments current stance on DEI starkly contrasts with its position during Trumps first term, when then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos supported such efforts.

Colorado and California also confirmed they would not comply with the Department of Educations order.

While some states with liberal leaders are gearing up for legal battles and possible revocation of funding, conservative-led states such as Florida have embraced the federal directive as part of a broader push to reshape public education.

In Florida, anti-DEI laws have been in place dating back to 2023. In fact, many school districts and the state education department say they plan to follow the federal departments directives, noting the similar state laws.

Pandemic aid cancellations

In March, the Department of Education abruptly rescinded previously approved extensions of pandemic-era aid, ending access to funds months ahead of the original March 2026 deadline.

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When the Massachusetts governors office voiced concern over that decision, the federal departments reply on social media was blunt: COVID is over.

Sixteen mostly Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Education and Secretary Linda McMahon, challenging the abrupt rescission of previously approved extensions for spending COVID-19 education relief funds.

But backlash against abrupt federal cuts to education has not been limited to blue states.

Mississippis Department of Education warned the cuts would jeopardize more than $137 million in already obligated funds, slated for literacy initiatives, mental health services and infrastructure repairs. The impact of this sudden reversal is detrimental to Mississippi students, state Superintendent Lance Evans wrote in a letter to McMahon.

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The letter also outlines the states repeated  but unsuccessful  efforts to draw down millions in approved funds since February.

Shanderia Minor, a spokesperson for the Mississippi education department, told Stateline the agency is awaiting next steps and direction about the funds and federal directives.

In Kentucky, state Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher told districts  which stand to lose tens of millions in pandemic aid  that abrupt federal changes leave them in a difficult position, with schools already having committed funds to teacher training and facility upgrades.

According to Kentucky Department of Education spokesperson Jennifer Ginn, the state has about $18 million in unspent pandemic aid funds left to distribute to districts. And districts have about $38 million in unspent funds, for a total $56 million that could be lost.

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Lauren Farrow, a former Florida public school teacher, told Stateline that schools that receive Title I money are already underfunded  and the federal threat only widens the gap.

Florida is pouring billions into education  but where is it going? Because were not seeing it in schools, especially not in Title I schools, said Farrow. I taught five minutes away from a wealthier school, and we didnt even have pencils. Teachers were buying shoes for students. Why is that still happening?

Effects in the classroom

Tafshier Cosby, senior director of the Center for Organizing and Partnerships at the National Parents Union, a parents advocacy group, told Stateline that while most families dont fully understand the various school funding systems, they feel the impact of cuts in the classroom.

Cosby said parents are worried about the loss of support services for students with disabilities, Title I impacts, and how debates about DEI may deflect from more urgent needs like literacy and teacher support.

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Weve been clear: DEI isnt the federal governments role  its up to states, she said. But the confusion is real. And the impact could be devastating.

Today, as a consultant working with teachers across Floridas Orange County Public Schools  one of the largest districts in the country  Farrow says many educators are fearful and confused about how to support their students under changing DEI laws.

Teachers are asking, Does this mean I cant seat a student with glasses at the front of the room anymore? Theres so much fear around what were allowed to do now.

Theres no one giving teachers guidance or even basic acknowledgment. Were just left wondering what were allowed to say or do  and thats dangerous.

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Amanda Hernandez contributed to this report. Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@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.
TALLAHASSEE  Celia Franjul is one of the 30,000 people Hope Florida boasts it helped get out of poverty and off government assistance.

She is even featured in the Hope Florida magazine alongside a softly-lit photo of two children hugging a woman  one of four success stories touted by the organization that has provided few specifics to support its claims of impact.

The photo is not of her or her family, however. And her actual encounter with Hope Florida  the embattled organization embraced by First Lady Casey DeSantis  is very different from the one featured in the online magazine.

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Three years after she was referred to Hope Florida, Franjul, 42, appears to be no better off than she was.

She lives with her three youngest daughters in a double-wide mobile home in Branford, an economically depressed rural community of fewer than 1,000 people northwest of Gainesville. The only employed person in her household is her fiance, who works at a collection agency.

Franjul is not working, and she and her children are still on Medicaid  the government-funded health insurance for the poor  just as they were three years ago.

Hope Florida provided moral support, she said, but not much tangible help as most of its work involves sending clients to other organizations. Everything is referrals with them, she said.

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Hope Florida started out as a pilot program in 2019, run by the Department of Children and Families. It was embraced by Casey DeSantis four years ago as an alternative to traditional welfare. She and her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and other administration officials boast it has helped 30,000 people get off food stamps and welfare by referring them to private groups, thereby saving the state $108 million a year.

That savings figure is based on the amount of benefits those people no longer receive, DCF Secretary Taylor Hatch told lawmakers at a House budget hearing this week.

But Rep. Alison Tant, D-Tallahassee, pointed out that most welfare benefits are paid for with federal money.

DCF, which runs the states welfare system and oversees Hope Florida, is steering people who seek benefits away from state aid to Hope Florida as an alternative, Hatch explained.

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Hope Florida also raises funds through its charity arm, The Hope Florida Foundation, and has given out close to $13 million in grants to various nonprofits and religious organizations throughout Florida.

The program has come under fire in recent weeks for not providing lawmakers with more specific data to back up its claims of success nor providing them explanations for how it has used millions of dollars in state funds to help people off of government aid.

The foundation is also embroiled in a scandal, and a possibly illegal scheme, involving a $10 million donation  the result of a state Medicaid settlement  that lawmakers claim was funneled from the foundation to a political action committee.

Franjuls story illustrates why lawmakers want more answers from those running the program.

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Tracking down someone who received assistance from Hope Florida was difficult, but Orlando Sentinel found Franjul.

The short magazine story says Franjul was unemployed and on the verge of being homeless when she was referred to Hope Florida in October 2022 for help with car repairs, paying her utilities and finding daycare for her children. The organization helped her pay her utilities and find childcare, a job and a permanent home in Flagler County, it says.

During the last follow-up with her Hope Navigator, Celia shared that all barriers were removed, and she was able to graduate from Hope Florida, the story reads.

But Franjul said she was not unemployed or nearly homeless when she first contacted Hope Florida. She was pregnant, working part-time and getting her masters degree in criminology at the University of Central Florida.

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It was a very stressful time for me, she said

She was looking for help with her utilities and finding affordable daycare. Her Hope Navigator, essentially a case manager, was unable to help with utilities, though she gave Franjul referrals to two organizations that help pay electric bills. But it turned out those groups only helped veterans. She was not a veteran.

That was not for me, she said.

The navigator also steered her to her local Early Learning Coalition, a state-created group that helps parents get subsidized childcare, which did get her assistance for daycare costs, she said.

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Even though she obtained her masters degree in criminology, has a cosmetology license and a real estate license, Franjul still is finding it difficult to obtain full-time employment. The economy is slow, she said. I am hoping it picks up.

She wants to raise enough money through crowdfunding to open a coffee shop in Branford. She tried to get a loan but the student loans she had taken out for graduate school had negatively affected her credit rating.

The best thing about Hope Florida was having someone to talk to, someone who encouraged her not to give up, she said.

What I received from Hope Florida was moral support, Franjul said.

She also got a letter from Casey DeSantis thanking her for being a part of Hope Florida.
Fire crews are on scene, battling a large residential fire at a Lawrence home.

Reports came in of a fire on 17 Kress Street.

Flames can currently be seen pouring out of the third floor of the home.

Video shows firefighters on truck ladders fighting the fire from above.

Mutual aid was called in from multiple stations to assist in extinguishing the flames.

Boston 25 will update when more information becomes available.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  Five people were displaced, and one firefighter was injured in a Norfolk house fire on Friday night.

Norfolk Fire-Rescue crews were dispatched to 313 Beacon Hill Road for a report of a residential fire around 11:05 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the residence. They initiated an aggressive interior fire attack and fire control was officially declared at approximately 12:30 a.m.

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The cause of the fire is under investigation.

There were no civilian injuries reported, however one firefighter suffered minor injuries and was treated on scene.

The displaced residents will not require assistance from the Red Cross as they are staying with family and friends.

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CARBON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  According to a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) spokesperson, crews are still on-scene battling a brush fire that started Saturday afternoon.

Jake Novitsky, spokesperson for the DCNR, stated that, a brush fire broke out near the Jim Thorpe market around 4:30 p.m. Saturday along Bear Mountain.

Since then, crews have been working around the clock to get the fire under control.

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Novitsky said that crews are currently battling the fire from the Packerton Junction along the Delaware and Lehigh Trail, which is closed from the junction to Long Run Road.

Novitsky did not have a number of firefighters or departments actively working on-scene, but did say that they are exercising a number of state and local resources, including calling in Forestry aircraft to help battle the estimated 260-acre fire.

Novitsky stated that heavy winds, fuel, and conditions have played into why the fire is actively spreading so fast.

Novitsky said the fire is only at 15% containment, and does not have a timetable as to when the fire will be out.

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Parishioners pack local church for Easter Vigil

No structures have been lost to the fire, according to officials.

A helicopter could be seen by 28/22 News crews on scene, making its way along the ridge of the mountain, dumping buckets of water and refilling in the Lehigh River.

Residents 28/22 News spoke with say the terrain on and around this mountain is extremely steep and rocky.

Much of the affected area is also inaccessible by road, making air support crucial in putting out this massive fire.

From what 28/223 News has been told, crews are still working to determine the cause of this fire.

This is a developing story and 28/22 News will provide updates as new information is made available.

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After years of more and more Americans claiming atheism, agnosticism or nothing in particular in religiosity, there are signs that the category is leveling off at 29% of the population, while at the same time, the continual decline of Americans who self-identify as Christians appears to have reached a plateau, according to a new study from Pew Research Center.

Slightly more than 6 in 10 of the 36,908 respondents in the Religious Landscape Study released in February consider themselves to be Christians.

Though that represents a 9-percentage-point drop from a decade ago, the stability is now a trend, Pew says. For the past five years, from 2019 through 2024, the Christian share of the adult population has remained between 60% and 64%, instead of sliding further downward.

That means growth for some churches, like Woodmen Valley Chapel, which on Easter is opening its fourth permanent campus in El Paso County.

Easter is a central day to our faith, said Don McCaleb, senior communications director. It commemorates Christs resurrection from the dead, his defeat over death, and gives us the opportunity to become fully alive in this life and eternal life.

Inaugural services for the new Woodmen Downtown Campus at 16 E. Platte Ave., will be at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Sunday.

Its been a race to finish the first installment of refurbishing what had been since 1935 First Christian Church, a Disciples of Christ affiliate, since acquiring the property for $4 million at the end of December, McCaleb said.

Last week, staff, volunteers and contractors worked hard on completing initial improvements of a $2 million phased renovation to mold the 90-year-old medieval English Gothic-style building to the needs of the 46-year-old Woodmen Valley Chapel.

Rooms have been reconfigured and repainted to create a welcome center with a 1930s-era fireplace, a childrens ministry wing and overflow seating for an expected crowd.

The sanctuary features a new raised platform where the altar used to be, with a giant overhead screen and upgraded sound equipment for live music and preaching during services. Bible passages have been painted on the walls, and new furnishings and decor have made the ground-floor level of the historic church brighter inside.

This years Easter theme for the nondenominational church is The King is Dead  Long Live the King, which is featured prominently on banners and in a video.

As our king, he gives us a chance to live lives of purpose and fulfillment, not just as ourselves but as it is in heaven and flourishing over our city and neighbors, McCaleb said. Its all wrapped up in the Easter story and celebration.

For whatever reasons, the interest in Christianity is holding its own and in some cases heading on an upward trajectory. The indicators provide hope for renewal.

Were excited to invite those people who are seeking deeper meaning and spiritual truth and a life of significance thats bigger than ourselves, McCaleb said. Were praying God will get ahold of peoples hearts and reveal himself.

In addition to the recent Pew study of American sentiment on religion, other research points to an emerging shift in what some consider to be a global spiritual awakening, according to last weeks episode of the Rebuilders podcast. The Australian production focuses on rebuilding various aspects of life.

Whether the movement can be attributed to post-pandemic recovery or people seeking calmness amid geo-political and national turbulence, presenters say theres less antagonism or disinterest in faith and Christianity, to new seekers among Gen Zers in Europe and older adults in Australia, for example.

Church attendance at least monthly among 18- to 24-year-olds in the United Kingdom rose from 4% in 2018 to 16% in 2024, according to The Quiet Revival, a report released April 8 by the Bible Society.

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Among all United Kingdom adults surveyed, the number of at least monthly churchgoers increased from 8% in 2018 to 12% in 2024, a 56% jump. The data is considered to be a myth buster to the prevailing thought that Christian churches are in decline, the authors say.

Another sign: Sales in the United States of the Bible, the most popular book in the world with an estimated 100 million sold worldwide every year, were up a mighty 22% from October 2023 to October 2024, according to Circana Bookscan, which tracks print book sales. In contrast, the market overall saw just a 1% increase for all printed books in the same period.

Many purchases were made by first-time Bible buyers, the data shows. This is something we have been praying for  Gods movement, the podcast crew says, surmising that people of all ages are seeking peace, Gods presence and community.

Rebirth of Christian churches, many of which saw attendance and participation decline drastically during the pandemic, will be slow, believes the Rev. Paula Stecker, a retired pastor, who most recently headed Christ the King Lutheran Church in Colorado Springs. Shes a member of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

I think were all preparing for something new, she said. Were preparing for what this will church look like and what will it look like to be a Christian in a lighter institution where there is more diversity, more action and perhaps less structure.

People who have moved away from church have told her they are unsure of the reason for Christian churches.

They see hypocrisy, as churches are having to explain in a new way with new language who we are and what we are there for and stand for, Stecker said. Were not the church of the 20th century, and thats OK. In fact, its good.

Gen Zers want to embrace church involvement as their own, not the same version of their parents or grandparents, the "Rebuilders" podcast says.

Churches that offer something compelling, such as a rich, authentic encounter with God, are most likely to experience success with evangelism and congregational growth, presenters say.

Its important for church leaders to align ourselves with following Jesus and the things he taught, Stecker said. That does draw people, and it takes time, letting people come to trust us again.

The more chaos and crises the world faces, the more people will turn to God, the podcasters predict.

Stecker said shes especially interested in our civil society weaving together a network of neighbor love to fight against hate, as religion becomes weaponized in our culture.

Jesus didnt ask his followers to bring in 2,000 new members this year and 3,000 the next, Stecker said.

What he did ask of believers was to be my witnesses. Tell what you see and hear, she said. Those disciples werent just talking, they were doing, lifting people up, healing them. They were active in their following with service and standing with people, which we might call advocacy, and building faith on the foundation of justice. Those are the things Jesus is calling us yet to do.

She believes the nation is in a time of dynamic change among all societys institutions.

I dont think were worried about Jesus or Christianity, its an institutional concern, she said. There are definitely people who are searching for a place of spirituality that they can belong. And there is still a real high bar for any of our religious institutions to be creditable for those people, to be institutions they feel they could trust and become part of.

Americans who identify with a religion other than Christianity in the Pew study remained low but increasing: 1.7% of U.S. adults say they are Jewish, 1.2% are Muslim, 1.1% are Buddhist, and 0.9% are Hindu.
Firefighters throughout multiple towns worked to battle a serious brush fire in Newburyport on Saturday afternoon.

According to Newburyport fire, crews were called at 11:22 a.m. to an area of State Street, where a large brush fire was threatening a number of nearby buildings.

Because of heavy winds, which complicated firefighting efforts, second and third alarms were quickly struck.

Newburyport fire crews requested assistance from multiple forest firefighting units from northern Massachusetts.

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The fire threatened a number of commercial and farm structures, including several greenhouses at Tendercrop Farm.

Ten acres burned before fire crews got the blaze under control around 12:20 p.m.

The Newburyport Fire Department received mutual aid assistance from Amesbury, Georgetown, Ipswich, Lawrence, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, and West Newbury crews, as well as firefighters from Hampton, N.H. Cataldo and Atlantic Ambulance Services were also at the scene. Haverhill and South Hampton, N.H., firefighters provided station coverage.

At the same time, crews battled a brush fire about a mile away, in Newbury.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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CAIRO (Reuters) - A ship carrying wheat has arrived in Syria's Latakia port, the first delivery of its kind since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebels in December, the government said on Sunday.

Officials of the new Islamist-led government say that while imports of wheat and other basics are not subject to U.S. and U.N. sanctions, challenges in securing financing for trade deals have deterred global suppliers from selling to Syria.

The Syrian General Authority for Land and Sea Borders said in a statement that the ship carried 6,600 tonnes of wheat. It did not identify the nationality or destination of the boat, but one regional commodity trader told Reuters it was from Russia.

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"A step that is considered a clear indication of the start of a new phase of economic recovery in the country," the borders authority said of the shipment, adding that it should pave the way for more arrivals of vital supplies.

Traders say Syria has this year been largely relying on overland imports from neighbours.

Russia and Iran, both major backers of the Assad government, previously provided most of Syria's wheat and oil products but stopped after the rebels triumphed and he fled to Moscow.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government is focused on economic recovery after 14 years of conflict.

(Reporting by Jaidaa Taha, additional reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Andrew Cawthorne)
Five key 2025 policy shifts reshape Mississippis education, taxation and public health

Stories by Biloxi SunHerald journalists, with AI summarization

Mississippis policy landscape is rapidly evolving with critical shifts in education, taxation, public health, and electoral systems shaping its future. The dismantling of the Department of Education highlights heightened state responsibility for school funding, potentially reducing support for impoverished students and rural districts. Tax reform proposals aim to eliminate state income tax while introducing a gas tax and cutting grocery taxes, signifying a move toward consumption-based models that burden lower-income residents disproportionately.

The state grapples with the nations highest STI rates, reflecting a public health crisis compounded by low HPV vaccination rates. Concurrently, teacher shortages in rural areas underscore challenges of low pay and resources, exacerbating inequities and threatening educational outcomes. These shifts demand systemic investments and cooperation to navigate such profound socio-economic impacts.

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The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

A poll worker holds up an election sticker at a polling location at Dr. Frank Gruich Sr. Community Center in Biloxi during the Mississippi Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. By Hannah Ruhoff

NO. 1: ANALYSIS: IN U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, ELECTORAL COLLEGE MEANS NOT ALL VOTES ARE EQUAL

The Electoral College process is in the U.S. Constitution, but some states are pushing for a change. | Published September 6, 2024 | Read Full Story by Bobby Harrison

The Mississippi House of Representatives, at the State Capitol in Jackson. By Tim Thorsen

NO. 2: MS HOUSE PLAN: KILL STATE INCOME TAX, SLASH GROCERY TAX MORE THAN HALF, ADD 5% TAX ON GAS

The Mississippi House of Representatives is planning a tax proposal that would take more than $1 billion from current revenue. | Published January 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Taylor Vance

The Mississippi Department of Educations 2024-2025 Educator Shortage Survey revealed nearly 5,160 vacancies statewide, spanning teaching, administrative and support staff roles.

NO. 3: RURAL MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS STRUGGLE TO ATTRACT TEACHERS, AND KEEP THEM ONCE THEY HAVE THEM

Mississippis education system is in the midst of a critical teacher shortage. | Published February 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Pappu Jha

How dismantling the U.S. Department of Education would affect Georgia school districts.

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NO. 4: TRUMP NIXES THE DEPT. OF EDUCATION. HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MS SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS?

The budget cuts at the Department of Education have many parents worried about their childrens education, but what is Mississippi really facing? | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sundi Rose

Blood sample with syphilis (Treponema Pallidum) positive

NO. 5: MISSISSIPPI AFFECTED WORSE THAN ANY OTHER STATE BY SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS

From chlamydia to gonorrhea, Mississippis rate of reported STI cases per 100,000 residents was the highest in the US. | Published March 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mona Moore

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
Multiple people were injured Saturday when flames tore through a condominium complex in South Carolina, according to the Columbia Fire Department.

At about 2:30 p.m., firefighters responded to the blaze that was ripping through the Briargate Condominiums, a fire department official said on social media. Thats on Menlo Drive in Columbia, near Exit 64 on Interstate 20, which is the junction with Broad River Road.

Flames shooting through the roof of a building could be seen from I-20, according to the Irmo Fire District, which said it sent four units and several resources to assist in battling the two-alarm blaze.

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Information about how long it took to extinguish the fire was not available.

Members of the Irmo Fire District battle a fire from the roof of a condominium.

Three people were taken to an area hospital after fire ripped through one of the condo buildings, according to the Columbia Fire Department. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries but are expected to be OK, the fire department said. Further information on the victims conditions was not available.

A dozen of the buildings 24 units were heavily damaged by fire, smoke and water, according to the fire department. Nine people were displaced by the damage, according to the American Red Cross, which said its providing them with financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

Information about the cause of the fire, and where it started, was not available. The blaze will be investigated by the Richland County Fire Marshals Office.

Officials did not say if foul play was suspected.
Severe weather threatened more than 45 million Americans on Easter Sunday, as a treacherous string of thunderstorms continued to strike parts of the southern and midwestern United States, causing flooding and at times tornado risks across a substantial block of the country from East Texas to southeastern Iowa and Illinois. In Oklahoma, people braced for more rain after a deluge turned deadly earlier in the weekend.

Two people, including a child, died Saturday night because of flooding in Moore, Oklahoma, which is a suburb outside Oklahoma City, police said. The adult woman and 12-year-old boy were inside a vehicle that was among about a dozen stuck in high water, while heavy rainfall inundated the area and, in some places, flowed up and over the curbs, according to the Moore Police Department.

One of the vehicles left the flooded road and was swept under a bridge. Police said all of its occupants were rescued except for the woman and boy, who were later found dead.

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"This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city," said Moore Police in a statement. "The Moore Police Department would like to extend a thank you to our neighboring agencies who assisted in rescue efforts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims."

BEWARE HIGH WATER

MPD is working more than a dozen motorist assists involving vehicles stuck in high water. Multiple roads and neighborhoods have water over the curbs. Stay home if at all possible.#flooding pic.twitter.com/UDUm94MTdn  Moore Police Dept. (@MoorePolice) April 20, 2025

Moore Police had launched a search for the people washed away in floodwaters, sending dive teams, ground crews and drones to probe a creek running under the bridge after their truck slid beneath it, CBS News affiliate KWTV reported. With the vehicle pinned under the bridge and two occupants missing, dramatic video shared by the station showed an emergency responder suspended by a harness over the creek's rushing current, seemingly trying to access the truck and those inside from above.

Multiple water rescues took place around Moore on Saturday, according to KWTV, which also shared video of someone wading through waist-deep water beside a submerged car in the area.

Storms were forecast to continue sweeping through sections of southern Oklahoma into Sunday, where the National Weather Service in Norman warned of flash flooding that would likely ramp up again in the early morning hours.

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Elsewhere, severe weather was expected to strike parts of East Texas through the Ozarks and mid-Mississippi Valley in the afternoon and evening, threatening portions of Arkansas and Missouri with potentially destructive winds and large hail while raising the risk of tornadoes, which could be serious, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Tornado watches were in effect Sunday for parts of those two states in addition to pockets of eastern Oklahoma and various places in southwestern, central and northern Texas. In the latter state's Montague County, which is about 80 miles northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth, a strong storm drenched neighborhoods and in multiple instances required boat crews to rescue people from floodwaters, CBS News Texas reported. As of Saturday night, there were no reports of injuries or damage to homes or businesses in that area, according to the station.

Forecasters have predicted the worst of the weekend's storms would abate by Monday.

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MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  A Florida man was transported to Marshall County on a second-degree rape charge, according to court documents.

Jail records show that 19-year-old Oscar Razo was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Marshall County Jail. He is charged with second-degree rape.

Court documents show that Razo is from Haines City, Florida, and was transported from Florida to the Marshall County Jail on April 14 for the charge.

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The warrant for Razos arrest states that he had sexual intercourse with a girl who was less than 16 but older than 12, and Razo was at least two years older than the victim, as laid out by Alabamas definition of second-degree rape.

The document also says he is being held with a bond of $100,000 and that he is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 21.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Forms of punishment for students might be a discipline slip, after-school detention or a trip to the principals office. However, one Florida student was allegedly subject to a form of punishment so disturbing the police had to get involved.

In a news release from April 10, the Polk County Sheriffs Office announced the arrest of 53-year-old Keiva Lark. The woman was the assistant principal of Lake Marion Creek Middle School and allegedly committed the offense on school grounds.

Police say a 13-year-old student was sent to her office after allegedly throwing a balled-up piece of paper across his classroom during an exam. Authorities said while in the office, Lark ordered the student to rub her feet since he didnt have anything better to do with his hands. When the student failed to perform to her liking, police say she scolded him and demonstrated how to give a good foot rub by massaging his arm and shoulder.

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Authorities said to double down on her point, she ordered the student to rub her feet like he loved her. A witness told police they also heard Lark tell the student she was submitting him to the cruel and unusual punishment so he would know what foreplay is for when he gets a girlfriend.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, Dr. Lark initially told detectives that this was only a joke, and that she was just trying to humble the victim.  Judd added, Its completely inappropriate for a 53-year old woman to act and talk like this to a middle school boy. Its even worse given that this was an assistant principal and her student.



Are you uncomfortable yet? Well, it gets worse, according to reports.

During an interview with police, the student allegedly said Lark referred to him as Sexy Chocolate while passing him in the hallways at school. That seemed to seal the deal leading to Larks arrest.

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Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Fred Heid called the incident abhorrent behavior and said Lark no longer has any business being around children, per a statement. The district placed Lark on administrative leave upon the investigation, per ClickOrlando.

Shes been charged with lewd/lascivious conduct and lewd offense against a student by an authority figure.

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Students in Pueblo County School District 70 will be back in class Tuesday after a case of "swatting" forced school closures Monday, according to a news release.

Here is the D-70 release that was emailed Monday:

On April 20, Pueblo County School District 70 received a report of a potential threat of school violence. In accordance with our district's safety protocols, we immediately notified law enforcement and fully cooperated with their response. Following a thorough investigation conducted by local law enforcement and federal agencies, the incident has been determined to be a case of swatting, a false report deliberately intended to provoke an emergency response. Investigators have confirmed that at this time, no student from our district, was responsible and the threat was deemed non-credible. "The safety of our school community remains our top priority, and we take all threats seriously. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of District 70 students and staff, Sheriff Lucero, Pueblo County Sheriffs deputies and Colorado State Patrol Troopers searched the affected schools and all were deemed safe," said Ronda Rein, Superintendent. Additionally, there will be a substantial presence of law enforcement in and around the schools. The Sheriff's Office has partially activated the Emergency Operations Center and is remotely monitoring the school buildings via security cameras.

---

Parents, families, and staff in Pueblo School District 70 received an email from the school district that three separate schools will be closed Monday due to threats, according to Gazette news partner KOAA.

The following schools will be closed while the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office investigates the threats:

 Liberty Point International School

 District 70 Online Learning Academy, Pueblo West Campus

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 Swallows Charter Academy

According to the school district, there have been "reports of potential threats via multiple channels," but we have learned that the threats were made through an alleged email, KOAA reports.

KOAA obtained a screenshot of the alleged email, but the contents are too graphic to share. In summary, the sender states that they will be planting pipe bombs around the school and bringing an AR-15.

As of now, Swallows Charter Academy is claiming that the threats came from a student, but there is no further information on the situation.

Read the full story on KOAA.com.
A 20-year-old Florida State University student and son of a Leon County sheriffs deputy is accused of killing two people and wounding five others on campus with a handgun that belonged to his mother.

The tragedy on the universitys campus in Tallahassee on Thursday occurred just over a year after the father and mother of a teenager who killed four students in a 2021 school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison  the first parents to be held criminally responsible for a mass school shooting committed by their child.

In Michigan, prosecutors used a novel and unusual legal theory to bring manslaughter charges, accusing the killers parents  James and Jennifer Crumbley  of disregarding the risks when they bought a gun for their son days before the shooting, even though he was struggling with his mental health and contemplating violence.

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The boundaries of whos responsible for a mass school shooting continued to be pushed with the indictment last year of the father of an alleged Georgia school shooter.

Whether the mother of alleged FSU shooter Phoenix Ikner can be charged criminally is going to depend on a lot of information we currently do not have, Misty Marris, a trial attorney and legal analyst, told CNN.

Marris said Florida prosecutors would have to consider a number of critical questions, among them: How did the alleged shooter access his mothers gun? Did she let him use it? Did she know or should have known that he had a propensity for violence? Were there warning signs he would use a gun to shoot someone? Did she know he could access the gun?

This is particularly important because if there was an awareness that he may be violent and the gun was left accessible then there could certainly be legal consequences for his mother on a civil negligence or possibly criminal negligence theory, Marris said.

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Jack Campbell, state attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit, declined comment on Saturday.

Ikner, who spent time training with law enforcement and served on a sheriffs advisory council in the years before the shooting, was taken into custody after being shot and injured by university police on Thursday. He was carrying a .45 caliber pistol that used to be the service weapon of sheriffs deputy Jessica Ikner, according to officials and records.

After the shooting, police recovered an AR-15 style rifle  in addition to the pistol and a shotgun found at the scene  inside the car Phoenix Ikner drove to campus, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the ongoing investigation. The multiple firearms indicate he may have intended to shoot more people, the official said.

The suspected gunman suffered from emotional dysregulation for which he had been prescribed medication, according to the law enforcement source. Family members told investigators he had stopped taking some of the prescribed medication, the source said. Its too soon to say whether this played a role in Thursdays violence. The motive is still unknown, and police said therere no apparent connections between the suspect and the victims.

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Ikner has significant but not life-threatening injuries and will remain in the hospital for a significant amount of time before he is taken to a detention facility, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell said Friday.

The suspect, who invoked his right not to speak when he was taken into custody, will face the charges up to and including first degree murder once he is released from the hospital and taken to a detention facility, Revell said in a video message.

Its all about what was known and when

Since the shooting, Ikners former classmates at Tallahassee State College have described his political beliefs as extreme. They cited what they said was concerning rhetoric, including his saying civil rights icon Rosa Parks was in the wrong, his defense of Nazi symbols, and his disparaging of pro-Palestinian and Black Lives Matter protesters. Its unclear if politics was a factor in the shooting.

Additionally, a review of court records showed Phoenix Ikner had a tumultuous childhood, with a woman  identified in the documents as his biological mother  accused of removing him from the United States in violation of a custody agreement when he was 10 years old.

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Sheriff Walter McNeil told reporters the suspect was steeped in the Leon County Sheriffs Office family and engaged in a number of training programs that we have, so its not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons.

This is telling and leads me to believe that it was known that the alleged shooter knew how to use a gun, and had access, Marris told CNN via email.

Now if it turns out that there was some knowledge that he might commit a horrible act like this or had mental health issues that could make him dangerous or if we find he made statements or wrote about committing a mass shooting  what actions were taken to limit access by his mother to her weapons? Its all about what was known and when.

Jessica Ikner has served at the sheriffs department for more than 18 years, McNeil said, adding that her service to this community has been exceptional. She did not respond to a request for comment.

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The sheriffs office said Jessica Ikner requested and was granted personal leave and was also transferred to the property crimes. She previously served as a school resource officer, McNeil told reporters Thursday.

Joey Jackson, a CNN legal analyst, said prosecutors deciding on whether to bring charges would focus on what the parent did not do, and whether that makes her responsible.

What factually was the parent aware of, and what specifically did they do and not do that contributed to this occurring? he added. What did they know and what did they not know as to this occurring? What was the mental status of the kid? Do they have a prior history? Have they done anything like this before?

Florida-based defense attorney Walter OMara said a civil lawsuit against the suspect and his mother is more likely.

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Florida law does hold parents responsible but only for minors 16 and under, he said, noting that the FSU suspect is 20. So no, they really dont have a way to criminally hold the mom responsible. Now, if it was really negligent, like, you know, the kids got mental health problems and theyre leaving six or eight guns around and encouraging him to shoot in the backyard  that kind of stuff  you might get some criminal negligence, but I dont think you have that here.

CNNs Casey Tolan, John Miller, Curt Devine, Audrey Ash, Rebekah Riess, Hanna Park, Devon Sayers, Majilie de Puy Kamp, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Mike Figliola, Taylor Romine and Dahlia Faheid contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Florida State University held a vigil Saturday honoring the victims of the campus shooting that took place two days ago.

The campus community is still reeling after a gunman opened fire Thursday, taking the lives of two people and injuring six others.

The vigil is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Landis Green.

The university is just a few weeks away from finals and the 2025 commencement ceremony, which is set to take place the first week of May.

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Florida State University President Richard McCullough announced earlier in the day that all classes and regular operations are scheduled to resume on campus Monday.

The vigil will be streamed in the video player above once it starts.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Down in the wild and wonderful world of Florida, the owner of an oddities shop has been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace.

As USA Today reports, 52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper has been charged with the illegal purchase and sale of human bones on Zuckerberg's commerce platform.

At the end of 2023, police in the Daytona Beach suburb of Orange City received a tip that Wicked Wonderland, Schopper's shop that also advertises pet taxidermy and animal "mummification" on its website, was selling various human bones and skeletal fragments.

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From a $35 human rib to a $600 partial human skull, the store's wares were valued at $850 in the tip authorities received. When they spoke with Schopper's daughter and co-owner, 33-year-old Ashley Lelesi, the proprietress copped to the sale without hesitation. According to the affidavit viewed by USA Today, the mother-daughter team was unaware that selling bones was illegal in the state of Florida  one of only eight American states that broadly bans the practice, though dozens of other states have conditional prohibitions on it.

Lelesi told the cops that she and Schopper had purchased the bone lot from various private sellers. She provided police with five of the six specimens and told them the shop had already sold a piece of skull fragment for $50, even providing receipts for the purchase and sale of all the bones in question.

Later, both mother and daughter met with police and had, at that point, changed their tune. According to the affidavit, Schopper told authorities that the bones were "educational models," which would place them in a legal loophole within the state's ban on the sale of human remains.

Apparently, the cops didn't buy it, and Schopper was charged with purchasing or selling human organs and tissue, a second-degree felony that can carry up to a 15-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. It does not appear that Lelesi was charged with any crime, and the mother posted her $7,500 bail following her arrest.

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Nine years ago and 650 miles away, a similar debacle unfolded in New Orleans after Ender Darling, a member of a Facebook group called "Queer Witch Collective," told their fellow magic practitioners that they had some local bones for sale. Per their initial post, Darling had taken to procuring bones from a "poor man's graveyard" near their house that would rise to the surface during rainstorms in the notoriously stormy city  and would happily sell them to their fellow witches for the cost of shipping.

The Queer Witch Collective exploded in fury at Darling for not only collecting bones without consent from the families of the deceased, but also turning a profit off them. Though Darling's ethnic background remains something of a mystery, they are decidedly not Black, and as speculation raged about which graveyard they got the bones from, many commentators on the increasingly-fiery  and now mythical  thread pointed out that the majority of people buried in a New Orleans potter's field would be Black.

After this "bones discourse" spread to Tumblr and became a meme, people in power caught wind of the "Boneghazi" debacle. After being tailed by police, Darling was arrested in Florida  where else?  and charged with burglary and trafficking human remains, though those charges were minimized after they pleaded guilty.

As the investigation unfolded, Louisiana enacted its Human Remains Protection and Control Act, which called for harsher punishment for the trafficking of bones and other body parts and brought it into the fold of states that criminalize the practice.

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Though it's entirely plausible that the owners of Wicked Wonderland were unaware that selling bones is illegal in Florida, they could have done a quick Google search about what happened to the last person who got caught doing it  and saved themselves a world of trouble.

More on selling parts: Shop Scrutinized for Selling Human Bodies Out of a Strip Mall
DENVER (KDVR)  With the dry season approaching, wildfires become a greater threat than usual. The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service wants to make sure its firefighting barracks are full and announced the hiring of 1,100 permanent firefighter positions.

Snow totals: Mid-April storm brought several inches to Denver, over a foot in mountains

Of the total 1,100 positions, 130 will be available in the Rocky Mountain Region, encompassing:

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Colorado

Kansas

Nebraska

South Dakota

Wyoming

Due to the high number of hirings, there are plenty of various skillsets being sought after, including:

Aviation officers

Dispatchers

Equipment operators

Fire engine operators

Fire management officers

Fire planners

Fire prevention specialists

Forestry aids and technicians

Handcrew members

Helitack crew members

Hotshot crew members

Pilots

Prescribed fire and fuels specialist

Smokejumpers

Pay plans will be divided into Wage Grade, Wage Leader and General Schedule 3-13.

Job descriptions, pay plans and pay levels can be found on the Forest Service Careers webpage. Those interested can apply through the USAJobs website until April 24.

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The Forest Service said that tips and guidelines for the application process and resume preparation can be found on the websites How to Apply page.

Over 100 volunteers join Colfax Avenue clean-up effort

The agency also said that new hires will help increase the capacity to prepare for catastrophic wildfires, implement fire prevention and active forest management strategies and respond effectively to wildfire emergencies to safeguard lives, property and natural resources.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
As Democrats grapple with how to find their way back to power, one party strategist has some surprising advice. Or at least, it may be surprising coming from him.

Doug Sosnik is a longtime Democratic strategist best known for being a top adviser to Bill Clinton. Hes a self-described member of the partys centrist wing. But he says its now time for Democrats to take a page from the progressive lefts playbook.

I think that what Bernie Sanders and AOC have been saying  which is really a populist economic agenda  I think that is an important element for the Democratic Party going forward, he said in an interview with the Playbook Deep Dive podcast .

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Sosnik is also blunt about Democrats predicament as President Donald Trump upends Washington, but argues the party has an opportunity to refine its message ahead of 2026, and more importantly, 2028.



Were out of power. We cant get anything done, he said. But at least we need to be able to articulate a coherent narrative about the future that can appeal to the middle class.

Sosnik also talked about which Democrats intrigued him as potential 2028 presidential contenders  mostly governors, but one senator did come up  as well as who was not likely to end up as the nominee.

There are indoor politicians and outdoor politicians, Sosnik said. Indoor politicians have a roof over them. Theyre senators, they give speeches. Outdoor politicians are people that are out there in the field, theyre in the crowds. Keep an eye on the ones outside.

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This conversation has been edited for length and clarity by Deep Dive Producer Renee Klahr and Senior Producer Alex Keeney. You can listen to the full Playbook Deep Dive podcast interview here:

Doug, you've got this set of slides out and some information that you want to share with the party, with the voters, with the political class. What was the goal here?

I used to say in the runup to the 2024 election, you can't understand the 2024 election tree if you don't understand the forest that it's sitting in. And we're going through an historic period of transition in our country, and it's in real time. It roots back 50 years or so to the early 1970s with the beginning of the decline of the middle class in America. In combination with that, there is a feeling by a lot of people of alienation toward our leaders and institutions.

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I want to talk about where the Democrats are in this moment, because we are watching a party thats trying to figure it out, and there are a number of different ways people are going about it:



You have Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders out there trying to rally progressives and the youth.



You have James Carville saying, let's just hush up and be quiet and watch what Trump does and let him do the damage himself.



And then you have Gavin Newsom out there launching a podcast, talking to Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon and trying to bridge some of those partisan divides.



Do you want to settle the argument? What's the right way to do this?

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I'll answer that question, but some context first: The Democratic Party is long overdue for what we're doing right now. For the last quarter of a century, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and the Obama-Biden presidency have dominated the Democratic Party. So there's been a whole generation of elected officials who have never had an opportunity to step forward to see who's got the right stuff. That's happening now.



And the other thing is, for the last nine years, the organizing principle of the Democratic Party has not been who we are and what we want. It's been organized solely around our opposition to Donald Trump. So we have not had an opportunity as a party to sort out who we are, what we believe in, and who our leaders have been.



So we're beginning this process now, and it's not a very pleasant process to watch. But we shouldn't be surprised that the Democrats are in turmoil. We shouldn't be surprised that there's no leader right now  we're in the opposition. We shouldn't be surprised that we're flailing around, trying to figure out who we are and what we're about because we have not been dealing with these challenges for a long, long time and there's no quick fix.



Are any of the directions that the Democrats are trying out right now the right way to go? Or do you think it all needs to happen at the same time?

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Well, I think it has to be sequential. We didn't get in this situation overnight as a party with our popularity now under 30 percent, and we're not going to fix it overnight.



I think there are several steps that we need to take going forward. The first is we have to have a narrative of defining Trump and the Republicans based on what they're doing or not doing to help people in this country. If we talk about, as an example, Elon Musk. It doesn't do us any good to go after Musk in the abstract. It has to go back to Trump and his presidency, not about Musk himself.



I think we also have to at least pass the laugh test [of having an] agenda for the future. We're out of power. We can't get anything done. But at least we need to be able to articulate a coherent narrative about the future that can appeal to the middle class and particularly people in this country, the 70 percent who don't have a four-year college degree. Now, I worked for Bill Clinton for six years and I would say I come from that wing of the Democratic Party. But I'll have to say, on economic issues, I think that what Bernie Sanders and AOC have been saying  which is really a populist economic agenda  I think that is an important element for the Democratic Party going forward. I think they are right about their economic message, and I think the message that we need as a party to largely focus on is economics and how it ties back to the middle class.



The last couple things I'll say is we need to do well in the midterms, and I think we probably will. But that's just an incremental part of the solution. The long-term solution for our party is going to sink or swim based on who we nominate for president and whether or not they win the election.

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So Democrats should have their eye on the prize for 2028, not 2026?



Well, I think we have to multitask. What we need to do to be successful in 2026 is not in conflict with what we need to do in 2028. I say there's always one and a half political parties in America. There's the party that's in control of the White House and then there's the half party, which is in the opposition. We are the half party right now. We are in control of nothing. Now, for us to get back, we have to be able to define the Republicans and Trump, and they're helping us a lot. But we have to be able to define them in a way that drives down their numbers, which is happening in real time right now. And that's part of it.



But ultimately, we could have a wildly successful midterm  in 2010, the Republicans had the most successful midterm since World War II, and two years later, they lost the White House. So it's only an element. But the job is ultimately to not make the Democratic Party brand so toxic that it brings down our 2028 nominee.



Do you think that Democrats like Sen. Chris Van Hollen fighting these deportations is playing into Trump's hands? Do you think these are the issues people want to see Democrats stand up for?

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Well, I think that ultimately the most important issues for us to focus on are the issues that people care about, which is their lives and the economy. I do think that we have a moral obligation that when something is so manifestly wrong, on the deportations and what they're doing to that poor guy in El Salvador, I think we have an obligation to speak out about that, even though it's not our best argument against Trump.



Do you see Democrats missing the moment? Because you said that there have been multiple instances where the Trump administration has given you guys these gifts, these opportunities to point out wrongdoing.



Well, we're the opposition party. We're out of power. By definition, you can look at it one of two ways: Either we have a large number of leaders or we have no leader. And we fundamentally, as the opposition party, don't have a leader. And we're not going to have a leader until we have a nominee in 2028. It's not going to be the congressional wing of the party that's going to 



That's a long time, though, to wait for someone to come out of the woodwork and lead.

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Most people either do campaigns or they do government. And that's one of the problems I think Trump has right now is he's running the government like it's a campaign. Ultimately, the Republicans and Trump are going to be defined by what they do or don't do in governing, and how they govern and whether people's lives have improved or not.



If the public is very dissatisfied with the Republican leadership, which I think they are going to be, that's a prerequisite for Democrats to come back to power. But that's not going to be enough. That's the first step and it's an important step, but ultimately, there's such distrust with Democrats and who we are and how we've governed that even if the Republicans implode, that doesn't guarantee the Democrats are going to assume power.



I think what your slides show is that Democrats have struggled both with message and messenger, with policy and policy makers. How do you find your way out of that?



I think we can work on an architecture of a message, which shows our values. And I think, again, as I said earlier about AOC and Bernie, I think a lot of their economic messages against the rich and the oligarchs [are a good start] and I think having a pro-middle class agenda, like say, a federal minimum wage 

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Do you think that's the stronger direction versus what Gavin Newsom is doing in trying to maybe appeal more to the center and bringing on conservative folks onto his platform?



Gavin Newsom is doing something tactically to show that he can hang out with people who don't believe what he believes in. But AOC and Bernie Sanders  and I'm not from that wing of the party  what they are doing is talking about what they think should be done from a policy perspective to improve people's lives.



We need a strategy, not a tactic. And our strategy should be based at least on what our values are and what agenda we would have if we ever were able to return to power. And I think their economic populist message is an important element for that.



You wrote once in an op-ed for the New York Times about how one of the reasons Democrats rebounded with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama was because they weren't really from the establishment.



Does that mean that the future for the party in 2028 might be more like a Mark Cuban or a Stephen A. Smith rather than a Gretchen Whitmer or a Gavin Newsom?



I don't think the future of our party is looking for a Mark Cuban or Steven A. Smith, let me start with that. I think it's probably either an elected official or a citizen leader from the states and not from Washington. And not from the coast. Someone who's authentic, who, you know 



You're talking governors, mayors.



Yes. Governors and mayors are CEOs. They do stuff, right?



Theyre executives.



They live above the restaurant and come down every day to work.



I'll tell you, the way I look at politics is there are indoor politicians and outdoor politicians. Indoor politicians have a roof over them. They're senators, they give speeches. Outdoor politicians are people that are out there in the field, they're in the crowds. The people are sweating on them. And Trump's an outdoor politician, by the way.



Yes, he is. I've been outdoors a lot with him.



Politics has changed significantly, but one of the things that hasn't changed is people want happy warriors as candidates. They want people who are running for office who they feel are enjoying themselves and that they like people. And, you know, I think there's a toxic, angry sort of vibe to the Trump rallies, but there's also kind of the joy of the event.



Oh, yeah. I mean, it has a fair-like vibe, right? People bring their kids, they bring picnic baskets  it's kind of a party.



Yes and I think that Trump  he is what he is.



And so there's an authenticity to what I think is a profoundly horrible human being, but there's an authenticity to him that I think in an age where people are cynical and feel like nothing's on the level, at least they can take him for what he is.



I have spent the last four years traveling the country and seeing what you have put into these slides play out on the ground: People without a college degree, more voters of color and young people gravitating toward Trump. And like you said, Trump is a symptom but this has been a long time evolution and change within the parties.



I think the original bad seed for what's happened in America goes back to the Vietnam War in the 1960s. That was the first war where we were not all in this together. That was the first time that if you had money and power, you could game the system. I think that began this schism in our society between the people who have money and power and the other people who don't. And I think for the people who don't have money and power, they resent it.



That is literally what Trump has used as part of his rallying cry: The system is rigged against you, and I'm for you. Why have Democrats so struggled to capture that?



I think we're captured a little bit by who we are and who we hang out with.



Go back to Biden's victory. Biden was the first president to get elected since Bush in '88 without a political base. The Democratic Party was like a federation of special interests that all came together. They feared in the early primaries in 2020 that we were heading to nominating Bernie Sanders to be president. So, almost like a chemical reaction, the party coalesced around Biden because they thought that Sanders would bring the party down. And that's how Biden became the nominee.



Do you think they were wrong in that assessment?



No, I think history has proven they were right in the sense that Biden won, and by the way, he barely won. And I don't see anyone else who was running at the time that would have won.



But the point is, Biden came to office beholden to a federation of special interests. I dont remember a single time in his presidency where he took on any single interest group. The combination of having special interest groups driving the party and elites who are college educated and concentrated on the coasts and in college towns  as a result of that, we became out of touch with America.



The fundamental question I've been trying to get a sense of with Democrats is, is the answer in this moment to fully oppose Trump or to see if there are ways that you can work with him?



What is the way to get back some of those people who went toward Trump because of their frustrations with the party?



As I said earlier, I think we have to do two things. One is we have to define Trump in a consistent way so that everything we say about him goes back to the same narrative  which I think is largely built around his administration is screwing the middle class in this country.



But who does that? Do you put out the playbook and everyone follows it? Or is there some edict from the DNC? How do you actually get the messengers of the party that are out there right now on the same page about that?



Well, there's nobody in control by definition. I think it would be helpful for the federal wing, the congressional wing of the Democratic Party, to be able to come together with an agreement on what that is. We have a lot of people, but we need to create a center of gravity. In terms of what success looks like two years later, we want to have a good midterm. I think we'll win the governor's race in Virginia this year and the press will overstate how important that is. It's good to do well in politics, so we should do that.



And we need to be able to define Trump and I think, back to your question, I think he makes it easy. The Republicans in Congress  even if you wanted to work with them, they're making it impossible based on the policy positions they're taking, based on how they're governing.



So even if you want to work with this administration, it's almost impossible to do based on the fact that he's completely driven by his MAGA base. The way he's executing the office of the president is something we've never seen in our country before.



So you think there's no benefit to Democrats trying to work with the Republican Party in this moment? You think opposition is the answer?



I think if we can find something to agree on, we should. But I don't think, based on how they're governing, that's going to be a real problem for Democrats.



But you do see it being a problem for Democrats. The image floating around of Gretchen Whitmer in the Oval Office with the binders in front of her face  I think that is an image that captures the bind the Democrats are in. They want to be there but they don't want to be there. I don't think there's been a clear answer of, Do we participate and try to find common ground or are we just the opposition?



And when you try to do both, you end up in the Oval with a binder in front of your face.



Well, let's talk about that for a moment. That's a good example of how the process of running for president weeds out people.



So, she walked into that room not expecting what happened to have happened. Probably the best thing to have done  and I'm sure if she could do it over again, she would not have used the binder strategy  is that she should have walked up to the desk where the president was and explained what was coming out of his mouth  she's completely opposed to it, and these are the reasons why. And then she should have left. So, that's a perfect example of a process that's going to help weed out 



Do you think Whitmer's been weeded out?



No, of course not. I think Obama and Clinton back in the early days of their campaigns made similar mistakes. So the question isn't, do you make a mistake like that? The question is, as you campaign and operate, do you learn from that? And she, of course, could be an extremely viable person. That's part of the benefit of going through all this.



We've talked about a number of names: Whitmer, Newsom. What about Kamala Harris? Should she try to run for the White House again?



Well, the first thing she has to decide is whether she's going to run for governor and obviously you have to think about whether she'll run for president.



Should she run for governor?



I think she shouldn't decide what she's going to do for any elected office unless she knows why she's running. If you can't answer that, you shouldn't run.



Do you think, given the toxicity of the Democratic brand that you talked about, that some of the leaders that were so visible at a time when the Democratic brand was so toxic should still be out front and center?



The short answer is no. I think the country wants new leadership.



Give me some names that make you optimistic about the party.



I think a variety of governors around the country. You mentioned Whitmer, [JB] Pritzker. [Josh] Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania. [Jared] Polis out in Colorado. These are people who have been governors. They've performed extremely well. They have credibility in talking about where they want to lead the country based on what they've accomplished as governor. You know, maybe [Gov. Wes] Moore from Maryland. I think we have a half a dozen to a dozen people who potentially could be attractive candidates but, again, we are never really going to know who's got what until they're out there and are forced to perform.



Talk to your party. What should they do over the next year?



I think the most important thing is to have a narrative both about defining Trump and the Republican Party, every single day  we bring it back to that narrative. And the second thing is we ought to have a set of principles and positions that are primarily economic that demonstrate what we are for and who we are as a party. And I think that largely that's what we should be doing between now and the midterm.



Are there issues that Democrats need to let go of, put on the back burner?



Well, when I run campaigns, there are two kinds of issues. There are issues you win on and issues you lose on. So if you're running a campaign, what you want to do is try to neutralize the issues you lose on so you can talk about the issues you can win on. And so to me, the issues that we can win on are economic and I think that the populist economic message that Sanders and AOC are putting out is largely the direction as a party that we should pursue.



I think we are better off not talking about social issues and to the extent that we do, I think that we should try to figure out how to neutralize those issues so that we can move back to the issues that we could win on, because I firmly believe that this country is going to learn, in very real terms and very soon, what the implications are of the shock and awe, first 100 days of Trump and how it's going to impact their lives.



I also believe that an increasing number of people in this country are dependent on what government does for them; and while they may not appreciate it as much now, they're going to appreciate it more when they see the impact of all the DOGE cuts. And it wasn't strategic. It was a fire now and aim later. It's a countless number of things that people take for granted in our government right now. And when they're no longer being performed by our government and people see the impact in their lives, they are going to know who to blame.
Former deputy police chief files discrimination charges with EEOC against Durham police

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN)  Former Deputy Police Chief Shari Montgomery filed discrimination and retaliation charges this week after being fired suddenly from the Durham Police Department.

According to her attorney, Artur Davis of HKM Employment Attorneys, Montgomery was wrongfully terminated.

This is someone who has defined herself in part by her excellence, serving the city of Durham, and for that excellence to be rewarded with a wrongful termination is a huge blow to anyone, but certainly some of her character and her integrity, Davis said.

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The charges, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, allege that she received unfair treatment due to retaliation under the leadership of Durhams Chief of Police, Patrice Andrews.

According to official documents, Montgomery states that Durhams city manager sought candidates for the chief of police position. One of the applicants was Andrews. The documents said that Montgomery disclosed to the city manager that Andrews may not be a fit candidate, but was subsequently hired.

Montgomery stated she believed the city manager had made comments to Andrews about what was said. Over the next three years, Montgomery said that she was routinely sidelined and stripped of key responsibilities, removed from the investigative services division and reassigned to field operations and excluded from strategic decisions typically involving deputy chiefs.

Asked if he has evidence at this point in time showing Page told Andrews about Montgomerys concerns, Davis said, The EEOC is the beginning of the investigative process. The filing of a charge is the beginning of the investigative process. We will have an opportunity to test that connection.

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Montgomery stayed on as deputy police chief until her termination on April 11.

Davis said during an investigation into the promotion process, which officers said were biased against Black applicants, Montgomery received technical violations. Two white officers received more serious violations, but less severe punishment.

Thats part of the narrative here in this case, Davis said. At the end of the day, Shari Montgomery has been treated differently than people who are outside her skin color, who committed or are believed by the City of Durham to have committed more serious offenses.

The documents also state this treatment of Montgomery is a broader pattern at the Durham Police Department, in which Black officers are disciplined at disproportionately higher rates.

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When contacted for a statement, Durham city officials said, The city has not received a notice from the EEOC regarding Ms. Montgomerys charges and allegations against the police department, so we cannot comment at this time.

City Attorney Kim Rehberg said, We will evaluate the charge carefully and file a response that makes the citys position clear before the deadline established for response.

The Durham Police Department referred back to the citys statement as the citys official position.

We know that what happened to her and what happened to her career is wrong, Davis said. We think old fashioned retaliation and old fashioned discrimination is behind it.

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You can read a copy of the charges filed with the EEOC below:

EEOC_Charge_re_Shari_MontgomeryDownload

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Thirty years after the deadliest homegrown attack in U.S. history, former President Bill Clinton returned to Oklahoma City on Saturday to remember the people who were killed and comfort those affected by the bombing.

Clinton was president on April 19, 1995, when a truck bomb exploded, destroying a nine-story federal building in downtown Oklahoma City. He delivered the keynote address at a remembrance ceremony near the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

Clinton, now 78, was widely praised for how he helped the city grapple with its grief in the wake of the bombing, which killed 168 people, including 19 children. He says it was a day in his presidency that he will never forget.

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I still remember as if it were 30 minutes ago, coming here with Hillary to that memorial service and saying: You have lost too much, but you have not lost everything. You have certainly not lost America, and we will be with you for as many tomorrows as it takes, Clinton said, recalling his first visit to Oklahoma City just days after the bombing, when he spoke at a memorial service for the for the victims. I do think weve kept that commitment.

Clinton has visited the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum numerous times in the years since the bombing and delivered speeches on major anniversaries.

On Saturday, Clinton also cautioned about the polarizing nature of modern-day politics and how such divisiveness can lead to violence, as it did 30 years ago. He said there is much the nation can learn from the Oklahoma Standard, a term coined to reference the citys response to the bombing by uniting in service, honor and kindness.

Today, Oklahoma City, America needs you, he said. I wish to goodness every American could just see life unfold here, hearing these stories.

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Other speakers included former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating and former Oklahoma City Mayor Ron Norick, who were in office when the bombing occurred. Family members of some of those killed in the bombing read the 168 names of those killed in the attack.

Saturdays ceremony was originally scheduled to take place on the grounds of the memorial but was moved inside an adjacent church because of heavy rains.

After the ceremony, a procession of bagpipe players from the Oklahoma City Fire Department led many of those in attendance across the street to the outdoor memorial built on the grounds where the federal building once stood. The memorial includes a museum, a reflecting pool and 168 empty chairs of glass, bronze and stone etched with the names of those killed. Nineteen of the chairs are smaller than the others to represent the children killed.

Among the memorials top missions is to help people understand the senselessness of political violence and teach a new generation about the impact of the bombing, said Kari Watkins, the memorials president and CEO.

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We knew when we built this place we would some day reach a generation of people who werent born or who didnt remember the story, Watkins said. I think now, not just kids are coming through more and more, but teachers who are teaching those kids.

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Four California high school students are dead and two are seriously injured after the SUV they were traveling in crashed into a tree.

The six teenage girls, aged between 14 and 16, were traveling in a Volkswagen SUV that careered off the road and hit a tree at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.

Three died at the scene and a fourth later died in a hospital. The driver and another passenger are in critical condition, the California Highway Patrol confirmed in a statement.

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No other vehicles were involved in the crash and the authorities continue to investigate the cause.

I extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and classmates of the four young students whose lives were tragically lost in this heartbreaking crash, California Highway Patrols Marin Area Commander, Captain Amy Newton, said. No words can ease the pain of such a devastating loss, and our hearts are with the entire community as they grieve.

The girls attended Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo, the Tamalpais Union High School District confirmed.

This is an incredibly heart wrenching time for our entire school and broader community, Tara Taupier, the superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District, said in a statement. As we await more information, we know the Tam District community will pull together in compassion, care, and support for one another.

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The names of the victims have not yet been released.

Loved ones and members of the community visited the crash site Saturday to leave flowers and pay their respects.

It couldn't be more tragic than six young women in car. Couldn't be more tragic, whole life ahead of you, no matter what happened or what the reasons are. It's so sad, local Leslie Jackson told ABC7 News.

I mean, the sheer number of fatalities  I don't think even think the shock has set in for our community yet. We are a tight-knit, small community, Melissa Wahlstrom, a parent whose child attended the same school as the victims, told the outlet.
On Sunday afternoon, in a parking lot near the northeast corner of Academy Boulevard and Austin Bluffs Parkway, an outdoor party was underway, with food trucks, games, a disc jockey spinning tunes and a 6-foot Easter bunny. But the spring jamboree, located outside Green Pharms North Academy store, was not the typical Easter celebration.

This year, the religious observance coincided with 4/20, cannabis cultures unofficial high holiday. Whats more, it was the first Sunday since recreational marijuana retail sales began in Colorado Springs.

In November, voters approved retail sales by 54.7% to 45.3%, according to data from the Colorado Secretary of States Office. An opposing question that sought to outlaw recreational sales in Colorado Springs was voted down, 50.6% to 49.4%.

Recreational sales got off to a rocky start on Tuesday, as several of the 27 approved locations hit a snag with product delivery, Green Pharm manager Tom Scudder said.

The morning of April 15 was the first time we could legally operate, said Scudder, who helped spearhead the campaign to legalize recreational pot sales in Colorado Springs.

But we couldnt take delivery on the product until then as well. So on our first day, we hadnt received the product, we hadnt labeled it, we hadnt entered it into our system or put it on our shelves.

As a result, many pot stores had to tell eager customers to come back either later on Tuesday, or to wait another day or two for their recreational marijuana.

The customers were back in force on Sunday.

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As you can see, were not lacking for business, Scudder said.

Sundays celebrations came at a time when questions are being leveled at the marijuana industry over the health consequences of consuming the drug and its safety record as a product in Colorado.

A New York Times investigation, reprinted by The Gazette last year, explored how doctors are contending with the effects of an explosion in the use of the drug and its intensity, and concluded that with more people consuming more potent cannabis more often, a growing number, mostly chronic users, are enduring serious health consequences.

And a recent Gazette investigation, citing industry insiders and researchers, found that the Colorado industry is riddled with loopholes that allow consumers to be deceived about everything from the marijuanas potency, to the prevalence of dangerous pesticides, solvents and mold.

A spokesperson for the states Marijuana Enforcement Division said Colorado has strong systems in place to audit and monitor licensed testing facilities processes and reporting of results, including annual audits at testing facilities by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

On Sunday, the Green Pharm waiting room was packed with medical and recreational users, and other stores around Colorado Springs were enjoying robust business as well. The vibe in and around those stores was more muted than at Green Pharm, but no less busy.

Its a pretty unusual 4/20, Scudder said. (The observance) has been around for years on the medical side. But this year it includes the recreational side as well.
Four Wisconsin residents died Sunday in a small plane crash in central Illinois.

A small plane crash in central Illinois claimed the lives of four people from Wisconsin, multiple agencies said Sunday.

On Saturday April 19, around 10:16 a.m., a Cessna C180G airplane struck power lines and crashed in a field in Trilla, not far from the Coles County Memorial Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

Four people from Wisconsin  two men and two women  died in the crash, the Coles County coroner's office said. The victims were from Menomonie, Illinois State Police said. The plane was returning from Nashville, Tennessee, when the crash occurred, the coroner's office said.

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The Coles County coroner released the names of the victims on April 20. The victims, all from Menomonie, were: Ross Nelson, 46, Raimi Rundle, 45, Courtney Morrow, 36, and Michael Morrow, 48.

The NTSB said an investigator is conducting an on-scene examination and collecting evidence and data related to the crash. The aircraft will be recovered and taken to a secured facility for further evaluation.

The coroner's office said the names of the victims will be released by the Illinois State Police.

NTSB investigations focus on three areas: the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment. A preliminary report will be available in 30 days and it be accessed by searching the NTSB investigations database with the NTSB number ERA25FA179.

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A final report is expected to be released within 12 to 24 months.

For more information about the NTSB investigative process visit their official website.

This story has been update with the correct day of the crash and the names of the deceased.

Contact Adrienne Davis at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Four Wisconsin residents die in small plane crash in central Illinois
American news channel Fox News has called Kyiv a Russian city during its broadcast of the Orthodox Church of Ukraines Easter service.

Source: Footage from the Fox News broadcast, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The channel was broadcasting Easter celebrations from around the world, including a service held in Russia attended by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

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As part of the same coverage, Fox News showed Easter celebrations from around the world, including in Kyiv.

Initially, the broadcast correctly labelled the Orthodox Church of Ukraines service at St Michaels Golden-Domed Cathedral as taking place in "Kyiv, Ukraine". However, the caption later changed to "Kyiv, Russia" and remained on screen for an extended period.

Background: This incident comes shortly after Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that the US is allegedly willing to recognise Russian control over Ukraines Crimean peninsula as part of a broader peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.

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Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has called out Fox News for labeling Kyiv a "Russian city" during its news broadcast.

During its coverage of Easter services on April 20, Fox News aired footage of religious services from around the world, including the service Russian President Vladimir Putin attended in Moscow.

Simultaneously, the right-wing news network broadcast live images from Easter religious services in Kyiv, misidentifying the Ukrainian capital as a Russian city. The error reportedly remained on screen for 20 minutes.

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"If this was a mistake rather than a deliberate political statement, there should be an apology and an investigation into who made the mistake," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on April 20.

Although he didn't mention them by name, President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to also criticize Fox News at the end of a statement on April 20 in which he reported multiple Russian ceasefire violations across the front line since an Easter ceasefire was declared.

"Instead of broadcasting religious service from Moscow, the focus should be on pressuring Moscow to genuinely commit to a full ceasefire," Zelensky wrote.

"We thank all the media, podcasters, bloggers, and everyone sharing the truth about what is happening."

Read also: Kyiv, not Kiev  How Ukrainians reclaimed their capitals name

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) As cars, trucks, and motorcycles rolled into Frankforts Lakeview Park on Saturday afternoon, there was one cause driving people to show off their sets of wheels: Gabriel Andrews died on April 4, after getting swept up in flash flood waters on his way to school, just three days after his 9th birthday.

Its just a very sad thing to happen, you know, we just wanted to gather and try to have a happy moment instead of a sad moment, said organizer and promoter for the event, called Cruisin for Gabe, Dalton Baadshaug.

Dog rescued from 100-foot cliff above Kentucky River

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While many attendees didnt personally know Gabriel, they still turned out to support a cause that brought the community together, all through a shared love for cars.

Some, like Lukas Evins, did know him. Evins is a former neighbor of Gabriels from the Hickory Hills area of Frankfort.

Evins said this kind of event is something Gabriel wouldve loved.

Ive always had nice cars, and friends that like loud cars that are rowdy and such and every time hed [Gabriel] come outside, hed be smiling from ear to ear, talking about how he loves the cars and this and that, said Evins, who also helped organize the event.

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While the vehicles served as a tribute to the memory of the nine-year-old, its important to remember that everyone finds their own way to remember those theyve lost.

For Baadshaug, it brought back memories of honoring a friend similarly.

I had a friend pass away when I was younger, and we had the best time ever for his funeral. We had burnouts, a big barbecue, and all that. Nobody was crying. It was just happy times the whole day, he said.

If anything, Evins said the event highlighted how precious life can be and how things can change in an instant.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Evins told FOX 56, Lifes too short and things can get taken from you within seconds. And cherish your loved ones. I think, hold the ones that you love close because you never know what could happen, or can happen.

People contributed money to a donation box set up for the family, and Community Que, a barbecue food truck dedicated to giving back, donated 10% of its sales to support them 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 FOX 56 News.
When Ann Dybalski saw a flyer offering free smoke alarm installations for West Reading residents, she didnt hesitate.

I called immediately to schedule, Dybalski said, noting that a fire this year caused significant damage to a relatives home.

While no one was injured, she said the incident was a stark reminder of the dangers of house fires and the critical role smoke alarms play in preventing tragedy.

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Dybalski was one of five homeowners to preregister for the American Red Cross Pennsylvania Rivers Chapters Sound the Alarm, Save a Life event Saturday in West Reading.

The nationwide campaign of the American Red Cross focuses on reducing fire deaths by installing free smoke alarms, sharing fire safety information and encouraging families to create escape plans.

West Reading Fire Chief Chad Moyer and Corinne Bridges of the greater Pennsylvania region of the American Red Cross disaster services, gather equipment for the installation of smoke alarms in West Reading homes on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

The Rivers chapter teamed with the West Reading Fire Department and volunteers to form three teams that installed devices in preregistered homes and knocked on doors, offering the service with the goal of reaching at least 100 homes and apartments throughout the borough.

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Team members Kamna Giare-Patel, a chapter board member; West Reading Fire Chief Chad Moyer; and Corinne Bridges of the Greater Pennsylvania Red Cross Disaster Relief Services were assigned to Dybalskis home.

While Giare-Patel and Moyer replaced the nearly 20-year old devices on the first and second floors, Bridges explained the components of a good escape plan.

Residents should identify multiple escape routes from each room, she said, practice with family members regularly and designate a safe meeting place outside the home where occupants can gather after evacuating.

From left, West Reading Fire Chief Chad Moyer, Kamna Giare-Patel, board member of the Rivers chapter of the American Red Cross and Corinne Bridges, disaster services for the Red Cross, arrive at a home to install smoke detectors on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Pet owners, like Dybalski, who has three cats, also should be aware of their animals common hiding spots so the pets can be quickly located in an emergency, Bridges said.

The need for initiatives like Sound the Alarm is especially urgent in Pennsylvania, said Steve Leauber, Red Cross regional disaster program manager. Pennsylvania has more fire-related deaths than any other state, he said, with 65 reported since the start of the year. Working smoke alarms, he said, can reduce the risk of death by 50%.

This is about saving lives, Peter Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter, said of the program. Every second counts when theres a home fire. And having working smoke alarms can make all the difference.

Since the programs launch by the national organization in 2014, Brown said, it has saved at least 2,320 lives.

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Pennsylvania chapters began participating in 2015 and now hold 30 to 40 events each year across the state, with five or six typically taking place in the nine-county Rivers region, Brown said. The area chapter is hosting 16 Sound the Alarm events In April and May alone, the busiest time of year for the campaign.

Communities are selected based on fire data and coordination with fire departments, Brown said.

Weve got a lot of history on fire locations and severity, he said.

Through that analysis, Brown said, Reading and West Reading were identified as two of the most fire-prone areas in Berks County, which is the most densely populated county in the chapters coverage area.

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The city will be targeted in May with an event held in partnership with the Reading Fire Department.

Brown emphasized the power of volunteerism in making the program a success, noting the chapter has around 500 regular volunteers as well as first-timers who join specifically for these events.

Mike Herbert, community disaster program manager for the American Red Cross, outlines the procedures for the installation of smoke alarms in West Reading homes to members of the West Reading Fire Company on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Its a great team-building opportunity, he said. Corporate partners often bring groups, and they spend the day working together, making their communities safer.

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Each event begins with a kickoff session where volunteers receive training and supplies before heading out to install alarms and educate residents.

Its a really rewarding experience, Brown added. You walk away knowing that youve increased, by probably 50%, the likelihood that someone will survive in the event of a fire.

For residents like Dybalski, the reassurance that her home and pets are better protected is invaluable.

This means a lot, she said, watching as the alarms were installed. You never think its going to happen to you, until it does.

To schedule an appointment for smoke alarm installation or to volunteer, call 570-217-1397 or visit SoundTheAlarm.org/greaterpa.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  After a tragic stabbing killed a Champaign man  one of his best friends is working on celebrating his life through skating.

Nathan Gudeman was killed in his home in March. Now, 22-year-old Isaac Garcia is organizing the skate-against-violence in his honor. Itll take place May 2 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Spalding Park in Champaign.

Garcia said people can come and ride in any way they want  and there will be a candlelight vigil as well. He said this will help highlight a big part of Gudemans life.

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One hospitalized after shooting in Decatur on Sunday

Nathan was a really good skater, Garcia said. Hes been skating for as long as Ive known him, hes been skating. He was always out and about skating, and [it] was just one of his favorite [hobbies] and he was really good at it. But weve just been trying to go around and spreading the word for it, and I think itll help, at least the people who know him well, to just have the event for skating because he was just really close to it. And I feel like he would have really appreciated it as well.

There is also an event coming up for the for the other victim who survived the attack. The Texas Roadhouse on Country Fair Drive in Champaign will donate 10% of purchases on April 30 to Katys road to recovery.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Students and staff at Florida State University came together in a peaceful vigil and serene outdoor service on Holy Saturday to exalt their strong sense of community after a shooting sent shockwaves across the campus of nearly 45,000 students.

Saturday's vigil included live acoustic Christian music performances from students and sermons from religious leaders. It was also a moment to remember the two men killed during Thursday's shooting, fewer than 72 hours before.

Five people were wounded in the attack, and two people were killed  Robert Morales, 57, and Tiru Chabba, 45. The shooter was also wounded.

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According to the Tallahassee Medical HealthCare hospital, one victim went home Friday, and five other people wounded in the shooting  including the alleged shooter  are still in the hospital. Hospital staff said all of the patients are now listed in "good" condition. The hospital would not share any further details.

But it wasn't just the people who were shot who were scarred from the attack.

Memorial at Florida State University after a fatal shooting killed two people and injured several others. / Credit: CBS News

Thursday's shooting rampage sent hundreds of students running for their lives. Many students who returned to collect the items they left behind in the chaos expressed a range of emotions  anger, frustration, and anguish  saying they are traumatized by the surreal experience.

Many others on campus on Saturday were in tears as they walked by a growing memorial near the student union.

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Flowers, notes, candles, and other items were placed neatly in two rows down a sidewalk among the oak trees and Spanish moss, a defining beauty mark on FSU's picturesque campus.

For those at Saturday's vigil, it was a soothing opportunity for collective healing. The crowd sang along together, prayed together, and reflected together.

"It's overwhelming"

FSU President Richard McCullough said the university is setting up a resource center for the victims of Thursday's mass shooting.

"It was pretty terrifying," McCullough said. "FSU police were the ones that took care of the shooter, and we're so proud of what they did because it could have been so much worse."

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McCullough said the university is just two weeks away from graduation.

"It's overwhelming because I feel responsibility to keep everybody safe as part of my job," McCullough told CBS News in an interview Saturday morning. "It's tough for me, obviously, very tough with the students ... It's something you worry about all the time."

Florida State University President Richard McCullough looks to community members, students and faculty gathered for a vigil honoring the victims of the Florida State University shooting. / Credit: / Getty Images

He said the school is evaluating setting up potential financial assistance for those wounded, but he says the details are still being discussed, and nothing has been finalized.

"I had a number of presidents and chancellor's colleagues from other universities reach out and say, 'Hey, Rick, we lived through this, we've already been through this, you know, Virginia tech and Virginia and UNC, you know, reach out if you need, if you need help,' and it's just, it's awful that this has become so commonplace," he said.

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McCullough said the school had just facilitated an active shooter training event just a few weeks before the attack. He says new students also receive active shooter training as part of their orientation.

"It's become part of what you have to prepare for at the university," McCullough said. "Just like anything that happens to you, you certainly remember it, but we're strong, we'll work through it."

Investigation into shooting continues

Police say the accused gunman, 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner, sustained "significant" injuries during a shootout with officers and will likely be in the hospital for some time before he can be criminally charged.

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Chief Lawrence Revell with Tallahassee Police said, at this point, it does not appear that there was any connection between the alleged shooter and the victims.

Police say the suspect used a handgun that belonged to his stepmom, who is a local county sheriff's deputy for the Leon County Sheriff's Office. She is now on personal leave. Investigators said the suspect had participated in several training programs with the sheriff's office.

"Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons, and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene," said Leon County Sheriff Walter McNeil.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive for the attack.

A police vehicle at the Florida State University campus. / Credit: CBS News

Court documents from 2015 show Ikner's father said his son had "special needs" and was taking medication for "health and mental issues."

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A neighbor of the home where Ikner lived with his stepmom and father says they "took great care of him."

Another neighbor who rode the bus with Ikner every day to middle and high school remembers him being very quiet.

"He was just very odd," neighbor Laney Montgomery recalls. "He was very quiet. He didn't really have much of a presence around."

As for the students wounded on Thursday, their focus is on healing.

Graduate student Madison Askins was shot in the back after she tripped and fell while trying to run away from the gunman during Thursday's attack.

Asked what her message would be to the alleged person who shot her, Askins said: "He doesn't deserve any more of my time. He's already taken what he can, and at this point, in my opinion, he deserves nothing else."

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Just days after a mass shooting sent shockwaves through the Florida State University community, university officials announced a return to normal operations. Now, a growing group of students say its too soon.

We were given a week off when the university got a few inches of snow, now were expected to go back to class days after a mass shooting, said Madalyn Propst, President of FSU College Democrats.

The FSU College Democrats are leading the charge, calling on the administration to slow things down and listen to student voices.

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This comes after 20-year-old FSU student Phoenix Ikner opened fire on the campus Thursday with his stepmothers former law enforcement service weapon, killing two and injuring six.

I dont feel safe again on campus, being asked to pretend like this never happened and go back to an active crime scene less than a week after members of our community were killed, said Propst.

The student organization said the universitys response felt rushed and lacked compassion. Theyre demanding action, not just sympathy.

Propst said the list included simple safety upgrades, such as installing locks on all classroom doors across the campus and requiring active shooter training for all faculty and staff on all college campuses.

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Propst said the organization is asking that in the next legislative cycle, legislators amend safe-storage laws to require safe storage protocols to be followed when there is any person in a household who cannot legally obtain a firearm, not just for minors under the age of sixteen.

Because there is no reason in the state of Florida where gun violence is as common as it is that we dont have locks on the door and professors that dont know what to do, said Propst.

Theyre also pushing for added appropriations into the legislature budget for mental health intervention programs.

Propst said the organization plans to fight for stricter safe gun storage laws. They also want Congress to take up motions to reinstate the Office of Violence Prevention  a federal office that once focused on tackling gun violence through research and public policy.

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If no one listens and no steps are made. Not only will it feel like the two people we lost were in vain but it also leaves the door open for another event like this to occur, said Propst.

On Saturday, the FSU President, Richard McCullough, said the university will resume normal operations on Monday.

As we prepare to resume classes and business operations, we understand that some of you may not be ready to return. We will be flexible. If you need time or support, please reach out to one of the many services we have available. We are here to help, said McCullough.

Dear FSU Family, our hearts are heavy after the tragedy that took place on April 17. We are grieving with the families and friends who lost someone they love. And we are with all those who were injured and are now recovering. This has shaken all of us, and I want you to know we are here for you.

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Classes and business operations will resume on Monday, April 21. I know it wont feel like a normal week. Its the last one before finals, and many of you are still processing what happened. Please take care of yourself.

If you need time or support, reach out. Students should contact their instructors for help with classwork or accommodation. Faculty and staff should connect with their dean or supervisor.

No one should go through this alone. Support is here:

Students who need mental health support should reach out to our Counseling & Psychological Services team at (850) 644-TALK (8255).

In addition, the Victim Advocate Program provides free, confidential, and compassionate assistance to FSU students. Call 24/7 (850) 644-7161, text (850) 756-4320 or email Victims-Advocate@fsu.edu.

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Employees who need assistance should contact EAP at (850) 644-2288 for free professional counseling services.on

We will get through this by leaning on each other. FSU is strong because of its people and I believe in this community with all my heart.

Sincerely,

Richard McCullough, FSU President

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Kirsten Weeks has worked in global public health for over 25 years.

With the Trump administration's freeze on foreign assistance, Weeks worries that America's soft power will suffer.

She worries that foreign aid cuts risk ceding influence to China and Russia in strategic regions.

I was introduced to the concept of public health in the early 90s when a childhood friend was living with AIDS, and I took classes to learn more. My eyes were opened to how public health can transform communities and countries.

For more than 25 years, I've worked to support US foreign assistance in global public health  most recently for DAI, one of USAID's largest contractors. Through my work, I've witnessed firsthand how American foreign assistance has transformed lives abroad while making our nation safer and stronger at home.

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Now, USAID is in a transitional moment; what's next remains to be seen. Due to the current administration's halts on foreign assistance, our work at DAI has been paused. I'm currently furloughed, along with my entire team and hundreds of colleagues, with very little notice. I lost my paycheck January 31 and my health insurance March 31. USAID has officially canceled the life-saving programs I previously worked with  promoting surveillance of infectious diseases, coordinating responses to pandemic threats across countries, and ensuring life-saving medicines reach communities who desperately need them.

This administration's approach to USAID isn't just concerning  it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what American soft power achieves in the world.

By helping other countries, we make the US safer

USAID, the government agency that delivers foreign assistance, was enacted in law in 1961 under JFK  at the time, to counter the image of the ugly American and help the world learn to trust Americans more. Over the decades since, the agency has garnered strong bipartisan support; both Democratic and Republican presidents understood that American influence flows not just from our military might but from our ability to build partnerships based on mutual benefit and respect.

Through my work, I've coordinated with the US Department of Defense to increase access to HIV testing and treatment in Botswana, with both US and Botswana funding. I've sat with women in Afghanistan  where women cannot be treated by male doctors  who received life-saving healthcare because USAID invested in training female health providers. I've watched state governments in northern Nigeria, in territories threatened by Boko Haram, allocate their own resources to complement US investments in youth programs.

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These aren't abstract policy successes; they're human stories of improved lives overseas that create allies and directly enhance American security. When young people and local governments in volatile regions trust the US instead of terrorist organizations, we all sleep safer. When health systems in developing nations can detect and contain disease outbreaks, we prevent pandemics from reaching our shores. This isn't charity; it's strategic foresight.

Here in North Carolina, the impacts hit close to home.

Our state receives the fourth-largest allocation of USAID funds nationwide, creating thousands of jobs for North Carolinians. I've been to city council meetings across the triangle; people are frustrated. I've also spoken to scientists and farmers who are concerned about what the cuts will mean for agriculture in NC, as USAID supports vital research that benefits us as well as citizens in other countries.

Before the dismantling of USAID, the Republican administration promised a 90-day review of foreign assistance  a process I and my colleagues welcomed. We stood ready to engage in thoughtful discussion about reforming and strengthening foreign assistance. We began looking at how our programs aligned with the priorities in Project 2025 and the America First foreign policy agenda. We had meetings about each project and wrote fact sheets on how the work USAID was investing in made America more prosperous, secure, and safe.

We didn't receive a request for this information until weeks after hasty judgments had already been made  based on cherry-picked and often refuted examples that inflame rather than inform. I've never encountered programs resembling those described in late-night tweets and campaign rallies. What I have seen is vital nutrition support for women and children in Zambia  a country rich in critical minerals  suddenly halted. As we withdraw, China and Russia eagerly step in, expanding their influence in regions of strategic importance to America.

We need to restore what works  and fix what doesn't

My worry extends far beyond my personal paycheck  what really concerns me is that when we as Americans abandon the field of soft power, we cede ground to competitors and adversaries.

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America needs to restore what works in foreign assistance while thoughtfully reforming what doesn't: we need to better collaborate across sectors, we need to learn faster, and we need to streamline the bureaucracy to make it easier for local partners and not just American firms to implement this work. When countries have the ability to budget for and generate revenue to pay for their essential services, they are better as well as less dependent on foreign aid.

We need to stop inflammatory rhetoric that mischaracterizes the dedicated work of thousands of Americans and their international partners. We need our leaders to protect North Carolina jobs, American soft power, and our nation's security interests by supporting effective foreign assistance.

I've spent 25 years watching American tax dollars create ripple effects of positive change throughout the world. With curiosity rather than judgment, we can ensure those investments continue to make America  and the world  safer and stronger.

Kirsten Weeks is a global health leader with 25+ years of experience.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A sharp-eyed store clerk and a well-timed police visit saved a local woman from losing $4,000 to a Bitcoin scam in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

The woman was stopped when the Cumberland Farms employee flagged the situation to a nearby detective, who intervened just as she was about to finalize the transaction.

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Crypto scams like this are on the rise, and because Bitcoin is nearly impossible to trace, it makes it a go-to for fraudsters.

So, how did she get tricked, and what can you look out for with similar scams?

Eagle-eyed clerk saves woman from fraud

According to the report by WWLP, the incident occurred when a detective entered the Cumberland Farms store and was alerted by a clerk who suspected the woman was being scammed.

The woman explained that shed been on the phone with a man who instructed her to withdraw $4,000 from her bank and deposit it into a Bitcoin machine inside the store. The scammer had told her to tell anyone who questioned her that the money was for a trip.

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The detective intervened just as the woman attempted to create a PIN on the machine. He advised her not to proceed, effectively preventing the scam. The South Hadley Police Department commended the store clerk for their vigilance and quick action in alerting authorities.

If the transaction had gone through, once funds had landed in the scammer's wallet, it would have been nearly impossible to retrieve them thanks to the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions.

According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), once a deposit is made, these ill-gotten gains are often moved quickly to accounts overseas, making recovery extremely difficult.

This incident highlights the growing trend of cryptocurrency scams, where fraudsters exploit the anonymity of digital currencies to scam victims. Which is why its even more important these days to stay vigilant and exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited requests for cryptocurrency payments.

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Read more: The US stock markets fear gauge has exploded  but this 1 shockproof asset is up 14% and helping American retirees stay calm. Heres how to own it ASAP

Crypto scams are everywhere: top red flags to look out for

Cryptocurrency might be an exciting investment for some, but it also gives fraudsters opportunities to scam unsuspecting people. The red flags are easy to spot if you know what to look for. Lets break it down.

First: No legitimate company, government agency, or job will ever ask you to pay them in cryptocurrency.

If someones demanding you send Bitcoin or any other coin to protect your account or finalize a purchase, be suspicious. And those crypto job offers online? If they ask you to pay to apply or start working, be wary. Real jobs pay you, not the other way around.

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If someone promises big returns or easy money with zero risk, especially in crypto, walk away. Whether it's an investment manager, a fake celebrity endorsement, or a new mystery token, if it sounds too good to be true, it typically is. Real investing comes with risk, and nobody can guarantee profits.

Do your research. You can use a legitimate resource like Investor.gov to verify that the individual or firm is licensed/registered. You can also check websites like the RED LIST where youll find entities not listed with the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

A common thread with most of the crypto scams is that the fraudster will use high-pressure tactics to push you to make quick decisions. A legitimate investment opportunity would allow you to take your time to do your research and carefully consider.

Online romance scams are another way people are getting defrauded. Theyve evolved to where theyre asking you to invest in crypto together. If your new online crush is giving you financial advice or asking for cash, its most likely fraud.

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Crypto scammers are great actors. Theyll pretend to be Amazon, your bank, the IRS, or even your local utility company. Theyll say theres fraud, a legal issue, or an emergency, but the solution always involves sending crypto to some wallet they control. Sometimes theyll stay on the phone and walk you through it, like the case at Cumberland Farms.

If you suspect youve fallen victim to fraud, report it to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the CFTC and your local law enforcement.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
A major German police union has called for a countrywide ban on the carrying of weapons in public transport and related facilities, including all railway stations.

Andreas Rosskopf, head of the GdP union's federal police section, complained that there was currently a patchwork of regulations across the country's 16 federal states. A national ban is already in place on long-distance trains.

"People often don't know themselves whether there is a banned zone at a particular station or not," Rosskopf told dpa.

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Berlin's state government recently backed a ban on firearms and knives in all the capital's commuter transport. A complete ban is in place in certain states, while others are considering taking similar measures.

The large southern state of Bavaria has taken a contrary position, calling for the decision to be left to regions and local authorities.

The GdP is calling for agreement on a common policy by the interior ministers of all the states, who regularly meet along with their federal counterparts.
Germany has an erotic relationship with weapons systems, the countrys defence minister said, as Berlin considers sending long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Boris Pistorius, Germanys most popular politician according to polls, said that no other country had such public debates about sending specific weapons to Ukraine, including Britain and France, which agreed to send jointly made Storm Shadow missiles last year.

I dont know where this erotic relationship with weapons comes from, Mr Pistorius said this week, as Friedrich Merz, Germanys incoming chancellor, tried to convince the Social Democratic Party, his coalition partners, to agree to sending the weapons.

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Responding to Mr Pistoriuss comments, Andrii Melnyk, the former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, said: Whats wrong with eroticism? People love eroticism, not just the Germans.

Please stop with this clown show. Were not on the Reeperbahn [Hamburgs red light district]. Theres a war going on. And Ukraine needs Taurus like it needs air. Dont let us suffocate.

Germany is still deciding whether to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine - Sebastian Pieknik/AFP

Olaf Scholz, the outgoing SDP chancellor, blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine over fears it could escalate the conflict with Russia.

The missiles have a range of more than 310 miles, which is longer than the Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain and France, and Atacms by the US.

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Mr Pistorius, a senior member of the centre-left SPD, has not ruled out sending the weapons to Ukraine, saying there are good arguments for, and good arguments against.

Pressure has been building on Mr Merz to push through their delivery after 36 Ukrainians were killed in a Russian missile attack in Sumy on Palm Sunday.

Boris Pistorius has not ruled out sending the weapons to Ukraine - Maja Hitij/Getty

Following the strikes, Mr Merz suggested that Ukraine could be allowed to use Taurus to strike the Kerch bridge, which connects Russia to occupied Crimea.

On Sunday, Lars Klingbeil, the leader of the SDP, told reporters that important foreign policy decisions must be made as part of the coalition agreement with Mr Merzs conservative party.

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Johann Wadephul, tipped to be the next foreign minister, said a common decision would be taken and insisted Mr Merz wanted to use Taurus as a lever for political change by Russia.

Even the SPD also knows  not least since the renewed Russian war crimes in Sumy  that we must deal with Putin differently, he said.

Moscow has warned Mr Merz against sending the weapons. Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and a key Putin ally, said: think twice, Nazi and warned that doing so would bring Berlin directly into the conflict.

Kyiv said that it would follow German conditions on which targets it would be allowed to strike.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Ghost hunters took over Mill Creek Park after hours on Saturday, searching for paranormal activity in the park.

A group of 15 people joined park staff and the Collective Paranormal Research Society at Pioneer Pavilion. The park started the investigations in 2021 and later brought in the society.

The pavilion was built in 1821 and has served several functions throughout its life, including a cow barn and a wool mill. The park chose spots to investigate based on their history.

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Volney Rogers, the founder of Mill Creek Park  he saw the potential in this building, even though it was very dilapidated. So, the park purchased this building in 1892. Between the woolen mill, the furnace, the cow barn and the creek right here, theres a lot of energy here and a lot of stories to tell, said Lynn Zocolo, an educator at Mill Creek MetroParks.

The investigations happen once a month and require pre-registration.

Wilson Corbisello contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Republican Sen. John Neely Kennedy (La.) admitted that the Trump administration had made a mistake by wrongfully deporting a Maryland man to El Salvador last month.

The politician had lots of excuses for why Kilmar Abrego Garcia didnt deserve to come home, but he did tell NBC News Kristen Welker that the whole situation was a screwup during Sundays episode of Meet the Press.

While Kennedy had a whole list of reasons why Abrego Garcia is never coming back to the United States, the senator said his expulsion to El Salvador was an error, albeit a one-off.

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Look, this was a screwup, in my opinion, he said.

The administration wont admit it, but this was a screwup, Kennedy continued. Mr. Garcia was not supposed to be sent to El Salvador. He was sent to El Salvador.

But the Southern senator continued to defend the Trump administration, telling Welker that Abrego Garcias wrongful deportation did not show the president is intent on flouting the rule of law.

The Democrats say, Look, you know, we told you, Trump is a threat to democracy. This is going to happen every other Thursday afternoon. I dont see any pattern here, he said. I mean, you know, some day pigs may fly, but I doubt it.

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After simultaneously conceding to the screwup and justifying the Trump administrations actions, Sen. Kennedy then claimed that the government would eventually heed a unanimous Supreme Court decision ordering it to facilitate Abrego Garcias return.

I dont believe that President Trump will defy a federal judges order, Kennedy later added. If he does, Ill call him out on it.

I love the rule of law. I love it like the devil loves sin, the famously folksy Kennedy continued, adding, I think if we start not following federal judicial orders, we undermine the system entirely.

The Trump administration has rationalized its failure to act with a novel interpretation of the Supreme Courts ruling, arguing that only El Salvador has the power to release Abrego Garcia and that facilitating his return would only mean providing an airplane to get him back to the United States.

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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on Sunday that he does not think President Trump has defied any court orders in the case involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but the senator said he would call him out on it if he does.

Yes, Kennedy said, when asked on NBC Newss Meet the Press whether he thinks Trump is following court orders.

And I dont believe that President Trump will defy a federal judges order, he continued. If he does, Ill call him out on it.

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I love the rule of law. I love it like the devil loves sin. I think if we start not following federal judicial orders, we undermine the system entirely, the senator added.

Kennedy stressed that doesnt mean people cant criticize court rulings. You can criticize them. You can appeal them. But you cant choose to not follow them. And I havent seen President Trump do that. And if he does, Ill say very loudly and clearly that I think hes wrong.

The Supreme Court upheld the thrust of a district courts ruling and ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who was living in Maryland before he was sent to an El Salvador prison last month. An immigration judge had issued an order in 2019 preventing authorities from deporting him back to El Salvador over concerns he would face violence there.

The Trump administration previously referred to Abrego Garcias deportation as the result of an administrative error.

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This past week, an appeals court rejected the Trump administrations request to delay compliance with the district courts ruling that the administration must take all available steps to facilitate Abrego Garcias return.

The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order, U.S. Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson wrote for the unanimous three-judge panel.

Wilkinson, an appointee of former President Reagan, rebuked the Trump administrations claim that there is nothing that can be done, writing, This should be shocking not only to judges, but to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear.

Kennedy pushed back on Wilkinsons opinion.

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What does he expect Trump to do? Declare war and go get [Salvadoran President Nayib] Bukele? I mean, he brought Bukele to America. President Bukele sat in the Oval Office in front of God and country and said, Im not sending this guy back. So I dont know what Judge Wilkinson expects Trump to do, Kennedy told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker in the interview.

When Welker noted Trump could simply have asked for [Abrego Garcia] back, Kennedy responded, How do you know he hasnt?

Welker said she was basing her question on the presidents public comments that he did not plan to ask Bukele to send Abrego Garcia back.

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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on Sunday he does not think the law would allow President Trump to send United States citizens convicted of violent crimes to Salvadoran prisons, despite the presidents suggestion that he might be open to that possibility.

No, maam. Nor should it be considered appropriate or moral, Kennedy told NBC Newss Kristen Welker when asked on Meet the Press whether he thinks such a move would be legal.

We have our own laws, he continued. We have the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. We shouldnt send prisoners to foreign countries in my judgment.

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Trump, in a meeting Monday with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, indicated he would be open to sending American citizens who are violent criminals to El Salvador to be held in a notorious prison there. He told reporters that Attorney General Pam Bondi is looking into the law on the matter.

If its a homegrown criminal, I have no problem, Trump said. Now, were studying the laws right now. Pam is studying. If we can do that, thats good. And Im talking about violent people. Im talking about really bad people. Really bad people. Every bit as bad as the ones coming in.

Experts have said that there is no legal way for the government to deport legal U.S. citizens to another country. Still, Trump and other administration officials have raised the idea multiple times in recent months, causing concern among Democrats and legal experts.

Bukele has worked with the Trump administration to take in hundreds of deportees, including many not from El Salvador, and hold them in a massive prison that has long drawn criticism from human rights watchdogs.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  While flags at the Ohio Statehouse and northeast Ohio were already flying at half-staff, Gov. Mike DeWine has expanded his order.

U.S. and Ohio flags will fly at half-staff in Wayne County to honor Town and Country Fire District Lt. Paul Mickolick.

The flags at the statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center and the Rhodes State Office Tower had already been ordered to that state in honor of Tri-Community firefighter John Saunders.

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The flags will continue to fly at half-staff until sunset on the day of Mickolicks funeral.

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COURTESY PHOTO Mary Kawena Pukui, circa May 1958 COURTESY PHOTO Mary Kawena Pukui, circa May 1958 Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has proclaimed this Sunday as Mary Kawena Pukui Day in honor of the late Hawaiian scholar and kumu hula.

Green signed the proclamation on Monday recognizing as a visionary and revered scholar who dedicated her life to preserving and revitalizing the Hawaiian language during a time when it faced near extinction.

Sunday would have been Pukuis 130th birthday, and is the first day of a week-long series of events for the Merrie Monarch Festival celebrating hula in Hilo.

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The proclamation noted that Pukuis scholarly and cultural contributions continue today to be foundational to the renormalization of Olelo Hawaii and Hawaiian ways of living.

She worked tirelessly at the Bishop Museum to document and safeguard Native Hawaiian knowledge, authoring more than 50 scholarly publications, and composing over 150 songs and chants.

She was recognized as a historian, translator, author, teacher, lecturer, composer, researcher, genealogist, hula expert, and lexicographer, according to the Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society.

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The U.S. Mint this year also on its Native American $1 coin, adorned with a hibiscus flower and kukui nut lei. Pukuis name is inscribed, along with Nana I Ke Kumu,  the title of a book series she helped to produce with the Queen Liliuokalani Childrens Center.

The phrase, which means look to the source,  is evocative of Pukuis life work and legacy, the U.S. Mint said, as she was someone who was continually consulted for her expertise on various aspects of Hawaiian knowledge.

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Green urged people of Hawaii to honor and celebrate Mary Kawena Pukui for her unparalleled contributions to the lahui, the State of Hawaii, and the world on her 130th birthday.

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The Trump administration has slashed funding for universities and scientific research. Now, its lackeys appear to be escalating their tactics by menacing academic journals.

In a letter sent to the editor of CHEST Journal Peter Mazzone, US attorney for the District of Columbia Edward R. Martin, Jr.  a devout Trump appointee  insinuates that the publication is "partisan," presses it for an explanation on how it handles "misinformation," and asks whether it's accepting of "competing viewpoints."

In February, Martin sparked an outcry after he declared himself to be "Trump's lawyer," vowing "to fight to protect his leadership against entities "that refuse to put America first."

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With anti-vax crackpots like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chosen to run this country's public health institutions, and a tide of "anti-woke" sentiment targeting scientists for acknowledging that climate change is real and that trans people exist, it's impossible not to read Martin's letter as a thinly veiled threat: stop being "woke," or face government scrutiny.

"The public has certain expectations and you have certain responsibilities," Martin wrote.

The letter was shared on social media this week by Eric Reinhart, a political anthropologist. MedPage Today reports that it's learned of at least two author journals receiving similar letters.

"A publication's editorial decisions are none of the government's business, whether it's a newspaper or a medical journal," JT Morris, a senior supervising attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, told MedPage Today. "When a United States Attorney wields the power of his office to target medical journals because of their content and editorial processes, he isn't doing his job, let alone upholding his constitutional oath," Morris added. "He's abusing his authority to try to chill protected speech."

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As part of its DOGE-effort to slash federal expenditures, the Trump administration has cut off billions of dollars in financial support for universities, terminated hundreds of research projects funded by the US National Institutes of Health, and cancelled nearly $3 billion in the agency's contracts.

It has also frozen every single research grant at the US National Science Foundation, one of the largest funders of basic research in the world, in order to review the grants' language for terms related to DEI. Some of the "woke" or "partisan" stuff that's been kneecapped by the sweeping cuts include cancer and Alzheimer's research. If the draconian measures were intended to be an out-and-out assault on the scientific community, it's working: with the money drying up, some of the nation's top scientists are starting to consider leaving the country.

But many are fighting back. In February, publications including the American Journal of Public Health said they would heavily scrutinize papers submitted by government scientists, after the Trump administration carried out a blackout of health administration data and forced CDC scientists to withdraw their work to remove language related to gender.

In response to this latest escalation  siccing a US attorney on individual publications  some in the scientific community are calling for solidarity.

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"It is yet another example of the Trump administration's effort to control academic inquiry and stifle scientific discourse  an administration, it warrants mentioning, that has embraced medical misinformation and pseudoscience to reckless effect," Adam Gaffney, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Cambridge Health Alliance in Massachusetts, told MedPage Today. "Journal editors should join together and publicly renounce this as yet more thinly guised anti-science political blackmail."

More on Trump: Real Life Is Now "Don't Look Up" as Trump Pulls Support for Any Research About the Climate
Flags are flying half-staff in honor of a first responder who was killed in the line of duty Saturday morning.

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News Center 7 previously reported that Town and County Fire District Lieutenant Paul Charles Mickolick, 43, was hit and killed while helping a driver that was stuck in a ditch Saturday morning.

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Saturday afternoon, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered that flags of the United States and the state of Ohio be lowered in honor of Mickolick.

Flags at all public buildings and grounds throughout Wayne County, Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office Towner were lowered to half-staff yesterday.

They will remain lowered until sunset of the day of Mickolicks funeral.

All other public building and ground throughout the state may fly their flags at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period, according to a release from the Governors office.

Mickolick was helping a pick-up truck driver who had gotten stuck in a ditch when he and the pickup truck driver were hit by a Cadillac that had gone off the right side of the road into the ditch.

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Both Mickolick and the pick-up truck driver were taken to the hospital, but Mickolick died from his injuries, News Center 7 previously reported.

The pick-up truck driver was flown by a medical helicopter to Akron General with serious injuries.

Details on upcoming memorial services, department honors, and ways the public can support Mickolicks family will be announced in the coming days.

We will continue to follow this story.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  In the early hours of April 13, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiros Harrisburg residence was attacked when investigators say multiple Molotov Cocktails were thrown inside the residence.

Shapiro and his family were asleep during the attack, having just celebrated the first night of Passover in the dining room where the fire was set.

The suspect, Cody Balmer, later admitted to State Police that he set the fire and had a hatred toward Shapiro, referencing Palestine in a call with 911 dispatchers. Balmer turned himself in and is facing charges including terrorism and arson.

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The Governors Residence is now undergoing an extensive restoration and artifacts damaged by heat and smoke are being evaluated. The state hopes to reopen the residence to visitors back to the residence.

Continuing Coverage

Governors Residence Attack

The attack has left several unanswered questions, such as how someone was able to avoid Shapiros State Police detail while both entering and exiting the residence untouched.

On This Week in Pennsylvania, we take a look back at an unprecedented moment in Pennsylvania history.

Every week, This Week in Pennsylvania gives a comprehensive look at the weeks biggest news events in Pennsylvania, provided by the abc27 News team, along with the latest updates on local stories.

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Community members gathered for Carillon Parks 84th annual Easter sunrise service Sunday morning.

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The service started at 6:30 a.m. in front of the Deeds Carillon monument.

>> PHOTOS: Community gathers for Easter sunrise service

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Music was provided by the Carillon Parks carillonneur, Alan Bowman, and the Harbour & Levy Praise team, according to the parks Facebook page.

News Center 7 talked to Divine Ecumenical Ministries Executive Director, Crystal Walker, and Vice President of Museum Operations for Dayton History, Alex Heckman, about what this service means to the city.

They may not have a church, but listening to some of the speakers, maybe they seek out their churches to go to afterwards, so its really just good to have such a diverse group of people come out and be with us, Walker said.

The pair said hundreds of people attended this years service. They even saw some new faces on the lawn.

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It really is inspirational in my opinion because people will turn out every year. It could be raining, or snowing, it could be freezing cold and people still turnout, Heckman said.

This service has been a longstanding tradition for the park, as it started in 1942.

Its really great to be a part of history, Walker said.

Heckman said several generations of families have attended the service.

Its just a great community tradition, and its really one of these things that when you think about Dayton, Ohio and when you think about Easter and the Easter season in Dayton, Ohio you have to think of the Deeds Carillon and the Easter sunrise service, Heckman said.

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA & WSPA)  A Greenville man was one of two food service employees identified as the people killed when a gunman opened fire on the Florida State University campus Thursday.

Police search for motive in deadly shooting at FSU

The Aramark employee was identified as Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old father of two. He was a resident of Greenville, South Carolina, according to his familys attorney.

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We are heartbroken to confirm that an Aramark employee was among those killed at FSU yesterday in that senseless act of violence, a spokesperson for the food service provider said in a statement. We are absolutely shaken by the news and our deepest sympathies are with the family and our entire Aramark community.

Chabbas family attorney, Bakari Sellers, said the family is going through the unimaginable right now.

Instead of hiding Easter eggs and visiting with friends and family, theyre living a nightmare where this loving father and devoted husband was stolen from them in an act of senseless and preventable violence, Bakari Sellers said. We ask you to keep his family in your thoughts and prayers as we fight to ensure they see justice that honors the memories of Mr. Chabba and all the victims of Thursdays shooting.

Tiru Chabba (Courtesy: Strom Law Firm)

The other campus dining employee was identified by family as Robert Morales, who was originally from Miami-Dade County. He was also a FSU alum.

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You deserved better, Robert. Thank you for being in my life, a man claiming to be Morales older brother wrote in a post on X.

The Morales brothers father, Ricardo Morales, was a Cuban exile turned CIA operative in South Florida with the nickname Monkey. Ricardo Morales Jr. describes his fathers work as a contract agent for the CIA in the forthcoming book, Monkey Morales: The True Story of a Mythic Cuban Exile, Assassin, CIA Operative, FBI Informant, Smuggler, and Dad, which is expected to be published later this year.

Dubbed The Monkey for his disruptive and unpredictable escapades, Morales grabbed headlines for decades as tales of his bombings, arrests, assassination attempts (both those he executed and those he suffered), and testimony constructed a real-life spy adventure unlike anything brought to page or screen, reads promotional material from publisher Simon & Schuster.

The elder Morales was fatally shot in a bar brawl in 1982 at the age of 43.

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A spokesperson for Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare said in a statement that two of the six injured patients are expected to be discharged from the hospital on Friday. Three shooting victims conditions are improving, while another remained in fair condition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Hani Sami Stefan was driving home to Michigan after making a delivery in Denver. He was trying to make it home in time to celebrate his wifes and mothers mutual birthday with his children when he was killed in a wreck.

Farris Toma, his cousin, couldnt believe all Stefan, who went by Giovanni, had survived before he died in the March 14 crash in a dust storm on I-70 in western Kansas that involved 71 vehicles, 46 people injured and eight dead.

He has been through a lot of ups and downs, Toma said. God saved him from so many close calls and yet he goes to an accident. A (dust) storm.

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Until Stefans death, cousins said, the 60-year-old had survived more than what most people could ever imagine: he grew up poor in Baghdad, Iraq, his family was prosecuted for being Christian, his father was jailed for years and then killed by the Saddam Hussein regime, he survived multiple improvised explosive devices while serving as an interpreter during the Iraq War, he was beaten and robbed in Detroit and he had brain cancer.

He was a survivor, cousin Fred Toma said. He was a hustler.

Life in Baghdad

When Fred Toma was around 8 years old and Stefan was about 5, the two cousins made one of their regular fishing trips to the Tigris River.

They used a homemade hook and within minutes bagged a trophy: a 7-pound shabout or carp.

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Mr. Smart pants, what are we going to do now? Fred Toma remembers his little cousin saying, reminding him they had no way to cook it.

Stefan was hungry; so was Fred Toma.

They went to their aunts home, and Toma tried to negotiate selling the fish. She said one price, but Toma wouldnt budge. He wanted a dinar. The aunt tried to tell them that she could feed them, but Toma wanted a treat for himself and his cousin.

The aunt eventually paid up.

The two went to a restaurant and ate shish kebabs to fill up. Then, they got some candy and a soda and ate their sweet treats while watching the sunset along the Tigris River.

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It was a successful day.

Fred Toma remembers other times when he and Stefan stood near a busy burger restaurant and jumped out to wash windows of motorists, in hopes of making enough money to get themselves a meal.

They also cooked garbanzo beans and sold them by the cup to passersby.

No meal was a certainty for the Toma family, or for Stefan, whose father was jailed for stealing from the rich to give to the poor in the oppressed city, Fred Toma said.

Stefans mother tried hard to make a living for her two children, but it wasnt always enough to make ends meet in the third-world country of Iraq.

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Other family members were often looked to for help. But they faced difficulties, too. They were prosecuted for being Christians, both cousins said, and their fathers small retail shop was often shaken down by government officials.

Fleeing to the U.S.

The Tomas family fled from Iraq in the middle of the night in 1973 and made it to Beirut, Lebanon, where they applied to get into the United States. They made it to the U.S. in 1974.

Stefans father, at the plea of family, was eventually released from prison but was then killed during broad daylight in 1976 by Husseins regime because of political persecution, Farris Toma said.

Stefan was about 12 years old.

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As a teen, Stefan fled to Italy, where he did what he had to do to survive. He took odd jobs and slept in the park, Fred Toma said.

Stefans name was too difficult for Italians to say, so he adopted the name Giovanni. He tried to stay in touch with his family who had made it to the U.S. They sent him money at times.

We didnt know how dire it was, Fred Toma said.

Another family member sponsored Stefan so he could come to the U.S. in the early 1980s. They were all in Michigan.

In the U.S., Michigan has the highest percentage of its residents who come from the Middle East or North Africa, with close to 3%.

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There, Stefan made a living doing whatever he could: tile, drywall, painting, driving a limo driver and fixing and flipping houses.

Hani Sami Stefan and his wife, Rana.

He started to get ahead. He married his wife, Rana Jamel, in the late 1990s, and their family started to grow shortly after that.

Going back to Iraq

Hani Sami Stefan, 60, of Troy, Michigan, died in a March 14 wreck involving 71-vehicles in western Kansas. In the 2000s, he served as an interpreter during the Iraq War.

Even with a young family, the money to be made as a contracted linguist/cultural advisor for U.S. soldiers in the Iraq War was too good to pass up.

Stefan and Farris Toma both took jobs.

Stefan spoke several languages, including Latin, Italian, Aramaic, Arabic and was still working to expand his vocabulary in English, where his favorite words were shenanigans and hub bub, Fred Toma said.

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Stefan was assigned to work with special forces based at Camp Paliwoda in Balad, Iraq.

He was in a very bad area, Farris Toma said. They did crazy operations in the middle of the night.

Toma said Stefan had a couple of IEDs explode around him, but was never injured. In addition to interpreting, Toma said they helped with cultural advice, like not to shake the hands of women and to never decline food that is offered to you.

Farris Toma (right) went to visit his cousin, Hani Sami Stefan (left), while the two were serving as interpreters for U.S. soldiers during the Iraq War.

Stefan did the work for more than two years before deciding it was too dangerous.

Stefan and his wife continued to grow their family: having two sons, Julian and Javin, and then a daughter, Jolien, who he called Angelina as reference to angel.

Taking various jobs

Hani Sami Stefan posing in front of a yacht.

Stefan took various jobs to make sure he made enough money to support all the needs of his family.

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The guy was full of life, Toma said. He took care of his family. He loved his kids. He had a happy outlook. Always smiling, always smiling.

Toma said Stefan was the go-to guy to call in the family because of how handy he was.

He was a Jack of all trades and willing to help, he said.

Hani Sami Stefan (kneeling) visiting with cousins and other family.

While working in Detroit, he was beaten with a blunt object to the head and robbed, according to both cousins.

Both wondered how that beating played into a malignant brain tumor he was diagnosed with -- but survived -- years later.

After years of hard labor, he decided to take a job delivering packages across the country in a van.

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He bought his first van in the mid-2010s and then upgraded to the one he was driving during the crash, a 2024 Mercedes Sprinter that Toma said had all the bells and whistles.

Stefan drove to Denver before heading back to Michigan on March 14. He wanted to make it home to a birthday party for his mother and wife the next day.

But he never made it.

At his funeral, Stefans daughter, Angelina, cried and asked Fred Toma who was going to walk her down the aisle.

He loved them to death, Toma said.

Stefan is survived by his wife, three children, mother, sister, his cousins and other extended family.
Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel would not be able to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire to allow the return of hostages and then return to fighting in Gaza because Hamas arent stupid.

The Israeli prime minister was criticised harshly by the families of hostages after giving a televised speech on Saturday evening in which he vowed not to surrender to Hamass demands.

He said caving to the groups demands on a deal would allow them to continue to rule Gaza and prepare another Oct 7-style massacre.

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If we do not complete the destruction of Hamass military and governing capabilities, the next October 7 and the next abductions are only a question of time. Hamas says that they will do it. They intend to do it and they are working on it, Mr Netanyahu said.

Protesters demand the return of Israeli hostages in Gaza during a protest in Tel Aviv - Anadolu

Mr Netanyahu lashed out at those calling for a deal with Hamas only to resume the war in Gaza when the 59 hostages are back in Israel.

Hamas may be a bunch of abhorrent murderers but they are not stupid, he said, adding that the terrorist group is demanding restrictive international guarantees that do not enable the illusion of the deception that all of the experts are offering us themselves in the [TV] studios.

The Israeli prime minister said that nobody, certainly not the US, or China, or Russia, or other members of the [UN] Security Council, would cooperate with such a deception, which would make returning to the war impossible. We would have no legitimacy for doing so.

Mr Netanyahu wants the complete the destruction of Hamass military and governing capabilities - Israel Defense Forces

Mr Netanyahus refusal to reach a comprehensive ceasefire with Hamas was met with fierce criticism from families of hostages, many of whom rallied again in Tel Avivs Hostage Square on Saturday night.

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Yotam Cohen, the brother of Nimrod Cohen, who remains among the hostages, said in a speech at the rally: Netanyahu is incompetent and incapable of being the prime minister of Israel. We will remember forever. Well remind the next generations that at a time of war, a government of horrors, haters of Israel, worked to sacrifice citizens and soldiers.

Alon Nimrodi, the father of Tamir Nimrodi, who is also still being held, hit out at Mr Netanyahi in an interview with Army Radio on Sunday morning.

I am not moved by these statements. I had no expectations and there was nothing to be disappointed about. He [Netanyahu] doesnt care about the release of the living and the dead. Everyone serves Hamas and he serves his government, that is all, he said.

Adi Alexander, the father of the American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, called on the US to directly negotiate with Hamas to strike a deal.

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I think we should engage back with them directly and see what can be done in regards to my son, four American dead hostages and everybody else, Mr Alexander said.

Palestinian children among the wreckage from Israeli assaults on Gaza - Bashar Taleb/AFP

On Sunday, Qatars point man in the ceasefire negotiations told AFP that the Gulf state is definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation.

Mohammed al-Khulaifi said: This is an urgent matter. There are lives at stake here if this military operation continues day by day. He added that Qatar has been working continuously in the last days to try to bring the parties together and revive the agreement that has been endorsed by the two sides.

But Bezalel Smotrich, the Israeli finance minister and a member of the security cabinet, applauded Mr Netanyahu for his speech, calling for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip, and not to fear military rule if need be.

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He added: This is the way to guarantee security and the way to return the hostages quickly.

Hamas rejected yet another proposal for a temporary ceasefire this week, insisting on a permanent end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

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On one side is Americas oldest and wealthiest university whose motto is Veritas, the Latin for truth; on the other side a belligerent US President who communicates primarily through his Truth Social platform.

So when Harvard University clashed with Donald Trump, it was always likely to get messy. But the unfolding showdown between the pair is extraordinarily rancorous, even by the acrimonious standards of modern American politics, and looks set to have profound ramifications for the future of US higher education.

Harvard is suing the Trump administration after it froze $2.2 billion of the schools funding. The legal action comes after the 389-year-old Massachusetts university became the first institution of its kind to reject White House demands to overhaul hiring, admissions and teaching practices, underpinned by officials fears that colleges have become hotbeds of anti-Semitism.

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Since re-entering the White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented war on what he sees to be woke campuses across the US, and his administration did not take kindly to Harvards opposition.

Within hours of the university announcing, earlier this month, that it would not acquiesce, the US Department of Education froze more than $2 billion in federal funding previously destined for the Ivy League school.

Trump was unequivocal in his criticism. Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds, he wrote in a post on Truth Social. The university, for its part, argued yielding to the demands would undermine the intellectual freedoms of its faculty and students. Now The New York Times has reported that a federal lawsuit was filed in Massachusetts which accused the government of attempting to leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard through recent attacks on the institution. Alan M Garber, Harvards president, claimed Trump and his administration had tried to wield unprecedented and improper control of the university.

Havard has been lauded by its students and staff for the decision to reject White House demands - Faith Ninivaggi

Trumps fury over the state of higher education in America runs deep. He made it clear on the campaign trail that he would be targeting elite universities in his second term, arguing they charge extortionate fees and have become ultra-liberal, Leftist outposts that discriminate against Jewish and conservative students.

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We are going to choke off the money to schools that aid the Marxist assault on our American heritage and on Western civilization itself, he said at an event in Florida as far back as 2023.

His administration has taken up the task at pace, pursuing sweeping reforms of university recruitment and governance structures as well as cracking down on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programmes which they view as promoting discrimination.

Their actions have ostensibly been driven by the pro-Palestinian protests which engulfed campuses following Hamass attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, resulting in numerous instances of Jewish students being harassed on campuses nationwide.

In February, the government established the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, a multi-agency body tasked with rooting out harassment in schools and on college campuses. Last month, the taskforces leader, Leo Terrell, warned it would bankrupt universities if they refuse to play ball with the White Houses push for reforms.

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It has identified at least 60 universities for review and has been instrumental in the withholding of more than $11bn in funding from at least seven colleges to date. Hundreds of students and recent graduates have also had their visas and immigration statuses revoked.

The pressure from the White House have been driven by pro-Palestinian protests which engulfed campuses following Hamass attack on Israel - Ben Curtis/AP

Educational institutions throughout America have buckled under the weight of government pressure.

Columbia University acceded to the administrations demands in order to preserve $400 million in federal grants while Ivy League institution the University of Pennsylvania, Trump alma mater, has removed any trace of DEI and affirmative action from its official material, retitling its inclusion website Belonging at Penn from the previous Diversity and Inclusion.

Yet when the White House issued a series of demands to Harvard  including reporting students deemed hostile to American values, ensuring each of its departments is viewpoint diverse and hie an external, government approved party to audit programmes that most fuel antisemitic harassment  it stood firm. Garber pledged the school would not surrender its independence.

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Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the intellectual conditions at Harvard, he said. No government  regardless of which party is in power  should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.

Alan Garber pledged not to surrender to Trumps demands

In scenes that made Oxford Universitys refusal in 1985 to give Margaret Thatcher an Honorary Degree resemble a peace festival by comparison, Trump publicly called for the university to lose its tax exempt status in response, arguing it was no longer acting in the public interest.

Perhaps Harvard should be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting Sickness?, he said in a post on Truth Social last week.

The government ratcheted up the pressure again on Thursday, threatening to ban the university from enrolling foreign students  who made up more than 27 per cent of its academic intake this year.

An essential step in the culture wars

Harvards decision to stand its ground has been lauded by many of its students and alumni, including former President Barack Obama, who said it had set an example for other higher-ed institutions by rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom.

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But MAGA activists are equally strident in their support for Trumps higher education reforms, and argue Harvard is in a mess entirely of its own making.

The university was certainly rocked by what critics said was a botched response to anti-Israel protests on campus. That resulted in Harvard creating its own task force to investigate anti-Semitism, yet it is still to report back with definitive findings.

Separate turmoil triggered by a plagiarism scandal forced its former president Claudine Gay to resign in January 2024.

Alumni, and the first black president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, Barack Obama lauded the Universitys stance - JOE WRINN/AP

Donors appeared to distance themselves amid the turbulence, with the universitys endowment decreasing by 34 per cent last year. High-profile supporters, notably hedge fund billionaires Bill Ackman and Ken Griffin, stepped back, citing the institutions handling of anti-Semitism on campus as their reason for doing so. (It remains the worlds wealthiest university, with an endowment fund of some $50bn. In 2024, its operating budget was $6.4bn.)

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Ultimately, Trumps supporters see the battle over Harvard as essential to winning the higher education cultural war. If Trump manages to break Harvard, he breaks the higher education system, which needs to happen as it requires fixing says Melissa Rein Lively, CEO of Anti-Woke communications firm America First PR. It makes sense to start with Harvard, the school with the biggest endowment and a bastion of intellectual rot.

Harvard should be building entrepreneurs but instead theyve allowed anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism and anti-intellectualism to proliferate on campus. I hire people all the time but if I got a Harvard resume, I would probably throw it in the trash because people there are not prepared for the real world, she adds. Institutions like Harvard have basically become bloated intellectual hedge funds that have become untouchable. Thats not how the college experience should be.

Not ideal, but nothing new

Others reject the idea that the White Houses interventions are a radical departure from the past.

Conservative political historian Harvey Mansfield, 93, who was Professor of Government at Harvard between 1962 and 2023, argues federal interference of this kind is far from ideal, but nothing new.

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A liberal state has no business interfering with a liberal society. Its task is to protect rights, not exercise them. But in America there is a great precedent for interference [such as] in the civil rights movement, he says.

The Trump administration regards the elite universities as enemies and wants to reduce their influence How did woke take over the universities? Not by consent but by decree. The White House, Mansfield argues, is recapturing them [universities] for what they should be  apolitical.

White House education source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government was not seeking to take over higher education, but rather to end cancel culture and discrimination on campus.

The reaction has been predictably hysterical, many on the left evidently graduated with degrees in delusion, the source told the Telegraph. The measures are designed to make campuses safer environments for students of all religions and political ideologies and uphold intellectual honesty and freedom of speech.

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Were ending cancel culture and discriminatory hiring practices under the false notion of equality. Its not about dictating to universities what they should teach and were not taking away anybodys freedom.

Unprecedented and existential

Most academics take a very different view, however, arguing the governments threats to withdraw federal funding from universities unless they meet the White Houses demands are authoritarian.

The threat is unprecedented, and its also existential, says Professor Jonathan Zimmerman, a professor of the history of education at the University of Pennsylvania.

Of course the federal government has influenced and regulated higher education in myriad ways since World War II  consider the Title IX rules developed under Obama and [Joe] Biden around sexual assault adjudications, for example. But nobody suggested cutting millions or billions of dollars from schools that failed to comply and nobody threatened interference with the academic mission of the school.

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Even some of those who wish to see more intellectual diversity at Harvard and other top universities feel uneasy about Trumps campaign.

Some of their arguments I have sympathy for, but the White House trying to exercise more power is dangerous and to me a lot of what Donald Trump is doing is trying to keep himself at the centre of attention, says Greg Mankiw, a professor of economics at Harvard and former adviser to president George W Bush. I believe in limited government and what the Trump administration is doing is anything but that. Change needs to come from within.

Fundraising opportunity

Despite the opposition, it appears the Trump administration is bent on continuing to pressure Americas elite centres of learning to change.

Isaac Kamola, a professor at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom with the American Association of University Professors, says resistance will prove futile unless establishments join forces.

This cannot be about Harvard saving Harvard or Columbia saving Columbia Harvard will not save us but a strong alliance of faculty, students and academic institutions can, he says, accusing the White House of pumping out propaganda on the state of higher education.

The fever dream that Trump, [JD] Vance, [Ron] De Santis and right-wing activists and MAGA ideologues have created is scary. They have distorted what takes place on college campuses, told lies about what we do in the classroom and are using these distortions to make laws and take executive actions that transform higher education into their own political mouthpieces.

Since re-entering the White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented war on what he sees to be woke campuses across the US - Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS

But other veteran education-watchers think some good might come from Harvards stand-off with the government. Ivy League universities could enjoy a fundraising boon courtesy of a flood of donations from liberal supporters enraged by the White Houses stance, says Pulitzer-Prize winning author and Harvard graduate Dan Golden.

Whats at stake is the right of a university to govern itself and the academic freedom of its researchers, professors and students, he says, so universities could use that to fundraise from their alumni and make up in private donations what theyre losing in government funding.

A lasting shift to the right?

Like many others, however, Golden believes this is a fight that will ultimately be decided not in the White House, or on college campuses, but by judges.

It seems to me that a lot of this is destined to end up in the courts, he says. Youve got a Supreme Court that on the one hand is quite conservative, but on the other hand is largely made up of graduates of elite law schools and universities.

It will be an interesting tussle between their lack of desire to take on Trump and them knowing that there is a value to the universities that they went to and a bigger value to preserving democracy and the constitution.

Others hope that when the sound and fury of the Trump administrations fight with the Ivy League recedes, the longstanding, disproportional imbalance between liberal and conservative professors will have shifted to the right, whatever else has been achieved.

A few more conservatives will be appointed [professors], but its a slow process, says Mansfield, who first set foot on Harvards campus as a student in 1949. But if the trend is in that direction, the atmosphere will change.

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A camp counselor picks favorites by lauding some campers regardless of how ordinary or even counterproductive their conduct while ignoring or disparaging other campers valuable contributions. A referee takes sides by giving all benefits of the doubt to one team. And a human rights activist flouts the rights shared by all persons by expressing outrage at and even exaggerating or outright fabricating abuses perpetrated by one set of combatants while turning a blind eye to atrocities executed by the opposing combatants.

The same goes for the rule of law in America - that is, a system in which individuals are subject to well established, general, and publicly promulgated rules that are equally enforced and impartially adjudicated. A group that defends laws integrity against threats from one party but remains silent while the rival party repeatedly abuses the law over the course of many years to consolidate power and harm political opponents politicizes an essential principle that transcends the differences between partisans.

In this way, 96 voting members of the Harvard Law School faculty (active or emeritus) have called attention to their dubious dedication to the rule of law.

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On March 29, this HLS faculty supermajority published online "A Letter to Harvard Law School Students." Writing in their "individual capacities," the professors explain that they took this extraordinary step because "American legal precepts and the institutions designed to uphold them are being severely tested, and many of you have expressed to us your concerns and fears about the present moment." Despite their best efforts to demonstrate that they were not speaking for Harvard Law School - the professors declined to use the law schools stationery and website, and they did not include their faculty titles in their signatures - the sheer number of signatories attested to the professors espousal of HLS orthodoxy.

A widely shared respect for the rule of law at Harvard Law School would be welcome. For decades, HLS has served as a premier platform for a variety of fashionable perspectives including critical legal studies, critical race theory, identity politics, and woke progressivism. In one way or another, all attack the rule of laws claim to stand above politics. Some cutting-edge professors at HLS insist that in practice the rule of law is a fraud perpetrated by the powerful, a tool by which oppressors justify their power and lull the oppressed to accept their subordination.

The supermajoritys March 29 letter might suggest that the pendulum has shifted, inasmuch as the signatories say that they "share, and take seriously, a commitment to the rule of law: for people to be equal before it, and for its administration to be impartial." This commitment, they stress, "is foundational to the whole legal profession, and to the special role that lawyers play in our society."

The supermajoritys selective apprehensions, however, suggest that they are friends of convenience to the rule of law.

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The HLS faculty do not explicitly mention President Trump or the Trump administration. But the professors highlight in four bullet points steps that "government leaders" are taking that imperil the rule of law:

single out lawyers and law firms for retribution based on their lawful and ethical representation of clients disfavored by the government, undermining the Sixth Amendment;

threaten law firms and legal clinics for their lawyers pro bono work or prior government service;

relent on those arbitrary threats based on public acts of submission and outlays of funds for favored causes; and

punish people for lawfully speaking out on matters of public concern.

The HLS professors acknowledge that "reasonable people can disagree about the characterization of particular incidents." But they do not explain why their genuinely concerning allegations endanger the rule of law itself. Not every unlawful action threatens the foundations of equal liberty under settled and fairly administered law. Indeed, Americas separation of powers system anticipates executive overreach, and the Constitution gives Congress and the courts ample power to rein in the president.

Furthermore, over the last 15 years or so, Democrats, federal bureaucrats, and the D.C. power elite have repeatedly abused power to advance progressive priorities: For example:

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In 2010, President Barack Obamas IRS targeted conservative organizations to deny them tax-exempt status.

In 2012, Obama effectively legislated from the White House by creating through executive order the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) which eliminated the administrations responsibility to enforce elements of immigration law.

In 2016, Obama administration FBI Director James Comey usurped the attorney generals authority by publicly declaring that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton could not be reasonably prosecuted for conducting as secretary of state her email correspondence on her private server, including many chains containing classified information, several of which chains contained emails deemed "Top Secret."

Also in 2016, Comey launched, on the flimsiest of pretexts, an investigation - fueled in part by Clinton campaign opposition research - into Republican nominee Donald Trumps alleged collusion with Russia. The successor investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller hamstrung the Trump administration for two years while concluding that the evidence did not show that candidate Trump collaborated with Moscow.

From 2021-2024, the Biden administration furtively maneuvered to protect Hunter Biden from prosecution for tax evasion, making false statements on a firearm purchase, and unlawful possession of a gun.

In 2022, President Joe Biden sought to usurp congressional authority by erasing through executive order approximately $400 billion in federal student-loan debt.

In 2023, the Biden Justice Department declined to prosecute President Biden for retaining classified documents for many years and in several locations, and for disclosing their contents to at least one individual who lacked clearance.

In 2023, as primary season approached, Democratic prosecutors filed against Trump four criminal indictments - some of which were based on novel and farfetched legal theories - in four jurisdictions for alleged unlawful conduct stretching back to 2016.

In 2025, federal district courts have promiscuously issued nationwide injunctions that go beyond the parties before them to prohibit the Trump administration from implementing its policies anywhere in the country.

Reasonable people can disagree about the characterization of these events. But the larger question remains: Where were the collective statements of the supermajority of HLS professors - or majority, or even a small minority - about the sanctity of the rule of law when a long train of abuses of law over many years benefited the Democratic Party?

The HLS professors also highlight perils to the rule of law stemming from Trump administration efforts to terminate green cards and visas of international students whose presence in the United States, according to a memorandum from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, creates "potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States." At Harvard "and many other universities, international students have reported fear of imprisonment or deportation for lawful speech and political activism," the professors write. Such government action, they warn, would contravene the First Amendment, "which was designed to make dissent and debate possible without fear of government punishment."

The HLS professors rightly demand that government scrupulously adhere to free-speech requirements. If only the Harvard 96 had shown such firmness in defense of free speech over the last several decades. Instead, elite campuses have made a habit of punishing departures from progressive orthodoxy with censorship, ostracism, denial of job opportunities, and more. Indeed, if safeguarding free speech were a priority for the HLS professors, they had no further to go than their own back yard to come to its aid. Harvard University recently finished dead last for the second consecutive year in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) rankings for protecting campus free speech. Yet this disgrace has not roused the HLS supermajority to action.

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In a March 30 open letter to his students, which provides a trenchant reply to his HLS colleagues, Professor Adrian Vermeule observes that the supermajoritys "ideological blindness" makes its letter "deeply corrosive of the shared ideal of the rule of law."

For instance, Vermeule notes, the signatories were nowhere to be found when Trumps lawyers were prosecuted for representing him; when activists threatened Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices homes and families; and when outside the Supreme Court Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threatened Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh with retribution for their rulings.

"The central vice of the collective letter, then, is that it is tendentious," Vermeule concludes. "It attempts to appropriate a shared ideal and turn it to sectarian ends, implicitly aiming to define anyone who disagrees as an opponent of the rule of law altogether. In doing so, it runs the grave danger of causing or at least licensing anyone who does not agree with those sectarian ends to see all talk of the rule of law as a political sham."

The Harvard Law School professors self-discrediting reflects decades of squandered moral, political, and intellectual capital. At this precarious moment, the nation desperately needs citizens capable of rising above the political fray to adopt a constitutional perspective. Alas, our professors keep demonstrating that they are among the least likely to provide that crucial civic service.

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Peter Berkowitz is the Tad and Dianne Taube senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. From 2019 to 2021, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. State Department. His writings are posted at PeterBerkowitz.com and he can be followed on X @BerkowitzPeter.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) said President Trumps cuts to Harvard Universitys funding are part of his outrageous plan to silence his critics.

Healey joined CBS Newss Face the Nation on Sunday, where she weighed in on the administrations attacks on the university in her state, which is also her alma mater.

Its outrageous, she said of Trumps moves to end Harvards tax-exempt status. But its part of this continued playbook that Donald Trump has been using, which is to silence critics.

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Harvard is the most recent institution to be drawn into a battle with Trump, following a series of law firms that have struck deals with the administration after being targeted by executive orders and companies pushing for exemptions to his tariff plan.

Now, hes going after colleges and universities, using any and all tactics to try to shut them down, to silence them. Thats what Donald Trump is about, Healey said. Theres no merit to any of this. And of course, its illegal.

The administration has frozen $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard after the university became the first school to openly reject the administrations demands to change its policies.

The administration, which has gone after multiple universities under accusations that they have not done enough to counter campus antisemitism, had demanded that Harvard eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies and change its hiring and admission policies, among other things.

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Columbia University agreed to similar demands in an attempt to get back $400 million in frozen funding. The school has not had the funding reinstated, however, and has in fact faced further cuts.

Following Harvards refusal to implement the demanded changes, Trump has called the school a joke and threatened to end its tax-exempt status.

Researchers warn that the funding cuts will have dire effects.

Healey noted that cuts both from Harvard and the National Institutes of Health will impact her states research and teaching institutions that examine cures for diseases, treatments and cancer research.

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She argued that the administrations cuts to research will impact the United Statess standing in the medical world. Scientists will now go to other countries to do their work, hurting the U.S. in its leading medical position, Healey said.

Its bad for patients, its bad for science, and its really bad for American competitiveness, she said.

Theres a reason this country has led the world, remember, and its because weve invested in science and innovation for decades, Healey added.

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NANAKULI, Hawaii (KHON2)  Heavy rains drenched the west side of Oahu on Friday, April 18 and it caused trash from upstream to flow into the ocean, even trash still in bags.

It was an unusual sight. More than a dozen black trash bags were floating in the water off Depot Beach Park in Nanakuli.

Flash flood warnings issued, storm preps ongoing across islands

To have trash bags floating around on the beach is just disheartening as a community, said Sen. Samantha Decorte (R), Ko Olina to Makua. You dont want to see that because then obviously, youre not going to feel safe to get into the water.

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The bags were scattered across several hundred years in the water. Some made their way back to shore.

Beachgoers told KHON2 they came from the nearby drainage canal after the heavy rains in the morning.

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The city maintains the majority of the canals that exist throughout the island of Oahu and thats why youre either seeing inconsistency or not consistent work, said Rep. Darius Kila, (D) Honokai Hale, Nanakuli, Maili. I mean, we have several canals on the west side of Oahu that havent been dredged at this point for almost two years. And residents have complained of the stench and smell.

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Residents said there were crews there a few weeks ago clearing out the drainage canal. Theyre not sure which agency theyre from, but they said they left the bags there on the ground.

One resident said he thought they shouldve been moved to higher ground, so they dont get washed away.

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Our county partners are doing the best that they can, but I think its probably an unforeseen circumstance that we would get the imminent amount of rain, said Kila. But the fact that the trash was cleaned and then left there, its concerning.

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We reached out to the city to check who maintains the canal but havent heard back yet. So its not clear whos responsible, and if anyone needs to retrieve the trash bags from the ocean.

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HEBER, Utah (ABC4)  A Heber man was arrested on Saturday after hitting a bicyclist with his truck, leaving him with a broken leg, according to Heber City Police.

Loren Ray Russell, 43, was arrested in Wasatch County on charges of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury  road rage enhancement (second-degree felony), failure to remain at accident involving injury  road rage enhancement (class A misdemeanor), and failure to yield right of way  road rage enhancement (infraction).

The incident occurred at around 1 p.m. on April 13, police said. Officers responded to a medical emergency at 600 South 100 East involving a male cyclist who had been hit by a car. Upon arrival, the officer contacted the individual who was complaining of ankle pain, arrest documents state.

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When asked about who had struck him, the individual was unsure of the details, but claimed a truck had hit him and fled the scene. The officer reportedly also observed what appeared to be acceleration marks leading towards where the cyclist was struck.

BYU PhD Student will not be deported, lawyer says

Police then contacted a local business where the incident occurred. The business had a surveillance camera that captured the incident, which they provided to police on April 14.

The officer reviewed the footage and found that a gray Chevy truck with a white utility shell on the bed failed to stop while a cyclist was riding down the sidewalk. The cyclist appeared to ride around the truck, striking its hood with his hand and continuing to ride away, the affidavit states.

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The truck then turned towards the cyclist, accelerated, hit him, and left the area, police said.

On April 19, police contacted the victim and found that he had suffered a broken leg that may require surgery. The victim then told police that he would like to press charges.

A witness at the nearby business then told police that they had seen the incident, and later noticed a truck matching the description parked on the 1900 block of Tobiano Circle. They also provided police with a license plate number.

The officer ran a records check on the vehicle and found no results, but upon contacting the property owner at the location, learned that the vehicle belonged to Russell. The officer responded to the location and found the vehicle matching the description of the truck seen during the incident.

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Police then arrested Russell at the residence. When Russell was asked about the incident, he stated that he had picked up a package from UPS, and when he left, a male riding a bike hit the side and the hood of his truck, arrest documents state.

Loren claimed that he felt threatened by the male and left in a hurry, not realizing he had hit him, the officer wrote in the affidavit. I questioned why, if he felt threatened, he had not called law enforcement. He admitted that he hadnt thought about it.

Seeing how hard the male was struck, knowing the extent of the males injuries, and how damaged the bike was, I dont believe Loren was unaware he hit the male, the affidavit states.

Russell was booked into Wasatch County Jail on the aforementioned charges.

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Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Latest headlines:

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The US defence secretary allegedly shared details of a secret attack on Houthi rebels in a message group that included his wife and brother.

Pete Hegseth, who came under intense pressure last month for sharing US strike plans in a Signal chat with a journalist, posted the same details in another group, which included his family members and his personal lawyer, sources said.

In the second chat, which is understood to have been created by Mr Hegseth himself on his personal phone, Mr Trumps cabinet member allegedly posted details of the flight schedules of the F/A-18 air strikes against the Iran-backed group in Yemen.

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Mr Hegseths wife Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, has been criticised for reportedly attending sensitive meetings with foreign military counterparts, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The move will invite further questions about national security and top US officials using unclassified messaging apps to share sensitive information.

One US defence source told The Times that the Pentagon emailed staff threatening them with potential lie detector tests if they were suspected of leaking classified or sensitive information.

It comes after Donald Trumps most senior national security officials were last month embroiled in a row after details of an attack on the Houthis were shared in a chat Signal group that included Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic.

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Mr Trump dismissed the scandal as a witch-hunt, attacked Mr Goldberg and defied calls to sack Mike Waltz, his national security adviser who added the journalist to the chat.

The second Signal chat, which was named Defense Team Huddle included around a dozen people and was reportedly created before Mr Hegseth was confirmed as defence secretary.

Mr Hegseth reportedly posted details of the strikes in both chats at around the same time.

A source told The New York Times Mr Hegseths aides had urged him not to discuss sensitive operations in his Signal group chat days before the strikes.

While Mr Hegseths brother Phil and Tim Parlatore, his lawyer, both have jobs in the Pentagon, it is not clear why they would need to have been informed about the planned strikes.

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The Signal chat reportedly included Dan Caldwell, one of Mr Hegseths leading advisers, who was escorted from the Pentagon last week after being identified during an investigation into leaks at the department of defence, according to officials.

Following Mr Caldwells departure, less senior officials Darin Selnick, who recently became Mr Hegseths deputy chief of staff, and Colin Carroll were put on administrative leave, officials said.

Mr Caldwell, Mr Selnick and Mr Carroll have denied leaking. In a joint statement on Saturday they said: Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.

We still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of leaks to begin with.

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Sources told The New York Times that Mr Hegseth did not use the second chat to discuss sensitive military operations and said it did not include other cabinet officials.

The truth is that there is an informal group chat that started before confirmation of his closest advisers, an official told the paper. Nothing classified was ever discussed on that chat.

We are going to continue fighting

Mr Hegseth told reporters at the White House Easter Egg roll: [The media] take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me.

I have spoken to the president, and we are going to continue fighting, on the same page all the way, he added.

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The president offered his full support to Mr Hegseth in a phone call on Saturday, the New York Times reported.

The embattled defence secretary called Mr Trump at around 8pm, who blamed leakers for the report and made clear that he had his defence secretarys back.

The president then instructed his team to publicly defend Mr Hegseth, according to the Times.

During the White House Easter egg roll on Monday, Mr Trump expressed confidence in Mr Hegseth and criticised the fake news media.

Mr Trump defended Mr Hegseth during the Easter event at the White House - Alex Brandon

On the question of whether Mr Hegseth is doing a good job, he remarked: Ask the Houthis.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, also reiterated that Mr Trump is standing behind his defence secretary.

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The president absolutely has confidence in secretary Hegseth. I spoke to him about it this morning, and he stands behind him, she said.

Reports about the second chat come weeks after Steven Stebbins, the head of the Pentagons internal watchdog, would review Mr Hegseths use of the messaging app Signal to discuss highly sensitive military information.

John Ullyot, who resigned from the Pentagon last week, wrote on Sunday that the department of defence was close to collapse.

Mr Ullyot, who insists he still supports the Trump administrations national security policies, in Politico: The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon  and its becoming a real problem for the administration.

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Top staff at the Pentagon were fired last week and Mr Ullyot warned there may be more to come.

Hegseth is now presiding over a strange and baffling purge that has left him without senior advisers, Mr Ullyot wrote. More firings may be coming, according to rumors in the building.

Biden and Trump staff shared White House floor plans with thousands

The reports come after White House officials under Joe Biden and Mr Trumps administration reportedly shared floor plans of the presidents official residence with thousands of federal workers.

Staff at the General Service Administration (GSA) shared a Google Drive folder containing sensitive documents from at least 2021 until last week with the agencys 11,200 staff members, the Washington Post reported.

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The information shared included potentially classified information, such as details of a proposed blast door for the White House visitors centre, and staff were able to access and edit at least 10 of the 15 documents.

Nine of the files were reportedly marked CUI for controlled unclassified information, which refers to sensitive information that does not meet the criteria for classification but must still be protected.

A White House spokesman said: No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same non-story, they cant change the fact that no classified information was shared.

Recently-fired leakers are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the Presidents agenda, but the administration will continue to hold them accountable.

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A spokesman for the Pentagon said: Another day, another old story  back from the dead.

The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trumps agenda. This time, the New York Times  and all other fake news that repeat their garbage  are enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article.

They relied only on the words of people who were fired this week and appear to have a motive to sabotage the secretary and the presidents agenda.

There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story. What is true is that the office of the secretary of defence is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing president Trumps agenda.

Weve already achieved so much for the American war fighter and will never back down.

The Telegraph contacted the GSA 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.
A solemn ceremony honoring the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing briefly turned tense Saturday morning when an unidentified woman walked onto the stage mid-program and was quickly escorted away.

KOCO News 5 reported that the incident occurred inside First Church in downtown Oklahoma City just moments after Dr. Susan Chambers, chair of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, began her welcoming remarks. According to eyewitnesses, the woman appeared to approach the row of seated officials and victim family members, attempting to speak directly to either Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt or U.S. Sen. James Lankford.

She was speaking with a loud voice, clearly agitated, Pastor Josue Araujo said. She said, Help me, please. You know who I am, and held what looked like a clipboard with papers. The stage microphone briefly picked up her words before Araujo and others assisted in escorting her away.

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No one was harmed, and officials later confirmed that the woman posed no apparent threat to public safety. Law enforcement and members of the governors office did not disclose further details about the woman or her motivations.

While the moment was jarring, Pastor Araujo emphasized the situation seemed more personal than political. I think she knew the governor would be there and used the moment to get his attention. I dont believe she was dangerous, just desperate.

Security at the venue appeared to have been caught off-guard, though the situation was resolved swiftly without further disruption. The ceremony, held annually to honor the 168 lives lost in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, resumed shortly after.

The womans name remains unconfirmed, and the contents of the papers she carried are not known. As of Saturday evening, officials hadn't filed charges or made any official statements about her intent.

Despite the interruption, attendees and officials continued the commemorative event, focusing on remembrance and resilience.
In January, the Palo Alto school board met to discuss requiring high schoolers to take courses covering the displacement of Native Americans and the Black Panthers role in the Civil Rights Movement. For one school board member, the day ended with death threats.

Teaching ethnic studies  courses about different cultures and historically marginalized groups  would not appear a likely source of controversy in the deep-blue, immigrant-heavy Silicon Valley city. But years of tension boiled over on a brisk winter night, over how the curriculum was released and the way oppression would be taught. In a school district where Asian students represent 40 percent of enrollees, some immigrants feel that the courses define power and privilege in a way that undermines the accomplishments of ethnic minorities.

Asian Americans, many of whom came here with nothing and worked their way up from nothing  they see this course that labels us as privileged and powerful and perpetuating systemic oppression for having the audacity to build a good life, said Karthi Gottipati, a student at Palo Alto High School who served as the student board representative last year.

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Similar clashes are playing out in school districts around California as the deadline approaches to implement the nations first requirement that students complete such a course before graduating from high school. Just this month, two other Northern California school districts have grappled with allegations of antisemitism in ethnic studies material. And now looming over those local curricular battles are President Donald Trump, who has threatened to pull federal funding from schools pursuing diversity initiatives, and Gov. Gavin Newsom, newly wary of the courses as he looks to break with his party on symbolically resonant issues ahead of a potential presidential run.

Rowena Chiu, elected to the Palo Alto school board shortly before its January meeting, said she was met with jeering and head slaps and groans when she supported delaying the courses, remarking publicly that the pro-ethnic studies crowd was making her feel unsafe. She later apologized and faced calls for resignation after sharing an Asians Against Wokeness social media post highlighting her comment that also contained racist replies about a Black district employee.

Chiu, who is Asian American, said she received hundreds of calls from terrified Asian parents in the wake of the meeting worried that they would never be able to voice their opinion in the district if even Chiu  a former assistant to Harvey Weinstein who accused him of rape during the Me Too movement  experienced such backlash for speaking out.

I just want to step aside from this whole thing for just one minute to say, Wait, people are saying they're going to kill my children over ethnic studies, Chiu said. How did we get to a world where this is happening?

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But the rebellion over ethnic studies is largely not coming from conservative, overwhelmingly white districts where the mandate has been mostly accepted without controversy. Rather the conflict is playing out within the traditional Democratic coalition, pitting social-justice-oriented liberals against high-achieving immigrant groups and moderates who claim an alternative curriculum pushed by progressives goes too far. Californias ethnic studies debate has become a test case for the difficulty Democrats could face maintaining a racially mixed and highly educated coalition as school diversity issues move to the top of the national agenda in the second Trump era.

Just up the peninsula in San Mateo  whose school district imposed an ethnic studies graduation requirement years before the state did  the mandate has triggered its own furor around a high school whose student body is 80 percent non-white. After a school board member advised parents during a recent forum hosted by the Israeli-American Civic Action Network to file complaints about ethnic studies courses with the Office for Civil Rights with the U.S. Department of Education, the local teachers union called for the school board to censure her.

Jennifer Jacobson, who was elected in 2022, said she wasnt advocating for federal funding to be pulled from her district but wanted to inform students and parents of the possibility given Trumps executive order banning racial indoctrination in schools. Jacobson said that she has spoken with Chiu a lot since they both have come under fire.

Her situation is a lot worse than mine, said Jacobson, who clarified she was not speaking on behalf of the board. But you have this pattern that as soon as somebody raises concerns or substantive questions on behalf of their constituents about ethnic studies, then you get the establishment coming out against them.

Newsom wrestles with ethnic studies

California has led the country in moving toward universal ethnic studies, thanks to a push over the past decade by progressive educators and civil rights activists. In 2016, the Legislature overwhelmingly passed a first-in-the-nation law instructing state education officials to design an approach for teaching high school history with an emphasis on racial and ethnic differences. But as they worked to produce a model curriculum that individual districts could adapt to their demographics, Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown balked at making new courses mandatory. Brown vetoed a 2018 bill to do so, citing concerns about what another graduation requirement would mean for already overburdened students.

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Californias public universities have begun to embrace ethnic studies. The Legislature in 2020 voted to require California State University students to take one course as a graduation requirement across its campuses, and this month a recent alum filed paperwork to pursue a 2026 ballot initiative that would increase the systems requirement to two. The University of Californias Academic Senate is currently considering whether to impose its own ethnic studies mandate.

But officials could not agree on what high schoolers should be taught. Ethnic studies is the only graduation requirement in California without state standards in the curriculum, leaving it ripe for political manipulation. External events, including the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, have altered the political dynamics around the courses even as broad support remains to teach ethnic studies.

As the curriculum was being developed, progressives rallied behind an alternative "Liberated Ethnic Studies model that aims to critique power and oppression at the intersections of our society such as white supremacy and patriarchy, encouraging students to challenge colonial and imperialist beliefs and connect with resistance movements for social justice. The curriculum is notably more sympathetic to Palestinians in teaching about the history of Mideast conflict.

Supporters of the Liberated curriculum point to how it can offer students a more critical analysis of systems and institutions beyond the superficial lessons of lets share each others food or dances, according to Russell Jeung, a professor at the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University, which in 1969 was the first school to offer an ethnic studies program following student-led protests the prior year.

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Students I know now would sort of scoff at a superficial, multicultural curriculum that doesn't really get at why we have hierarchies of groups, why we have certain groups dominating in different occupations or industries, Jeung said.

After Jewish groups expressed concern that students could be taught to view Jews as white oppressors, Newsom in 2020 vetoed another attempt to create an ethnic studies mandate. Newsom told the lawmaker who carried the bill that he wanted a curriculum that would be  not offensive to any one particular group, according to former Democratic Assemblymember Jose Medina.

Newsom reversed himself the following year after the Legislatures Jewish Caucus put in amendments that it said at the time expressly prohibit the use of curriculum that was rejected because of concerns about anti-Jewish and anti-Israel bias. The updated model curriculum, which can guide districts but they are not required to follow, also added lessons about antisemitism and the Jewish, Arab, Armenian and Sikh American communities.

When Newsom approved the 2021 law, he praised ethnic studies courses that enable students to learn their own stories, and those of their classmates, and a number of studies have shown that these courses boost student achievement over the long run  especially among students of color, as he put it in a signing message. But he made sure to note that the courses should not include initial curriculum proposals that had been rejected by the state due to concerns related to bias, bigotry, and discrimination.

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The final model curriculum, approved by the State Board of Education in March 2021, defined ethnic studies as focusing on the histories, cultures, struggles and contributions to American society of four historically marginalized groups  African American, Latino, Native American and Asian American people  whose stories have often been untold in US history courses.

The 2021 law requires all California high schools to offer ethnic studies as an elective course by the fall of 2025 and makes it a graduation requirement by 2029-30, but only if the Legislature follows through on funding it. The estimated cost of the program is $276 million for districts statewide per year in teachers salaries and new textbooks, the states Department of Education estimated in 2021.

But Newsom notably omitted that money from the $322 billion budget proposal he introduced in January. A representative from Newsoms Department of Finance told lawmakers who oversee education spending at an early March hearing that the governor did not plan to propose funding the course.

Elana Ross, a spokesperson for Newsom, attributed that decision to limited available ongoing resources, but left the door open to a deal with lawmakers before the governor signs the budget this summer. We remain actively engaged with the Legislature on this topic, Ross said.

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Democrats in the Legislature now have to decide whether to fund their mandate in a political environment far less favorable than the one in which they passed it. Newsom essentially signaled that ethnic studies isnt one of his top education priorities amid a statewide teacher shortage. He is seeking $300 million for teacher retention and recruitment in the budget, a similar price point to what ethnic studies would cost.

I think the governor chooses his political battles very carefully, and I think this is one of them that he doesn't need to stick his neck out on, said John Affeldt, an attorney at the law firm Public Advocates who has led several major education-related lawsuits in California. And I do think he genuinely has higher priorities.

District by district

Uncertainty over whether promised money will arrive now fuels local debate over whether to embrace ethnic studies. Without the mandate, districts could choose to delay or altogether forgo the classes.

Of the top 10 school districts in the state according to Niche, which ranks schools based on public data sets and reviews, only two  Palo Alto and Mountain View-Los Altos  currently have an ethnic studies course requirement as districts pause or pull back on courses without a funding guarantee.

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In Palo Alto, the superintendent cited Newsoms refusal to fund the mandate  along with local divisiveness over the curriculum  when he announced a pause in the rollout of the ethnic studies graduation requirement beginning this fall. (The board later reversed the decision and approved the courses.)

In Campbell, another Silicon Valley suburb that borders San Jose, the states Department of Education determined earlier this month that ethnic studies material about Israel being a settler colonial state and a student presentation that referred to the Genocide of Palestinians discriminates against Jewish students. An hour south, the Pajaro Valley school board considered switching consultants for its curriculum amid allegations of antisemitism in lessons planned by its current contractor.

Newsoms reluctance to fund the courses may pose a more acute threat to rural areas whose school districts have smaller budgets than those in big cities and wealthy suburbs. Many have been working to implement the curriculum and find themselves now in limbo. Administrators are frustrated because they would have a hard time preparing for the coming school year if they now pause their rollout and then have to restart if the mandate goes into effect.

Thats not a good way to do business, and it creates dysfunction and challenges for our members, said Troy Flint, chief communications officer for the California School Boards Association.

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Kendra Tyler, a Glenn County education services coordinator who is leading the development of ethnic studies courses for 11 agricultural counties north of Sacramento, estimated at least half the schools in that area are pausing developing ethnic studies curriculum until they have further clarity. She argues that conservative districts are being harmed by Newsoms political aspirations as they rushed to develop courses from scratch only for the governor to pause the mandate at the last hour.

Thats harmful to students and harmful to schools that are looking for guidance and preparation, Tyler said.

Most people in her region have no clue about the rarefied debates now playing out in liberal school districts over which ethnic groups are classified as privileged and oppressed, according to Tyler. Board members approved ethnic studies courses because it was mandated; there was nothing to push back against.

They said, This isn't as scary as you think it is. It's really just learning about different groups, Tyler said.

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But fights over curriculum hundreds of miles away in Palo Alto and San Mateo are sowing confusion for her schools that implemented the courses in time for the upcoming school year but now realize they may not be mandated to do so.

Its just frustrating when we get mixed signals on what we are supposed to be doing to support districts, said Ryan Bentz, superintendent for Glenn County, where two districts have yet to finalize courses. I have heard that there is controversy around it in other places, but to me, thats on those districts to make a curriculum that's not controversial.

In one of Glenn Countys schools, ethnic studies has already been a hit. At Willows High School, nearly three-fourths of the 100 students in the senior class signed up for ethnic studies elective courses that are launching this fall. Scott Booth, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, developed the schools ethnic studies course from scratch, persuading an initially hesitant, nervous and concerned school board to unanimously approve the courses.

Booth, a Republican who voted for Trump, said he was transparent with the community about what would be in the curriculum, overcoming concerns about critical race theory being taught. The school plans to offer the courses, regardless of whether there is funding.

Ethnic studies is not indoctrination, Booth said. Its not cramming it down peoples throats. Its not DEI. It is about looking in the mirror and saying, This is where I live. This is who I live with. I see their experience. I feel their experience as they feel mine. And how can we make it better?

Not a time to cave

In Sacramento, the funding standoff has created an opening for those who want to revisit the curriculum itself.

In February, around a third of Democrats in the state Legislature signed onto a bill backed by the Legislative Jewish Caucus that would require high schools to redraw their ethnic studies lesson plan to restrict how curriculum could focus on international conflicts such as the war in Gaza. The bills lead author, Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur, lamented during a recent webinar that the curriculum had been hijacked, frankly, by folks that have not been true to the goals of ethnic studies.

The measure has not yet been set for a hearing in the statehouse, but its drawn the opposition of the powerful California Teachers Association and is likely to exacerbate the already tense divide and bring local school board divisions to the state Capitol.

As weve seen recently, when it comes to different communities with vastly contrasting perspectives and sensibilities, thats not a simple thing to resolve at all, said Josh Newman, who as Senate Education Committee chair negotiated amendments and eventually backed a similar bill last year that was killed before it reached the Senate floor. The law mandating courses left in place a problematic subjectivity around a fundamental question  whose version of history gets used? added Newman, who is running for state superintendent.

That debate is pulling Newsom back into the ethnic studies fray just as he becomes eager to engage with conservative critiques of what has been Democratic orthodoxy around issues of identity politics.

Now there's a national conversation going on that's being driven by Donald Trump and others, that is: Are these things working? said Andrew Acosta, a Sacramento-based consultant who has worked on dozens of Democratic statewide and national campaigns.

Trumps White House has threatened to cut federal funding from schools that have diversity initiatives. While federal officials have not indicated whether Californias ethnic studies curriculum would violate their policy, Trump in the past has denied the existence of systemic racism  a concept addressed repeatedly in the model curriculum.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said that even though nothing in Trumps executive orders should prohibit telling true factual history, including the history of different ethnic groups that have created the history of California, he worried the ethnic studies rollout could be impacted by what he described as a chilling penumbra or a buffer area around the actual executive order  where people are frozen, they become worried and concerned.

I don't think the California Legislature should be deterred by that, said Bonta, a former lawmaker. But could it get caught up? Yes, for sure, and I think that's the whole intent and point of the Trump administrations actions.

The Trump administration will look to pull federal funds from California whether or not Newsom blesses the mandate this year, argues Assemblymember David Alvarez, a Democrat who chairs the subcommittee overseeing education finance.

The target is already on our back, if you will, no matter what we do or don't do, Alvarez said.

Medina, the former assemblymember who led the original push for ethnic studies requirements, said he was under the assumption that the governor would provide funding and the bill would take effect this year. It remained, he insisted, an idea over which the Legislature and the public was proud that California was leading the way, at the same time lawmakers in Texas and Florida were doing the opposite of what we were doing by trying to ban books.

I can understand pressure from Washington, D.C., said Medina, now a county supervisor in Riverside. But this is not a time to cave.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to clarify the bill in the state Legislature was introduced by members who are both Jewish and non-Jewish
WHITEWATER, Ca. (WFLA)  An experienced hiker was rescued after an accident left her hanging off the side of a California cliff for more than an hour.

The Riverside County Sheriffs Office reported that the woman was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail when she became stuck.

Authorities said the woman was able to contact them through a Garmin-type emergency communication device.

In video taken during the rescue, the woman is shown hanging from the side of a cliff as a rescue specialist comes to her aid.

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She is also heard screaming throughout the rescue.

The Riverside County Sheriffs Office said they were able to bring the woman down safely and that, aside from an adrenaline rush, she was unharmed in the ordeal.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to blow through another federal deadline meant to halt the $9 congestion toll to enter parts of Manhattan, as NYC Mayor Eric Adams administration backed her in a lawsuit to keep the wildly controversial scheme alive.

Both the city and state Departments of Transportation on Friday joined a suit the Hochul-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority filed in February  after the White House threatened to block the embattled agency from continuing to collect on the first-in-the-nation tolls that went into effect Jan. 5 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street.

Despite the Administrations royal decree, its effort to summarily and unilaterally overturn the solution to the Citys congestion enacted by New Yorkers elected representatives is unlawful and invalid, the amended complaint states.

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The latest legal salvo was fired as the White House remained mum about what steps, if any, would be taken should New York snub the Sunday deadline set by the US Department of Transportation to quash the tolls.

Both the Governors Office and the MTA said theres no plan to shut the toll cameras.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to snub the Trump administrations Sunday deadline meant to halt congestion tolls Manhattan, as NYC Mayor Eric Adams administration backed her in a lawsuit to keep the controversial scheme alive. Robert Miller

However, the US DOT insisted Saturday its sticking by the deadline  despite an agreement reached in court earlier this month between the MTA and Trump administration lawyers to keep the toll cameras on until the fall.

The deadline is April 20th, and we expect New York to comply and terminate this program, an agency spokesperson said. USDOT will continue to fight for working class Americans whose tax dollars have already funded and paid for these roads.

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The agency earlier this month posted on X it would not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal to shut the tolls down if the state didnt comply, but refused to provide specifics.

President Donald Trump has demanding New York stop congestion pricing, but his administration remains mum on what it will do if its Sunday deadline is snubbed. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), a plaintiff in one of the many lawsuits seeking to block the tolls, accused the Hochul administration of violating federal law by pushing through congestion pricing without completing a full environmental study on the impact on neighborhoods throughout the Big Apple.

Its not the first time the governor has violated our laws, right? said Malliotakis Saturday at an unrelated press conference on Staten Island.

Whether its the sanctuary [city policies], state policy, whether its ignoring federal directives, this is just another example of how its rules for me, not for thee. They dont want to comply with our federal law.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said the feds should consider withholding funds for projects within Manhattans congestion zone if Hochul doesnt shut down the toll cameras. Michael McWeeney

The pol also said she spoke with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week and learned the Trump administration is not letting go of this and is very focused on getting rid of this cash grab that is hurting New Yorkers.

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I think that the Trump administration needs to come up with some type of penalization for not complying with this law, she told The Post.

Maybe they want to look at withholding certain federal funds, for projects within Manhattan, within the congestion zone. Maybe the Second Avenue subway [expansion project], for example.

Gov. Hochuls office said she has no plans to end congestion pricing. Matthew McDermott

The White House previously demanded the MTA stop collecting tolls March 21, but Duffy announced before the deadline that the US DOT granted a 30-day extension through Sunday as negotiations continued.

Adams, who has grown close with Trump in recent months while remaining lukewarm on congestion pricing, has not publicly commented on his administrations involvement in the legal battle.

Congestion pricing scanners near toll -zone border at 10th Avenue and West 60th Street. Helayne Seidman

The city joined the suit just two weeks after the mayors historic federal corruption case was dropped. Critics speculated that Adams was cozying up in hopes of obtaining a presidential pardon before a judge tossed the case.

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The Mayors office issues a statement that said: The mayor has been abundantly clear that he is open to working with the federal administration  as demonstrated by his subway walkthrough with the U.S. Transportation Secretary  to ensure all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable, and structurally sound transportation. We also want to be sure our subway and bus system has the funds it needs, and the state should be able to make independent assessments of how to raise those funds. This was an amendment to a previously filed lawsuit by the MTA to add additional context that NYC DOT has gathered on the new program the state has instituted on city streets.

Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, the presumptive Republican nominee in this years mayoral race, said the MTA should focus on cracking down on subway scofflaws rather than imposing unfair taxes.

All their resources and focus should be on collecting the fares  which they are refusing to do, he said.
More than a hundred Miami Catholics walked the streets of Little River Friday afternoon for a longstanding Good Friday ritual: The procession of the cross to honor the biblical story of Jesus Christs crucifixion.

Bishops, deacons, priests and parishioners from St. Marys Cathedral marched down Northwest Second Avenue stopping every so often to pray  Our Father and Hail Mary  and sing in English, Creole and Spanish to accommodate the multi-lingual crowd.

As volunteers held statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, Miami residents looked on from their porches and Little River homes to mouth the words and record videos of the crowd singing, Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski speaks during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

A Christian ritual dating back to the fourth century, the Veneration of the Cross happens late afternoon on Good Friday and allows the faithful to take time after service to honor the cross. Each of the 14 stations of the cross represents a different moment in the story of Jesus death, and its customary to pray and meditate at each milestone.

Andy Cadet, 21, left, and Kevin Perez, 29, carry a statue of Virgin Mary during a Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

St. Mary rector Father Steven OHala said carrying the cross is not just about remembering the scenes of the Bible, but a way for the faithful to relate those stations as scenes along the way from scripture or from tradition to our contemporary spirituality.

Gloria Sanchez, 58, prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Rose Anderson, a Miami native and St. Marys parishioner for 10 years, said she attends the Holy Week services every year.

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I love being with all of these people, from all over the world, worshiping the same God, she said. Anderson, who wore a shirt quoting the Bible verse I was a stranger and you welcomed me, noted that the congregation at St. Marys is made up of a diverse crowd.

Its different cultures. We receive the mass in English, Spanish and in Creole, said another nearby St. Marys parishioner named Manuel, 29, who is originally from Ecuador and preferred not to give his last name. Its really vibrant, the church.

Parishioners carry a statue of Jesus during the Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

As parishioners moved slowly down the streets of Little River, children from of the Boy Scouts of America offered cold water to the thirsty. The crowd included clergy from nearby Miami churches, including Haitian Bishop Pierre-Andre Dumas who relocated to Miami after he suffered burns and trauma from an explosion in Port-au-Prince last year.

Haitian Bishop Pierre-Andre Dumas prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

John and Daisy Vargas, two parishioners from Our Lady of Lebanon, drove form Coral Gables with their two children to take part in the procession. The Puerto Rican couple, who recently moved to Miami from Manhattan, said they have been taking part in the Good Friday ritual since before they found their home church.

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Being part of this, not having our own parish, made us feel kind of connected and welcomed into Miami, John Vargas said.

Daisy Vargas, who was born on Holy Thursday, said the tradition is important to her family and her own Catholic faith.

I was born when he died, and thats special in my faith, she said.

John Vargas and his wife, Daisy Vargas, feed their son Charbel, 1, left, and their 4-month-old daughter, Maria Caterina, as they attend a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

David Perez, a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization founded in 1882, said the Veneration of the Cross is a powerful ritual for Catholics to bring their own sacrifices to Jesus.

At the end and lowest point you find out who is really there for you ... to take your beaten body and care for you in your time of need, said Perez.

A statue of the Virgin Mary is carried during a Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Jenner Philizaire and her granddaughter, Emma Philizaire, 6, attend the Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

John Vargas, his 4-month-old daughter, Maria Caterina Vargas, and his son, Charbel Vargas, 1, attend a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

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Nadine Maignan, 56, prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Ameli Geu, 104, kisses a crucifix during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Calipsa Perdomo prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

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Parishioners carry a statue of Jesus during the Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Fr. Stevn OHala, center, prays during a Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Amalia Cordido, 73, prays during a Good Friday service at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

Desilien Valimon holds a cross as she prays during the Living Stations of the Cross procession near the Cathedral of St. Mary on Friday, April 18, 2025, in Miami, Fla.

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This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A homicide investigation is underway in Hillsborough County, the sheriffs office said.

Deputies responded to shots fired at around 3:45 a.m. at an apartment complex on Orange Grove Drive in Tampa.

Responding officers found a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced deceased, HCSO said.

On a day when families gather to enjoy each others company, our community was shattered by senseless violence, said Sheriff Chad Chronister.

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This is a developing story. Stay up to date on the latest from News Channel 8 on-air and on the go with the free WFLA News Channel 8 mobile 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 WFLA.
Hong Kongs oldest and largest pro-democracy political party is moving to disband as Beijings sweeping crackdown on the city leaves even moderate opposition groups with no room to operate.

The Democratic Party, one of the leading voices of opposition in the semi-autonomous city for the past three decades, has started the process of dissolution following recent warnings from Chinese government officials, two of its veteran members told CNN.

The message was that the party has to be disbanded or there will be consequences, said one of them, Yeung Sum, a former Democratic Party chairman.

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Fred Li, a former lawmaker, said a Chinese official told him that the party should not remain until the end of this year, when an election will be held.

Founded by liberal lawyers and academics three years before the former British colonys 1997 handover to China, the Democratic Party had campaigned for universal suffrage and on matters from labor rights to conservation during a period when such issues were openly discussed in the city.

Widely seen as moderates willing to work with Beijing, Democratic Party leaders had spearheaded a significant voting bloc in the citys legislature and were regularly afforded space to critique local government policy, until mass pro-democracy protests in 2019 ushered in a new and more restrictive political era.

Beijings crackdown in the years since, including the prosecution and jailing of pro-democracy leaders, has left the once-influential party rudderless as it contends with sweeping national security legislation and patriots only electoral reforms enacted in 2021 that make it nearly impossible for opposition candidates to stand for the citys legislature.

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Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei told a news conference last Sunday that 90% of about 110 party members had voted to delegate power to a committee to start the dissolution process, adding he hoped a final vote would take place in the coming months.

I hope Hong Kongs political parties will continue to work for the people, Lo said. We have always hoped to serve the Hong Kong people, and to do things that are good for society.

Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei, left, and Mok Kin-shing, vice chairman, speak at a press conference at the party's office in Hong Kong on April 13, 2025. - Chan Long Hei/AP

The Democrats move to disband demonstrates Beijings unwillingness to allow even the mildest of dissenting voices to be heard in Hong Kong, say analysts.

John Burns, emeritus professor at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), said the party had symbolized the promise of some kind of democratic development in Hong Kong, leading to universal suffrage as promised in the Basic Law, referring to the citys mini-constitution.

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A dissolution of the party reflects official Hong Kongs turn away from popular participation, locally accountable government, and increased transparency toward more authoritarian rule, Burns said.

Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said the Democrats move shows there are no more feasible ways for groups to exist as an opposition party.

Its self-conflicting for the government to suggest that nothing has changed, he said.

In a statement to CNN, a city government spokesperson said decisions by individual groups to disband or suspend operation are completely unrelated to the freedom or rights enshrined in Hong Kong law.

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Criticism of the government remains permitted in Hong Kong, however strong, vigorous or critical it may be, so long as it is based on facts, the spokesperson said. The Hong Kong government would continue to resolutely discharge the duty of safeguarding national security, they added.

No space for compromise

The Democrats had enjoyed relative political freedom following Hong Kongs return to Chinese rule, even holding more seats than any other party in the mostly pro-Beijing legislature until 2004.

The partys leaders were often the figureheads of major demonstrations, including an annual June 4 vigil to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre and a well-attended pro-democracy march held every July. (Neither event would be permitted on the Chinese mainland, and both are now effectively banned in Hong Kong).

But support for the Democrats plunged in 2010 after its leaders negotiated directly for universal suffrage with officials from Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong  a move seen as a betrayal by other pro-democracy groups.

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The party was then pushed further to the sidelines by the emergence of a new generation of pro-democracy leaders and student activists during months-long protests for universal suffrage in 2014.

Democratic Party candidates for legislative elections show thank-you messages outside the legislature in Hong Kong on September 17, 2004. - Martin Chan/South China Morning Post/Getty Images

Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong Chun-yu addresses crowds at a protest in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. - Geovien So/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

However, when anti-government demonstrators returned to Hong Kongs streets en masse in 2019, the Democrats popularity resurged as many of its leaders stood on the front lines of the massive  and sometimes violent  protests that rocked the financial hub.

Later that year, the Democratic Party was the biggest winner in local district council elections. But its participation in the protests also drew the ire of Hong Kong authorities and Beijing, paving the way for its demise.

The party made mistakes when it failed to draw a clear line between itself and radical separatists calling for Hong Kongs independence from 2014-2020, said Burns, from HKU. Authorities have punished the party, jailing and chasing out Democratic Party leaders.

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Over the past five years, the space for the Democrats to maneuver has been increasingly squeezed by Chinese authorities.

In 2020, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, introducing the maximum sentence of life imprisonment for four main crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

A year later, the Chinese government rewrote Hong Kongs electoral rules to require candidates to seek nomination from pro-Beijing groups, essentially excluding the opposition from elections. A legislature filled with Beijing loyalists last year unanimously passed a law expanding the scope of national security offenses.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government argued that the electoral changes had enhanced democracy and have repeatedly defended the security laws as restoring order and returning prosperity to the city. But critics say they have curtailed freedoms and had a chilling effect on civil society, including independent institutions and the media.

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Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at SOAS University of London, said political and social protests seen as challenging state security are becoming increasingly if not well-nigh impossible.

Many other elements of civil rights, including that of speech and organizing political parties have also been severely curtailed, he added.

Last year, five former Democratic Party lawmakers were among 45 opposition figures sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years after they were found guilty of subversion for taking part in an election primary in 2020.

National security police have also placed HK$1 million ($129,000) bounties on pro-democracy activists who fled overseas, including an Australia-based former Democratic Party lawmaker accused of secession, subversion and collusion with a foreign country.

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Meanwhile, the trial of media tycoon and outspoken democracy supporter Jimmy Lai is ongoing, more than four years after he was detained on charges of colluding with foreign forces, which he denies.

The Democratic Partys announcement last weekend follows the dissolution of almost 100 civil and pro-democracy organizations in Hong Kong in the wake of Beijings crackdown.

The party had tried to survive as a civic group in recent years but struggled to raise funds as multiple private venues canceled their events, often at the last minute.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Emily Lau said the partys move to disband was very sad.

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Weve been around for over 30 years, and weve got the support of many Hong Kong people, she told CNN outside court in February, before another former party lawmaker was jailed on charges of rioting during the 2019 protests.

I dont know what they are thinking in Beijing. We have demonstrated, not just words, but by action, that we are reasonable. We are willing to talk, to negotiate, to compromise, reach a deal and go forward.

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TAMAQUA  State Fire Warden Paul Kennedy was still onsite monitoring a brush fire on Schuylkill Countys eastern edge Friday afternoon when he was called to another brush fire on the countys western edge.

Back-to-back fires, occurring almost as if on a schedule, underscored the intensity of the current brush fire season.

While driving from one fire to the other, about a 40-mile trek, Kennedy took time to talk about the challenges presented by the upcoming brush fire season.

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Last year, we had a very late and unprecedented season, fighting brush fires into November, said Kennedy, who is based in Llewellyn. This year, we have an early season, fighting brush fires since February.

So far, there have been 12 major brush fires this year, he said, compared to two during the same period last year.

Conditions are ripe  strong wind gusts, relative humidity in the low 30s and temperatures in the 60s  for brush fires.

This is prime brush fire season, declared Kennedy, who said rain is not forecast until the end of the week. Were expecting to be busy over the Easter holiday.

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Fortunately, he said, quick responses of area fire companies have contained the fires to a few acres.

American Hose Co. No. 1 was first to respond to Fridays fire in a mountainous region above Tamaquas Dutch Hill residential area.

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Cassie Fritzinger, left, pressure washes a fire hose while Elaina Coleman, right, holds it out at South Ward Fire Company in Tamaqua, Friday, April 18, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

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Elaina Coleman works to roll the fire hose back up into the fire engine at South Ward Fire Company in Tamaqua, (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

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Cassie Fritzinger, left, uses a pressure washer to clean off a hose used to fight a brush fire while Kevin Miller, right, holds it up at South Ward Fire Company in Tamaqua, Friday, April 18, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

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Cassie Fritzinger, left, pressure washes a fire hose while Elaina Coleman, right, holds it out at South Ward Fire Company in Tamaqua, Friday, April 18, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

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An intense blaze devouring brush on a steep mountainside rained showers of sparks, one of the responders reported. Flames were 10 or more feet high.

Embers from the main fire spawned a second blaze a short distance away. For a time it appeared nearby power lines were in danger, according to dispatches from the Schuylkill County Communications Center. Authorities placed a plane on standby for a water drop.

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The fire was fed by stands of Japanese knotweed, a dense woody plant that burns quickly, said Kennedy, a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources warden.

It crackles and pops, he said. It sounds like a freight train when it gets going.

Flying embers from Japanese knotweed fires often spawn additional spot fires nearby, Kennedy explained.

Mark Bower, chief of South Ward Fire Co. No 1 in Tamaqua, said Fridays brush fire was fanned by 25 mph winds.

It was a fast-moving fire, said Bower, a volunteer DCNR fire warden.

American Fire had already put a good hurt on the fire when South Ward arrived with its wildlands and high water rescue truck, Bower said.

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The Weiser District 18 Type V engine is specially equipped for brush fires. Sitting high off the ground, it can access rugged terrain. It carries a 600-gallon tank and thin, light hose that provides the flexibility needed to access fires in wooded areas.

Firefighter Kevin Miller was greeted by flames and flying ash as he stepped from South Wards bush truck.

It was going hot and heavy, said Miller, 54, a safety manager who was responding to his first bush fire.

Responding to the fire were Tamaquas East End Fire Co. and companies from Walker Twp., Tuscarora and New England. Tank trucks from nearby Lehigh Navigation Coal Company provided water to firefighters at the scene.

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Afterward, as volunteers power-washed hoses at South Ward, Bower expressed thanks to the volunteers who responded to the fire.

Were blessed, he said, to have people that are willing to go out into the woods to fight fires.

Then, Bower issued this plea to the public: Please dont burn when its dry and windy. We would really appreciate that.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks to reporters as he leaves a news conference following a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on April 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

MANSFIELD  When DeSoto Regional Health System took out $36 million in loans last year to renovate a rural hospital that opened in 1952, officials were banking on its main funding source remaining stable: Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for low-income people and the disabled.

But those dollars are now in jeopardy, as President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress move to shrink the nearly $900 billion health program that covers more than 1 in 5 Americans.

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DeSoto CEO Todd Eppler said Medicaid cuts could make it harder for his hospital to repay the loans and for patients to access care.

I just hope that the people who are making these decisions have thought deeply about it and have some context of the real-world implications, he said, because its going to affect us as a hospital and going to affect our patients.

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One of the decision-makers is Epplers representative in Congress: House Speaker Mike Johnson, who lives about 35 miles north of here. He said he knows the Republican leader and his staff understand hospitals plight: The mother of Johnsons chief of staff is CEO of a rural hospital in the district.

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Ive never met a congressman yet that wanted a rural hospital in their district to close, and certainly Mike is no exception to that rule, Eppler said.

Last year nearly 290,000 people in Johnsons district were enrolled in Medicaid, about 38% of the total population, according to data compiled by KFF, the health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

About 118,000 of them are in the program thanks to the Affordable Care Act, which allowed states including Louisiana to expand Medicaid to cover low-income adults, many of whom were working in low-paying jobs that dont provide health insurance.

Louisiana ranks second in Medicaid enrollment, at nearly 32%  a reflection of the states high poverty rate. As Republicans weigh cuts, their actions could have dramatic consequences for their constituents here. Of the eight GOP-held House districts with the most Medicaid enrollees due to the expansion, four are in Louisiana. Johnsons largely rural district ranks sixth in expansion enrollees.

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Among them is Chloe Stovall, 23, who works in the produce aisle at the SuperValu grocery store in Vivian. She said her take-home wage working full time is $200 a week. She doesnt own a car and walks a mile to work.

The store provides health coverage, but she said she wont qualify until shes worked there for a full year  and even then, it will cost more than Medicaid, which is free.

Im just barely surviving, she said.

In February, Johnson pushed a budget resolution through the House that calls for cutting at least $880 billion over a decade from a pool of funding that includes Medicaid, to help fund an extension of Trumps tax cuts and his border priorities. Republicans in Congress are now considering where to make cuts, and Medicaid is likely to take a big hit.

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Defending the plan, Johnson said that Medicaid is not for 29-year-old males sitting on their couches playing video games.

Stovall said almost everyone she knows on Medicaid works at least one job. I dont even own a TV, she said.

Contacted for comment, Johnsons office pointed to his remarks at a conference in Washington last month. Were going to be very careful not to cut a benefit for anyone who is eligible to receive it and relies upon it, Johnson said.

Todd Eppler is the CEO of Louisianas DeSoto Regional Health System, which serves House Speaker Mike Johnsons district. Desoto officials were banking on Medicaid funding remaining stable to help pay for renovating a rural hospital. But those dollars are in jeopardy as Johnson and the GOP-controlled Congress move to shrink Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program. (Phil Galewitz/KFF Health News)

KFF Health News spoke with two dozen Medicaid enrollees in Johnsons district. Most said they were unaware their congressman is leading the Republican charge to upend the program. Those informed of the Republican plan said it scares them.

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Some GOP members of Congress want to eliminate the ACAs Medicaid expansion funding, which led to 20 million working-age adults gaining coverage and helped slash the nations uninsured rate to its lowest level in history. Forty states and the District of Columbia have agreed to the change, which promised extra federal funding in exchange for expanding eligibility.

In this heavily Republican district, where Johnson won with 86% of the vote in November, 22% of residents live in poverty.

Like Trump, Johnson says he wants cuts to Medicaid but hasnt elaborated other than saying the program should not cover able-bodied adults without imposing a work requirement.

Everybody is committed to preserving Medicaid benefits for those who desperately need it and deserve it and qualify for it, Johnson said at a news conference in February. What were talking about is rooting out the fraud, waste, and abuse.

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Medicaid recipients in Johnsons district, told about GOP plans to cut the program, said their lives are hard enough in a state where the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Without Medicaid, they said, they couldnt afford health coverage.

In Vivian, near the borders with Arkansas and Texas, close to half of the 2,900 residents live in poverty. The main-street shops are mostly shuttered, except for a thrift store and a mom-and-pop restaurant that specializes in fried pork chops.

Most everybody you know is on Medicaid here, said Doris Luccous, 24.

Luccous said she makes $250 a week after taxes as a housekeeper at a nursing home while raising her 2-year-old daughter in her childhood home. While shopping with her father  who doesnt work, because of a disability  she said she counts on Medicaid for her bipolar medicines and to pay for therapy appointments.

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I dont know where I would be without it, she said.

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Neither Luccous nor Stovall said they voted in the last election, and neither knew that Johnson is their representative in Congress.

Vivian has few large employers, and most employers pay the minimum wage, which hasnt changed since 2009. We are just stuck, Stovall said.

Still, she said, its a community where everybody knows everybody, and people are always willing to lend a hand because so many are in difficult financial circumstances.

Willie White is CEO of David Raines Community Health Centers, which operates six outpatient clinics in northwestern Louisiana that serve primarily Medicaid enrollees. He said that Louisiana already ranks among the worst states for peoples health and that Medicaid cuts would only worsen the situation.

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You cannot expect health outcomes to improve if people cant afford to access care, White said.

While the clinics provide primary and dental care on a sliding fee scale for uninsured patients, signing them up for Medicaid gives them better access to specialists and brings the health centers revenue to cover the cost of delivering care.

Willie White is CEO of David Raines Community Health Centers, which has six outpatient clinics in northwestern Louisiana, most of them in Speaker Mike Johnsons district. The states decision to expand Medicaid has meant that more of the centers patients have access to specialty care. White is concerned that major Medicaid cuts could harm patients and the centers financial health. (Phil Galewitz/KFF Health News)

Many of the centers patients gained coverage through Medicaid expansion. Afterward, rates of screenings for colon and cervical cancer went from 10% to 50%, White said.

But if Congress cuts Medicaid, the health centers would be forced to cut services, he said.

Mike Johnson has been here and knows us, and he and his office have been responsive about our issues, White said. The message in prior years was, We need additional funding, but now it is asking for no cuts.

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Community health centers, which in 2023 provided care nationally to more than 32 million mostly low-income people, have seen funding increases from Republicans and Democrats for decades.

Everyone is supportive, but the question remains what that support will look like under the current administration, White said. If there are to be reductions, they need to be done with a scalpel.

Expecting cuts, the health centers have already restricted travel and put a hold on filling vacant positions, White said.

Sitting in a David Raines clinic in Bossier City, Benjamin Andrade, 57, said having Medicaid has been a lifesaver since he needed heart surgery in 2020. Andrade is a chef and said he supports his wife and two children on $14 an hour.

He had not heard about any potential cuts to the program. Without Medicaid, he said, it would be very hard for me to pay for all the medicines I take.

Dominique Youngblood, 31, who was at the clinic for a dental checkup, said shes had Medicaid most of her life. Medicaid helps me so I dont have to pay out-of-pocket going to the doctors, she said.

Youngblood, who has two children, makes $12 an hour at a day care center. Asked about GOP efforts to scale back the program, she said, Its not fair, because it helps a lot of people who cannot afford medications and emergency room trips, and those are costs you cant control.

Dominique Youngblood waits for a dental checkup at the David Raines Community Health Center in Bossier City. She says shes had Medicaid most her life and fears what would happen if she lost coverage for herself and her two children. (Phil Galewitz/KFF Health News)

Back in Mansfield, Epplers hospital is more than just a health facility  its where many people in town come for lunch. The cafeteria was packed on a recent Friday as workers served boiled shrimp, fried okra, and baked fish.

Eppler said hes aware Republicans in Congress are targeting a system of taxes that some states, including Louisiana, levy on hospitals and other health providers to draw down more federal Medicaid funding. That money helps finance what are known as supplemental payments to providers. Some conservatives belittle the extra funding as money laundering.

But that money accounts for about 15% of the DeSoto health systems budget, said Eppler, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who has been CEO for a dozen years. We are using that money to invest in the next 50 years of Desoto Parish, to build a hospital that they can have that will be sustainable, he said.

The supplemental payments, for example, help pay to provide mental health services at three outpatient clinics. If that $4 million went away, we would have to limit services  its just that simple, he said.

This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF. Subscribe to KFF Health News free Morning Briefing.
CHEYENNE  Local resident Joe Ramirez has been organizing protests in front of the Wyoming State Capitol since Donald Trump became president for a second time in January, and they continue to gain both traction and attention.

On Saturday, an estimated 200 to 300 people showed up to protest the actions of President Trump and Wyomings state lawmakers.

Were getting people together who probably dont think they have a voice anymore, and so Im trying to provide the voice for them so they can get comfortable in spreading that voice, Ramirez said.

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At the No Kings protest on Saturday, Ramirez assembled several speakers to share their perspective with the attendees. He said he tried to get a diverse set of speakers from different political party affiliations and different generations.

One of the speakers was Matthew Snyder, the chairman of the Laramie County Democratic Party. He said while things will not change immediately after a protest, it is important for people to continually be present.

The reality is the divisiveness is not what moves the country forward, he said. We need to be positive, we need to be practical, we need to be real about a lot of this stuff. And I dont think thats whats been happening. I think weve been dealing in this alternate universe that I dont understand.

No Kings Protest

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Laramie County Democratic Party Chairman Matthew Snyder speaks during the No Kings Protest at the Wyoming State Capitol on Saturday in Cheyenne. An estimated 200 to 300 people were in attendance.

He said the next step following the protests is to organize around it and take action from there by supporting new political candidates.

Ramirez said he has organized a group called meeting of the minds, where he gathers with several community members after protests to discuss how to move forward and educate the community on how to take further action, including selecting political candidates and organizing town halls.

This is community action, this is activism, he said. So, we want to grow from that to getting involved in offices and running and supporting candidates. This is the tip of the iceberg.

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Another speaker was former U.S. Senate candidate and former Catholic priest Charlie Hardy of Cheyenne. He wore red pants and carried a red umbrella to protest the American military aid to Israel, as more than 50,000 Palestinians have died since October 2023 as a result of Israeli air strikes, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 31% of which were under 18 years old.

President Biden said if (Israeli President) Benjamin Netanyahu went past the red line, he would stop sending bombs and businesses to Israel. But nobody knew what the red line was, Hardy said.

He said another of his concerns is American involvement in Venezuela, saying the United States has been trying to overthrow the Venezuelan government for 26 years and damaging the country through trade sanctions. He spent several years living and working in Venezuela as a missionary.

You could get a college doctor degree at university in Venezuela for free. You could have medicine free. But why? Because with your money, the governments able to pay doctors, nurses, professors, teachers, he said. But if you keep the government from selling their oil, then they dont have money for that. So, this situation is tough in Venezuela, but its because of our sanctions on Venezuela.

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Hardy also acknowledged that change may not come immediately as a result of this protest, but said he has hope in younger generations to continue to fight for change.

Cheyenne resident Gary Peterson said he wanted to attend the protest to show Wyomings elected officials that their constituents are upset.

You cant afford to stay silent. Weve been silent too long. Enough is enough is enough, he said. Due process is a human value, and you and I both could be on the next plane going south if somebody makes a crazy decision.

Jessie Klein was volunteering at a booth for the Laramie County Democratic Party. He said he is a licensed psychotherapist working in health care in Cheyenne and is concerned with how the Trump administration is approaching health care for veterans, since it plans to slash 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs across the country, including some positions in Cheyenne.

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The federal system right now, theyre having objectives pushed to them that are not patient-focused or science-focused, which is incredibly alarming ... were basically making care for veterans worse, which is really bad, he said.

Another attendee, Jordan, was representing the Industrial Workers of the World labor union as an at-large member. He said he was raised in Casper and has lived in Cheyenne for six years, and has seen the seen the state and nation decline over time.

Our material conditions decline here. We have less buying power every year, marginalized people are further marginalized, he said. ... Thats the complete opposite direction, in my opinion, to actually resolving the crisis of capitalism, the crisis of what the working-class experiences on a daily basis.

Ramirez said he will continue to organize protests throughout the yea, and he hopes to draw more people out to let their voices be heard. The protest Saturday was one of the many No Kings anti-Trump protests that took place across the country, including in other towns in Wyoming.

There was one counter-protester, William Overling, who stood on the outskirts of the protest and spoke with some attendees about their political differences. One protester knocked his Make America Great Again hat off his head, and he called law enforcement. Police came to the protest and left after a few minutes.
More than 300 people filled Bellevilles Public Square on Saturday in protest against the Trump administration.

People local to Belleville, Swansea, Columbia and Waterloo joined others as far as Carbondale and Peoria in the pouring rain and thunder. They joined others across the country in a National Day of Action.

The Belleville protest began at noon and ended around 2 p.m., with a few stragglers remaining as the crowd dissipated.

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People coming out here in this insane weather shows that people are fed up, said Barbara Brumfield, President of Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women, who organized Saturdays event. Just look at the people who showed up.

Protestors ranged as young as children to those in their late 80s.

Tops among their concerns were feared cuts to Medicaid and Veterans Affairs. Concerns about immigration and environmental policies also were voiced.

We cant just sit around and do nothing, said Diane Giedeman of Belleville. This is the only way to have our voice heard.

It was the first protest Giedeman, 79, has ever attended.

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A significant theme among many demonstrators was the perceived lack of transparency from Republican Congressman Mike Bost who, along with other Republicans, has backed away from holding town halls and meetings with his constituents.

Theyre scared, Brenda Thomas, a co-organizer for the event, said of Republican officials.

They know people are unhappy but they dont want to choose between making them and Trump upset so they choose the one they serve.

Many motorists circling the square honked their horns and waved at the cheering crowd. Few hecklers made an appearance, save for one who flipped off the crowd and another who yelled get a job as he passed the crowd heading west on Main Street.

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Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women have been organizing protests for years, but have rarely had a turnout as big as Saturdays event, Brumfield said.

I think this is the biggest turnout weve ever had, said Brumfield. Usually we only get around 100. We had more than that on (the eastern) side of (Main) street.

Brumfield, who is a retired teacher, said Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women organized the event, but the nonprofit group is entirely volunteer based.

I keep hearing politicians say were just paid agitators. If thats the case, then where the heck is my check? she said.

Sam Brosh of Swansea holds up an American flag as rain pours on a protest at Bellevilles Public Square. Just seemed like the right thing to do, Brosh said.

A protestor holds up a sign saying Hands off Social Security! Medicare! during a protest at Bellevilles Public Square.

An umbrella displaying the words Trans lives matter during a rainy protest at Bellevilles Public Square Saturday.

A protestor holds up a sign saying Too Much to List Here during Saturdays protest at Bellevilles Public Square.

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Members of the Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women pose for a photo during a protest at the Belleville Public Square.

With thunderstorms affecting the protest, many demonstrators chose to write slogans on their umbrellas in lieu of signs.

Tom Nilges of Waterloo holds a sign against Social Security cuts along with his wife Sue during a protest at the Belleville Public Square. If Trump dont shut down for the rain, than neither will we, Tom Nilges said.

A protestor holds up a sign saying #DumpTrump during a protest on Bellevilles Public Square Saturday..

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Various signs and umbrellas with slogans against the Trump administration on Bellevilles Public Square Saturday.

A member of Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women helps direct protestors in sign placement during Saturdays protest.

Lance Erickson shouts at a supportive motorist as they pass Bellevilles Public Square.

Passing motorists showed their support for the more than 100 protesters on Bellevilles Public Square Saturday.

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A protester holds up a peace sign at a supportive motorist as they pass Bellevilles Public Square.

Demonstrators returning from Saturdays protest at Downtown Public Square pass by Judicias coffee shop on Main Street in Belleville.

A motorist gives a supportive thumbs-up as they pass by protesters on Bellevilles Public Square.

Shirley Gasparich holds up a sign saying DUE PROCESS is basic human rights! outside the St. Clair County Building during a protest on Saturday. Gasparich, 81, says Saturdays protest was her first. Its just appalling, everything theyre doing, Gasparich said. We have to get out there and let them know its not OK to just rip people off the streets.

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Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

On the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which kicked off the American Revolution, hundreds of Michiganders gathered outside the Michigan State Capitol Saturday to protest against the Trump administration and its actions, especially as they pertained to immigration. They also marched along the sidewalks surrounding the Capitol, joining protests taking place in cities across the country.

The sound of church bells around downtown Lansing coincided with the start of the rally organized by Stand Against Extremism, or SAGE, and promoted on social media, highlighting their call for freedom, equality, and justice, and their solidarity with nationwide protests organized by grassroots protest group 50501.

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Protests were also held across Michigan, including in Coldwater, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Howell, Livonia, Port Huron, Portage, and Troy.

As the first speakers took their positions at the entrance to the Capitol, hundreds more people approached the Capitol grounds with anti-Trump, anti-authoritarianism, and anti-Nazi signs and banners.

This is the anniversary of the beginning of the American Revolution, and the democratic rights that were established during that revolution, and later confirmed and developed in the American Civil War, are now under attack, said Tim Rivers, 65, a member of the socialist movement, during his speech.

Hundreds have already been sent [to the El Salvodoran prison known as CECOT], and now Trump is threatening to take American citizens and deport them to El Salvador, Rivers added.

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On April 17, Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, 20, was released after being arrested in Florida by federal immigration agents, despite being a natural-born American citizen. However, Lopez-Gomez was not the only U.S citizen who had an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Ramiro Martinez, a Mexican immigrant and U.S. citizen, was surrounded and detained by ICE in Michigan earlier this month.

Additionally, concerns about border patrol agents actions under Trumps policies have been fueled by emails sent on April 11, around the country, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to immigrants who entered the country using CBP One, a mobile app developed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with an American citizen in Michigan also receiving those messages.

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Around 12:30, the march began on W. Allegan Street and marched once around the Capitol, as protesters chanted against the current administration.

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

The purpose of our march was basically to defend our democracy. We wanted people to come out and express their discomfort with what is going on a national scale, said Daniel Pfau, 37, a volunteer with SAGE. I hope that people see this event is by the people, for the people. We didnt need a national organization in charge. We showed up, and we took care.

After the march, a series of speakers took the microphone to express their concerns to the audience. Among the speakers were community members, social activists, and elected officials who primarily spoke out against the federal governments targeting of immigrants across the country.

They are trying to distract us. They want people divided. They want to bring out the worst impulses in many peoples hearts, said State Rep. Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) during his speech. We need to think about all those folks who are going to church tomorrow morning and saying theyre okay with deporting people who are here illegally. Im a believer, but thats not what I believe in.

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During the speeches, support was given for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident the Trump administration erroneously deported to his native El Salvador, which was echoed and chanted by the audience in favor of his release and return to the US.

Abrego Garcia was arrested March 12 as he drove his 5-year-old son home, and was informed by ICE agents that his status had changed, despite an order that determined it was more likely than not that he would be persecuted by gangs in El Salvador if he were returned there,

according to court documents.

Although ICE accepted his deportation was due to an administrative error, and the Supreme Court of the United States later ordered his return, on April 14, U.S. President Trump and El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele announced in the Oval Office that they would not release Abrego Garcia.

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Toward the end of the demonstration, near the Capitol, on the side of North Capitol Avenue, a Trump supporter counter-protested, giving speeches and holding a sign that read God, put Trump in. This situation generated tense moments among the protesters, who approached to confront and argue with the lone counter-protestor.

By the end of the day, no acts of violence or physical confrontations had been reported.

Attendee of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

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Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Attendees of the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

State Representative Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) during his speech at the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz

Tim Rivers during his speech at the Protect Democracy rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 2025. Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Apr. 19ROCHESTER  Chants and honking cars echoed down Broadway Avenue as hundreds marched from Soldiers Field Park protesting actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration.

The rally, organized by Indivisible 507, was attended by an estimated 500 people on Saturday morning, April 19.

The event was publicized on social media as a rally supporting veterans and constitutional rights, but according to Linda Bradley, a member of Indivisible 507, attendees could protest anything.

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"There are so many things that are wrong with this government," Bradley told the Post Bulletin. "It's not a one-slogan rally."

The Rochester rally was one of over 600 events that took place across the country as part of the 50501 Movement's "Day of Action." The movement, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one movement, gained traction in February when protesters gathered in all 50 states to push back against the Trump administration.

The rallies continued through March, and on April 5, millions rallied at "Hands Off!" protests across the country  including hundreds gathering at Rochester's Peace Plaza .

To continue its momentum, the movement declared April 19 a "Day of Action." Over 600 events across the country were scheduled, including protests, food drives and road cleanups, according to the 50501 Movement's events page .

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"When people stand up," Bradley said, "it enhances other people's courage to stand up."

Rochester resident and United States veteran Anthony Floyd attended the rally to protest the Trump administration's decision to cut 80,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA provides benefits and medical help to U.S. veterans.

"The VA is in enough trouble," Floyd said while walking to Broadway Avenue. "We don't need more problems."

Before protesters began the march, Ani Bulbulian spoke to the crowd about the importance of immigration rights, scientific funding and climate change.

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Bulbulian, 21, told the protesters they will continue speaking out to "protect civil rights."

"Together, we'll keep fighting just like our veterans did for us," she said before leading the crowd in chants.

Between chants of "protect our democracy" and "not who we are," Rochester native Sabrina Thompson said Saturday's protest was personal for her.

Thompson said several of her loved ones were directly affected by cuts made to the VA and Social Security Administration.

The Trump administration announced its plans to cut thousands of workers from the SSA in March. The SSA provides benefits to 73 million elderly and disabled Americans annually.

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"I have a lot of older folks in my family that are affected by it and rightfully scared," Thompson said.

But, Thompson said, seeing the hundreds of people gathered on Broadway Avenue reminded her that she is not fighting alone.

"Our voice is not being silenced," she said.
Teachers are increasingly using artificial intelligence in their work  all while telling their pupils they can't do the same.

As the New York Times reports, educators and administrators are using AI for grading papers, tutoring students, and even analyzing their records.

For Rhode Island history teacher Jon Gold, using ChatGPT for lesson plans seems like a relatively acceptable use case, and tells his classes about how he uses it for transparency. But at the same time, he tells his students not to use it themselves for essays or research.

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"I am more pro-AI-literacy than I am pro-AI-use," Gold told the NYT.

Jennifer Carolan, herself a former history teacher who founded the AI edtech investment company Reach Capital, insisted when speaking to the newspaper that the technology "is already being used by the majority of teachers and students." That informal figure may be a bit inflated, given that a recently-published survey from the RAND Corporation found that only 25 percent of teachers admitted to using AI for teaching or lesson planning  but because those responses came from the 2023-2024 school year, it's likely that share has grown.

The tension between teacher AI use versus students using it seems to be even stronger on the administrative level. For Washington, DC charter school administrator Alex Baron, for instance, students who use a Alphabet-owned apps like PhotoMath and Google Lens are cheating  but his own use of the technology is, apparently, legitimate.

Baron told the NYT that he often uses AI programs to analyze students' academic and behavioral data and split them into targeted groups for support. Though he didn't disclose which apps he used, the AI-forward administrator and others like him have a multitude of options at their disposal. Software called Securly Discern , for instance, claims it can help administrators identify and support "at-risk students" by monitoring their online behavior  in short, by spying on them and reporting back to the principal.

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Regardless of whether they're using AI for good or for evil, students themselves aren't in love with the idea of their teachers capitalizing on the technologies they're barred from using. When asked by the NYT earlier this year how they felt about teachers using AI for grading  perhaps the most problematic use case because AI is constantly getting stuff wrong  several said they found the practice hypocritical and even insulting.

"If students are putting in work and effort, why should teachers be allowed to be lazy and let AI grade for them?" opined a high schooler named Aidan. "It gives a sense that, because I am older and I am your superior, I can use A.I. and you cant, which is not a good example for students."

A Sacramento teacher named LP, meanwhile, defended their use of AI.

"Teachers... have earned credentials and often multiple masters degrees," they wrote. "We know the generative skill of composition. If we can use AI to support grading, we can spend more time planning, prepping, and supporting students."

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Obviously, it's a contentious question  and one that isn't likely to go away as AI becomes ever more normalized.

More on AI and education: High Schools Training Students for Manual Labor as AI Looms Over College and Jobs
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi has expressed optimism on talks between the United States and Iran on Tehran's nuclear programme.

Both sides were "prepared to discuss concrete aspects with each other," Grossi told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper in an interview published on Sunday.

Talks between Washington and Tehran, which are being mediated by Oman, are due to continue on Saturday. The venue is moving from the Italian capital to Muscat in Oman for the third round.

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Grossi said he was satisfied with progress to date. "The talks really could have collapsed in this second round. Then everything would have come to a halt," he said.

"The risk was there. Instead the spirit of Rome showed it is possible to make progress," the IAEA head said without providing details.

The US and Iranian delegations broke up after four hours on Saturday without making recognizable progress towards resolving the years-long stalemate over Iran's nuclear capabilities.

Israel, the US and many Western countries accuse Tehran of working towards a nuclear arsenal, while Iran denies this. US President Donald Trump has threatened military consequences on several occasions.

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Israel is the only nuclear power in the region.

The 2015 deal which Tehran struck with the US, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, provided for the easing of economic sanctions on Iran as long as it severely restricted its uranium enrichment and cut its stockpiles of enriched uranium.

The deal was to be subject to a stringent inspection regime.

In 2018, during his first term, Trump announced the US was withdrawing from the deal and reimposed sanctions. Iran subsequently announced it had resumed enrichment. Trump is now demanding a new agreement.
Nearly a month after 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, the military has acknowledged that its soldiers made critical errors during the operation.

A summary of the internal investigation, released on Sunday by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), found that the troops fired on ambulances and fire engines operated by Palestinian emergency services in the city of Rafah on March 23 due to an "operational misunderstanding."

The report said three armed incidents occurred in rapid succession that day in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, with the one involving rescue teams being the second.

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The troops mistakenly "believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces," the report said.

The Israeli military recommended disciplinary action against senior officers from the reconnaissance battalion involved. The battalions deputy commander, who oversaw the operation on the ground, will be removed from his position after providing an "incomplete and inaccurate" report about what happened.

His superior, the brigade commander, will receive a formal warning.

The deaths of the 15 emergency responders sparked international condemnation. Initially, the Israeli military claimed the ambulances were unmarked and not using their emergency lights.

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However, two weeks after the incident, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society recovered a mobile phone belonging to one of the slain paramedics. Footage from the device showed clearly marked ambulances driving with blue lights flashing at the time Israeli forces opened fire on them.

The IDF subsequently launched the investigation.

In its report summary, the military said it "regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians." But it also claimed that six of the 15 individuals killed "were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists."
Nearly a month after 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, the military has acknowledged that its soldiers made critical errors during the operation.

A summary of the internal investigation, released on Sunday by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), found that the troops fired on ambulances and fire engines operated by Palestinian emergency services in the city of Rafah on March 23 due to an "operational misunderstanding."

The report said three armed incidents occurred in rapid succession that day in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, with the one involving rescue teams being the second.

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The troops mistakenly "believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces," the report said.

The Israeli military recommended disciplinary action against senior officers from the reconnaissance battalion involved. The battalions deputy commander, who oversaw the operation on the ground, will be removed from his position after providing an "incomplete and inaccurate" report about what happened.

His superior, the brigade commander, will receive a formal warning.

The deaths of the 15 emergency responders sparked international condemnation. Initially, the Israeli military claimed the ambulances were unmarked and not using their emergency lights.

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However, two weeks after the incident, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society recovered a mobile phone belonging to one of the slain paramedics. Footage from the device showed clearly marked ambulances driving with blue lights flashing at the time Israeli forces opened fire on them.

The IDF subsequently launched the investigation.

In its report summary, the military said it "regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians." But it also claimed that six of the 15 individuals killed "were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists."

These six men were not working as paramedics or members of the civil defence service at the time, said Major General Yoav Har-Even, who led the investigation.

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He also noted that no weapons were found in any of the vehicles.

Har-Even rejected accusations against the soldiers, saying there had been no executions and no one had been handcuffed.

He said the soldiers initially buried the bodies to keep wild animals away, but they made a mistake by demolishing the rescue vehicles.

He said no attempt was made to cover up the incident. Instead, international aid organizations had been informed of the location where the bodies were buried.
New patients have recently begun streaming into Del-Kar Pharmacy  an independent, 65-year-old drugstore in North Lawndale  after nearby Walgreens stores closed.

The new customers would be a blessing for many businesses, but for Del-Kar it means losing money on many prescriptions. The reimbursements the drugstore receives for filling orders are often less than the cost of filling them, said second-generation owner and pharmacist Edwin Muldrow.

He traces the trend to the rise of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs  companies that act as intermediaries among drugmakers, insurance corporations and pharmacies.

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Independent pharmacy owners have long complained that PBMs are part of massive conglomerates that have led to higher out-of-pocket costs for patients. They say PBMs steer patients to pharmacies in which they have a financial interest, dont reimburse pharmacies enough for medications and dont adequately pass along rebates they get from drugmakers.

What the PBMs have done to our profession, its wrong, its criminal, its unfair, and I just dont understand why they have to take such extreme measures to compete with us little men and women, Muldrow said.

After years of outcry, Gov. JB Pritzker has thrown his support behind efforts to require PBMs to change how they do business in Illinois. Pritzker has called for legislation that would prevent PBMs from directing patients to pharmacies where they have a financial interest, bar them from pocketing certain savings on medications and require them to open their books to state regulators, among other changes.

Pritzker said in his State of the State address in February that PBMs extract extra profit from patients through opaque and often predatory tactics.

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They are not doctors, but they work with insurance companies to deny people the drugs and treatments doctors prescribe, Pritzker said. Not only are they driving up health care costs for Illinois families by hundreds of millions of dollars per year, but they are also putting small, local, independent pharmacies out of business.

PBM backers, however, say the governors plans are flawed and argue that they arent to blame for high drug prices. Rather, PBM supporters say, they save patients and employers money partly by negotiating with drugmakers and then passing on those savings.

PBMs are the only check against drug companies unlimited pricing power, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents PBMs, said in a statement. Health plans rely on PBMs to administer pharmacy benefits that are affordable and meet the health needs of patients. Undermining and weakening our ability to lower drug costs will lead to higher drug costs in Illinois.

Nevertheless, the industry is drawing the ire of leaders across the political spectrum  a rare issue on which there appears to be at least some agreement between Illinois Democratic governor and his favorite political target, Republican President Donald Trump. The White House last week issued an executive order that aims to lower drug prices through steps that would include increasing transparency into the direct and indirect compensation received by pharmacy benefit managers.

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Despite Pritzker making the issue a top priority for the spring legislative session, his allies in Springfield have yet to introduce a formal proposal. Closed-door negotiations are ongoing, but key Democratic lawmakers said the involvement of the governors office should make the difference in getting a measure passed before the General Assemblys scheduled May 31 adjournment.

I expect we will pass the bill, I just dont know exactly when, Pritzker told the Tribune in a brief interview last week. Lawmakers and the governor remained tight-lipped, however, about whether whatever legislation emerges from those discussions would achieve all the goals Pritzker outlined earlier this year.

Working behind the scenes

PBMs began providing services in the 1960s, but it wasnt until recently that their power really grew, according to a Federal Trade Commission staff report.

Though many would be hard pressed to explain what PBMs actually do, the companies have come to play an increasingly large role in how people receive and pay for their medications. The three largest PBMs processed nearly 80% of prescriptions dispensed by U.S. pharmacies in 2023, according to the FTC report.

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In a nutshell, PBMs work behind the scenes, administering prescription drug benefits for health insurers, employers, labor unions and state and federal government health programs.

The crux of the debate over PBMs is whether they are saving consumers money or contributing to higher out-of-pocket costs for patients and the demise of some pharmacies.

PBMs have taken on a number of jobs. For one, they work with insurers and employers to help them decide medication coverage by devising formularies, which are lists specifying the prescription medications health plans cover and how the costs will be divided between the plans and patients. Employers and health insurers can choose which formulary options to use.

PBMs also negotiate with drugmakers to get rebates on medications in exchange for those drugs getting good formulary placement. In 2016 PBMs passed along 91% of drug manufacturers rebates to their customers  namely employers and health plans  according to a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

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And PBMs contract with pharmacies to create networks in which insured patients can fill their prescriptions. As part of these arrangements, pharmacies may accept lower reimbursement rates in exchange for being part of a PBMs preferred network, according to the FTC report.

The three largest PBMs are part of much bigger companies that are all listed among the largest 40 companies in the world, according to Fortune. CVS Health, for instance, owns PBM CVS Caremark, while Cigna owns the PBM Express Scripts and PBM Optum Rx is part of UnitedHealth Group.

Its a structure many have criticized.

The way the system works now is not a very well-functioning system, said state Sen. Dave Koehler, a Peoria Democrat who has been pushing legislation for several years to bring more regulation to the industry. Theres just too many places to extract money out of the system. It really ought to be between a doctor writing a script and a patient standing in front of the pharmacy counter, in my estimation.

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The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the drugmaker industry group better known as PhRMA, says health insurers and PBMs get billions of dollars in rebates and discounts that can bring down the cost of certain medications by 50% or more but that they often make patients pay based on the full price.

States can pass legislation that would require PBMs to share the rebates and discounts they get from drugmakers with patients, Stami Turk, a PhRMA spokesperson, said in a statement.

Fixing this part of the system and sharing the savings with patients would provide immediate relief and help Illinois patients better afford the medicines they need, Turk said in the statement.

We bring options

Critics also say PBMs engage in spread pricing, which is when they charge a health insurer or employer more for a medication than they pay a pharmacy for it  keeping the difference. And they say PBMs steer patients to pharmacies in which they have a financial interest.

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PBMs, however, say spread pricing can help save money for health plans and employers. With spread pricing, the employer or health plan pays a set price for a drug and if the pharmacys reimbursement rate for that drug is higher than that amount, the PBM absorbs that cost, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association said in its statement.

Ed DeVaney, president of PBM CVS Caremark, also said that using networks with fewer pharmacies is a option PBMs offer as a way that employers, unions and others who pay for health insurance can keep costs down.

We bring options, and the employers and unions are the ultimate parties that choose how they want to do it, DeVaney said. An unintended consequence of proposals like the ones being considered in Illinois is that they can mean fewer options for employers looking to hold down costs, he said.

We want to work with (the governor) to ensure any proposal that advances that truly lowers cost for consumers does not burden public purchasers and private employers with higher costs, DeVaney said.

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Many are agitating for reforms at the state and federal levels. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul recently joined 38 other attorneys general in sending a letter to congressional leaders asking them to pass a law prohibiting PBMs from owning or operating pharmacies.

Last week, in another sign of how the PBM issue has riled up both Democrats and Republicans, Arkansas became the first state to bar PBMs from owning pharmacies through a measure signed into law by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trumps former press secretary and close political ally.

Also, the FTC filed an administrative complaint against the three biggest PBMs in September, alleging they engaged in anticompetitive and unfair practices that artificially inflated the list price of insulin drugs. The FTC alleged that even when cheaper insulin products became available, the PBMs favored coverage for higher-priced insulin made by drugmakers that gave high rebates to the PBMs.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association said at the time that the average out-of-pocket cost for insulin has actually declined in recent years and, The FTCs action ignores significant progress PBMs have made lowering costs in the insulin market.

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That legal action was paused following upheaval among the FTC commissioners after Trump took office.

Trumps recent executive order may raise hope for action at the federal level to bring down drug prices, but critics remain skeptical.

Among other issues, Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough pointed to the Trump administrations reported steps toward imposing cost-raising tariffs on drug imports, while a memo prepared by top state health officials notes that the president backed off of tougher regulations on PBMs during his first presidency under pressure from industry lobbyists.

We will not believe their false promises and instead stay focused doing everything we can at the state level to help families afford health care and prescriptions, Gough said in a statement.

State Rep. Natalie Manley, a Joliet Democrat who is expected to sponsor Pritzkers proposal in the Illinois House, said shes hopeful the federal government will take action but wont hold my breath.

I think we need to be out in front of it and do the work thats involved in getting this done, Manley said. Protecting the people here in Illinois, thats our job.

Independent pharmacies feel squeezed

Many Illinois pharmacists say the practices of PBMs have made it difficult to stay in business.

Theyre just middlemen. They dont care for any patients. They dont dispense prescriptions except at pharmacies they own, said Michelle Dyer, who owned three pharmacies in central Illinois. All they do is take money out.

Dyer bought the three pharmacies in rural Carlinville, Gillespie and Bunker Hill in 2008, 2009 and 2016, respectively.

For a time, business went well. But then certain PBM fees began to soar and reimbursements for medications dropped, she said.

She said it costs pharmacies $12, on average, to fill a prescription, including the costs of paying employees, rent and utilities. For some medications, shed get reimbursed only 50 cents, she said, which doesnt even cover the cost of my vial.

In 2022 Dyer closed two of her pharmacies. She closed the remaining one earlier this year.

You try to tighten your belt, you try to see what you can do to streamline your services, but it was just a losing battle, Dyer said. As an independent pharmacy, as a small-business owner, you just dont have the power to deal with any of it.

But DeVaney, with CVS Caremark, said independent pharmacies are often reimbursed more for medications than chain pharmacies because of Medicare and Medicaid rules that require PBMs to have a sufficient number of independent pharmacies in their networks. CVS Caremark said it reimburses Illinois independent pharmacies, on average, 42% more than it reimburses CVS pharmacies.

Still, pharmacies continue to close. Nationally, more than 29% of retail pharmacies that were operating from 2010 to 2020 had closed by 2021, according to a study published in the journal Health Affairs last year. Many other pharmacies opened to replace them during that time, though not necessarily in the same neighborhoods, according to the study.

That study found that independent pharmacies were at greater risk for closure than chain pharmacies during that time, though the number of independent pharmacies grew slightly from 2018 to 2021 while the number of chain pharmacies declined 5%.

Such closures can make life more difficult for patients, especially those living in areas with few pharmacies.

After Dyers pharmacies closed, she said, one of her former customers told her it took him two days to get an important medication filled at a chain pharmacy. She heard that another customer simply stopped taking his medications for a time after one of her pharmacies closed.

Its not just small, independent pharmacies that are closing. Walgreens has been struggling for years, for a number of reasons including challenges related to reimbursements for medications. The retail pharmacy giant announced last year that it planned to close 1,200 of its stores across the country over three years, including in Illinois.

We dont want that to happen, said Koehler, the Peoria Democrat. So were trying to find out a way that we can help some of the distressed communities maintain adequate coverage in terms of their pharmacy needs.

Amid its troubles, Walgreens recently announced it was being sold to private equity. Walgreens does not have its own PBM.

Keeping costs down for patients

Advocates hope the legislation in the works in Springfield would not only help pharmacies stay in business but also keep medication costs under control for patients.

Across the country, 14 states already limit the practice of spread pricing in the commercial insurance market, and 17 states limit the ability of PBMs to steer patients to certain pharmacies, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association.

This legislation is important because patients and plan sponsors deserve to no longer be fooled and scammed by pharmacy benefit managers, said Garth Reynolds, executive director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association. They need to be able to have those maximum savings brought back to them at point of sale.

Advocates say legislation coming out of Springfield could help patients like Lequita Michelle Mayhew, 60, of Bronzeville.

Mayhew has multiple sclerosis and used to receive a monthly infusion of a pricey medication that her insurance covered, she said. But a little more than a year ago, her doctor said she needed to switch medications for medical reasons. The new drug was still expensive, with a list price of nearly $78,000 a year, but it cost less than the first medication on an annual basis, Mayhew said.

Mayhews insurance would not cover the new drug, she said.

I did research to find out, why would they cover a higher-price drug and not the lower-price drug? And that was due to the pharmacy benefit manager policies that they had in place, Mayhew said.

Luckily, Mayhew said, she was able to ultimately get the cost covered, not by her insurer but by a patient assistance program offered by the drugmaker.

She said she doesnt even want to think about what would have happened if she hadnt found a way to cover the cost of the medication.

If people are not getting the drugs they need, they get sick, or, they have to rob Peter to pay Paul to pay for their prescriptions and they cant afford to eat and cant afford to pay for their housing and their lifestyle, Mayhew said. If we cannot afford the medication we need were not going to have a good quality of life.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Rochesters first licensed dispensary hosted a festival to celebrate its first anniversary and benefit a local organization on Saturday.

Good Life Collective opened its doors to the community last year at 155 Monroe Avenue.

The inaugural GLC Fest will be held at Beer Park at 375 Averill Avenue from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event partners with the community to provide outreach and autism awareness alongside volunteers, other businesses, and local vendors as they celebrate this milestone.

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Campaign D to host autism forum in Gates

Organizers shared with News 8 that the Good Life Collective will donate $1,000 to the local organization Autism Up.

The organization provides support, resources, and programming for those impacted by autism in the Rochester area. Since its formation in 2004, Autism Up has served over 3,700 families, assisted by donations and community support.

The proceeds from GLC Fest will aid in the organizations work to improve the quality of life and opportunities for individuals with autism and their families.

Good Life Collective is also expected to open a third location in Canadaigua soon.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
TALLINN, Estonia (AP)  Journalist Ksenia Lutskina served only half of her eight-year prison sentence in Belarus after being convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the government. She was pardoned after she kept fainting in her cell from a brain tumor diagnosed during pretrial detention.

I was literally brought to the penal colony in a wheelchair, and I realized that journalism has really turned into a life-threatening profession in Belarus, she told The Associated Press in Vilnius, Lithuania, where she lives.

Lutskina was one of dozens of journalists imprisoned in Belarus, where many face beatings, poor medical care and the inability to contact lawyers or relatives, according to activists and former inmates. She compared the prisons to those from the Soviet era.

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The group Reporters Without Borders says Belarus is Europes leading jailer of journalists. At least 40 are serving long prison sentences, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

Lutskina had quit her job making documentaries for Belarus' state broadcaster in 2020 when mass protests broke out after an election  widely denounced as fraudulent  kept authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko in power. Trying to set up an alternative TV channel to fact-check government officials, she was arrested that year, put on trial and later convicted.

Other journalists fled the country of 9.5 million and operate from abroad. But many have had to curtail their work after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration cut off foreign aid, a vital source of funding for many independent media.

"Journalists are forced to face not only repressions within the country, but also the sudden withdrawal of U.S. aid, which puts many editorial offices on the brink of survival, BAJ chair Andrei Bastunets told AP.

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The 2020 crackdown

Lukashenko's brutal crackdown after the disputed election led to over 65,000 arrests between 2020-25. Thousands told of being beaten by police, opposition figures were jailed or forced into exile, and hundreds of thousands fled abroad in fear.

More than 1,200 people behind bars in the nation of 9.5 million are recognized as political prisoners by Belarus' leading rights group, Viasna. Its founder, Nobel Prize Peace laureate Ales Bialiatski, is among them.

Independent journalists have been swept up too, with outlets closed or outlawed. Lukashenko, in power for over three decades, routinely calls them enemies of our state, and vows that those who fled won't be allowed to return.

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The raids, arrests and abuse of journalists have been unceasing for five years, but now they have reached the point of absurdity," Bastunets said, noting that families of journalists are being threatened. Families of some targeted journalists have asked rights groups not to talk publicly about their cases for fear of further reprisal.

Every month brings new arrests and searches, with almost all independent media leaving Belarus. The crackdown even hits those who switch their focus to nonpolitical content.

In December, authorities arrested the entire editorial staff of the popular regional publication Intex-press, which covers local news in the city of Baranavichy. Seven journalists were charged with assisting extremist activity.

Extremism is the most common charge used to detain, fine and jail critically minded citizens. Even reading independent media that's been declared extremist can result in short-term arrest. Working with or subscribing to banned media is seen as assisting extremism, punishable by up to seven years in prison. Websites of such outlets are blocked.

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According to Reporters Without Borders, 397 Belarusian journalists have been victims of what the group deems unjust arrests since 2020, with some detained multiple times.

At least 600 moved abroad, the group said. Even then, many still face pressure from authorities who can open cases against them in absentia, put them on international wanted lists, seize their property inside Belarus and target relatives in raids.

Reporters Without Borders filed a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court in January, accusing Belarusian authorities of crimes against humanity, citing torture, beatings, imprisonment, persecution and forced displacement of journalists.

Beatings and isolation behind bars

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Katsiaryna Bakhvalava, a journalist for Belsat, a Polish-Belarusian independent TV channel, was arrested while covering the 2020 protests. Initially convicted of disrupting public order and sentenced to two years. she was put on trial for treason while in a penal colony and convicted, with her sentence extended to eight years and three months.

Her husband, political analyst Ihar Iliyash, was arrested in October 2024 on charges of discrediting Belarus and is jailed while awaiting trial.

Now 31, Bakhvalava, has been placed in a punishment isolation cell several times and in 2022 was beaten, according to a former inmate.

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, a former political prisoner who fled to Lithuania, told reporters she heard that four prison guards had beaten Bakhvalava, who was crying and asking for a doctor.

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Andrzej Poczobut, a correspondent for the influential Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza and a prominent figure in the Union of Poles in Belarus, was convicted of harming Belarus national security and sentenced to eight years, which he is serving in the Novopolotsk penal colony.

Poczobut, 52, suffers from a serious heart condition and was placed in solitary confinement several times, sometimes for stretches of up to six months, human rights activists said.

At the end of March, his stay in a punitive cell unit  the harshest form of incarceration  was extended for six months. Attempts by Warsaw to intervene have failed and Poczobut has refused to ask Lukashenko for a pardon.

Also imprisoned is Maryna Zolatava, editor of Tut.By  once the most popular online news outlet in Belarus but shut down by authorities in 2021. Zolatava was convicted in 2023 of incitement and distributing materials urging actions aimed at harming national security, and sentenced to 12 years.

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Parallels with 1984

Lukashenko extended his rule for a seventh term in a January election that the opposition called a farce. Since July, he has pardoned over 250 people, seeking to improve ties with the West.

Belarusian analyst Valery Karbalevich said Lukashenko "views political prisoners as a commodity. He is cynically willing to sell journalists and activists to Europe and the United States in exchange for easing economic sanctions and thawing relations. And this process has already begun.

Shortly after Trump began his second term, Lukashenko released two U.S. citizens and a journalist from the Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a U.S. government-funded news outlet. Two more RFE/RL journalists, Ihar Losik and Ihar Karnei, remain imprisoned and were forced to record repentant videos.

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Freed journalist Andrey Kuznechyk, who spent three years in prison, left Belarus for Lithuania.

The first day after my release, I looked at the list of journalists behind bars and I was shocked by how much it had grown during my imprisonment, he told AP.

Lutskina, the journalist who also fled to Lithuania, brought her 14-year-old son with her, saying he must learn to distinguish truth from lies. They both have read George Orwells dystopian novel 1984, which was banned in Belarus, and are finding surprising parallels with her homeland.

Belarus has turned into a gray country under a gray sky, where people are afraid of everything and speak in whispers, she said.

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Lutskina, who is being treated for the tumor that caused her fainting spells, said she actually felt less fear in prison than her fellow Belarusians outside it.

They walk around with their heads down, she said, afraid to raise their eyes and see the nightmare happening around them, she added.
The Trump administrations scorn of education is epitomized by picking Linda McMahon of wrestling promotion fame as education secretary. Her mandate is to abolish the Department of Education so there are no national standards. This will mean states have all power to do as they please.

Her incompetence and ignorance was illustrated this week as she touted in a speech that students would be learning A one. She thought AI, the acronym for artificial intelligence, was A 1, as in the steak sauce.

We are also seeing free speech at colleges being challenged by grant withholding and deportations. One of the first moves of a totalitarian government, left or right, is to attack education institutions so as to push false narratives. If we do not speak out, we will be complicit in losing democracy.

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Vince Keipper, Concord

Gun bill

Ive been a proud gun owner for over 50 years. I support the Second Amendment as both a right and a responsibility, which is why I oppose North Carolinas proposed permitless carry bill. This bill would allow anyone to carry a hidden, loaded gun in public immediately after purchase  no training, no background check. Its like letting someone perform surgery without going to medical school.

With gun sales in North Carolina up 112% in 2023, now is the time for more safety, not less. As a member of Giffords Gun Owners for Safety, I believe in commonsense laws that protect my rights and my community. Permitless carry removes safeguards, putting everyone at risk  including police, who largely oppose it.

More guns without training doesnt make us safer. It makes everyday situations more dangerous. North Carolina must reject this reckless policy and support responsible gun ownership.

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Malcolm Smith, Charlotte

Deportations

When an American is held by another country, this administration has negotiated and made deals to bring them back. But when this administration sends someone to another country that immigration courts have said could stay, its response is, Oopsie. The country said no. There is nothing we can do. I thought that only happens in those other countries.

Jeff Bassett, Charlotte

Medicaid cuts

Republicans are playing a cat-and-mouse game with potential cuts to Medicaid, and we should all be wary. House Republicans have proposed $880 billion in discretionary spending reductions, with nowhere to come close to that number without Medicaid cuts.

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Theyre disavowing any intention to cut the programs benefits by saying theyll root out waste, fraud and abuse. That sounds fine in principle, but in practice it wont get close to $880 billion. If they dont plan to make deep cuts or attack Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, why dont they just make that clear? Then we might believe them.

Jean Busby, Charlotte

NC Senators

When will North Carolinas U.S. Senators push back on the idiocy of Donald Trump. He is ruining our economy, our standing as the most stable global financier and our friendships with allies. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd need to go to work and get control of this guy. We did not elect them to facilitate an impulsive autocrat.

Philip Solomon, Charlotte

Gilded Age

I feel like this administration and its supporters are moving us towards the worst features of the Gilded Age. Rolling back child labor laws, which Florida is looking at. Replacing income taxes with tariffs. Patronage and cronyism in government. American expansionism. Little or no business regulations covering areas such as the environment, corruption, employee and consumer protection.

The concentration of wealth already exceeds that found in the Gilded Age. No wonder Trump admires William McKinley.

Jerry Simon, Charlotte
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)The Ingham County Health Department held an MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine clinic Tuesday afternoon.

The clinic was held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Ingham County Human Services Building in Lansing in Conference Room A, entrance #3 on the 2nd floor.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Ingham County Health Department, measles was detected in a 1-year-old girl who recently traveled outside of the state. This is the first case to hit the county since 1994.

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Possible measles case in Eaton Co., potential public exposure

Measles is a highly infectious disease spread through the air and via direct person-to-person contact. Infected individuals can spread the disease before noticing symptoms, and the disease can linger in the air long after an infected person leaves the area.

Ingham County confirms first measles case since 1994

If you have potentially been exposed to measles, officials say you should monitor yourself for symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, or rash for 21 days from the date of exposure. If you exhibit symptoms, call your local health department.

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Go to the emergency room if your symptoms are severe, and if you must seek care in person, call ahead to avoid potentially exposing others.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The American Civil Liberties Unions lead attorney described to ABC News the rapid pace of legal action that led to the extraordinary ruling from the Supreme Court early Saturday morning that blocks the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador.

Lee Gelernt said the ACLU began to learn Thursday night that the migrants could be moved from a detention center in Texas as early as that night, so they filed in the middle of the night.

We just kept pushing and ended up filing in multiple courts, and ultimately the Supreme Court, at 1 a.m. on Friday night, early Saturday morning, stopped the removals, Gelernt said in an interview with ABC News. But it was touch and go for a long time.

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MORE: Van Hollen: 'I am not defending the man, I am defending the rights of this man to due process'

The ACLU says migrants held in the Texas detention center received a notice and were told theyd be removed in 12 to 24 hours.

ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt appears on ABC's 'World News Tonight' discussing the Supreme Court's overnight order that temporarily blocked the removal of any alleged Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador; April 19, 2025. (ABC News)

Under the Alien Enemies Act, you have been determined to be an alien enemy subject to apprehension, restraint and removal from the United States, the notice reads, which was filed in court by the ACLU.

The document is written in English and says migrants can make a phone call, although it does say the notice will be read to the individual in a language they understand. It did not include any method to contest the order.

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The government is providing only 12 to 24 hours with a notice that was served in English that does not explain that people have the right to contest, nor tell them how to do it or how much time they have to do it, Gelernt said. There is no argument whatsoever that these notice procedures comply with the Supreme Court's directive.

The girlfriend of one of the migrants held in the detention center told ABC News he received a document that appeared to be the same one that the ACLU filed in court. She says he told her it was hard to understand.

She added that he said he and a group of detainees were taken to an airport near the facility on Friday and they were about to be deported. Then, he told her, once they arrived, an officer informed the group they were being sent back to the center and would not board the plane.

PHOTO: U.S. military personnel escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the CECOT prison, April 12, 2025. (Secom/via Reuters)

Gelernt said the stakes couldnt be any higher and that Kilmar Abrego Garcia -- the Salvadoran native living Maryland who was deported in March to a mega-prison in his home country -- isnt the only person who was erroneously sent to the notorious CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador.

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They're unilaterally claiming that people are members of a gang, but not giving them the opportunity to go into court and show they're not. And we know that multiple, multiple people have been erroneously tagged as members of this gang, but once they get to the El Salvadoran prison, they may never get out for the rest of their life, Gelernt said.

It's critical that we give them hearings before we take such an extraordinary action," he added.

Inside the ACLU's race to stop Venezuelans' deportation to Salvadoran prison originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Social media users are accusing President Donald Trump of photoshopping an image he posted of a tattoo on deported dad Kilmar Abrego Garcias hand that the president argued represented the MS-13 gang.

This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States, because he is such a fine and innocent person, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday. They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though hes got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles.

Trump argued that Abrego Garcia has MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles. / Truth Social/Donald Trump

The post included an image of Trump holding up a photo of a mans fist with four symbols, each accompanied by a tiny label: a marijuana leaf, a smiley face, a cross, and a skull. Above each symbol appeared the characters M, S, 1, and 3.

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Trump has defied orders from a federal court and the Supreme Court to bring Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Maryland father of three, back to America after he was accidentally deported to a megaprison in El Salvador without due process. Trump has refused, pushing the unsubstantiated claim that Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13.

Now, online sleuths are pointing out that both the labels and the characters were digitally added to the photo Trump postedthey arent actually part of the tattoo. They argue that by leaving that info out, Trump was trying to mislead the public.

 Trump has posted a fake picture of Abrego Garcias hand where they have photoshopped letters spelling MS-13 on his upper knuckles.



Here is the original.



Its spreading all over MAGA media. pic.twitter.com/sUXetaAvsT  Rachel Bitecofer  (@RachelBitecofer) April 18, 2025

Trump has posted a fake picture of Abrego Garcias hand where they have photoshopped letters spelling MS-13 on his upper knuckles, wrote user @RachelBitecofer. Here is the original. Its spreading all over MAGA media.

User @LindaIHiggins made a similar point, writing: Hey Old Man, @realDonaldTrump, have someone teach you about Photoshop. This is an excellent example of altering a photo, in this case to make your illegal actions look good. But instead you look foolish.

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Trump did not say that the photo had been digitally altered. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts request for comment.

Some users defended Trump, arguing that it should have been obvious that the letters, which were slightly misaligned from the characters, were added to illustrate the presidents claim about what the tattoo represented.

Others, however, have questioned whether the tattoo actually represents MS-13. The presidents rationale for inferring this seemed to be that the first letters of marijuana and smiley correspond to MS, while the cross represents a 1 and the skulls three holestwo for the eyes, one for the mouthconstitute the 3.
Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor who is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, authored The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant (3rd ed., 2015) and The Colorado Taxpayers Bill of Rights (2017). He is a contributor to the Heritage Foundations Heritage Guide to the Constitution.
Authorities have launched an investigation after a Lowell man was killed in a shooting.

According to the Middlesex County D.A., police were dispatched to a Cumberland Road residence around 11:10 a.m. to reports of a man who was shot.

Once on the scene, officers located 50-year-old Tige Dyer, who appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound.

Dyer was immediately transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

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Authorities are saying that initial investigations lead to this being an isolated incident.

Middlesex District Attorneys Office, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorneys Office, and Lowell Police are currently investigating the incident.

Authorities ask anyone with information to contact Lowell Police at (978) 937-3200.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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The BBC has a tried and tested playbook when it comes to managing a crisis. Prioritise reputation over transparency, announce a review that reduces the heat and hope that the storm eventually blows over.

It is now two months since the broadcast of the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which was quickly revealed to feature the son of a Hamas minister whose family received payment for his participation.

This journalistic debacle highlighted many failures in the corporations due diligence and accuracy when it comes to the Israel-Hamas war. Not least among these was the spotlight thrown on the BBCs decade-long policy of mistranslating the word Yahud as Israelis rather than Jews.

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The word Yahud is consistently translated from Arabic into English in dictionary sources as Jew, but when it came to its reporting of the Middle East the BBC decided it knew better.

On five occasions in the documentary, the BBC altered the meaning of Yahud, masking the racist nature of its use. In one instance, the translation of an interviewee who praised Hamass genocidal leader Yahya Sinwar for jihad against the Jews was altered to fighting Israeli forces.

In doing so, the BBC whitewashed the racist meaning of statements by Palestinians, as if British people should not be allowed to make up their own minds about racist intent.

Anti-Semitism was triaged by the broadcaster to make it more palatable and Palestinian interviewees more sympathetic, with attention deflected towards Israel. This really matters because to understand the Israel-Hamas war, the genocidal ambitions of Hamas and its supporters must be confronted head-on.

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When Hamas terrorists attacked families on October 7 their intention was not to kill Israelis. It was to kill Jews whether they were men, women, grandmothers or tiny babies. By failing to transparently translate the word Jews when used by Palestinians, the BBC has been withholding crucial information on a conflict driven by the well-documented racism of Hamas and its supporters in Gaza.

While an investigation looks into the many editorial failings in the documentary, the BBC pledged to address the translation question separately. It is not clear why two months later there has been no decision on such a clear-cut issue.

There is no doubt that the Arabic dictionary definition of Yahud is Jew. Speak to experts and they will tell you the same. A veteran Arab-Israeli journalist Khaled Abu Toameh explains: When I speak to Palestinians and they say Yahud I will write it in English as Jew. This is the accurate translation. If the BBC or any other media organisation are subtitling it as Israeli they are misleading viewers.

This mistranslation has deep roots at the BBC, where the rightful concerns of the Jewish community have been ignored for many years.

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The issue goes back to 2013 when a concerned licence-fee payer complained to the BBC about the mistranslation of Yahud but was met by a wall of corporate intransigence. On this occasion as on many others, the BBCs complaints system operated primarily to defend the broadcaster rather than transparently deal with the issue at hand. In making this ruling, the BBC institutionalised a decade-long journalistic policy, which meant that the racist meaning of statements by Palestinians could be hidden from public view.

This mistranslation is symptomatic of much wider problems in the BBCs reporting of Israel. Not for the first time did the BBC ignore racism because its target was Jewish people. Not for the first time did the BBC defend a serious failing in its Middle East coverage because it was more concerned about its reputation than factual accuracy. Not for the first time did members of the Jewish community approach the BBC with reasoned arguments but find themselves ignored by the institution.

It is not surprising that so many British Jews have deep concerns about the BBCs reporting on Israel when crucial issues of accuracy like this have been left uncorrected by the corporation for more than a decade.

For too long, the BBC has not taken issues of anti-Semitism as seriously as other forms of racism. The time for fundamental change is now, and there is no better place to start than on the Yahud question. Only a clear-cut translation as Jew can be accurate.

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The question for the BBCs director general Tim Davie is simple: who knows better when it comes to translation  the BBC or the dictionary?

Danny Cohen was the director of BBC Television between 2013-2015

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A deputy Israeli army commander has been sacked for ordering soldiers to fire on the 15 aid workers killed in Gaza last month.

A commander will also be reprimanded over an incomplete and inaccurate report on the incident, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.

IDF soldiers shot and killed medical workers driving ambulances in the southern city of Rafah on March 23.

After the event, the IDF said its troops had been conducting a vital mission aimed at targeting terrorists and had not known the vehicles were ambulances.

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The soldiers were accused of binding and executing the workers, then crushing the ambulances to hide the evidence.

An IDF investigation into the incident has now identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident.

The investigators admitted that there had been operational flaws but said they did not find any evidence to support claims of execution or binding of victims before or after their killing.

Credit: Palestinian Red Crescent

Such claims are blood libels and false accusations against IDF soldiers, the army said in a press release.

The army said three shooting incidents took place that night. In the first, soldiers fired at a vehicle which they believed belonged to Hamas.

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Around one hour later, the Golani reconnaissance battalions deputy commander ordered troops to open fire on five further vehicles that he believed belonged to Hamas.

The IDF said in a statement on Sunday: Due to poor night visibility, the deputy commander did not initially recognise the vehicles as ambulances. Only later, after approaching the vehicles and scanning them, was it discovered that these were indeed rescue teams.

The IDF maintains that six of the 15 Palestinians killed in the incident were members of Hamas. The Telegraph asked the IDF for any evidence to support this claim, but was referred to the investigators report, which did not include any information about the victims identity or alleged ties to Hamas.

A third shooting occurred 15 minutes later, when IDF forces fired at a Palestinian United Nations vehicle due to operational errors in breach of regulations.

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At dawn, the IDFs field commanders returned to the site of the shooting and covered the bodies to prevent further harm and clear the vehicles from the route in preparation for civilian evacuation.

The armys investigation concluded that removing the bodies was reasonable under the circumstances, but the decision to crush the vehicles was wrong.

In general, there was no attempt to conceal the event, which was discussed with international organisations and the UN, including co-ordination for the removal of bodies, the statement concluded.

The IDF also said that, throughout the operation, night vehicles and ambulances were allowed to move along the route without obstruction, since the forces did not perceive any threat posed by them.

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The army said it had also apprehended two pedestrians who raised suspicion before releasing them a short while later.

This indicates that the troops did not engage in indiscriminate fire but remained alert to respond to real threats identified by them, the IDF claimed.

The IDF faced heavy criticism after initially claiming that the ambulances involved in the incident approached without headlights or flashing lights, and had failed to co-ordinate their movements with the army.

The New York Times later published a video showing the vehicles were clearly ambulances with flashing lights when the shooting began, contradicting the IDFs initial claim.

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TEL AVIV  The Israeli Defense Forces faulted a series of professional failures and breaches of order in an incident last month when Israeli soldiers killed 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza, an event that sparked widespread condemnation and calls for an independent investigation.

In the summary of an internal report on the killings and a briefing to foreign media Sunday, the IDF said it regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians and announced that it had discharged the field commander leading the implicated unit and formally reprimanded a senior officer.

The report and the IDFs rare acceptance of blame were the culmination of a weekslong scandal that had heaped further criticism on Israels military just days after it broke a two-month ceasefire agreement with Hamas and restarted its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

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The controversy around the killings worsened after United Nations personnel recovered the bodies from a shallow mass grave near the scene of the incident on March 23, and cellphone video found on one of the corpses revealed serious inconsistencies in the IDFs original version of events.

Its like a chain of professional mistakes but with no ethical gaps, Brig. Gen. Ephraim Defrin, said the newly appointed IDF spokesperson, in a presentation to reporters Sunday evening. There was never any intention to deceive the public.

Some initial reports from Palestinian examiners claimed that some of the medics had been found with their arms bound. However, other Palestinian medics said there was no evidence that the medics had been restrained before they were shot execution-style, a claim the IDF also denied.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a statement after the bodies were found that the targeting of the medics can only be considered a war crime punishable under international humanitarian law, which the occupation continues to violate before the eyes of the entire world.

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The aid workers included paramedics, civil defense staff members and a U.N. employee.

Israel previously said its soldiers shot and killed people they considered to be terrorists who were advancing suspiciously. The IDF also claimed that vehicles that were approaching its position lacked headlights or emergency signals. At the time, Israeli forces reported that they killed nine militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

The military later walked that back after video from the Palestine Red Crescent challenged its version of events. NBC News reviewed video from the phone of a paramedic who was killed, showing an ambulance with its headlights and emergency lights flashing at the moment the soldiers opened fire. The vehicle was clearly marked with the insignia of the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Flashing lights from two other vehicles are also visible in the video.

The investigation revealed several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident, the IDF said.

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But the public report and the presentation, which retired Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, who led the presentation, said were conducted outside the chain of command, did not answer all of the questions surrounding the shootings. It did not provide evidence to back up the Israeli militarys contention that six of the 15 slain emergency workers were actually Hamas operatives, nor did it explain why the number of slain medics whom the IDF considered terrorists had changed.

The report and the presentation also left it unclear why one of the surviving medics, Asaad al-Nassasra, was detained by the IDF and still remains in its custody.

Alongside the report summary, Har-Even showed a video presentation that featured aerial surveillance of the early-morning shootings, including night-vision reconnaissance video.

The probe found that troops were hampered by poor visibility and that they misidentified ambulances and rescue vehicles as threats during a mission targeting Hamas operatives, according to Sunday's report. Har-Even laid partial blame on the soldiers night vision goggles for leading to what he called the tragic and undesirable result of a complex combat situation. The goggles limited peripheral perspective, among other factors, made it difficult for the soldiers to recognize the trucks as civilian emergency vehicles despite their flashing emergency lights, he said.

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Another strike on a U.N. vehicle resulted from a breach of operational rules, the IDFs report says.

The field commander in charge of the operation on the ground, whom the report did not name but whom IDF public relations officers identified as a major, was dismissed in part for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief.

The commanding officer of the 14th Brigade received a formal reprimand that will appear in his personnel file, the report summary said, both because of his overall responsibility for the shooting and his management of the scene afterward.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By James Mackenzie and Alexander Cornwell

TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli military on Sunday said a review into last month's killing of emergency responders in Gaza found there had been "several professional failures" and that a commander would be dismissed over the incident.

The 15 paramedics and other rescue workers were shot dead on March 23 in three separate shootings at the same location near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. They were buried in a shallow grave where their bodies were found a week later by officials from the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

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In a statement on Sunday, the military said a commanding officer is to be reprimanded. A deputy commander, a reservist who was the field commander, will be dismissed from his position for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report, it said.

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident," the military said.

"The fire in the first two incidents resulted from an operational misunderstanding by the troops, who believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces. The third incident involved a breach of orders during a combat setting," it said.

The military advocate general was conducting its own investigation and criminal charges could be pursued, according to the military.

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A video recovered from the mobile phone of one of the dead men and published by the Palestinian Red Crescent showed uniformed emergency responders and clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks, with their lights on, being fired on by soldiers.

Major General Yoav Har-Even, who conducted the review, told reporters that soldiers, from a special forces unit, had believed they were under threat after firing on what they initially determined as a Hamas vehicle but was in fact an ambulance. Two occupants were killed and a third was detained and questioned over suspected Hamas links.

The man was released the next day after further questioning.

The military says Hamas often conceals its activities amongst civilians and that there had been cases in the past where the militant group used ambulances to carry out operations. Still, it says soldiers are told to distinguish between genuine emergency vehicles and those used by Hamas.

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Military spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters the incident took place in a "complex combat zone" but was clearly a mistake by the soldiers and there had been no attempt to cover up the incident, which was reported immediately.

In addition to the two killed in the first incident, Har-Even said 12 people were killed in the second shooting and another person was killed in the third incident.

INJURIES

Red Crescent and U.N. officials have said 17 paramedics and emergency workers from the Red Crescent, the Civil Emergency service and the U.N. had been dispatched to respond to reports of injuries from Israeli air strikes.

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The military said in its statement that in the second shooting the deputy commander did not initially recognise the vehicles as ambulances due to what they said was "poor night visibility" and ordered troops to open fire on a group of individuals who emerged from a fire truck and ambulances.

In a briefing with reporters, the military presented drone footage of the incident which showed the unit of about 20 soldiers opening fire on a fire truck and ambulances from a distance of around 30 metres.

Har-Even said the soldiers had believed they were firing on a group of Hamas fighters and only realized they had shot paramedics when they conducted a scan of the site after the engagement.

Paramedic Munther Abed, who was detained by the military and later released, has said soldiers opened fire on clearly marked emergency response vehicles.

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The Red Cross said on April 13 another Palestinian emergency responder was being held by Israeli authorities. The military said on Sunday that he is still in Israeli custody.

The military has said, without providing evidence, that six of the 15 emergency responders killed were later identified as "Hamas terrorists". Hamas has rejected the accusation.

About 15 minutes after the soldiers opened fire on the group of emergency responders, the military said that soldiers fired at a Palestinian UN vehicle. The military blamed "operational errors in breach of regulation" for the incident.

"At dawn, it was decided to gather and cover the bodies to prevent further harm and clear the vehicles from the route in preparation for civilian evacuation," the military said, adding that removing the bodies was reasonable "under the circumstances" but that crushing the vehicles was "wrong".

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"In general, there was no attempt to conceal the event, which was discussed with international organizations and the UN, including coordination for the removal of bodies," it said.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell and James Mackenzie; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Clelia Oziel and Giles Elgood)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Sunday, a week after an arsonist motivated by anti-Israel animus set the governors mansion on fire.



Herzog expressed solidarity with Shapiro after the attack, which took place hours after the governor hosted a Passover Seder.



Shapiro told Herzog he greatly appreciated the call, a spokesperson for the president told Jewish Insider.



The man who set fire to the governors mansion last weekend said in a 911 call that he will not take part in [Shapiros] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.



While Shapiro quoted the Jewish priestly blessing following the attack, he stopped short of attributing the attack to antisemitism in an interview on Friday with ABC News and rebuffed a call by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to have Attorney General Pam Bondi investigate the attack as a hate crime.



Herzog was the first Israeli official to call Shapiro after the attack.



Ofir Akunis, the Israeli consul general in New York, sent a letter to Shapiro last week, saying that he was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the arson attack.



This appalling act of violence, carried out during one of the most meaningful nights of the Jewish calendar, could have resulted in a far greater tragedy, Akunis added. We commend law enforcement for their swift and effective response, and we stand in full solidarity with you and your family.




JERUSALEM (AP)  An Israeli investigation into the killings of 15 Palestinian medics last month in Gaza by Israeli forces said Sunday it found a chain of professional failures and a deputy commander has been fired.

The shootings outraged many in the international community, with some calling the killings a war crime. Medical workers have special protection under international humanitarian law. The International Red Cross/Red Crescent called it the deadliest attack on its personnel in eight years.

Israel at first claimed that the medics' vehicles did not have emergency signals on when troops opened fire but later backtracked. Cellphone video recovered from one medic contradicted Israels initial account. Footage shows the ambulances had lights flashing and logos visible as they pulled up to help another ambulance that earlier came under fire.

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The military investigation found that the deputy battalion commander acted under the incorrect assumption that all the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. It said the deputy commander, operating under poor night visibility, felt his troops were under threat when the ambulances sped toward their position and medics rushed out to check the victims. The military said the flashing lights were less visible on night-vision drones and goggles.

The ambulances immediately came under a barrage of gunfire that went on for more than five minutes with brief pauses. Minutes later, soldiers opened fire at a U.N. car that stopped at the scene.

Bodies were buried in a mass grave

Eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers and a U.N. staffer were killed in the shooting before dawn on March 23 by troops conducting operations in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Troops bulldozed over the bodies along with their mangled vehicles, burying them in a mass grave. U.N. and rescue workers were only able to reach the site a week later.

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The Israeli military said soldiers buried the bodies to prevent them from being mangled by stray dogs and coyotes until they could be collected, and that the ambulances were moved to allow the route to be used for civilian evacuations later that day.

The investigation found that the decision to crush the ambulances was wrong but said there was no attempt to conceal the shootings.

Mar. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, who oversees the military's investigations, said the military notified international organizations later that day and helped rescue workers locate the bodies.

The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has said the men were targeted at close range." Night-vision drone footage provided by the military shows soldiers were 20 to 30 meters away from the ambulances.

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The deputy commander was the first to open fire, leading the rest of the soldiers to start shooting, Har-Even said. The investigation found the paramedics were killed due to an operational misunderstanding by Israeli forces, and that shooting at the U.N. car was a breach of orders.

The findings asserted that six of those killed were Hamas militants  it did not give their names  and said three other paramedics were originally misidentified as Hamas. The Civil Defense is part of the Hamas-run government.

No paramedic was armed and no weapons were found in any vehicle, Har-Even said.

One survivor was detained for investigation and remains in custody for further questioning. According to the military, soldiers who questioned the survivor thought he identified himself as a Hamas member, which was later refuted.

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UN calls for accountability

Har-Even said the deputy commander was fired for giving a not completely accurate report to investigators about the firing on a U.N. vehicle.

The statement on the findings concluded by saying that Israels military regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians.

Without accountability, we risk continuing to watch atrocities unfolding, and the norms designed to protect us all, eroding. Too many civilians, including aid workers, have been killed in Gaza. Their stories have not all made the headlines, Jonathan Whittall, interim head in Gaza of the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA, said in a statement responding to the findings.

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There was no immediate public reaction from the Red Crescent or Civil Defense.

The findings have been turned over the Military Advocate General, which can decide whether to file civil charges. It is meant to be an independent body, with oversight by Israels attorney general and Supreme Court.

There are no outside investigations of the killings underway.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 150 emergency responders from the Red Crescent and Civil Defense, most of them while on duty, as well as over 1,000 health workers during the war, according to the U.N. The Israeli military rarely investigates such incidents.

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Israel has accused Hamas of moving and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency vehicles, as well as in hospitals and other civilian infrastructure, arguing that justifies strikes on them. Medical personnel largely deny the accusations.

Israel disputes ICC accusations of war crimes

Palestinians and international human rights groups have repeatedly accused Israels military of failing to properly investigate or whitewashing misconduct by its troops.

Har-Even said the Israeli military is currently investigating 421 incidents in Gaza during the war, with 51 concluded and sent to the Military Advocate General. There was no immediate information on the number of investigations involving potential wrongful deaths or how many times the MAG has pursued criminal charges.

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The International Criminal Court, established by the international community as a court of last resort, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes. Israel, which is not a member of the court, has long asserted that its legal system is capable of investigating the army, and Netanyahu has accused the ICC of antisemitism.

The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive.

Israels offensive has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Frustration has been growing on both sides, with rare public protests against Hamas in Gaza and continued weekly rallies in Israel pressing the government to reach a deal to bring all hostages home.

___

Follow coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Thousands gathered in Londons Parliament Square to protest an April 16, 2025 U.K. Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman that excludes trans women. The unanimous court decision impacts, among other rulings, a 2018 Scottish law requiring at least 50 percent females on boards of public entities, which had previously included transgendered females.

With concern growing over opposition to trans rights, activists and allies gathered in an emergency protest, as chants of Fuck J.K. Rowling broke out in the crowd on Saturday, April 19. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling reportedly helped finance the legal challenge brought by Campaigners for Women Scotland, and her first reaction on X (formerly Twitter), to reports of the protest chants was Only a thousand? #disappointed, followed by resurfacing a response to an older post that urged boycotting her books: I get the same royalties whether you read them or burn them. Enjoy your marshmallows! in reference to Easter Sunday.

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The protest happened on the heels of Warner Bros. announcing the adult cast to the Harry Potter television series based on Rowlings blockbuster books, which have sold over 600 million copies worldwide. Seven seasons, one per book, are planned, with showrunner Francesca Gardiner (Succession) at the helm and Mark Mylod directing some episodes (Game of Thrones). The casting of John Lithgow as Professor Albus Dumbledore has encountered some resistance to his being an American (previous Dumbledores have been portrayed by British actors Richard Harris, Michael Gambon and Jude Law).

Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlin numbers among the more public figures who have denounced both the ruling and those who championed it, a veiled but direct reference to Rowling, in an Instagram Story that has since expired and a follow-up post.

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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope appear to have made the first-ever direct observation of a star swallowing a planet.

Clearly the stellar host was the culprit of this gruesome crime. Acts of "planetary engulfment" occur when a star enters its red giant stage  as our own Sun is fated to do  in a period near the end of its stellar evolution in which it slowly cools and puffs outward, dooming any world it eventually touches.

But the astronomer's new study published in The Astrophysical Journal suggests otherwise. They discovered signs that it was actually the ill-fated planet that charged headlong into its own star, in an act of planetary suicide.

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"Because this is such a novel event, we didn't quite know what to expect when we decided to point this telescope in its direction," said lead author Ryan Lau, an astronomer at the NSF NOIRLab in Arizona, in a statement about the work.

Residing some 12,000 light years away, researchers first spotted signs of the star, ZTF SLRN-2020, engulfing a planet in 2023. The telltale was a bright flash of light that betrayed the presence of dust, likely the remains of a disemboweled quondam world. What's more, early evidence suggested that the star was like our Sun, and was entering into its red giant stage.

It was coming together. By all accounts, they had caught ZTF SLRN-2020 red handed, and decided to get a second look with the James Webb.

"If this was the first directly detected planetary engulfment event, what better target is there to point at?" Lau told Science.

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Using the orbital observatory's Mid-Infrared Instrument, though, they made a surprising discovery. The star was simply not bright enough to be a red giant, blowing the case wide open. If it wasn't a red giant, then it couldn't have puffed outward to swallow anything.

Instead, the team believes that the planet was a Jupiter-sized world that orbited close to the star to begin with, perhaps even closer than Mercury orbits our Sun. Disruptions in the tidal forces between the two bodies led the planet to be nudged inward over millions of years.

"The planet eventually started to graze the star's atmosphere," said coauthor Morgan MacLeod, a Harvard astrophysicist, in the statement. "Then it was a runaway process of falling in faster from that moment."

As it met its face, the planet took a chunk out of its star, too, blasting some of its outer layers into space with the impact. Eventually, the ejecta cooled into a ring of cold dust encircling the star. But the bloodstain pattern doesn't quite add up. In another twist, the researchers also found another circumstellar ring of hot molecular gas even closer to the star, resembling a planet-forming region more than it does the vestiges of a vaporized world.

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In any case, there's a lot for the astronomers to chew on. Is this what the crime scene of a planetary engulfment typically looks like? And is this a more common form of demise than the red giant hypothesis?

"This is truly the precipice of studying these events. This is the only one we've observed in action, and this is the best detection of the aftermath after things have settled back down," Lau said in the statement. "We hope this is just the start of our sample."

More on Webb discoveries: Fearless James Webb Telescope Stares Down "City Killer" Asteroid That Had Been Feared to Strike Earth
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett struggled to pick her jaw up off the floor after the White House openly mocked a Maryland dad the administration has wrongfully deported.

Who are we, where are we living, and who is running this country? Crockett said during a Saturday appearance on MSNBCs The Katie Phang Show.

On Friday, the official White House X account posted a Photoshopped image of a New York Times story and edited the headline to say that Kilmar Abrego Garciawho the Trump administration itself admitted was deported because of an administrative errorwas an MS-13 illegal alien who is never coming back.

Fixed it for you, @NYTimes.



Oh, and by the way, @ChrisVanHollen  hes NOT coming back. pic.twitter.com/VoAphh2ZPY  The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 18, 2025

One of my colleagues actually put this post up in a group chat, and I was, like, OK, this isnt real, right? Crockett said. Because [of] the level of childishness we saw in this post but also just the level of cruelty and the level of admission that weve seen.

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Last month, the Trump administration mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia, who is currently being held in an El Salvadoran megaprison. The Supreme Court has ordered the government to facilitate his return, but Trump officials continue to falsely claim that the El Salvadoran national is a member of the notorious MS-13 street gang.

This [post] will most likely show up in a contempt hearing, Crockett claimed on Saturday, further wondering who on the White House press team might have thought sharing the meme was a good idea or, at this stage, even if they really do care.
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois  JB Pritzker is at a political crossroads.

The popular, two-term Illinois governor would be a prohibitive favorite if he runs again in 2026.

But the fiery progressive Democrat is also increasingly burnishing his national political credentials, making high profile appearances across the country, using his vast personal wealth to bankroll Democratic causes and pillorying the divisive policies of President Donald Trump.



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Pritzker has strong views about what Democrats need to do to claw their way back from the wilderness after the drubbing they took in November.

Democrats shouldn't fall into the trap that they fell into in 2024 of responding to everything that the Republicans say, given the way they twist things, Pritzker said in a wide-ranging interview in his Capitol office where he signs bills. Republicans keep asking the question, Have you stopped beating your wife? There is no good answer to that.

But at the same time, Pritzker stresses, Democrats need to vigorously defend core principles, saying it was a mistake that Kamala Harris campaign never came up with an effective answer to Trumps attacks for her support of transgender rights.

Asked how he would have responded, Pritzker said: First of all, stop picking on the smallest minority of people whose civil rights are just as important as yours.  Trans children are most likely of any group to commit suicide. Why do Republicans have no sympathy for that at all?

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Pritzker is looking to execute a political balancing act when it comes to bolstering his political prospects both in Illinois and nationwide. That means speaking out forcefully on the most hot-button issues  immigration, tariffs, DOGE  while also taking steps to boost home-state constituencies like Illinois farmers and veterans.

His full-throated attacks on Trump are drawing attention from prominent national Democrats. Its a tactic that more party leaders should emulate, says David Hogg, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee who ignited a firestorm in the party in recent days with his pledge to fund primary challenges against some asleep-at-the-wheel Democrats in safe-blue seats.

Were in a moment  where some people are saying, We need to roll over and die and other people want to fight, Hogg said about Democratic messaging. JB wants to fight.



Outspoken on immigration

The governor and his staff spent months preparing for a November loss, even though they were hopeful that Harris would triumph, said Anne Caprara, who ran Pritzkers 2018 gubernatorial campaign and is now his chief of staff.

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JB is just a person who hopes for the best and prepares for the worst, Caprara said.

Pritzkers immediate post-election message was a warning to Trump and an assurance to the states Democratic voters that he would stand up for abortion rights, immigration and LGBTQ+ protections if they came under attack.

You come for my people, you come through me, he said just two days after the election.

On immigration, in particular, Pritzker has been among the loudest voices attacking the Trump administrations policies. Its a contrast from many other ambitious Democrats who have looked for ways to show voters that they support tougher enforcement efforts targeting undocumented immigrants in the wake of the election drubbing.

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Why is Donald Trump kicking out law-abiding, tax-paying people who have been here 10 and 20 years and raised a family here? Pritzker asked. Why are they picking on those people and kicking them out? If you had proper immigration laws, you would want them to come to this country. We need them to fill jobs.

Though Pritzker also has repeatedly said he supports kicking out criminals, his views on immigration have put him in the sights of Republican Rep. James Comers Oversight Committee, which has called him to testify next month on Illinois sanctuary status rules that forbid local authorities from helping with federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Sanctuary jurisdictions and their obstructionist policies hinder the ability of federal law enforcement officers to effectuate safe arrests and remove dangerous criminals from American communities, Comer, of Kentucky, said in a statement announcing the hearing.

The Illinois governor has yet to say whether he will agree to testify before the committee. His team has called it a partisan dog and pony show.

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As Pritzker ticked off his concerns about Trumps policies, he sat in the shadow of a wall-size portrait of one of the storied debates between Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen Douglas.



His attacks on Trump have seldom risen to those rhetorical heights. The Illinois governor has described the president as a narcissist," rich in stupidity and someone who behaves like a fifth-grader. Hes even invoked Hitler in describing the Trump administrations actions.

How he talks to the public, Caprara said, has been shaped in large part by what he learned during the pandemic, when he gave at least 85 televised press conferences on the spread of the disease and how to stay safe.

What we learned was that in times of really great uncertainty people value clear communication from their leaders, said Caprara. And they value communication that is not mealy mouthed or wishy-washy or obfuscating what actually is happening in the world. And so that is the world in which we've operated since November.

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Pritzker is now taking that message across the country.

Since March, he has headlined the Jim Owles Winter Pride Gala in New York City and the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner in Los Angeles. Pritzker has also taken center stage at Democratic Party events in Florida and Texas.

Next week, hes the featured speaker at New Hampshire Democrats iconic McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club dinner, a major fundraiser known for drawing big names ahead of presidential elections. And in June, Pritzker headlines the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner.

In addition, Pritzkers Think Big America has pumped in money to support progressive legislation and candidates across the country, including in red states. The nonprofit has so far put money into supporting abortion rights initiatives in nine states and saw seven of them pass in the past two cycles, including in Ohio and Montana.

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Abortion rights are broadly popular, and there are plenty of Republicans and independents who came out to vote for that issue and came to our side," said Mike Ollen, who heads the organization and is in Pritzkers inner circle, having served as campaign manager for his 2022 gubernatorial run.



Pritzker, whose family built the Hyatt Hotel empire, has also donated millions of dollars to races across the country, including $1.5 million to the winning Democrat-aligned candidate in last months high-profile Wisconsin Supreme Court race.

The governors rising national profile has hit a nerve with Illinois Republicans who see it as political grandstanding and a distraction from the mess in Illinois, according to state party Chair Kathy Salvi, referring to the states projected $3 billion-plus budget deficit. She uses Pritzkers speaking engagements as a foil to rally members in her weekly email.

Pritzkers largesse at the taxpayers trough drives the good people, families and business out of our beloved Illinois, Salvi added in a statement to POLITICO. He is crushing us. Save America from JB Pritzker.

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Pritzker says his speaking engagements shouldnt be read as a lead-up to a presidential campaign. All those national TV hits attacking Trump, he insists, are really an effort to bring attention to his state, highlighting the negative impact of Trumps tariffs and federal government cuts on his constituents.

The more that I can help stoke that, the better it is for farmers here in Illinois, he said.

Touting Illinois accomplishments

Pritzker and his team like to remind critics of the economic chaos they inherited when he took office. A nearly two-year budget standoff between his predecessor and the Legislature sent bond ratings careening toward junk level.

Pritzker ran on an ambitious agenda and accomplished much of what he wanted in his first term, including raising the minimum wage, further protecting reproductive rights, legalizing cannabis  and getting the states finances back in order.

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In his office across from the Lincoln portrait is a sign that Pritzker likes to highlight to visitors. It's a headline: Illinois credit rating upgraded: Moodys upgrade is states first in two decades.

But he seldom speaks in public without criticizing the White House. In Springfield last week, Pritzker poked at the Trump administration on economic issues even while speaking to a few hundred high school members of the Future Farmers of America.



The harsh cuts to USDA programs proposed by DOGE and the tariffs that the president put in place are already taking their toll on our rural communities, Pritzker said.

He went on to take questions from the statehouse press corps and then joined some Republican state lawmakers to reveal the winner of the Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. It was the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump that was actually used to help fight the recent Los Angeles wildfires. In the evening, Pritzker hosted state lawmakers and rabbis for a Passover Seder.

The Pritzker-Trump tension goes back to the 1990s, when the Pritzker family battled Trump in court over New York hotel properties. It festered through the 2016 election when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton and then metastasized during Covid.

Illinois hospitals were full and people were dying, so the Democratic governor swallowed his pride and got on the line with Trump  billionaire to billionaire  to ask for help in securing N95 masks and ventilators, he tells audiences, most recently on The View.

Trump agreed, but only if Pritzker would go on the national Sunday talk shows and praise him. It was a vain request, but Pritzker, who purses his lips when he retells the story, acquiesced, saying he was desperate. When only loose-fitting masks and broken BiPAP breathing machines arrived, Pritzker fumed about being short-changed.

He never delivered for us, Pritzker said. He never delivered for the American people.




VATICAN CITY (AP)  U.S. Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings, after they got into a long-distance tangle over the Trump administration's migrant deportation plans.

Francis, who is recovering from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia, received Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lives. The 88-year-old pope offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance's three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

I know you have not been feeling great but it's good to see you in better health, Vance told the pope. Thank you for seeing me.

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Vances motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St. Peters Square. Francis had delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

The Vatican said they met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta to exchange Easter greetings.

Vance's office said the vice president expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family."

I pray for you every day, Vance said as he bid Francis farewell. God bless you.

In all, Vances motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes. The vice president later joined his family for Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four pontifical basilicas in Rome. The Vances visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul that is said to be located there.

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Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, and the pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

Just days before he was hospitalized in February, Francis blasted the deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity. In a letter to U.S. bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Vance has acknowledged Francis criticism but has said he will continue to defend his views. During a Feb. 28 appearance at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Vance didnt address the issue specifically but called himself a baby Catholic and acknowledged there are things about the faith that I dont know.

Vance met Saturday with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

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Vances office said he and Parolin discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace.

The Vatican, for its part, said there was an exchange of opinions including over migrants and refugees and current conflicts.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality. It has expressed alarm over the administrations crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

___

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.
VATICAN CITY  Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings, after they got into a long-distance tangle over the Trump administrations migrant deportation plans.

Vances motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate and parked near Francis hotel residence while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St. Peters Square. Francis, who has greatly cut back his workload to recover from a near-fatal case of pneumonia, delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

The Vatican said they met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta to exchange Easter greetings. Vances office said that they met, but provided no further details. In all, Vances motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes.

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Vance and the pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

Just days before he was hospitalized in February, Francis blasted the Trump administrations deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity. In a letter to U.S. bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Vance has acknowledged Francis criticism but has said he will continue to defend his views. During a Feb. 28 appearance at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Vance didnt address the issue specifically but called himself a baby Catholic and acknowledged there are things about the faith that I dont know.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, on Saturday.

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Vances office said he and Parolin discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace.

The Vatican, for its part, said there was an exchange of opinions including over migrants and refugees and current conflicts.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality. It has expressed alarm over the administrations crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.




House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called out President Donald Trump for not addressing Americans economic needs.

Well, this week, we'll be having a cost of living week of action, and we have to continue to talk to the American people about our plans," Jeffries told ABC News' This Week co-anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday. "We recognize that housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too high, insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Now, Donald Trump is the president. And in terms of his approval as it relates to the economy, it was his biggest strength on January 20th. Now, it's his greatest weakness."

Jeffries also refuted recent Gallup poll findings that found Americans trust in Democratic leadership to fix economic issues is much lower than that of GOP leaders.

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MORE: David Hogg-run group announces $20M initiative to support primary challengers to House Democrats

There are a variety of different polls that are out there, including most recently a Morning Consult poll, that showed that congressional Democrats were actually trusted more than congressional Republicans on the economy for the first time in four years," Jeffries said. "We're going to continue to press our case on the economy, continue to press our case on protecting and strengthening Social Security, which is what we are committed to do. Republicans are trying to detonate Social Security as we know it. And certainly, we're going to protect the healthcare of the American people.

PHOTO: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks with ABC News while appearing on 'This Week' April 20, 2025. (ABC News)

Here are more highlights from Jeffries interview:

On the future of the Democratic Party

Karl: I saw Senator [Bernie] Sanders had said in an interview this week that he was skeptical of Kamala Harris, and he mentioned Joe Biden as well -- and having a future in the national Democratic Party. He said, quote: "I think the future of the Democratic Party is not going to rest with the kind of leadership that we've had."

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Is he right? Do you think Democrats are looking for new leaders?

Jeffries: I think what we've got in front of us in terms of politically is that we have to win the races that are up next. That's a governor's race in New Jersey and a governor's race in Virginia. Those two in November are going to be critically important, and we certainly have to win back control of the House of Representatives next year. Now, we're pushing back in the Congress. We're pushing back in the courts, and we're pushing back in the communities, including wherever there are special elections on the campaign trail. And, in fact, Democrats are winning special elections month after month after month, including most recently a decisive one in Wisconsin earlier this month for the state Supreme Court.

On David Hoggs challenging Democratic safe seats

Karl: David Hogg, who I know you know, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, he's going to be joining us on the roundtable, and he is pursuing this effort to unseat some Democrats in safe seats through primary challenges. He's talked about a culture of seniority politics that is not working for the party. He said, quote: We need a better Democratic Party and need to get rid of the Democrats in safe seats who do not understand what is at stake now, who are asleep at the wheel not meeting the moment, and are a liability now into the future of our party. What's your response to this idea of targeting your Dem -- some of your Democratic incumbents?

Jeffries: Well, I look forward to standing behind every single Democratic incumbent, from the most progressive, to the most centrist, and all points in between. They're working hard in their communities, rising to the occasion this past week. We had, of course, Medicaid Matters Day of Action, a save Social Security Day of Action, and we have to continue to do all of the things -- rallies, town hall meetings in Democratic districts, town hall meetings in Republican districts, days of action, telephone town hall meetings, site visits, press conferences. We are in a more is more environment and more is going to continue to be required of all of us. Now, the House is the institution that is known to be -- was built to be the closest to the American people. That's why we have elections every two years. Primaries are a fact of life.

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But here's the thing: I'm going to really focus on trying to defeat Republican incumbents so we can take back control of the House of Representatives and begin the process of ending this national nightmare that's being visited upon us by far-right extremism.

Jeffries: Trump's economic policy is 'his greatest weakness' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A former aide to Jill Biden has warned the former first lady and former President Joe Biden to stay out of politics for the sake of the Democratic Party.

Michael LaRosa, who served as Jill Bidens communications director, was critical of the former presidents decision to return to the public eye after he made a speech tearing into the Trump administration last week.

If they had advisers who had their hand on the pulse of the Democratic Party or national politics, they would have understood the intense level of anger or indifference to them that remains inside our party and isnt going away anytime soon, LaRosa said in a recent interview withThe Hill.

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I love both Bidens dearly, but staff loyalty means there is a responsibility to provide them with an honest situational awareness, especially when it comes to their public image, no matter how hurtful it is to hear, LaRosa added.

A former aide of Jill Biden has warned the former first lady and Joe Biden to stay out of politics. Her former communications director, Michael LaRosa, made the candid comments in a recent interview (Getty Images)

Joe Biden made his first public address Tuesday since he left the White House in January.

LaRosa said the timing of Bidens return was a lovely gift for the White House, as President Donald Trump was on the defense after heavy scrutiny over his escalating trade war.

Bidens reemergence, while it changed very little in the news cycle, provided a detour for the president to distract his cadre of supporters with Biden taunts and blame, giving Fox News nearly 48 hours of fresh new programming, taking editorial aim at the former president instead of the current one, LaRosa told the outlet.

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Bidens popularity when he left office was low and the former president has not fared better in the most recent polling. His net favorability rating among Americans is -19 points compared to -6 for Trump, according to YouGov.

Biden spoke to the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disableds national conference last week in what was his public address since leaving office. He attacked Trump and Republicans over Social Security and Medicare (AP)

Its a heartbreaking and tragic ending to their time in public life, but its also the truth, and they should index the political realities into their decision making, LaRosa said.

In a speech to the Advocates, Counselors, and Representatives for the Disableds national conference last Tuesday, Biden warned about preserving Social Security from Republican attacks.

They want to wreck it, so they can rob it, he said. Biden also criticized Republicans for trying to cut not just Social Security, but Medicaid.

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His address follows Democrats attempts to recover from their brutal election loss, where Republicans not only regained the White House but also control of the Senate.

YouGovs polling suggested that former president Barack Obama was the most popular well-known politician in the U.S., with a net favorability rating of +22. Other popular figures included independent Vermont senator Bernie Sanders (+12) and Republican former housing secretary Ben Carson (+6). The least popular in the poll were former Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell (-45), former vice president Dick Cheney (-32), Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (-31) and former New York governor and New York City mayor hopeful Andrew Cuomo (-30).
PLATTSBURGH  The Town of Plattsburghs Battlefield Memorial Gateway project just got a $300,000 boost in funding before it advances construction on phase two this year.

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateauguay Lake), who was critical in getting funding for phase one of the project, secured the substantial support once again.

Ive fallen in love with this project, Jones said at a news conference at the Plattsburgh Town Hall Friday.

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Any time you can bring an attraction to a region that honors our significant historical past, as well as thanking and honoring our veterans past and present, I think its a home run.

The Battlefield Memorial Gateway or BMG, located off Route 9 on the shores of Lake Champlain just south of the City of Plattsburgh, will be a premier veterans park dedicated to the areas rich history and will connect generations new and old when its completed.

PHASES

The project first launched in 2017 and it was planned to be rolled out in phases.

Phase one was completed in the fall of 2023 and included the outline of the park area and the Purple Heart Community walking trail, which is connected with the City of Plattsburghs Terry Gordon Bike Path.

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Phase 2 will focus on completing Remembrance Plaza, which, among many of its features, will include medallions to represent each branch of the armed services, and is expected to be completed by the Battle of Valcour Islands 250th anniversary in October of next year.

This space is meant to be an elevated premier space thats going to last generations, Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman said about Remembrance Plaza.

The town is sending out construction bids May 8.

However, Cashman said the Trump Administrations proposed tariffs have left them with some uncertainty.

We have recalibrated products in the face of the developing tariffs. Everything from the type of stone to the types of metals and other materials to build this, he said.

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We, in theory, could get back some bids that we cannot afford. Thats just the reality of the situation  What weve really tried to do is be very, very strategic so that we can continue to advance this project.

RAISING MONEY

The first way is getting the message out that the BMG project still needs plenty of donations from the community.

The full cost of the project will be around $6 million and Cashman said they have spent upwards of approximately $2 million so far.

We are calling upon our community to support this largely veteran-led program. Cash is king, unfortunately. Its the most flexible way for us to be able to address the needs of this project and the many amenities that are represented in the project, he said.

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But what we have done in a very creative fashion is weve taken the Remembrance Plaza, for example, and weve identified key features, key items that if there are individuals in our community that they would like to sponsor, underwrite or provide direct resources, like stone material, they could provide just that material. If they wanted to provide benches, they could provide just benches  its not just cash donations that were looking for.

Cashman said donating items that can be raffled off are another option for those looking to contribute to the project in a non-monetary way. One person donated a camper, another donated a painting, he said as an example.

This summers inaugural Michigan Fest on Aug. 2, will also be a big fundraiser for the BMG.

Theres lots and lots of ways to support the Battlefield Memorial Gateway  we have a lot to celebrate, Cashman said.

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BREAKING GROUND

The town is hoping to break ground on phase two late this summer.

Im hoping that by the end of May, well have a better position of where were going to go, Cashman said.

Then, like we did with phase one, (break ground) late summer, early fall, and kind of plug away at it. Phase one was a great model for us. We proved to the public that as long as the money, the resources and partnerships are there, we can make speedy work of it. There was a very quick turnaround from the time that we had shovels on the ground in phase one to the completion of the baseline infrastructure.

PHASE THREE

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Phase three will encompass construction on the waterfront and the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base jetties.

Thats the biggest, heftiest lift out of all of them, because well have to work with numerous agencies for waterfront development, Cashman said.

John Rock, a member of the Battlefield Memorial Gateway Committee, said the Battlefield Memorial Gateway has always been a dream of his.

This new Battlefield Memorial Gateway project is going to help educate our young and also help connect with the community, he said.

Our veterans will be down here walking around and talking, and this should be able to give them a chance to interact with our students, our younger generation and be able to have them come up to ask them questions about what its like to serve and protect our country. Our freedoms arent free, and its come at a high cost.
The North Carolina Senate has passed its budget bill, and four Democrats voted with Republicans on it. One Republican voted against it.

This isnt the first time Democrats have voted for a Republican-written budget proposal, either because they liked what was in it for their respective districts, or, and this is more likely, they wanted a seat at the table when the final budget is decided.

The test for Democratic Gov. Josh Stein will be how he and those Senate Democrats work together to push for what they want in the final budget.

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Good morning and welcome to the governor edition of our Under the Dome newsletter. Im Dawn Vaughan, the Capitol bureau chief.

Gov. Josh Stein is greeted by House Speaker Destin Hall, and Senate leader Phil Berger before delivering his State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in the House chamber of the Legislative Building.

Will Stein find a way to punish Democrats for voting the way they want to, as Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper did, or does he work with those moderate Democrats, and Republicans, to get a final budget hell sign?

Among the four: the former longtime leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus and North Carolinas first Black House speaker: Sen. Dan Blue. You can read more about the Democrats who broke away for the vote from my colleague Avi Bajpai.

One moderate former Senate Democrat who voted on occasion with Republicans was ousted after Cooper endorsed his primary opponent. That was in 2022, when Sen. Kirk deViere lost to now-Sen. Val Applewhite, who went on to win the general election. Applewhite didnt become a guaranteed yes-vote for Cooper, though; she sometimes voted with Republicans.

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DeViere was part of a bloc of four moderate Senate Democrats four years ago that also included Sen. Paul Lowe, then-Sen. Ben Clark and then-Sen. Don Davis. Davis left the Senate to run for Congress, and was successful, while Clark ran for Congress and lost. Just Lowe remains, and he joined Blue, Sen. Gladys Robinson and Sen. Joyce Waddell in voting for the Republicans Senate budget bill this past week.

Blue was replaced as minority leader by Sen. Sydney Batch after she received the most votes in the Senate Democratic Caucus election.

Blue, however, remains in the Senate, and he kept his office in the Legislative Building. Office assignments are controlled by Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Destin Hall.

When Senate Republicans budget became public Monday night, I asked Steins office if he had a response. Stein held off commenting until Wednesday, just ahead of the Senates vote. Stein, who wanted to freeze planned tax cuts, said the bill falls short.

Stein looks forward to working with the legislature to improve this budget

We should be making investments in what makes North Carolina a great place to live: educating the next generation of North Carolinians, growing a strong workforce that drives our economy, and keeping communities safe, Stein said in an emailed statement.

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Unfortunately, the Senate budget falls short. We need to do much more to compensate teachers, support community colleges, and protect public safety. I look forward to working with the legislature to improve this budget and to appropriate additional funds for Western North Carolina in the weeks ahead.

The Senate budget includes $700 million for the Helene fund, and would replenish the states Savings Reserve Fund, otherwise known as the rainy-day fund, to $4.75 billion.

Steins own budget proposal in March was presented with the caveat that he would be asking again separately for funding for just Helene recovery.

Sen. Ralph Hise, one of the top Senate budget writers, said the state needs to prepare to fend for ourselves if the federal government fails to fund more Helene recovery.

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Helene money from the Trump administration is likely to be one area where Stein and Republicans will continue to find common ground  even though tax policy is not.

The General Assembly is taking a spring break this week, with no voting sessions or committee meetings until April 28. A few weeks later, the House will present its own version of the budget.

Thanks for reading. Contact me at dvaughan@newsobserver.com. Not a newsletter subscriber? Sign up on our website to receive Under the Dome in your inbox daily. And listen to our Under the Dome podcast, which is published every Tuesday morning on all podcast platforms and is previewed in your Tuesday Under the Dome newsletter.
Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. His column appears Sundays in Colorado Politics.
PERMIAN BASIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- As baskets fill with chocolate and eggs get dyed every color of the rainbow, Easter Sunday brings together a joyful mix of faith, folklore, and fun.

Whether youre heading to church, hunting for candy, or just enjoying some spring sunshine, here are some sweet (and surprising!) Easter facts to brighten your day:

The Original Easter Story

At its heart, Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its considered the most important day in Christianity and has been observed since at least the 2nd century A.D.

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Why Does Easter Move Around So Much?

Easter isnt on a set date, its based on the moon! Its celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. That means Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25.

Where Did the Bunny Come From?

The Easter Bunny has roots in German folklore, brought to America in the 1700s. According to legend, a magical hare named Osterhase laid colorful eggs for children who made little nests for him, aka the original Easter basket!

Eggs, But Make Them Fancy

Long before chocolate versions, real eggs were hard-boiled and dyed to celebrate new life. In some traditions, eggs were forbidden during Lent, so Easter Sunday meant cracking open a colorful, celebratory treat.

Sweet Stats

Americans buy more than 16 billion jelly beans and 90 million chocolate bunnies each Easter. And yes, most people eat the ears first!

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Cascarones = Confetti + Chaos

In many Texas homes, Easter means cascaronescolorful, confetti-filled eggs you crack over loved ones heads. Its messy, hilarious, and said to bring good luck (if you dont mind a little cleanup).

Whether youre dyeing eggs, chasing kids around with confetti bombs, or just soaking in the spring vibes, we hope your Easter is filled with joy, laughter, and a whole lot of chocolate.

Happy Easter, West Texas!

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An incarcerated man uses the telephone at the Orleans Parish Justice Center jail on April 8, 2025. (John Gray / Verite News)

NEW ORLEANS  Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is pushing forward with her efforts to force Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson to drop a longtime policy that generally prohibits deputies from directly engaging in federal immigration enforcement within the citys jail.

In legal filings, Murrill claims the policy  which the state characterizes as a so-called sanctuary city policy  is in direct conflict with a newly passed state law that requires state and local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration agencies.

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The consent decree now sits fundamentally at odds with state law as applicable to immigration detainers, Murrill said in court documents filed Friday (April 11).

A federal court will now determine whether to allow the state of Louisiana to join a 2011 federal suit that resulted in the policy and whether to throw out the policy altogether. A hearing has been set for April 30.

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The states campaign against sanctuary policies comes as President Donald Trump is pushing local law enforcement agencies to join the federal government in his promised immigration crackdown. Since his inauguration, Trump has ordered the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to push for more partnerships between local law enforcement units and federal immigration agencies. A few have already signed up. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a longtime immigration hardliner and Trump ally, has worked with Republican lawmakers in the state to enact laws that encourage those collaborations.

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As attorney general, Landry criticized a policy adopted by the New Orleans Police Department, under a long-running federal consent decree that blocks officers from enforcing immigration laws.

Neither Murrills office nor representatives for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to requests for comment.

In court filings, Murrill said Hutson does not oppose the [states] intervention in the case. But a spokesperson for Hutson said thats not exactly true.

Its more accurate that we take no position regarding the state intervention, a Sheriffs Office spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

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While she has not taken a position for or against increased collaboration with ICE, in an interview with Fox 8 in December, Hutson noted that the jails resources were far too stretched to take on immigration enforcement.

Im a lawyer. I believe in following the law and court orders and we do that and so thats what were gonna do, continue to follow the law, but I cannot do ICEs work, she said. Its too big of a load.

Potential conflict

The sheriffs policy stems from a 2013 federal court settlement in a civil rights case involving two New Orleans construction workers picked up on minor charges in 2009 and 2010.

Mario Cacho and Antonio Ocampo sued after they were allegedly illegally held in the citys jail past the completion of their sentences. The two were held at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency issues such detainer requests to local law enforcement agencies, asking them to hold onto arrestees who are suspected of immigration violations.

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Local agencies are only supposed to honor the hold requests for 48 hours, after which they should let detainees free. But in 2009 and 2010, then-Sheriff Marlin Gusman detained Cacho and Ocampo for months, according to legal filings in their case against the office.

Ocampo and Cacho settled the case with the Sheriffs Office in 2013, and Gusman agreed to adopt a new policy on immigration investigations. The resulting policy blocks the agency from investigating immigration violations and from detaining immigrants for ICE without a court order, except in certain cases where they are facing charges for a small number of serious violent crimes.

Attorneys for Cacho and Ocampo declined to speak with Verite News on the record. However, filings they submitted to the court last week opposing the states intervention in the case argue that Murrill has blatantly misrepresented the OPSO policy by falsely claiming it forces the Sheriffs Office to disregard all ICE detainers.

The sheriffs office, like the NOPD, has been under a sweeping federal consent decree for more than a decade. But unlike the NOPD, the jails consent decree does not demand that deputies stay away from federal immigration enforcement, only that it release anyone subject to an immigration hold after two days. The Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, which is a party to both consent decrees, has not entered any filings since Murrill moved to bring the state into the Cacho and Ocampo case.

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The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment.

The OPSO policy remained in place for more than a decade without any controversy until last spring, when the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill  Act 314  that blocks so-called sanctuary policies prohibiting state and local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration agencies like ICE.

A sheriffs office spokesperson spokesperson said the agencys policy on ICE detainers is governed by the consent judgement in the case. She declined to comment further, as the state is currently challenging the policy, but affirmed that OPSO is in full compliance with all applicable state laws and valid court orders related to ICE detainers.

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This article first appeared on Verite News New Orleans and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoffbest known for buying up Manhattan hotels and being buddies with the presidentmanaged to stun French diplomats by comparing the Elysee Palace, the historic seat of the French presidency, to Trumps Florida clubhouse, Mar-a-Lago.

The remark was made in the Salon des Ambassadeurs, a chandeliered room dripping with 18th-century grandeur, during high-level ceasefire talks over Ukraine.

You know what this looks like? Witkoff said, gesturing at the gilt-paneled walls. This actually looks like President Trumps club at Mar-a-Lago.

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The comment, intended as something of an icebreaker before the meeting began, drew awkward laughs from both the French and American teams.

Its fabulous what it looks like, Witkoff continued before explaining that Trump actually works on Mar-a-Lago himself. Hes like an architect or a designer.

Steve Witkoff compared the Elysee Palace in Paris to Trumps Mar-a-Lago.



This is downright embarrassing pic.twitter.com/utOtbH5XUX  Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) April 18, 2025

The Elysee Palace, completed in 1722, has served as the official residence of the French president since 1848, and is a symbol of French political heritage, hosting everyone from Napoleon Bonaparte to Charles de Gaulle. Its neoclassical architecture and storied past stand in stark contrast to the gaudy Floridian style of Mar-a-Lago.

Trumps passion for architecture has been the subject of recent headlines. His signature gold everything taste is the current direction for ongoing renovations at the White House. Trumps personal gold guy has even been flown in to bring that vision to life.

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$100 million is reportedly being spent on the construction of a ballroomthe first major change to the presidential residence in more than 70 years.

The Ukrainian peace talks in Paris are being led by French President Emmanuel Macron with British security chief Jonathan Powell, German adviser Jens Plotner, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Ukrainian official Andriy Yermak in attendance.

Witkoff, a real estate mogul with zero foreign policy experience, was appointed in January by Trump as his special envoy to the Middle East. He has since found himself parachuted into a series of significant international diplomatic negotiations where his talent for flipping condos on Park Avenue has surely come in handy.
Justice Samuel Alito has slammed the Supreme Court for acting literally in the middle of the night as he criticized his colleagues for temporarily blocking the deportation of a group of Venezuelans held in a Texas prison.

In an early Saturday morning brief order, the justices told the White House it could not remove the Venezuelans from the Bluebonnet Detention Center under the Alien Enemies Act until further order of this court.

Justices Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented from the majority opinion.

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The Trump administration has accused the group of being gang members and wants to deport them under the 18th-century wartime law.

Justice Samuel Alito said there was dubious factual support for granting an emergency appeal (REUTERS)

In the dissent, Alito wrote that there was dubious factual support for granting the emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union.

A detailed explanation of the order was not given by the courts majority.

It has previously said that the deportations could only go ahead after those being removed had a reasonable time to contest it.

Both the Executive and the Judiciary have an obligation to follow the law, Alito said in the dissent.

Alito continued that the decision by the court was unprecedented and had been hastily and prematurely granted.

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He insisted that it was not clear that the court yet had jurisdiction with the case still playing out in lower courts.

The only papers before this Court were those submitted by the applicants. The Court had not ordered or received a response by the Government regarding either the applicants factual allegations or any of the legal issues presented by the application. And the Court did not have the benefit of a Government response filed in any of the lower courts either, Alito said.

The high courts ruling came after lawyers for the migrants asked the Supreme Court on Friday to block what they believe to be an imminent new wave of deportations.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the Trump administration has the authority to deport migrants under the Aliens Enemies Act.

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However, it also ordered that the government provide detainees an opportunity to contest their removals in court districts nearest to the detention centers where they are being held.

Dozens of the men have been told that they are going to be removed under the Alien Enemies Act imminently, lawyers with the ACLU wrote in a Friday court filing.
A 19-year-old has been charged with firebombing Cybertrucks at a Tesla dealership.

There has been a spate of attacks on Tesla to protest CEO Elon Musk's role in the government.

The Justice Department has warned it would pursue severe penalties for attacks on Tesla properties.

The Justice Department charged a 19-year-old with "firebombing" Cybertrucks in Kansas.

The government charged Owen McIntire, 19, with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of malicious damage by fire, the Justice Department said.

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McIntire made his first court appearance on Friday, but it was unclear if he had yet secured an attorney.

Protesters angry with Tesla CEO Elon Musk's work with the White House DOGE Office to reduce government spending and cut staff have attacked several Tesla facilities across the United States in recent weeks. Musk has said DOGE seeks to cut at least $1 trillion from the federal budget. Its efforts are now the subject of several lawsuits.

Data from Cox Automotive shows that used Tesla listings reached a record high in March. The company's stock price has also plummeted. And coordinated protests targeting Tesla took place across the country late last month.

Two weeks before those protests, on March 17, the Justice Department said officers of the Kansas City Police Department in Missouri saw smoke coming from a Cybertruck parked at a Tesla dealership. The officers saw an unbroken Molotov cocktail near the smoking truck. The officer recovered the Molotov cocktail, but the fire still spread to a second Cybertruck.

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Attorney General Pamela Bondi previously said the Justice Department would seek 20 years in prison for another man accused of attacking a Tesla dealership in Colorado.

Bondi said that the Kansas City incident should serve as another reminder that "anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us."

"You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted. You will spend decades behind bars. It is not worth it," Bondi said. One of the charges McIntire faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in the Justice Department press release that this is the second arrest of a suspect targeting Tesla this week, which is "more proof that the FBI will not stand for these destructive acts."

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"These actions are dangerous, they are illegal, and we are going to arrest those responsible," Patel said.

The Justice Department says the two damaged Cybertrucks had a combined sale price of $212,970. The fire also damaged two charging stations, which were valued at $550 each.

Read the original article on Business Insider
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A juvenile died after being struck by a vehicle on a private drive west of Easton Saturday afternoon.

According to Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, deputies responded to the 2000 block of Oakland Park Avenue on a report of a pedestrian struck at 4:20 p.m. Saturday. Baldwin said a juvenile pedestrian was struck and pronounced dead on the scene.

Baldwin said a black 2011 Honda Pilot was traveling northbound when the juvenile ran in front of the car and was struck. The driver and passenger of the Honda were uninjured, and the juveniles age is not yet known.

Baldwin said Franklin County deputies are still investigating the crash and were assisted by Clinton Township police and the Columbus Division of Fire. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriffs Office Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113.

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Apr. 19Bird flu and subsequent pricey eggs haven't just affected consumers  they've taken a toll on small grocers, too.

Keller's Farm Stores, an independent, locally owned pair of food markets in Albuquerque, was hit hard by the slaughter of chickens aimed at halting the spread of bird flu. Keller's was sourcing its eggs from a small farm in Colorado when a round of bird flu wiped out the farm's chickens about two and a half years ago, said Keller's owner Mike Phillips.

Wanting to retain its partnership with the Colorado farm, Keller's waited and hoped the bird  and egg  supply would rebound.

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"They were a massive seller for us and it hurt big time when they went away," said Phillips, who bought Keller's over three years ago. "We've been without for that entire time."

The good news: Keller's was recently notified that the farm is back up and running. The team will be heading up to Colorado to pick up a couple of pallets of eggs later this month, Phillips said.

It's an exciting development for Phillips and his customers, who inquired about the eggs "nonstop" when the stores initially ran out.

While wholesale egg prices have been on the decline nationally  averaging $3.13 per dozen for large quantities, according to a market report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture  Phillips said for Keller's, getting back into the egg business is "not pretty from a cost perspective."

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"The (wholesale) price is double what it was two years ago," Phillips said.

The Albuquerque stores were selling eggs for about $2.49 roughly two years ago and are projecting to sell them for $5.99 now, but Phillips noted, "We are not making money on these eggs, not very much at all, not our normal margin."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  A rise in violence against healthcare workers in Kentucky has sparked new calls for change.

The Kentucky Nurses Association (KNA) said in a news release on Friday that members are asking lawmakers to refine a 2023 bill that requires hospitals to establish a safety plan alongside annual training to lower the risks of violence against healthcare staff in the workplace.

The KNA wrote that as many as one in five healthcare providers are subjected to workplace violence, and are five times more likely to sustain an injury at work than in other jobs.

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The association wrote that issues with language in the bill have prevented wide implementation, leading to members working directly with Rep. Jason Nemes, who sponsored the bill, to provide the protections it was designed to give healthcare providers across the Commonwealth.

We want to have a coalition of willing healthcare providers to help lawmakers navigate the nuances and practical realities of ensuring Kentuckys healthcare workforce is safe in their work environment, the KNA wrote.

Kentucky healthcare advocates said safety is vital to the work these staff members do each day.

Who wants to join a profession when theres a great possibility that they will be harmed? Not many people, KNA CEO Delanor Manson said.

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Manson urged all Kentuckians, not just those in the medical field, to connect with their state representatives and push for stronger protections for healthcare workers.

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FAIRMONT  Four years after the death of a Fairmont State student to suicide, an annual walk/run to raise suicide awareness has grown to become a prominent resource for mental health.

Kickin it for Katy returns to Fairmont State University this year on May 3, where Kaitlynn Jade Newbraugh, 17, attended as a student. The run/walk is part of the Marion County Race Series. Newbraughs grandmother, Gina Dixon, organized the 5k run/1 mile walk in Newbraughs honor.

If we can save one person, thats all that matters to me, Dixon said. The 988 hotline, we can get that number out, I mean right now its on the back of probably 1,300 shirts weve done.

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Proceeds from the run/walk will go to the Kaitlynn Jade Memorial Fund, a 5013 nonprofit that helps students pay tuition at Fairmont State. The nonprofit recently raised money for their first endowed scholarship for the schools forensics department, where Newbraugh was a student. To be endowed, the organization had to reach $25,000. Some of the proceeds also go to help the Marion County Humane Society.

The nonprofit is working toward a second scholarship.

Anybody that wants to get into the mental health field, whether its psychiatry, whether its sociology, whether its nursing, you know, anything that has to do with a mental health field, thats what our next goal is, Kirk Harris, Dixons right hand man, said. To do another $25,000 scholarship, and then after that, who knows.

This year, the event will host tables from the Depression-Bipolar Support Alliance, the MVA clinic, Hope Domestic Violence Center and Marion County Quick Response Team and tables dedicated to treating addiction. The Humane Society will also hold an adoption day. However, the most poignant display will be a memory tent, which displays pictures of people lost to suicide. It will also include some who have been lost to addiction. Dixon encourages anyone who lost a loved one to suicide to display their photo in the tent.

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More than 720,000 people die to suicide every year, according to the World Health Organization. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-to-29 year-olds. In the U.S., theres a suicide once every 11 minutes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Groups with the highest suicide rates are non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native people, followed by non-Hispanic White people. Other groups with higher than average suicide rates are veterans, people who live in rural areas, workers in certain industries such as mining and construction and young people who identify as LGBTQ.

The Trevor Project found laws targeting transgender and nonbinary people are directly responsible for raising suicide rates among that community of people.

That causation is the key aspect, Ronita Nath, co-authors of a study on suicide rates and anti-trans laws, told NBC News in 2024. State-level anti-transgender laws caused  so, not associated with, not linked to  we can say very confidently, they caused up to a 72% increase in number of past-year suicide attempts among trans and nonbinary young people, as well as a 49% increase in the percent of trans and nonbinary young people who made at least one attempt in the past year.

West Virginia has passed laws targeting trans and nonbinary people.

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The CDC found in 2020 the financial toll of suicide on society was over $500 billion in medical costs, work loss costs, value of statistical life and quality of life costs. The CDC calls suicide a serious public health problem.

This year will be the first year Kickin it for Katy has grief counselors onsite, Dixon said.

The registration fee is $25, however, registrants who enter as a team pay $20. The price goes up two days prior to the run/walk. Dixon said registration wont be available the day before the walk, and door tickets will cost $30. Food trucks, which will be present at the event, will be free to registrants. Register at kickinitforkaty.com where tax-deductible donations can be made.

Katy was an amazing, amazing little girl, Dixon said. She was her familys center.
Pius Kamau, M.D., a retired general surgeon, is president of the Aurora-based Africa America Higher Education Partnerships; co-founder of the Africa Enterprise Group and an activist for minority students STEM education. He is a National Public Radio commentator, a Huffington Post blogger, a past columnist for Denver dailies and is featured on the podcast, Never Again.
Moscow and Kiev traded allegations of Easter ceasefire breaches on Sunday with both sides reporting mass drone and artillery attacks.

In his afternoon update, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russian shelling and the use of kamikaze drones had been observed.

"The most active Russian operations this morning have been carried out in the Pokrovsk and Siversk directions. In these and several other areas of the frontline, Russia continues to use heavy weaponry," the general said in reference to Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

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He said there had been 26 assaults in the 12 hours up to noon (0900 GMT).

"Either [Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage," he said, in reference to Putin's unilateral declaration of an Easter ceasefire.

Ukraine was taking a "symmetrical approach" to Russian actions, Syrskyi said.

Putin on Saturday had said the ceasefire would cover 30 hours over Easter Sunday, lasting until midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT Sunday), prompting scepticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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Zelensky on Sunday reiterated his proposal to extend the ceasefire for 30 days to "give peace a chance."

But he added: "We will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground."

By Sunday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state media that Putin had not given any order for an extension.

There had been 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces between 6 pm on Saturday and midnight, Zelensky said. Drones were used by Russians 290 times, he added.

For its part, Moscow charged that Ukrainian forces with continuing their attacks. These attacks, in the Donetsk region among other areas, had been warded off, the Defence Ministry said.

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The ministry said there had been dozens of drone attacks and that hundreds of artillery shells had been fired overnight by the Ukrainian side. The attacks had targeted the border regions of Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod, among others, it said.

"There are deaths and injuries among the peaceful population and damage to civilian buildings," the ministry statement said. Details of casualties were not given.
Russian attacks continued overnight despite Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declaring a ceasefire in Ukraine over Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.

"Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," Zelensky wrote on X, citing information from his commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

There had been 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces between 6 pm (1500 GMT) and midnight, Zelensky said. Drones were used by Russians 290 times, he added.

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"Everywhere our warriors are responding as the enemy deserves, based on the specific combat situation. Ukraine will continue to act symmetrically."

The ceasefire covers 30 hours over Easter Sunday, the height of the Christian calendar, which falls on the same day this year for Orthodox and Western Christians.

Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials had been sceptical of the short ceasefire announced at the last minute by Putin. Along with the announcement on Saturday, Putin wished all Russian fighters on the fronts in Ukraine a happy Easter.

Zelensky on Sunday reiterated his proposal to extend the ceasefire for 30 days to "give peace a chance."

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"We will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground," he added.

The Defence Ministry in Moscow stated on Saturday that the ceasefire would be observed by Russian troops on the condition that Ukrainian forces also adhered to it.
King Charles and Queen Camilla made a coordinating joint appearance on Sunday, April 20 as they led the royal family at this years Easter Sunday festivities. While Kate Middleton and Prince William skipped out on this years celebration, all three of Charless siblings made a rare joint outing together as they stepped out at Windsor Castle on Sunday.

Charles and Camilla matched in shades of blue at the annual St. Georges Chapel service, with the king opting for a royal blue checkered suit and patterned tie while the queen wore a light blue coat dress paired with a matching hat and nude suede shoes. Fresh off their tour of Italy, the couplewho recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversaryjoined other royals like Princess Anne and Prince Edward at the yearly event.

Getty Images Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Easter Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Easter

Disgraced royal Prince Andrew also made a rare appearance with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at the service, marking his first royal engagement in months amid rumors of tension with his older brother.The Duke and Duchess of York's daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie also showed their support as they joined the gathering with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozz and Jack Brooksbank. Eugenie opted for an all-white look with a cream coat dress paired with a matching hat and fascinator while Beatricewho recently gave birth to her daughter Athenawore a long sleeved teal dress with suede shoes in the same color and a patterned hat.

Getty Images Princess Eugenie with Sarah Ferguson at Easter Princess Eugenie with Sarah Ferguson at Easter

As the royal family came together for the Easter church service, the Prince and Princess of Wales were noticeably not in attendance. Sources previously reported that Kate and William were missing the royals Easter festivities for the second year in a row, instead deciding to take a family vacation with their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at their Norfolk home Anmer Hall. A source previously reported that Prince William told King Charles that he was hoping to enjoy some extended time as a family over Easter and that They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school.

Getty Images Princess Beatrice with Sophie, King Charles, and Queen Camilla at Easter Princess Beatrice with Sophie, King Charles, and Queen Camilla at Easter

Despite missing the family reunion at St. Georges Chapel, its likely that the family of five still took part in traditional Easter festivities, as William previously revealed that the royals celebration usually includes an Easter egg hunt as well as a lot of chocolate.

Read the original article on InStyle
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said she believes the deportation fight over Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia is the Trump administrations way of distracting public attention away from the tariffs and economic impacts.

Klobuchar joined CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, highlighting her fellow Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollens (Md.) trip to El Salvador to meet with the Abrego Garcia amid the administrations defiance in the legal battle.

They have picked out this case and this man because its about a subject that they want to keep in the news, Klobuchar said of Abrego Garcias deportation. So, its even more cynical than just flaunting the law.

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Theyre doing it because they want to distract people from the fact that our economy is in a tailspin thanks to them, their tariffs, she continued.

Markets have fluctuated recently with the implementation of President Trumps tariffs and the quick pullback of the original plan.

While the tariff agenda was dominating the news cycle both domestically and internationally, a large and growing story in recent weeks has been the administrations wrongful deportation of Abrego Garcia.

The Supreme Court ordered the administration to facilitate the return of the Maryland man but has left wiggle room for the administration to point fingers at El Salvador for his return.

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Klobuchar argued that the administration has chosen not to obey the law in Abrego Garcias case, noting the timeliness of the tariffs.

I think its really important for people to realize theyre following the law in other cases, theyve just decided not to follow the law with this guy, Klobuchar said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky has lauded Ukraine's "resilience, compassion, and humanity" in his Easter address on April 20, adding the country's faith has "not faded over 1,152 days of full-scale war."

This year, Easter falls on the same day for both Orthodox and Catholic Christians, and in Ukraine the days leading up to the holiday have been especially somber.

In the aftermath of several particularly brutal Russian attacks  including a strike on Sumy that killed at least 35 people and wounded more than 100  Russia announced a one-day "ceasefire" along the front line to mark the holiday.

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Ukraine has already reported ceasefire violations across the battlefield.

Since the start of Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, Zelenskys annual Easter addresses have carried a common thread  a call for faith in the face of wartime despair. Below is a translation of this year's message to the Ukrainian people.

Dear Ukrainians!



Today is a very special day, a day we always look forward to, a day celebrated by millions  Easter. A day that is a ray of light  especially bright and strong in times when dark clouds try to cover our sky. A day that gives us all hope and reminds us: evil has its hour, but God has His day. This is one of the meanings rooted in the story of Christ  of His earthly suffering and death, and of His resurrection; of the truth that, sooner or later, evil will retreat, and life will prevail.

Today, these words resonate in every Ukrainian heart. They strengthen our faith, which, despite everything, has not faded over 1,152 days of full-scale war.

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Each of us has lived through such moments  when it hurts deeply, when its unbearably hard, and you ask: "God, why is this happening to us? The strikes, the explosions, the gunfire  all this suffering, all this evil. How can people be killed by the dozens in Sumy on Palm Sunday? God, do You not see?

How a playground was hit in Kryvyi Rih. How Kharkiv, Dnipro, our Odesa, and dozens of our other cities burn daily. When will this end? When will our land, our people, our children finally hear silence again? How do we keep our faith after all of this?"

Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day. This is one of the meanings enshrined in the story of Christ. Of His earthly suffering and death  and of His resurrection, and the truth that sooner or later, yet inevitably, evil will retreat, and life will triumph.



That is pic.twitter.com/W4ChVWWFuP  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025

And when the mind finds no answers, you start to listen to your heart. And something invisible but very strong inside you doesnt let your hands fall. It shows you where to find light, so you dont lose your way.

Then you begin to see the people around you. You look into the eyes of your loved ones, the faces of those close to you. You feel their embrace, feel the support  not just from those you know, but even from strangers. The support of Ukrainians. And you realize you share the same values. And its these values that have united all of us  not by chance  united us on the first day of the war, and keep us together still.



This is willpower. Resilience. Compassion and humanity. This is what God is. This is His presence. He is within our people. And so, there is light in people. And so, there is strength in people.

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In every action, in every small step along a difficult path, and in every word of support. In every word: "How are you?" "How can I help?" "Take care of yourself."

We know what we are defending. We know what we are fighting for. For whom, and for what. And so every time, no matter how hard it gets, we still do not lose faith. Because this faith is in one another. In those standing beside you. In Ukrainians.

Faith that evil has its hour, and God has His day.

Dear Ukrainian people, let that day come. Let the hour of evil pass. Let the day of life arrive. The day of peace. The day of Ukraine. A day that lasts for centuries. And let us once again gather together at one table on a peaceful Easter  when we feel warmth, calm, peace in our souls, and, of course, the joy of celebration. When everything is the way it should be.

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We have wanted this for all 1,152 days. We are united in this. Every day, and especially today  when Ukrainians of all Christian denominations celebrate Easter on the same day. Together.



Together, we fight for Ukraine. And together, we pray for Ukraine.

For those who cant be with their families this Easter.

For those on the front lines, standing with their brothers-in-arms.

For our defenders  the warriors of light.

We ask God to protect those who protect us.

To strengthen the will of those now in captivity.

For our prisoners, for all who must return home.

We ask God to help all those who dedicate their lives to helping others.

To shelter those who, through their daily work, safeguard Ukraine.

May God protect all who save, heal, and teach.

Today, we pray for everyone  for our children.

For every boy and girl who deserves a happy childhood.

For our fathers and mothers, who deserve a peaceful old age.

For all our people, who deserve the long-awaited peace.

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Dear Ukrainians! Our people are walking a very hard path. But I believe the key word here is: walking. Overcoming.



And despite everything, we still find the strength every morning to wake up, to move forward, to do what we can  wherever its needed  for those who are waiting for us.

And the source of energy for us can come from many things around us: The smile of a son or daughter, a mothers voice, thoughts of those on the front line, or a memory of someone who shielded you with their body. We can find inspiration in news of our people's victories, in our culture, our books, poems, music. And, of course, we are inspired by the symbol of Easter and the story of Christs Resurrection.

That is why we know for sure:

All the stones thrown at us will not remain as ruins on our land.

All the stones hurled our way  we will turn them into a solid foundation for the future.

The future of freedom.

The future of peace.

The future memory of what weve overcome  and what weve achieved.

Because in difficult times, it is not just the victory of weapons that matters most but the victory of spirit.



Our victory. The victory of our spirit.

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May all this come true.

May God help us in this.

May there be peace. May there be Ukraine.

Christ is Risen!

Indeed He is Risen!

Read also: Whats inside a Ukrainian Easter basket? The answer isnt chocolate eggs

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Vladimir Putins Easter truce in Russias war with Ukraine is a ploy whose cynicism was apparent as soon as his forces continued their attacks in breach of his own ceasefire.

Some see in his willingness even to contemplate such a move a sign that he might be ready to agree to a peace deal. But Easter was a convenient point at which to try to keep a gullible US president on board amid indications that Donald Trump was losing patience with the Russian leader.

Mr Trump said he could end the war in a day, or at least by Easter, yet has palpably failed on both counts. He proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to, but Moscow did not unless a long list of conditions, unacceptable to Kyiv, were met.

At the weekend, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said there would be little point continuing with the process if Putin remained so stubborn. At which point the Easter truce was announced.

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It is hard not to see this as another attempt by the Kremlin to string Mr Trump along and separate Washington further from Ukraine where there are fears the Americans will lose interest and stop arms supplies and assistance.

The greatest insult after three years of bombardment is for the Russian leader to claim he was acting out of humanitarian considerations. If that were so he would stop the conflict today and withdraw his forces.

Volodymyr Zelensky said that while the Russian army was attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire there were still isolated attempts to advance in some areas. Moscow denied this and accused Ukraine of violations, doubtless hoping this is the message heard in Washington.

Optimists detect in the truce the fruits of weeks of high-level diplomacy between the White House and the Kremlin. US envoy Steve Witkoff has met Putin three times in two months. The Kremlin leaders envoy Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington recently.

But if the ceasefire is well meant, why did it only happen when it seemed as if the Americans were about to pull the plug on the whole process?

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It can at least be seen as a concession from a Russian leader who has implacably refused to contemplate any compromise. But Putin does nothing that is not calculated to further his interests and further divide the West, whose support for Ukraine, once so full-throated, is increasingly half-hearted.

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The Kremlin has said that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has not ordered an extension of the so-called Easter truce, which the Russians did not observe anyway, after midnight on 20 April.

Source: Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a comment to TASS

Details: Peskov stated that Putin has not given a command to extend the "Easter truce".

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine did the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would mirror any Russian ceasefire. He also offered to extend the truce beyond 20 April, if a complete silence of arms truly prevails.

Ukrainian defenders on most fronts have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by the Russians, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Zelenskyy said there had been an increase in Russian attacks and use of kamikaze drones in the combat zone since 10:00 on 20 April. Russian forces have doubled their use of FPV drones.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russias declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes had occurred along the front line, 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front.

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Most major supermarkets have dealt with a food recall or two at some point  sometimes a whole slew of them  and Kroger is no exception. Some of the biggest food recalls in Kroger's history overlap with those of other major retailers due to the sheer scale of food corporations and their vast distribution reach. As one of the largest supermarket chains in the U.S., Kroger stays competitive with its private label brands. Yet even those brands are not immune from sloppy practices at suppliers' facilities where faulty equipment or packaging can lead to bacterial contamination, resulting in a rise of foodborne illness.

Bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli can cause multiple symptoms ranging from mild to severe, typically presenting with gastrointestinal distress. In vulnerable groups, such as the very young, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, symptoms of foodborne illness can escalate, requiring medical attention. From one of the costliest food recalls in history to one of the largest by volume, several Kroger recalls have been linked to hundreds of illnesses and multiple deaths.

Read more: 23 Grocery Store Dark Chocolate Bars, Ranked Worst To Best

ConAgra Peter Pan Peanut Butter (20062007)

Jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter - Peter Pan Peanut Butter

In one of the worst food recalls in U.S. history, Peter Pan Peanut Butter was part of an enormous and costly recall from ConAgra Foods Inc. in 2006-2007. At the time, Kroger carried Peter Pan peanut butter. The problem surfaced when a large number of salmonella illnesses caught the attention of authorities, sparking an investigation to determine the source of the bacteria. The outbreak was traced back to jars of peanut butter from both Walmart's Great Value brand and the Peter Pan brand. Testing jars at the plant as well as opened jars from consumers confirmed salmonella contamination. More than 700 people were affected, though authorities suspected the real number was likely in the thousands.

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Officials blamed poor practices at the ConAgra plant, citing broken sprinkler heads and a leaky roof that allowed excess moisture to support bacterial growth on raw peanuts during production. If that wasn't bad enough, it came out that ConAgra knew about its faulty processing plant and knowingly shipped potentially contaminated jars of peanut butter across the nation  though they claimed otherwise. ConAgra was hauled into court, pleaded guilty under a plea agreement admitting complicity, and paid one of the largest fines in a food safety case: $11.2 million. The company also shelled out another $275 million to upgrade its facilities. After doing its due diligence, Peter Pan peanut butter is now safe to eat.

Peanut Products (20082009)

Pile of shelled peanuts - R.tsubin/Getty Images

Kroger faced yet another high-profile peanut recall right on the heels of the previously mentioned ConAgra peanut blunder. While the supermarket chain wasn't directly involved, the massive recall from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) resulted in multiple deaths, arrests, and imprisonments. Kroger recalled a slew of peanut butter products, including assorted bakery cookies, Private Selection Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Variety Cookie Trays, and Private Selection layer iced cakes.

In 2008, the CDC detected an identical salmonella strain in a group of 13 people across 12 states, which led to its discovery of a 46-state outbreak of salmonella infections. An investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health pinpointed King Nut's creamy peanut butter as the likely source. King Nut, produced by the PCA, had been distributed nationwide, and nearly 3,000 peanut-containing products, including pet products, had to be recalled.

More than 700 people were infected with salmonella, a quarter of whom were hospitalized, and nine died. The PCA shut down after the outbreak, and the company went bankrupt. The FDA found that the PCA knowingly distributed contaminated product, using false certificates of analysis multiple times. As one of the biggest  and costliest  food recalls in history, PCA owner and president Stewart Parnell was found guilty on 67 felony counts, including conspiracy, fraud, and sale of adulterated food. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison followed by supervised parole. The judge held Parnell accountable for $100 to $200 million in losses and harming more than 250 people.

Cargill Ground Turkey (2011)

Kroger ground turkey package - Kroger

In one of the biggest food recalls in Kroger's history, Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation recalled 36 million pounds of ground turkey in 2011 under suspicion of salmonella contamination. Kroger sold this ground turkey under its own brand label in 1- and 3-pound trays of fresh ground turkey, as well as 1-pound trays of turkey patties. In total, there was one death, and more than 135 reported illnesses and 35 hospitalizations across 34 states. That particular strain of salmonella was highly resistant to treatment.

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Multiple samples of ground turkey from various retail locations tested positive for a multi-drug-resistant strain of salmonella. In time, investigators collected enough information for Cargill to shut down production, and the company recalled another 185,000 pounds of ground turkey. The entire fiasco of this Class I food recall cost Cargill millions of dollars per week, which led to a company-wide layoff of employees.

Karoun Dairies Cheeses (2015)

Package of Karoun String Cheese - Karoun

In 2015, Karoun Dairies issued a voluntary recall of 15 different soft cheeses, including feta and string cheeses. After a number of illnesses with the same rare listeria fingerprint cropped up across the nation, an investigation was initiated to find the source of the multi-state outbreak. Those who fell ill reported eating a brand of cheese distributed by Karoun Dairies, and the results of the investigation determined its soft cheeses were the culprit. The brands involved included Karoun, Arz, Gopi, Queso Del Valle, Central Valley Creamery, and Yanni, which were sold at various retailers across multiple states.

Kroger was among the stores forced to issue a recall due to Karoun Dairies' cheeses. The soft cheese in question came sealed in vacuum packs, jars, or pails. Karoun Dairies halted production of the affected cheeses until the recall was complete and the issue resolved. In total, there were 30 reported illnesses, 28 of which resulted in hospitalizations, across 10 states. The outbreak was linked to three deaths and one fetal death tied to the mother's illness.

Dole Salad Greens (2016)

Dole salad greens on shelves in store - Scott Habermann/Shutterstock

Kroger faced one of the biggest food recalls in history in 2016, a mess that impacted other major retailers like Walmart and Meijer. Numerous salad green brands and varieties were flagged for possible contamination from a Dole facility in Ohio after a multi-state listeria outbreak led investigators to the Dole processing plant. Kroger pulled bagged lettuce, cole slaw mix, salad greens, kale, and spinach  under brands like Dole and its private labels, Fresh Selection and Simple Truth  from store shelves in 23 states and parts of Canada. Kroger's private brands were packaged at the same Dole facility.

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This nationwide listeria outbreak resulted in 19 illnesses and hospitalizations across nine states and was linked to the death of one woman. Another woman slipped into a coma for over a month after eating listeria-contaminated Dole salad. She woke up paralyzed, and her family sued the company. The civil case was settled in 2017, but her current health status remains unknown.

Sunflower Seeds (2016)

Pile of shelled sunflower seeds - Glow Images/Getty Images

In 2016, SunOpta voluntarily recalled sunflower kernel products that were produced at its Minnesota facility due to potential listeria contamination. SunOpta, a supplier for various brands and retailers across 28 states, received a customer complaint about the issue. No illnesses were reported, but the company didn't take any chances  it quickly isolated which products might be affected and pulled them from circulation.

As part of that recall, Kroger removed Sunflower Salad Toppers, Sunflower Kernels, Cranberry Delight Trail Mix, Broccoli Raisin Salads, Deli Broccoli Cranberry Salads, and Deli Superfood Salads from its shelves, all under its private label. Other stores caught up in the recall included City Market, Smith's, Dillons, and Bakers, to name a few. SunOpta took the necessary corrective actions to prevent further listeria exposure, resumed its operations, and increased testing activity of outgoing shipments.

Kroger Raw Ground Beef (2018)

Kroger ground beef package - Kroger

In 2018, an outbreak of a multi-drug-resistant salmonella strain, Newport, swept across 26 states, sickening a total of 246 people. This outbreak triggered a massive raw beef recall that hit packages of ground beef sold at Kroger stores nationwide. More than 12 million pounds of raw beef were yanked from circulation by the meat supplier, Arizona-based JBS Tolleson, Inc. The raw beef was flagged as a Class I risk for serious foodborne illness: in this case, salmonella. During the outbreak investigation, authorities expanded the recall product list to include an additional nearly 5.2 million pounds of raw beef.

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Health officials with the USDA urged anyone with JBS Tolleson raw beef products to toss them out or return them to Kroger stores for a full refund. Overall, the company recovered just under 167,000 pounds of raw beef. Authorities encouraged consumers to check their freezers to ensure the safety of their stored food.

Townsend Farms Frozen Fruit (2019)

Kroger triple berry medley frozen fruit bag - Kroger

Townsend Farms is no stranger to recalls. In 2019 during regular laboratory testing, Townsend Farms' frozen berries were confirmed to be positive for hepatitis A. A handful of years prior in 2013, this company was linked to a multi-state hepatitis A outbreak that also involved frozen fruit  this outbreak sickened 162 people and 71 hospitalizations were reported. No illnesses were ever reported in connection with the 2019 recall, though hepatitis A has a long incubation period, and individuals may have become sick months later. The frozen fruit products had a two-year shelf life and customers were urged to check their freezers.

Due to the confirmed hepatitis A test, Kroger pulled its Private Selection of triple berry medley and blackberries from its freezer sections in all of its stores nationwide. Other stores affected by this frozen fruit recall included Smith's, City Market, Pick 'n Save, Dillons, and many more.

Dole/Fresh Express Salad Products (2021)

Rows of bagged salads at the store - Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

One of the biggest food recalls in Aldi's history is also one for Kroger's record books. In 2021, Fresh Express and Dole recalled bags of salad greens and related products amid a listeria scare. The multi-state outbreak sickened roughly 30 people and resulted in about two dozen hospitalizations and four deaths. It was linked to both Fresh Express and Dole salad products. Investigation into the outbreak, paired with random sample testing at Fresh Express' Illinois facility and Dole's plants in Arizona, Ohio, and California, discovered the presence of listeria lurking on harvesting and processing equipment. The salad products were sold in 19 states and distributed to various retailers under multiple brands.

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Kroger pulled an array of its own label's salad products from its shelves, such as kale Caesar, baby spinach, lettuce mixes, salad green mix, and coleslaw, in addition to Dole and Fresh Express products. Some other brands affected included Little Salad Bar and Simply Nature. Other major retailers caught up in the salad and listeria outbreak included Target, Walmart, Lidl, and BJ's. The faulty equipment was decommissioned and dismantled, and operations stalled until the facilities were treated, tested, and given a pass to resume production.

Grimmway Farms Carrots (2024)

Variety of cut, sliced, and whole carrots in bowls - Simpleimages/Getty Images

The FDA and CDC investigated an outbreak of E. coli infections across multiple states, tracing the illnesses to organic whole and baby carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms in California. There were a total of 48 illnesses across 19 states, resulting in 20 hospitalizations and one death. In response, Grimmway Farms recalled a variety of select carrot products classified as a high-risk Class I food hazard. The contaminated carrots had been shipped to various retailers across the nation, plus Puerto Rico, Canada, and other international markets.

Major chains like Kroger, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Wegmans were impacted by the extensive Grimmway recall, which included brands like 365, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Nature's Promise, Bunny Luv, and Kroger's private label. Kroger carried various weights and multiple brands of bagged organic whole carrots, whole carrots, baby cut carrots, and peeled carrots.

BrucePac Ready-To-Eat Poultry (2024)

Kroger Chef Salad Kit label - USDA / Kroger

In 2024, another massive food recall swept across multiple states, hitting major retailers, restaurants, public institutions, and community facilities, involving a range of brands. Oklahoma-based company BrucePac recalled nearly 12 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat products due to potential listeria concerns. Routine product testing showed positive results for the foodborne illness. It was determined that BrucePac's ready-to-eat chicken was the source of the issue, prompting the company to halt production and address the problem. No illnesses were ever confirmed in connection with this recall.

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The widespread poultry problem affected big-name stores like Kroger, Trader Joe's, Publix, Costco, and Aldi, along with hundreds of schools from pre-K to college. Kroger pulled an array of products from its shelves as a result of BrucePac's listeria concerns, including ready-to-eat chicken products like Kroger salad kits, Red's burritos, El Monterey enchiladas, Evol bowls, Home Chef tacos, and an assortment of branded frozen meals.

Cucumbers (2024)

Pile of cucumbers - Yuliia Kokosha/Getty Images

In 2024, the FDA and CDC looked into a salmonella outbreak that took place in multiple states. The salmonella strain was linked to cucumber products grown in Mexico. The outbreak sickened 113 people across 23 states, resulting in 28 hospitalizations. No deaths occurred. As a result of the outbreak, SunFed recalled various sizes of whole, fresh cucumbers that were distributed to food service and retail outlets nationwide. Cucumbers were sold in bulk to major retailers like Kroger, Costco, Sprouts, Sam's Club, and Walmart, but also shipped to third-party product suppliers for use in salad kits, veggie bowls, sushi rolls, and party trays under various brand names.

Kroger pulled a wide variety of products from its shelves, including sushi rolls, combos, platters, poke bowls, and chef specials. In addition to those products, Kroger had to recall vegetable trays, salad mixes, snack cups, and seasoned cucumber slices. Cucumbers are a versatile vegetable that can be used in a number of refreshing recipes, so it's not surprising that this food recall impacted such a wide variety of products -- personally, we're glad it's been dealt with.

Assorted Waffles And Pancakes (2024)

Stack of four waffles with butter and berries - Mehrab/Getty Images

TreeHouse Foods, Inc. recalled frozen waffle products in connection with listeria concerns in 2024. The potentially affected products were distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada to a swath of major retail chains, under private labels and various brands. The issue was discovered during routine testing. Nearly every supermarket giant was impacted, including heavy hitters like Aldi, Dollar General, Publix, Target, HEB, Kroger, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and Walmart. Some of the brands affected included 365, Best Choice, Food Lion, Giant Eagle, Good & Gather, Great Value, Nature's Promise, and Wild Harvest.

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TreeHouse quickly expanded its recall to include frozen toaster waffles, Belgian waffles, and various pancake products under multiple brands. The wide range of frozen foods included every variety from blueberry to flax to chocolate chip. Kroger pulled its original and buttermilk pancakes, along with Kodiak and Simple Truth vanilla, chocolate, blueberry, and buttermilk pancakes and waffles. There were no reports of illness linked to this frozen food recall.

Perdue Frozen Chicken Breast Tenders (2024)

Fried chicken tenders on cutting board - Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

Perdue Foods LLC recalled frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nuggets and tenders in 2024 due to the possibility of the products containing foreign material. Customer complaints alerted authorities to the possibility of metal wire embedded in chicken tenders, and foreign material was indeed identified in a number of consumer packages. Potentially affected items were distributed to major retailers nationwide, as well as sold online. After investigation, the company stated it was a thin strand of metal wire that inadvertently got into the production process. Perdue recalled just over 167,000 pounds of chicken as a result.

In response to this giant chicken recall, Kroger pulled its Perdue packages from the freezer section, which included frozen breast tenders and Simply Smart chicken tenders. There were no confirmed reports of injury or further issues associated with this recall. If news of this recall has you a little shaken up, consider making some classic chicken tenders at home in lieu of frozen varieties.

Gerber Soothe 'N' Chew Teething Sticks (2025)

Gerber Soothe 'N' Chew Teething Sticks - FDA / Gerber

In 2025, Gerber Products Company announced a recall of teething sticks for babies and toddlers due to them being a choking hazard. The company also made the decision to discontinue all batches of Gerber Sooth 'N' Chew Teething Sticks going forward, which came in strawberry apple and banana flavors. These items were shipped nationwide to various distribution centers and retail stores, as well as being sold online. The wide scope of the recall stretched to 45 states and Puerto Rico. The company was alerted to the potential problem when customers complained about choking incidents.

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As a result of this recall, Kroger removed Gerber's teething sticks in both banana and strawberry apple flavors. The teething sticks had been distributed to Kroger stores across multiple regions, and customers were urged to get rid of the sticks immediately or return them to the store for a full refund.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
KYIV, Ukraine  The scent of freshly baked panettone and the shimmer of vyshyvankas, traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts, filled the streets of Kyiv this weekend, as families gathered to mark the Easter holiday.

But behind the color and warmth of celebration lay a quieter tension, one that has come to define daily life in wartime Ukraine, jarred again when the Kremlin announced a surprise ceasefire Saturday, promising a brief pause in the violence, though few here took that seriously.

The holiday offered a rare chance to exhale, but ask about the war and emotions rise fast. Russian President Vladimir Putins overtures to peace, they said, were meaningless.

A priest sprinkles holy water on parishioners and a priestess outside an Orthodox church in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, on Sunday.

A basket of Ukrainian Easter pastries, traditionally blessed every year.

Tatiana Yemets, a 36-year-old accountant, stood on the St. Alexander Cathedral steps, soaking in the Kyiv sunshine.

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I do not believe in this, she said of the ceasefire. You can say a lot of things, but actions speak for themselves. I do not believe in this.

Russia announced the ceasefire late Saturday, citing humanitarian reasons, a day after President Donald Trump suggested that if the two sides did not reach an agreement quickly, the United States may pull back from its role as a mediator.

The truce was scheduled to last from 6 p.m. Moscow time Saturday until midnight at the end of Easter Sunday. A Kremlin spokesperson said Sunday there was no order for an extension, but Reuters reported White House said it would welcome one.

But within hours, the brief truce appeared to be fraying, with Ukraine and Russia trading accusations the other was breaking the one-day ceasefire.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately dismissed Putins overture, posting on X that 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. He went on to tally the number of Russian attacks since the ceasefires start, which he said numbered in the hundreds.

By Sunday morning, Russias Ministry of Defense accused Ukraine of violating the truce with an attempted attack on Russian positions, and said Ukrainian units had fired 444 times from guns and mortars, and carried out 900 strikes with quadcopter drones.

Amid the confusion, the two sides carried out a major prisoner swap in a rare example of successful diplomacy in the yearslong war.

Russias Ministry of Defense said after Putins announcement that 261 Russian soldiers were returned from Ukraine to Russia in exchange for 277 Ukrainian prisoners of war, describing the swap as a result of negotiations.

Ukrainian soldiers are returned home from Russian captivity ahead of the Easter holiday in Chernihiv, Ukraine.

A Ukrainian prisoner of war released ahead of Easter Sunday.

Zelenskyy confirmed on X that 277 warriors had returned home from captivity, accompanied by a video of the soldiers draped in Ukrainian flags upon their return.

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But the brief ceasefire continued to be undermined by violence and a profound lack of trust.

Since the announcement, Zelenskyy has reiterated his proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which he says has gone unanswered by Russia for 40 days.

The timing of the ceasefire has also raised questions about Russias true motives, and whether external political pressures may have played a role.

The Kremlins surprise announcement came just one day after Trump said negotiations between Ukraine and Russia were coming to a head.

If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, were just going to say youre foolish. You are fools, you horrible people, Trump said. And were going to just take a pass. But hopefully we wont have to do that.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said Friday that the United States may be ready to move on from its efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine if there was no clear progress in the coming days.

A meeting between Rubio, Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, as well as European and Ukrainian officials, is set to take place in London this week.

Graves decorated with Ukrainian flags at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery on Easter Sunday in Lviv, Ukraine.

Analysts say the timing of Russias ceasefire declaration suggests a tactical move rather than any meaningful step toward de-escalation.

If it were a more serious move, the ceasefire, then I dont think it would have been announced at such short notice, Peter Watkins, an associate fellow at the London-based think tank Chatham House, told NBC News. It looks to me like opportunism, to magnify the prisoner exchange and to give an impression of being constructive, flexible, ahead of the talks.

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If it all breaks down, then Russia can say, well, it wasnt down to us.

H.A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, echoed that view, noting that even a flawed ceasefire might serve a political purpose as Putin bets that the Trump administration will see the gesture as a move in the direction they want, even if thats not actually the case.

The entirety of the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations is an exercise in diplomatic maneuvers, and this is no different, he told NBC News in an email.

The brief ceasefire has drawn comparisons to a similar moment in January 2023, when Putin ordered a ceasefire to coincide with Orthodox Christmas. That gesture was swiftly dismissed by Kyiv as a cynical ploy aimed at gaining time on the battlefield and favor with the public.

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For residents of Kyiv, such political maneuvering brings little comfort as the sound of sirens and shelling continued throughout the night.

"They dont care when they shell us, when they launch missiles at us, Oleksandr Chornyi, 24, just leaving Mass at St. Alexander Cathedral, said, "This is done demonstrate to the world that they are peaceful. But their intentions remain the same."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
When Tony Blair was drafting his address to the nation at the start of his disastrous war in Iraq, his advisors were horrified that he proposed to end it with God bless you. It was removed.

Later that year Blair was interviewed by Vanity Fair, where he was asked about his Christian faith and the extent that it bonded him to President Bush. At that point Alastair Campbell is reported to have intervened and said, Im sorry. We dont do God.

Fast forward to 2025 and Labour now do God, but rarely Christianity and always in the most superficial manner. Last week Downing Streets social media accounts bombarded the country with an endless volley of happy such-and-suches. Happy Nepali New Year! Happy Shubho Noboborsho! Happy Vaisakhi! Happy Passover! Happy Mahavir Jayanti! And so it went on. But there was no mention of the start of Holy Week for millions of Christians. You had to wait till Maundy Thursday for the Downing Street Twitter/X feed to make any mention of Easter.

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You can imagine the press officer, ticking off their checklist: have we said happy X? or happy Y?. There was no interest in the inner life of faith, just its political and electoral repercussions.

This is a classic example of asymmetrical multiculturalism, where minority cultures are celebrated and promoted  while majority traditions and festivals are ignored and subsumed into empty cosmopolitanism. This thinking led to a primary school scrapping an Easter parade and church service in the name of inclusivity.

The result is that the unifying and over-arching national identity that generates belonging frays. British Christians  who still make up the single largest demographic group (in the last census 46 per cent of people said they were Christians, far exceeding the next highest religion at just 6.5 per cent)  are led to feel estranged from their own country.

It is a peculiar quirk of British politics that so few politicians seem willing to acknowledge that we are a Christian country, with Christian values, built upon and in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Yet they have much to thank Christianity for. The principle of political liberty derives from the Christian foundations of our political institutions and political philosophy. Our laws and what we now call human rights, have that origin too.

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Indeed, the very concept of the secular space, in which people are free to believe anything or nothing, has its roots in the Christian principle that everybody has value, and that it is not right to pry into the souls of other men or women.

But it is unsurprising that mainstream figures are squeamish about our Christian heritage when the Church of England seems to have lost its self-confidence. Interfaith dialogue is to be welcomed, but some church leaders appear more interested in filling their church with an Open Iftar than filling the pews for their own Sunday service.

The role of the church in our national heritage has been neglected. Parishes churches are the golden thread which connects centuries or more of religious and social life. They are more than just places of worship - they are depositories of our island story. But they are in disrepair and closing at an alarming rate. 1,000 churches are now at risk. The closure of an ancient church barely makes the local newspaper these days, something our ancestors would have been astonished by.

Politics pays little regard to such concerns. Labour have slashed the tax relief for repairs to listed places of worship  mostly churches  and done so abruptly, casting doubt on works already underway. My local church, St Mary Magdalene in Newark  a 12th century wonder, complete with cannon ball scars from the English civil war  already had the scaffolding on site when Rachel Reeves pulled the plug. This needless penny pinching is vandalising our countrys cultural inheritance.

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The lack of interest in our Christian roots manifests itself abroad too. On Psalm Sunday dozens of Christians were massacred by Jihadists in Nigeria. Before the Syrian civil war there are estimated to have been over two million Christians living there. The 300,000 that survive today routinely come under attack, with little protection from the new regime. There will be no marches through the streets of London protesting the erasure of Christian life in the Middle East.

We may carry faith lightly in this country, but the natural reserve of the British character should not prevent us from acknowledging that this is a culturally Christian country, the product of a millennium and more of Christian life on the British Isles, and that the values, customs and traditions that has given us should be cherished and handed on by Christians and non-Christians alike. Happy Easter.

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Hundreds once again rallied outside the Benton County Courthouse in Corvallis, while a thinner crowd took to the streets in Albany, to voice their displeasure with the Trump administration.

The demonstrators, young and old and waving signs with phrases like "No Kings" and "Stop Deportations," joined scores of rallies planned across the country Saturday, April 19.

All-in-all, the numbers were fewer than the April 5 protests, but still lined the streets many people deep. Saturday's were loosely strung together under the banner of the so-called 50501 Movement.

The name stands for 50 protests, 50 states and one movement. The mass demonstration aims to push back against what organizers call the administration's executive overreach, as reported by Axios. The League of Women Voters in Corvallis also helped coordinate the rallies locally.

Nationwide protests

According to the movements website, the mass weekend demonstration is all about showing the world the American working class will not sit idly by as plutocrats rip apart their democratic institutions and civil liberties, while undermining the rule of law.

But for protesters in the mid-Willamette Valley this weekend, there was no single animating issue.

"What doesn't bring us out here today?" said Corvallis resident Niki Hunter when asked about her attendance at Saturday's Corvallis demonstration amid chants and supportive honks from passing vehicles.

Many pointed to concerns about deportations, the targeting of international students, and what they see as an erosion of civil rights under the current administration.

They're similar issues cited at the nationwide Hands Off protests organized by progressive activist groups earlier this month.

Those rallies drew thousands to the streets to protest President Trumps actions since taking office a second time, including the firing of thousands of federal workers through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, headed by billionaire Elon Musk.

In the weeks since that nationwide demonstration, the Trump administration has dug itself deeper in a fight with federal courts over the fate of a wrongfully deported 29-year-old Salvadoran man and has shocked the global economy by launching  and then pausing in part  sweeping rounds of tariffs.

The administration also has canceled visas for more than 1,000 international students at universities across the country, leaving college officials grappling to respond and students fearful of deportation.

Corvallis rally

Those latter moves have hit close to home in Corvallis, where 13 international students at Oregon State University saw their visas revoked earlier this month.

Now one of the international students, Aaron Ortega Gonzalez, is suing the Trump administration. His lawyers have their first hearing in a Eugene federal court on Monday.

Brady Shields, one of many OSU students at the Corvallis rally, said the administration was attacking scientists, referencing Ortega Gonzalez and his research on ranchland restoration.

Marisabel Gouverneur, an 81-year-old retired clinician, also worried about the canceled visas for international students.

"These are the future leaders," she said.

Many spoke broadly about what they see as the administration pushing against legal boundaries. Among them was Carol Sumner, a Corvallis resident.

"What is going on with Trump is not constitutional and is not good for our country," she said.

Claire Brown, a trans woman from Philomath who also attended the April 5 rally, spoke in more personal terms.

"I'm protesting for everyone's rights and my right to exist," Brown said.

Albany rally

On the other side of the Willamette River, a thinner crowd of demonstrators lined Southwest Lyon Street between Fifth and Third avenues.

Demonstrators included City Councilor Michael Thomson.

He said he wanted people in Albany to know folks are frustrated and angry about what's happening at the federal level, specifically citing what he said was "daily confusion" in the education realm.

"It's not a good way to run anything" he said, referencing President Trump.

David Pinyerd, who attended Albany's April 5 demonstration, brought along a homemade pinata shaped like a king's crown Saturday. He offered fellow protesters lining the sidewalks a chance to take a swing.

He explained it was a sequel to the Cybertruck themed pinata he brought at the last demonstration.

For 58-year-old Albany resident Dave Fleetwood, Saturday marked his first-ever protest.

"I just felt like, if I'm ever going to do it, now is the time," Fleetwood said. "This is probably the worst I feel it will ever get in this country," he added.

Most protesters who talked to Mid-Valley Media on Saturday were pessimistic about making connections with Trump supporters.

Sean White, a 63-year-old Corvallis resident and a registered Democrat, said he doesn't know where to start the conservation.

In his opinion, he said, Trump supporters have already made up their minds, so he's trying to reach folks on the fence.

Corvallis resident Hunter said she's tried to explain herself to Trump supporters for years. "And they haven't heard it," she said.

When asked how he would explain to a Trump supporter why he attended Saturday's demonstration, Fleetwood in Albany said he's had a lot of friends who support the president. They don't talk anymore.

"I've basically given up on that," he said.

Staff photographer Jess Hume-Pantuso contributed to this article.

Related stories:
A landfill in Central Washington that was tested for elevated levels of toxic "forever chemicals" could be contaminating the local water supply and endangering residents.

What's happening?

Advocacy group Friends of Rocky Top had previously called out other environmental problems at the Rocky Top Environmental landfill near Yakima, per Northwest Public Broadcasting. The concerns included fire, pungent odors, and airborne litter.

Now, it's worried that soil tainted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and dumped at the site has contaminated groundwater. In response to protests by the group, the landfill set up monitoring wells, and testing showed PFAS levels surpassed cleanup levels. One well tested at 21 nanograms per liter; the Environmental Protection Agency considers levels of 4 nanograms per liter too high, per the report.

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"The amount of the contamination and the plume size is completely unknown," said Scott Cave, a consultant for Friends of Rocky Top, according to Northwest Public Broadcasting. "We have no idea where that plume is gone or if we're even going to find it in neighbors' wells."

Why is PFAS contamination concerning?

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that are found in a variety of consumer products including nonstick cookware and water-repellent clothing along with firefighting foams. Exposure to these substances has been associated with a number of negative health impacts. For instance, one study found that exposure to PFAS through drinking water before birth could lead to an increased risk of childhood cancers. Another paper tied these chemicals to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women.

Meanwhile, these chemicals are all around us. For instance, one study found that over 20% of Americans may be exposed to detectable levels of PFAS in their tap water, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says most Americans have been exposed to PFAS and have it in their blood.

What's being done about PFAS?

In April 2024, the EPA issued its first national and legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS, part of the agency's PFAS Strategic Roadmap. However, it is unknown how the EPA will move forward with PFAS regulations under the Trump administration. For instance, in February, the administration rescinded a proposed rule that would have set national limits on the discharge of PFAS into waterways.

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However, some states are taking action to protect residents. For one, Minnesota recently enacted a law that prohibits the willful addition of PFAS to 11 product categories, including cleaners, mattresses, automotive maintenance products, cookware, and other items. The law will expand to ban nearly all uses of PFAS by 2032.

You can help reduce your exposure by opting for PFAS-free brands and limiting your purchases of nonstick cookware as well as stain- and water-resistant clothing.

What source of air pollution do you worry most about at home? Wildfires Gas stove Fireplace Something else Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Better access to outdoor resources and improved trails could soon be coming to New Mexico, especially in more rural parts of the state. State outdoor leaders explain how the governors latest approvals will enhance recreation in New Mexico.

And our entire statewide system was on the verge of collapse, said Teal Harbin, New Mexico Search and Rescue Medical Coordinator.

During the latest legislative session, New Mexico Search and Rescue Medical Coordinator Teal Harbin advocated for a bill to enhance search and rescue (SARS) response times with a single phone call.

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I think itll save a lot of lives, said Harbin.

Albuquerque church opens first Safe Outdoor Space in International District

And now its been signed into law. This means that New Mexico, the outdoor community, is that much safer. Now, hopefully we will not have individuals waiting hours to days before search and rescue is notified through the state police, said Harbin.

The new law is just one piece of a larger push to invest in outdoor recreation in the state of New Mexico. So, its really uplifting communities, said Karina Armijo, Director of the Outdoor Recreation Division.

On top of the search and rescue enhancement, other areas of the outdoor division are getting some much-needed funding. A record-breaking $13 million will go to the states outdoor recreation division. After the governor approved the budget created by legislators.

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We saw that there was a real demand for a lot of these projects and programs for the outdoor equity fund, said Armijo.

Middle schoolers invited to hands-on outdoor adventure exploring Bosque wildlife

Three million dollars will go to the fund which gives youth across the state, especially in rural areas, equal opportunity to experience the states outdoor recreation offerings. Providing young people with resources like transportation.

Its helping to level the playing ground and to make a safe environment and more inclusive environment for all, said Harbin.

The remaining $10 million will go to outdoor recreation trails, bridge trail maintenance, restrooms, and more. So, whats significant is our state legislators, understanding the demand and allocating funds as an investment to our state for future, whether its stewards and workforce in the outdoor economy, said Armijo.

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The New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Rob Black called the funding a historic investment in quality of life, saying in a statement, Investing in outdoor recreation is key to creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and strengthening communities, especially in rural and underserved areas.

For more information about how you can apply for these grants and funds, and who is eligible go to nmoutside.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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
A new bill in New Mexico is flipping the script on a long-standing major environmental challenge  and transforming it into an opportunity for clean energy development.

House Bill 361, introduced by Rep. Andrea Romero, proposes a groundbreaking way to reuse the state's thousands of depleted oil and gas wells. Instead of leaving them to rust underground, this plan would transform old wells into clean energy assets by converting them into geothermal energy producers or mechanical energy storage systems.

That means instead of plugging and abandoning these wells  a process that often leaves behind pollution and hefty cleanup costs  the state could breathe new life into them, generating reliable, round-the-clock clean energy in the process.

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So, how would this work?

One of the most exciting technologies under review comes from startup Renewell Energy, which uses a weighted system in water-filled wells to store and release electricity  sort of like a giant, underground battery. Another potential use: tapping into the Earth's natural heat via geothermal energy to generate power.

It's a win-win that tackles two big problems: a growing demand for more electricity and the need to safely deal with thousands of orphaned and inactive wells. If passed, HB 361 would give regulators the tools to create rules for turning these old sites into clean energy hubs while determining who's responsible for managing them.

Over time, repurposing these wells could help stabilize the power grid by providing consistent, on-demand energy  even when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing.

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It also reduces the need to drill new wells, lowering the risk of future environmental damage. By turning old infrastructure into clean energy assets, the state is laying the groundwork for a more resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy future.

This kind of forward-thinking policy not only supports the shift away from dirty energy but also creates new jobs and revitalizes local economies  all while keeping harmful pollution out of our air and water.

Supporters see this as a big opportunity. Representatives from Xcel Energy and local energy experts say the bill could spark innovation, reduce pollution, and bring economic benefits to communities across the state  especially in rural areas.

While some lawmakers expressed concerns about the financial logistics, most agree the concept is worth exploring. And New Mexico wouldn't be the first to try  this approach builds on broader efforts to clean up abandoned wells and shift to more affordable, more sustainable energy.

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.
Opponents are increasingly using legal challenges to block or delay major public transit expansions  even after voters approve them. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Opponents are turning to legal challenges to try to block or delay major public transit expansions  even after voters approve them.

Recent lawsuits in Arizona, Tennessee and Texas have attempted to slow voter-passed projects.

In Nashville, Tennessee, voters passed a $3.1 billion referendum in November to raise the city sales tax half a cent and fund expanded bus service, pedestrian improvements and 54 miles of all-access transit corridors. But a Tennessee court, while upholding most of the project, ruled last week that the city could not use the funds raised to purchase land for affordable housing or parks.

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The ruling affects only 1% of the total revenue, the court said. But it was a signal that even well-funded, voter-backed transit efforts are vulnerable to some legal roadblocks.

After voters in Maricopa County, Arizona, last year approved an extension of a half-cent sales tax for transportation, the county GOP sued to try to invalidate the results, arguing the vote didnt meet a 60% supermajority.

In Austin, Texas, a 2024 class-action lawsuit attempted to block the city from collecting property taxes unless it excludes a tax approved by voters in 2020 to fund Project Connect  a major transit expansion. But a judge dismissed the lawsuit late last year.

Public support for expanded transit is surging across the United States. In 2024 alone, voters approved 46 of 53 transit-related ballot measures, unlocking over $25 billion in new funding for transit projects and improvements, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

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But despite support at the ballot box, cities often face legal, zoning and political barriers.

Nashville, in particular, is becoming a case study in both momentum and resistance to transit investment and development, according to researchers at the Urban Institute.

Theres been a sea change, said Gabe Samuels, a research analyst in the Housing and Communities Division at the Urban Institute. Nashville had two failed transit referenda in the past decade. This time, it passed decisively. Voters want alternatives to sprawl and traffic.

But transit-oriented development  the strategy of clustering housing and businesses near high-quality transit  is often hindered by outdated zoning, Samuels and colleague Yonah Freemark told Stateline.

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According to an Urban Institute study, more than 90% of Nashvilles residential land is zoned for single- or two-family homes, a pattern common in Southern and Midwestern cities. That zoning limits the density needed to support high transit ridership, the report said. Currently, only 13% of Nashvilles housing lies within a quarter-mile, what the report calls easy walking distance, of its planned transit corridors.

Youre investing millions  sometimes billions  into transit systems, said Freemark. If youre not thinking about land use and density alongside that, youre wasting the opportunity.

Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at rsequeira@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.)
At least three people were killed and nine others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, according to local authorities.

Russian forces shelled settlements in Donetsk Oblast 18 times over the past day, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. Two people were killed and another five were injured, and multiple incidents of property damage were reported.

At least four people were injured and one person was killed in Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on April 20, with attacks reportedly occurring after Russia's alleged Easter ceasefire was supposed to come into effect.

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Around 6 p.m., 7:05 p.m., and 7:12 p.m. local time there were targeted FPV drone strikes on parts of Kherson, Urozhaine, and Stanislav, according to Prokudin.

Eight FPV drones struck a district of Kherson, setting several apartments on fire. In Urozhaine, a drone hit a civilian vehicle, and another later targeted the village. An additional FPV drone was reported to have struck Stanislav, though Prokudin provided no further details.

"This is yet another reminder that Russia holds nothing sacred  and trusting the occupiers words is to risk your life," Prokudin said.

Russia's alleged Easter ceasefire was supposed to come into effect at 6 pm on April 19 and last until midnight on April 21.

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"We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," Russian President Vladimir Putin said, adding that the ceasefire would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks."

However, reports are also emerging from the front line of Russian ceasefire violations.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on April 20 that Russian forces had carried out 387 shellings and 19 assault operations across Ukraine between 6 p.m. and midnight. He added that drones had been used at least 290 times during that period.

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A fisherman died after being swept off rocks in Australia on Sunday, the latest in a spate of drowning deaths that have marred the Easter weekend.

At least six people have drowned across Australia since Friday as unusually large waves hit the coast.

New South Wales (NSW) police said on Sunday that paramedics were unable to revive the fisherman after waves swept him off rocks in Sydney's south. A 14-year-old boy also swept into the sea was winched from the water and was in a stable condition in hospital, police said.

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In a separate incident, a search is still under way after a 24-year-old man was carried into the sea by a large wave while walking on rocks in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs on Friday.

On Saturday, a rock fisherman died after being swept into the sea on NSW's Far South Coast.

On Friday, a woman died and a man is missing after being washed into the water in San Remo, near Melbourne.

"One of the women managed to make her way back to shore but the other woman and the man were unable to," Victoria police said in a statement.

The incident followed the death of a 58-year-old man, who police believe was fishing on a rock wall when he was swept into the water and drowned in Wollongong.

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Two other men drowned in separate incidents in Mosman and Eden on Friday, NSW police reported. Both were believed to have been washed off rocks.

The Bureau of Meteorology had cautioned Australians to take extra care ahead of the Easter weekend as a deep low pressure system generated large and powerful surf and swell across the NSW coast and offshore islands.
BEIRUT (AP)  Lebanese authorities detained several people who were allegedly planning to launch rockets into Israel and seized the weapons, the military said Sunday.

The army said the arrests were linked to other detentions announced earlier this week. It added that as military intelligence was investigating that case they got information that a new rocket attack was being planned.

The army said troops raided an apartment near the southern port city of Sidon and seized some of the rockets and the launchers and detained several people who were involved in the operation. It said they were referred to judicial authorities.

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Authorities on Wednesday detained several people, including a number of Palestinians, who were allegedly involved in firing rockets toward Israel in two separate attacks in late March that triggered intense Israeli airstrikes on parts of Lebanon. Lebanons Hezbollah group denied at the time that it was behind the firing of rockets.

Meanwhile on Sunday, a series of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed two people, the Lebanese Civil Defense said in a statement. The Israeli army said in a statement that it killed Hussein Ali Nasr, whom it described as the deputy head of Hezbollahs Unit 4400. Israel said Nasr helped smuggle weapons and funds into Lebanon via Iranian operatives, including through Beirut airport.

In a separate incident, three Lebanese soldiers were killed after ammunition a Lebanese army vehicle was carrying exploded, the army said in a statement. The circumstances in which the explosion happened were unclear.

Since a November ceasefire ended a 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli airstrikes have killed scores of people in Lebanon including civilians and Hezbollah members. Israel says its targeting Hezbollah holdouts in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said Friday that its fighters will not disarm as long as Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon and the Israeli air force regularly violates Lebanese air space.
Video from Friday night shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement buses full of Venezuelan migrants headed toward an airport in North Texas and abruptly turning around before the Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration must, for now, refrain from deporting Venezuelan men based in the state under the Alien Enemies Act.

At least 28 detainees  most, if not all, understood to be Venezuelan nationals  were placed on buses Friday evening at ICEs Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, and driven toward Abilene Airport, about 30 miles away.

The motorcade  including at least 18 squad cars from various law enforcement agencies with flashing lights along the North Texas highways  left the ICE facility, with some men on board being told they were being deported to El Salvador and some that they were headed to Venezuela, according to the wife of one of the detainees and two lawyers representing other detainees at the facility. Before they departed, it was not clear what their destinations would be.

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The video, obtained exclusively by NBC News, shows the ICE motorcade pass the airports exit and then turn around, looping back to return to the Bluebonnet detention facility.

The Trump administration is seeking to deport the men, who it says are members of the Tren de Aragua gang. It remains unclear whether the government has the authority to apply the Alien Enemies Act to gang members outside of a war situation and whether adjudications about gang membership are accurate.

The administration has asked the Supreme Court to stop its pause on the would-be deportation flights.

An abrupt turnaround amid Friday's court fight

As the motorcade was headed for the airport, a last-minute federal hearing on the matter was taking place in Washington.

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U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who has been hearing a case related to the flights to El Salvador, scheduled an emergency hearing for Friday evening  just hours after a bus rolled up to Bluebonnet.

Shortly before that hearing kicked off, attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union also asked the Supreme Court to step in.

We hear they are on buses on the way to the airport, said Lee Gelernt, the ACLU lawyer arguing on behalf of detainees on the verge of being deported under the Alien Enemies Act.

A bus departs ICEs Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas on Friday.

Upon learning the information, Boasberg asked Justice Department lawyer Drew Ensign to make calls to ensure no flights were deporting immigrants from Bluebonnet under the Alien Enemies Act on Friday night.

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Ensign said that he understood there would be no flights Friday night and that he was not aware of any plans for flights Saturday but that the Department of Homeland Security reserved the right to conduct flights Saturday.

At the same time, the ICE buses were nearing their approach to the airport exit.

The Supreme Court heard the case overnight, after Boasberg declined to rule in favor of the ACLU lawyers and told them, I just dont see really how youre asking me to do anything different from what the Supreme Court told me I couldnt do.

The high court then offered its ruling early Saturday that the administration must halt its deportation flights for now.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security would not comment on who was on the buses or why they turned around. DHS and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday night.

Each of the men was asked to sign a removal order, though many refused to sign it. NBC News has viewed video of numerous men holding up their copies of the removal order and protesting ICEs apparent efforts to get them to sign.

Had any of the men signed  and had they been deported less than 24 hours after putting their signatures on the forms  the Trump administration could have been in danger of violating the Supreme Courts April 7 order to provide reasonable time for those targeted for deportation under the Alien Enemies Act to appeal.

We are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists who care more about the rights of these terrorist aliens than those of the American people, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday evening on X.

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White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, also writing Saturday on X, called the immigrants documented foreign terrorists who infiltrated the country at the direction of an adversarial regime.

One detainees wife describes the near-deportation

Judy Maldonado Rall, wife of Eduardo Daboin Rall, who is being held at Bluebonnet and was among the detainees on the buses Friday, said she drove 6 hours from El Paso on Saturday morning to Anson, where she was able to visit with her husband.

She relayed the chaotic scene her husband described.

Officers came into the facility and pulled out a bunch of them and told them that they were going to be deported based on the orders that were given and that they needed to sign the documents, she said, referring to the removal orders.

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They were given documents titled Notice and Warrant of Apprehension and Removal under the Alien Enemies Act and told to sign, she said, and some were told they were being sent back to their home country of Venezuela.

They dont know what they were signing. They didnt know what was going on, Judy Rall said, adding that some of the men refused.

She said her husband and other detainees were then loaded onto the buses, headed toward the airport before they turned around and ended up back at Bluebonnet.

It happened as fast as they got there, and then they realized they did the turnaround, and thats when they realized  on this turnaround back to the center  is that they were returning to Bluebonnet, Judy said.

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Upon returning, Eduardo Rall was told by a guard: Well, you were lucky you were sent back because you were going to El Salvador, not Venezuela," his wife said.

DHS and ICE did not provide additional information and context about the detention of Eduardo Rall in response to a request early Saturday afternoon. Neither did the White House late Saturday afternoon. As of Saturday night, no details had been provided.

Judy Rall said Eduardo Rall is a Venezuelan national who entered the United States legally in 2023 via the CPB One app  which allowed migrants to apply to legally enter the country as asylum-seekers but which the Trump administration has since tried to eliminate. He applied for temporary protected status a year later but has not been granted approval.

Judy Rall said that her husband has no affiliation with Tren de Aragua, MS-13 or any other gang and that he is being targeted because of his tattoos.

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ICE first detained Eduardo Rall about a year ago for an incident at home, Judy Rall said. He was initially let go with no citations but ended up being taken to a processing center in El Paso a week later and going through a court process, in which he got out on bail and had to wear a tracker.

He was detained again last month, and Judy Rall said they have not been told why.

Hes never been given any documentation to see what are the charges against him, she said.

NBC News was not able to locate any state or federal criminal records with Eduardo Rall's name and date of birth. It verified that the man is in ICE custody and that his next hearing is scheduled for May 1 in El Paso.

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In video of Eduardo Rall inside Bluebonnet, he said he and his fellow inmates were simply being unjustly judged because of our tattoos.

I am Venezuelan and they put me to sign a detention and deportation order to a country that we do not know. They told us that they did not know where they were going to take us, he said. And we hope that they simply return us to our country safe and sound, so that we can be with our families.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
To the editor: I was a board member for the Capistrano Unified School District during the first Trump administration ( House Democrats demand briefing after immigration agents try to enter L.A. elementary schools, April 14). Bullying of Latino students and children from Middle Eastern regions shot up in our schools. There was also concern that the Border Patrol might come onto campuses to deport families.

I asked our districts attorneys what protections, if any, exist to prevent border agents from entering classrooms and removing children. First, I learned that all children in the U.S. have a right to an education regardless of their familys immigration status . Children cannot be denied an education because they or their parents are undocumented. I also learned that our district prohibits anyone from taking a child away from school who is not authorized by the childs family or guardian. This is to prevent child abduction and abuse.

Now the Trump administration has dismissed a long-standing policy of preventing arrests in sensitive areas, such as schools. Yet even so, immigration agents must properly identify themselves and cannot detain children without a judicial warrant. Those L.A. Unified principals were right to deny federal agents access to vulnerable kids without a warrant. Undocumented or not, children have a right to due process in this country.

Patricia Holloway, San Clemente

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A lion killed a 14-year-old girl outside Kenya's capital Nairobi while an elephant killed a 54-year-old man in the central part of the country, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said this weekend.

The attack on the girl occurred on Saturday in a ranch to the south of Nairobi National Park.

The attack was witnessed by another teenager, who raised the alarm, the KWS said in a statement.

"KWS rangers and response teams were swiftly mobilized and traced bloodstains leading to the Mbagathi River, where the girl's body was recovered with injuries on the lower back," the conservation agency said in a statement.

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"The lion was not sighted at the scene," it added.

It said a trap had been set for the lion and teams deployed to comb the area, along with additional safety measures.

The KWS said a 54-year-old man had also been killed by an elephant in Kenya's Nyeri County on Friday. The agency gave no further details about that incident.

"KWS conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and continues to work closely with local law enforcement and communities to enhance the safety of people living near protected wildlife areas," it said in the statement.

It called for more investment in "human-wildlife conflict mitigation", including early warning systems and greater collaboration with affected communities.

A lion is seen at Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 23, 2025. / Credit: Li Yahui/Xinhua via Getty Images

In a statement to the BBC Paula Kahumbu, head of the WildlifeDirect conservation group, urged Kenya Wildlife Service to improve "risk assessments and ensure accurate, real-time communication of wildlife movement and behavior, especially in known high-risk areas such as Savannah Ranch," where the girl was killed.

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Last year, police in Kenya recovered the body of a man believed to have been attacked by a lion while he was riding a motorcycle near a national reserve in the south of the country.

The lion population was declining in Kenya just over a decade ago, primarily due to human-wildlife conflict. The government listed lions as endangered, with an estimated population of 2,000 in 2010. A more recent survey put the number at 2,489.

In 2023, 11 lions were speared to death in just one week -- including one of Kenya's oldest wild lions -- by herders after the big cats killed their livestock.

Last year, the BBC reported CCTV footage captured the moment a lion snatched a Rottweiler dog from another home near Nairobi National Park.

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A 14-year-old girl has been killed by a lion on the outskirts of Nairobi after being snatched from a residential compound.

According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the teenager was mauled on Sunday evening in Savannah Ranch, near Nairobi National Park.

Another teenager witnessed the attack and raised the alarm.

Rangers then followed the lions tracks to a nearby river, the Mbagathi, where they found the girls body with injuries to her lower back.

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The lion has not been found, but rangers said that they were searching for the animal.

We have set a trap and deployed teams to search the area, the Kenya Wildlife Service said. We are reinforcing security measures to prevent further incidents.

The girl was reported to be a student at a nearby primary school. A post mortem will not be carried out.

Nairobi National Park lies only six miles from the city centre and is home to animals such as lions, buffalo, giraffes, leopards and cheetahs.

While it is fenced on three sides to prevent animals roaming into the city, it is open to the south to allow them to migrate to larger parks beyond.

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On its website, the Kenya Wildlife Service says that last year more than 88 miles of electrified perimeter fencing was installed, which led to a drastic reduction of human wildlife conflict.

The conservation agency also said that a 54-year-old man had been killed by an elephant over the weekend.

The elephant was grazing in Mere Forest when it attacked the man, who sustained serious chest injuries, fractured ribs and internal trauma, the agency said.

The incident happened in the central Nyeri country, about 80 miles north of Nairobi.

Last year, CCTV footage captured the moment a lion snatched a Rottweiler from a home near Nairobi National Park.

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And in March, footage emerged of a lioness hunting in a residential area of Ongata Rongai in Kajiado County.

According to local press, wild animals  especially lions and hyenas  are increasingly spotted in public areas of Nairobi, although attacks on people and deaths are unusual.

Conservationists and community leaders have called for better mitigation strategies, such as more effective fencing, early warning systems, and community education programmes.

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The fight over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia has consumed Washington and ignited a debate over immigration policy and due process.

In March, Abrego Garcia, who lived with his wife in Maryland, was sent to El Salvadors notorious terrorist confinement center (CECOT). On Thursday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) visited Abrego Garcia at the CECOT prison in El Salvador.

Van Hollen is expected to provide an update on his condition on several Sunday shows this week. The Democrat is slated to appear on five major cable networks to discuss his trip to the Central American country.

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Other administration officials sitting down on talk shows this weekend include Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who are likely to tout the administrations efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government by rolling back some regulations and slashing spending.

Democrats have pushed back on much of these actions and slammed the Trump administration for revoking research grants related to climate change and the effects of environmental pollution.

Several Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), are expected to reiterate these critiques on Sunday.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy (D) is also joining CBSs Face The Nation, where she is likely to weigh in on Harvard Universitys battle with the Trump administration over federal funding.

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Read the full Sunday shows line up here and follow along below for todays updates.

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STRUTHERS, Ohio (WKBN)  If youre still in need of some Easter candy, one local store is having a sale thats difficult to pass up.

Today is the Giannios Candy Companys annual half-off sale. All candy sold is at 50 percent off.

It starts Sunday morning at 8 and will run until 4 p.m.

First News spoke with co-owner John Giannios, who said the sale started over 40 years ago by accident.

A friend of ours needed some chocolate last minute, and when we stopped in on Easter, there was a line outside the door, Giannios said.

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The last-minute sale quickly became a tradition, gathering people from all over and even outside of the Mahoning Valley.

Giannios said Easter is easily their busiest season, expecting to go through a quarter-million pounds of chocolate.

In the candy business industry, Easters the big one, Giannios said. Christmas is a good holiday, but Easter is big, like the whole month of Easter, prior to easter, and after. Were busy.

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ANDERSON  A group of local residents are concerned about recent Republican-backed initiatives at the state and federal level.

They decided to express those concerns while marching from the Blue Bridge near Ninth Street to the Madison County Government Center downtown Saturday.

"This is not normal," said Terri Austin, a former Democratic state representative, during remarks before the march kicked off.

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"I don't care how they try to smooth talk it  this is not how democracy works. We have to be willing and have the courage to stand up and talk to our family, friends and neighbors about why this is not normal."

About 100 people gathered for the march, part of a nationwide network of Hands Off rallies that have been organized since the beginning of April to protest policies being advanced by the administration of President Donald Trump.

One of those initiatives is the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a bill requiring people to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. The bill passed the U.S. House earlier this month but faces an uncertain path in the Senate.

The bill has come under fire from voting rights advocates who fear that its proof of citizenship requirements  including a passport or birth certificate  could prevent married women who have taken their husband's name from voting.

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"We need to communicate with our elected officials at all levels  let them know we are not happy," Austin told those assembled at the rally. "We still have time to weigh in on the SAVE Act."

After Austin's speech, the demonstrators made their way to the courthouse.

"This is what democracy looks like," marchers chanted as they went.

Motorists passing the courthouse saw a variety of concerns being expressed in the form of signs, including some related to education and social security.

"I retired as a federal employee, said Becky Watkins, president of the Madison County Womens Democrat Club. I have paid into Social Security since I was 16. And like many others my age, we paid into it all of our lives.

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"Since I retired in December, I've worried that I wouldn't get a check. It's very concerning."

Other expressed concerns about legislation emerging from the Indiana Legislature during the current session.

Liz Farmer, a special education teacher at Anderson High School, said she was concerned about funds being diverted from public schools to private and charter schools.

"I think a lot of people don't understand that we serve all kids," she said. "Kids that enter those private school systems, charter schools, the services they need aren't available and the charter schools are not obligated to take or keep them. They could kick them out at any time."

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Farmer said she is also nearing retirement age, so Social Security and womens rights are other chief concerns for her.

"I thought we were done with this back in the 70s, she said, but here we are again."
The Bellefontaine Police Department recently welcomed its second therapy dog to the force, according to a social media post from the department.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

3-year-old female Bernie-Doodle Charlee is the departments second therapy dog.

TRENDING STORIES:

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Charlee completed her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) obedience training at Dependle Companions in East Liberty and got her therapy dog certification through First Responder Therapy Dogs, according to the post.

Officer Walters owns Charlee.

The pair will join therapy dog Raven and Officer Chiles to provide support and comfort to the Bellefontaine community.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A large crowd of people gathered on Market Street in downtown Youngstown on Saturday afternoon, demonstrating against President Donald Trump.

Hundreds of community members and local organizers stood in front of the Mahoning County Courthouse, demanding accountability, justice and peace. It was just one of many protests happening around the country on Saturday.

Those protesting say they want people to feel safe in their own homes and not have their rights violated.

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We dont think its right that there should not be due process under law for anybody thats moved from one place to another. Its not whether someones illegal or not. Its a matter of right of due process, which were guaranteed in this country, and even immigrants are guaranteed rights of due process, said protester Dirk Hermance.

Around 11 million people are expected to take part in the protests across the country.

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GAFFNEY, S.C. (WSPA)  Students and staff at Limestone University in South Carolina were devastated this week to learn their school was in danger of permanently closing due to financial issues. But some arent giving up hope, and a few have taken to social media in hopes noted Gen Z philanthropist Mr. Beast can help save their school.

On Wednesday, the university announced unless the university can secure a $6 million emergency fund, the college will need to to either move fully online or close entirely, ending a nearly two-century legacy in higher education.

Previous story: Limestone University faces possible closure

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In the wake of the announcement, Limestone University students took to TikTok and other social media platforms to vent their frustrations, ask followers for school recommendations or solicit donations to help keep the school open. More than a few of the latter group include tags for Jimmy Donaldson, better known online as Mr. Beast.

Donaldson is known for his YouTube channels, where he regularly engages in stunt philanthropy, giving large sums of money to individuals or causes, then reinvesting the money made by those videos into other philanthropic causes. He also owns his own candy company and hosts a television show on Amazon Prime.

According to Forbes, Donaldson has an estimated net worth of $85 million, and Yahoo Finance has estimated his net worth to be $1 billion. Some students are hoping if they nab his attention, he might be willing to turn his philanthropic spirit towards saving the school.

This is 100% a long shot. We know that it is a long shot, but we have to try, said Natalie Ruth, who earned her undergraduate degree at Limestone and is now enrolled in an accelerated masters degree program at the university.

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A native of Waxhaw, N.C., Natalie Ruth came to Limestone to play softball. She finished her undergraduate and is now only a handful of classes away from finishing her masters degree in business administration.

I was looking for a place I could play softball in college. Limestone was the only school I was like I could go here. It offered what I wanted; I love the small school, I like the area, I like the opportunities it gave me, she said.

As of Saturday, Ruth has posted multiple videos to her TikTok feed with captions asking for Mr. Beast to step in and save Limestone. Her videos have generated tens of thousands of views, likes, shares and comments.

Ruth said the idea to try to get Mr. Beasts attention wasnt hers, but shed noticed a trend of people doing it online and decided to try.

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You see whats going on around you and you see trends and hop on the trends, said Ruth. And we are not doing this like Mr. Beast you are our one and only hope. Its getting other peoples attention and people have tagged many other popular creators as well, said Ruth.

Saving Limestone, Ruth said is less about preserving the school for herself, but rather preserving an institution for those who are still enrolled.

We have a lot of first-generation students here, she said. A lot of those kids arent going to be able to transfer, they just dont have the funds or they dont have the support which can make it very difficult to find another place to go. 

Its also about preserving the local economy. Limestone University estimates it has a roughly $150 million impact on the local economy.

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We have tons of mom and pop businesses, coffee shops, restaurants, said Ruth. All of those businesses that rely on that constant businesses are going to have a very hard time staying open.

The Limestone University Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday to discuss the next steps for the university.

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LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) Longview ISD is hosting a unique college fair, only this event isnt meant for the students.

Longview ISD hosts special education track & field day

The 2nd annual college fair will focus on assisting parents with higher education

options, career programs and financial aid resources. Over a dozen different colleges, universities and certificate programs will be available for information based on various topics including:

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Adult education

GED and certification pathways

Financial aid and scholarships

College and career planning for their children

The college fair will take place April 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Forest Park Middle School.

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As his second-in-command was quickly meeting with Pope Francis, the most irreligious man in America was using the occasion of Easter to slam his political enemies.

President Donald Trump rolled his kidney stones away and broadcast a message to his devout Truth Social followers early Sunday morning. To his evangelical true-believers, who no doubt spent a grip of similar Sundays learning about "doing unto the least of you" and being "strangers in Egypt," he shared a sermon of outright hate for immigrants and the judiciary.

"Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well-known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country," he wrote. "Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten!"

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The screed from Trump comes after the Supreme Court issued a surprise order in the middle of the night to stay further deportations by the Trump administration. The unexpected command from the highest court is the latest volley in an ongoing battle between SCOTUS and Trump, who has responded to the judiciary's previous commands around deportations by ignoring them.

The opponents of his deportations were far from Trump's only targets. At a time when many Americans were attending church services, the president railed against his predecessor and resurfaced his (entirely untrue) theory that the presidential election in 2020 was stolen.

"Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked... He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing," he wrote. "But to him... and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!"
Lowell police are searching for a 4-year-old boy who went missing in the Merrimack River on Saturday.

A 911 caller notified authorities that the boy was in the water by the Western Canal near 300 Arcand Drive shortly before 5:45 p.m., Lowell police said in the press release. The preliminary investigation suggests that the boy was quickly pulled into the Merrimack River by the current.

Lowell police and firefighters responded to the call immediately, and Massachusetts State Police, UMass Lowell Police and Massachusetts Environmental Police are now aiding the ongoing search, police said. They are utilizing a dive team, an Airwing team and drones in their efforts to locate the boy.

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Firefighters in Dracut, Methuen and Lawrence have also searched downstream in the river for the boy, police said. An investigation into how the boy ended up in the water remains ongoing.

No further information has been released.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Jury selection in the trial of the officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya more than three years ago is set to get underway this week. The juror questioning process starts Monday, and jury selection will get underway Tuesday.

It was around 8:10 a.m. on April 4, 2022 when Christopher Schurr, then a Grand Rapids Police Department officer, stopped a car driven by Lyoya, 26, on Nelson Avenue on the citys southeast side. The plates evidently didnt match the vehicle.

Police said there was a struggle following the traffic stop that ultimately led to the officer shooting and killing Lyoya.

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A week and a half later, on April 13, the department released four videos of the incident, from a dashboard camera, a body camera, a doorbell camera and a cellphone.

Three years after Patrick Lyoyas death, former GRPD officers murder trial near

In the videos, Lyoya, a Congolese refugee, is seen running away. The officer goes after him, and the two begin struggling over the officers Taser. Lyoya eventually ends up on the ground, with the officer trying to hold him down. The officer pulls out his gun and shoots Lyoya in the back of the head, killing him.

On April 25, Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom identified Schurr as the officer involved. Winstrom began the process of firing Schurr on June 9, the same day Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced he was pursuing charges against Schurr.

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The next day, June 10, Schurr was formally charged with second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and posted a $100,000 bond.

In October 2022, a district judge ruled that Schurr will face a jury trial.

Candlelight vigil held to remember Patrick Lyoya

Trial dates were continuously pushed back, as Schurrs attorneys appealed the judges decision several times, taking it all the way up to the Michigan Supreme Court. The courts at all levels consistently held that the charges were justified, and the final ruling from the states high court came down on Dec. 2, 2024.

On Dec. 12, a trial date was set for April 28, with jury selection beginning April 22.

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If convicted, Christopher Schurr, 31, faces up to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

 News 8 will be staying on top of this case, bringing you important updates through the entirety of the trial. This includes on air, online on WOODTV.com and streaming on WOOD TV+.

 Editors note: This article has been updated to clarify the juror selection process timeline.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  With Earth Day just a few days away, News 19 spoke with various groups to discuss how they are working to help the environment.

Students from two high schools in Madison County are getting hands-on experience, learning how to use data to protect the environment.

The Land Trust of North Alabama made this environmental education program possible. Its mission is to preserve the areas scenic, historic and ecological resources through a process called CARE, which stands for conservation, advocacy, recreation and education.

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Our education wing is kind of the best way that we do community outreach, Naturalist Educator Laura Lambert said.

Lambert works for the Land Trust and spearheads the environmental education programs that are offered at the schools.

Over the summer of 2024, the Land Trust spoke with a local company, PPG, to discuss the need for high school-focused environmental education. From that conversation, the high school environmental education program was born, and it officially began in the Spring of 2025.

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The program was funded by a $30,000 grant given to the Land Trust by PPG.

A lot of environmental education programs focus on younger students, and high school students are interested in conservation and environmental advocacy, but they often dont have a way to do that, Lambert said.

In the classroom at Bob Jones High School  students are testing water samples brought from home for nitrates.

(Courtesy of Land Trust of North Alabama)

Students from Bob Jones HS at Harvest Square Nature Preserve performing chemical tests at Terry Pond.

(Courtesy of Land Trust of North Alabama)

Students from Lee High School hearing from Aaron Stiles, a native landscape designer, as they plan their campus garden to increase biodiversity.

(Land Trust of North Alabama)

Were really excited about being able to partner with them and help with programs like these that get people excited about the environment and conservation, a spokesperson for PPG said.

Lambert said the Land Trust saw this as an opportunity to help students become interested in environmental advocacy and prepare them for different types of careers, whether its in environmentalism or in a different STEM field.

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The two participating schools are Lee High School, which is part of Huntsville City Schools, and Bob Jones High School, part of Madison City Schools.

Lee High School

The environmental education program at Lee is focused on campus biodiversity, with about 25 students participating through the schools Green Ambassadors club.

The students collect most of their data through observational research and with the help of an app called iNaturalist. This app allows them to keep a record of what they see and to help categorize each item.

Its sort of a crowd-sourcing identification app that we can use, Lambert said. Whats great is that we can use data from iNaturalist to monitor our preserves and know what people are seeing in our preserves, so we can be better at conserving the life that are there.

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Lambert also mentioned that throughout the semester, the students at Lee found that the campus has very low biodiversity and found a spot they want to diversify. They designed a native planting area for their campus, and on Earth Day, they will be planting various plants.

Bob Jones High School

The environmental education program at Bob Jones is a bit different. There, the program is focused on water quality testing and water stewardship with data. About 50 students in two AP environmental sciences classes participate in the program.

The students there are utilizing chemical and bacteriological testing. For bacteriological testing, the students use strips of paper called R-CARDS, which allow them to see how much bacteria is in the body of water they test.

Theyre just little pieces of paper that we can drop water samples on, and we incubate them here back in the office, and we can see how much E. coli is in the water and how many other types of bacteria in the water, Lambert said.

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The Land Trust is planning on expanding the types of research the students are doing by adding microplastic monitoring for the 2025-2026 school year.

Thats a little bit more complicated. We use these things called Buchner funnels, and have to filter water out and then look at it under a microscope, Lambert said. But thats just another way that this program has evolved in just one semester.

All together, Lambert said the Land Trust makes each visit different from the last by introducing different topics each time, by exposing students to multiple ways they can approach environmental stewardship.

It may not make sense to go and try to clean up this pond if theres nothing wrong with it, but it might make sense to put our efforts somewhere else, because we know in the field of nonprofits and environmental education, money is limited, so we have to make decisions about how to best spend that time and effort, Lamert said.

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In addition to allowing these students to gain experience in environmental science, the Land Trust partners with different colleges across Madison County, such as Calhoun Community College and Alabama A&M, to give a more in-depth look into the field.

The Land Trust has people from Calhoun visit each school to talk about post-secondary options for environmental leadership and conservation. Lambert said the college is also working on starting a certificate program for environmental stewardship that would help participating students.

In contrast, the Land Trusts partnership with Alabama A&M allows its students to participate in the universitys bird-banding research project at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve.

Lambert believes that the data collected through these projects will show people just how valuable their conservation efforts are.

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We dont make decisions about environmental protections willy-nilly, Lambert said. Were making decisions based on data thats being crowd-sourced through a citizen science app, like iNaturalist, or were making decisions based on actual field work thats being done on our preserves.

Lambert is hopeful the environmental program can expand to as many schools as possible in the future.

We want as many schools as are willing to work with us for the 25-26 year, Lambert said. Right now we have Bob Jones and Lee, but if we could expand that to, you know, four to six schools that were working with next year, we would really enjoy that.

To learn more about what the Land Trust is up to, you can check out its website here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
This is getting whacked on a whole different level.

John Alite, a former Gambino crime family enforcer-turned-mob turncoat now serving as a councilman in the sleepy New Jersey borough of Englishtown, was heckled during his first town hall meeting by a former underling of John Gotti Jr.

However, Alite didnt have to lay a finger on his critic  39-year-old Christopher George of Huntington, LI  as dozens of townspeople shouted him down.

John Alite, a former Gambino crime family enforcer-turned-mob turncoat now serving as a councilman representing Englishtown, NJ, had residents of the sleepy community come to his aide after being heckled at a town hall meeting last month by Christopher George, a former underling for John Gotti Jr. LP Media

George stepped up to a microphone and confirmed he once worked for Junior Gotti, Alites ex-best friend and the son of late Gambino godfather John Gotti Sr. on various media projects  including some critical of Alite, who testified against Junior in a 2008 federal racketeering trial that ended in a hung jury.

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George asked Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco if he was aware of the newly appointed councilmans criminal activities  only to be drowned out by the angry mob.

Stop harassing this guy! He did what he had to do. He did his time. Thats it! Go! You dont belong here! one resident shouted.

Do me a favor! Step the fk out of here! raged another man gesturing toward the door. Who the fk is this dude?

Another told George if residents are unhappy with Alites March appointment theyll have a chance to vote him out of office later this year, adding I dont need to listen to you badger somebody at this meeting.

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Others shouted in unison, Go! Go! Go! and demanded cops escort George out before he exited Borough Hall on his own.

George promotes himself online as a writer, director and investigative journalist called Chris Kasparoza. He has websites devoted to Gotti Sr., Alite and other past and present mobsters.

Christopher George was rudely greeted by Englishtown residents at a March 21 town hall meeting when he brought up Alites criminal past. Obtained by the New York Post

Alite  who reinvented himself as a motivational speaker since becoming a free man in 2012  said George has been harassing him for years.

The Queens-born goodfella claimed George has popped up at the homes and businesses of family members to confront him  as well as at speaking events he appears at where he tackles topics like domestic violence and the nations drug epidemic.

Alite with then-buddies John Gotti Jr. and the late mobster Joseph OKane showing off their bare-chested bodies in the 1980s. Joyce, Allison, NYDN Freelance

Alite claimed to the crowd that George was hired by guys from my ex life, and had his own fallout with the Gottis himself.

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You dont have to explain! replied an supporter.

Christopher George promotes himself online as an writer, director and investigative journalist named Chris Kasparoza. Chris Kasparoza/ X

I just want you guys to know I appreciate what you did, but this is part of my old life that they dont want me to change, Alite told the crowd. They want me to lose my temper. I wont do that.

Alite doubled down on his remarks, telling The Post Thursday hes been literally harassed nonstop by Kasparoza.

Hes obsessed, insisted Alite.

Alite spent 14 years in prison on convictions that include six murders, at least 37 shootings and countless beatdowns while working as a Gambino henchman.

A courtroom sketch of John Gotti Jr. on trial in 2008 and staring at a prosecutor questioning government witness John Alite. Dan Brinzac

The President Trump-loving Republican was appointed to fill a vacancy through the end of the year after being recruited by Francisco and other local leaders impressed by his civic work helping youths.

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George insisted to The Post Friday he wasnt sent to the meeting by anyone and only went to ask Alite and other Englishtown officials questions for a new book and documentary project hes working on. He also denied harassing Alite or his family.

George said he previously worked with Junior Gotti on investigative journalism projects regarding career criminals turned government cooperators they believe are still lawbreakers, including a website dedicated to Alite. The two parted ways professionally in 2022 over disagreements they had about a documentary both were partnering on about Alite, George said.

George also said he wasnt fazed by Englishtown residents spirited defense of Alite at the meeting.

He had numerous friends in the crowd that night, and Im sure some of them are good people, said George. But like many of his other unwitting victims, I believe at a certain point theyll realize who John Alite really is and that his only friend is himself.
The MAGA world went into full meltdown Saturday after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Trump administrations latest deportation pushtargeting a group of Venezuelan men in Texasto allow an ongoing ACLU lawsuit against the deportations to play out.

Generations of lawyers and judges, on both sides of the aisle, have been infected with a parasitical ideology that denies reason and common sense, the Trump-appointed Department of Homeland Security liaison Paul Ingrassia wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Generations of lawyers and judges, on both sides of the aisle, have been infected with a parasitical ideology that denies reason and common sense, causing irreparable damage to our judicial system.



This is why a putatively conservative Supreme Court so often fails to uphold https://t.co/cWnUTyDcM3  Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) April 19, 2025

The ruling paused deportations that rely on the Alien Enemies Actan 18th-century law invoked without due processin a stunning 7-2 decision early Saturday. The decision has cast the countrys entire legal system as the enemy in the eyes of Trump officials and associated mouthpieces.

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The fact that the justices Trump himself appointedBrett Kavanaugh, Neil Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrettappeared to side against him is an especially bitter pill for the MAGA faithful, who now find themselves laying siege to the very bench that they once celebrated as a conservative fortress.

The Supreme Court would rather actively participate in Americas ruination, rather than work alongside the duly elected president to help reestablish the RULE OF LAW, Ingrassia continued.

On Saturday afternoon, Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the Supreme Court to reverse its order, arguing the ACLU had improperly skipped the lower courts. The filing did not, however, directly refute the ACLUs core claims that migrants had been loaded onto buses, or that notices were issued only in English.

MAGA fury was not solely directed at the high court, however: The ruling comes at a time when judges across the country have pushed back on the administrations rapid extraction policy, demanding it follow proper legal process.

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We live in a society where foreign alien terrorists have unlimited free legal representation, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Stephen Miller posted on X. But Americans whose communities have been stolen from them are left without recourse.

We live in a society where foreign alien terrorists have unlimited free legal representation.



But Americans whose communities have been stolen from them are left without recourse.



We are rebalancing the scales.  Stephen Miller (@StephenM) April 19, 2025

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to express similar feelings. We are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists who care more about the rights of these terrorist aliens than those of the American people, she wrote.

President Trump promised the American people he would use all lawful measures to remove the threat of terrorist illegal aliens, like members of TdA, from our homeland.



We are confident we will ultimately prevail against the onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical https://t.co/88PvYM0Yz3  Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 19, 2025

Tom Fitton, president of the right-wing Judicial Watch group, suggested Trump suspend habeas corpusthe constitutional legal safeguard against unlawful detentionto reverse the Biden invasion.

"The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."--US Constitution. Should @RealDonaldTrump suspend the writ in order to reverse the Biden invasion?  Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) April 19, 2025

Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) circulated a clip of Miller telling NewsMax the reason America no longer has a functioning public school system is because of open borders. Who will compensate the American people for the lasting damage caused by mass illegal migration?! she wrote, echoing Millers suggestion that reparations should be paid.

The unprecedented amount of illegal aliens let into our country by Democrats has ravished our communities, our education system, and our way of life.



Who will compensate the American people for the lasting damage caused by mass illegal migration?!@StephenM is spot on. pic.twitter.com/LcSfjgMNAq  Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) April 19, 2025

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The case, which involves alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, remains on pause as SCOTUS deliberates.
I was working in my yard recently when a man walked by and, in a belligerent tone, yelled, "How's that MAGA (expletive) working for you? The country is going to hell in a handbasket."

He must have remembered that I had a Trump sign in my yard last fall and wanted to get a "piece" of a Trump supporter. It didn't occur to him that we were only three months into a new administration, and that it takes time to turn a sinking ship around.

More: 50501 movement holds protest in Downtown Cincinnati

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It reminded me, again, that civility and common sense are dying a slow death in our country.

Jim Wilson, Mason

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Civility shouldn't die just because you hate MAGA | Letter
BETHESDA, Md. (DC News Now)  A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the Friday kidnapping of a woman in Bethesda, according to the Montgomery County Police Department.

Police said Robert Deeter, of Bethesda, faces kidnapping, first-degree assault, stalking, harassment and multiple handgun charges.

Woman kidnapped in Bethesda, police say

According to police, officers received reports of a kidnapping around 2:30 p.m. Friday.

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Officers located Deeters red Toyota RAV4 in the 7000 block of Democracy Boulevard, with a woman in the passenger seat, and began following him.

According to police, the woman jumped out of the car as they approached Rockledge Drive and I-270, where she confirmed with officers that Deeter had kidnapped her at gunpoint.

The woman added that she knew him before the kidnapping.

Officers continued to follow the car to the area of Old Georgetown Road and Beech Avenue, resulting in Deeter refusing to exit the car and barricading himself inside.

Police say the Emergency Response Team (ERT) negotiators began speaking with the suspect, and the man eventually surrendered. The man was arrested, and a firearm was seized from the car.

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Deeter remains in custody without bond.

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PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Priceville Police officers arrested a man from Tennessee for driving under the influence and other charges Sunday.

The Priceville Police Department said around 1 a.m., officers stopped a vehicle on I-65 southbound near the 334 mile marker.

Officers identified the driver as 25-year-old Miguel Hernandez of Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee.

After Hernandez was pulled over, officers determined he was driving the vehicle under the influence of alcohol and he was arrested for DUI.

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Upon further investigation, the department said two fraudulent Social Security cards as well as two fraudulent U.S. permanent resident cards were found in Hernandezs possession.

He was additionally charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Hernandez was booked into the Morgan County Jail where he is being held on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hold.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
A man who police said was "erratic" and bit an officer during his arrest suffered a medical emergency and died in custody early Sunday, according to authorities.

A Fullerton police officer first spotted the man around 12:31 a.m. after closing hours at Lemon Park, according to a department news release. Police said the man looked to be holding a smoldering cardboard box and "was acting erratic."

As more officers arrived, police said, the man became uncooperative and began to physically resist. More officers were called to provide assistance and, according to the department, it took several of them to gain control of the man and place him in restraints.

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Police said that as officers were taking the man into custody, he "violently bit an officer on the arm causing injuries."

The Fullerton Fire Department responded to treat both the suspect and the officer. Several minutes later, according to the release, the arrestee appeared to have a medical emergency. Police said paramedics began lifesaving measures and took the man  who has not yet been identified  to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The officer who was bitten was treated at a hospital and released, according to the department.

Investigators with the Orange County district attorney's office responded for an independent investigation into the death, according to the Police Department.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Thurston County Sheriff announced that Jeffrey Zizz was charged with the alleged murder of 82-year-old Marcia Norman on Sunday after her remains were discovered partially buried in concrete under a shed in Olympia on April 9.

Zizz, a convicted child molester, was a handyman for Norman and detectives believed he was the last person to see her alive after she was reported missing on April 4.

Our family has experienced the loss of our center. Marcia was the one that brought us together. We are thankful for the efforts of law enforcement... she is loved by many, Normans family said in a statement.

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Detectives say they interviewed Zizz multiple times as he was previously named a person of interest. They learned Zizz and Norman had dinner together on April 1.

He told us they had dinner together. Hes not the average handyman to this family... hes a good family friend, so it doesnt necessarily seem like having dinner together would necessarily be uncommon, said Thurston Sheriff Lt. Mike Brooks.

As officials were still investigating, Zizz reportedly fled to Montana on April 6 where he was arrested on an outstanding warrant for an unrelated sex offense.

On April 13, he was extradited back to Washington, where he has been held in the Thurston County Jail for a child molestation probation violation warrant.

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Thurston County prosecutors say Zizz previously served 11 months in jail and was currently serving a 7-year probation for child molestation and inappropriate electronic communication with a minor.

The Thurston County Sheriff will be holding a press conference at 5 p.m. on Monday to provide additional details in this case.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Murfreesboro man was charged after he was allegedly caught on video illegally dumping a mattress on the side of a road in Rutherford County.

In the footage shared by the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, on April 12, the individual drove to the side of Florence Road, pulled a mattress and box springs out of the truck bed and quickly left the scene.

More than 400 workers to be laid off from La Vergne fulfillment center

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On Friday, RCSO arrested Calvin Mosby, 20, and charged him with aggravated criminal littering, altering or falsifying registration and tampering with evidence. He was released after posting a $5,000 bond.

RCSO said Mosby was identified with the help of local residents, the Murfreesboro Police Departments Real Time Crime Center and license plate recognition technology.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
A man is dead after a pickup truck crashed into a tree in Hempfield Township.

Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said Kenneth R. Altman, 68, of Hempfield Township, was driving in a Ford pickup truck on North Greengate Road at around 4:17 p.m. on Saturday.

His truck went off the side of the road and hit a tree head-on.

Altman was taken to Independence Health System Westmoreland Hospital, where he later died.

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Coroner Carson said he was not wearing a seatbelt when he crashed.

Pennsylvania State Police are expected to release more details about the crash.

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A federal jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of 45-year-old Luis Esquivel-Bolanos of Guerrero, Mexico on multiple drug trafficking and firearms charges.

Esquivel-Bolanos (a/k/a Colorado) faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life in prison. He may also face removal from the United States at his sentencing in July.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Esquivel-Bolanos was identified as a member of a drug trafficking organization which had flooded the Eastern District of Washington, including the Oroville area and the Colville Indian Reservation, with methamphetamine and fentanyl. The organization spread as far as central Montana, where many of the illegal drugs were reportedly being sold on Tribal land.

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The evidence at trial established that Esquivel-Bolanos helped run the organization, which used threats to maintain control over their drug-distribution activities, such as strip-searching and threatening kill a confidential informant.

According to the attorneys office, on April 19, 2023, BIA, DEA, the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force, and other federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement, executed a series of federal search warrants at several homes in rural Okanogan County, near Oroville, Washington. In total, investigators reportedly seized approximately 161,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 80 pounds of methamphetamine, 6 pounds of heroin, 12 firearms, and more than 2 pounds of cocaine.

The volume of drugs removed from Eastern Washington and Montana communities, including from Tribal land, is staggering. At the time of Mr. Esquivel-Bolanoss arrest, and even now, the seizure from the Medrano-Bolanos drug trafficking organization was one of the largest ever in rural Washington. I am grateful for the tremendous law enforcement efforts by the BIA, DEA, and others, who put an end to the dangerous and threatening tactics used by Mr. Esquivel-Bolanos and his associates, said acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker.

These agencies came together to address the drug trafficking occurring across many communities in Eastern Washington and Montana, including seven different Indian Reservations, said Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Division of Drug Enforcement. This investigation revealed the purposeful and specific exploitation of Indian Country by the members of this criminal network, illustrating the importance of continued vigilance and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

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Mr. Esquivel- Bolanos was second in command of the drug trafficking ring responsible for flooding the Oroville area and Colville Indian Reservation with deadly fentanyl and meth, said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. Drug traffickers who purposely prey on our tribal communities are the worst offenders, and with the help of the jury this Mexican National will be held accountable.

To learn more about this case, and the twenty-seven defendants that were charged and convicted, visit the U.S. Attorneys Office website.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  According to the Department of Justice, a Houston man was sentenced in federal court Friday for smuggling endangered baby Mexican spider monkeys into the United States.

Sarmad Ghaled Dafar, 33, was handed down a four-month stay in custody, followed by 180 days of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $23,501.70 in restitution for the cost of quarantining three of the trafficked monkeys at the San Diego Zoo.

According to court records, Dafar orchestrated the illegal trafficking of six protected baby Mexican spider monkeys from Mexico to the U.S. between June 2022 and August 2023. He communicated with suppliers, arranged the smuggling, received the animals once they crossed the border, and offered them for sale via Facebook messages.

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His scheme began to be uncovered on Aug. 14, 2023, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents intercepted three baby spider monkeys at the Calexico West Port of Entry. According to the DOJ, the monkeys were being smuggled into the U.S. by one of Dafars coconspirators. A search of the smugglers phone revealed communications, images and evidence linking the operation to Dafar.

Not going to be great out there: Experts have candid advice for national park visitors

Federal prosecutors revealed that Dafar specifically sought out baby monkeys to make smuggling easier, believing the smaller animals would be quieter and easier to conceal. In one Facebook exchange, Dafar commented on another smuggling bust, saying:

He stupid brin[g] to[o] many of[] them and all adultsthey make a lot noise and they active. Babys most be sleeping and small to hide.

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Photos shared by Dafar, seen below, show just how young the animals weresome kept in cages under heat lamps, others dressed in diapers. In one message to a buyer, Dafar promoted the sale of a spider monkey for $8,000, noting that similar animals usually sell for $15,000 or more.

Baby Mexican spider monkeys are classified as an endangered species, and wildlife experts say they are never willingly separated from their mothers. Capturing them often involves killing the mother and other members of the monkey troop that try to defend her and her baby.

The three monkeys seized in August 2023 underwent genetic testing at the San Diego Zoo, which confirmed that each came from a different mother.

This crime ripped weeks-old baby monkeys from their mothers, disrupted fragile ecosystems, endangered a vulnerable species, and posed significant public health risks, said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. This is not merely an economic crime; it is a severe and lasting injury to both wildlife and public safety.

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According to prosecutors, the trafficking of primates poses serious public health concerns. Quarantine procedures are in place to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, monkeypox and simian immunodeficiency virus, which can transfer from primates to human. The DOJ said Dafar failed to follow those requirements.

Following their seizure and quarantine, the three baby spider monkeysnow named Chrissy, Jack and Janetwere transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Theyve since joined a group that includes Frankee and Bucees, two spider monkeys rescued from a separate border smuggling case.

While these five have found safety and care, the fate of the other three monkeys trafficked by Dafar in 2022 and 2023 remains unknown, said the DOJ.

Dafar is required to surrender to authorities by May 29, 2025, to begin serving his sentence.

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CHULA VISTA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  San Diego Police Homicide Detectives are investigating an officer-involved shooting involving Chula Vista Police that happened during a standoff early Saturday morning. Police report three officers fired their weapons and two handguns were recovered from the suspect.

Chula Vista Police officers responded to calls for a family disturbance involving a firearm in the 1400 block of Country Vistas Lane in Bonita at 5:41 a.m. Saturday.

Police arrived to find several family members hiding outside the home and were notified the suspect had access to multiple firearms, prompting Chula Vista Police to call in additional resources, including SWAT, a drone and an armored vehicle.

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Chula Vista Police report the man came out of the house with his hands in his pockets and police began giving him commands to put his hands in the air.

National City collision sends five people and police officer to hospital

Police say as the man removed his hands from his pockets, he dropped a firearm on the steps of the home. Then he sat down on the steps and put the handgun in his lap while police were giving him commands to step away from the firearm.

Several minutes of negotiations took place as Chula Vista Police officers continued to tell the man to put his hands in the air, but they say he kept the firearm in his lap.

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The suspect was warned by police he would be struck with a less lethal beanbag round if he continued to disobey their commands to drop the gun, but they report he still did not comply.

Thats when officers hit the suspect with the beanbag shotgun round, causing him to fall backwards and the gun fell out of his lap onto the ground. However, the man then picked up the gun and pointed it at officers as they continued to tell him to drop the gun.

Second victim identified after car goes into San Diego Bay

Three Chula Vista Police Officers fired their department rifles, hitting the man while he was still sitting on the steps.

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Officers began life-saving measures until paramedics took over. The man was taken to the hospital where he later died.

Two handguns were recovered from the scene, one next to the suspect and a second handgun in his waist.

The suspect, described by police as a 56-year-old man, has not yet been identified, pending additional family notifications.

Military officials identify two Marines killed in crash in New Mexico

Authorities report the three officers who fired their weapons have been with the Chula Vista Police Department for 11 years, 7 years, and 5 years, and all were equipped with body worn cameras that were activated at the time.

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The Chula Vista Police Departments drone equipment also recorded the incident.

San Diego Police Homicide Detectives were called to investigate per the countywide memorandum of understanding regarding officer involved shootings.

When Homicide completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorneys Office to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability.

The Chula Vista Police Department will also be conducting an administrative investigation into the officers discharge of their firearm.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the United States Attorneys Office will also be monitoring the investigation.

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Anyone with more information is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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NOTTINGHAM, U.K. (WFLA)  Surveillance video captured a shoplifter breaking into a store to steal 100, or approximately $133, worth of Easter eggs in the United Kingdom.

According to Nottinghamshire Police, a trio of thefts took place between Feb. 27 and March 27 as a suspect broke into supermarkets and stole Easter eggs, nappies, and washing pods.

After checking surveillance video from the scene, police said they identified the individual as 28-year-old Jordan King.

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Nottinghamshire Police arrested King, who pleaded guilty to all three counts of shoplifting.

Police reported that King also confessed to resisting an officer during his arrest and causing criminal damage to a Tesco Express on Feb. 27.

King has been ordered to pay back the cost of the stolen items.

Nottinghamshire Police said they are still looking for the second suspect involved.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Voters in the Mansfield school district will decide on three board seats in the May 3 election: Places 3, 4 and 5. The Star-Telegram sent questionnaires to the candidates. Here are their responses.

Ana-Alicia Horn

Age: 40

Campaign website: ana4misd.com

Best way for voters to reach you: ana@ana4misd.com

Occupation: Strategic Development Director

Education: MBA from UTA

Have you run for elected office before?

No, I havent

Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Mansfield.

I am active on my childrens campuses and in PTAs, and I volunteer for various district events and at our Clothes Closet. I have been active at and spoken up in many community conversation meetings, feedback forums, and school board meetings.

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Currently, I serve as Co-Chair of MISDs Student Health Advisory Committee. My experience has shown me the importance of listening to our community, and Im ready to bring that commitment to the school board.

Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain:

No, I have not

Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain:

No, I have not

Who are your top three campaign contributors?

A coworker, a neighbor, and family friend

Why are you seeking this office?

Strong schools start with accountable leadership, and I wanted to run to help ensure that the people leading our schools make decisions based on whats best for our childrennot personal beliefs, political agendas, or outside influences.

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Now more than ever, MISD needs strong advocates for public education funding, regardless of partisan politics. We need leaders who address real challenges with real solutions, not leaders who work to fuel divisive culture wars. Every decision I make, whether private or public, will always put our students and staff first because that is the job of a trustee.

If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?

With public school funding in Texas stretched thin, every decision we make as a board must be focused, intentional, and student-centered. That reality will shape my priorities, which center on the people at the heart of our schools:

Protect and Prioritize Classroom Funding

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Ensure that limited resources are directed to where they matter most: our students and classrooms. I will do this by fighting for full funding and making budget decisions that protect student support services and academic programs.

Invest in and Retain Quality Educators

Support policies that provide competitive compensation, manageable workloads, and professional respect for teachers and staff to improve retention and recruitment.

Strengthen Parent Engagement and District Transparency

Promote clear, consistent communication and expand opportunities for parents to be involved in decision-making, ensuring every family feels informed, heard, and respected.

How will you measure your success?

Ill measure my success not just by policies passed but by the trust we build, the support we give our teachers, and the opportunities we create for students. If our campuses feel stronger, our staff more valued, and our families more engaged, then Ill know were moving in the right direction, together.

Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

As a parent of three children currently enrolled in MISD, Im personally invested in the districts success, not just for today but for the next decade and beyond. I believe the board must shift toward leadership that prioritizes collaboration over partisanship, listens to educators and families, and makes decisions based on data, not division or outside agendas. Voters should choose me because Im committed to leading Mansfield ISD with integrity and transparency, with a long-term vision grounded in whats best for our students, staff, and families. Im running to help us move forward together on a path rooted in unity and student-centered leadership, and thats what sets me apart from my opponent.

Keziah Valdes Farrar

Did not respons.
Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, right, is greeted by Brayan Rocchio after both scored on Kwan's two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller, not pictured, during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo, top, is greeted by Jose Ramirez (11) as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Joey Wentz (34) during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, top, is greeted by Jose Ramirez as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, right, is greeted by Brayan Rocchio after both scored on Kwan's two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller, not pictured, during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo, top, is greeted by Jose Ramirez (11) as he crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Joey Wentz (34) during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, top, is greeted by Jose Ramirez as he returns to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller during the third inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP)  Steven Kwan and Kyle Manzardo hit two-run homers and Manzardo added a sacrifice fly in the 10th to rally the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday for a three-game sweep.

Manzardo drove in Jhonkensy Noel, who started the inning at second, with a one-out fly to left off Dennis Santana (0-1).

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The Pirates (8-15) rallied for three runs in the ninth off Emmanuel Clase (3-0), who was going for his third straight save in the series.

Clase surrendered a two-run double to Adam Frazier before KeBryan Hayes tied it with an RBI single. AndrewMcCutchen hit into an inning-ending double play on Clase's 30th pitch.

Kwan followed Brayan Rocchio's leadoff single in the third with a shot down the right-field line off Pirates starter Mitch Keller for his fourth home run and a 2-0 lead.

Manzardo homered for the second straight game in the seventh inning, connecting off Joey Wentz for his sixth after Ramirez singled with two outs and stole second.

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Pittsburgh pulled within 2-1 in the sixth on an RBI double by McCutchen.

Key moment

The Pirates had two on in the 10th after Joey Cantillo walked Joey Bart leading off on four pitches. But Oneil Cruz swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play and Enmanuel Valdez flied out for Cantillo's first career save.

Key stat

Kwan's home run down the right-field line gave him a team-high 14 RBIs from the leadoff spot. Manzardo passed him with 15 after his homer.

Up next

RHP Gavin Williams (1-1, 4.58) will start on Monday as the Guardians begin a nine-game homestand with a three-game series against the Yankees. RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-0, 4.76) starts for New York.

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The Pirates begin a six-game road trip to California on Tuesday with the first of three games against the Angels followed by three with the Dodgers. LHP Bailey Falter (1-2, 4.91) starts for Pittsburgh. The Angels have not named a starter.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
The occasion was so important that Mark Zuckerberg was even persuaded to put on a suit.

The Meta founder took the witness stand this week in Washington wearing a blue number as the anti-trust trial that could see his social media empire broken up began.

The regulators accuse him of running what it is in effect a monopoly over social media. He stands accused of snuffing out competition by buying competitors or crushing them.

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But hold on. Sure, it is easy to make the case that Meta is too big and too powerful. And yet the reality is this: the case is laughably thin.

The only thing Zuckerberg is actually guilty of is striking great deals  and if that is ruled unlawful then American capitalism will be in deep trouble.

The case against Meta has been rumbling on for years and finally came to court this week. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accuses the company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, of running what is effectively a monopoly in social media markets.

They decided that competition is too hard and it would be easier to buy out their rivals than to compete with them, argued Daniel Matheson, representing the FTC.

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In effect, it has a buy or bury strategy, taking out fledgling competitors before they could become large enough to pose any serious threat. If the FTC wins its case, Zuckerbergs empire could be broken up and Meta forced to sell off one or more of the sites it owns.

Of course, cynics might assume that Zuckerberg has already effectively bought himself protection by cosying up to President Trump.

He has, among other things, got rid of the fact-checkers at Facebook and made the site far more sympathetic to the Make America Great Again movement. Trump looks after his friends, especially if they are billionaires, and wont allow the company to be taken apart, you would think.

Cynics might assume that Zuckerberg has already bought himself protection by cosying up to President Trump - Facebook

But that aside, there is another big problem with the antitrust case: it simply does not stack up.

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True, Meta is incredibly powerful in the social media market. It has 3.3bn daily active users, generates more than $150bn in revenues and makes huge profits. But so what?

In reality, Meta is only guilty of one thing: it makes very smart acquisitions. It bought Instagram for a mere $1bn in 2012. It purchased WhatsApp for $19bn in 2014.

At the time, both looked like potentially risky acquisitions, and indeed plenty of people argued at the time that it was over-paying for Instagram and for WhatApp as well, given that when it was acquired it had very little in the way of real revenues.

And yet, they both now look like the deals of the century. Zuckerberg saw their potential before anyone else did, figured out how they could be monetised, saw a way to build a set of complementary, over-lapping sites, and pounced before anyone else did.

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It was predatory, perhaps, and probably aggressive as well. But it was also very smart.

On top of that, Meta put a lot of hard and creative work into making both sites successful. It was not preordained that Instagram would become the place where we all share our life stories every day, and keep track of our friends and family. It had to be built step by step.

Likewise, it was not obvious, as the FTC seems to assume, that WhatsApp would dominate messaging on our smartphones. Again, under Metas control that had to be fought for.

Is Meta really a monopolist?

True, its share of the global digital advertising market is estimated at 19pc. It is a lot, but well below the 25pc that is generally considered to constitute an effective monopoly.

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It faces plenty of competition from Google, both on its search engine and on YouTube, from TikTok, from Elon Musks X, from Snapchat, from Amazon for advertising, from Microsoft in the form of LinkedIn, and from plenty of smaller niche sites as well.

Likewise, WhatsApp may well be the most popular messaging app in the world. But it faces plenty of competition in instant messaging as well, especially from sites such as Telegram. And it is worth keeping in mind that WhatsApp still does not make a huge amount of money even though almost all of us use it every day.

In reality, what the FTC is trying to do is criminalise companies for making great deals. It is hard to see that going well.

Should Bill Gates be prosecuted for insisting that he should keep the rights to the code when he first sold an operating system to IBM in the 1970s?

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Should Google be punished for paying just $50m for the Android operating system in 2005?

Should Bernard Arnault be put in the dock for all the acquisitions that turned LMVH into one of the largest companies in the world, or Warren Buffett for building stakes in companies that no one else was interested in at the time?

The list goes on and on. Great entrepreneurs are very good at spotting undervalued opportunities, and backing them with plenty of cash. It is often risky, but when it pays off it can do so spectacularly.

If we start to punish people for just being good at their job, then the whole system will start to collapse. If an entrepreneur buys a business and loses a lot of money then he or she suffers the entire loss. If it turns into a spectacular success then the regulator will come along and force them to sell it off.

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The incentives to spot opportunities and build on them will be destroyed. Free market capitalism depends on rewarding risk-taking and entrepreneurship. If that is criminalised then the system will no longer work.

Everyone agrees that monopolies that are overcharging and ripping off consumers should be broken up if necessary. But it is important not to let that stray into punishing businesses simply for the crime of being successful.

There is no serious case against Meta  and the sooner the judges throw it out the better.

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Mary Hohenberger, a Baltimore County government administrator who was among the first women to serve in the Baltimore City Police Department, died of complications of a fall on April 8. She was a resident of Oak Crest Senior Living in Parkville and was 91.

Born in Baltimore and raised on East Biddle Street near Green Mount Cemetery, she was the daughter of Irish immigrants. Her father, Patrick Burke, from County Mayo, was a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad boilermaker. Her mother, Delia Scully Burke, from County Clare, was a housekeeper.

She attended St. John the Evangelist School and graduated from Seton High School in 1952.

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She was quite a character. Very quick-witted and funny, said Glenn Small, a nephew and a former Baltimore Sun reporter. She had her own way of doing things and had a big personality.

Mrs. Hohenberger took a job in the purchasing department of the Baltimore City government, later becoming a civilian employee in the police departments unit that monitored pawn shops.

She saw female police officers and, when she turned 21, she applied for the force, Small said.

After formally joining the force, she was assigned to an all-female unit at the Pine Street Station, a facility on West Lexington Street near Martin Luther King Blvd. that handled women charged with crimes.

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She later transferred to the vice squad, a unit headed by Capt. Alexander Emerson, a much-feared law enforcement official known for staging raids and battering doors with a maul, often accompanied by news reporters.

Small said he took notes of her life for a family history. She told him that she sometimes posed as a prostitute in sting operations. Later, she was asked to walk through dark alleys as a police decoy. She worked an operation when there was a serial knifer newspapers referred to as the Belair Road Slasher.

So, this police officer, hes supposed to be following me, protecting me, right? she remembered. Well, Im walking down this alley all by myself, thinking I have this protection, right? I turn the corner, who do I run into but the officer?

I said, Youre supposed to be in the back of me, she continued. He said, Well, I didnt know which way you went and I figured Ill find you. I said, I could have had my throat slashed,' she said, laughing at the retelling.

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After serving on the vice squad, she married Herbert Hohenberger, a Baltimore County attorney active in politics. He served as Baltimore County Council secretary for a decade during the administrations of Spiro T. Agnew and Dale Anderson.

Mrs. Hohenberger worked for the Baltimore County government for more than 30 years, mostly in the office of permits and licenses. She retired in the early 2000s.

She was funny, very outgoing. She was the life of the party, said her granddaughter, Meaghan Lilienthal.

Mrs. Hohenberger lived in Parkville and traveled extensively.

Mrs. Hohenberger donated her body to science.

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Survivors include a daughter, Sherry Lilienthal of Mobile, Alabama; a sister, Kathleen Wilson of Parkville; and two granddaughters, Meaghan Lilienthal of Mobile and Lauren Arrance of Madison, Alabama; and a great-granddaughter.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jacques.kelly@baltsun.com and 410-332-6570.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Sunday said the Trump administration's bad for science policies will send America's researchers into the arms of China and other nations.

Addressing the administration's ongoing battle with Harvard University and its cuts to scientific and medical research, the Massachusetts Democrat said on CBS' Face the Nation: Research labs are shutting down, scientists and researchers are leaving the United States and going to other countries to do their work. And essentially, Donald Trump is giving away intellectual assets.

Speaking to guest host Weijia Jiang, Healey said that President Donald Trump is damaging the nation's status as the world leader in scientific research.

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As governor, I want Massachusetts soaring, she said. I want America soaring. And what Donald Trump is doing is basically saying to China and other ... countries, come to the United States, take our scientists, take our researchers and that, and that's what's happening.

Though the interview also dealt with significant cuts to the National Institutes for Health and other institutions, there was specific discussion of Harvard's statement last week that it would not bow to the administration's demands to change its policies in order to continue to receive federal funding.

No government  regardless of which party is in power  should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue, Harvard President Alan Garber said.

Administration officials have said Harvard needs to comply with the law to receive that funding, and Trump has continued to rail at Harvard. On Wednesday, he posted on Truth Social: Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the Worlds Great Universities or Colleges. Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.

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Healey said that Trump's attacks on Harvard are indicative of a larger pattern of behavior.

First, he went after the law firms. Then he went after companies. Then he went after everyday Americans, she said. Now he's going after colleges and universities, using any and all tactics to try to shut them down, to silence them. That's what Donald Trump is about. There's no merit to any of this. And of course, it's illegal.

She also said she is trying to keep her state afloat amid a wide range of federal cuts.

There is no way, she said, a state can begin to make up for the cuts to federal funding, the cuts that Donald Trump has made to education, to health care, food for kids, heating assistance for seniors. He just cut off FEMA disaster relief for our states the other day, and, as governor, I'm going to do everything I can to protect my residents, to protect our state, to protect our economy, but he makes it really difficult.
(KRON)  Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee has announced that her opponent, Loren Taylor, has contacted her to concede the election Saturday morning.

Lee said in a statement, While I believe strongly in respecting the democratic voting process and ballots will continue to be counted through Tuesday, the results are clear that the people of Oakland have elected me as your next Mayor.

The Mayor-elect called the city of Oakland deeply divided, and she plans to unite the community.

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Four teenagers dead, two injured in Marin County crash

Lee, 78, is a trailblazer who represented the city in Congress for over two decades before retiring last year after running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. The Democrat has been the only Black woman elected to the House from Californias regions north of Los Angeles.

I will do the hard work and make the tough decisions, knowing that we will all be doing this together, said Oaklands next mayor. Finally, Oaklands elections are based on a ranked choice voting system, and there were other candidates in the race who also put their visions forward. I congratulate all who did so, and thank youthe community we servefor participating in this historic election. While the challenges are many, the opportunities are great. Lets Love Life in Oakland.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Measles has spread to three more states as the outbreak reaches 800 confirmed cases across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri each confirmed their first cases over the weekend, with at least 27 states now reporting the disease.

All three of the new cases in the states were linked to international travel, according to state health officials.

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The Department of Health in Louisiana said the individual who tested positive was not vaccinated and will remain in isolation until they are no longer infectious. The patient is in the greater New Orleans area.

A child in Virginia is the states first case of measles this year, the Virginia Department of Health confirmed. The childs vaccination status is unknown.

Confirmed cases across the U.S. now stand at 800, the CDC confirmed. Three more states reported new cases over the weekend (Getty Images)

This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel, the departments epidemiologist Laurie Forlano said. Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is safe and highly effective at protecting people and preventing outbreaks. We urge Virginians, especially those planning to travel, to check their vaccination status, talk to their health care provider, and get the MMR vaccine if needed.

In Missouri, the first case detected in the state is also a child whose vaccination status has not yet been verified by officials.

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There is no indication of widespread exposure as this person was diagnosed soon after arrival to Taney County, the state health department said. Exposure is believed to be limited, and known contacts have been identified and contacted.

Confirmed cases across the U.S. now stand at 800, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. It is nearly three times the total number of 285 cases reported in 2024, according to CDC data.

Cases are most prevalent in Texas, where two school-aged children have died from the disease. A 6-year-old girl from Gaines County, the center of the outbreak, died in February, the first measles death in the U.S. in a decade. An 8-year-old girl from the same town, Seminole, died earlier this month. Out of 800 cases, 597 are in West Texas.

Kennedys inconsistent and unclear message on the measles vaccines has made the outbreaks difficult to contain, experts say. Kennedy visited West Texas earlier this month, where cases are most prevalent (Reuters)

Earlier this month Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who rose to prominence as an anti-vaccine advocate, met with the family of the 8-year-old girl who died from the disease.

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Kennedys inconsistent and unclear message on the measles vaccines has made the outbreaks difficult to contain, experts say.

He has occasionally endorsed the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as effective, but also continues to raise safety concerns about the shots in other statements. In a CBS interview last week, he claimed the vaccines were not safety tested.

That approach has been the biggest flaw of the governments response, said Dr. Carlos del Rio, past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Imagine if the captain of the Titanic had told you that you need to be careful about lifeboats and think about other opportunities, del Rio said.

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Trials were conducted on thousands of children before the vaccine was approved for use in the 1960s. The federal government has since used medical records to continue to monitor for side effects from use in millions of people since.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Texas and about two-thirds of states have introduced legislation this year that would make it easier to opt out of vaccines or otherwise put up barriers to ensuring more people get shots, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. That further undercuts efforts to keep infectious diseases at bay, health officials said.

AP contributed reporting
Advocates are warning lawmakers that the proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will leave millions of pregnant Black women at a heightened risk of death, worsening the maternal mortality crisis and its racial disparities.

Last month, the House budget resolution proposed up to $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid over a decade, which would also lead to cuts to Medicare.

But advocates say Medicaid is a vital resource for cutting into the maternal mortality disparities.

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We often see these cuts as: Were making sure that people who dont deserve these programs are not getting it. But in actuality, its disproportionately going to impact people of color, women of color, Rolonda Donelson, Huber Reproductive Health Equity legal fellow at the National Partnership for Women & Families, told The Hill.

While Medicaid finances about 40 percent of all births nationwide, more than 64 percent of births by Black moms are covered by Medicaid.

Still, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. Some of these conditions include preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhaging and blood clotting.



Eighty percent of those deaths are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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For Natasha Ewell, Medicaid allowed her to safely deliver her third child. When Ewell was pregnant with her son, she felt what many Black women feel: excitement, happiness  and worry.

Ewell was over 35, so she was already a high-risk patient. Then Ewell unexpectedly lost her job, and with it, her insurance. Desperate for coverage, she enrolled in Medicaid.

In her first trimester, Ewell was diagnosed with oligohydramnios, a condition characterized by low amniotic fluid. The results of oligohydramnios can be drastic, sometimes affecting fetal development or causing complications during labor and delivery.

In some cases, oligohydramnios can cause stillbirth.

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When Ewells doctor discovered her diagnosis, he scheduled her for weekly checkups to ensure both she and her son were healthy and safe.

It was very important for me to have that insurance, because having to go weekly  I cant imagine the co-pays for that. And these were specialists that I had to see, Ewell said. It would have been a scarier pregnancy. This condition, it wasnt like leaking or spotting. If my fluid was low, I didnt have ways to check that. I wouldnt have known.

Ewell eventually delivered a healthy baby  several weeks early via c-section  but she says without public health insurance she doesnt know if that would have happened.

The proposed cuts, she said, have her increasingly worried for future mothers, as it could force them to make a decision: risk the pregnancy and potential financial devastation, or terminate.

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I cannot imagine not having my son here. Who are they to make me have that choice between having this wonderful, amazing young boy that loves robotics, thats going to be part of the next generation, and who knows what hes going to be able to do? Ewell said.

Medicaids coverage of prenatal care is vital to closing the gaps in the maternal mortality crisis, said Stacey Brayboy, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs at March of Dimes.

Medicaids prenatal care can help cover not only screenings like Ewell needed each week, but can also help track pregnant peoples cardiovascular health, risks for preeclampsia, high blood pressure and glucose levels  all chronic stressors that can cause preterm births.

The idea is to look at how we decrease the effects of preeclampsia and preterm birth and look at a lot of other pregnancy related tests to your pregnancy journey, said Brayboy.

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Not only could this help close the racial disparities in the maternal mortality crisis, but also the infant mortality crisis where Black babies are more than two times likely to die than their white counterparts.

But Medicaid cuts could also rollback gains made in recent years to expand the insurances coverage postpartum.

March of Dimes was among several organizations that successfully advocated for Medicaid to expand postpartum care from 90 days to a full year.

Thats because deaths from heart conditions and mental healthrelated conditions are most common in the year following delivery.

But at least 10 states have trigger laws, Brayboy said, which would eliminate the extended postpartum care.

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Brayboy is also concerned over what conditions may no longer be able to be studied with the proposed cuts.

Those cuts are going to impact research, and research helps drive some of the policy changes, said Brayboy. These Medicaid proposed cuts are going to roll back all the progress that weve made and have a ripple effect. Its not going to just be isolated cuts; this will go across the entire maternal health ecosystem.

There are members of Congress who are trying to create policies to cement research to end the Black maternal health crisis.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) told The Hill she is working with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to build support for their Mommies Act.

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The act would expand Medicare cover for pregnancy, labor and postpartum services, along with directing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to issue guidance encouraging community-based doula care.

The Act would also increase Medicaid minimum reimbursement rates for maternal and obstetric services for people in underserved areas and establish a maternity care home model demonstration project.

Policy determines who lives, who dies, who survives and who thrives, Pressley, a member of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, told The Hill. I am not being hyperbolic when I say these layered crises created by policy violence and neglect are a death sentence for Black moms.

Pressley said the Black maternal health crisis is personal to her  her paternal grandmother died in the 1950s giving birth to her uncle.

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It was incredibly devastating and destabilising for our family. You talk about generational trauma  every woman in their reproductive years has been told that story, said Pressley. I cannot believe my grandmother suffered a fate that was preventable in the 1950s and here we stand in 2025 with the same devastating disparate outcomes.

Advocates say most of the work to combat the Medicaid cuts must come from Congressional leaders. But Donelson, of the National Partnership for Women & Families, added that families must come forward too.

I think its important for people who get their insurance through Medicaid, or have benefited from Medicaid in the past, to call their members of Congress, write to their members of Congress, post on social media and make a lot of noise about how Medicaid has benefited them and their families and how this program is critical to their health care, said Donelson.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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athens  Dr. Bethany Meighen was named Friday as Concord Universitys 13th president.

Meighen will succeed Dr. Kendra Boggess, who is retiring from the university presidency. Meighen comes to Concord University from the University of North Carolina System, where she served as its Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. She was the chief student affairs officer and a key liaison between the UNC System Office and its 17 constituent institutions.

Let me begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to the board of governors and the search committee for this incredible honor, Meighen said during a campus event Friday introducing her as the universitys new president. I truly appreciate the vote of confidence they placed in me. It means more than I can really express. And I promise to bring all of my energy and more to this role every single day.

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Meighen said she looks forward to listening, guiding and learning with the university.

Leadership to me is rooted in collaboration and teamwork, Meighen said. Its about listening closely, working together and meeting more and encouraging communication. While my leadership style is grounded in collaboration, I also understand what this institution needs and deserves is someone who isnt afraid to be bold, to make decisions and to lead with purpose. And I am that leader.

Meighen said she knew from her first visit to the Mercer County campus that Concord University was a special place.

This is why I want to be here, she said. Concord is more than a university. It is a family. Its a place where students come to learn and go to serve.

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Meighen said accepting the university presidency also marked a homecoming for her and her family.

To the students, faculty, staff and alumni and community, thank you for welcoming me so warmly, she said. And to my own family, thank you so much for your love and support. We are all embracing Concord as our new home, and we all look forward to being a part of the Concord family. This is more than a new chapter for us. Its a homecoming for me and my family. My husband grew up in Clarksburg and I spent more than a decade in Charleston. We are thrilled to return to West Virginia. And Im ready to work alongside all of you.

Meighens previous leadership roles included serving as the Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, Director of Marketing and Alumni Relations, and Dean of Student Life  each at the University of Charleston, where she focused on enhancing community, alumni, and parent engagement, as well as building retention and supervising a broad range of student organizations, overseeing the student code of conduct, and supervising the Office of Student Life budget.

The CU Board of Governors voted on April 15 to select Meighen as Concords next president. In all, 63 candidates applied for the position, university officials said at Fridays ceremony.

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Boggess introduced Meighen as the universitys next president.

I want to thank you for all that you have done for me, Boggess told those assembled at Fridays announcement. But I also want you to be really supportive of Dr. Meighen. Shes got a lot to take on. Shes got a lot of people to meet. A lot of names to remember. I know she is going to be a wonderful leader.

University officials said Meighen will bring a wealth of strategic leadership experience to the university that will foster growth as Concord moves into the future.

Dr. Meighens strong background in higher education administration and her experience shaping policies related to admissions and student support services position her to strengthen and cultivate the strategically sound foundation President Kendra Boggess has built over her tenure, Board Chairman Dave Barnette said. The Board of Governors is grateful for the work the Presidential Search Committee has done over several months leading up to this decision, and we look forward to what the future brings.

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Meighen holds both a bachelors and masters degree from the University of Charleston and earned her Ed.D. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to fostering access to education and enhancing the student experience through policy development, institutional collaboration, and data-driven decision-making, according to the official university announcement.

Concord University is making a meaningful difference in the lives of its students, the surrounding communities, and beyond  a mission Im eager to use all my energy and experience to support and advance, Meighen said. I look forward to working collaboratively with the faculty, staff, students, and the entire campus community to build on the universitys strong foundation and help shape its future in the years to come.

Meighen will officially begin work on July 1, and Boggess will remain at Concord University for one month as a presidential consultant to assist with the transition.

Contact Charles Owens at

cowens@bdtonline.com
This years White House Easter Egg roll on the South Lawn will feature events sponsored by some major corporations, including Amazon, Meta, Youtube.

Amazon is sponsoring the reading nook offered to guests, while Meta plans to offer an AI-Powered experience and photo opportunities in addition to Youtubes Bunny Hop Stage according to a Friday release.

First lady Melania Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt are each slated to read to children in attendance.

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Mondays event will also feature performances from the United States Marine, Army, Navy and Air Force Bands.

The White House traditionally partners with Harbinger, an outside production company, to fuel games and activities for families invited to join the yearly celebration. This year, the two entities solicited corporations to donate $75,000 to $200,000 in sponsorships with the promise of on-campus branding and logo displays typically banned due to concerns of private gain spurred by taxpayer dollars.

This years tech sponsorships were also top donors to President Trumps inaugural fund. Their donations continue to be spotlighted as a potential avenue for CEOs to bypass the reins set by lawmakers in Washington.

The New York Stock Exchange, Toy Association, International Fresh Produce Association and the National Confectioners Association were also listed as additional sponsors.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Meta's AI chief praised France's initiative to attract top scientists and engineers.

France is increasing funding for universities and research organizations to entice foreign talent.

Trump, meanwhile, has tightened immigration and cut research funding in the United States.

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has tightened immigration controls, cut funding for government grants and research, reduced staffing at NASA and NOAA, and attacked top universities.

France seems to have sensed an opportunity.

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The National Research Agency, part of the Education Ministry, announced on Friday a "Choose France for Science" initiative to attract scientists from abroad, opening up more government funding for universities, schools, and research organizations to entice foreign talent.

"As the international context creates the conditions for an unprecedented wave of mobility among researchers around the world, France aims to position itself as a host country for those wishing to continue their work in Europe, drawing on the country's research ecosystem and infrastructure," the agency said in a statement.

In a LinkedIn post, French President Emmanuel Macron said that research is a "priority." "Researchers from around the world, choose France, choose Europe!" he wrote.

Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, who was born in France, responded to the announcement on Saturday, calling the initiative a 'smart move.'

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LeCun has criticized Trump for targeting public research funding. Last month, he wrote on LinkedIn that the "US seems set on destroying its public research funding system. Many US-based scientists are looking for a Plan B."

In that same post, he told European countries, "You may have an opportunity to attract some of the best scientists in the world."

LeCun is not the only tech leader to criticize the Trump administration's policy decisions regarding science, research, and education. Last week, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said the administration has launched a "total attack on all of science in America."

Speaking at the AI+Biotechnology Summit, Schmidt said he knew people in the tech space who planned to return to London because "they don't want to work in this environment."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The years-long drive to give Floridas nursery and farm workers landmark health protections from increasingly scorching summer heat appears to have reached a dead end.

After efforts to pass laws were stalled in Miami-Dade County and then rebuffed last year by the Florida Legislature, which also banned counties from setting their own rules, the last agency actively working on proposals was the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

While the Trump administration hasnt commented publicly its already taken steps to delay a pending set of heat rules and gutted OSHA staff working on the issue. Though a meeting posted by the Biden administration is still set for June, worker advocacy groups, former OSHA staffers and others involved in the effort no longer expect significant changes in how the agricultural and other industries handle the growing risks from extreme heat.

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Its a disappointing result for a Que Calor campaign that started in the fields of South Miami-Dade four years ago. By 2023, the worker-driven effort seemed on the verge of winning historic protections like mandatory water and shade breaks for more than 100,000 farm nursery workers and construction workers in Miami-Dade before lobbying from the agricultural and construction industries derailed it at County Hall then in Tallahassee.

Were hearing still that workers in many plant nurseries here in South Florida are denied basic protections like water, rest and shade, said Oscar Londono, the executive director of WeCount!, a non-profit fighting for better working conditions. In the absence of federal action, and given the recent preemption at the statewide level of local key protections, we know that thousands of workers here are at risk of suffering, heat-related illnesses and even death.

Field worker Lucia Quiej, center, attends a Que Calor! rally calling for better working conditioning for outdoor workers before in Miami-Dade County in 2023. The Legislature passed a bill prohibiting local heat exposure regulations.

OSHAs draft heat rule, published last July, would require supplying outdoor workers water when temperatures exceed higher than 80 degrees. When temperatures rise above 90 degrees, it also would include mandatory 15-minute breaks every two hours, among other steps intended to protect the health of workers most exposed to rising temperatures driven by climate change.

Florida has the highest number of heat-related illness in the country, and leads the country in the number of heat-related emergency room and hospital visits, according to a Florida Policy Institute report. Unbearably hot temperatures are coming earlier too -- Miami beat its record for the hottest May on record in 2024.

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The rule, the last surviving government effort after Florida lawmakers killed a proposal in Florida, made it through a public commenting period last year but was ordered to be paused on President Donald Trumps first day back in office. On April 9, Trump put out a memo that directed federal agencies to send lists of rules that they think should be eliminated, echoing complaints from industries about efforts to pass such rules in Florida. Jose Smith, the CEO of Costa Farms, wrote in a Herald Op-Ed in Oct. 2023 that oversight from the county would be an existential crisis for the agriculture and construction industry and a bottomless pit of red tape, lost time and money.

Promoting economic growth and American innovation are top priorities of this Administration. Unlawful, unnecessary, and onerous regulations impede these objectives and impose massive costs on American consumers and American businesses, Trumps memo said.

Miguel Rios, who was a regional agricultural enforcement coordinator at the U.S. Department of Labor for 27 years until 2022, said the heat ruling doesnt align with the marching orders that have been given to agencies from the Trump administration.

What OSHA says needs to be done effectively costs people money, because compliance is not free, Rios said. I really do think the future is pretty bleak when it comes to new regulations, and I think this is right along with any other regulation that may cost employers any amount of money to comply with.

Staff gutted, offices closed

There are nearly two million outdoor workers in Florida and climate change is making extreme heat more common, putting outdoor workers in danger more often than ever before. A Homestead plant nursery worker told the Miami Herald this week, We all worry that we might not survive.

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But the Trump administration has been erasing words like climate change and clean energy from government websites and in an executive order, Trump instructed the Department of Justice to stop the enforcement of state climate laws, which he suggests are unconstitutional.

Julie Su, the former Secretary of Labor in the Biden administration, said she met WeCount! workers in Homestead and them telling her they felt like beasts of burden and treated like animals stuck with her. She said she and Biden felt a federal heat standard was necessary when Florida shut down the countys rights to set their own rules.

So far, what weve seen has been so rabidly, anti-worker on every front, starting with eliminating so many positions inside the Department of Labor that its going to be difficult, if not impossible, for them to actually finish these rules, Su said. But Im hoping against hope, that they recognize why this is so important and why people die when they fall down on their responsibilities.

This month, the administration also gutted the majority of staff at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH.) NIOSH was responsible for the research and recommendations that formed OSHAs heat guidelines.

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With the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the direction of billionaire Elon Musk, shuttering 11 OSHA offices across the country including in Baton Rouge and Houston, worker advocates say the future looks bleak for oversight of industry  and not just with heat rules.

It would be wonderful if they did their job and completed the rule, it isnt supposed to be politically driven. But Im very skeptical because of the administrations hostility to regulate, said Doug Parker, the Assistant Secretary of OSHA under the Biden administration.

Farm workers Blanca Martinez (right) and Maria Ramos, both from El Salvador, work on a field of mascane and pothos plants on Friday, June 28, 2024.

Possibly a less rigid rule

Conn Maciel Carey, a law firm representing employers in OSHA inspections, investigations and enforcement actions posted on their blog that a federal heat rule is unlikely to cross the finish line over the next four years  at least as now drafted.

Its hard to crystal ball this one, said Beeta Lashkari, a D.C. lawyer who has represented a coalition of hundreds of thousands of workplaces in every state in the nation on the heat ruling. Employers, she said, want to see something something more performance-based and flexible.

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For example, she said, a federal proposal to give workers time to acclimate to working in the full sun would require employers to do rigid tracking of all their employees vacation dates for returning employees. Same with the breaks required at certain times at certain temperatures. Instead, theyd prefer something like options like buddy systems and increased heat education training.

Its just about that level of tracking employees and the burdens associated with that, with essentially no safety benefit, Lashkari said.

Some major growers in South Miami-Dade like Costa Farms, which helped led the lobbying campaign to derail efforts in Miami-Dade and Tallahassee, say they already have many measures in place to protect their workers. In July, company managers showed the Herald ice machines and break rooms and said they already started a buddy system to look out for one another.

Maintenance worker, Pablo Zuniga, fills a water cooler before heading to the field at Costa Farms in Homestead, on Friday, June 28, 2024.

READ MORE: After helping kill heat law, a major Miami-Dade grower defends its worker safety

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But multiple workers across other Homestead plant nursery companies echoed that they feel like they cant speak up to take a break without the risk of getting fired or reminded they are replaceable. The Herald agreed to protect the identity of the outdoor workers who are members of WeCount! out of fear of retaliation from their employer and their immigration status.

They dont give us a chance to drink water so I fainted, I couldnt breathe, a plant nursery worker who works in a shipping room in a Homestead nursery told the Herald on Sunday. When the inspector isnt there, she doesnt worry whether or not workers will die because of the work.

Construction workers hold signs as they listen to speakers during a WeCount! press conference outside Government Center on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in downtown Miami, Fla.

The cuts at OSHA are only going to undermine an agency that worker advocacy groups say wasnt exactly an aggressive enforcer before and was already understaffed. There is only one OSHA inspector for every 80,000 workers, Su said.

We filled positions that the first Trump administration had cut the first time around. But even with the resources that we built up, the chances of inspection are low, Su said.

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While OSHA has issued fines in Florida, they usually are only given in the case of a serious injury or death, and companies typically face fines that range into no more than the tens of thousands. Under the agencys existing rules, employers can be fined for heat hazards only if they are likely to cause death or serious harm.

One recent example: Doug Ingram & Son Nursery, who did not respond to requests to comment, received a $11,585 fine in January for a serious offense after WeCount! submitted a complaint to OSHA. OSHA reported workers were exposed to direct sunlight while weeding and loading and unloading plants for eight to nine hours. OSHA also recommended the nursery establish a heat stress management program, which includes suggestions like encouraging employees to drink a cup of cool water every 15 to 20 minutes rather than relying on thirst and regular break schedules.

But without a formal heat rule, theres little OSHA can do to enforce the recommendations.

Workers dont have the luxury of recommendations, Londono said. Workers need real, meaningful, enforceable standards that they can exercise at the workplace to guarantee these protections.

Ashley Miznazi is a climate change reporter for the Miami Herald funded by the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.
The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at April 19, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from April 19 drawing

Midday: 1-0-4

Evening: 9-6-8

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from April 19 drawing

Midday: 3-0-3-7

Evening: 5-9-8-2

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from April 19 drawing

03-22-39-41-43, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from April 19 drawing

AC-AD-2H-3H-8S

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from April 19 drawing

02-16-19-32-35

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04-08-09-30-33

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from April 19 drawing

01-03-06-08-14-17-19-25-32-42-46-52-57-59-60-62-68-71-72-73-74-78

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Classic Lotto 47 numbers from April 19 drawing

02-06-08-12-14-33

Check Classic Lotto 47 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto Double Play numbers from April 19 drawing

07-12-13-19-33-41

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Heres how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lotterys Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

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Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a drivers license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

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Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325

Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325

Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325

Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325

Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325

Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery's prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.

Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily

Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily

Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday

Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily

Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for April 19, 2025
The school bus doors opened for 5-year-old Ashley, dressed in a pink and purple puffer jacket, as pebble-sized snowflakes pelted the parking lot pavement.

On the early April morning, the young girl was met with a burst of warmth  upbeat music played from a portable speaker and bright colors festooned the interior. Ashley immediately sat on a plush stool to draw with an orange marker, her beaded hair gracing her forehead as she quietly scribbled.

Not far behind, the little feet of Wadley, Esther and Emmanuel all climbed the bus steps.

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Parked for the morning at a Shrewsbury motel being used by the state as an emergency assistance shelter for homeless families with children, this isnt a typical yellow school bus  its a traveling classroom.

The COLORI Playspace Express, operated by the international nonprofit Amal Alliance, brings early childhood education and social-emotional learning directly to shelters located around the state, including Lexington, Revere, Auburn, Worcester, Marlborough, Shrewsbury, Hudson and Milford.

Since its inception last June, more than 600 kids younger than 6  who otherwise wouldnt have had access to structured learning  have boarded the bus, greeted by friendly teachers and a mecca of toys and activities.

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The weekly enrichment programming works to bring calm and tranquility to an uncertain, transitional time in these childrens lives, Danielle De La Fuente, CEO of the Amal Alliance, said.

These are the most formative years of their life, the most important for brain development, she said, noting that many of the kids have experienced varying levels of trauma and are exposed to toxic stress.

Esther enjoys coloring inside the COLORI Playspace Express - a mobile daycare for children who are homeless throughout Massachusetts.

The COLORI Playspace Express is part of a program that aims to help children who are homeless develop social-emotional regulation.

Andrea Lutz (left) and Ashley aboard the COLORI Playspace Express, where children who are homeless can learn about emotions, among other things.

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The COLORI Playspace Express is a brightly colored mobile classroom program helping to bring social-emotional learning programs to children who are homeless throughout Massachusetts.

Wadley (left) and Emmanuel show off their model airplanes in front of teacher Alicia Blair inside the COLORI Playspace Express.

Emmanuel gives a thumbs-up inside the COLORI Playspace Express, a mobile classroom for children who are homeless that provides social-emotional learning to children who otherwise would have no access.

Wadley shows off the model airplane he built inside the COLORI Playspace Express, a mobile classroom for homeless children throughout Massachusetts.

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Teacher Andrea Lutz leads the children on a crab walk inside the COLORI Playspace Express, a bus that was converted to a mobile classroom for children who are homeless.

Teacher Alicia Blair hosts puppet time inside the COLORI Playspace Express, a school bus that was converted into a mobile classroom for children who are homeless.

Dance time is a favorite inside the COLORI Playspace Express for children attending class inside the converted schoolbus.

Wadley shows off his smile during his time inside the COLORI Playspace Express which provides children who are homeless access to educational programs.

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The COLORI Playspace Express has served over 500 children who are homeless throughout Massachusetts in just a few months.

The COLORI Playspace Express is a mobile classroom that was converted from a school bus to bring social-emotional learning to children experiencing homelessness who otherwise would not have access to a structured learning environment.

Puppet time is an interactive component to the learning program inside the COLORI Playspace Express.

Children in the shelter system

Over the last two years, as migrant families flooded Massachusetts and homelessness in general was on the rise, the state had unprecedented numbers of young children residing in its emergency assistance shelters, many of which were contracted hotels and motels.

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In 2023, Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency when the shelter system reached capacity with 7,500 families enrolled, about 50% migrant families and 50% permanent Massachusetts residents.

Public schools in Massachusetts reported nearly 31,000 homeless students during the 2023-2024 school year, 3,000 of whom were newly arrived and residing in the shelter system.

The state was faced with the pressing need to provide supports for the children who werent yet school-aged.

Ultimately, officials at the Executive Office of Education and Department of Early Education and Care contracted with the Amal Alliance, which serves displaced children around the world with its evidence-based Colors of Kindness curriculum, to provide structured, trauma-based education on-site at the shelters. Neighborhood Villages and Horizons for Homeless Children are also partners in the initiative.

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The state pays the full cost of the bus programming.

I had seen a library bus before, and I said, Why dont we just use a bus as a classroom? De La Fuente said. The space is so inviting and welcoming. It just feels like a safe place for kids to learn, and to laugh, and to play. The kids see the bus and run toward it.

The Boston University School of Social Work is currently studying the traveling classroom program, and everything is indicating we are seeing great progress, she said.

Everybody benefits from the classroom bus

Teacher Alicia Blair organized puppets and flower pillows as she waited for her students to board the bus on April 8. They had been to this particular shelter in Shrewsbury several times and affectionately knew the kids who would be joining.

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Esther had been coming out of her shell, the teachers said. Emmanuel was ready for school.

Being able to track the progress is perhaps the most rewarding part of their visits.

We see a lot of change in focus level, Blair said. When children come on the bus, theyre kind of all over the place, distracted by every sight and sound. And by the time we leave, theyre able to fully engage and work together. Theyve gained interpersonal connections and are learning those social skills.

Social skills gained on the bus, she said, can be transferred to other areas of their lives.

Painted on the outside with bright blues, greens and yellows, the bus has been renovated with bench seating, play space and storage for toys and activities.

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On this particular April morning, the children focused on teamwork. They practiced deep breathing and movement to regulate their bodies and emotions.

Wadley and Emmanuel built airplanes. Esther reluctantly  but eventually  performed a crab walk. Ashley colored an emotions thermometer, pairing colors with certain feelings.

They each dropped something in the sunny day jar, a collection of drawings depicting what makes them happy.

Claude Francois, operations director of the COLORI Playspace Express, drives the bus  giving her a unique vantage point when it pulls into the shelter parking lots.

Its been tremendous, the kids love it, Francois said. Its a different place to be safe, away from being in the shelter. A space for them to decompress, to have fun and just be a child. You see the difference at the end of the cohort, you see the impact. They develop friends and play together.

The hour-long lessons aboard the bus also give parents their own respite, she said.

Theyre going through a lot themselves and trying to get settled, said Francois. If they have to look for housing, go to appointments, or just need to take a breath. Overall, everybody benefits. It supports everybody.

Parents who spoke to MassLive in Haitian Creole through a translator said theyre thrilled for the opportunities the bus gives their children. After just one hour spent on it, they said, they see progress in their skills and behavior.

One parent said hes used the free hour to attend job interviews.

By the time the lesson ended, the snowfall had ceased, and, reflecting the energy inside the bus, the sun was bearing down brightly. The kids scattered back to their motel rooms.

More on education
Russia has charged Ukrainian forces with continuing their attacks despite a ceasefire announced for Easter by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The attacks, in the Donetsk region among other areas, had been warded off, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said.

The ministry said there had been dozens of drone attacks and that hundreds of artillery shells had been fired overnight by the Ukrainian side. The attacks had targeted the border regions of Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod, among others, it said.

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"There are deaths and injuries among the peaceful population and damage to civilian buildings," the ministry statement said. Details of casualties were not given.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Russian forces of breaking the ceasefire that Moscow itself proposed. Moscow was "attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," Zelensky wrote on the social media platform X.

The information from either side could not be independently verified.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce starting on April 19, claiming that it would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks," but across the front line, Ukrainian soldiers have told the Kyiv Independent they have yet to see any sign of it.

The "Easter ceasefire" was supposed to come into effect at 6 p.m. on April 19 and last until midnight on April 21.

However, Russian FPV drone strikes have caused multiple civilian casualties in Kherson, a volunteer involved in evacuations recounted being targeted by three FPV drones, and Ukrainian troops continue to face attacks from a range of weaponry.

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In the afternoon on April 20, Ukraine's General Staff reported 45 firefights across the front line over the previous day.

"No one ever believed the Russians would honor their own so-called ceasefire. No ones letting their guard down  were staying alert and ready. For now, our orders are to observe and document," Bandera, a soldier serving in the Sumy direction, told the Kyiv Independent.

While it was "quiet until morning," Ukrainian forces in the Sumy direction have observed Russian forces using drones to lay mines across roads. Several explosions could be heard in the distance and reconnaissance activity "remains high," Bandera added.

Ukrainian infantry and artillery units are also repelling a series of Russian assaults across Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast.

A Ukrainian soldier loads shells into a vehicle adapted to fire helicopter shells in the direction of Toretsk, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on Aug. 19, 2024. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"What do I see on this day? About five Russian assaults, which are continuing to this very moment. Right now, our infantry is in a firefight with the Russians, who have come to kill them. So no, I don't feel any ceasefire," Tekhnar, a battalion commander near Toretsk said.

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"Today, just like yesterday, there were rocket strikes and artillery strikes and oh so many drone strikes," another soldier serving in the direction of Toretsk, speaking anonymously, said. "Despite all the discussions about a ceasefire the war goes on with no sign of stopping."

Babai, an officer fighting near Chasiv Yar, said that Russian forces had used cluster munitions.

"They're hitting us with everything," he said.

One soldier who spoke anonymously out security concerns regarding her location said that Russian infantry soldiers have been "crawling forward in groups of two or three" since the morning of April 20.

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"The number of artillery strikes has dropped slightly  though around 10 p.m. last night, there were guided bomb attacks," she added.

In a post on X, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 20 that Ukraine is "documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners."

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage," Zelensky said.

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Source: DeepState, based on input from around 50 soldiers stationed on the contact line

Quote: "Heres an overview of the situation between 18:00 and 22:00 on 19 April.

Orikhiv and Kamianske  artillery strikes and enemy drone activity reported. Burlatske  ongoing shelling. Andriivka and Oleksiivka  shelling. It got quiet near Nadiivka and Kotliarivka. Uspenivka  assault actions underway. Southern Pokrovsk  mortar fire targeting our positions every 20-30 minutes. North of Toretsk  artillery and assaults. Chasiv Yar and the southern front  shelling. On the Lyman front  decreased intensity. Kupiansk area  shelling. Fiholivka  currently quiet. Lypsti  under fire.

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So yes, some areas got quieter, but it's Saturday, and the enemy often gives large numbers of their personnel a rest over the weekend."

Details: DeepState also reported an evening strike on Dobropillia. The city of Kherson also came under fire.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced a so-called Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy called a Russian drone attack launched after 17:00 on Saturday 19 April evidence of Putin's true attitude toward both Easter and human life.

Kherson Oblast Head Oleksandr Prokudin also reported continued Russian drone attacks in the oblast after 18:00, despite the Kremlin's claimed ceasefire.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

At around 20:00 on 19 April, a man was injured in the village of Prymorske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast during a Russian drone strike.

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(NewsNation)  Social Security is the lifeblood of many retirees income and can be depended upon as the sole source of income post-retirement.

GoBanking Rates analyzed data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey of households receiving Social Security. There were many factors that went into this study, specifically the common retirement age.

States with the most Social Security dependence: Report

Among all states, West Virginia residents depend on their social security more than any other at 41.22%, with an average retirement income of $25,524. The remaining top states include:

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Maine: 37.27% with $30,164

Hawaii: 37.18% with $38,744

Florida: 36.72% with $35,449

Vermont: 36.28% with $29,886

Social Security calculator: Figure out your monthly benefits

Five other states have 35% of their residents depending on Social Security. Those include:

Delaware: 36.00%

New Mexico: 35.75%

Mississippi: 35.46%

Alabama: 35.19%

South Carolina: 35.10%

States with the least Social Security dependence: Report

Utah had the lowest percentage of residents receiving Social Security at 23.86%, with an average retirement income of $33,147. Alongside Utah, the other states at the bottom include:

Alaska: 25.24% with $43,722

Texas: 25.31% with $31,888

Colorado: 25.49% with $37,573

North Dakota: 27.66% with $28,327

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What is the difference between an FSA and an HSA?

14 states had less than 30% of their residents depending on Social Security. Some of those include:

California: 28.13%

Maryland: 28.32%

Washington: 29.01%

Illinois: 29.06%

Nebraska: 29.09%

Aptia data shows workforce is aging rapidly: Chief revenue officer

Based on enrollment research data we analyze at Aptia, we see a workforce that is aging rapidly  nearly one-quarter of U.S. workers are now 55 or older, and 7% are over 65, Shaun Scott, Chief Revenue Officer, Aptia Group told NewsNation.

3 nontraditional living situations Americans are adopting to make housing affordable

Scott also said that data shows these individuals often have complex benefit needs, yet nearly 80% of employers do not sponsor employer or union-based retiree health benefits. This is why, as Scott said, strategically planning your retirement is smart and necessary.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the most recent reports.

Multiple Russian ceasefire violations across the front line have been reported since an Easter truce was declared by the Kremlin, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 20.

Russia's Easter ceasefire was supposed to come into effect at 6 pm on April 19 and last until midnight on April 21, with Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming it would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks."

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As of 1:55 a.m. local time on April 21, Russia has violated the Easter truce nearly 3,000 times, Zelensky said.

The military reported 96 Russian assaults on Ukrainian positions, 1,882 instances of shelling, and 950 uses of Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones, the president said, citing a briefing from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"In fact, on all the main directions of the front, Russia has not kept its own promise," Zelensky said.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had observed an increase in Russian shelling and the use of kamikaze drones since 10 a.m., with the use of FPV drones "doubling."

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Russian forces carried out 26 assaults between midnight and noon on Easter Sunday, Zelensky added.

The Russian military is reportedly most active in the Pokrovsk and Siversk directions in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast.

The president said that Ukraine's steps will be "symmetrical" to those of Russia: "Ceasefire will be met with ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be met with our own in defense."



"We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners," Zelensky said.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage."

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Zelensky also repeated his call to pressure Moscow to "genuinely commit to a ceasefire" for 30 days, rather than simply during the Easter holiday.

Russian FPV drone attacks targeting civilians were also reported in Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast after the Easter ceasefire came into effect, with at least four people reported injured and one person killed.

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The perfect Easter story fell right into our laps this year.

It's a story that doesn't come up often, though  every 100 to 150 years, give or take. I was the Enquirer reporter who volunteered to bestow a merited spotlight on this generational story. And now, looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to have done so.

The way we caught word of this story was simple. The staff of Christ Church Glendale, a quaint and historic congregation in suburban Cincinnati, contacted The Enquirer via email in late January. They informed us that the Episcopal church would be getting a brand new, handcrafted organ because their old one, which the church had used for over 110 years, had run its course.

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How did the church decide it was time to retire its old organ? Well here's the kicker: It was because some of the organ's facade pipes collapsed onto the sanctuary floor, narrowly missing the church's music director on the way down.

The incident left church staff a little shaken up, but it was the concrete proof they needed to sway the church vestry into approving a project for a new organ.

To add icing on the cake, the church planned for the new organ to make its debut on Easter Sunday, giving parish members a two-fold celebration of resurrection on a sacred day for Christians worldwide.

'A divine blessing': New organ at Glendale church makes Easter debut, revitalizes worship

Employees of Casavant Freres Organ Company of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, lift a metal pipe Monday, March 10, 2025 during the installation of the Casavant Opus 3956, a classical organ at Christ Church in Glendale, founded in 1869. The organ features more than 2,600 handmade pipes of wood and metal, with some reaching up to 30 feet tall. About a third of the pipes come from the churchs original organ.

I followed up with Nancy Macenko, a church commission member who had sent the original email. We set up a time for me to see the installation of the new organ at the church and to interview music director Tyler Robertson and a worker from Casavant Freres, the Canadian company hired to build the organ.

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I was impressed with Christ Church Glendale on my visit in late February. The chapel is small, but like I mentioned earlier, it's also quaint, elegant and historic, much like the village of Glendale itself.

Macenko and Robertson showed me and our photographer Cara Owsley the progress of the installation in the church's main chapel, which was filled wall-to-wall with the materials and a ton of scaffolding. There was hardly any room to walk.

I observed how three Casavant workers crammed into the very compact organ chamber to install the parts of the new organ. It was fascinating to see the bare bones and inner machinations of such a grand instrument, and it almost gave me chills to imagine how its sound will echo throughout the church nave.

The workers even allowed Owsley to climb atop some of the scaffolding so she could shoot photos of the under-construction organ from different vantage points.

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More: Which churches in the Cincinnati area have classic organs?

Mario Paradis of Casavant Freres Organ Company of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, lifts a metal pipe during the installation of the Casavant Opus 3956, a classical organ at Christ Church in Glendale.

Then I interviewed one of the Casavant workers, who was well-experienced in the field and told me about his own background and the challenges in this specific assignment. I also spoke with Robertson, who recounted the day the pipes fell and the history of their old organ.

We also touched on President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs, which, if they weren't delayed, could have raised the price of the $1.5 million organ since all its materials were imported from Quebec, Canada.

The Rev. David Pfaff, the church rector, was out of town the day of my visit, but I connected with him over the phone the following week. He was excited about this new era in the church's history and described why Christ Church Glendale values the organ and its traditional sound so much in the first place.

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He got a good chuckle as we agreed that thanks to this new organ, the church's community will experience a "resurrection" of its musical operations on Easter, coincidentally the same day Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead.

I grew a newfound appreciation for classic instruments and church music in my reporting and research. Maybe in the next 150 years or so, when the church needs a new organ once again, the next reporter can look back at my story and discover where it all began.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Christ Church Glendale got a new organ by Easter
DES MOINES, Iowa  A Mutual Aid Rally drew hundreds to the State Capitol in support of the Food Bank of Iowa and to donate supplies for those in need.

The Food Bank of Iowas funding was cut by the Department of Government Efficiency last month. Now, the Food Bank is trying to continue providing the 55 counties they serve with food and hygiene products.

Anti-Trump protesters rally in New York, Washington and elsewhere across the country

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Items gathered during the rally included canned goods, hygiene products, household items, and various other home goods.

Theyre frustrated. With the president, with all the bad stuff happening in the world, and they want to give back to the community, said Heaven Chamberlain, a protester. We did not expect all these people. We expected a handful of people. The stuff we got, I think thousands of stuff.

The gathering eventually turned into a protest against the Trump Administration and Elon Musk.

Theres so many people that are just as deeply frustrated with this as me. But at the same time, its also sad, because so many people are frustrated, said Chamberlain. We shouldnt be in this position where we have to come out every other week and have these massive rallies.

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The rally was put on by the Iowa Coalition and 50501 Iowa, which is a grassroots political organization that stands for 50 protests 50 states one movement.

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In an embarrassing meltdown, Rep. Nancy Mace ripped into a constituent in the middle of a makeup storeand posted it all on social media.

The congresswoman shared a video of herself on Saturday getting into a row with some unhinged lunatic wearing daisy dukes at a makeup store who had asked her if she would be holding more town halls this year.

I do them every year. Do you want to keep going?! Do you want to keep going, keep harassing me?! Mace said.

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Mace went on to say that he was invited to her future town halls, but not without adding: And by the way, I voted for gay marriagetwice!

Some unhinged lunatic, a man, wearing daisy dukes, at a makeup store, got in my face today. Dems are nuts. So I went off - and I wont be backing down.



I hold the line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.



Try me. pic.twitter.com/Uv181Ovys0  Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) April 19, 2025

When asked what that had to do with him, Mace responded, It has everything to do with you! saying he couldve gone to over a dozen town halls last year.

Where were you the year before that, or the year before that? she said. Because you people on the left are crazy, youre absolutely f---ing crazy. You are and get out of my face, goodbye. F--- you.

Mace has been under fire for skipping out on a town hall held by the Lowcountry Accountability Alliance in South Carolina in March, claiming that it was driven by left-wing extremists and paid agitators with a clear agenda.

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Were staying away because its not safe, and we refuse to be bullied by individuals who are threatening me, my employees, and my family, she wrote on X.

This is FAKE NEWS. This event is being driven by left-wing extremists and paid agitators with a clear agenda.



I WILL NOT be attending.



Were staying away because its not safe, and we refuse to be bullied by individuals who are threatening me, my employees, and my family. pic.twitter.com/39iDHN7Vck  Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) March 18, 2025

Mace held her first town hall of the year on April 8 over the phone with no prior notice, only sharing on X as it began: Congresswoman Nancy Mace LIVE Telephone Town Hall.

Congresswoman Nancy Mace LIVE Telephone Town Hall https://t.co/CA3gM1qaDq  Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 8, 2025

The day prior, she had called out deranged town hall fakers who were making BS calls to her office about her ditching the March town hall in her own district.

Do something nice for somebody in the Lowcountry. Stop being this way. Stop being violent with your words, Mace continued. Stop being ugly and hateful.

My message to the deranged town hall fakers - listen up: pic.twitter.com/QsDkGUhUti  Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 7, 2025

Get the f--- out of my face, now. F--- you. You couldnt take me on, baby. Stay the f--- away from me, Mace told the constituent who confronted her in the store Saturday, after he said she would be voted out so fast this year.

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He said: Youre a disgrace to this state, thats what you are. Youre a disgrace.

I just wanted some face wash on my afternoon off lol, Mace added to her post of the outburst.

Mace, who once claimed to strongly support LGBTQ rights and equality, has been on an anti-trans crusade since last year.

At the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition in Clive last week, Mace praised the state for removing transgender and nonbinary Iowans as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act in February.

Can I say trans in Iowa? Can I say tr----? Can I say it three times? she asked the crowd before then saying the slur three times to laughter.

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Mace also repeatedly shouted transphobic slurs during a House committee hearing in February, as well as directly attacked Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride by proposing a resolution that would ban trans women from womens bathrooms.

The congresswoman also accused national foster care advocate James McIntyre of assaulting her in December by aggressively shaking her hand, though bystanders claimed that it was just a normal handshake. The D.C. Superior Court dropped the case on April 1.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (WFLA)  A coalition of Pinellas County organizations mobilized to stop what they say is an assault on the nation and the Constitution. Those who agree with the Trump Administration said voters gave President Trump a mandate for stronger immigration policies and to cut back on federal spending.

Dozens of people lined street corners in St. Petersburg Saturday as part of what organizers call a national day of outrage.

There is a ton of people out here, we all want the same thing. We want to protect our freedoms and protect democracy, said Kimberly Landry, a protestor.

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The rally brought together people who said the Trump administration has increased drastic attempts to dismantle government. Critics said a few examples are cutting the federal workforce, proposed cuts to crucial programs, attacks on those who are marginalized through its immigration policy, and undermining democracy by threatening to hold funding against those who disagree with the president.

Were heading towards an authoritarian nation where more than half the country does not want this and yet its being forced upon us, said Landry.

Dr. Sirena Pellarolo is the president of the Republican Club of Greater Largo. She argues President Trump is doing what he was elected to do, and is abiding by the powers of his office, spelled out in the Constitution.

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I come from Argentina. Im a legal immigrant in this country and I know what it is to live under an authoritarian regime and this is not at all what that is, said Pellarolo. What this administration is doing, is going back to that Article 2 and reclaiming those executive powers of the President who is the only person that has been elected by the whole nation.

Protesters said the actions of President Trump and Elon Musk are putting people on a path for destruction.

We know that this is not safe for us, yet were all still here because we dont want to have this experience for our country. People fought hard for us to not have this, said Landry.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
DES MOINES, Iowa  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which runs the National Weather Service, could lose funding if a drafted budget proposal from the Trump administration becomes reality.

Bill Gallus, a professor of meteorology at Iowa State University, said that the cuts would have a significant impact on the public.

The big change in the last week is that a draft proposal that the president wants was released that suggested cutting almost all research that NOAA does and closing down pretty much all of the research laboratories that exist and, you know, from my perspective, this this is by far would be the cuts that would have the biggest impact on the public, Gallus said

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Thursday saw the widest tornado in Iowa history

Gallus said that the National Weather Service has already faced layoffs when over a thousand employees were confirmed in early March.

So far there have already been many cuts to personnel at NOAA. One of the things that happened was that people who were on probationary hires, meaning they had taken their position in the last year, many of them were let go. In addition, the government is offering a buyout, which will probably cause many people that had the most experience within NOAA to leave the agency, Gallus said.

Gallus said that due to the staff shortage, the public needs to be more aware of severe weather, specifically as we head into tornado season, where warnings are already brief.

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I think the public will have to pick up a little bit more of the slack of paying attention, maybe make sure youre watching your phone closely, because you may not get as much time as youre used to in a warning telling you to get to safety because the tornado was coming, Gallus said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE)  The nationwide Hands Off movement continued Saturday, including here in East Tennessee. People gathered outside of the Blount County Courthouse to protest against the Trump administration.

Over four hundred protestors gathered in Maryville with signs, hoping to send a message to President Trump and his administration.

These Tennessee cities rank at the bottom for most affordable rent in the U.S., study says

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We just want to bring back kindness. Kindness needs to make a comeback, said Wendy Tittsworth with Blount County Indivisible.

In Blount County it all started with Mel Pierce joining the nationwide Hands Off movement.



I heard that there was nationwide protests going on. I didnt see one for my county, so I decided to just start making a post, putting it out there, thinking maybe 15 people would show up. And that day we ended up having about 300. So that was pretty great. But that kind of kickstarted a movement with the people in the area, explained Pierce.



The Indivisible Tennessee organization has now started a Blount County chapter.



There are so many people out in the world, and there are a million different schools of thought, a million different ways of thinking, a million different ideas. And when you go out and speak out for what you think is important, it gravitates you toward people who make you feel understood. It could be for anything. It doesnt matter if its politics or whatever it is, it just builds community and thats important, added Tittsworth.

Protestors say they plan to keep fighting for democracy until they see change. President Trump hasnt commented on Saturdays protests, but when asked about hands off protests earlier this month, the White House said, President Trumps position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries.

One injured after police pursuit on Chapman Highway ends in crash

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It affects change. We know that its going to take 3.5% of Tennessee to show up for a change to be affected. So, were talking 250,000 people in the streets. Thats what were trying to do. Thats our goal: 250,000 people in the streets, said Sanyiah Cathcart on the leadership team with Indivisible Tennessee

Indivisible Tennessee tells 6 news that more protests in Blount County and other areas in East Tennessee have already been planned for the near future, including one Friday in Knoxville.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Author Ryan Holiday was going to give an address to the Naval Academy  until the military branch discovered he was going to reference the academy's recent sweeping book ban.

For years Holiday has been giving lectures on the virtues of Stoicism  he hosts a podcast called The Daily Stoic  and planned on speaking to the sophomores this week on the theme of wisdom. But the Navy canceled those plans an hour before he was set to speak, he said in a New York Times op-ed Saturday.

Ahead of his address, he sent over his prepared slides, which included a reference to the academys removal of 381 books.

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In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending the radical indoctrination in K-12 schools, prompting schools to pull books from classrooms that dont align with Trumps agenda. Although the Naval Academy is a college, in March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the school to review its books at the Nimitz Library to ensure that it complies with the presidents order.

Incoming freshmen take part in their Oath of Office Ceremony during Induction Day at the U.S. Naval Academy in June 2023. Author Ryan Holiday was scheduled to speak to the entire sophomore class until the school's leaders discovered he planned to reference the nearly 400 books that were banned from the academy's library (Getty Images)

On April 4, the Navy issued a press release listing the hundreds of books that were removed. That list includes How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

According to Holiday, his reference to the book ban made some at the school extremely worried about reprisals if my talk appeared to flout the presidents order. He was asked to remove them from his speech; he declined and it was cancelled, he wrote.

The school made a schedule change that aligns with its mission of preparing midshipmen for careers of service, a Navy spokesperson told the Times. The Naval Academy is an apolitical institution.

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I had no interest in embarrassing anyone or discussing politics directly. I understand the immense pressures they are under, especially the military employees, and I did not want to cause them trouble, Holiday wrote in the op-ed. I did, however, feel it was essential to make the point that the pursuit of wisdom is impossible without engaging with (and challenging) uncomfortable ideas.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the Naval Academy to review its collection of books at the Nimitz Library to ensure that it complies with President Donald Trumps executive order (Getty Images)

He walked through some of his prepared remarks, which included making the point that there was political pressure in the 1950s to pull books from the shelves, but then-President Dwight Eisenhower refrained from doing so.

My idea is that censorship and hiding solves nothing, the president told reporters shortly after his 1953 inauguration. Eisenhower then pointed to all of the materials that circulated before World War II that went unread but could have perhaps helped anticipate the tragedies that were about to strike. What I am talking about is let's educate ourselves if we are going to run a free government, and let's [not] be afraid of its weaknesses as well as its strength, he said.

Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf was not among the books pulled from the library, Holiday noted. As heinous as that book is, it should be accessible to scholars and students of history. However, this makes the removal of Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings inexplicable, he wrote. Whatever one thinks of D.E.I., we are not talking about the writings of external enemies here, but in many cases, art, serious scholarship and legitimate criticism of Americas past.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  The North Carolina Senate voted Thursday in favor of its version of the state budget. Included within the 400-page document is the creation of North Carolinas version of DOGE, the federal department led by Elon Musk.

In this case, its called the Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency or DAVE. But it doesnt mean the approach would be the exact same as what we have seen on the federal level.

PREVIOUS | How federal terminations have impacted NC

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The DAVE Act specifies that the division be led by the Department of the State Auditor. In his fourth month in office, Auditor Dave Boliek, a Republican, sat down with CBS 17s Russ Bowen to explain how the division would be run if it becomes law.

Auditor Boliek: We will go agency by agency, institution by institution. We want to take a look at where we can find efficiencies across state government to not only save money but to be customer service-focused and a real, true return on investment.

Russ Bowen: How do you want DAVE to look different from DOGE from a public perception point of view?

Boliek: Ive been really clear that I want to take a structured approach with regards to efficiencies across state government. And so, what that looks like is, from the state auditors perspective, it looks like taking a data-driven approach. One of the things about being the state auditor, when we put out an audit that has recommendations, its very important we give our recommendations based on solid data and analysis.

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Bowen: So, based on that empirical data, essentially, will it be up to the agency head to make the final decision based on your recommendation?

Boliek: It will ultimately be up to the legislature because the legislature is ultimately the appropriator of dollars. But I will share that report with the executive branch, with the Governor, and other members of the Council of State.

Bowen: This includes positions?

Boliek: It will include full-time positions, it will include programs, square footage, how were using space, how were using vehicles, how were using equipment, redundant programs potentially. We really need to let the data drive the recommendations. For example, we recently purchased an auditing tool here at the auditors office. The team thought previously it was not in the realm of affordability for the office. But it turns out it saved 7 1/2 hours a day of work for auditors. Doing the analysis, we were able to spend a couple of thousand dollars on a data tool that saves 7 1/2 hours. Thats a good return on investment. So, its not always about cutting dollars. Sometimes its about how you allocate the resources that you have.

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Bowen: How long will this take do you thinkor is this an ongoing thing?

Boliek: We anticipate an initial report being delivered on December 31st.

Bowen: Will staff for the Division of Accountability, Value, and Efficiency be current employees with your office or will you hire additional employees?

Boliek: Both.

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TITUS COUNTY, TX. (KTAL/KMSS)  A proposed ordinance has been introduced to the residents of northeast Texas, to ban feeding stray animals and requiring pets to have microchips.

Mount Pleasants proposed animal ordinance cites feeding strays as a safety hazard, Attracting stray and wild animals to ones residence is a hazard to those living around that neighbor and puts others, and their pets, in danger.

According to the proposed ordinance the four changes under chapter 97, ANIMALS are:

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Requiring that dog and cat owners microchip their animals if the animal is kept within city limits. New pet owners and residents would have 30 days after pet ownership or moving into the city limits.

Making it unlawful for someone to sell or give away animals within the city limits and further makes it unlawful for property owners to allow individuals to sell or give away animals on their property.

Prohibits the feeding of stray animals or leaving out food for stray animals.

Adding language requiring sterilization of an animal that is impounded prior to redemption by the owner at the owners cost. Owners who have an animal impounded will have 30 days, similar to adoptions, to have their dog/cat spayed or neutered.

The ordinance hopes to reduce the number of impounded animals and requires owners to update their information upon registering.

School choice and school finance meeting postponed; will not be streamed

A pet identification microchip implant is given to every cat and dog adopted out of the shelter free of charge, says Mount Pleasant Animal Services.

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Additionally the three Mount Pleasant Veterinarian Clinics (listed below) offer low cost microchips for your current pet:

Mount Pleasant Animal Clinic

1901 W. Ferguson Road

(903) 572-3488

Bruechner Animal Hospital

1414 N. Jefferson Avenue

(903) 572-8786

Titus County Veterinary Clinic

601 Industrial Road

(903) 572-7171

It says, animals impounded are typically found at large and, while at large, contribute to unwanted puppy/kitten litter. With the combination of microchipping, used to track the animals and pet owners we encounter, with this ordinance, we believe it will have a reducing effect on our stray animal population.

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The ordinance is currently in review as of April 15, 2025, according to the Mount Pleasant City Council regular agenda meeting minutes.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Jessica Wade

Flatwater Free Press

Carolyn Fiscus knows where her aunt, Mildred Lowe, spent her final days.

She knows the 12-year-old Winnebago girl became gravely ill in the winter of 1930 at the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial Boarding School. She knows Mildred died.

She does not know where her aunt was buried.

Its a mystery Fiscus pondered as she sat in a folding chair beneath the sweltering sun in July 2023 and watched as a small team of archaeologists dug into the hardened Nebraska dirt. They were searching for the graves of children. Fiscus hoped her aunt might be among them.

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She prayed, reaching out to Mildreds spirit and the spirits of other children believed to be buried on land that was once a sprawling campus.

The excavation had days to go, but the longtime educator and Ho-Chunk elder said she felt in her heart what the archeological team would soon realize: The childrens remains werent there. The search would have to continue.

Hundreds of children like Mildred were brought to the Genoa boarding school 110 miles west of Omaha during the institution's 50 years of operation. At least 86 are known to have died there  young casualties amid the federally mandated erasure of Indigenous culture. Records show nine students were buried on school grounds. The remains of 37 others were sent home to their tribes. The final resting place of 40 is still unknown.

Its not just my aunt, Fiscus told the Flatwater Free Press. There are many others that haven't been accounted for.

Carolyn Fiscus wears beads representing horse medicine, the teepee crew for the sun dance ceremony, her grandsons 4-year-old hand, and a veterans medallion from the Winnebago powwow. (Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press)

In recent years, the U.S. government has acknowledged the troubled history of the schools and joined the nationwide search for those children through its federal boarding school initiative.

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But with a new administration in D.C., it remains unclear if the federally-led effort will remain a priority.

The new interior secretary, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, is reviewing all department programs, including the boarding school initiative launched under President Joe Biden, according to a statement from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Some Native leaders have expressed cautious optimism, noting Burgums relatively strong record on Native issues as governor.

Any changes at the federal level are not expected to impact the search in Nebraska, which has relied on state and local resources. Those involved remain hopeful as they continue to search for the graves.

With the search ongoing, Fiscus and other descendants face a festering question: What does closure look like when the schools dead remain lost?

Unearthing a dark history

The Genoa school was among the largest federal Native American boarding schools built in the U.S. From 1884 to 1934, children from more than 40 tribes were taken by railroad or horseback to the arching sign that still reads today U.S. Indian School. At its peak in 1932, the 600-acre campus housed 599 students who ranged in age from 4 to 22 years old.

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Spurred by the discovery of unmarked graves at similar schools in Canada in 2021, the U.S. Interior Department launched an investigation into the nations boarding school system.

The Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School museum, seen here on March 11, 2025, stands in Genoa, Neb. (Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press)

To date, the department has found that at least 18,000 children were taken from their tribes and forced to attend schools founded in the name of assimilation. It also documented nearly 1,000 deaths and 74 gravesites associated with the more than 500 schools. Historians believe that the true death toll is likely much higher.

Records show that diseases such as tuberculosis spread quickly through the schools, greatly contributing to the number of deaths.

In Nebraska, the state Commission on Indian Affairs has led the search effort in partnership with the state archeology department.

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For Judi gaiashkibos, the commissions director and a citizen of Ponca Nation, the search has been personal. Her mother was a student at the school.

Its a buried history. Its a sad story that America doesnt want to fully accept, gaiashkibos told the Flatwater Free Press. So many people who grew up in our country and our state werent taught any of this history.

Like many former students, gaiashkibos mother, Eleanor Josephine Knudsen, didnt share much with her 10 children about her time at Genoa.

Limited firsthand accounts and the loss of records to time make it difficult to fully comprehend what life was like at the boarding school, but some truths are known.

Judi gaiashkibos, the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, talks about the search for over 80 Native American children buried at the former Genoa Indian Industrial School, on Oct. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Children were physically abused there. A former teacher named Julie Carroll was one of two school employees to describe the abuse before a U.S. Senate subcommittee in 1929.

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Some of the children were beaten up like dogs until blood flew out of their noses, Carroll said.

Students were loaned out to work on nearby farms. Some would be stuck on campus for years before returning home. Some would return home only to find they had lost their native language; they were unable to speak with their relatives.

And some never made it back to their families.

Search for the graves

Fred Hensley was a student at the Genoa school for eight months when in the spring of 1891 he succumbed to an unknown illness.

The 9-year-old Winnebago boys body never returned home. According to the school newspaper: Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon  and the little body was laid to rest among the mouldering (sic) remains of his schoolmates who preceded him to the better land.

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Decades after the Genoa school closed, former students would mention the schools cemetery, but no one could quite recall its exact location. Years had passed, and the 600-acre campus was filled in by nearby farms and the town of Genoa. Campus landmarks tumbled and any headstones that once stood were removed or lost to time.

An archival photograph of children in the dining room sits on display in the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School in Genoa, Neb., on March 11, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press)

Still, there is ample evidence that a cemetery once existed on the grounds. Its location was marked on a 1899 plat map, and there are references to students, like Fred, whose burials were shared in local newspapers.

State Archeologist Dave Williams gathered plenty of his own evidence before he began to dig at a potential grave site on the outskirts of Genoa in July 2023.

He was guided to that spot by a historic map, a team of cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar that had revealed four anomalies consistent with the presence of graves, the Omaha World-Herald reported at the time. For nearly two weeks Williams and his team dug into the sun-baked dirt.

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In the end, they didnt find signs of human remains.

I think we had high hopes because of those pieces of evidence stacking up, Williams said. Then to go in and spend time and not come away with anything is disappointing, but negative data is still data.

Williams and gaiashkibos shared the results of the dig with the dozens of tribes whose children were taken to the school. There were varying ideas on how to proceed. Some wanted Williams to expand the search area and keep digging. Others wanted the team to look for more archival evidence before conducting another excavation.

Geophysical surveys will continue, and a specialized cadaver search dog team will again assist with the search.

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We need to locate the cemetery so we can work toward protecting it, and maybe bring a little closure to the descendants, Williams said.

A reckoning

Closure is difficult to define.

On Oct. 25, President Biden spoke before a crowd at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona and for the first time in U.S. history acknowledged the devastation of the schools. He called the countrys federal boarding school era a sin on our soul.

The federal Indian boarding school policy and the pain it has caused will always be a significant mark of shame, Biden said. A blot on American history.

Whether that work will continue remains to be seen. In a statement sent to the Flatwater Free Press, the Bureau of Indian Affairs said Burgum, the new head of the Interior Department appointed by President Donald Trump, is currently reviewing all programs at the department.

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The Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs remain committed to our trust responsibilities of protecting tribal treaty rights, lands, assets, and resources, in addition to its duty to carry out the mandates of federal law with respect to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages, the statement read.

The 1911 signature of a student remains painted on the brick wall of the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School in Genoa, Neb. (Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press)

Tribal leaders in Burgums home state have been publicly supportive of his new role.

Governor Burgum understands Indian country and the challenges we face, David Flute, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, said in a November statement to the North Dakota Monitor.

A few days before Biden issued his apology, James Riding In considered what it means to move forward as a boarding school descendant and Pawnee citizen.

The Arizona-based professor is an author, advocate and board member of the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project. While his relatives didnt attend the Genoa school, Riding In feels connected to Genoa. The location is Pawnee homeland.

This whole idea of reconciliation  it might be a good concept, but is it just like an apology being issued for past wrongs? Riding In asked. To me, reconciliation should have greater meaning.

That greater meaning should translate into systemic change, such as land restorations, Riding In said.

To gaiashkibos, locating the school cemetery is a move toward closure, and she has facilitated every step of the search. She watched as Williams and his team used ground penetrating radar to narrow in on an excavation site. She laid a bundle of sage on the damp October ground in 2022, marking the spot where a search dog indicated the possible presence of human remains. She toured an old dairy barn that once belonged to the school and touched the names of former students carved into the century-old wood.

(Finding the graves) also is a tribute to honor those who suffered at the hands of this failed policy to assimilate and kill the Indian, gaiashkibos said. Those children were the last little soldiers to die. Im committed to finding the warriors, those children.

Carolyn Fiscus sits in the Winnebago Tribal Cemetery in the general area of her grandmothers unmarked grave on March 11, 2025. Fiscus aunt, Mildred Lowe, died at the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School in 1930 but the location of her remains is unknown. (Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press)

Fiscus is still searching for the grave of her aunt Mildred. Records show the girls body was sent back to her tribe, but Fiscus has found no evidence that Mildred was buried on Winnebago ground. Another record indicates Mildreds body was taken to an Omaha funeral home, adding to the mystery.

Despite the uncertainty, Fiscus said she found her own form of closure that summer day at the excavation in 2023.

I feel like shes on her way home, Fiscus said of her aunt. Back to the ancestors.

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.
Apr. 19BEMIDJI  Nina Johnson, director of the Hobson Memorial Union at Bemidji State University, has been named the 2025 Service Faculty of the Year by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees.

Johnson was honored at a statewide ceremony in St. Paul on April 16. She was recognized for her decade of student-focused leadership, innovation and dedication to service, a release said.

"Nina Johnson has limitless energy and enthusiasm for students, a passion for service to campus and community and a drive for continuous improvement  both in her own professional growth and in the operations of Bemidji State University's Hobson Memorial Union," John Hoffman, president of BSU and Northwest Technical College, said in the release.

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Since joining BSU in 2013, Johnson has transformed Hobson Memorial Union into a more inclusive, student-centered environment. Promoted to director in 2017, she introduced the Entrepreneurial Operating System to improve operational focus and accountability, the release added. She also formed a student advisory board to guide facility upgrades and programming.

"She has implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System, which helps leaders focus on six key components of business management," Hoffman said. "This change has helped the union and its staff focus on priorities and effectively and efficiently drive change."

Johnson also launched a partnership with the United Way of Bemidji Area in 2019 to create Bucky's Cupboard, a campus food pantry. She has since helped secure long-term funding through the BSU Alumni and Foundation and coordinated the Hunger-Free Campus Task Force to elevate awareness of student food insecurity.

In support of student wellbeing, Johnson led early adoption of gender-neutral restrooms and provided menstrual products in all union restrooms  initiatives that predated state mandates.

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"Nina also has embodied our core value of diversity, equity and inclusion, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Hobson Memorial Union is a welcoming and supportive place for each and every one of our students," Hoffman said.

In addition to her work with students, Johnson has served the BSU community in numerous leadership roles. She was president of the MSUAASF campus chapter from 2021 to 2024, advised Student Senate and the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee, and served on the Budget Advisory Group, dining services committee and Bias Incident Response Team.

She also brings a strong focus on professional growth, completing certification in mental health first aid, becoming a 7 Habits trainer and providing workshops for staff, the release added.

"No matter how you look at the five criteria that the Board of Trustees has established for this honor  leadership, expertise, advancement of equity and inclusion, professional development and commitment to student success  Nina Johnson excels," Hoffman said.

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The Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in University Service is Minnesota State's highest recognition for administrative service faculty. Johnson was selected from a competitive pool of Outstanding Service Faculty across the system's universities.

For more information about the Board of Trustees Awards for Excellence, visit

minnstate.edu/stories/botawards.
58,220 military servicemen and women served overseas in the Vietnam War and never came back, paying the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

On Sunday morning, a special sunrise Easter service was held next to the traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Callahan that pays tribute to those fallen veterans.

The sunrise service, with this being Easter Sunday, is perfect the way to remember the men and women on the Vietnam wall, or the 9/11, Iraq, [or] Afghanistan, said wall manager Doc Russo. Its just a phenomenal way for the vets to get together and remember.

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While honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, that Easter service Sunday morning meant something a little bit more for the Vietnam service men & women watching on.

They say over and over again, theres no atheists in a foxhole, Russo added. And it proves its point over and over again for everybody thats ever worn a uniform, thats ever had to deal with the tragedy or loss of a comrade, for them to be able to come out here and today, to remember their friends on the wall and be here for the church services. Its just good.

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Read: Lowes, Target, others will be closed on Easter

The commemoration of the Easter holiday also serves as a sendoff to the traveling memorial wall. Monday, it makes its way to its permanent home in Melbourne in central Florida.

I remember the movie that was made about the building of the wall, Vietnam veteran Ned Sugdennis reminisced Sunday morning. They were collecting money, and there was a woman who came up and she made a donation and said, I was against the war, but I never should have been against you. And that just says it all.

Read: Former President Clinton returns to Oklahoma City 30 years after bombing of federal building

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Two weeks after millions of people held peaceful protests across the country as part of the Hands Off movement, organizers 50501 held peaceful marches nationwide on Saturday.

50501 means 50 protests or marches, fifty states and one movement.

People marched in what was dubbed the No Kings march Saturday afternoon in Greensboro on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

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The purpose was to speak out against the current presidential administration and its policies. They also collected books to donate to children.

Marchers walked downtown Greensboro carrying an array of signs as well as American flags.

Some of the signs read things like Stand up, fight back, resist, Hands off our economy, and some said No kings.

It means following the rule of law, having three branches of government, the president listening to the Supreme Court, said participant Tami Clayton.

We are a rule of law and if our own leaders cant follow the rule of law, then its time to step up and say something about it, said participant Tamara Jessup.

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Several participants expressed their concern for Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man deported to El Salvador. The Supreme Court has ordered the trump administration to facilitate his return, but it has not done so.

Hes been here for years, hes a hard worker, he married a woman here, he has children and they picked him up and shipped him off to the gulag, said participant Robert Barnett.

The crowd was comprised of people from all different backgrounds.

I am a lifelong republican, said Jim Sullivan. He was among the marchers concerned about programs like social security, the national park system and other programs facing cuts from Elon Musks DOGE. I am just startled that they would stand by and let this happen to our country and let Trump take these programs apart, he said.

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As the march concluded, participants were asked to sign up and volunteer.

50501 expects to organize more peaceful protests as soon as May 1.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
On the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, which launched the Revolutionary War, a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered in the Kentucky city named for that battle, chanting, No kings then, no kings now.

Checks and balances are already gone, Louis Knupp, of 50501 Kentucky, told protesters in Lexingtons downtown courthouse plaza Saturday. Make no mistake. We are living through a true Constitutional crisis.

Knupp said the current administration has been making moves to consolidate power.

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If one of us does not have due process, none of us do, and a land without due process is a land without laws, he said.

At the time of the American Revolution, Knupp said, they didnt have the government on their side, and yet they resisted and they won.

Speakers at Saturdays rally and march touched on a number of issues of concern, including deportations, tariffs, the public education system, Medicaid cuts, LGBTQ rights and more.

A protester holds a sign advocating healing hands being used for effective social services during the No Kings Then, No Kings Now Peaceful March and Protest in front of the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse, downtown Lexington, Ky, on April 19, 2025.

Organizers estimated Saturdays crowd, which filled the plaza in front of the Fayette District Court building, at 3,000 people.

After gathering in the plaza, the crowd split into two groups and marched through downtown. Cars passing by frequently honked in solidarity.

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The protest was brought together by a coalition of organizations including 50501 Kentucky, the Bluegrass Activist Alliance, Gathering for Democracy, KY120 United  AFT, the Lexington-Fayette Chapter of the NAACP, Peaceful Bluegrass Resistance and Progress Kentucky.

The same coalition also brought together a Hands Off protest April 5.

The groups and attendees are warning that the Trump Administration has behaved more like a monarchy than a democracy since reclaiming the executive office, with disregard for the rule of law, separation of powers and due process, the groups said in an announcement before Saturdays rally.

Booths were set up where attendees could register to vote and sign postcards asking 6th Congressional District Rep. Andy Barr and Sen. Mitch McConnell to bring home Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man deported to El Salvador who the U.S. Supreme Court has ordered the Trump administration to return.

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Defend our Constitution, our rule of law, and our democracy, the cards urged.

A man holds the American flag and a sign demanding the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador by ICE, during the No Kings Then, No Kings Now Peaceful March and Protest in front of the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse, downtown Lexington, Ky, on April 19, 2025.

There is a remedy when one branch usurps their powers. That remedy is impeachment, said Christina Trosper, a social studies teacher from Barbourville who is a member of KY120 United-AFT.

She asked those in attendance to reach out to their legislators to tell them what they must do, not what you want them to do.

Bob Hoeller, of Lexington, told the crowd that if the Trump administration can remove people, the administration can facilitate their return ... and afford them the due process of law, which is constitutionally guaranteed.

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Ive never seen our democracy in such peril, said Hoeller, who described himself as a 73-year-old-plus Vietnam veteran.

He said he sees Project 2025 as a playbook written in order to destroy America.

He appeared to grow teary-eyed as he spoke.

Vietnam veteran Bob Hoeller gets a supportive hug after shedding tears during his testimony about honoring America through cohesiveness and holding government officials accountable during the No Kings Then, No Kings Now Peaceful March and Protest in front of the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse, downtown Lexington, Ky, on April 19, 2025.

Angela Lee came from Casey County to attend the rally.

She said shes not able to march, but I certainly make myself heard on a daily basis.

I have been concerned since the first time that Trump became president, Lee said. I cant believe what we find ourselves faced with. ...The people of this country will not stand to have the country taken away from them. I dont think its going to be as easy as they think it is.

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Another demonstrator, Gretchen Grossardt, of Lexington, said shes particularly concerned about reproductive freedoms.

If she could tell the president and his administration one thing, she said shed tell them, No one is above the law. This administration is ignoring the law.

Grossardt said shes been protesting since the Vietnam War.

Until there are enough young people to replace the old ones doing this, Im going to show up, she said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said it would be inappropriate for him to label the fire last weekend at his official residence "a hate crime"  and didn't think it was helpful for outsiders to do so either.

Speaking in an interview that aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Shapiro said, "I know as a former prosecutor how important it is to follow the evidence and apply the law and to do so without fear or favor. In this case, I'm the victim of the crime. I'm not the prosecutor. The prosecutors will weigh all the different evidence, determine what the motive is."

ABC host George Stephanopoulos had repeatedly pressed the Pennsylvania Democrat on the question, noting that others including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have pressed for it to be investigated as such.

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"I'm not sure it's helpful for people on the outside to be weighing in with their opinions here, George, no matter who they are," he said.

Shapiro and his family were evacuated from his official residence in Harrisburg after a fire was set in the mansion, apparently by the use of Molotov cocktails.

"This is, sadly, a real part of our society today," Shapiro told Stephanopoulos, "and it needs to be universally condemned, George. I don't care if it's coming from the left, from the right. I don't care if it's coming from someone who you voted for, or someone who you didnt vote for, someone on your team or someone on the other team."

Shapiro, who is Jewish, had just celebrated the first night of Passover with a Seder.

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Cody Balmer, 38, was subsequently arrested in the case and charged with attempted murder, among other criminal offenses. A 911 recording purported to be from Balmer himself refers to the governor as a "monster" who was "doing serious, serious harm."

Since the attack, Shapiro said he has heard from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, but not from President Donald Trump.
NEW YORK  As the Trump administration escalates its campaign against international students and Palestinian activists, Jewish New Yorkers are increasingly refuting the idea that the presidents efforts are actually about fighting antisemitism.

After Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi was arrested at his U.S. citizenship test in Vermont, a group of his Israeli classmates penned a letter against his detainment, which they called immoral. A day later, a wide-ranging coalition of Jewish organizations issued a statement rejecting what they call a false choice between Jewish safety and protecting democratic principles.

Trump doesnt give a damn about Jews, said Sarah Chinn, an English professor at Hunter College who has family in Israel. This is part of a concerted attack on higher education  thats it.

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During a nationwide day of campus protests, one Jewish speaker in Lower Manhattan said he felt compelled to speak out against Trumps deportation efforts as Jews of conscience. Further uptown, a leftist Jewish group held a Seder in the Streets, where activists condemned the federal governments actions.

For Aharon Dardik, 24, an Israeli-American student at Columbia, the Trump administrations crackdown is not only the stuff of headlines, but an active threat to his friends.

Dardik, who helped found a Jewish group at Columbia calling for a ceasefire, and Mahdawi took a class together on peacemaking and negotiations. They were working on a 65-page framework for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, when the activist started pulling back from daily life.

After Mahmoud Khalil, another Palestinian activist at Columbia, was detained on March 8, Mahdawi stopped texting friends, relying on the encrypted messaging platform Signal for communication, before a self-imposed house arrest because he feared the government, Dardik said. He was detained Monday by federal immigration authorities.

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As Israelis who knew him very well, we wanted to write a bit about more broadly, what it means for the administration to be doing this in our name, Dardik said, and how simple it was for us, as people who know Mohsen well, to see how preposterous of an understanding of Jewish interests the United States government has  if its something they care about at all.

Dardik and his classmates open letter topped 400 signatures by the end of the week.

Many of us experienced the past year and a half on Columbias campus in a deeply personal and emotional way, read the memo, which was first published in the Jewish news outlet The Forward. We are deeply impacted by the experiences of antisemitism and hate on our campus, and disheartened by the lack of nuanced dialogue on campus and within society at large about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, we adamantly oppose the use of the immigration system as a punitive political tool and an alternative to the criminal justice system when no crime has been committed.

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On Tuesday, American Jewish organizations from three denominations  Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism  released a joint statement against holding activists for constitutionally-protected speech and threats to federal research funding.

We at JCPA have been speaking out on this since the first arrest, making clear that two things are true at the same time, said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Manhattan-based Jewish Council for Public Affairs, which convened the groups.

Spitalnick went on to say that she met last week with about 50 Jewish students at Columbia, part of a leadership program at Hillel, who shared the feelings of American Jews more broadly: The deep, rightful concerns they have about how their university has handled antisemitism over the last year and a half  and concerns that the administration is now exploiting that fear.

The Trump administration has defended its actions, saying it is a privilege and not a right to study on American college campuses. In recent weeks, the federal government has taken immigration action against visa and some green card holders for pro-Palestinian activism and minor legal infractions, such as a speeding ticket. In the cases of Khalil and Mahdawi, the government alleged their advocacy could have an adverse effect on foreign policy interests to combat antisemitism. (Their lawyers deny the claim.)

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The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association, an organization formed during last school years campus protests, has reviled both activists on social media and questioned public sympathy for them in the aftermath of their arrests.

But Chinn, the professor at Hunter, part of the City University of New York system, said antisemitism is clearly pretext for the Trump administrations actions.

I understand why some diaspora Jews feel very connected to Israel. Its like in your bones, Chinn said. The same way if youre a child or grandchild of a Palestinian refugee, this is generational trauma.

I dont think being angry is by definition violent.

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On Thursday, hundreds of faculty and students from Columbia, CUNY and other New York colleges participated in a national day of action for higher education, where students and faculty held rallies on campus, before marching from Washington Square Park to Foley Square.

Jonah Inserra, a New York University student and member of its graduate student union, started his speech in the Federal Plaza, just steps away from where Khalil was first held in immigration court, by arguing for the importance of standing up as a Jew of conscience.

We at NYU have so far been spared the kidnappings and arbitrary arrests of organizers and protesters, said Inserra. But he accused college administrators of missing the moment to get organized.

The total abdication of responsibility for the lives and well-beings of their students by the highest levels of university administration has left the task of securing our safety and our futures wholly to us, he continued. And the number of people here today tells me that we are rising to meet the occasion.
How do you say proofread in Italian?

A well-intentioned gesture to honor the 225 people killed when a Dominican Republic nightclubs roof collapsed may have backfired on Mayor Eric Adams.

At a press conference Thursday, Hizzoner emerged wearing a white T-shirt at least two sizes too small, adorned with an American flag and a phrase Adams insisted was Spanish for In God we trust.

It was actually Italian.

Mayor Eric Adams shirt was written in Italian, though he told reporters it was Spanish. William Farrington

Instead of the Spanish en Dios confiamos, the mayors shirt read in Dio confidiamo.

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Adams noted the shoddily-fonted tee was his way of recognizing the tragic loss of life at Jet Set nightclub back on Santo Domingo on April 6.

Among the confirmed dead are several former athletes, including former World Series winner Octavio Dotel and former MLB player Tony Blanco, father of current Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tony Blanco Jr.

Adams embraced Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New York, Jesus Vasquez Martinez, during a mass with family of those who died at Jet Set nightclub, REUTERS

More than 200 people were killed when the nightclub roof caved in April 6. AP

King of the clowns, read one Redditors reaction to video footage of the presser. Did he spray seltzer water in the reporters face[s]?

Another person suggested an atmosphere where no one tells King Bozo no' permeated Adams offices.

Social media users were quick to point out the fashion faux pas. William Farrington

Theres a really consistent Eric Adams thing where he fks up whatever hes trying to do, but also what hes trying to do is very stupid, commented another user.

An Adams spokesperson did not respond to The Posts requests for comment Saturday.
Protesters across metro Detroit spent another Saturday rallying and protesting against the Trump administration.

A handful of protest movements, ranging from Oakland County to Detroit, and farther south into Trenton, took place April 19 as a follow-up to the nationwide Hands Off! Day of Action" protests on April 5, which saw thousands of Michiganders rally against President Donald Trump, his administration and tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Thousands turned out, but the shouts of the crowds across Michigan stood in contrast to how the state voted in 2024. President Donald Trump won the state by a bit over 80,000 votes, earning 49.7% of the vote to then-Vice President Kamala Harris 48.3%.

Protesters take to the streets in Detroit

Under the watchful eye of Detroit police, approximately 2,500 people marched through the streets of downtown Detroit, protesting the Trump administration.

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The protesters began at Hart Plaza and marched through downtown Detroit along Lafayette Boulevard and Michigan Avenue before returning to the plaza.

The event attracted people who feel Trump's policies are treading into illegal territory.

Mitch Mantey, a 30-year-old attorney from Detroit, said he sees Trump's deportation efforts as illegal.

"Sending people out of the country without due process  you know, I'm an attorney,  and that is just, you know, fundamentally not permitted by the Constitution," Mantey said, referencing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported. "And there's a reason for that, right? Because if they can do it to anybody  and they can do it to anybody  that includes you, that includes me."

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Sarah Sewick, 44, of Farmington Hills, said she has been trying to go to every protest she can recently.

"It just seems like a really vital time to make our voices heard," Sewick said, echoing Mantey's concern over the legality of Trump's policies. "I feel like, you know, our president is not obeying the law of the land, and I feel like that's really dangerous."

'No Kings' in Troy

To an endless din of honking cars, more than 2,000 protesters crowded the sidewalks on Big Beaver Road in Troy for the "No Kings Rally," organized by the Troy Democratic Club.

Justine Galbraith, the vice chair of the Troy Democratic Club, said the turnout at the rally in Troy reflects fear and disdain for the first three months of Trump's presidency.

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"I think everyone's really disturbed about what we're seeing coming out of Washington," Galbraith said.

While Galbraith doesn't anticipate the Trump team to immediately change course in the face of protests, she said her goal is to build community and encourage people to make their voice heard.

"I think hope keeps it going. I think community keeps it going," Galbraith said.

Protesters gathered along Big Beaver Road in Troy on Saturday, April 19, joining a larger regional protest movement against the Trump administration.

In the 2024 presidential election, Harris carried Troy, winning about 54% of the vote to Trump's 42%, on par with the broader vote in Oakland County, which has voted reliably for Democratic officials and presidential candidates in recent years.

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To Joey Bernert, a 35-year-old social worker, the growing protest movement reminds him of the Occupy Wall Street movement he experienced after he graduated from high school.

"It's surreal for me, because I've never been in a protest this big since Occupy," Bernert said, gesturing toward the crowd of protesters around him.

Bernert worries about the impact Trump's policies have on his community and clients. But most of all, Trump's contentious policies  sweeping job cuts, rollbacks on federal programs and aggressive tariffs  leave him confounded.

"I can't rationalize it," he said. "Because to me, it doesn't make any sense what he is doing."

'Good Trouble' in Trenton

Some passing motorists honked and pumped their fists while others raised middle fingers and gave thumbs down on April 19 as hundreds gathered in Trenton for a Good Trouble March that condemned the Trump administration.

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Trump carried Trenton in 2024, winning about 55% of the votes cast in the presidential election. While Democrats dominate Wayne County, Trenton and other Downriver cities make the county's purple southeast corner home to some of the most competitive state legislative races.

At least one home along the protesters path had Trump signs staring.

Borrowing the name "Good Trouble" from the words of the late activist and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, the rally featured a food pantry collection for a local church and brought politicians U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., speaks at a protest against the Trump administration in Trenton on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Attendees Leslie Olmstead, 68, and Ed Bondy, 70, of Rockwood, said they think the president is moving too fast with his policies.

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Both said theres some waste within the government, referring to Trump administration efforts to cut jobs seen as inefficient, but as Bondy put it, personnel is still needed.

Both also had major concerns with Trumps tariffs and the fluctuating stock market; Olmstead expressed concern over Trump's tariff policies, while Bondy, who worked for decades in the steel and auto industry, said his 401(k) has been collapsing.

I cant afford to lose $20,000 every two weeks, he said. It took me 40 years to get what I got in my 401(k).

In perhaps one of its loudest rallying moments, the crowd repeated in unison phrases offered up by protest organizer Celina Peters of Rise Up Downriver.

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The words: No to lies, authoritarianism, homophobia, transphobia, racism and genocide.

The loudest of them all: No to Trump.

Staff writer Clara Hendrickson, staff photographer Eric Seals and editor Emily Lawler contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Metro Detroit protesters rally against Trump administration
FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WVNS)  A person is dead after an officer involved shooting in Fayette County.

According to a press release, in the afternoon hours on Saturday, April 19, 2025, members of the Fayette County Sheriffs Office were helping the Fayetteville Police Department execute a warrant at the Fayette Hills Apartments on Laurel Creek Rd.

After they arrived at the scene, deputies and officers followed the subject around the building as the subject ran from the scene. The press release stated that the subject then entered into his apartment, and immediately exited armed with a machete and tried to hit an officer.

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Dennis Hanson, former Fayetteville Mayor passes away

Officers present gave verbal commands to drop the weapon and surrender, according to Sheriff Jess R. McMullen.

Deputies on scene proceeded to fire their duty weapons at the subject, who was approaching officers while swinging the machete. According to the press release, the subject was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident is currently being investigated by the West Virginia State Police.

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Australia's clean energy industries are set to undergo a major expansion, as the government has allocated AU $2 billion (US $1.2 billion) in the latest budget to invest in solar and storage, along with other planet-friendly technologies.

As PV Magazine Australia reported, the 2025-26 federal budget has committed the funds to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, an Australian government-owned green bank. The funding will go toward private sector investments in wind, solar, green hydrogen, and electrification projects.

That's in addition to nearly AUD$37 million (USD$22.7 million) to improve grid infrastructure and another AUD$10 million (USD$6.1 million) toward the accelerated connections fund, which aims to address grid access delays and boost efficiency.

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Green metal production will also receive financial support, with the AUD$1 billion (USD$600 million) green iron investment fund helping to accelerate Australia's transition to green steel.

Climate energy finance director Tim Buckley told PV Magazine that the CEF is thankful for the green metals investments but "a lot more is needed" to support domestic clean energy technology manufacturing.

"From here, there are abundant opportunities for the Federal Government to grow Australia's clean economy for generations to come through win-win solutions for our economy and climate," Climate Council economist Nicki Hutley told the magazine.

A portion of the funds will be allocated to hydrogen and critical minerals tax incentives, low-pollution liquid fuels, and investments in renewable energy manufacturing, including battery and storage technologies.

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The impressive commitment to clean energy will benefit Australia's economy and ensure better health for people and the planet. As the transition to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources continues to gain momentum, it's an excellent time to invest in sustainability-focused businesses and support eco-friendly initiatives. Governments provide financial backing for industries, but everyday people can drive positive change in the marketplace.

"Now that we're securing the future of our industry with these investments, it's time for strong policies that put domestic manufacturers first," Australian Workers' Union national secretary Paul Farrow told PV.

Farrow added that "stronger local procurement requirements" are needed to help steelworks and aluminum smelters to continue operations and grow. Meanwhile, using Australian-made materials for public infrastructure "makes perfect sense" for job security and creation.

Should the government continue to give tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades? Absolutely No Depends on the upgrade I don't know Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"[The Australian Energy Market Operator] expects investment in new energy infrastructure to support more than 60,000 energy jobs over the next 20 years, with the retirement of coal from our system prior to 2040," said CEFC CEO Ian Learmonth in a statement, adding that CEFC investments will help in the move to more sustainable energy.

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.
[Attached video: OSHP released 5-year report on road fatalities]

TOLEDO, Ohio (WJW)  An Ohio man died and a church pastor was badly injured after a tragic accident occurred while they were on their way home from bible study.

Bicyclist seriously injured in Solon hit-and-run

According to WTVG 13 Action News in Toledo and a statement posted on the Northwest Baptist Churchs Facebook page, Pastor Andrew Edwards was driving another man home from bible study April 17 when a tree fell on top of the car while they were stopped at a light.

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Richard Miller, who was a passenger in the car, was killed and Pastor Edwards was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

According to the church, he suffered fractures to his clavicle, sternum, and a vertebra in his back and doctors were keeping close watch on a small brain bleed.

Thank you to all for the outpouring of prayer, support, and love for the Miller family and Pastor Edwards. Pastor continues to be in stable condition. The reports have been encouraging but he is still in need of all your prayers, the church posted April 18.

Another update Saturday indicated the pastor was awake and speaking with his family, but would need to undergo more testing throughout the weekend.

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First responder with the Town and Country Fire District killed while assisting stuck driver

A funeral service for Miller is set for April 26 at the Northwest Baptist Church.

According to WTVG, two other cars in the area sustained damage when the tree fell but the people inside those vehicles were not injured,

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Nasas oldest serving astronaut turned 70 as he hurtled back to Earth after a seven-month mission in space.

Don Pettit landed in Kazakhstan in the early hours of his milestone birthday, marking the end of his 60s and his mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

A Soyuz capsule carrying Mr Pettit, who is American, and two Russian cosmonauts landed on Sunday morning, hours after undocking from the ISS.

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Today at 0420 Moscow time (0120 GMT), the Soyuz MS-26 landing craft with Alexei Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and Donald (Don) Pettit aboard landed near the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Russias Roscosmos space agency said.

Space remains a rare avenue of cooperation between Russia and the US, whose relationship broke down after Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Mr Pettit and his crew mates, Mr Ovchinin and Mr Vagner, spent 220 days in space, orbiting the Earth 3,520 times and completing a journey of 93.3 million miles over the course of their mission.

Alexey Ovchinin gives a thumbs up after his return to Earth - Bill Ingalls/Nasa/Getty

It was Mr Pettits fourth space flight, with the astronaut now having logged more than 18 months in orbit throughout his 29-year career.

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Despite turning 70 as the mission ended, Mr Pettit is not the oldest person to fly in orbit. In 1998, John Glenn flew on a Nasa mission aged 77.

Images of the landing released by Nasa showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth with the sunrise as a backdrop.

The trio landed in the remote area in Kazakhstan at 6.20am local time, after undocking from the space station about three hours earlier.

One picture showed a frail-looking Mr Pettit giving a thumbs up as he was carried to a medical tent in his white space suit after landing

Nasa said that Mr Pettit was doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth.

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He is expected to travel to the Kazakh city of Karaganda and spend some time readjusting to gravity before boarding a Nasa plane to the agencys Johnson Space Center in Texas.

The Soyuz spacecraft comes down to land - Bill Ingalls/Nasa/Getty

Meanwhile, Mr Ovchinin and Mr Vagner will go to Russias space training base in Zvyozdniy Gorodok (Star City) near Moscow.

Mr Pettit spent his time on the ISS researching water sanitisation technology, 3D printing capabilities, plant growth in various conditions and fire behaviour in microgravity, Nasa said.

His time on the ISS largely overlapped with the US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were stranded in space for nine months after the Boeing spacecraft they were testing suffered technical issues and was deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.

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The astronauts boarded a Boeing Starliner in June last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission to the space station, but their return date was repeatedly pushed back after the shuttles thrusters encountered problems.

They splashed down off the Gulf of Florida last month aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule after spending 278 days on the ISS.

Their protracted stay became a political flashpoint, with Donald Trump and Elon Musk blaming Joe Biden for leaving them up there for political reasons.

Last month, Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams, whose initial eight-day mission was beset with delays, said that they would return to space on the Boeing aircraft.

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Were going to rectify all the issues that we encountered. Were going to fix it, were going to make it work, Mr Wilmore said.

This is a tough business, he added. The analogy about its always a curvy road. Its never straight in this business.

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ROCKVILLE, Utah (ABC4)  One person was critically injured in a basement fire in Rockville, Utah, Saturday afternoon, according to Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue.

Shortly after 12:50 p.m., fire units responded to a structure fire at 101 East Main Street, Rockville. Fire personnel arrived on scene to find a well-involved basement fire in a residential home, Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue posted on social media.

One individual was reportedly critically injured with burn and blast injuries. They were treated on scene before Intermountain LifeFlight transported them to a burn unit in Las Vegas, officials said.

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To facilitate emergency response and the helicopter landing, State Route 9 was temporarily shut down, the post states. Multiple agencies responded, including Hurricane Valley Fire District, Springdale Police Department, and Zion National Park. We also extend our thanks to Hildale/Colorado City Fire for assisting with additional calls during this incident.

The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.

No further information is currently available.

Latest headlines:

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A man was killed and another person was injured in a shooting in Bostons Roxbury neighborhood late Saturday night, according to police.

Officers responded to the area of 2343 Washington St.for a report of a person shot shortly after 11 p.m., Boston police said in a press release. Police found the victim with a gunshot wound.

First responders took the victim to a hospital where he was declared dead, police said. A second victim checked themselves into a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

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The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit is actively investigating the shooting, police said. Anyone with information about it is strongly urged to contact the unit at 617-343-4470.

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DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  One person was injured in a shooting in Decatur on Sunday.

The shooting took place near the intersection of W. Main St. and Oakland Ave., just before noon.

16-year-old shot, hospitalized in Decatur

The Decatur Police Department said that a 21-year-old male was shot, but that his injuries were non-life-threatening. No one has been arrested as of Sunday afternoon, according to police.

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Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Decatur Police Department at 217-424-2711.

This is a developing story. WCIA will continue to update as new information is received.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
One man is dead after a shooting in Kansas City, Kansas Saturday night.

Police were called around 11:54 p.m. to the 900 block of Osage Ave. on a shooting call, where they found a man outside, dead of gunshot wounds, according to officer T.J. Tomasic, public information officer with the Kansas City, Kansas police Department.

The incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information is asked to call the anonymous Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

This homicide marks the sixth homicide this year in the Kansas City, Kansas compared to five this time last year, according to data tracked by The Star which includes police shootings.
On Saturday night, on the first night of Passover, an armed intruder hopped a gate at the residence of Pennsylvanias Gov. Josh Shapiro and set fire to the building. It appears he did so because Shapiro is Jewish.

According to call logs provided by Dauphin County authorities, Cody Balmer told a 911 dispatcher less than two hours after he allegedly set the fire that Shapiro needs to know that he will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people, and he needs to stop having my friends killed and our people have been put through too much by that monster.

Shapiro, of course, has no control over Israels war in Gaza, and accusing him of culpability for crimes committed by other Jews, halfway around the world, is the definition of antisemitism.

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Few would consider this even a controversial statement. But heres one that might ruffle a few feathers.

Targeting Shapiro because hes Jewish is disturbingly similar to certain pro-Palestinian activists calling Shapiro Genocide Josh last summer and advocating against him as Kamala Harris running mate. Its little different from anti-Zionist activists targeting Jewish-run businesses in the U.S., Jewish American leaders and Jewish institutions because of their views on Israel.

They are two sides of the same coin  manifestations of modern antisemitism.

It is essential to note that there are caveats to this argument. Anti-Zionist activists didnt burn Shapiros house and try to kill him. Degree matters  as do actions. Moreover, Balmer, according to his mother, suffers from profound mental illness and has a lengthy criminal record.

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Still, Balmers particular pro-Palestinian rhetoric didnt simply appear out of thin air. His specific criticisms of Shapiro bear striking similarity to accusations made by anti-Zionist activists that the governor is aiding and abetting genocide in Gaza.

Scenes of damage from Gov. Josh Shapiro's Pennsylvania residence.

Last summer, critics of Shapiros bid to be Harris running mate argued that he stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. A group of progressive activists calling themselves No Genocide Josh urged Democrats to pass over Shapiro for the No. 2 nod. A now-defunct website of the group argued that it was in the Democratic Partys best interests that the VP nominee support the majority of Democrats and Americans who want social and economic justice for workers and an immediate ceasefire in Palestine.

But Shapiros views are practically interchangeable with those of other prominent Democrats, including his rivals to become Harris 2024 running mate.

Like the eventual VP pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, or Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Shapiro supports a two-state solution and the creation of a Palestinian state. He has also been far more personally critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he called one of the worst leaders of all time and said of him he has steered Israel in a wrong direction, and made Israel less safe and made their future less bright because of his leadership. (For Kellys part, he attended and applauded Netanyahus speech to Congress last year when many other Democrats in attendance wouldnt, while Walz barely mentioned the prime ministers name during his time as the Democrats VP candidate.) Yet, no one called Walz Genocide Tim or Kelly War Crimes Mark.

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Shapiro has even offered rhetorical support to those protesting Israels policies in Gaza, noting its right for young people to righteously protest and question those issues.

Underlying the criticisms of Shapiro is the unstated idea that Jews cannot be objective when it comes to Israel  a charge once explicitly lobbied against Catholic politicians, including John F. Kennedy  or that American Jews are as loyal to Israel as they are to the United States.

The suggestion of dual loyalty has haunted Jews for generations, but such scurrilous accusations from self-proclaimed progressives are all the more concerning. The left has long partnered with Diaspora Jews in fighting racial, ethnic and religious discrimination. At a time when the president of the United States regularly traffics in antisemitic tropes  and his first term in office was marked by a significant rise in antisemitic incidents  the support of the left is more essential than ever. (Even with Trump out of office, the number of antisemitic incidents in America continued to rise, even before the war in Gaza began in late 2023.)

To those rightly rushing to condemn Balmers alleged crime, the same unequivocal force needs to be directed at those who traffic in the seemingly more benign but just as dangerous antisemitism  even when it comes from their own political camp. Conservatives like to ascribe blame for antisemitism to the anti-Zionist left. Liberals often place blame squarely at the feet of Trump and other far-right groups. The reality is that antisemitism is prevalent in both camps, even if both right and left-wing leaders are loath to point fingers at their political allies.

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Antisemitism is arguably the oldest and most enduring form of ethnic and religious discrimination. It is civilizations first major conspiracy theory. Since antisemitism is so prevalent and often misunderstood, there is an even greater danger in singling out Jewish politicians for their views on Israel or Jewish administrators at public universities, or protesting Jewish restaurants, hospitals with Jewish names, or Jewish places of worship, and calling for bans on Jewish religious organizations, like Hillel. Doing so risks turning Jews at large into targets of those aggrieved by the situation in Gaza.

Pro-Palestinian activists will argue that such public demonstrations represent a small fringe, but thats all the more reason to ostracize and exclude those who would turn their attacks on Israel against Jews in America. Jews need and deserve not nitpicking over what is and isnt antisemitism, but rather full-throated condemnation, even if the hate is emerging from ones own political camp.

Criticism of Israel is fair game, but lumping in American Jews with the actions of their co-religionists in Israel is not. As we saw this week in Pennsylvania, when such ideas enter the public discourse, the impact can be deadly.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
This is really  I hope  going to be one of the greatest Easters ever, President Donald Trump told faith leaders he invited to the White House last week, because we have something going that I dont think this country has seen in 100 years. And as we gather with family and friends, well not forget the true source of our joy and our strength: America has put our trust in God.

While Trump and members of his conservative Christian circle are celebrating Easter, though, some immigrants may be afraid to gather with members of their faith.

Its likely not a question youve ever had to ask before, but will Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents be at your seder or Easter Sunday service?

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Its possible after a federal judge sided with the Trump administration April 11 and gave permission to ICE to conduct enforcement operations at houses of worship. U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrichs ruling lets the Trump administration disregard the Biden administrations advice not to conduct immigration raids at places including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.

Twenty-seven Christian and Jewish groups had sued the Trump administration, claiming that a Jan. 20 Department of Homeland Security policy letting ICE enter houses of worship violated their religious freedom under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Friedrich issued her ruling just in time for Holy Week and Passover. Having this ruling come at such an important religious moment for both groups is cruel.

What this means in practice is that ICE can come into the religious services or outside of houses of worship to take away any immigrant they deem out of compliance. It has already happened several times since Trump was inaugurated. The first recorded instance was ICE arresting a Honduran man at the church he helped plant in Georgia.

Any decline in immigrants church and synagogue attendance this week wont be a surprise. Freidrich, however, dismissed plaintiffs reports of reduced attendance at their worship services. The judge said such limited and conclusory assertions are not enough for the Court to conclude with little doubt that the policy rescission has caused the widespread declines in attendance. She said the plaintiffs didnt present any objective statistical evidence showing that religious attendance declines were a predictable effect of the rescission policy.

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The judge may not believe the plaintiffs claims, but there will no doubt be fewer immigrants comfortable with attending religious services this week and in the foreseeable future. One Part of the Body, a recent survey commissioned by several religious groups, estimates that at the end of 2024, 10 million Christians in the United States were vulnerable to deportation.

Imagine, then, the impact Trumps deportation policies and Friedrichs ruling will have. Immigrants will be even more on edge, and religious leaders not following the news may be left wondering why their sanctuaries are emptier than they usually are this religious season.

In Americas not-so-distant past, churches and religious edifices were reliable sanctuaries and refuge for immigrants. The Sanctuary Movement was started in the 1980s by two Quakers and a Presbyterian minister in Arizona to help people fleeing political repression in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Catholic priests joined the movement on both sides of the border, defying the U.S. governments refusal to give asylum to these political refugees.

CITY | Led by Yale Divinity School graduates, the movement draws on faith to welcome the stranger in contrast to Christian nationalist rhetoric often used to tout immigration crackdown.https://t.co/rMzShFgWVE  Yale Daily News (@yaledailynews) April 16, 2025

The New Sanctuary Movement, a 21st-century reboot, is a coalition of faith and community leaders. In New Haven, Yale divinity students have mobilized to help protect immigrants targeted by ICE. Pennsylvania faith leaders built an altar at Philadelphias ICE office to protest the administrations policy allowing immigration arrests at churches.

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Trumps administration is also threatening to withhold federal money from sanctuary cities. Tom Homan, a Catholic, has promised to increase the presence of federal agents in sanctuary cities to step up arrests. All this from an administration that claims to be very Christian.

There is an increasing rift between religious groups who are supporting immigrants and an administration that believes, wrongly, that it is upholding a Christian worldview. For immigrants, visa holders and green card holders who are fearful of being picked up by ICE, this is an uneasy Easter season. The message of Easter is resurrection, but what Trump is resurrecting is fear among those who never thought theyd be putting themselves at risk during worship.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In February, President Trump issued an executive order pulling the United States out of the U.N. Human Rights Council. Less widely noted were other provisions in the order mandating a review of all conventions and treaties to which the United States is a party in order to determine which are contrary to the interests of the United States.

Some might see the review launched by the order as consistent with Trumps promise, during his inaugural address, that our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Hopefully, those carrying out this review for Secretary of State Marco Rubio understand that upholding Americas international law commitments serves to advance, not hinder, our national interests. They should recognize that Trumps apparent belief that international law constitutes an infringement on American sovereignty reflects a basic misperception of how international law works.

International law operates very differently from the domestic legal systems we know from our day-to-day experience. For one, there is no global legislature empowered to enact laws that regulate the behavior of countries. The essence of sovereignty  the idea that countries have freedom to enact such laws and policies within their territories as they wish  is not incompatible with international law but is rather a central feature of it.

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Countries can, of course, decide to assume obligations under international law, including limitations on their freedom of action. The key point, though, is that this is a matter of each countrys sovereign choice. They exercise this choice by entering into treaties, essentially contracts between countries, or acting in a manner that reflects their own judgment that certain actions are legally required. In short, international law is consent-based, and countries are for the most part bound only by those rules that they have accepted.

Why would a country agree to accept a legal rule that restricts its freedom to act? They do so to advance their interests, which requires cooperation.

Even though the world would be better off if, for instance, countries were not allowed to engage in aggression by invading their neighbors, there is no world legislature empowered to enact a ban on aggression. Nor is there a global legislature, similarly, that can enact rules that would ensure countries diplomats are not at risk of being arrested where they are posted, or the protection of investments of a countries companies doing business abroad.

In the absence of a global government, states agree on reciprocal limits on their actions (such as forgoing the freedom to invade their neighbors, to arrest foreign diplomats, or to expropriate foreign-owned property without just compensation) in order to achieve benefits for themselves and for the global order. International law is simply an instrument that allows countries to agree on rules that will enhance international coordination and cooperation  rules that will in turn increase global security and prosperity.

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Whether to assume an obligation under international law is a choice each country makes based on a determination of whether that obligation, if accepted by other countries, will enhance its self-interest.

For example, when the U.S. decided to become a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, it concluded that creating a nearly global ban on chemical weapons offered political and strategic advantages that outweighed surrendering the right of the U.S. to possess or use such weapons. In contrast, the U.S. has not decided that the advantages of outlawing the possession or use of nuclear weapons outweighs its interest in retaining such weapons, and it has accordingly not become a party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The notion of accepting certain limits on freedom of action in exchange for countervailing benefits is an idea that should be familiar to us from our own daily lives. When I enter into an employment contract, for example, I surrender some degree of freedom of action. Going to work and performing my job duties means I will no longer have unfettered freedom to spend my time doing whatever I want, wherever I want. And yet few of us would view entering into an employment contract  which we do in order to earn a salary and secure the other benefits of the employment relationship  as an infringement on our liberty, which is the equivalent for individuals of sovereignty for states. Rather, assuming such legal obligations is a way in which we exercise our liberty.

Similarly, given the consent-based nature of international law, a countrys decision to become party to a treaty, even one that imposes some limitations on its freedom of action, is not a restriction on sovereignty. Instead, it is an exercise of its sovereignty, one that allows a country to gain the benefits of international cooperation, including greater security and prosperity. Rather than infringing Americas national interest, international law is a tool to advance it.

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Allen S. Weiner is senior lecturer in law at Stanford Law School. He served as a career international lawyer in the State Department from 1990 to 2001.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Now that nuclear talks with Iran have begun, it behooves Americans to ask whether the president is willing to compromise to get a deal and claim a victory or whether his threats to act militarily if Iran doesnt dismantle its nuclear program are real or theatre. A third possibility is the most effective path to an enforceable agreement is only after a military strike when Trump will have maximum leverage.

The last deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated by former President Barack Obama in 2015, legitimized the worlds leading state sponsor of terrors right to enrich uranium, which was unprecedented. Reports say the Trump administration may have already accepted Irans right to a civilian nuclear program.

According to his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, he is looking for a verifiable deal, not to dismantle the atomic program. That is a hard sell to our Israeli allies, who uncovered Irans nuclear archive in 2018, revealing the regimes longstanding desire and ability to create nuclear weapons despite the protestations to the contrary of the supreme leader and isolationist American think tanks.

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For Trump, a new and improved Iranian agreement is a tantalizing brass ring to wave over the heads of the despised Obama administration. For the Israelis, how enforceable and strong the deal is will be a life and death question.

So, to whom does the president listen? It has been said that the last person in the room is the one who leaves a lasting impression and has the most influence on Trump. But who will be in that room, and what will Trump hear?

Trump prioritizes loyalty, and his Iran representative, Steve Witkoff, seems to have his trust. Given that he never engaged in Middle East negotiating until given the Hamas file, it is reasonable to be skeptical of his ability to outwit the professional Iranian negotiators who practice religiously sanctioned dissimulation (lying), known as taqiyah. Hopefully, the team he surrounds himself with has an in-depth understanding of the Shiite Islamists and nuclear matters. I know of at least one who is certainly qualified.

However, Witkoff may be given marching orders based on the advice that Trumps team of rivals at home has given him. National security advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, are of the same mind regarding Iran: Distrust and then verify.

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The rivals speaking into Trumps other ear are the non-interventional isolationists like Vice President Vance, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, and Tucker Carlson, who has the ear of Trump and his entire political movement.

Its clear that now is the worst possible time for the United States to participate in a military strike on Iran. We cant afford it, Carlson recently posted on X. Thousands of Americans would die. Wed lose the war that follows. Nothing would be more destructive to our country. And yet, were closer than ever, thanks to unrelenting pressure from neocons. This is suicidal. Anyone advocating for conflict with Iran is not an ally of the United States, but an enemy.

Neocons is a dog whistle for Jews, and since many in Israel believe the only way to stop Irans production of a nuclear weapon is a military strike against its nuclear facilities, Carlson moved Israel from an indispensable ally of both Democrats and Republicans to an enemy state. Carlson has a close relationship with Vance and is credited with convincing Trump to choose him over Rubio as his running mate.

Today, Rubios hawkish views are not welcomed by Carlson and his isolationist audience as the best way to get a deal most advantageous to America. The history of American isolationism isnt pretty, and retrenchment has more often led to war, most notoriously forcing America to enter World War II ill-prepared when it was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, by the Japanese.

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Rubio, Waltz and Huckabee are three people who understand Irans intentions. Unfortunately, they are not in President Trumps favor. This is evident as the president has chosen his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to negotiate with Iran. This should be the purview of the secretary of State.

Another person who gets Iran, but it is uncertain of his current influence with the president is Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), who said any agreement with Iran must recognize Irans decades of cheating, the regimes barbaric nature and its open commitment to destroying the state of Israel.

President Trump blindsided Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House by announcing American direct talks with Iran. The Iranians are a stones throw from a nuclear weapon. They are rearming Iraqi militias they control with American blood on their hands, continue to send missiles to the Houthis to attack our maritime shipping, have been transferring weapons to rearm Hezbollah via the Beirut port and continue to try to kill Iranian dissidents on our soil.

Iran has abundant strategic patience and is willing to wait decades for its religiously inspired goals. It has no intention of giving up on its desire for hegemony, the destruction of Israel, the diminution of American influence in the region, or its ability to have nuclear weapons to intimidate its adversaries.

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Supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship give Trump the benefit of the doubt on Iran, as he did things in his first term that no other president dared  moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, acknowledging Jerusalem as Israels capital, cutting off funds to the corrupt and disingenuous Palestinian Authority, and recognizing Israels sovereignty in the Golan Heights.

If direct talks do not lead to a verifiable dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program, ending support of its proxy network and terrorist reach overseas, then expect the Iranian file to land on a future American presidents desk in a disadvantageous state of play.

So, who is in ascendancy on the Trump foreign policy team: isolationists or the highly experienced Rubio, Waltz and Huckabee team? Will Trumps choices on Iran and Middle East policy be according to the trilogy of isolationism, non-intervention and protectionism, or are his ears still open to those in the Republican Party, like Rubio, Graham and Waltz, who believe that credible military threats are the best way to get a strong nuclear agreement, create stability and avoid wars. Trumps rhetoric is aligned with the latter.

Mr. President, please bring Rubio, Waltz, Huckabee and Graham back into the fold for Americas security interests in meeting your goal that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.

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Eric R. Mandel is the senior security editor of the Jerusalem Report and the director of the Middle East Political Information Network.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A corrupt Republican president abuses his executive power to restrict free markets, placing legal constraints on free trade in goods and services, and then uses the granting of specific exceptions to shake down contributions from businessmen who are hurt by the restrictions. This political extortion is seen as such an abuse of office and betrayal of conservative economics principles that members of his own party band together to oppose him.

That corrupt Republican president? Richard Milhouse Nixon.

When President Nixon imposed his wage and price controls across the country, it wasnt just economically destructive; it was also corrupt. As Ciara Torres-Spelliscy noted for the Brennan Center, by creating a blanket policy that crushed businesses, Nixon was soliciting connected business owners to petition him for exceptions in exchange for large donations to his campaign.

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Nixons wage and price controls inspired David Nolan to gather a group of free market Republicans  all disgusted with Nixons schemes  in his Colorado living room. This is how the Libertarian Party was born.

President Donald Trump has in many ways followed Richard Nixons economic playbook, though instead of wage and price controls, he has chosen to impose arbitrary blanket tariffs, violating free market principles (and trade deals he negotiated) by putting import taxes on everything American businesses and consumers buy from other countries. Trump has a record of targeting media companies and law firms to extract personal benefits. Imposing tariffs gives him another tool in the box. He may not have used it yet, but hes already made public statements about how countries can come to the table to negotiate an exception from these punitive tariffs. Some impacted businesses are going to ask for exceptions from import taxes and may assume their chances of success are far greater if they offer something of value to Trumps interests.

Now would be a great time for the Libertarian Party, founded in opposition to Republican corruption, to oppose another presidents meddling with the markets, potentially for his own gain. Alas, the current iteration of the party is far more dedicated to fighting MAGA-friendly culture war battles than standing up for free market principles.

In the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and the neo-Nazi murder of counteractivist Heather Heyer, then-Libertarian Party executive director Wes Benedict publicly rejected the hateful and bigoted views of the alt-right groups who marched to chants of Jews will not replace us.

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However, as a reaction to that anti-bigotry stance, a group called the Mises Caucus was formed to try to steer the Libertarian Party toward a more MAGA-friendly platform that would welcome anti-immigrant, anti-abortion and antisemitic conservatives into a historically pro-freedom party. It took five years, but by the 2022 Libertarian National Convention, the Mises Caucus was able to install an anti-vaccine activist and former paralegal, Angela McArdle, as Libertarian National Committee Chair and remove the anti-bigotry and pro-choice planks from the Libertarian platform.

With a majority of the national committee sympathetic to a far-right Republican distortion of libertarian principles, Trumpworld figures like Ric Grenell  who has served in both Trump administrations  started communicating directly with McArdle about ways that the Libertarian Party could assist Trump by delivering the Libertarian vote in what promised to be a very close election.

During the 2024 campaign, Angela McArdle seemed more interested in providing public support for fellow anti-vaccine activist Democratic (and later, independent) candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Republican candidate Donald Trump than she did for Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver. Both Kennedy and Trump were given prime-time speaking spots at the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, D.C., where Trump promised to pardon Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht  who was serving a life sentence in prison  if elected. McArdle used that promise as a fig leaf for her deliberate sabotage of the Libertarian Partys candidate that contributed to his disappointing fourth-place finish behind Jill Stein of the Green Party and a collapse of the Libertarian Partys finances. (Trump made good on that promise, pardoning Ulbricht a day after taking office.)

Facing multiple lawsuits and allegations of embezzlement by a former Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate, Angela McArdle resigned as LNC Chair in January 2025, replaced by Florida business owner Stephen Nekhaila, who defeated a Mises Caucus candidate for the job. (In response to questions about the accusations, McArdle told the libertarian-leaning Reason magazine that she was the victim of aggressive cyberstalking by her accusers, and added, I will be working with new appointees in the Trump administration to find out if the FBI and State Dept have been involved in the attacks on the LP and me.)

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This rejection of the far-right elements in the Libertarian Party, combined with the urgency of President Trumps tariff schemes, has created an opportunity for Americans particularly those leaning Republican  who support free people and free markets to rejoin the Libertarian Party and join the opposition to the Trump administration.

Tariffs are taxes Americans pay. The libertarian position is that we should be fighting for zero tariffs, and we certainly shouldnt let a president unilaterally usurp the constitutional authority of Congress to impose taxes.

Republicans, particularly Trumps senior trade adviser Peter Navarro, over the past several months have engaged in charm offensive on tariffs, trying to persuade the Libertarian voter that they should adopt the Republican position on the issue instead of the partys formative view that tariffs harm the United States of America. Navarro has claimed to have proprietary data demonstrating the positive nature of, and even necessity of tariffs. MSNBCs Rachel Maddow, however, exposed this charm offensive as being built on a house of cards, as supported by at least one fictional expert, Ron Vara, that Navarro made up out of whole cloth.

There is no legitimate reason for Libertarians in the Trump administrations orbit to be supporting these tariffs. Thankfully, Stephen Nekhaila, the new Chair of the Libertarian Party, has recommitted the party to the fight against Trumps tariffs.

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America needs a vocal Libertarian Party to stand up against a corrupt Republican president even more now than it did in 1971. Its time for individual libertarians to break with the Republican Party as they did 50 years ago and express our shared condemnation of tariffs and price controls, in our voter registrations where possible, in the voting booth, and even, if possible, at protests with like-minded individuals.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
News from the World Health Organizations February board meeting, just released, indicates that the U.N. affiliate is facing a budget crisis. It is $1.9 billion short of its anticipated budget of $4.2 billion, not to mention a carried-over deficit of $600 million.

This situation has nothing to do with President Trumps recent decision to quit the WHO  again. He first withdrew the U.S. in July 2020. Upon coming into office, former President Joe Biden immediately rejoined.

Yet, last year, Biden failed to pay Americas annual dues of $130 million. Besides this contractual obligation, the U.S. routinely volunteers an additional $1 billion every year. The Biden team forgot to send along this gift as well.

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While Americas missing support seems an important part of the WHOs budgetary shortfall, in reality the organization has been running with little regard to budgetary discipline. In this regard, WHO echoes the disconnect between funding and performance that has characterized the U.S.s Centers for Disease Control, the WHOs corresponding American partner, for many years.

For example, consider that the CDC has seen its annual budget double to more than $11 billion since the outbreak of COVID in 2020. Yet, writing in Foreign Affairs last July, Caitlin Rivers, a former CDC epidemiologist responsible for forecasting, argued that America is still not ready for the next outbreak.

The real Achilles Heal of Americas public health readiness is the paucity of CDC data. During the COVID epidemic, the CDC was never able to provide real-time estimates of infections, hospitalizations or death rates, nor could it identify localized hotspots or predict where the virus was going. Likewise, the WHO was incapable of producing the most basic of information on the worldwide status of the COVID pandemic.

What is more, the WHO is anything but a benign organization. Its leadership knowingly provided cover for China as it misled the world regarding the origins of COVID.

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To preserve faith in the institution, its leaders should have insisted that China provide data and information on the nature of the mutating virus. That would have made containment quicker and armed health agencies worldwide with the tools needed to combat it.

Instead, WHO was Chinas accomplice in this deception, which contributed to the deaths of many thousands of Americans and many more worldwide. This was foundational to Trumps decision to withdraw from the WHO a second time.

WHO membership is not an obligation. It should be judged in terms of costs and benefits. With Trumps decision, it is time for the U.S. to consider an alternative to the WHO  a more nimble, innovative institution that would harness technology to pinpoint outbreaks and spot trends around the world.

With the U.S.s global lead in AI, a private sector solution would allow for crowd-sourced data that could be synthesized and disseminated to health researchers and providers in real-time. Kicking such a global resource off might be the work of a far-sighted private foundation.

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The new organizations mission would be to ensure transparency in global health data. Carefully gathered and curated data by a cadre of participating volunteers could become the gold standard of information.

Privately funded, nefarious actors such as China would never work to bias the organizations data. And due to its open-source nature, citizen scientists would have the opportunity to continuously check the data and report their findings.

This global utility might become the first such shared self-managed resource of the post-governmental age. Properly managed, it would outperform governmental agencies once thought to be the only legitimate source of actionable information.

Carl Schramm is a university professor at Syracuse and a fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise.

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A veteran NASA astronaut from Oregon who flew to orbit more than seven months ago with two Russians is preparing to return to Earth.

Don Pettit, who arrived Sept. 11, 2024, for his fourth-ever time in space, is expected to depart from the International Space Station April 19 with two cosmonauts on the same Soyuz space capsule that transported them to the orbital laboratory.

For more than 200 days, Pettit, as well as Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner  both of Russia's Roscosmos space agency  have lived and worked at the space station while conducting scientific research for future deep space exploration and performing station maintenance. Much of Pettit's time at the station also overlapped with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams' extended orbital mission following the failure of the astronauts' Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

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The impending departure of the three spacefarers would come 11 days after the arrival of a replacement crew that included NASA astronaut Jonny Kim.

Here's what to know about Pettit's spaceflight and how to watch him return with Ovchinin and Vagner.

Who is Don Pettit? NASA astronaut reached ISS in September

NASA astronaut Don Pettit waves as he boards the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft for a mission to the International Space Station.

Pettit, who turns 70 on April 20, has now flown on three long-duration missions to the space station since he was selected as an astronaut in 1996.

A native of Oregon, Pettit graduated from Silverton High School and holds a degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University and a doctorate from the University of Arizona. Prior to becoming an astronaut, he worked as a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

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Pettit's first spaceflight came in 2003 when he served as science officer during the six-month Expedition 6 at the space station. Previously, he also served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 30 and 31 between 2011 and 2012, where he lived in space for more than a year.

In 2008, Pettit was part of a Space Shuttle mission delivering equipment to the space station.

Pettit's fourth and most recent spaceflight got off the ground in September, when he lifted off with Ovchinin and Vagner on a Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft. The vehicle launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport Russia's space agency Roscosmos operates within Kazakhstan.

Oregon native Don Pettit says space is a 'hopping place'

In an interview from the ISS on April 16 with KOIN 6, Pettit told newscasters space is a "hopping place."

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He said he's been with three different crews since he flew to the ISS last fall and described space as a "frontier" and a "wilderness."

You have quiet time when you are by yourself," Pettit said. "Maybe looking out a window, looking at Earth, looking at the cosmos, and contemplating such philosophical things as where do I fit in this picture.

Astronaut Don Pettit inspects a spacesuit aboard the International Space Stations Quest airlock.

NASA to livestream return voyage

Now, about 220 days later, the three spacefarers are preparing to head back to Earth.

Pettit, Ovchinin, and Vagner are planning to undock April 19 from the orbiting laboratorys Rassvet module at 5:57 p.m. ET, heading for a parachute-assisted landing at 9:20 p.m. in a remote area of Kazakhstan.

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NASA will provide live coverage of the return voyage beginning at 2 p.m. ET April 19 on the space agency's streaming service, NASA+.

A change of command ceremony was set to take place at 2:40 p.m. ET April 18, which NASA will also livestream.

After returning to Earth, the three crew members will fly on a helicopter from the landing site to the city of Karaganda. From there, Pettit will board a NASA plane for a flight to Houston, while Ovchinin and Vagner will depart for a training base in Star City, Russia.

Expedition 73 to begin at International Space Station

The newly-expanded Expedition 72 crew gathers for a ceremony welcoming (front row, from left) NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskoy. Expedition 73 will soon commence following the departure of three other spacefarers, including NASA astronaut Don Pettit, pictured at Kim's left.

The imminent departure of the outgoing astronauts sets the stage for the most recent arrivals to soon commence on Expedition 73 at the space station.

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NASA astronaut Kim and cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky were the most recent spacefarers to reach the station April 8.

Their arrival came less than a month after four international spacefarers on a SpaceX mission known as Crew-10 reached the space station. That mission drew headlines for its role in paving the way for the NASA astronauts who flew on the infamous Boeing Starliner to return home with the Crew-9 contingent.

The Crew-10 mission includes NASA astronaut Anne McClain, NASA pilot Nichole Ayers, Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA.) Onishi will serve as the Expedition 73 commander.

Up next, the new crew of the space station will await the arrival of a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft on a resupply mission set to launch April 21 from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Jonathan Williams is the news editor of the Statesman Journal. Reach him at jcwilliams1@salem.gannett.com

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon astronaut Don Pettit to return to Earth after 200 days in space
If you see a furry head with whiskers pop up in a local creek or wetland, it may be an otter. Or it may be a beaver.River otters were re-introduced to Western New York in the late 1990s after they disappeared due to over-trapping and environmental pollution.

Now, research by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has found signs that otter populations are stable in Niagara County again.

However, river otters generally arent living in rivers.Lake Erie and the Niagara River are not where Id go looking for them, said Jen Pettit, wildlife biologist for DEC Region 9.

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They want smaller creeks or swamps. Theyre in habitat that beavers are creating  the impoundments that theyre creating with their dams  and the ponded environment.

Otters showed their love for beavers right out of the gate when released. Pettit said starting in 1995, 279 otters were humanely trapped in the Adirondacks and Catskills, had their health evaluated at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, and were released at 16 sites in Western and Central New York.

There were no release sites in Erie and Niagara counties. Pettit said biologists selected the healthiest ecosystems in the region for reintroduction, with the expectation that the otters would reproduce and disperse out from initial sites.

Thats exactly what the canny creatures did, almost immediately.

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Of 14 otters released with radio transmitters at Lees Landing along the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park, many had left the parks boundaries within 20 days, according to a progress report by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.

The study evaluated otter movement, home range development, habitat use, and food habits for the 14 animals.

By the end of Sept 98, only a single otter was regularly occupying the river, the report said nearly 25 years ago. An evaluation of otter resting sites found that 53% of the time, otters rested at beaver lodges and 29% of the time at beaver bank dams. They occasionally hung out with muskrats.

Until 2017, DEC conducted winter otter surveys by entering creeks at a bridge and walking down stream banks looking for scat, snow slides and tracks.

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Its easier to find signs than to see the actual otters themselves, Pettit said of the mostly nocturnal animals.

The survey found evidence of stable populations at Four Mile Creek near Youngstown, at Eighteenmile Creek near Olcott, at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge outside Royalton, and in Tonawanda Creek, Pettit said.

I would imagine they are in Wilson, she said. If theres an area with good water quality  and they do select for locations where beavers are present  then youre very likely to see them or sign of them. A lot of people in the area dont even realize we have them here.

They have expanded their range since reintroduction and thrive in large wetland areas like the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, said Paul Hess, refuge biologist. Large wetlands are full of food for otter. During dry seasons, otter will move from their inland wetland habitats to more permanent bodies of water, in order to adapt to drought conditions and for ease in finding food.

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Hess said fish are the otters No. 1 food source. Crayfish and amphibians are other top foods they look for. We find otter toilets on the refuge and adjoining state lands that contain mostly fish scales and crayfish shells. The animals tend to release their waste in the same places repeatedly.

The success of otters in Niagara County is a sign that their environments are healthy, Pettit said.

Theyre at the top of their food chain, so they have the greatest level of exposure if there are contaminants, she said. If our water quality is poor, were really going to see it affect them. In some ways, they are an indicator that we have good water quality.

To protect the animals success, New York State prohibits trapping of otters outside the Adirondacks. Pettit said if trappers are seeing fresh otter signs, they should avoid using the location, or avoid sets in otter travel corridors where they are entering the water. To prevent otters from being caught in traps for beavers, a state regulation requires traps with offset triggers.

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People can report sightings of otters and other native mammals to the DEC at dec.ny.gov/nature/animals-fish-plants/biodiversity-species-conservation/citizen-science/furbearer-sighting-surveys.

That is a helpful thing for us, as biologists, to be able to learn where people are seeing them, she said. They can even include pictures. For people that are interested in wildlife photography, its a species at the top of their list.

I think that its important for us to be able to bring the species back that we had naturally before European settlement, Pettit said. Before 1995 you didnt even have a chance to see an otter here. Now you have a very good chance. Its a success story for New York state that we have the habitat and environmental quality to support them.
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dan Caldwell, once one of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's most senior advisors, issued a joint statement on Saturday along with two other Pentagon officials casting doubt on an internal leak investigation that led to their ouster this week.

"We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended," Caldwell posted on X. "Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door."

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Caldwell and the others added: "We still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of 'leaks' to begin with."

The comments were the first by Caldwell since Reuters first disclosed that he was escorted out of the Pentagon building on Tuesday after an internal Pentagon leak investigation identified him for making "an unauthorized disclosure," a U.S. official told Reuters.

After Caldwell, the Pentagon also ousted less senior officials Darin Selnick, who recently became Hegseth's deputy chief of staff, and Colin Carroll, who was chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg.

The statement by Caldwell, Selnick and Carroll suggested they did not leak sensitive or classified information, saying: "We understand the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it."

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The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Although Caldwell is not as well known as other senior Pentagon officials, he has played a critical role as an adviser to Hegseth.

His importance was underscored in a leaked text chain on Signal disclosed by The Atlantic last month.

In it, Hegseth named Caldwell as the best staff point of contact for the National Security Council as it prepared for the launch of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

Caldwell had drawn attention in Washington for past views that critics have called isolationist, but which advocates said sought to right-size America's defense priorities.

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A Marine Corps veteran who deployed to Iraq, Caldwell was quoted as saying before going to the Pentagon that America would have been better off if U.S. troops had just stayed home. He was also a skeptic of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine and advocated for U.S. retrenchment from Europe.

The ouster of Caldwell is separate from a wave of firings since Hegseth, a former Fox News host and combat veteran, took over the Pentagon in January.

Those firings of top brass have included the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the top admiral in the Navy, the head of U.S. Cyber Command and the top U.S. military lawyers. Reuters was first to report on April 7 the firing of the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Sandra Maler)
DENVER (KDVR)  Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on Saturday.

More than a hundred workers gathered at the Denver Police Academy before heading to neighborhood streets along the Colfax corridor.

Snow totals: Mid-April storm brought several inches to Denver, over a foot in mountains

If it was snowing, wed still be out there; if it was raining, wed be out there, said Kristen Teller.

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Organizer Jordan Clark of the Iron Sharp Community Foundation told FOX31 that clean-up efforts are becoming more and more necessary.

Our local communities are being impacted by trash and debris that causes a health hazard not only for local residents but visitors, he said.

The Iron Sharp Community Foundation coordinated the effort with members of the Denver Police Department and Aurora Police Department and received support from the Denver Foundation, Waste Management, Niagara Cares, Denver International Airport and the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Our mission and dedication is intended to service some of the highest need populations here across the metro area, said Clark.

Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on April 19, 2025. Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on April 19, 2025. Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on April 19, 2025. Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on April 19, 2025. Volunteers from across the Denver metro area joined city officials to clean up east Colfax Avenue on April 19, 2025.

Teller says her religious calling leads her to help others by volunteering.

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We want to get into the trenches and clean our cities and sow seeds of hope, she said.

Organizers say the clean-up effort brings them closer to their goal of forging a stronger and healthier community one block at a time.

We want to help clean up and bridge relationships, said Clark.



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More than 600 religious sites in Ukraine have been destroyed since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 19, ahead of Easter celebrations.

"For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions will be going to churches. Unfortunately, many will go to churches that have been damaged..." Zelensky said.

He added that the Russian military poses one of the greatest threats to Christian churches and believers. Citing wartime data, the president said at least 67 Ukrainian priests, pastors, and monks "were killed or tortured by Russian occupiers," and 640 religious sites have been destroyedmost of them Christian.

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"But we will rebuild all of them," Zelensky added. "Just as we are liberating priests and pastors from Russian captivity, just as we are doing everything to protect Ukrainian cities and villages and the lives of people in them, we are restoring the ability to believeto believe that evil and destruction will not prevail."

Earlier on April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire on the Easter weekend, ordering a halt to all military action from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21.

Zelensky later said that, according to information from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russian artillery fire and assault operations continued on parts of the front line. Local officials also reported shelling and civilian casualties on the evening of April 19.

The suggested Easter ceasefire follows previous Russian attacks on Ukraine during major Orthodox holidays, including a deadly strike on Sumy on Palm Sunday that killed 35 people, and an attack on Kharkiv during Good Friday that killed one person and injured 120.

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Read also: Republican US Congressman Fitzpatrick visits Ukraines front line, signs a shell for Putin

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The parade is coming, the parade is coming!

Thousands across New England and the country flocked to Lexington to mark 250 years since the first shots of the American Revolution were fired.

The morning on the Battle Green began with reenactments, followed by ceremonies honoring generations of our armed forces.

Local and state leaders watched and cheered on as 2,700 marched down Lexingtons Center for their Patriots Day Parade Saturday afternoon.

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This is Massachusetts, said Governor Maura Healey. I want people around Massachusetts and around New England to take in how special this place is.

Senator Ed Markey also added, Everyone comes together to celebrate the role which Massachusetts, Lexington, and Concord played to create this great country.

Town roads were lined for miles with eager patrons watching on.

I think sometimes you take it for granted, said one Lexington native. But, youre reminded with things like this.

Another, Laura Cortes, flew in from Salt Lake City. She used to walk in the parade as a child.

I loved every minute of it, she said. If the British had gone that way and not that way, they wouldve just got yelled at.

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Many saw it as a time for New Englanders and Americans to pull together.

Sue Flynn, a patron, finished, We were all Americans together. Thats what were here for... to feel like we are true, liberated Americans together and were one.

More celebrations will continue into Sunday and Monday across Massachusetts to celebrate the 250-year anniversary.

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PLAINS TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Christians celebrate one of the most important liturgies this weekend.

Worshippers across the globe and right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania packed churches for an Easter Vigil celebration.

Saturdays Easter Vigil celebrates Jesus Christs resurrection from the dead.

Through fire, family, and faith, Saints Peter and Paul Parish put on a traditional service in front of a large Easter weekend crowd.

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A fiery glow grew from the center of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Plains Township.

The bonfire beginning the Easter vigil marks The Service of Light, as Jesus Christ conquers death.

Only the night knows the hour that Christ rose from the dead. One of the main movements during the Easter Vigil is bringing that light into the darkness, stated Steve Chronowski, parishioner, choir member

The light separated, but not undimmed spreads from the paschal candle to parishioners taper candles.

Similar to Steve Chronowski, Sandi Harowicz has been a parishioner of this parish for decades.

Both members see this Holy Saturday night liturgical service as a significant one.

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Its like a big climax to the other days that preceded this one. This is like the grand finale type of thing, explained Sandi Harowicz, parishioner.

Meaningful moments of song, reading and prayer make up the moving mass.

Other faithful parishioners feel most connected to the word of the lord.

Its just the same story over and over that god loves us so much and when you think about that it is fantastic, expressed Geri Ulichney, parishioner.

Father Jack Lambert has led this Easter Vigil service for more than a decade.

He says the story of this celebration has stayed true since the beginning of time.

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But theres always something new and thats gods intervention. Thats why I find it exciting especially on this night, stated Father Lambert.

And as darkness turns to light, Ulichney hopes those gathered in her parish practice what is preached after this holiest of weeks.

I hope people are a lot kinder to each other and care about one another because that is what god wants us to do, love each other like he has loved us, voiced Ulichney.

Easter Sunday mass will be celebrated Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Parish.

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As a survivor of the 2018 Parkland shooting and a current student at Florida State University, Stephanie Horowitz recalled experiencing her second mass shooting Thursday, telling CBS News, This is America.

I never thought it would happen to me the first time, and here we are, and unfortunately, this is America for you, Horowitz told CBS News on Friday.

Horowitz, an FSU student and on-campus bowling instructor, said she was in the campus bowling alley Thursday when her students looked out the window and saw people running.

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Horowitz said when she saw belongings left behind and laptops open and bags on the floor, she knew what that meant.

Unfortunately, due to my previous experience, I knew what that meant, and before I knew exactly what was going on, I just started to direct everybody into the backroom to safety until I got further information, but I had a feeling that it was an active shooter situation before I even heard, Horowitz told CBS News.

Students hold a vigil near the scene of a shooting at the Florida State University student center on April 17 in Tallahassee, Florida. Two people were killed and several others injured when the alleged shooter, believed to be a current student and the son of a Leon County sheriff's deputy, opened fire on the university's main campus. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo via Getty Images

A 20-year-old opened fire Thursday at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, leaving two people dead and six injured. Police said the shooter used his mothers former service weapon in the shooting.

Horowitz, who was 15 years old when she lived through the Parkland shooting, said after that day, she had the mindset that any day could be a day of another mass shooting.

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I kind of woke up every morning thinking that it could be my last day. I was afraid for my life every step that I took, she said.

She said shes come a long way after that shooting, and that she had gotten to a place where she felt safe.

And here we are yet again and that was taken away from me for a second time, she said.

There have been 82 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, and Florida is ranked No. 21 in gun law strength, according to Everytown Research and Policy.

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JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A Pentecostal church in South Africa celebrated Easter Sunday with mass wedding ceremonies for around 3,000 people, with many of them entering into polygamous marriages.

The International Pentecost Holiness Church said mass weddings are part of its Easter festivities and the tradition of polygamy, which is observed in some African cultures, has been incorporated into the church.

Sunday's ceremonies would see some men marry their sixth or seventh wives, church spokesperson Vusi Ndala said. Other grooms were set to marry multiple brides at one time, Ndala said.

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"Polygamy is not only embraced but held in high regard" in the church, Ndala said.

The International Pentecost Holiness Church was founded in South Africa in the early 1960s. It is an African-initiated church, meaning it was founded by Africans rather than foreign missionaries, and blends Pentecostal beliefs with local traditions.

The church has held mass weddings before, including in 2023 when around 400 couples or bridal parties tied the knot. It says this year's event was its largest by far.

Ndala said the large number of people being married this year was because of a large number of men marrying more than one wife at a go.

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In some cases, grooms brought their current wife or wives to be with them for their new marriage.

The weddings were held at the church's headquarters, a huge, dome-shaped building in the town of Heidelberg, near Johannesburg, that can seat 60,000 people.

The congregants who were being married waited in long white tents set up in open fields next to the church building, where they were given bridal flowers, food packs and water. They then filed into the church building in long queues, the women wearing white bridal gowns and many of the men in matching white suits and red ties.

Polygamy is legal in South Africa if the union is registered as a customary marriage.

___

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth apparently shared detailed information about the bombings in Yemen with a second group chat on Signal that included his wife, brother, and lawyer, the New York Times reported Sunday. The outlet spoke with four people with knowledge of the chat whom it did not identify.

The information shared included the flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen  more or less the same information that was also accidentally shared with the Atlantics editor Jeffrey Goldberg.

Hegseths wife Jennifer is a former Fox News producer who has been criticized for attending sensitive meetings alongside her husband. His brother Phil Hegseth and lawyer Tim Parlatore work at the Pentagon.

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The newspaper also noted that unlike the first group chat, this second chat was created by Hegseth. It included his wife and about a dozen other people from his personal and professional inner circle in January, before his confirmation as defense secretary, and was named Defense | Team Huddle, the people familiar with the chat said. He used his private phone, rather than his government one, to access the Signal chat.

The first group chat was created by national security adviser Mike Waltz, who also said he was responsible for adding Goldberg to the group. On March 30 Goldberg told Kristen Welker on Meet the Press he was not worried about being bullied by the group.

Theres a playbook that  and you know this as a journalist, Im not the only journalist to be the target of these kind of attacks  when they do something wrong, they go on the attack and they attack the messenger.

The strange part of the story, the editor noted, is that I didnt really actually do anything. Id like to claim that I was some bold investigative reporter here. All I did was answer a message request from Mike Waltz on Signal, and then the rest of it just came on my phone.

The post Pete Hegseth Shared Yemen Attack Plans With Wife, Brother in Second Signal Chat appeared first on TheWrap.
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (DC News Now)  Two Prince Georges County police officers remain on administrative leave after they shot and killed a man accused of stabbing two people before setting an apartment on fire Sunday morning.

DC News Now photo from the scene

DC News Now photo from the scene

Around 8:20 a.m., officers responded to reports of two people stabbed at the River Pointe Apartments in Fort Washington, Md.

Upon arrival, officers found a man and woman with critical stab wounds. Before fleeing the scene, the suspect also set fire to the apartment. The stabbing appears to be domestic related, and the suspect knew the victims, police said.

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Around 10 a.m., officers responded to St. Georges Boulevard near Fleet Street in National Harbor, where they found the suspect  still armed with a knife. The suspect then reportedly began heading toward one of the two officers, at which point the officers fired their guns and fatally wounded the suspect, police said. The number of rounds fired is not yet known.

We were all scared. During a volleyball tournament, we didnt know if we were going to have to go into lockdown or not, said Claire ODonnell of Columbus, Ohio, in town for the high school tournament at the Gaylord Convention Center.

After officers tried to perform life-saving measures, the suspect was transported to the hospital, where he died. No officers were hurt during the incident.

Crazy world, said Ron Calendar, who lives near the shooting scene. Yeah, for sure.

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Woman jumps out of car to escape kidnapper in Bethesda; man arrested

The two victims are in critical but stable condition.

According to the Prince Georges County Fire Department, eight adults and six juveniles have been displaced. No one was hurt during the fire.

The Maryland Attorney Generals Independent Investigations Division assumed the investigation.

Check DCNewsNow.com for updates. To keep up with the latest news and weather updates, download our Mobile App on iPhone or Android.

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WASHINGTON  For Harvard University, the cavalry has arrived.

When the nations oldest and richest college first rebuked the Trump administration last Monday amid efforts to force changes to its campus, other powerful universities were quick to come to its defense.

Harvards objections, wrote Stanford Universitys president and provost the next day, are rooted in the American tradition of liberty, a tradition essential to our countrys universities, and worth defending.

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Princeton stands with Harvard, said the president of the school's New Jersey counterpart.

Even the president of Columbia University  another Ivy League university, which has tried (unsuccessfully) to oblige similar government demands  seemed to offer her support to Harvard.

Trump's recent directives, she wrote, would strike at the very heart of that universitys venerable mission.

The president has repeatedly denounced rising antisemitism on college campuses, including Harvards, in the wake of protests sparked by the Israel-Hamas war. Federal funding, his administration has argued, must be contingent on universities following civil rights laws and curbing antisemitic incidents. Yet even the Anti-Defamation League suggested this week that the White House is exerting too much influence over the nation's colleges.

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Denying federal funds (whether in part or in total) is an extremely serious and rightfully rare punishment that should be used only in the most severe situations with institutions incapable or unwilling to improve, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement Friday.

For defenders of American higher education, the wagon-circling prompted by Harvards resistance to the Trump administration this week brought a renewed sense of hope for the future.

Higher eds detractors, meanwhile, watched gleefully as the White House doubled down on its punishment for schools that choose to disobey its orders.

Within hours of Harvards defiance, the administration froze billions in federal funding for the school. In the days that followed, it began exploring ways to revoke Harvards tax-exempt status, threatened the universitys ability to enroll international students and accused it of inaccurately disclosing sources of foreign money.

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The escalation signaled the start of a new, more combative phase in President Donald Trumps efforts to reshape the nations colleges.

Read more: With a Republican trifecta in Washington, a new era of college oversight is on its way

"I applaud Harvard University standing up for the shared values of higher education," said Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, a private liberal arts college in Connecticut. "Federal funding for universities must not depend on a loyalty oath."

Since Trump took office, many college leaders have watched in despair as his administration has upended the public-private partnership that forms the basis of American academic research. In a matter of months, the federal government has exerted unprecedented pressure on institutions, pausing or outright canceling billions in funding while pushing schools to overhaul their admissions, hiring and teaching practices.

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Read more: Trump administration demands widespread changes to Columbia University discipline policies

For months, the question of just how cooperatively to engage with those demands has plagued college presidents. As court battles  over slashed research funding, student visa revocations and diversity programs  have played out quietly, universities have struggled to present a more vocal, unified front against Trump. Every school is different, and some have been more amenable than others in recent months to new kinds of federal oversight.

Columbia University, for instance, largely agreed to a set of reforms the Trump administration laid out as a condition for restoring $400 million in federal funding. The university, among other things, ousted its president, committed to altering its student protest policies and said it would appoint a new administrator to oversee its Middle Eastern Studies department.

Read more: Ivy League school faces 'critical' cuts as Trump halts hundreds of million in funding

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Still, the Trump administration hasnt restored Columbias funding  a fact viewed by some as an indication that the White House seems to care more about breaking colleges than improving them.

They want to be seen as attacking campuses, said Jon Fansmith, the senior vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education, during a webinar Tuesday with college officials. What they dont want to do is solve any problems.

Read more: Trump honored a cancer survivor. The boy's doctors now face his budget cuts.

Trump imperils Harvards nonprofit status

Don Ingber, a renowned biologist at Harvard, woke up this week to a troubling email.

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On Monday night, the federal government sent his team a stop-work order for two research contracts worth roughly $20 million. The directives were part of the more than $2.2 billion in funding the Trump administration paused after Harvard resisted its conditions to repair the school's standing with the federal government.

Ingbers research supports the creation of what he calls organ chips" to reduce reliance on animals for drug development. Why an administration that deeply values American innovation and curbing antisemitism would want to jeopardize the cutting-edge work of a Jewish scientist like himself makes absolutely no sense, he said.

Demonstrators rally on Cambridge Common in a protest organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist interference at the university by the federal government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. April 12, 2025.

American prowess is based on our lead in innovation, and innovative technologies would not exist without science and the synergistic partnership between the government and academia that has existed since the 1940s, Ingber said. We are killing it.

Read more: Amid Trump's ire, can Harvard afford to lose federal research funds?

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Ingbers stop-work order was just one of Harvards woes this week. Trump on Tuesday took to social media to threaten the universitys nonprofit status  a move that is now reportedly being considered in earnest by the Internal Revenue Service.

Rescinding Harvards tax-exempt status would be unprecedented, likely costing the school at least hundreds of millions of dollars in federal income taxes. But Trump cant simply snap his fingers and make the change, according to Michael Dorf, a law professor at Cornell University. The effort would surely prompt a challenge in court, where Harvard would have the upper hand legally, he said.

There is a deep body of IRS regulations and case law making clear that all sorts of controversial statements and activities by universities do not forfeit their tax-exempt status, he said.

Read more: Trump has revered MIT. The school isn't loving him back.

International students targeted

Not long after Trump attacked Harvard online, Kristi Noem, his Homeland Security secretary, wrote a letter to the university threatening to imperil its ability to enroll foreign students.

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With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvards position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory, Noem said in a statement.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem listens as US President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 26, 2025.

International students make up about a third of Harvards student population. At Harvard and many other universities, the enrollment of foreign students, who usually pay full tuition, often subsidizes many other expenses, including financial aid for domestic students.

The federal government has never before jeopardized a major universitys enrollment of students from other countries. If the Trump administration follows through on that promise, the potential consequences for Harvard could be devastating.

To James Kvaal, who served as the top official overseeing higher education in the Biden administration, its unclear why a White House so focused on reducing trade deficits would target international students. They brought in more than $40 billion to the U.S. economy last year.

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Economically, its an export, he said. This is a service were selling.

In a statement to USA TODAY on Friday, Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said the school stands by its original statement defending academic freedom.

We will continue to comply with the law and expect the administration to do the same, he said.

Read more: Uncertainty of Trump 2.0 takes some college presidents back to pandemic times

Harvards foreign gifts scrutinized

On Friday, the federal Education Department lobbed yet another accusation Harvards way: The agency said the school has been inaccurately disclosing foreign gifts and contracts. Linda McMahon, the education secretary, ordered the university to cough up troves of documents for review.

Newton, Harvard's spokesperson, said the university has filed its necessary disclosure reports for decades as part of its ongoing compliance with the law.

Students walk through campus at Harvard University on April 17 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

After a tumultuous week, the new demand was the latest indication that the feud between Trump and Harvard  and higher education in general wont be dying down anytime soon.

College administrators are always going to choose the path of least resistance, said Preston Cooper, a higher education expert at the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank.

In Trump 2.0, he said, it's clear many are starting to believe the path of least resistance is to fight."

Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's battle against higher ed reaches new phase amid Harvard feud
Faithful Christians around the world celebrated on Sunday the resurrection of Jesus Christ, from Vatican City where Pope Francis made a surprise appearance in his popemobile, to Ukraine, where a temporary Easter truce with Russia appeared in doubt in parts of the nation.

Considered the most important holiday in the Christian liturgical calendar, Easter this year falls on the same day for Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

In Rome, thousands cheered and clamored to take photos of Pope Francis as he rode through St. Peter's Square to bless the crowd. The 88-year-old pope is still recovering from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

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Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter! said Francis, who was released from the hospital March 23 following a five-week stay. He didn't celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza this year, instead delegating it to the retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica.

While a joyous time for many, marked by egg hunts and family gatherings, Easter services were a sign of resilience among the faithful in some parts of the world. In southern Lebanon, Easter Mass was held amid rubble inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church. The 18th-century church was damaged in December by an Israeli airstrike.

The following is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Determining the passage of time in our world of ticking clocks and oscillating pendulums is a simple case of counting the seconds between 'then' and 'now'.

Down at the quantum scale of buzzing electrons, however, 'then' can't always be anticipated. Worse still, 'now' often blurs into a haze of vagueness. A stopwatch simply isn't going to work for some scenarios.

A potential solution could be found in the very shape of the quantum fog itself, according to a 2022 study by researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden.

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Their experiments on the wave-like nature of something called a Rydberg state revealed a novel way to measure time that doesn't require a precise starting point.

Rydberg atoms are the over-inflated balloons of the particle kingdom. Puffed up with lasers instead of air, these atoms contain electrons in extremely high energy states, orbiting far from the nucleus.

Of course, not every pump of a laser needs to puff an atom up to cartoonish proportions. In fact, lasers are routinely used to tickle electrons into higher energy states for a variety of uses.

In some applications, a second laser can be used to monitor the changes in the electron's position, including the passing of time. These 'pump-probe' techniques can be used to measure the speed of certain ultrafast electronics, for instance.

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Inducing atoms into Rydberg states is a handy trick for engineers, not least when it comes to designing novel components for quantum computers. Needless to say, physicists have amassed a significant amount of information about the way electrons move about when nudged into a Rydberg state.

Being quantum animals, though, their movements are less like beads sliding about on a tiny abacus, and more like an evening at the roulette table, where every roll and jump of the ball is squeezed into a single game of chance.

The mathematical rule book behind this wild game of Rydberg electron roulette is referred to as a Rydberg wave packet.

Just like actual waves, having more than one Rydberg wave packet rippling about in a space creates interference, resulting in unique patterns of ripples.

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Throw enough Rydberg wave packets into the same atomic pond, and those unique patterns will each represent the distinct time it takes for the wave packets to evolve in accordance with one another.

Electrons moving when nudged into a Rydberg state are less like beads sliding about on a tiny abacus, and more like an evening at the roulette table, where every roll and jump of the ball is squeezed into a single game of chance. ( graphics.vp/Canva

It was these very 'fingerprints' of time that the physicists behind this set of experiments set out to test, showing they were consistent and reliable enough to serve as a form of quantum timestamping.

Their research involved measuring the results of laser-excited helium atoms and matching their findings with theoretical predictions to show how their signature results could stand in for a duration of time.

"If you're using a counter, you have to define zero. You start counting at some point," physicist Marta Berholts from the University of Uppsala in Sweden, who led the team, explained to New Scientist in 2022.

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"The benefit of this is that you don't have to start the clock  you just look at the interference structure and say 'okay, it's been 4 nanoseconds.'"

A guidebook of evolving Rydberg wave packets could be used in combination with other forms of pump-probe spectroscopy that measure events on a tiny scale, when now and then are less clear, or simply too inconvenient to measure.

Importantly, none of the fingerprints require a then and now to serve as a starting and stopping point for time. It'd be like measuring an unknown sprinter's race against a number of competitors running at set speeds.

By looking for the signature of interfering Rydberg states amid a sample of pump-probe atoms, technicians could observe a timestamp for events as fleeting as just 1.7 trillionths of a second.

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Future quantum watch experiments could replace helium with other atoms, or even use laser pulses of different energies, to broaden the guidebook of timestamps to suit a broader range of conditions.

This research was published in Physical Review Research.

An earlier version of this article was published in October 2022.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A plane reportedly made an emergency landing in Covington, Tennessee, on Saturday.

According to the Tipton County Sheriffs Office, a small plane made an emergency landing in a field behind homes. Deputies, the Covington Fire Department, and emergency services responded.

The sheriffs office says the pilot was located and is okay.

Sheriff Shannon Beasley released a statement on the incident.

We are thankful the pilot was able to safely land the plane and that he is doing fine. We have been in contact with the FAA and our investigation continues. We also want to thank the Covington Fire Department, EMS and the citizens that responded and aided in locating the aircraft and ensured the well-being of the pilot.

The FAA is reportedly investigating the incident.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Police said that an attempted kidnapping occurred in Littleton on Saturday afternoon, according to a post on X from the Littleton Police Department.

The attempted kidnapping occurred around 4:30 p.m., according to police. Police late Saturday night said they arrested a suspect in the incident but did not provide any additional details.

Two juvenile girls were riding their bikes in the 6800 block of South Prince Way when a man approached them and grabbed one of them from behind. She was able to break free.

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The girls said they screamed, causing the suspect to flee, and they rode their bikes away.

The Littleton Police Department advised that the public be vigilant in their awareness.

The department said it is actively investigating the incident and will provide updates when they become available.

Littleton police ask that anyone who has information on the incident contact the department at 303-794-1551.

Jacob Factor contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
BERLIN (AP)  German police in a spa town north of Frankfurt were expanding a manhunt for one or more suspects still on the loose after two Turkish men were fatally shot a day earlier, reports said Sunday.

Police in the Hesse region said the two victims were gunned down in a residential area of Bad Nauheim, about 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) north of Frankfurt, and a motive was not immediately known.

German news agency DPA said authorities could not rule out that one or more suspects might have been involved, and the crime appeared to have been motivated by personal reasons. Citing police and prosecutors, the agency said the two victims were a father-in-law aged 59, and a son-in-law aged 28.

According to Hessenschau, a regional publication linked to a public broadcaster, a large police contingent was deployed after the shootings on Saturday, and local residents indicated that special forces had been sent to the site, along with emergency vehicles and a police helicopter.
Police were continuing their search for the gunman who shot and killed two men in the town of Bad Nauheim north of the German city of Frankfurt, a police spokesman said on Sunday.

The two victims were found with gunshot wounds in front of an apartment block on Saturday. Apart from revealing that they were men, police have not provided details on the victims, and it is not known whether they knew their assailant.

Police said earlier they did not believe there was any further

danger to residents or the public.

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A spokesman said an intensive search for was under way. "At the moment, we are assuming there is one perpetrator," he said.

The police were out in force and cordoned off a large area around the crime scene in front of the three-storey building.

The area is a residential estate with several apartment buildings near a swimming pool.

Police forensic experts investigate a crime scene after two men are shot dead in Bad Nauheim. Hessian police are conducting a large-scale search for a suspected gunman believed to be responsible for the killings. Helmut Fricke/dpa

Police officers inspect the scene in Bad Nauheim, where two people have been killed by gunfire. Mona Wenisch/dpa
Police were continuing their search on Sunday for the gunman who shot and killed two men in a town north of the German city of Frankfurt.

The two victims were found with gunshot wounds in front of an apartment block in Bad Nauheim on Saturday afternoon. They died at the scene, despite resuscitation efforts.

Prosecutors said the two victims were Turkish nationals, a 28-year-old man and his 59-year-old father-in-law. They had not been previously known to the police, they said.

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An autopsy was to be conducted on Sunday.

Investigators are working on the assumption of a personal motive and do not see any threat to the wider public.

A spokesman said earlier that police were assuming a single gunman by behind the killings.

The police were out in force and cordoned off a large area around the crime scene in front of the three-storey building. They said investigations at the scene had largely been completed by Sunday afternoon.

The area is a residential estate with several apartment buildings near a swimming pool.

Police forensic experts investigate a crime scene after two men are shot dead in Bad Nauheim. Hessian police are conducting a large-scale search for a suspected gunman believed to be responsible for the killings. Helmut Fricke/dpa

Police officers inspect the scene in Bad Nauheim, where two people have been killed by gunfire. Mona Wenisch/dpa
DENVER (KDVR)  Englewood police are investigating after a person was found dead in a park south of downtown Sunday morning.

Police responded to a call at about 7:45 a.m. of an unresponsive man in the park at West Hampden Avenue and South Broadway. The park includes Little Dry Creek.

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The park is about a block away from where downtown Englewood starts on South Broadway.

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Officers at the scene found the man dead, police said in a post on X. Detectives are investigating the cause of death.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  An investigation is underway after a man was shot and killed late Saturday night in Kansas City, Kansas.

According to the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, just before midnight, officers were called to the area of South 9th Street and Osage Avenue on reports of a shooting.

When KCKPD officers arrived, they reported finding a man, later identified as 20-year-old Diego Segura-Barbazo, who had been killed in a shooting outside.

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Platte City woman seriously injured after crashing into construction zone

No suspect has been taken into custody; however, KCKPD said they are still investigating the incident.

If you or anyone you know has information regarding the deadly shooting, police ask that you call the TIPS Hotline anonymously at (816) 474-8477.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Michigan voters want to keep the state moving forward on more affordable energy, per a new survey from Data for Progress in collaboration with Evergreen Action.

The result solidifies the clear momentum for policies that make energy more affordable and sustainable for residents.

The poll, conducted in January among 566 likely Michigan voters, tied into a 2023 law that commits Michigan to using 100% clean energy by 2040.

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The results show most voters support investing in more affordable energy. That includes 85% of voting Democrats and 61% of Independents who back Michigan's plan to fully transition to clean energy by 2035.

Voters from all parties also support bringing clean energy jobs to the state and expanding local manufacturing, with 79% on board. Most also want to grow programs that help lower energy bills at home, like repair programs that could save families around $145 per year.

Voters want at least half of Michigan's electricity to come from more affordable energy by 2030. They're also in favor of giving people rebates for making upgrades that save energy at home. These efforts can help lower energy costs and reduce pollution.

Most voters want eco-friendly energy projects to get approved more quickly, while only 21% say it's not that important. Around four in five also want state leaders to focus on communities facing consistently high levels of pollution.

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Clean transportation is another top priority. The survey found strong support for increased access to public transport and improved quality of transit.

These results reflect support for broader efforts to reduce carbon pollution from homes and transit systems and make communities healthier.

Per a press release, Evergreen Action's Midwest deputy director Courtney Brady said Michigan voters are "standing firm in their support of the state's leadership in addressing climate change and building a sustainable energy future."

Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Michigan voters continue to favor climate policies that will lower costs, create jobs, and hold bad actors accountable," Data for Progress executive director Danielle Deiseroth added. "And these policies have bipartisan support  a sign that building towards a clean energy future does not have to be a partisan endeavor in the state."

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If you would also support these kinds of policies in your state, voting for pro-climate politicians is one of the best ways to influence legislation. You can also help by focusing your spending on companies that already align with an eco-friendly future.

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.
Pope Francis appeared on Sunday in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for an Easter Sunday blessing, after a brief earlier meeting with Vice President JD Vance.

Vance arrived at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time, the Vatican's Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

PHOTO: Pope Francis meets with Vice President JD Vance and a delegation during an audience at Casa Santa Marta, April 20, 2025, at the Vatican (Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

MORE: Pope Francis makes surprise appearance at St. Peter's Basilica

"The meeting, which lasted a few minutes, gave them the opportunity to exchange Easter greetings," the office said.

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"Today I met with the Holy Father Pope Francis. I am grateful for his invitation to meet, and I pray for his good health," Vance posted on X following the meeting.

At about noon, the 88-year-old pontiff arrived appeared on the balcony on the facade of St. Peter's Basilica, overlooking the square filled with crowds who had attended the Easter mass, which had just ended.

PHOTO: The motorcade of Vice President JD Vance is seen en route to the Vatican, in Rome, Italy, April 20, 2025. (Kenny Holston/Pool via Reuters)

Seated in his wheelchair, he blessed the crowd and said, "Buona Pasqua!" or "Happy Easter!" The pope's Easter message included a call for an end to conflicts in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

PHOTO: Pope Francis appears on the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)

"May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions," his message said, in part. "In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenseless civilians and attack schools, hospitals and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Pope Francis appears for Easter Sunday blessing after meeting JD Vance at Vatican originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Pope Francis appeared for Easter mass and in St. Peters Square on Sunday morning after a brief meeting with Vice President Vance.

Pope Francis had a brief private encounter  lasting a few minutes, in order to exchange good wishes on Easter day, the Vatican said in a statement.

Vance, who is a Catholic, has clashed with Pope Francis over the Trump administrations immigration policies. He met with Francis at the Vatican to exchange greetings on Easter Sunday.

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It was an honor to visit the Vatican during Holy Week, and a blessing to experience the beauty and reverence of the Good Friday liturgy at St. Peters Basilica, Vance said in a post online on Saturday.

Vances brief meeting with Francis followed a meeting with the Vaticans No. 2 amid tensions over immigration proceedings in the United States, The Associated Press reported.

The vice presidents office said Vance and Cardinal Pietro Parolin discussed their shared faith and Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace.

Francis has responded cautiously to the Trump administration but has sought to continue productive conversation, even as he has expressed concern about the deportation of migrants and cuts to international aid.

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The Vaticans statement said that during the meeting with Vance, there was an exchange of opinions on the international situation and that hope was expressed for collaboration between the Catholic Church and the U.S.

Franciss meetings and public appearances were likely short due to his ongoing health issues. Hes only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican last month.

The Pope, 88, was hospitalized in mid-February with life-threatening double pneumonia and was in the hospital for five weeks, the longest in his tenure.

He didnt celebrate Easter mass in St. Peters Square but appeared on the balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes and gave the apostolic blessing in Latin. Thousands below cheered, the AP reported.

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Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St. Peters Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

Viva il Papa! (Long live the pope), Bravo! the crowd shouted as Francis looped through the square in his open-topped popemobile and then up and down the main avenue leading to it. He stopped occasionally to bless babies brought up to him, a scene that was common in the past but unthinkable just a few weeks ago as the 88-year-old Francis fought for his life.

Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter! Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalization.

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Francis didnt celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes and imparted the apostolic blessing in Latin. The thousands of people below erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off rounds of the Holy See and Italian anthems.

Francis waved from the balcony as a Vatican archbishop read aloud his speech, a global appeal for peace in the worlds hotspots that is the hallmark of the Vaticans Easter celebrations.

In all, he was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with temperatures at 21 degrees Celsius (70 Fahrenheit) in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.

On his way to the basilica, Francis met briefly in his hotel with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family. The Vatican said the encounter lasted just a few minutes and was designed to allow for an exchange of Easter greetings.

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Francis has only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican on March 23 after a 38-day hospital stay. He skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he had been expected to make an appearance on Sunday.

Easter is the most joyful moment on the Christian liturgical calendar, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. This year, Easter is being celebrated on the same day by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, and has been marked by Russias announced temporary Easter truce in its war in Ukraine.

Easter at the Vatican traditionally involves a Mass and the popes Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin for to the city and the world), a papal speech delivered from the loggia which is usually a roundup of global hotspots and human suffering.

In the speech, read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies, Francis appealed for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as Congo and Myanmar and in other hotspots.

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May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace, the message said. In this Jubilee year, may Easter also be a fitting occasion for the liberation of prisoners of war and political prisoners!

Francis has sharply cut back his workload as he follows doctors orders of two months of convalescence and respiratory therapy to improve his lung function. He still seems to require great effort to project his voice, and his breathing remains labored. But it sounded stronger than it has to date in the few words he uttered from the loggia.

Before Sunday, his biggest outing had been a visit to Romes downtown prison to spend Holy Thursday with inmates. The visit made clear his priorities as he slowly recovers: to spend time with the people most on the margins.

___

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By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis entered St. Peter's Square on Sunday in an open-air popemobile for the first time since surviving double pneumonia, greeting tens of thousands of Catholics after the Vatican's celebration of Easter Mass.

The 88-year-old pope sat in a raised chair in the back of the white vehicle, as people lined the aisles inside the square, many holding aloft national flags and shouting "viva il papa!" (long live the pope!).

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The popemobile briefly stopped at several points around the square, decorated with colorful flowers for Easter, as papal aides brought forward babies from the crowd for Francis to bless. The pope gestured with his hands, but only raised them slightly.

Francis, who has been limiting his workload on doctors' orders, did not preside over the Vatican's Easter Mass but appeared at the end of the event for a twice-yearly blessing and message known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world).

In an Easter message read aloud by an aide as the pope looked on from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the pontiff reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Before a five-week hospital stay for pneumonia, which nearly killed him, Francis had been ramping up criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful" in January.

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In the Easter message, the pontiff said the situation in Gaza was "dramatic and deplorable". The pope also called on Palestinian militant group Hamas to release its remaining hostages and condemned what he said was a "worrisome" trend of antisemitism in the world.

"I express my closeness to the sufferings ... of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people," said the message.

"I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace," it said.

POPE ALSO MEETS JD VANCE

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Hamas last week rejected an Israeli proposal for another temporary truce, instead demanding a deal to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he had instructed the Israeli military to intensify pressure on Hamas.

The war was triggered by the Hamas-led October 7 attack on southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities, with 1,600 people killed in Gaza in the past month.

Earlier on Sunday, Francis held a meeting at the Vatican with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has been visiting Italy over the weekend.

The Vatican said the meeting with Vance was brief, "lasting a few minutes", in order to exchange Easter greetings.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alison Williams and Ros Russell)
April 20 (UPI) -- Pope Francis, who is still recovering from treatment for bilateral pneumonia, greeted crowds gathered in a tulip-filled St Peter's Square for Easter Sunday before his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" speech, which called for global disarmament and the end to conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and South Sudan.

"Brothers and sisters, happy Easter," Francis briefly said to the crowd, according to the Catholic News Agency.

The pope's speech was the delivered on his behalf by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations. The text of the speech was published by the Vatican.

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The Urbi et Orbi, which translates as "to the city [Rome] and to the world," is among the pope's most significant messages and is delivered most notably on Christmas and Easter. It is traditionally solemn and addresses pressing global issues beyond religious matters, reflecting the global diplomatic influence of the pontiff.

"There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others," Francis wrote in his speech.

"Nor is peace possible without true disarmament! The requirement that every people provide for its own defense must not turn into a race to rearmament."

Addressing each of the global conflicts, Francis first lambasted the "crowing climate of antisemitism" throughout the world in response to the war in Gaza before calling for a ceasefire to end the war and facilitate the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

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"Yet at the same time, I think of the people of Gaza, and its Christian community in particular, where the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation," Francis wrote.

On Palm Sunday, last week, a hospital in Gaza was struck by the Israeli military prompting widespread condemnation by Christian groups across the region.

Meanwhile, the collapse of Syria's Assad regime and Israel's dismantling of Hezbollah have upended power dynamics across the Levant, forcing Lebanon and Syria into a new phase of cautious diplomacy after decades of Syrian political and military influence over Lebanon.

But the power vacuum has also led to renewed clashes near the border, as local militias, tribal groups and remnants of Assad loyalists vie for control. Pope Francis acknowledged the precarious moment facing Christian communities in both countries, urging Catholics to pray for their safety and inclusion in political life.

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The pope likewise called for a solution in Yemen, which has been plagued by a yearslong and complex multi-fronted civil war between the Saudi- and U.S.-backed internationally recognized government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which in-turn support Hamas and Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.

The war also involves UAE-supported southern separatists, tribal militias and extremist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, and has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with widespread famine, disease and displacement. In his message, Francis urged "constructive dialogue" to "find solutions" and end the crisis.

The pope also again praised Armenia and Azerbaijan for agreeing to the final text of a peace agreement, which was reached in mid-March, but has since faced potential hurdles that may hinder the deal from being signed.

"During this time, let us not fail to assist the people of Myanmar, plagued by long years of armed conflict, who, with courage and patience, are dealing with the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Sagaing," Francis wrote.

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"We pray for the victims and their loved ones, and we heartily thank all the generous volunteers carrying out the relief operations. The announcement of a ceasefire by various actors in the country is a sign of hope for the whole of Myanmar."

On Sunday morning, Francis also had a brief private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, according to the BBC. Vance met Saturday with the Vatican's Secretary of State and Secretary for Relations with States and International Organization.

The meeting comes after Pope Francis wrote to Catholic bishops in the United States in February, criticizing the mass deportations and immigration policies of the Trump administration.
Pope Francis on the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica on Easter at St. Peter's square in the Vatican, April 20, 2025. - Credit: TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

Pope Francis, who has been recovering from a serious bout of double pneumonia, appeared on Easter Sunday to bless the faithful in St. Peters Square in Vatican City and even took a surprise ride around the piazza in the popemobile.

During his jaunt in the open-air vehicle, he made periodic pitstops to bless babies as the crowd cheered him on, screaming Viva il Papa (Long live the pope) and Bravo, as Associated Press reports.

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Later, the pontiff emerged on a balcony at St. Peters Basilica in a wheelchair, where he addressed the tens of thousands who gathered. Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter, the pope said. After the mass, which was led by retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the pope gave an apostolic blessing in Latin.

Prior to his Easter public appearances, the pontiff met privately with Vice President J.D. Vance, who is in Rome spending Easter with his family. The meeting at Casa Santa Marta, where the pope resides, was a short few minutes, according to the Vatican via AP. Per the Vatican, they met to exchange Easter greetings. Pope Francis gave Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, a gift of three chocolate Easter eggs for Vances three children.

Vances office told the AP that the vice president expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.

Their brief exchange comes after the pope sharply criticized the Trump administration over its migrant deportation policies. The pope has strongly advocated for migrants and refugees and it has remained a priority of his papacy. In February, the pontiff addressed the administrations plans for the mass deportation of migrants in a letter to U.S. bishops, which appeared to be directed at Vance for his defending the administrations deportation policies with the VP basing it on controversial theological grounds. Vance claimed that ordo amoris, an antiquated Christian concept, justified the policies because Vance said the concept touts family first and lastly those who hail from elsewhere.

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In the popes letter to the bishops, as The New York Times notes, he appeared to respond directly to Vances claims: The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.

Pope Francis Easter appearance was a welcome one in light of his fragile health, and one of few hes made since he was hospitalized for five weeks with a near-fatal bout with pneumonia in both lungs. The 88-year-old pontiff made his first brief public appearance earlier this month on April 6 after being discharged from the hospital on March 23. Following his discharge, his team of doctors said the pope would require a convalescence and rest period of at least two months.

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ROME  A convalescing Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica to celebrate Easter services on Sunday, as a cheering and emotional crowd of thousands gathered at the Vaticans St. Peters Square.

The crowd erupted when the pontiff, 88, appeared in his wheelchair, looking out over a square awash in daffodils and tulips.

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter, he said, waving and giving his blessing.

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In the days leading up to Easter, the Vatican had not confirmed whether the pope would be able to attend the Mass, saying it would depend on his health. This underscored Francis continued fragility and the urgency with which many Catholic faithful hoped to see him in his waning years.

On Sunday morning, Francis held a brief private meeting with Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic. The meeting lasted a few minutes, the Vatican said, long enough for them to exchange Easter wishes.

Pope Francis meeting with Vice-President J.D. Vance in The Vatican on Sunday.

Last week, Francis publicly rebuked the Trump administration for its immigration crackdown and for slashing international aid, and in February, he wrote an unusual open letter to U.S. Catholic bishops saying a major crisis was taking place in the United States, referring to the initiation of a program of mass deportations.

The pontiff did not lead the Easter Mass, with Cardinal Angelo Comastri, a retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica, taking his place and delivering the homily that Francis has prepared.

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But after the Mass ended, the pope appeared to rapturous applause as a military band kicked off a round of the Holy See and Italian anthems. Diego Ravelli, master of ceremonies, then delivered the Urbi et Orbi papal address.

During the address, Francis made a strong appeal for peace around the world, particularly in Gaza, where he said terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction, and called for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

The pontiff offered prayer to Christian communities in Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria, and mentioned the ongoing conflict and suffering in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sudan, South Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas, the statement said. For all of us are children of God!

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After the service, Francis took to his open-topped popemobile to greet crowds in the square, blessing babies and children during the drive.

Pope Francis weaves through the crowd at St Peters Square.

The Easter week is the most important on the Catholic calendar, but this year it had also been a test of Pope Francis health after he spent more than five weeks in Romes Gemelli Hospital for treatment for pneumonia in both lungs, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year tenure.

According to his doctors, his life was in danger twice during that period, and they considered ending treatment. We had to choose whether to stop and let him go, or push forward and try everything, one of his doctors, Sergio Alfieri, said shortly after the pope was released from the hospital.

Since then, Francis had made only brief public appearances, but they have provided reassuring signs of his recovery. He greeted a crowd in St Peters Square on Palm Sunday last weekend, and on Holy Thursday he visited a Roman prison. He also met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the Vatican earlier in the month.

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After Francis was discharged from the hospital in March, the head of his medical team said he would require a further two months of rest, and his doctors said it would take a lot of time for his aging body to fully heal.

Throughout his illness, the Vatican maintained that Francis continued to fulfill his duties despite staying out of the public eye.

Notably, he missed the Catholic Churchs jubilee celebration, a significant tradition held every 50 years for the remission of sins, known as the Holy Year.

The popes declining health sparked speculation over whether he would retire just as his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, did in 2013, but there was no indication from the Vatican that he intended to do so.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  A hiker experiencing heat exhaustion on Friday afternoon got some lifesaving help from multiple Kentucky first responder groups who worked together.

Powell County Search and Rescue (PCSAR) posted on Facebook that around 4:40 p.m. on Friday, team members were dispatched to Grays Arch Trail in response to reports of a hiker who was in distress.

The hiker was experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion and required immediate medical attention near the top of the stairs at Grays Arch, search and rescue team members wrote.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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First responders met the hiker around 5:20 p.m. With heat exhaustion beginning to set in, rescue crews decided to carry them through the trail down to the entrance, where an ambulance was waiting.

Search and rescue team members gearing up to carry out a hiker in distress on Friday afternoon. (Powell County Search and Rescue)

(Powell County Search and Rescue)

A satellite image of the route first responders used to meet a hiker suffering from heat exhaustion on Friday. (Powell County Search and Rescue)

(Powell County Search and Rescue)

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(Powell County Search and Rescue)

(Powell County Search and Rescue)

Tips to beat the heat while hiking

Kentucky in the summertime can be beautiful, but high heat indices and humidity can be major health hazards. Powell County first responders offered some tips to those visiting the Red River Gorge:

Always hike with extra water and snacks

Dress appropriately for the weather conditions outside

Take frequent rest breaks.

PCSAR got help from members of the Estill County Rescue Squad to help the hiker get down the trail and back to safety.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
This story is the first of an occasional series about the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP), a proposed 500,000-volt transmission line to cross three counties, and its potential impacts on people living and working in Frederick County. The project is being developed by the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG).

When Nancy Gardetto and her husband, Chuck, met in 2005, they both were in the Washington, D.C., area. She was working in law enforcement, and he was doing electrical engineering for the government.

Something they had in common was a dream to own a farm.

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Gardetto mentioned on her online dating profile that she grew up on a farm in New York. Her family had a five-acre farm, and her job growing up was milking and raising the goats, while her brother raised the pigs.

She said that's why her husband originally messaged her through the dating site  he always wanted to have a farm, too, but had never really told anyone.

"Ever since the moment we met, the thing was that we wanted to have a farm someday," Gardetto said.

The couple purchased about 40 acres in Hanover in Anne Arundel County and started Copper Penny Farm, named after each of their dogs.

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Gardetto said they started raising pigs because they do well in the woods, and their property was in a wooded area.

Copper Penny Farm- MPRP

Nancy Gardetto drives a utility vehicle near cattle at Copper Penny Farm in Adamstown on Feb. 26. Power lines are shown in the background. When buying the farm, Nancy and her husband, Chuck, carefully considered the aspects of their farming operations and living situation with the existing power lines on the property. With the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a 500,000-volt transmission line that would run through their front yard, the Gardettos are unsure how they would operate their farm.

They also started raising chicken, sheep and cattle  but the space just wasn't big enough, and they wanted to focus more on grass-based farming and selling beef and lamb.

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So, in 2019, the Gardettos  now with two sons who help on the farm  moved the operation to Adamstown in Frederick County where they could significantly expand the business.

For example, instead of having three or four cattle at a time, the farm now has a herd of at least 100 and breeds livestock.

Copper Penny Farm delivers its products and also has a farm store for customers to come in to buy items. Gardetto said the farm still delivers to Anne Arundel County  because they had a great customer base  and to local residents in Frederick County.

The Gardettos' property already has power lines running over it, which they knew about and considered when buying this property.

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The power lines run over a field and can be seen from the family's house.

Gardetto said they can farm under the power lines, but they can't use metal waterers because if the air is humid, the electricity will go down and electrify the water tank and the water in it. Their animals will get shocked when they try to drink.

She also said the power lines electrify the fencing underneath, even though it isn't electric fencing, because it contains metal.

Gardetto said the family decided they could still live in the home because the power lines were far away enough from them.

But now, another power line  the MPRP  is proposed to go between the existing power line and the Gardettos' home, running across their front yard.

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"We did not agree to that when we bought this place," Gardetto said in an interview in February. "The idea that they [the developers] could come in and just do it because it's for the good of all is infuriating."

What is the MPRP?

The MPRP is slated to be nearly 70 miles long and would go through northern Baltimore County, the middle of Carroll County and parts of Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation.

The project is meant to help meet anticipated power demands on the regional power grid operated by PJM Interconnection, which coordinates the movement of electricity in 13 states  including all of Maryland  and Washington, D.C.

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As part of developing the project, PSEG has applied to the state for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, which would allow the company to build the transmission line should its application be approved.

In addition to the hundreds of properties in the route's path, there are 58 parcels that PSEG added to its application as possible places for access roads, which the company would use while constructing the MPRP.

PSEG spokesperson Bill Smith said that it's possible for the MPRP route to be adjusted or changed during the application process.

Smith said that PSEG has "engaged with residents and property owners to address their concerns regarding agriculture, safety and property values" since the MPRP was announced and will continue to do so.

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He also said PSEG does not have eminent domain rights  a governmental power to seize private property for public use with just compensation  without its certificate application being approved.

On April 15, PSEG filed a request for a court order to gain temporary access to properties on or along the MPRP route to conduct environmental and field studies as part of its certificate application.

MPRP route and county outlines

Copper Penny Farm- MPRP

Documents relating to the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) are shown in the Gardettos house at Copper Penny Farm in Adamstown on Feb. 21. The MPRP is proposed to cut across their front yard.

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Gardetto is one of hundreds of residents fighting against the development of the MPRP being proposed by New Jersey-based energy company PSEG.

More than 170 petitions to intervene were submitted to the state for PSEG's application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

A petition to intervene is a request to become a formal party in a case and be able to actively participate in the legal process and influence the outcome of a project.

Gardetto is one of the many who submitted a petition to intervene.

If the transmission line is built, Gardetto said, she can't imagine living in her current home.

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She doesn't know if it'd be safe for her family to live there, with power lines greeting them at the door, so they'd probably have to move  but having the MPRP so close to the home would probably deter buyers.

Gardetto also said it would double the problems the farm has had with electricity, like animals getting shocked.

She doesn't know if she's up to move Copper Penny Farm to a new location, either, after already doing it once six years ago.

"To pick it up and do it all over again, I don't know that we would do that. I think that we would have to change our business model or just stop farming," Gardetto said. "I just don't know."

Copper Penny Farm- MPRP

Nancy Gardetto feeds Jim at Copper Penny Farm in Adamstown on Feb. 26.

Copper Penny Farm- MPRP

Sheep stand in a field as existing power lines are shown nearby at Copper Penny Farm, owned by the Gardetto family, in Adamstown on Feb. 26. Nancy Gardetto said farming is possible with the existing lines on their farm, but they cannot use metal waterers due to the proximity to the existing power lines and its potential to shock animals when the air is humid. Gardetto said the MPRP would double the problems the farm has had with electricity.

Copper Penny Farm- MPRP

Pigs wait for food at Copper Penny Farm in Adamstown on Feb. 26.

Autumn Springs Farm in Mount Airy

Tammy Naill-Waddell said her father had a dream to have his own farm and water source, which led him to buy the property where Autumn Springs Farm is in Mount Airy.

The property runs from Talbot Run Road to Black Ankle Road and has a long, winding dirt path leading up to the house where two of Naill-Waddell's brothers live.

She said the family is incredibly private, and part of why they like the property is because it's hard for other people to access.

Near the entrance to the farm, there's a creek running past a blue barn and out toward a field.

Autumn Springs Farm- MPRP

Tammy Naill-Waddell pauses for a moment with Snap at Autumn Springs Farm on Feb. 18. Tammy said the familys farm is their sanctuary and the MPRP is a threat to the familys safe space.

Naill-Waddell used to breed horses. Although she doesn't do it anymore, she still takes care of horses on the property, who roam around together in the fields and will stop to drink at the creek.

Naill-Waddell said her father wanted to buy a property that he could put houses on and somewhere that was big enough that, if anything ever happened to her or any of her four brothers, they always had a place to come back to.

"This is our sanctuary, our zone," she said.

She said the MPRP is a threat to the family's safe space.

Naill-Waddell, who submitted a petition to intervene, said the transmission line would cross two creeks on the property and go over the hill between those creeks. It'd be hanging over the driveway.

She said that part of the property is part of a floodplain designated by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, and there has been flooding in the past.

If the MPRP is built, trees that "hold the hill" will need to be removed  increasing the risk of significant erosion.

"Any time that you remove trees and change the ecosystem and the environment around the base of those trees, it changes everything," she said. "Flooding gets worse because they're no longer being stopped."

But what's even more pressing for Naill-Waddell and her family is keeping her brother, Lee Naill, safe.

Naill is one of the brothers living at Autumn Springs Farm. In 1992, while working on a bridge as a construction worker, he was shocked by power lines running alongside the bridge.

He fell from the crane he was operating and was shocked by 50,000 volts from a power surge going through the transmission line. He had to get both of his arms amputated.

Autumn Springs Farm- MPRP

Tammy Naill-Waddell and her brother Lee Naill stand together while posing at Autumn Springs Farm on Feb. 18. Lee was shocked with 50,000 volts from power lines while working on a bridge as a construction worker. He had to get both of his arms amputated. The MPRP route is proposed to go above their driveway and Tammy said Lee would be scared to drive underneath if it is built.

Naill-Waddell said her brother would be scared to leave the house and drive under the MPRP, if it gets built.

She said it'd be like making her brother drive with a gun to his head  and she and her family will do whatever they can to protect him and keep the property that was intended to be their refuge.

She refuses to give PSEG the permission for any of the land, such as the right-of-way needed to construct the transmission line.

"If people come in, they're going to be politely asked to leave," she said. "You're coming on my property and there's no trespassing signs there  I'm going to be calling the cops and having you [charged] with trespassing and solicitation."

Naill said that before his accident happened, he heard the hum of electricity running through the power line.

"I don't ever want to hear that again," he said.

Autumn Springs Farm- MPRP

Tammy Naill-Waddell unfurls a flag reading Stop MPRP Come and Take It at Autumn Springs Farm on Feb. 18. She said she refuses to give the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) the permission to use any of the land, such as the right-of-way needed to construct the MPRP.

Autumn Springs Farm- MPRP

Tammy Naill-Waddell stands by horses at Autumn Springs Farm on Feb. 18. Tammy said that part of the property is floodplain designated by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and flooding has occurred before. If the trees surrounding the property are cut down for the MPRP, it would increase the risk of significant erosion.

Gaver Farm in Mount Airy

Lisa and Michael Gaver started selling Christmas trees at Gaver Farm in 1984, the year after they got married.

Lisa Gaver said her husband started planting these trees when he was 17 as one last project to do with his grandfather who was dying from lung cancer.

She said Gaver Farm started off just selling those trees and traditional crops and dairy products  but over the last 40 years, as their family has grown, so has their farm into a sprawling agritourism operation.

Over the past several decades, Gaver Farm has expanded to host an annual Fall Fun Fest, where residents can hop on a hay ride to the farm's pumpkin patch, explore a corn maze, meet animals at a farm petting zoo and learn about agriculture through educational activities.

Gaver Farm - MPRP

Lisa Gaver, left, looks at her husband Mike Gaver in one of the fields at Gaver Farm on March 31. The 40-acre field is one of the areas that would be affected by the MPRP. Lisa Gaver said that different crops are constantly rotated through the field and that it is instrumental to the farm.

Gaver said the farm was the first one in Frederick County to plant dwarf apple trees, leading to a pick-your-own-apples orchard that's been expanded four times since 2010.

She said her son and daughter, despite having gone off to college and getting other degrees, came back to Gaver Farm with their respective spouses because they wanted to help keep the business moving forward.

"We've been doing this a long time. We consider ourselves innovators in original ag tourism  there certainly wasn't a name for it when we had opened that first year for Christmas trees," she said. "... Each part of our farm supports the other parts of the farm, and I believe that a lot of people don't really understand."

The MPRP is proposed to cut through a 40-acre field on Gaver Farm that is instrumental to the business  Gaver said the field is "constantly rotated" for the farm's customer base, and different crops are planted on the field depending on what the farm needs.

Customers go onto that field to look at pumpkins or Christmas trees, or to explore the farm's sunflower field.

Gaver said the route PSEG chose was the only one, out of all the 10 possibilities, that goes through the farm.

"Maybe the part no one talks about is the emotional and physical stress that can come from an out-of-state corporation taking your land for a power line for another out-of-state corporation that has nothing to do with your state," she said.

The MPRP could "devastate our ability, our business," Gaver said.

The transmission line would come over I-70 and go across the left side of the farm when viewing it from across the parking lot. Then, the line would go into the woods  requiring trees to be cut down to make room for the right-of-way  and a tower would be placed at the top of a hill, where the farm has placed its deer fence gates.

Gaver said the eight-foot deer fence is necessary to grow any specialty crops, such as apple trees. She said for the specialty crops, there are multiple people in the field every week.

In 2020, the farm added a path through the field so people could walk, if they didn't want to go on the hay ride.

Gaver Farm - MPRP

Mike Gaver walks near the deer fence at Gaver Farm on March 31. With the MPRP cutting through the woods on the property, Gaver said this could affect the deer fence used to protect specialty crops, like apple trees.

The top of the hill is where people get on the hay ride, as well as where the farm's employee station is.

To have the MPRP go over the field would pose a safety issue to the farm's customers and employees walking under the line or riding vehicles underneath. She also said the deer fence would have to be moved.

Although PSEG told her at a public meeting the company would pay losses her business suffers, she said, her concerns go beyond just paying for one crop.

"You're taking the ability to ever have a crop there," she said.

Gaver Farm posted on social media last year about the MPRP and how it would devastate their operations, and thousands of people responded to posts, with hundreds sending letters in support of the farm to PSEG and the Maryland Public Service Commission.

Gaver said when her farm got a letter in October that the property was on the route, she responded saying Gaver Farm wasn't interested in chatting with a PSEG land agent about providing any of the property for a right-of-way.

Right now, Gaver said, the farm is operating like no project is looming over their heads. That's all they can do right now.

"The hardest part for us is that we've built up this business and taken our entire life doing so and that someone else can just walk in and act like nothing you do matters," she said.

Gaver Farm - MPRP

Dark clouds roll in over the horizon near some of the farms attractions, shown on the right, while Lisa Gaver sits on the back on a utility vehicle as her husband Mike Gaver drives at Gaver Farm on March 31. Over the last 40 years, the farm has grown into a sprawling agritourism spot. According to Lisa, the MPRP would affect the farms operations.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Rural & Migrant Ministry and the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester held a prayer vigil on Good Friday at U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Rochester on Pattonwood Drive.

While there are many important protests taking place around our region, this is a gathering with a different approach, one rooted in love and seeking another pathway through stories of humanity, the power of prayer, and silence, organizers with Rural & Migrant Ministry said.

The vigil was held in effort to find the empathy and courage to recognize and affirm the humanity of all immigrants and their families. Those who attended also stood in solidarity and prayed for government officials in the Rochester area and those who work for Homeland Security.

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There is a fear that our political system is forcing those who work for the government to deny their own humanity as they seek to carry out their jobs of protecting and serving, organizers said. We gather to reclaim and reconnect the humanity and empathy of all people.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
Prince Andrew has made a rare public appearance with the royal family attending church on Easter Sunday. The Kings younger brother joined other royals at St Georges Chapel, Windsor this morning for the Easter Matins Service. It is the first time that Andrew has appeared publicly with the royal family since he made headlines over his links with a man accused of being a Chinese spy.

The Duke of York, who still lives in the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Castle estate, stood outside the Galilee Porch with other royals as they waited for the King and Queen to arrive by car. He chatted to Princess Annes husband Timothy Laurence. Andrews ex-wife Sarah Ferguson was also there along with Princess Beatrice and her husband Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH - Getty Images

Other royals in attendance included the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their son James. The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children did not attend the service as they are in Norfolk this weekend.

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Prince Andrews attendance suggests that there is a feeling his presence is no longer as damaging as it was perceived to be last December when he did not walk to church with the royal family at Sandringham on Christmas Day. Then, he had featured prominently in the news in the run-up to the festive season over his connections to alleged spy Yang Tengbo, who has said he was not a spy.

Samir Hussein - Getty Images

The Duke of York stepped back from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous Newsnight interview about his links to Jeffrey Epstein. At that time, Buckingham Palace said that he would continue to appear publicly at some family events. However, his appearance at such moments has sometimes caused significant controversy, such as when he had a prominent position alongside Queen Elizabeth at a 2022 memorial service to Prince Philip.

Earlier this week, King Charles issued an Easter message in which he reflected on the fact that humanity is capable of both great cruelty and great kindness. This paradox of human life runs through the Easter story and in the scenes that daily come before our eyes  at one moment, terrible images of human suffering and, in another, heroic acts in war torn countries where humanitarians of every kind risk their own lives to protect the lives of others, he wrote.

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Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children were not among the royals attending the Easter Mattins service Sunday morning.

It was the second consecutive year that the Prince and Princess of Wales did not attend the event. No reason was immediately given for their absence from the annual event.

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the annual service, which took place at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle Sunday morning, alongside several royal family members. King Charles wore a dark-blue suit and light-blue tie and matching handkerchief, while Queen Camilla donned a baby-blue coat dress along with a matching hat.

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Kate Middleton, Prince William and kids walk to church on Christmas

PHOTO: King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Easter service at St George's Chapel on April 20, 2025 in Windsor, England. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Other royals in attendance were Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Prince Andrew also attended, though he is no longer a working royal and lost his military titles and royal patronages in 2022.

PHOTO: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025 in Windsor, England. (Wpa Pool/Getty Images)

Last year, William and Kate did not attend the Easter service, which was shortly after Kate announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer and had begun preventative chemotherapy treatment.

In September, Kate, 43, shared that she had completed chemotherapy and was focused on staying "cancer free" and returning to work. She announced in January that her cancer was in remission.

PHOTO: Queen Camilla and King Charles III attend the Easter Service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, United Kingdom on 20 April 2025. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)

King Charles leads royal family on Easter Sunday as William, Kate and kids are absent

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The princess shared her recovery update in a statement on X, writing, "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery."

"As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead," she wrote, in part. "There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support."

Prince William, Kate Middleton and kids absent from royals' Easter service for 2nd year originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Prince William and Kate Middleton play by their own rules on Easter.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children skipped the royal familys Easter celebrations on Sunday for the second year in a row.

Instead of joining King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royals at the Easter Matins Service at St. Georges Chapel in Windsor, William, 42, and Middleton, 43, went to Norfolk with their kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9 and Prince Louis, 7.

Kate Middleton and Prince William on Commonwealth Day on March 10, 2025 in London. Samir Hussein/WireImage

King Charles and Queen Camilla leave the Easter Matins Serviceat St. Georges Chapel on April 20. Getty Images

The family of five celebrated the holiday at Anmer Hall, their Sandringham country estate.

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A source close to the royal family told The Sun of William and Kates decision, They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school.

The Wales didnt attend the Easter service last year after Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis that March. The princess has since announced that shes in remission after undergoing treatment.

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their kids on Easter 2023 in London. Getty Images

In 2020, William revealed how his little ones typically celebrate the holiday: with heaps of candy.

There will be a lot of chocolate being eaten here, dont worry! he said while on a virtual royal engagement video call at the time.

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Middleton sweetly called out her husband, adding, You keep eating it!

Prince William, Kate Middleton at the Principality Stadium in South Wales on March 15, 2025. POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Sundays Easter service was led by Charles, 76, and Camilla, 77.

Those in attendance included the kings three siblings, Princess Anne with her husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and Prince Edward with his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.

Queen Camilla interacting with the public after the Easter Matins Service at St. Georges Chapel on April 20. Getty Images

Queen Camilla on Easter. Getty Images

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Easter Service at St. Georges Chapel. Samir Hussein/WireImage

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Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozz and Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank were also at the service.

Charles went to the Easter service last year despite his own cancer diagnosis. However, the monarch sat away from the main public to remain safe and healthy and did not host his annual Easter lunch with his family at Windsor following the mass.

Prince Andrew after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. Georges Chapel on April 20. Getty Images

Sarah Ferguson attends the Easter Sunday Mattins Service. WireImage

Princess Beatrice at the royal familys Easter Sunday church service. ZUMAPRESS.com

In the past, the Windsor clan has sat down all together for a luxurious Easter roast supper.

Royal chef Darren McGrady previously opened up to OK! magazine about the lavish and delicious menu, saying: Wed go straight into the main course  a traditional roast lamb with seasonal vegetables.

Queen Camilla, King Charles on Easter Sunday. via REUTERS

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Easter eggs made from chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker are also typically found on the table.

Theyd also have a compound salad served in a kidney dish attached to the plate  just some lettuce and cucumber with a little mint or some grated carrot and coriander, McGrady explained.

The last time the entire royal family (sans Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) spent Easter together was in 2023, which marked Prince Louis debut at the holiday church outing.
Originally appeared on E! Online

A few familiar faces were royally missed during this holiday outing.

Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, did not join King Charles III and Queen Camilla for the royal familys annual Easter Matlins service at St George's Chapel in Windsor April 20.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are instead spending the weekend at their country home in Norfolk with their kids, who are still on a break from school, according to multiple reports.

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The service was attended by several members of the Royal family, including Princess Anne and husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward and wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.

In addition to William and Kate, Anne's son Peter Phillips, daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall, and Edward and Sophie's daughter Lady Louise were also absent from the event.

His participation in this year's holiday event comes three weeks after he was briefly hospitalized following a routine appointment in his cancer treatment.

"Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, The King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital, Buckingham Palace said in a statement obtained by E! News March 27. His Majestys afternoon engagements were therefore postponed."

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The 76-year-old later released a holiday message. "There are three virtues that the world still needs  faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love, he wrote in an April 17 statement on his website. "It is with these timeless truths in my mind, and my heart, that I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Easter."

Read on to see photos of the Royal family arriving at the 2025 Easter Sunday church service...

More from E! Online

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This marks the second year in a row that William and Kate and their children have not attended the Royal family's annual Easter church service. The 2024 holiday had taken place a little more than a week after Kate announced she had been diagnosed with cancer.

Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The 43-year-old has since made several public appearances, including at the Royal family's annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London in March.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

Katewho announced she completed chemotherapy in Septemberrevealed in January that she was in remission.

"I remain focused on recovery," the princess added in her statement on X, formerly Twitter. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support."

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

The King did attend the Royal family's previous Easter church service in March 2024, marking his first major public appearance since revealing his own cancer battle the previous month.

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His participation in this year's holiday event comes three weeks after he was briefly hospitalized following a routine appointment in his cancer treatment.

"Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, The King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital, Buckingham Palace said in a statement obtained by E! News March 27. His Majestys afternoon engagements were therefore postponed."

The 76-year-old later released a holiday message. "There are three virtues that the world still needs  faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love, he wrote in an April 17 statement on his website. "It is with these timeless truths in my mind, and my heart, that I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Easter."

Read on for more Royal news in 2025...

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Former Bodyguard to Prince Harry and Prince William Dies

Graham Crakerwho acted as a bodyguard for the royal family, including Prince Harry and Prince Williamdied at the age of 77 in April. Craker was notably with the boys when they learned their mother, Princess Diana, had died and he participated in her funeral services. On the latter, Craker told The New York Post in 2017, "I was standing at the rear of the hearse and William looked up and acknowledged me. I looked toward him and nodded. William was comforted that I was with his mum on her final journey.





The Duke and Duchess of Westminster Expecting Their First Baby

Hugh Grosvenor, who is King Charles IIIs godson, and his wife Olivia Grosvenor announced March 12 that she is pregnant with their first baby. The duchess is expecting a baby in the summer, a spokesperson told The Telegraph. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.





Luxembourg's Prince Fredrik Dies at 22

Prince Frederikthe son of Prince Robert and his wife Princess Juliedied March 1 at 22 years old after a battle with PolG mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder. "Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends and now in great part thanks to his PolG Foundation, to so very many people the world over," Robert said in a statement. "Part of his superpower was his ability to inspire and to lead by example."





Prince Harry Reaches Settlement in U.K. Tabloids Lawsuit

The Duke of Sussex reached a settlement with News Group Newspaperswhich is responsible for The Sun as well as the now defunct News of the Worldon Jan. 22 after suing the organization in 2019 over alleged unlawful actions on the part of journalists and private investigators working for the newspapers to obtain information on the royal family. The deal included the company paying "substantial damages," as well as issuing a "full and unequivocal apology" to Harry and public acknowledgement of "the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, per NBC News.

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Kate Middleton Is in Remission After Finishing Chemotherapy for Cancer

The Princess of Wales announced on Jan. 14 that she's in remission after complete cancer treatments. "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery," she wrote in a message on X, formerly Twitter, Jan. 14. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal." "I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead," she continued. "There is much to look forward to."





Meghan Markle's Longtime Dog Guy Dies

The Duchess of Sussex mourned the death of her beloved rescue beagle, who she adopted in 2015 before meeting husband Prince Harry. She wrote on Instagram Jan. 7, "I have cried too many tears to count - the type of tears that make you get in the shower with the absurd hope that the running water on your face will somehow make you not feel them, or pretend theyre not there. But they are. And thats okay too." "Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy," Meghan added. "You filled my life in ways youll never know."





Prince William Mourns Death of Former Nanny's Stepson

Edward "Ed" Pettiferstepson of Prince William and Prince Harry's former nanny Alexandra Pettifer, also known as Tiggy Legge-Bourkewas one of the victims of the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. "Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer," William said in a message posted on Kate Middleton's Instagram Stories Jan. 4. "Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."





Meghan Markle Rejoins Instagram to Reveal New Netflix Show

The Suits alumwho shut down her personal social media accounts shortly before her 2018 wedding to Prince Harrydebuted a solo Instagram page on Jan. 1. A day later, she announced a new Netflix series titled With Love, Meghan, which "reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-tos and candid conversation with friends, new and old," according to a press release.

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For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Princess Anne has long been the queen of royal rewears, and Easter 2025 was no different.

For Easter Mattins services at St. Georges Chapel in Windsor today, the Princess Royal opted for a green printed coat she has worn on at least five other occasions, including to the Cheltenham Festival in 2012 and 2020, presenting medals to troops in 2013, Christmas Day 2016, and Commonwealth Day in 2023.

Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

On a royal engagement, 2013

Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

Commonwealth Day Service, 2023

Photo credit: David Davies - PA Images

Cheltenham Festival, 2012

Photo credit: Chris Jackson - Getty Images

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Christmas Day, 2016

Photo credit: MelMedia

Cheltenham Festival, 2020

For Easter, Princess Anne even styled the coat like she has over the past decade of wearing it, which includes slouchy black boots, a matching hat, and a brooch pinned to the lapel. Her brooch of choice today was also one that shes worn on numerous occasions: The golden ribbon brooch has been in her jewelry box since the 1960s, and shes frequently worn it on Easter, according to the Court Jeweller.

WPA Pool - Getty Images

The princess was joined at Easter Sunday services today by her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. They arrived with her brother, Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York; it was a rare appearance for Andrew with the royals following a series of scandals including his connections to an alleged Chinese spy. Despite attending in years past, neither of Princess Annes children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall were among the royals in Windsor today, nor were her five grandchildren.

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Its a busy week coming up for the Princess Royal; she is set to undertake an official visit to Turkey on April 24 and 25 to attend commemorations of the 110th Anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign on behalf of her brother King Charles. While in Turkey, in her role as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, she will also visit to the grave of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Doughty-Wylie. On her trip, she will be joined by her husband Vice Admiral Laurence.

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Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi joined the British royal family for Easter Sunday services at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The princess chose a dark green belted coat dress with matching Mary Jane-style heels, topped off with a sparkling gold headband for the occasion.

Samir Hussein - Getty Images

Her sister and brother-in-law, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, also attended services, as did as her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

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Following a poignant appearance at Maundy Thursday services at Durham Cathedral King Charles and Queen Camilla led the group inside St. Georges Chapel to mark the holiday. Also present were Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as well as Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Notably missed were Prince William and Kate Middleton, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Wales family will be spending the holiday at Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk.

Samir Hussein - Getty Images

Princess Beatrice was also recently seen alongside her sister Princess Eugenie as well as several other members of the Royal Family earlier in April at the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. Other members of the House of Windsor spotted at the Bahrain International Circuit included Peter Phillips and his daughters Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, and Zara and Mike Tindallnone of whom attended Easter Mattins services today.

Earlier this year, Princess Beatrice and Edo welcomed their second child, Athena Elizabeth Rose, in January. Baby Athena is little sister to Beatrice and Edos daughter, Sienna Elizabeth, who was born in September 2021, as well as Edo's son, Christopher Woolf (known by family as Wolfie), from a previously relationship.

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In March, the princess penned an essay about her daughters premature birth for British Vogue. Beatrice noted in the essay that she teamed up with Alice Naylor-Leyland, founder of home decor and tablescape brand Mrs. Alice, to raise money for Borne, an organization dedicated to researching and preventing premature births. Beatrice will also serve as the groups patron.

I was very fortunate to be monitored closely by a medical team and Im extremely aware of how lucky I am, Beatrice wrote in the essay. This is a driving force in me to do as much as possible to help where I can.

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For Addie Hall and mom, Julie, the annual two-hour trek from their home near the Kentucky/Tennessee border to Williamson County may seem daunting, but the pair says it's worth it when it comes to finding the perfect dress.

This year, Addie had a clear goal in mind: She wanted to find a prom dress and a homecoming dress or maybe one that worked for both events. And that's where the annual Love The Dress event fit in.

Finding a dress is so difficult these days, and this event lets me find one while being sustainable, the high schooler said, noting the high prices she'd seen in bridal shops during past shopping excursions.

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Last year, Addie heard about Love The Dress in Franklin, and thought it was a good option. The annual prom dress giveaway celebrated 15 years recently and featured dresses of all lengths, colors and sizes.

"We traveled quite a way," Addie said. "But it was definitely worth it!"

Addie and her mom weren't alone.

As thousands of teen girls get ready to celebrate prom season throughout Middle Tennessee and beyond, Love The Dress saw one of its biggest years ever with more than 1,800 dresses donated this year. The event has grown almost every year since its inception with teen shoppers coming from as far away as Bowling Green, Kentucky and Huntsville, Alabama for that one-of-a-kind, low-cost prom dress.

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To date, more than 5,500 dresses have been gifted to young women for school-related dances, be it homecoming, a winter formal or full-on prom, organizers said.

Most girls leave with two dresses, one for homecoming and another for prom," said the event's creator Mindy Hoover.

As a former teacher, Hoover originally came up with the initiative to help other staffers, she said.

I had some friends with teenage daughters (say) that they couldnt keep up with the number of dances they had to buy for a year, she said. They were usually purchasing dresses for four or five dances!

So, she created a space where students could get the dress of their dreams for free or a small $10-$20 donation.

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Our first year, we had 100 girls and 100 dresses! It worked out because the majority of them brought dresses to swap, she said. It was a big success because there was nothing else at the time like it in the area. The following year, there was double the number of participants.

While some of the dresses are donated by students, the program has also received dresses from designers, bridal shops, Goodwill and the larger Williamson County community, Hoover said.

"We want to make sure we have dress for every girl who walks through those doors," she said. "So we search year round for different styles, colors and sizes so that anyone who walks through our doors can find something that makes them feel amazing."

Racks are divided by size, color and length.

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And shoppers are greeted with personal helpers on event days.

Volunteers Gracie Brackman and Winnie Kate Barr say they love it, and both got involved with the event through a local organization.

 We're actually part of Franklin Girls Cotillion, which is this organization in our school thats basically like a sorority for high schoolers, Barr said.

We volunteer a lot throughout the year, but we love coming here because its so much fun, Brackman added.

Some students are given vouchers at school that allow them to shop for free.

Others pay the nominal donation cost.

Prom is a capstone event for teenagers, Julie Hall said. Sometimes it's out of reach financially for a lot of families, but you dont want your kids to miss it. This event gives us an opportunity to be able to come find something that's very affordable and lovely.

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For Hoover, the event is an emotional one because not only does she get to witness many students receive a dress for the first time, the event can serve as a reunion, of sorts, between her and the families she's helped over the years.

Many of the older girls who've gone through the program before will often return with younger siblings, she said.

I see these girls cry because they've never seen themselves in a beautiful gown, or even put on a dress," she said. "It makes me realize how long we've been doing this event while reinforcing why I do this.

I always joke and say I want to be the gray-haired lady that's giving out dresses in my 70's because I just cant ever get past that moment of seeing these girls who are just so excited to have a new dress.

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More information about Love The Dress TN and how to help can be found at www.lovethedresstn.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Love The Dress turns 15, ushers in prom season with dress giveaway
A group of property owners affected by the January wildfires is suing major California insurance carriers, including the state's largest, State Farm, accusing them of violating California's antitrust and unfair competition laws.

The lawsuits follow others regarding insurers' handling of the aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades fires, including against Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the California FAIR Plan (specifically about smoke damage), the state's beleaguered insurance plan of last resort.

The group complaint and demand for jury trial filed Saturday in Los Angeles Superior Court allege that in a "nefarious conspiracy," major insurers conspired to "eliminate competition between them," thereby "intentionally and systematically" forcing homeowners to accept the California FAIR Plan.

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On the same day, lawyers filed a separate class action lawsuit alleging the same thing.

Insurance is a product that homeowners hope never to need, but rely on for peace of mind in normal times and for critical help rebuilding after a catastrophe, Michael J. Bidart of Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP, one of the law firms representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement. The complaints allege that, by colluding to push plaintiffs and so many like them to the FAIR Plan, the defendants have reaped the benefits of high premiums while depriving homeowners of coverage that they were ready, willing, and able to purchase to ensure that they could recover after a disaster like Januarys wildfires.

Representatives of the major insurance companies meet regularly to "discuss issues that we would consider to be market issues," including the administration of the FAIR Plan, said Jamie Court, president and chair of the board of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica-based, progressive nonprofit. "This was clearly a concerted attempt by the entire industry to push people in high-risk areas to lower benefit policies, and at the same time keep collecting higher premiums from everyone else."

The FAIR Plan was established in the wake of the 1965 Watts riots, after fleeing insurers highlighted the need for a new type of carrier. The goal was to provide an insurance option for California homeowners living in places that open-market carriers refused to cover  including in communities vulnerable to wildfire.

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The FAIR Plan has its own reserves, but is backstopped by California's licensed property insurers, which are required to pay claims when the plan runs through its funds. The plan has proved pivotal due to increasingly disastrous fires in the state, including after the 2018 Camp fire that destroyed the town of Paradise and cost insurers $12.5 billion.

However, with many insurers canceling coverage for homeowners in fire-risk zones, the FAIR Plan has become overwhelmed. The number of FAIR Plan policyholders has skyrocketed from about 200,000 residential policyholders in 2020 to nearly 560,000 as of March 2025. The plan has estimated that it will lose some $4 billion on claims related to the January fires in L.A., draining its reserves and reinsurance.

In response, Lara signed a policy that was put in place last year that allows the FAIR Plan to assess its member companies $1 billion for residential claims. Those private insurers can then temporarily add surcharges to premiums paid by their policyholders to recoup 50% of that.

Those increases in premiums apply to homeowners throughout California  not just fire-prone areas. That said, Lara must consider those surcharges separately.

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Opponents of the policy call it an industry "bailout" that burdens consumers.

"Homeowners across the state should not be on the hook for the L.A. fires because insurance companies abandoned those neighborhoods and dumped homeowners on the FAIR Plan, Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, told The Times in January.

The new suits allege that the state's top insurers  those required by law to back the FAIR Plan  colluded to cancel plans, leaving homeowners underinsured under that plan, which has higher premiums than most plans on the commercial market, yet is capped at the lower coverage limit of $3 million. The plaintiffs are seeking three times the damages each has sustained.

"This is exactly the type of action that needs to happen for us to break up what is clearly cartel-like behavior," said Court.

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As of publication, representatives from State Farm and Allstate did not respond to requests for comment.

Hilary McLean, a spokesperson for the FAIR Plan, told The Times that "while the California FAIR Plan is not named in these lawsuits, the FAIR Plan does not comment on active litigation."

Gabriel Sanchez, representing Lara's office, said in an email, "The Department of Insurance is not involved in this matter as a party and cannot comment on the lawsuit. Our focus is, and always will be, protecting California consumers."

Earlier this month, State Farm proposed a 17% emergency rate hike  down from an initial 22% request to state officials in February  that it said is necessary to help stabilize State Farm Generals financial position and prevent the carrier from having to further constrain its ability to provide home insurance in California.

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Meanwhile, many who lost their homes in the L.A. fires are calling for a formal government investigation of major insurance providers, alleging that delays and denials have kept them in dire financial straits and housing limbo.

Times staff writer Laurence Darmiento contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  The Harrison County Democrat Womens Club held a protest Saturday afternoon in front of the Harrison County Courthouse to speak out against the Trump Administration.

Around 100 protesters came with their grievances ranging from the Trump Administrations stance on federal cuts, immigration and what they say is executive overreach. Todays protest was the latest under the online initiative 50501 whose goal is to organize 50 protest in 50 states on 1 day.

Hands Off protest held in Morgantown

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Protester Tina Yoke told 12 News, We are out here fighting for our rights as US citizens. Theres been a lot going on and I think so many people feel helpless and this is just one way that we can take action and take a stand.

Protesters yelled chants and waved signs at passing cars. Their signs reflected the varied reasons for why they were there, such as Due process for everyone no exceptions, Trump works for Elon Musk  not you or me, or simply hands off.

12 News asked Yoke what she would like to see changed in the country. I would like the good people to stand up and show their presence, Yoke said. Kind people exist. We all care about the rights of human beings in our country.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A large crowd gathered outside the Social Security Administration building in Colorado Springs on Friday, April 18, to protest recent decisions by the Trump administration.

The demonstration was organized by Indivisible Colorado Springs, a grassroots political group focused on educating and empowering the community to push for progressive change at the local, state, and national levels.

Protestors rallied in support of critical government programs like social security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which they say are under threat. Among those in attendance was former Colorado Springs City Council member Yolanda Avila, who came out to make her voice heard.

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Its so important that we all speak up, said Avila. Now its already getting too late. Peoples benefits, Social Security benefits, which they earn, which they paid into, which they trusted, and the government to deliver once they need it. Social Security is being threatened and taken away.

According to the Associated Press, the Trump administration has eliminated about 7,000 Social Security Administration positions since taking office as part of a broader effort to reduce government size, streamline bureaucracy, and align federal agencies with America-first 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 FOX21 News Colorado.
A large number of people gathered near the White House on Saturday to protest President Donald Trumps agenda, building on a widespread effort by anti-Trump organizers to galvanize voters concerned with the administrations policies and significant use of executive authority.

Attendees of the protest, which took place at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., told NBC News that the treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration says was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, was among the issues that led them to participate in the demonstration.

Everyone should have due process. No one should be just taken away and locked up. I dont care if he is a murderer, he still should get due process, protester Susie Stern of Ohio said. Thats what this country is based on. Laws.

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The White House alleges that Abrego Garcia is a gang member, and the administration has said that if he re-enters the country he will be deported again. Court records indicate that Abrego Garcia has never been criminally charged in the U.S. or El Salvador, and his wife and lawyers deny he is a gang member.

Other protesters took issue with what they described as the administrations disregard for federal court rulings, including a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court ordering Trump to facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the United States.

Whats happening is very concerning as far as due process of law and how democracy is supposed to work, first-time protester Samantha Echols of Silver Spring, Maryland, told NBC News. You shouldnt just be able to decide what the laws are, to disappear people, to punish people for disagreeing with you. Thats things that dictators do, and I dont want to see our country to slide in that direction.

Concerns over Abrego Garcia's case were at the center of a similar protest in midtown New York, where thousands of people gathered in front of the New York Public Library to protest Trump's immigration policies, according to NBC New York. One protester said the policies are creating a chilling effect throughout the city.

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People are scared to go to church. People are scared to go to work. People are scared to take their kids to school," said Amanda Harvey, a resident of Brooklyn.

Two different demonstrations in Georgia, including a protest in front of the State Capitol in Atlanta on Saturday, drew scores of protesters, according to NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta. Attendees listed a litany of reasons for the demonstrations, including efforts by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Trump to reshape the government.

Theyre attacking DEI, doing this witch hunt. Theyre firing many federal workers and trying to gut all the social programs that we need, like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, a protester at the Capitol told WXIA. Every day its something new.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the demonstrations.

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The nationwide protests are a part of an effort that began earlier this month with a series of Hands Off demonstrations across the country.

The events are coordinated by 50501. Organizers describe the movement as a diverse group of Americans who stand for democracy, and who stand against the authoritarian actions of the Trump Administration.

The name 50501 refers to the groups goal of 50 states, 50 protests, 1 movement.

According to a list published online by the group, Saturdays day of action saw nearly 700 events nationwide, from a Potluck & Protest event in Kanab, Utah, to a Tesla Takedown protest in Woodstock, Virginia, to a Take America Back rally in Paw Paw, Michigan.

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The nationwide protests come as Democrats work to more aggressively counter Trumps agenda, a top demand for the partys voters, according to recent polling.

An NBC News poll conducted in March found that nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters said they want congressional Democrats to stick to their positions even if it leads to gridlock, while one-third wanted their leaders to compromise with Trump.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have held a series of Fighting Oligarchy Tour stops across the country, including an event last week in Los Angeles that drew more than 30,000 people, according to the senators office.

Congressional Democrats in recent months have held dozens of smaller town hall events in a bid to capitalize on the political backlash to Trumps major cuts to the federal workforce and tariff policy plan.

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Regarding Saturdays protests, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, I believe that public sentiment is everything. And public sentiment is growing against Donald Trump as more Americans face rising costs and less freedom under Donald Trumps chaotic failed leadership.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Protests against the Trump administration continue across the country, including here in western Massachusetts.

250th anniversary of the American Revolution celebrated locally

Saturday afternoon, protestors gathered in Springfield to rally against the administrations policies. This demonstration, called Standout for Democracy, took place at the intersection of Parker Street and Boston Road. It was organized by local residents and included veterans, educators, and hospitality workers.

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I think theyve mentioned something around 80,000 jobs in the VA that they want to cut because they want to get back to pre-COVID levels, said Collette Paro of Springfield.

Were protesting the cuts to schools, the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to Social Security, the cuts that are hurting people all over this country, said Susan Edwards of Springfield.

Protestors said they also plan to rally against Elon Musk and Tesla after learning the Springfield City Council unanimously approved the first Tesla dealership in the region to be built in east Springfield.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina last fall, Blue Ridge Public Radio leapt into action. When cell service went down, they kept reporting. When power went out, they switched to a backup generator.

When other reporters needed a place to work, they opened their doors. Broadcasting for 12 hours or more each day, and constantly updating their website, Blue Ridge Public Radio became a crucial source of information for a devastated community.

At Knight Foundation, where Im president and CEO, we know that a well-informed public is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy. Its why the free press is guaranteed in our Constitution, so that citizens have the information they need to make informed choices.

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Opinion: Make Indiana Healthy Again is about cost-cutting, not wellness

And its why proposals to defund NPR and PBS  and by extension, thousands of public media stations across the country, which deliver reliable news to their communities  are not just misguided but dangerous.

Public media is essential, trusted and cost-effective

Public media is one of the few civic institutions that still commands broad trust in an age of division and disinformation. Nearly twice as many Americans support continued federal funding for NPR and PBS as oppose it, according to a study conducted by Pew Research Center just last month.

The two public broadcasters  and the local stations that bring their programming to communities large and small  serve a unique and essential role: delivering free, fact-based news and educational content to everyone, regardless of income or ZIP code.

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Like Blue Ridge Public Radio, they provide the important, sometimes lifesaving, information a community needs.

In communities across the country, public radio and television stations are reporting on the happenings at city hall; holding school boards accountable, spreading the word of local triumphs and helping residents understand the issues that affect their lives.

Critics argue that public broadcasting is biased. But year after year, surveys show that PBS is the most trusted source of news in America  more trusted than cable networks, newspapers or social media. And Pews recent research showed that twice as many Americans trust NPR as distrust it.

Both broadcasters are guided by strict editorial standards and bipartisan governance, and they operate with remarkable efficiency. The entire budget of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which oversees both PBS and NPR, costs each American about $1.60. Thats less than one cup of coffee a year for an essential public service.

Federal funds help get public broadcasting to small and rural communities

By law, about 70% of CPBs budget goes directly to local stations through annual community service grants. Nearly half of those grant recipients are classified as rural stations.

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PBS reaches 89% of lower-income families, offering trusted educational programming that commercial networks wont touch. NPRs member stations reach more than 40 million listeners each week, including in communities that are otherwise news deserts. And in an emergency  from hurricanes like Helene to wildfires to health crises  its often a public station that stays on air and delivers critical updates.

Hicks America's research dominance was hard-won. We're sabotaging it.

Federal support helps make this possible, but it also acts as a force multiplier: every dollar Congress allocates to public media helps generate about eight more in private and philanthropic support. That kind of leverage is rare for any federal program  and its part of what makes public broadcasting so resilient and responsive. But federal support matters most in small and rural communities, where corporate and philanthropic support can be harder to come by, and government funding keeps those stations on the air.

At a time when many local news sources are closing, a public station is in some places the last truly local newsroom. Eliminate the funding, and you silence local voices. You shrink civic space. You take away access to trusted information in communities that need it most.

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This moment requires us to see clearly whats at stake. The crisis in local journalism, the erosion of civic trust, the proliferation of misinformation  all of it points to a need for more investment in fact-based, public interest media, not less. The federal government cannot fix the information crisis alone, and philanthropies like Knight are actively engaged in finding solutions. But the government can  and should  continue to play a vital role in sustaining a media ecosystem that serves all Americans.

Public media is not perfect. But it is irreplaceable. At a time when Americans are desperate for institutions they can trust, public broadcasting continues to deliver  with integrity, with reach, and with deep community roots.

Congress should reject calls to defund NPR and PBS. Not as a partisan statement, but as a commitment to democracy itself.

Maribel Perez Wadsworth is the president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as well as a trustee of the foundation. She is the first woman and the seventh president to lead the foundation. Drawing on her experience as the former president of Gannett Media and publisher of USA Today, Wadsworth brings a well-honed commitment to Knights mission of informing and engaging communities.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Don't defund NPR, PBS. They're irreplaceable. | Opinion
Need an emergency outfit for Easter brunch? Forgot the chocolate bunny in the basket? Or left out an ingredient while doing your shopping earlier this week?

Easter and Eastern Orthodox Easter fall on the same date on Sunday, April 20. Easter honors the resurrection of Jesus  a Jewish man from Nazareth in modern-day Israel considered by followers as the Messiah  three days after his crucifixion, which occurred about 2,000 years ago. For many Christian denominations, Easter is the joyful conclusion to the Lenten season of devoted prayer, fasting and penitence.

'Easter blackout' refers to everything closing on Easter Sunday, such as retail, grocery and home improvement stores. Luckily, there are still quite a few retailers open on the holiday throughout Florida.

Will Publix be open on Easter holiday 2025?

"Opening soon" signs can be seen in front of the new Publix Food & Pharmacy grocery store at The Shoppes at Beville Road in Daytona Beach on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The 47,240-square-foot store is set to open June 29. It is replacing an aging smaller Publix built in 1986 that was torn down a year ago.

No. Publix locations in Florida and other states will not be open on Easter Sunday, which is Sunday, April 20, 2025. This also included its liquor stores and pharmacies.

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Of all the holidays throughout the year, Publix stores are only closed three days a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Is Target open on Easter?

No, Target will be closed on Easter Sunday but it will be open on Good Friday.

Is Walmart open on Easter 2024?

Walmart only closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it will be open on Easter Sunday with regular hours.

Most Walmart stores in Florida open a whole hour before Publix or Winn-Dixie, at 6 a.m. They close at 11 p.m. The same hours apply to most Walmart Neighborhood Market locations.

Are Costco, Sam's Club or BJ's Wholesale Clubs open on Easter?

No, both Costco and Sam's Club warehouses will be closed on Easter.

However, BJ's Wholesale will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Is Aldi open on Easter?

No, Aldi stores will be closed on Easter this year.

Is Trader Joe's open on Easter?

All Trader Joe's locations will remain open during regular hours on Easter Sunday.

Is Sprouts open on Easter?

Sprouts Farmers Market will be open on Easter Sunday. However, hours may vary by location, so check ahead.

Is Winn-Dixie open on Easter?

Winn-Dixie stores will be open regular hours on Easter.

Will Whole Foods be open on Easter?

Final preparations are underway at the new Whole Foods Market in Doylestown Township, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, a day before its grand opening.

Most Whole Foods stores will open at their regular time on Easter and will close early at 6 p.m. local time, with a few exceptions, the company told USA TODAY.

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Customers can use the company's store locator tool to confirm their local store's hours.

Which pharmacies are open on Easter? CVS, Walgreens hours

CVS will be open for Easter on Sunday, April 20. However, holidays may impact store pickup availability hours. Check local hours on the CVS store locator here.

Most Walgreens stores will be open on Easter, though local hours may vary. Check your nearest store's hours.

Is Lowe's closing stores on Easter?

Yes, all Lowe's stores will be closed on the holiday.

Is Home Depot closing stores on Easter?

No, Home Depot stores will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Easter, the company told USA TODAY.

Are TJ Maxx, Marshall's or HomeGoods open on Easter?

TJ Maxx at Yorktown Green in Yorktown, photographed Feb. 18, 2025.

No, all three stores will be closed on Easter Sunday, the company confirmed to USA TODAY.

Is IKEA open on Easter?

Yes, IKEA stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Easter this year.

Are UPS and FedEx open on Easter? Will packages be delivered?

The FedEx shipping center on West 17th Street is expected to close in June as the company moves ahead with a plan to reduce the number of locations.

UPS pickup and delivery services will not be available on Easter. UPS Store locations may be closed, according to the company's website. Check with your local store for specific hours of operation.

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UPS Express Critical service is available 365 days a year, according to the company's website. Visit upsexpresscritical.com for more information.

Most of FedEx's pickup and delivery services will not be available on Easter, according to the company's website. FedEx Office hours will also be modified, so it is best to check with your local store for their specific hours.

FedEx Custom Critical, however, is available 24/7, according to the company.

Contributing: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Easter 2025 in Florida: See grocery, retail stores open, closed today
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin attended an Easter service in Moscow on April 20, just hours after the Kremlin declared a temporary ceasefire on the Easter weekend, ordering a halt to all military action from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21.

The ceremony took place at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and was led by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a staunch supporter of both Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Despite the Kremlins claims of a holiday ceasefire, Ukraine reported ongoing Russian attacks on April 20. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian forces conducted 387 shellings and 19 assault operations against Ukraine between 6 p.m. and midnight. Russian forces used drones at least 290 times, according to Zelensky.

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A video of the service showed Putin standing beside Sobyanin, holding a thin red candle, and wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and red tiehis traditional Easter attire in previous years. The service, a major ritual for Orthodox Christians, began late Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday.

For Putin, the Orthodox faith plays a central role in his worldview, and he regularly attends services during major religious holidays. Easter is considered the most important date on the Orthodox Christian calendar.

According to the state-run RIA Novosti agency, Patriarch Kirill used the opportunity to make a political and spiritual appeal, calling for a "lasting and just peace" in what he referred to as "the vast expanses of historical Rus," a medieval region encompassing parts of modern-day Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.

Patriarch Kirill has been one of the wars most vocal religious backers inside Russia. He has repeatedly defended the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Since February 2022, Russias invasion has killed tens of thousandsmost of them Ukrainiansand displaced millions from their homes.

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Read also: Whats inside a Ukrainian Easter basket? The answer isnt chocolate eggs

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin joined other worshippers for an Easter service led by the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, a faithful backer of the Russian leader and an advocate for the war in Ukraine.

Hours after declaring a unilateral Easter ceasefire that Kyiv said was just words as fighting continued, Putin and Sobyanin stood in Moscow's main church, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, while Kirill led a procession, video of the service showed.

Holding a lit thin red candle and donning a dark suit, white shirt and a red tie as in years past, the Russian leader crossed himself several times when Kirill announced "Christ is risen."

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The traditionally sung service starts late on a Saturday and lasts into the early hours of Sunday.

For Putin, the Orthodox faith is central to his world view and he always attends services during major church holidays. For Orthodox Russians, Easter is the most important religious holiday.

At the service, Krill called for "lasting and just peace can be established in the vast expanses of historical Rus," RIA state news agency reported, in what was a reference to a medieval territory that encompassed parts of what is now Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

"How wonderfully it was said, do not do evil to another and do not treat others as you would not want them to treat you," TASS agency cited Kirill as saying.

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"If people adhered to this holiday commandment, then life would be completely different: family and social life and - let me say this - inter-governmental."

Kirill has strongly backed the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Thousands have been killed, the vast majority of them Ukrainians, and millions driven from their homes since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

(Reporting and writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has given no orders to extend the so-called "Easter truce" beyond midnight on April 21, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state news agency TASS.

Moscow's temporary ceasefire allegedly went into effect at 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19. President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers fighting on Ukraine's front lines have accused Russia of violating the truce multiple times.

Peskov told reporters on April 20 that there are no plans to extend the ceasefire beyond its stated expiration point.

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"There were no other orders," he said when asked about the possibility of an extension.

Zelensky responded to Putin's announcement on April 19 by urging Russia to extend the ceasefire beyond Easter and agree to a 30-day truce.

"This will show Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours is enough for headlines, but not for real confidence-building measures. Thirty days can give peace a chance," he said.

The United States in March proposed a 30-day ceasefire on all hostilities in Russia and Ukraine as a preliminary step in peace negotiations. Kyiv immediately agreed to the proposal, with the only requirement being that Russia accept the same terms.

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Moscow has continuously pushed back on Washington's calls for a full ceasefire, instead demanding extraordinary concessions from Ukraine, such as a complete halt on all foreign military aid.

Multiple European leaders have called on Putin to accept an unconditional ceasefire in the wake of his Easter truce declaration.

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The News

Ukrainian and Russian officials accused each other of breaking a hastily declared one-day Easter ceasefire Sunday.

Kyiv said it had been hit by dozens of Russian assaults Sunday despite Russian President Vladimir Putins order to stop all military activity, while the Kremlin accused Ukraine of attacks, too.

Putins truce announcement was likely aimed at appealing to US President Donald Trump and putting Ukraine in a bind, analysts said: It seemed designed entirely to placate White House demands for some sign that Russia is willing to stop fighting, CNNs international security correspondent wrote. The timing, brevity, and one-sided nature of the declaration offer further proof of Moscows wild cynicism when it comes to peace.
Ukrainian officials claim Russia violated an Easter truce multiple times Sunday, despite Russian President Putin suspending military operations in Ukraine over the weekend. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) joins Christina Ruffini to discuss the Trump administrations peace negotiations between the two nations, cuts to Social Security, and more.
The short-term Easter truce announced by Russian ruler Putin amid US threats to halt efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine has become an easy diplomatic win for the Kremlin.

Source: WSJ

Details: The day after the administration of US President Donald Trump threatened to abandon its ceasefire efforts in Ukraine, Putin declared an Easter truce expected to last 30 hours.

Quote: "Offering a brief cease-fire provided an easy diplomatic victory for Putin, analysts said, and represented an effort to stop the US side from disengaging and a way of positioning himself as the leader who most wants peace."

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Details: Meanwhile, WSJ notes that Putins statement signals a possible retreat from his earlier insistence on addressing what he calls the "root causes" of the war before pausing hostilities.

"If its just for a very short period of time, it risks nothing, but plays in his favour as someone who genuinely wants peace," said Tatiana Stanovaya, senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

In March, Ukraine agreed to a US proposal for a full and immediate 30-day ceasefire. However, Putin rejected it, calling instead for continued discussion on a final resolution to the war. He said that any pause in hostilities at this stage would benefit Ukraine, as Russia is winning on the battlefield, and many issues must be addressed before a ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday 18 April that the United States is prepared to abandon attempts to end the Russo-Ukrainian war if an agreement cannot be reached in the next few weeks.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity are continuing on some fronts.

DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Ukrainian troops had noticed that the Easter truce promised by the Russians was not being upheld on most fronts.

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David Owen, head of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

The environment in Pierre today is more strident than it was when David Owen began lobbying South Dakota lawmakers in 1998. Much has changed since then, Owen said, but thats been the biggest shift.

Owen said Pierres deeply divided political environment, particularly among Republicans, is one where policy debates turn personal. He describes it as a cancer in the system.

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We used to have battles, take the vote, then go on and see each other at dinner. Those days are gone, Owen said.

Owen, 70, is retiring. Hes been president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry for nearly three decades, representing the states business interests in and out of the Capitol building. Before that, he worked for various Midwest chambers, including in Kansas and Montana.

Owens favorite part of the job has always been explaining the policymaking process, whether to state lawmakers or a boardroom of business leaders. Hes known for his sharp wit and policy knowledge, and has earned a reputation for occasionally breaking from the pack, especially when compromise or principle demanded it.

Ahead of his August exit from professional life, Owen sat down with South Dakota Searchlight to reflect on the art of lobbying, shifts in the Legislature, and what he sees as both the promise and peril of South Dakota politics.

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The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What made you interested in lobbying lawmakers?

Ive always been interested in policy and politics. So I chose chambers that were involved in those kinds of issues.

I was going to be a teacher. And what I like about what Ive done is that I teach every day.

I teach legislators the perspective of the chamber, which gets difficult at times. And I have to teach my board about the issues and pressures around us. Because my boards full of really smart people, successful business people, who get frustrated with the ups and downs of politics.

What is the biggest misconception about lobbying?

Theres this idea that the lobbyists always win.

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We do have a tremendous advantage over citizens who come to the Legislature. Its something Im uneasy about. A bill has its hearing, and then they vote on the bill. That means a lot of citizens show up to say Me too and bring their concerns. Theyve got their piece of paper. Theyve never done this before. Theyre really nervous.

Meanwhile, the paid lobbyists, including the one youre talking to, already have a pretty good idea what the votes going to be, because were there all day. We catch legislators in the hall. We dont bribe anybody, but were familiar with them.

South Dakota is increasingly becoming pay-to-play. They do fundraisers and we have a political action committee, but legislators are independent enough that we dont have the kind of control over them that the public seems to think. Otherwise, nobody would lose.

This year, I was talking to some of the freshmen legislators who had never served before.

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I heard from like five of them, the same answer that was pretty different than in the past. I asked the question, What prompted you to run?

I heard more about concerns about society and how they thought they could help straighten out the culture by being in the Legislature. Thats a big task. That brings you to introducing things like school vouchers. That brings you to thinking the Ten Commandments in every classroom will help structure a moral code that will solve some of these social problems.

And there are two influential lobbying groups up there, weve got more, but two groups in particular, that have added to the schism: the abortion people and the gun people. They dont reach across any aisle.

Other lobbying groups, like the chamber, are involved in all kinds of business. Were involved in a whole bunch of issues. Weve got lobbyists that are banging on each other on one issue, working together on another. The abortion people dont do that. The NRA doesnt do that. Instead, they send nasty postcards out.

You used to be a Republican and later registered as an independent. Why?

What finally got me to pull the trigger on leaving the party was Merrick Garlands proposed nomination to the Supreme Court, him not getting a hearing. Because Republicans were all saying you cant do this when theres a presidential election.

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And then, with unbelievable speed, closer to the election than that, Republicans got Amy Coney Barrett confirmed. And that was perfectly OK.

I just thought, I dont think we have any principles here.

I had run ballot campaigns 12, 13 times in two states by then. I get roughness. I get things getting ugly. But Id like to think that we have some principles that we will stand by, and that just flushed it out of me.

How has the business of lobbying itself changed?

My wife, Debra, who had been a lobbyist for the local chamber, was recently terminated. So, she spent some time as a contract lobbyist.

And I now understand this whole game of contract lobbying better. So, I dont know if Im noticing changes or if Im better educated.

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In the world of contract lobbying, you have two camps. You have a camp where people are coming to certain lobbyists because they have a reputation of being very effective. And they charge a certain range, starting around $20,000 and it goes up. And then some people are just starting, kind of looking for clients.

Its interesting to me the number of out-of-state groups, national groups, that have some agenda and are hiring these contract lobbyists.

Theres more people with money forming groups, that in turn hire lobbyists to do, quite honestly, some fairly obscure crap.

For example, another lobbyist reached out to me, and he had a group of trailer manufacturers who wanted to change one of our laws that requires trailer manufacturers to be affiliated with dealerships.

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So, this group in some orbit around some star finds him and says, Can you help us change this?

What are the right reasons to want to become a lobbyist?

Ive done what Ive done for 45-plus years, 27 sessions, because Im called to stand in this scene between business and government.

I have profound respect for people who work for the public. I have great respect for my members and my board members. Theyre two totally different systems. The balance sheet for legislators is how they vote and how they feel. Thats not a balance sheet for a business.

My advice is to deal with facts. Listen. You can learn a lot. Be yourself, unless youre an a. And know why youre there, but respect and try to learn why other people are there.

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Every time we find something in the law that looks really stupid, I go back to when it passed. Every mistake weve made, we made on purpose. There was a reason that they convinced everybody in 1920 to vote for, I dont know, tying up horses.

I think the right reason is to solve problems. If youre there sincerely, I think thats the right thing. I dont like the process when it sinks to the level of win-at-all-costs. I dont like when it gets abusive  when theyre sending out postcards cards because they found out a lawmaker against their cause was picked up for a DUI when they were 18 years old.

The wrong reason is just wanting to publicly humiliate those opposing your cause. That makes good people fearful of getting involved. And were going through some of that right now.

The Republican Party is clearly divided into two sides. Right to Life, the NRA, the carbon pipeline people, those groups like to send out nasty cards. I think thats a cancer in this system. If youve got to do that to win, I wish youd find another occupation. Go be a bartender; leave the state.
A radio talk show host running for City Council on Staten Island became the latest New York pol targeted by far-left vandals comparing Republicans to Nazis.

The hateful act was discovered Friday, after a vandal defaced one of Frank Moranos campaign lawn signs with NAZI SCUM scrawled under his name, at the corner of Richmond Road and Morley Avenue.

Any sort of vandalism, any sort of graffiti, is just horrible, but when its this kind of hate speech, it goes beyond the pale, said Morano, who is running in an April 29 special election to represent the boroughs South Shore, following an unrelated press conference where he and other Republicans rallied in support of law enforcement.

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Morano, host of WABC-AMs The Other Side of Midnight, said he was targeted because of his party affiliation, as upstate police search for a vandal who taped three swastikas Thursday in front of New York State Republican Party headquarters in Albany.

He told The Post Saturday that having someone label him a Nazi because hes a Republican is insulting and hurtful, adding he believes the GOP is leading the way in terms of fighting against Nazism and fascism.

Frank Morano, a radio talk show host running for City Council on Staten Island, is the latest New York pol targeted by far-left vandals comparing Republicans to Nazis. Michael McWeeney

Vandals slapped three swastikas in front of the New York State Republican Partys Albany headquarters on Thursday. X/@NewYorkGOP

Frank Morano said having someone label him a Nazi because hes a Republican is insulting and hurtful. Michael McWeeney

Staten Island Republican Michael Tannousis said the person who first discovered the latest vandalism is Jewish and a U.S. Army veteran, making the incident even more troubling.

We will not accept this on Staten Island, he added.

The NYPD didnt return a request for comment.
A Catholic church in Queens was engulfed in flames less than 24 hours before worshippers were set to gather for Easter Sunday mass.

The fire broke out at Saint Edmund Church of the Holy Trinity Parish at 204-25 Rockaway Point Blvd. just before 2 p.m. Saturday, according to the FDNY.

In total, 33 units and 138 fire and EMS personnel responded to the three-alarm blaze, which appeared to rip through the first and second floors of the squat building, break several windows and tearing part of the churchs roof off.

The flames broke out at Saint Edmund Church of the Holy Trinity Parish at 204-25 Rockaway Point Boulevard just before 2 p.m. Saturday, according to the FDNY.

The three-alarm fire appeared to rip through the first and second floors of the squat building, break several windows and tear part of the churchs roof off. Brigitte Stelzer

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries while battling the flames, with one being transported to St. Johns Episcopal Hospital. The other refused medical attention, according to the department.

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There were no other injuries, and the fire was brought under control at 3:40 p.m., the FDNY said.

The historical church, which was founded in 1937, was scheduled to host a 10:30 a.m. worship on Sunday, according to the Blessed Trinity Catholic Parishs website.

The historical church, which was founded in 1937, was scheduled to host a 10:30 a.m. worship on Sunday morning, according to the Blessed Trinity Catholic Parishs website. Brigitte Stelzer

The Parish did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Fire marshalls were investigating the cause.
This Easter, we've hidden a dozen colorful, egg-centric stories across Reason.com. Hop around the site to find themor click here to see them all in one basket.

The Oval Office, a room famous for its distinct ovumer, ovalshape, has become synonymous with American democracy and the president himself. It's no wonder that each executive has sought to personalize their backdrop.

The room has been the main executive office since President William Howard Taft ordered a southward extension of the West Wing in 1909. The expansion was meant to mimic the shape of the Blue Room, the White House's other oval-shaped room, which incorporated a semicircle design overseen by President George Washington. Washington was the only president to never live in the White House, but his preference for oval-shaped rooms to receive guests with presidential drama and formality has become customary.

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Administrations succeeding Taft's have since altered the Oval Office's decor to suit each president's preferences. Shortly after returning to the White House for his second term, President Donald Trump removed the dark blue Clinton-era rug brought out of retirement by Joe Biden and replaced it with the lighter, egg-colored rug used by Ronald Reagan.

Since Trump entered the world of politics, he has fancied himself a successor of Reagan and his policies. But unlike when he unveiled the Reagan rug at the beginning of his first term, there's a lot more evidence now that Trump and Reagan share little else in common.

One stark difference is Trump's immigration policies. While Reagan sought to tighten border security with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, he also granted amnesty for nearly 3 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Less than 100 days under Trump's direction, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) currently detains close to 48,000 migrants and controversially shipped 238 individuals in ICE custody to El Salvador, raising serious due process concerns and legal questions. Trump may even have acted in contempt of court by defying a federal judge's order to turn around the El Salvadorbound planes. So far, it seems Trump's immigration crackdown has been anything but "reasonable, fair, orderly, and secure," as was Reagan's objective.

Trump also differs from Reagan over his second-largest agenda item: tariffs. In only his first three months, Trump has rattled markets worldwide due to the unpredictability of his trade war. The fallout from his "Liberation Day" tariff announcement prompted many to quote none other than Reagan himself on the dangers of engaging in trade wars. Reagan advocated for free trade, believing that high tariffs only hurt Americans in the long run and that trade wars "weake[n] our economy, our national security, and the entire free world." In contrast, even though Trump instituted a 90-day pause for his tariffs, tensions with China have only continued to rise, leading to tariffs as high as 245 percent for certain goods.

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So while Trump may have brought back Reagan's rug, it's clear he's cracked away from much of the former president's legacy. Style is easy to replicate, but substance is harder to come by.

The post Reagan Is Back in Style but Not in Spirit appeared first on Reason.com.
Three at-large seats

On May 6, voters will choose three at-large City Council members from among six candidates.

The three incumbents are running and were the top vote-getters in the April 8 primary. They are Democrats who help make up a 6-1 Democrat majority on the officially nonpartisan council, which also has four members chosen by districts. Their challengers are all Republicans.

Because the council is a nonpartisan office, no party labels appear on the ballot, though the two parties do recruit and support candidates. Council members serve four-year terms and are paid $24,000 a year.

Here's who is running and the votes they received in the April 8 primary:

The incumbents: Sandra Washington (22,495), seeking her second full term after being appointed to fill an at-large seat in 2019; Tom Beckius (21,787), seeking a second term; and Bennie Shobe (20,085), seeking a third term.

The challengers: Jerry Shoecraft (19,269), who served two terms as an at-large member on the City Council in the 1990s; Stan Parker (18,311), who made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2022; Maher Aurang Zeb (6,666), who ran for an at-large council seat in 2021 and for Lincoln Airport Authority in 2019.

To read profiles of the other candidates and more election coverage, see Journalstar.com.
A weakened Pope Francis, still recovering after suffering a bout of double pneumonia, delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing to tens of thousands of believers in St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday.

The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was greeted by cheers as he appeared briefly on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to deliver a shortened version of the blessing and tell the crowd: "Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter."

From below came many calls of "Long live the pope."

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Francis' main Easter message - covering among other topics the hope for peace in the conflicts in Gaza, Yemen, Ukraine and Myanmar - was read out by Archbishop Diego Ravelli as the pope sat in his wheelchair.

Afterwards Francis was driven around the square in his Popemobile, in front of some 35,000 people who had gathered there. Unlike recent appearances, he did not have a nose tube to supply him with extra oxygen.

He did not attend the traditional Easter Mass earlier, which was led instead by a high-ranking cardinal, the Italian Angelo Comastri.

Francis left the Gemelli Hospital in Rome a month ago after spending 38 days in hospital with pneumonia which had infected both of his lungs.

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Doctors advised him to take it easy following his life-threatening illness. During his few public appearances since his discharge, he sometimes appeared very weak.

Speaking also poses difficulties for the leader of the world's more than 1.4 billion Catholics.

On Saturday evening, Francis appeared in a wheelchair in St Peter's Basilica.

One million visitors expected in Rome over Easter

At Easter, according to Christian tradition, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are commemorated.

This year, the festival holds even more significance because the Catholic Church has declared 2025 a Jubilee.

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This weekend alone, an estimated 1 million visitors are in Rome, including believers from all over the world.

Among them is US Vice President JD Vance. The deputy of President Donald Trump converted to the Catholic faith in 2019.

Francis granted a brief audience to Vance on Sunday morning, a Vatican spokesman said.

No details were released about the meeting, which took place in the Domus Sanctae Martae (Saint Martha's House) where the pope has been living since his discharge from hospital.

Vance, accompanied by his wife and children met Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Saturday.

Pope Francis looks out onto the central balcony for Holy Mass on Easter Sunday in Saint Peter Square in Rome. Marco Iacobucci/LiveMedia-IPA/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Ahead of Americas first Earth Day in 1970, an oil spill famously stained a California beach and a polluted river was on fire in Ohio. But in the South Carolina Lowcountry, a great environmental battle was being waged thats also worthy of the history books.

Here, a small but diverse band of natives and newcomers, shrimpers and developers, children and retirees successfully fought off the powers that be to stop a BASF chemical plant from locating on the pristine Colleton River near Bluffton and Hilton Head Island.

The humble Capt. Dave shrimp trawler gave the fight its lasting image when it chugged to Washington, D.C., to deliver to Secretary of the Interior Walter Hickel more than 40,000 petition signatures in opposition to the chemical plant.

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The Capt. Dave was part of a new Hilton Head Fishing Cooperative that enabled Black shrimpers to get a bigger piece of the economic pie. And in the spring of 1971, the Capt. Dave and all aboard cruised into Harbour Town to celebrate the first anniversary of their historic trip to Washington.

This is where we can see the ingredients to success as we mark the 55th Earth Day on Tuesday.

David Lauderdale

We can see it through the eyes of the Rev. Boyd Cook. He attended the second annual Capt. Dave celebration after just arriving on the island to bring Christ Lutheran Church to life after six years in Memphis when it was being torn apart by racial violence.

There were all these yachts tied up, he told The Island Packet newspaper in the spring of 1972. Then into the harbor streamed the shrimp boats draped with banners and pennants, horns blowing, people waving and yelling. Everybody got off the boats and had a party. There was shrimp boiling in 50-gallon drums, a band playing and a beer truck.

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Here was a community getting together as one. I was overwhelmed. Can this really be South Carolina? I thought.

A lesson: They banded together as one. They remembered the fight. They celebrated.

The next spring it was even bigger.

An estimated 800 people showed up on Sunday to dance to the rock n roll of the Chariots, drink beer, eat hamburgers and frankfurters and recall the historic 1970 voyage, The Island Packet reported.

It had the feel of the Fourth of July, New Years Eve and Bastille Day rolled into one.

Amid all the fanfare, a petition was circulated. This time it was in opposition to a planned Chicago Bridge and Iron plant at the same Victoria Bluff site BASF had eyed.

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That lesson: The fight to protect the Earth never ends.

The community also celebrated on the day Walter Hickel, the Interior Secretary, came to see the land and water he had helped protect by writing a pointed letter to BASF saying the government would not allow environmental degradation.

If I live to be very old, I will never forget the day the Capt. Dave came up the Potomac River with the petition of a list of names protesting the plant, Hickel said. The powers on Capitol Hill backed off.

In a speech at the Port Royal Inn, Hickel said that caring was more important than money in getting things done. He said laws already on the books offered environmental protection  but only if they were enforced.

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Someone has to care, he said. Someone has to make it happen. Laws alone wont do it.

He said the threat to Port Royal Sound would never have come to his attention without the concern of individuals.

Wars will always be won by the concern of one human being for another  not by billions of dollars.

The Rev. Cook had a similar message.

When he left for another charge after a decade on the island he said the concern and caring that he had so admired in the past was needed more than ever.

The big fear is not the growth of the island, he said, but the attrition of concern. Apathy and frustration should be fought more than windmills. When people no longer get involved, when they no longer care, then everything we dont want to happen will happen by default.

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It is a matter of caring so intently that you keep trying. You refuse to quit.

The same is true today. The fight to save the Lowcountry is up to us.

David Lauderdale may be reached at lauderdalecolumn@gmail.com.
The News

Reports that the Trump administration may be planning a sweeping overhaul of the US State Department have sparked confusion in Washington and concerns over the implications for Americas presence abroad.

A purported draft executive order proposes various cuts, including eliminating a bureau devoted to sub-Saharan Africa and closing nonessential embassies and consulates across the region.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the report was fake news, but the jitters in Washington underscored how alarmed many are about the lengths the Trump administration will go to to reshape the State Department, Politico wrote.

The administration is planning to slash the departments budget, a move that would equate to the demolishing of our international influence instruments, one former official said.
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. senator John Kennedy criticized President Donald Trump and his administration on Sunday for their handling of the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the El Salvadoran man wrongly deported by Washington, and for the Republican president's comment that he wanted to deport some violent criminals who are U.S. citizens.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

It is not very common for Republican lawmakers to criticize Trump, who took office on January 20 and whose administration's deportation drive is condemned by rights groups as an assault on due process rights. The Supreme Court has directed the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return after Washington acknowledged he was deported because of an administrative error.

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KEY QUOTES

Senator Kennedy of Louisiana was asked on NBC News' "Meet the Press" program if he thought the law allowed Trump to send U.S. citizens who were criminals to foreign prisons.

"No, ma'am. Nor does it, nor should it, nor should it be considered appropriate or moral. We have our own laws," he said. "We shouldn't send prisoners to foreign countries in my judgment."

Trump has said he wants to deport some violent criminals who are U.S. citizens to Salvadoran prisons, a move experts said would violate U.S. law.

Kennedy said he did not see Abrego Garcia's case as part of a wider pattern but called it a "screw up," adding that Abrego Garcia should have had a hearing before being sent to El Salvador.

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"The administration won't admit it, but this was a screw up."

CONTEXT

The U.S. government says it does not seek Abrego Garcia's return. His lawyers say he was never charged with a crime and deny U.S. claims he belonged to the criminal gang MS-13.

Separately, the Supreme Court temporarily barred the Trump administration on Saturday from deporting some Venezuelan migrants it accused of being gang members under a rarely used wartime law.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken and Mark Porter)
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley is celebrating Easter by feeding the community.

Anyone who shows up can enjoy a free meal from 1 to 5 p.m. and again from 6 to 7 p.m. The mission is serving ham, corn, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls and dessert.

They want to make sure no one goes hungry.

It gives hope, right? So, a lot of people are on hard times, and they just need a place to come and feel like home, and thats our goal is to make them feel like home, said Joel Savala with the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley.

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The mission feeds three meals daily to those in need. Its located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Tino DiCenso contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
The health risks associated with microplastics have been known for years. However, researchers are now learning that it doesn't take much for microplastic particles to make their way into our food and water.

What's happening?

A growing number of scientists have noted that microplastics have the ability to easily shed into food and water without much effort. While many people might assume that overuse is the main concern in microplastic exposure, the truth is that these microscopic plastic particles may end up in your food after just one use.

Victoria Fulfer, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rhode Island, said the prevalence of plastic use in food packaging only amplifies the concern.

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"Mostly, when a container says 'microwave safe,' it means it's safe for the container to be in the microwave, it's not going to melt," Fulfer told NBC News.

"But that doesn't mean that it's safe for you as a person, because microwaving plastic particularly changes the chemical bonds," Fulfer added. "They make them more weak."

Why is microplastic exposure important?

Dr. Leonardo Trasande, director of the Grossman Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards at New York University, explained that microplastic exposure can lead to an array of severe health problems.

"We're talking about cardiovascular mortality," Trasande told NBC News. "We're also talking about hormone-sensitive cancers. Breast, thyroid, ovarian, not to mention kidney cancer, that have been associated with these chemical exposures."

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Despite the increasing health risk that comes along with microplastic exposure, scientists note that more research needs to be done to determine the extent of the possible damage.

What's being done about reducing microplastic use?

According to a study from Trasande, there are ways that we may be able to address this growing concern. "Preventing plastic exposure is very much possible," Trasande wrote.

The researcher suggested that by including color-based additives to chemicals in plastic creation, we can help visualize the abundance of plastic in our everyday lives.

Do you worry about using cleaning products with harsh chemicals in them? All the time Sometimes Not really No  never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Looking to the next ten years ahead, biomonitoring initiatives are needed to visualise this issue, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries," Trasande added. "The technology to measure [micro- and nanoplastics] will eventually advance and make concerns even more apparent, but the threat of the invisible requires us to act now."

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In the meantime, legislators have worked to progress measures to minimize the production of single-use plastics. In 2023, Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2023 in an effort to "prevent pollution from consumer products and packaging from entering into animal and human food chains and waterways, and for other purposes."

In 2019, 170 countries pledged to significantly reduce the use of plastics by 2030. Since then, the UN Environment Assembly has worked to proactively address the issue.

"Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic," said Espen Barth Eide, Norway's minister for climate and the environment.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Dine College will reopen its Tsaile campus on April 21, a full week since a fire burned buildings and disrupted classroom operations at the northeast Arizona school.

Students and faculty will return to the campus following a traditional cleansing ceremony, Dine College Acting President Glennita Haskey announced in a Facebook post April 18.

The schools official reopening comes after authorities investigating the cause of last weeks fire identified two suspects and arrested one of them, Haskey stated.

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Details of the arrest could not be independently confirmed, as of April 20. The Navajo Nation Police Department has not responded to repeated calls and emails requesting comment.

A devastating fire burned down multiple buildings at Dine College in northern Arizona April 14, 2025.

Fire crews responded to the blaze at the Tsaile campus on April 14 at around 2:15 a.m., when a fire alert was triggered.

Within hours, the fire burned more than half of the campuss Student Union Building and destroyed the school store, which contained records dating back to the 1950s, financial records and new graduation gowns for the 2025 commencement ceremony.

Students and faculty participated in remote learning amid the weeklong campus closure, while authorities contended with fire-related hazards and investigated what caused the structure fire.

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Access will still be limited when in-person classes resume April 21, as the impacted areas will remain restricted, according to Haskey. Temporary fencing and contracted security personnel will surround the areas.

Efforts will soon get underway to reconstruct the Student Union building, Haskey stated.

The project will unfold in phases, starting in May, and was expected to be completed by October 2026. The first phase, she explained, will include document retrieval and structural assessments.

Rebuilding the Student Union Building is not just about replacing a structure, Haskey stated in the announcement. It represents our resilience and our dedication to providing the best resources and opportunities for our students to thrive.

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As for the upcoming graduation ceremony, preparations remain on track, the school stated. The May 9 event will be held indoors at the Shiprock South Campus.

Neighboring state universities contributed graduation regalia for the graduating class of students, according to Dines update.

The school will provide additional details on the ceremony and about students caps and gowns on its website.

To address student concerns over campus safety, the school stated it will revisit evacuation plans, enhance communication strategies and update lockdown procedures.

It was also providing counseling and support services to students and staff amid the schools recovery.

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"It's essential that everyone feels supported during this time," Haskey stated.

Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Students can go back to campus after Dine College fire up north
RFK Jr.s autism claims are dangerous, false and personal

As a father of a young boy with autism and a proud Allen Park City Councilman, Im beyond outraged by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s reckless comments suggesting a connection between vaccines and autism. These claims are not just wrong  theyre dangerous, offensive and a slap in the face to every family like mine who lives this reality every single day.

I wear a blue tie and wristband not as a political statement, but as a promise  a promise to my son and to every family in Allen Park touched by autism that I will never stop fighting for truth, respect and inclusion. What Kennedy is doing is fear-mongering, plain and simple. And its not new  its the same discredited, shameful rhetoric thats been peddled for years, harming our kids and putting public health at risk.

There is no credible evidence that vaccines cause autism. Every major medical institution  from the CDC to the American Academy of Pediatrics  has said it. Repeatedly. But Kennedy keeps talking because some people still listen, and that puts real people in danger. Parents delay life-saving vaccines. Families feel guilt they shouldnt carry. And autistic individuals are stigmatized all over again.

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Kennedy has chosen to build his campaign on conspiracy theories instead of compassion. Hes using families like mine to push an agenda built on junk science. And Im here to say: Enough. You dont get to exploit my sons diagnosis for political gain.

We need leaders who fight for real services, real support and real inclusion. Not someone spreading fear from a podium. My son and every child like him deserve better  and so does this country.

Gary Schlack

The writer is an Allen Park city councilman

More from Freep Opinion: Kilmar Abrego Garcia deportation to El Salvador could happen to any of us

Florida letter writer says happy Easter

Happy Easter! May your day be filled with joy, love, and the warmth of family and friends.

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Easter is a time of new beginnings, hope, and renewal. As we celebrate this special day, let us remember the importance of kindness, compassion and gratitude. Whether you are enjoying a festive meal, hunting for Easter eggs, or simply spending time with loved ones, may this Easter bring you peace and happiness.

Paul Bacon

Hallandale Beach, Florida

(Editor's note: Paul Bacon is most prolific writer of letters to the Detroit Free Press opinion page. While we don't run all of Bacon's missives  we aim to give multiple readers space to air their opinions  we always read them. Happy Easter, Paul!)

What about homegrown antisemitism?

I hear many reports about the administration's opposition to antisemitism, which is a laudable position to espouse. However, this seems to be opposition only to antisemitism relating to foreign students.

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There are many organizations that openly espouse antisemitism in the United States. The Southern Poverty Law Center lists nine such organizations, but those are only organizations that are strictly antisemitic. The Proud Boys and QAnon, to mention two examples, hate more broadly. Domestic antisemites have killed Jewish citizens, as example the Pittsburgh shooting killing 11 in 2018.

My question is, why us antisemitism only treated by the government as a problem caused by noncitizens of the United States, when the real antisemitic threat is from native-born Americans?

Dennis Fiems

White Lake

Trump is taking wrecking ball to US Department of Education

Our current administration is taking a wrecking ball to an important function of the U. S. Education Department. Around 1,300 employees have already been fired and 600 staff took a voluntary resignation. More than 160 research grants have been canceled. Much of this research focused on how to improve educational outcomes for students. The results of these research projects will not see fruition or shared with our educators and leaders. Some of these research projects were four years into a five-year calendar.

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Years of excellent research will be wasted. These research projects were canceled without any regard to their value. I believe that we all support good educational outcomes for our children. Canceling research in education will have a detrimental long term impact on our childrens learning.

Chuck Mueller

Traverse City

Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters and we may publish it online and in print. If you have a differing view from a letter writer, please feel free to submit a letter of your own in response.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Autism, U-M DEI, Easter, education cuts, antisemitism | Letters
Not long ago, Bennie Shobe attended an open house on road improvements and ran into an area resident hed met about five years earlier at a different public meeting.

The man is a lifelong Republican  unlike Shobe, a Democrat seeking his third term as an at-large member of the City Council  and now, every time they run into each other, they have a conversation, Shobe said.

At the latest meeting, that lifelong Republican asked if he could put one of Shobes campaign signs in his yard.

Shobe said hes proud of that  and that he goes to at least one community event a day, where he meets new people with differing views.

Ive built a lot of friends on both sides of most issues, and Ive learned from them, and I bring that to the conversation every time, said Shobe, 64.

First elected in 2017 to one of three at-large seats on the council, Shobe said the reason he wants to run for a third term isnt much different than it was eight years ago.

I still think theres a disconnect between people who live in our community and how the city government functions and what it does, he said. Im finishing my eighth year and Ive gained a better handle on how to make those things work.

Hes got a better relationship with department heads, he said, and hes learned how to work better with the mayor and how to be more proactive.

When someone from the public asks me a question, I know who to go to to get the correct answer."

Three at-large council seats On May 6, voters will choose three at-large City Council members from among six candidates. The three incumbents are running and were the top vote-getters in the April 8 primary. They are Democrats who help make up a 6-1 Democrat majority on the officially nonpartisan council, which also has four members chosen by districts. Their challengers are all Republicans. Because the council is a nonpartisan office, no party labels appear on the ballot, though the two parties do recruit and support candidates. Council members serve four-year terms and are paid $24,000 a year. Here's who is running and the votes they received in the April 8 primary: The incumbents: Sandra Washington (22,495), seeking her second full term after being appointed to fill an at-large seat in 2019; Tom Beckius (21,787), seeking a second term; and Bennie Shobe (20,085), seeking a third term. The challengers: Jerry Shoecraft (19,269), who served two terms as an at-large member on the City Council in the 1990s; Stan Parker (18,311), who made an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2022; Maher Aurang Zeb (6,666), who ran for an at-large council seat in 2021 and for Lincoln Airport Authority in 2019. To read profiles of the other candidates and more election coverage, see Journalstar.com.

Given that Lincoln has a strong mayoral form of government, hes learned that when he wants to get something accomplished, its best to start with the mayor, find out if her office is working on the issue hes interested in, and go from there.

Trying to work collaboratively with his fellow council members and the mayor works best, he said.

A native of Kentucky, Shobe moved to Nebraska in 1998 to earn his doctorate in sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hed worked for a grocery store chain in Kentucky for 20 years and during that time earned his undergraduate and masters degrees.

He finished his coursework but not his dissertation at UNL, taught at Doane University and landed at the Nebraska Department of Labor in 2008, where he is still a program analyst.

Early on, he got involved with community organizations in Lincoln, where he began to notice that disconnect between city government and its residents  and he's spent the past eight years trying to bridge that gap, he said.

He got a heat pump incentive program started for residents, an idea he got from environmental advocates. He took the idea to the mayor, met for a few months with the advocates and city department heads and got a pilot program started. It was renewed in the latest budget.

Research on changes the council recently approved to help police crack down on drivers who race down O Street and other arterials began some years ago, he said, after he had a conversation with northeast Capt. Mayde McGuire.

It took a few years, but a new city ordinance, which allows police to impound vehicles of drivers who have been cited for various offenses, was unanimously supported by the council. It was a collaborative effort, he said.

I dont think about the things that Ive done, he said. I think about the things the citys done.

Hes got a running list of resident concerns  35 issues people have raised repeatedly, and he carries it with him to community meetings to update those who have questions.

The need for affordable housing is on there, he said, and he believes the city should stay the course on its efforts to increase affordable housing stock. A number of those projects have used tax-increment financing, a proper use of that financing tool, he said.

He's interested in a low-barrier homeless shelter for those who can't or won't stay at the mission, an effort underway by the county. He said he and the mayor couldn't come to an agreement about appropriating money during the last budget cycle, but he wants to continue working toward that.

Public safety is a priority, he said.

The Lincoln Police Department is working on making changes related to issues raised by discrimination and harassment lawsuits filed by several former and current police officers, he said.

Lincoln police face the same recruiting issues as departments across the country do, but increasing staffing levels at both the fire and police departments are important, he said.

Lincoln police are still below the average national officer-to-population ratio. He's not yet sure how close Lincoln should come to meeting those national staffing averages because of budget constraints and other policing issues.

My goal is to start the conversation, make sure I have good facts, he said.

Hes learned as a council member its best to listen, he said.

It's just good for the city and its kind of fun. I like doing that. I want to keep doing that.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a new interview, said autism was an epidemic with an impact that surpasses the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is an epidemic. It dwarfs the COVID epidemic and the impacts on our country because COVID killed old people. Autism affects children and affects them at the beginning of their lives, the beginning of their productivity, Kennedy said during a Sunday interview with radio host John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AMs The Cats Roundtable.

And its absolutely debilitating for them, their families, their communities, he added.

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His statements come after the secretary faced scrutiny earlier this week for claiming autism destroys families at a Wednesday press conference.

In the past, Kennedy has also promoted anti-vaccine rhetoric with unproven theories that vaccinations are linked to autism.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children have a greater risk of developing autism if theres a family history of the disorder, if the mother experiences complications at birth or if chromosomal conditions pose a threat to their development.

Kennedys comments to Catsimatidis insinuated that the rate of autism was rapidly increasing and causing an uptick in health costs.

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For our country, just the pure economic cost of autism is, will be by 2035, $1 trillion a year. Thats just the beginning because many of these kids are aging out and their parents worry every day. And Im talking about people with severe autism, whats called profound autism, which is about, which is about 26 percent of the total people who are diagnosed with autism, he said.

Those families, those children are nonverbal, theyre non-toilet trained. They have all the stereotypical features of autism, head-banging, toe-walking, stimming, agonizing gut pain and head-banging. Those kids are kids that will not hold jobs. And many kids with autism, many of the higher functioning autism actually can, have tremendous potential to live independently, to get jobs, take care of themselves, he continued.

However, CDC experts disagree and have noted autism cases are increasing due to better screening.

Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz recently called out Kennedys comments surrounding autism and criticized the leader for downplaying the contributions of individuals diagnosed with the disorder.

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This is deeply upsetting, especially coming from our nations highest-ranking health official, Gwen Walz said in a post Thursday on the social platform X. Individuals with autism are family, neighbors, students, and coworkers and they contribute more to this nation than this man ever will.

Kennedys comments about autism have also been condemned as disrespectful and unrealistic and misleading by lawmakers and awareness groups that have raised concerns over the secretarys announcement last week launching a massive testing and research effort for the disorder.

Referring to autism as a chronic disease  and using medical terminology like epidemic  really dehumanizes autistic individuals and perpetuates stigma and stereotypes, Kristyn Roth, chief marketing officer at the Autism Society of America, told The Hill in previous comments. It really reverses a lot of progress that has been made over the last decades.

She said the rate at which Kennedy is promising to provide the cause of the disability is alarming.

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Its giving people a lot of false hope, she said. True, rigorous, peer-reviewed science takes time to find quality answers.

In his Sunday interview with Catsimatidis, Kennedy touted his proposed research by slamming the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CDC for researching gene linkage to autism instead of more environmental contributors.

The problem is that NIH and CDC have blocked all the studies that would determine the environmental exposure. So we dont know. And instead theyve studied genes and genes contribute to autism, but they, you know, like I said, you need an environmental toxin. And thats what were, thats what we are now going to look for, Kennedy said.

And were going to identify it and using AI [artificial intelligence] and the best scientific protocols, all of it, very transparent. Were deploying 15 teams to look at all the potential exposures and that could be mold. It could be food additives. It could be pesticides. It could be vaccines. It could be ultrasound, he proposed.

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Former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lydia McLaughlin opened up about the unimaginable loss of her brother Geoffrey Shyam Stirlings death at age 45 in a reported shooting.

My family has experienced an unimaginable loss. My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered, McLaughlin, 44, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, April 19.

Stirling was reportedly fatally shot by police during a routine traffic stop on Thursday, April 17, according to TMZ. He was allegedly uncooperative after being pulled over by officers while riding his motorcycle along the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach, California.

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McLaughlin acknowledged in her memorial statement that Stirlings death was doubly tragic for her because she lost her mother, Judy Stirling, at age 76 in October 2024.

Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Eurocar

I know theyre both with Jesus now, and Hes walking with me through this darkness. One step at a time, McLaughlin added via Instagram. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us.

McLaughlin previously released a short statement following her brother's death in which she said her family was devastated by the loss.

We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and the community. We kindly ask for privacy as we mourn, she concluded.

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A Guide to Lydia McLaughlins Family: Her Parents, Brothers, Husband and Media Magnate Grandfather

The Newport Beach Police Dept subsequently offered preliminary details about the shooting incident via Instagram on Friday, April 18.

On April 17, 2025, at approximately 9:15 p.m., a Newport Beach Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a motorcycle on West Coast Highway between Superior Avenue and Hoag Hospital. The rider, identified as Geoffrey Shyam Stirling, a 45-year-old resident of Laguna Niguel, was stopped for a traffic violation, the post read.

The police statement continued, Shortly after being stopped, Stirling became uncooperative and assaulted the officer. During the ensuing violent altercation, Stirling managed to remove the department-issued taser from the officers duty belt and attempted to deploy it multiple times against the officer. At that point, an officer-involved shooting occurred.

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Real Housewives Tragedies: The Saddest and Most Shocking Deaths

McLaughlins former RHOC costar Vicki Gunvalson was among those to publicly reach out via Instagram.

Lydia  I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your brother! Gunvalson, 63, wrote. My heart hurts for you and your family. Peace be with you.

Earlier this month, McLaughlin marked the six-month anniversary of her mother Judys death from breast cancer with a poignant social media tribute.

RHOCs Lydia McLaughlin Holds Glitter-Filled Celebration of Life for Late Mom Judy Stirling

I have gone to a beautiful group called Grief Share which has helped me in my healing and processing my grief. Its a nationwide group if anyone needs support, I recommend them, she wrote via Instagram on April 8. Grief can make you better or bitter. I am putting in my whole heart to turn my sorrow into thanksgiving, for having the privilege to have such a beautiful mom. She will always be my hero, and my favorite.

McLaughlin originally joined The Real Housewives of Orange County in season 8 as a friend of cast member Alexis Bellino, but left after a single season. She made an unexpected return to the Bravo reality shows 12th season in 2017, before once again departing after one year.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Riverside Drive is closed this weekend as several events are taking place downtown due to the holiday.

The Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival is happening at Robert R. Church Park on Saturday, and about an hour ago, the Sing It, Memphis event started at Tom Lee Park.

Starting Monday, Tom Lee Park will be closed to the public to prepare for the Riverbeat Music Fest and the SmokeSlam barbecue festival. That closure ends May 23.

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Safety is always a concern and priority in Downtown Memphis, especially since the tragedy that happened last weekend, when a 17-year-old was shot and killed near Tom Lee Park.

WREG spoke to Memphis Mayor Paul Young this week about the importance of safety at Downtown events.

Local non-profit hosts massive Easter egg hunt on Mud Island

Their responsibility as event organizers, as a part of the permit that they pull, is to have security available. Were going to continue to look at our process and make sure that we are holding event organizers accountable for ensuring that what they signed up to bring in place actually happens on those days, said Mayor Paul Young.

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Organizers say they plan to keep the community safe this weekend, and some attendees are taking precautions to protect themselves.

So yeah, that shooting sucked because I was kind of scared to come out here. But, stuff like this reminds you, not all of Memphis is bad, so why not come out and give it another try? said Latrisha, an attendee.

Things like that happen all around the world, all in the United States, and that prevents a lot of us from coming out to really nice events like this. But, I say, dont let that deter you from coming out, having a good time with good people, said Douglas Thomas, another attendee.

 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

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Art Davis, the Acting CEO of Memphis River Parks Partnership, released a statement saying,

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Creating beautiful, welcoming, and safe public spaces is at the heart of our mission, We want every Memphian and visitor to feel a sense of belonging and peace when they come to their riverfront. Our Ranger team is on the ground every day, and we are continuously reviewing and strengthening our safety practices in response to the evolving needs of our community. We know safety is a shared responsibility. The police cant do it alone, and neither can we. It takes coordination, accountability, and a community-wide commitment, and were proud to play our part every day.

The organization says Sing It Memphis is a free community event that will happen monthly.

Honestly, Tom Lee Park is a beautiful space and really its because of a namesake for Tom Lee and we really want to encourage people with his story and his selflessness and generosity and have that as the parks values, so were really excited to bring the community together, said Jasmine Coleman, Memphis River Parks Partnership, Director of Programming and Engagement.

Douglas Thomas, who was in town visiting his daughter, says its important for the City of Memphis to come together for events like this.

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Come out, support your people, and come out for the right reasons, to have a good time. You know, build your community, you know, and its a good way to network with others, Thomas said.

Sing It Memphis will happen from now through December. The next event will be Saturday, May 24, and the theme is Motown Magic.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
MOSCOW, Id. (WSAV)  A judge says testimony from one of the surviving roommates in the University of Idaho murders will be allowed during trial.

Ada County Judge Steven Hippler made the decision during Fridays hearing to determine what evidence could be used during the trial of suspect Bryan Kohberger.

The ruling allows the roommates description of the intruder as having bushy eyebrows to be presented at trial. The judge noted that the description was highly relevant because the roommate is the only person who saw the intruder. He also shared the decision was made due to the roommates consistent story across five interviews and the Grand Jury testimony.

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Judge Hippler also ruled on two pieces of physical evidence Friday, which included a 3D model of the victims off-campus 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 WSAV-TV.
Editors note: The video aired in a previous newscast.

NEW YORK (PIX11)  Rosie, the turkey, is still looking for love. She was spotted on Manhattans Upper East Side on Saturday afternoon.

The turkey was seen on a residents balcony and then flew to another building. A video on the Citizen App shows.

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The bird caught the citys attention in May 2024 and had been living on Roosevelt Island. Rosie was spotted earlier this week in Manhattan, hanging out in trees and on building ledges.

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Experts believe she is searching for a mate and will likely return to the comfort of Roosevelt Island, where she was initially spotted.

Wild turkeys are one of the many native species that call our city home. If you spot a wild turkey, dont be intimidated  just keep your distance and observe respectfully, a spokesperson from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation said.

The parks department advises that New Yorkers not feed turkeys, observe them from a distance, and call 311 or a professional to handle and remove wild turkeys from private property.

This story comprises reporting from PIX11 News reporter Greg Mocker.

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Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Russia has attacked Ukraine despite the ongoing and agreed-upon Easter truce, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday.

As of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, Zelensky said in a post on X.

Zelensky noted that in various regions, Russian forces conducted artillery strikes and his forces had to ward off many assaults by Russian troops, including drones.

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Most attacks, using heavy weaponry, were carried out in the Pkrovsk and Siversk directions and along the frontline, Zelensky said.

His post comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an Eastern truce, directing his military to temporarily pause fighting until Sunday evening.

Putin announced the brief ceasefire on Saturday during a meeting with the chief of general staff of the Russian Armed Forces. He said the fighting would be stopped and guided by humanitarian considerations, and Russia expected Ukraine to follow our example.

Hours after the ceasefire announcement, Putin attended an Easter service on Saturday evening at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

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Putin still readied his troops to repel possible violations of the ceasefire.

Zelensky argued that Putin was playing with human lives.

In his posts online on Sunday, Zelensky said Ukraine is documenting every attack from Russia to show how it has broken the truce. He also declared Ukraine would be conducting a symmetrical approach to Russias actions.

We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners, he said.

The Ukrainian leader said the 30-day ceasefire remains on the table and argued that Putin is the real cause of the aggression, since some areas were quieter once the Easter ceasefire was announced, The Associated Press reported.

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Zelensky accused Putin of either not having control over his army, or the Sunday attacks show Russia has no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war.

He called on Russia and Putin to give diplomacy a real chance.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ukraine accused Russia of breaching the Easter truce that was announced without prior warning by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Putin of only being interested in PR.

In a surprise move on Saturday, Putin said he had ordered his forces to stop all military activity from 6 p.m. Moscow time that day (11 a.m. ET) until midnight Sunday into Monday (5 p.m. Sunday ET).

Ukrainian officials urged Russia to extend the truce. However, the expiration time came with no mention of an extension from Russia.

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Earlier on Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had not given a command to extend the brief Easter ceasefire beyond the previously announced timeframe, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

Ukrainian leaders said that while there was some slowdown in fighting overnight, the number of attacks conducted by Russia began to rise again as Sunday wore on. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense accused Ukraine of breaching the ceasefire.

Putins announcement was met with immediate skepticism from Ukraine, although Kyiv agreed to the 30-hour truce; there have been no pauses in fighting since Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Questions were raised over Putins motives in calling the brief halt to hostilities, which came just after the Trump administration threatened to abandon peace efforts without tangible signs of progress. Russia has previously rejected a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that was agreed to by Ukraine.

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On Sunday, Trump said that hopefully Russia and Ukraine would strike an agreement. He didnt specify what type of deal might be made between the two warring nations.

Russia is the only source of the war

Putins truce came just hours after the Russian military announced that it had pushed Ukraines troops out of one of their last remaining footholds in the southern Russian region of Kursk.

Zelensky said Ukraines military had recorded an increase in Russian shelling and the use of drones since 10 a.m. local time Sunday (3 a.m. ET).

In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage, he said.

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This Easter proved unequivocally that Russia is the only source of the war and the reason for its prolongation. We are ready to move towards peace and a full, unconditional and fair ceasefire that can last at least 30 days, but Russia has not yet responded to this, Zelensky added later.

Ukraines 66th mechanized brigade, which is currently positioned near Lyman in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region, said it believed Russia was using the ceasefire to set up roads for heavy military equipment in the area. The brigade said that a blown-up piece of equipment that had been blocking an important river crossing since early April was cleared on Sunday, as Russian troops took advantage of the pause in firing.

People walk through a residential neighbourhood that has been heavily damaged by air attacks in Kostyantynivka, in the eastern Donetsk region, on April 20, 2025. - Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images

Earlier on Sunday, the Ukrainian leader said that while there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russia overnight, the Russian army was attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.

However, by mid-afternoon, Zelensky cited a report from Ukraines Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi, who said the use of heavy weapons by Russian troops was increasing.

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Between the beginning of the day and 4 p.m., a total of 46 Russian assault actions in various directions and 901 attacks took place, and of this number, 448 were made with heavy weapons. More than four hundred uses of (drones) by Russians have already been recorded, Zelensky said.

In Russias Kursk region  the scene of a shock Ukrainian incursion last year  Moscows forces conducted artillery strikes and used drones, he added.

Everywhere our warriors are responding as the enemy deserves, based on the specific combat situation. Ukraine will continue to act symmetrically, Zelensky said.

Ukrainian troops deployed in the Sumy region told CNN that Russian units did not stop advancing during the ceasefire there. Troops deployed in Pokrovsk and near Kupiansk told CNN that Russian forces appeared to use the ceasefire to build up their presence.

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For its part, Russias defense ministry said Sunday that its forces had been strictly observing the ceasefire since 6 p.m. on Saturday evening, and accused Ukraine of violating the pause in fighting over 1,000 times.

The ministry said that Ukrainian units had shot at Russian positions 444 times during the night, carried out over 900 drone attacks and used 48 plane-type UAVs.

As a result, there were deaths and injuries among the civilian population and damage to civilian objects, a statement from the ministry claimed.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also accused Ukraine of using US-supplied HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems to carry out strikes on Russia.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a news conference in Kyiv on April 17, 2025. - Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty Images

The Ukrainian leader has called for the ceasefire to be extended to 30 days, in line with a US-led proposal last month that Russia rejected. On Sunday morning, he reiterated that the proposal still stands, despite the accusations of repeated violations.

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Ukraine proposed a stoppage on any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days, Zelensky said. If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war, he added.

Ukraines Armed Forces have stated that they will comply with orders to limit fire on Russias army, but would not show restraint if fired on first.

A commander on the ground warned Sunday: Yesterday we were told to limit fire against the Russians. If they dont assault or provoke us, we dont fire. If they move or fire at us, we can answer.

Putin said the ceasefire was on humanitarian grounds but added that his troops would respond to any provocations.

CNNs Catherine Nicholls contributed reporting.

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Russian forces used the Easter truce as a cover to improve front-line positions, according to Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraines Khartiia Brigade warned Russia was using the ceasefire to increase personnel in Kharkiv, while a separate Ukrainian army unit said the Russians on Sunday were preparing routes for the passage of heavy equipment across the Black Stallion River in Luhansk.

The 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade added that Russian troops had launched drone strikes against its positions, and that Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance had spotted machine guns being moved towards the front line.

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Vladimir Putin ordered the 30-hour temporary truce on Saturday, in what would have been the most significant pause in the fighting throughout the three-year conflict.

The Russian dictator said his forces would stop all military activity between 6pm Moscow time and midnight on Sunday. Kyiv also agreed to adhere.

Ukrainian aerial surveillance spotted Russian machine guns advancing towards the front line despite the Easter truce - 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade/Facebook

Analysts warned the Russian president was attempting to score an easy diplomatic victory with Washington by positioning himself as a leader who wants peace after Donald Trump threatened to walk away from negotiations.

Within hours, both sides had accused each other of breaking the ceasefire.

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Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, wrote on on social media: The Russian army has violated Putins ceasefire more than 2,000 times.

But he added that there had been no air raid alerts today and proposed to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days.

Ukraines president has said the offer to extend the 30-day pause remains on the table as Russia breaks the Easter truce - Global Images Ukraine

The Ukrainian president also reiterated Ukraines offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting at midnight on Sunday.

He said the proposal remains on the table and added: We will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground.

Britain urged Putin to use the Easter truce to commit to a full ceasefire. A Foreign Office spokesman said: We have seen the Ukrainian accounts of ceasefire violations, including the killing and wounding of more innocent Ukrainians during this so-called ceasefire.

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As ever, we see no evidence that President Putin is seriously preparing for peace. This ceasefire stunt fits the pattern of previous fake ceasefires. Putin should commit to a full ceasefire as the Ukrainian government has called for  not a one day stunt over Easter.

The US said on Sunday it remained committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire and said it would welcome an extension beyond Easter.

We have seen president Putins announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire, a State Department spokesman said in a statement.

As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday.

Russias defence ministry has claimed that Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire more than 1,000 times - Getty Images Europe

However, Dmitry Peskov, Putins spokesman, said on Sunday that the Russian president had not ordered an extension of the truce.

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Russias defence ministry, meanwhile, claimed that Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire more than 1,000 times.

Overnight, it said, Ukraine 444 times shelled ... the positions of our troops and carried out 900 strikes with drones.

These attacks left civilians dead and wounded, the ministry said, without giving details. It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the ceasefire.

When he announced the ceasefire, Putin offered no details on how it would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

04:59 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thank you for following our live coverage. The blog is now closed.

04:54 PM BST

Putin has not ordered to extend ceasefire

Russian media is reporting that Vladimir Putin has not ordered an extension of the 30-hour Easter truce.

04:09 PM BST

Putins words about a ceasefire have proven empty, says Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Vladimir Putins words about a ceasefire have proven empty.

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Ukraines president has shared another report from commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, which notes that the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues.

From the start of today, the report says there have been a total of 46 Russian assaults across various directions and 901 instances of shelling, 448 of which involved heavy weaponry.

03:39 PM BST

Russia: Ukraine broke ceasefire a thousand times

Russia said Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire more than a thousand times.

The Russian defence ministry said that Ukrainian forces had shot at Russian positions 444 times while it had counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks.

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The comments came hours after Volodymyr Zelensky also accused Russia of breaking the truce.

03:23 PM BST

In pictures

Ukrainian FPV-drone operators from the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade fighting at the frontline near Kostyantynivka - PRESS SERVICE OF THE 93RD SEPARATE MECHANIZED BRIGADE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Military chaplains conduct the Easter service for service members of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade near the front line - REUTERS/Anatolii Stepanov

A visitor stands beside graves decorated with Ukrainian flags at the Lychakiv Military Cemetery on Easter Sunday in Lviv - YURIY DYACHYSHYN / AFP) (Photo by YURIY DYACHYSHYN/AFP via Getty Images

02:56 PM BST

Russian forces target Ukrainian volunteer evacuating civilians

Russian forces targetted a Ukrainian volunteers vehicle with three drones while he was evacuating civilians in Donetsk Oblast during the Easter ceasefire, according to an interview with Ukrainska Pravda.

Volunteer Yevhen Tkachov said he was evacuating civilians from the village of Zoria, located to the south of Kramatorsk, when they were targeted by the first drone some 50 meters from the Donetsk Highway.

I turned on the emergency lights, got out of the car, and started waving my arms to show that I was a civilian, Mr Tkachov said.

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Despite that, the drone struck just half a metre from my car. I motioned for the two cars behind me to go ahead, but I couldnt drive myself any more because my car wouldnt start.

01:52 PM BST

Watch: Easter egg delivery via drone to frontline troops in Ukraine

Credit: Scopal

01:46 PM BST

RAF intercepts two Russian aircraft flying close to Nato airspace

The British Ministry of Defence said that its fighter jets intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to Nato airspace in the past week.

Two RAF Typhoons were scrambled from Malbork Air Base in Poland on April 15 to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M Coot-A intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

On April 17 another two Typhoons scrambled from the base, to intercept an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space and close to Nato airspace.

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The intercepts mark the RAFs first scramble as part of Operation Chessman and come just weeks after the aircraft arrived in eastern Poland to begin their deployment alongside Sweden in defence of Natos Eastern Flank, the Ministry of Defence said.

The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to Nato. With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change, said Luke Pollard, minister for the Armed Forces.



01:30 PM BST

Pope Francis calls for peace in Ukraine during Easter message

Pope Francis stands at the main balcony of St. Peters basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations - TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

Pope Francis has called for peace in Ukraine in his Easter message.

Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter! Pope Francis began. An aide then read the rest of his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing and speech, which called for an end to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

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May the risen Christ grant Ukraine, devastated by war, his Easter gift of peace, and encourage all parties involved to pursue efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace, the message said.

It was the pontiffs first significant public appearance since he left hospital, where he was treated for double pneumonia.

12:44 PM BST

Zelensky: Putin may not control his own army

Volodymyr Zelenksy has said that Vladimir Putin either does not fully control his army or that the Easter truce was a PR stunt, as he accused Russia of stepping up attacks.

The Ukrainian president said that Russia had launched dozens of assaults from midnight up until midday local time, despite Putin ordering a 30-hour temporary truce on Saturday.

Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage, Mr Zelensky said.

12:09 PM BST

Ukraine demands Fox News apology over broadcast error

Screengrab from Sky News broadcast

Ukraines foreign ministry has demanded an apology from Fox News after the US television network incorrectly labelled Kyiv as a Russian city during a broadcast.

The broadcast featured live streams of Ukraines Easter service from St. Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv and a service in Moscow attended by Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian service was correctly captioned as being in Kyiv, Ukraine initially, but then was changed to Kyiv, Russia, before being corrected around 20 minutes later.

If this was a mistake rather than a deliberate political statement, there should be an apology and an investigation into who made the mistake, a spokesperson for Ukraines foreign ministry said.

11:59 AM BST

Ukraine may need to import 6.3 bcm of gas for next winter as reserves hit record low

Ukraine may need to import up to 6.3 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas for the 2025/26 winter season as reserves have fallen to a record low due to war-related damage to some facilities, the former head of its gas transit operator said on Sunday.

Ukraine has been forced to ramp up gas withdrawals from storage and increase imports this winter and spring after Russian missile attacks damaged production facilities in the east of the country, Serhiy Makogon said on Telegram.

Quoting data, he said that the storage level was the lowest ever and said the country would need to collect at least 12.8 bcm of gas in reserve, including 4.6 bcm of process - or buffer - gas that is needed to ensure sufficient pressure in storage facilities.

11:40 AM BST

Zelensky says Russia has stepped up attacks despite ceasefire

Russia has stepped up its attacks on Sunday morning despite the Easter ceasefire it declared, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Mr Zelensky wrote that Russia had launched 26 assaults from midnight up until midday local time (0900 GMT).

11:03 AM BST

Britain tells Putin to commit to full ceasefire

Britain has told Russian president Vladimir Putin to commit to a full ceasefire, as both Ukraine and the Kremlin accuse each other of breaking the Easter truce.

Now is the moment for Putin to truly show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion and committing to a full ceasefire as the Ukrainian government has called for - not just a one day pause for Easter, a spokesperson from the FCDO said.

Because we have seen before how the Kremlin has targeted Ukrainian cities during observance of religious holidays such as when they killed several dozen civilians in Sumy on Palm Sunday, and nine children in Kryvyi Rih on 4 April.



10:51 AM BST

Watch: Vladimir Putin attends Orthodox Easter service

Credit: Channel One (Russia)

10:50 AM BST

Russia repelled Ukraine attacks overnight amid truce, says Kremlin

Russia said that its forces had retaliated after Ukraine attempted attacks overnight despite an Easter truce announced by Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The defence ministry said in a briefing that despite the announcement of the Easter truce, Ukrainian units at night made attempts to attack Russian positions in the areas of Sukhaya Balka and Bogatyr in the Donetsk Peoples Republic, which were repelled, referring to villages in the Russian-held part of the eastern Donetsk region.

10:49 AM BST

Russia says Ukraine broke Easter ceasefire over a thousand times

Russias defence ministry said that Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire more than a thousand times, Russian news agencies reported.

The ministry said that Ukrainian forces had shot at Russian positions 444 times while it had counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks, Interfax said.

It was not possible to immediately verify battlefield reports.

09:57 AM BST

Several explosions reported in Russian-controlled Donetsk

Several blasts ripped through Russian-controlled Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday amid an Easter ceasefire declared by the Kremlin, Russian news agency reported.

The TASS state news agency, citing local operative services, said at least three blasts were heard in the city, which has been under Russias control since 2014.

The RIA news agency also said that at least three explosions were heard in the city after 09:00 (0600 GMT), citing its reporter in the area.

09:45 AM BST

In pictures

A medic gives first aid to an electrician who was injured by a guided aerial bomb while repairing energy equipment in Kostyantynivka - Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine's 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP

Russian soldiers attend a religion service on eve of Orthodox Easter in Ukraine - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

Ukrainian soldiers check parts of a Russian FPV drone that hit a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region yesterday - ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images

09:41 AM BST

Clashes continue in Pokrovsky, Kupyansky, and Toretsky

Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for Ukraines Khortytsia troops, said clashes are ongoing and that the situation remains tense.

The situation here remains tense. Clashes remain in a number of directions: in Pokrovsky, Kupyansky, and Toretsky. Therefore, we cannot yet say that the situation has changed in any way, Mr Trygubov said.

This is not the first or 101st ceasefire announcement by Russia, which they have never adhered to. Let me remind you that during the ATO/JFO, we also had a constant ceasefire. The fire stopped with breaks of about thirty seconds each time. Lets be honest, we dont watch, we dont observe, we are not interested in observing the statements of Russian politicians, he added.



09:30 AM BST

Putin attends Orthodox Easter service

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin attended an Easter service led by the head of Russias Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, a faithful backer of the Russian leader and an advocate for the war in Ukraine, on Sunday.

Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill congratulate each other after an Orthodox Easter service at the Christ the Savior Cathedral - Oleg Varov/Russian Orthodox Church Press Service via AP

Russian military cadets attend the Orthodox Easter service - Sergey Vlasov/Russian Orthodox Church Press Service via AP

Hours after declaring a unilateral Easter ceasefire  that Kyiv said Russia had already broken  Putin stood in Moscows main church, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, while Kirill led a procession, video of the service showed.

Holding a lit thin red candle and donning a dark suit, white shirt and a red tie as in years past, the Russian leader crossed himself several times at the words Christ is risen.

09:23 AM BST

Zelensky accuses Russia of breaking Easter truce

Russia fired 290 drones and launched 19 assaults at Ukraine during the first six hours of a surprise Easter truce, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Vladimir Putin ordered the 30-hour temporary truce on Saturday, in what would be the most significant pause in the fighting throughout the three-year conflict.

The Russian president said his forces would stop all military activity between 18.00 Moscow time and midnight on Sunday. Kyiv also agreed to adhere.

But on Sunday Mr Zelensky accused Russia of only creating an impression of a ceasefire, saying Russian forces were continuing their shelling and assaults along the front line.

Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and five assaults by Russian units, said Mr Zelensky.

He said that in the six hours up to midnight Saturday, there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces, with drones used by Russians 290 times.

Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, he added.

09:16 AM BST

Evil may have its hour but God will have his day, says Zelensky in Easter message

Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Ukrainians on Easter Sunday not to give up hope that peace will return to their country and to persevere to overcome the difficult path of war on which they have been travelling for 1,152 days.

Because this faith is in each other, said Mr Zelensky. In those who stand next to you. In Ukrainian men, in Ukrainian women. Faith that evil may have its hour but God will have his day.

Credit: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service

Vladimir Putin announced a surprise 30-hour ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter, which Mr Zelensky has accused the Russian army of breaking.

We know what we are defending. We know what we are fighting for. For whom and for whose sake, Mr Zelensky said.

The day of life will come. The day of peace. The day of Ukraine. A day that lasts a century. And we will be able to gather together again. At one table. On a peaceful Easter, he added.

09:13 AM BST

Welcome to our live blog

Good morning and welcome to our live blog. We will be bringing you updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict throughout the day.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said on Sunday that Ukraine had broken the Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin more than a thousand times, inflicting damages to infrastructure and causing civilian deaths.

The ministry said that Ukrainian forces had shot at Russian positions 444 times while it had counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks.

It said the border districts of the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions have been attacked.

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"As a result, there were deaths and injuries among the civilian population, as well as damage to civilian objects," it said in a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports.

The defence ministry also said that the Russian military had gained control of Novomikhailivka in eastern Ukraine before the declaration of ceasefire.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it would welcome the extension beyond Sunday of a one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin even as the Kremlin said earlier there was no order for an extension.

Both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaking the ceasefire. Putin announced a one-day ceasefire in Ukraine until midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT) on Sunday.

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KEY QUOTES

"We have seen President Putin's announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Sunday.

"As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday."

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of the escalation risk of the three-year-old war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor and said he wants to end the war. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday Washington will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress soon.

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After the U.S. and Ukraine reached a memo of understanding on Thursday, Trump said he expected to sign a minerals deal with Kyiv in a week. An attempt in February fell apart following Zelenskiy's Oval Office clash with Trump.

CONTEXT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia was pretending to observe the Easter ceasefire, but had in fact continued hundreds of artillery attacks on Saturday night, with more assaults on Sunday. Russia's Defence Ministry said Ukraine had broken the ceasefire, inflicting damage to infrastructure and civilians.

Putin has said he wants Ukraine to drop its NATO ambitions, permanently cede to Russia the four regions it has lost and limit the size of its army. Kyiv says those demands are tantamount to demanding its capitulation.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Mary Milliken and Cynthia Osterman)
Mercenaries who fought for Wagner Group in Ukraine are among those at the top of the list of requests from the Kremlin in prisoner swaps, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on April 20.

Speaking on national television, HUR spokesperson Andrii Yusov was asked about Moscow's priorities during negotiations for who is included in the semi-regular exchanges.

"Who do they want to see first? Well, there are various lists. We can mention that since when the Wagner Group was actively operating, they have indeed been working hard on their return," he said.

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"Also, certain representatives from specific regions and services are very eager to get their people back," he added without elaborating.

Wagner units were key to Russia's seizure of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast in May 2023. Estimates suggest that nearly 20,000 mercenaries, many of whom were former convicts recruited from Russian prisoners in late 2022, died in the battle for the city.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the then-leader of Wagner, died in a mysterious plane crash in Russia on Aug. 23, 2023. The crash came two months after Prigozhin led Wagner troops in a short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin.

Wagner units were then reportedly incorporated into official Russian military structures, such as Rosgvardia. The Chechen Akhmat unit claimed in October 2023 that a "massive" number of Wagner mercenaries had joined its ranks.

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Yusov's comments come a day after Ukraine brought home another 277 soldiers in a major prisoner exchange with Russia ahead of the Easter holiday.

The latest swap was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

"I thank everyone who made this return of our people possible," Zelensky said. "I am especially grateful to the United Arab Emirates for their mediation."

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs), 246 Ukrainian service members were released as part of the exchange with Russia. Another 31 were released outside of the exchange.

Read also: More traitors in Russia  Ukrainian intel officer shares secrets of recent deep-strike drone successes

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russias Defence Ministry has claimed that its troops have been strictly adhering to the ceasefire regime since 18:00 on 19 April, remaining at previously held lines and positions, while accusing Ukrainian forces of launching attacks using mortars and drones.

Source: Russian Ministry of Defence

Details: The ministry alleged that Ukraine launched 48 fixed-wing UAVs overnight targeting Russian regions and occupied Crimea.

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It also claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out 444 mortar attacks and "conducted 900 drone strikes using quadcopters and dropped various munitions".

Why this matters: Ukrainian forces have not declared a ceasefire but have said they would mirror Russias actions if such a regime were genuinely upheld.

Notably, frontline reports from 10:00 on 20 April indicated an uptick in Russian attacks, including a significant rise in the use of FPV kamikaze drones by Russian troops.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 21 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

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DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported on the evening of 20 April that Russian forces have occupied the village of Katerynivka on the Lyman front.

Source: DeepState

Quote: "The enemy has occupied Katerynivka and also advanced near the settlements of Nov and Preobrazhenka and in Sykha Balka."

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine did the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would mirror any Russian ceasefire. He also offered to extend the truce beyond 20 April if a complete silence of arms truly prevails.

Ukrainian defenders on most fronts have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by the Russians, according to data from DeepState.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russias declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes had already occurred along the front line, 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front.

The 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after Prince Mstyslav the Brave reported that on the Lyman front, the Russians were using the so-called Easter truce as a cover to prepare routes for the movement of heavy military equipment.

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Russian forces during the so-called Easter ceasefire targeted a Ukrainian volunteer's vehicle with three (first person-view) FPV drones while he was evacuating civilians in Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainska Pravda reported on April 20.

Volunteer Yevhen Tkachov was evacuating civilians from the village of Zoria, located to the south of Kramatorsk, when they were targeted by the first drone some 50 meters from the Donetsk Highway.

"I turned on the emergency lights, got out of the car, and started waving my arms to show that I was a civilian," Tkachov told Ukrainska Pravda.

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"Despite that, the drone struck just half a meter from my car. I motioned for the two cars behind me to go ahead, but I couldnt drive myself anymore because my car wouldn't start (after being damaged by the drone strike)."

Tkachov and two civilians who had been in the vehicle with him reportedly took cover in nearby bushes as a second FPV drone circled overhead and struck just meters away, leaving one of the civilians wounded by shrapnel.

A third drone then destroyed their car before they were rescued by a chaplain.

0:00

/

1

Russia's Easter ceasefire was supposed to come into effect at 6 pm on April 19 and last until midnight on April 21, with Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming it would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks."

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Since then, multiple ceasefire violations have been reported across the front line, while at least one person was killed and four others injured in Kherson Oblast.

"We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners," Zelensky said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on April 20.

"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage."

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
On the Lyman front, Russian forces are reportedly using the so-called Easter truce as a cover to prepare routes for the movement of heavy military equipment.

Source: 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after Prince Mstyslav the Brave, currently operating on the Lyman front

 9   , : 66 

The system for temporary road-laying installation destroyed on 9 April.

Photo: 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade

Quote: "The enemy is preparing routes for the passage of heavy equipment, taking advantage of the so-called 'Easter truce'!

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On 9 April, soldiers of the 66th Brigade destroyed a system for temporary road-laying installation based on a KAMAZ truck. The destroyed system blocked the crossing over the Chornyi Zherebets River, preventing Russian armoured vehicles from launching assault operations.

   ,  66 

Russians trying to arrange the route.

Photo: 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade

Today, 20 April, Russian troops are attempting to clear the area of wreckage. They have deployed more than ten personnel and a specialised vehicle for the task."

Details: The brigade also reported increased infantry assaults on the positions of one of its battalions.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Zelenskyy said that there has been an increase in Russian attacks and the use of kamikaze drones in the combat zone since 10:00 on 20 April. Russian forces have doubled its use of FPV drones.

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Since the so-called 30-hour "Easter truce" declared by Russia came into effect, Russian forces have carried out three consecutive strikes using FPV drones near the car of Ukrainian volunteer Yevhen Tkachov, who was evacuating civilians from the village of Zoria in Donetsk Oblast. Zoria is located south of the city of Kostiantynivka, along the Donetsk highway.

Source: Tkachov in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Quote: "Taking advantage of the Easter truce, I was trying to evacuate elderly people from frontline Zoria and escort two families from the same settlement who were leaving in their own cars. I drove first, followed by two cars. We had white ribbons [a sign that civilians are in the vehicle  ed.]. About 50 metres before reaching the Donetsk highway, I spotted a drone, turned on my hazard lights, got out of the car and started waving my arms to show that I was a civilian. Despite this, the drone struck just half a metre from my car. I signalled to the two cars behind me to drive past, but I could no longer move  the car wouldnt start [the blast also shredded the tyres  ed.]. The two civilians in my car and I moved into the bushes.

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Then a second FPV arrived, circled us several times and struck just a few metres from the people! One woman sustained shrapnel injuries to her buttock.

We called [the police, some contacts  ed.], asked for help, but no one came. Then I saw the third FPV finish off the car.

We were saved by the heroic chaplain Oleksandr Reshetnyk, with whom I was imprisoned in Sloviansk in 2014. By the way, the car destroyed by the Russians today had also been with me in captivity in 2014. It was my wifes car."

Details: The wounded civilian woman and the fortunately uninjured man were handed over to medics by Yevhen Tkachov.

" ":         https://t.co/IGEAuYqvtU pic.twitter.com/keU2m7UB9H     (@ukrpravda_news) April 20, 2025

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced a so-called Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Police Department is investigating a murder that stemmed from a shooting incident Saturday afternoon.

 Video Above: Most commonly reported crimes in the U.S.

Around 1:30 p.m., SPD responded to the 900 Block of Arden Way for an incomplete call to 911. When officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman with a fatal gunshot wound.

Rescue underway at Northern California Amazon warehouse, woman trapped in machinery

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The circumstances behind the incident are unclear.

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
SALEM, Ohio (WKBN)  Inside downtown Salems Courtyard Square is a local shop that recently celebrated a milestone.

Salty Mamas Snacking Boards has been open in Salem for a year, but it has been in business for a couple of years. They specialize in small treats, catering and charcuterie boards.

The shop says local business support continues to be important in the community.

If we help each other out, we grow together. Once you have great customers, you take care of them and they start spreading the word. Youre going upwards. Its a good feeling, said Calvin Marshall, co-owner of Salty Mamas.

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Customers can find sweet and salty treats at Salty Mamas. The shop also has gluten-free options 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 WKBN.com.
El Salvador's top Catholic leader on Sunday urged President Nayib Bukele not to turn the country into a Guantanamo-style U.S. prison, after Bukele made a deal with Washington to house deported migrants from the United States in a notorious jail.

"We ask that our authorities not allow our country to become a big international prison," Jose Luis Escobar, the archbishop of San Salvador, told reporters on Easter Sunday.

Bukele's visit Monday to the White House confirmed his growing alliance with like-minded President Trump.

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The Salvadoran leader has agreed to imprison hundreds of migrants, many of them Venezuelans, expelled by the United States. They are being held in an enormous mega-prison where rights groups have decried conditions as inhumane.

Escobar mentioned recent opinion articles warning that "El Salvador could become a new Guantanamo"  the sprawling Cuban territory leased by the United States to serve as a naval base.

In recent decades it has seen use by Washington as a prison for detainees accused of terrorism but held without trial and for expelled migrants. Several of those expelled to El Salvador were first jailed in Guantanamo.

While the Trump administration has highlighted transfers of dangerous criminals and suspected gang members to Guantanamo Bay, it is also sending nonviolent, "low-risk" migrant detainees who lack serious criminal records or any at all, according to two U.S. officials and internal government documents. Last week, CBS News obtained a government memo showing the Trump administration created broad rules outlining which migrants can be held at Guantanamo Bay, allowing officials to send non-criminal detainees there despite a vow to hold "the worst" offenders at the naval base.

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Bukele has said he is eager to help with Mr. Trump's effort to drastically reduce the number of undocumented migrants in the United States. But Escobar warned that El Salvador "could become a prison where the United States could send prisoners at a lower cost than what they spend in Guantanamo."

"We ask the government not to allow it," he added.

One of the migrants being held in El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia  a 29-year-old Salvadoran national who lived in Maryland and is married to a U.S. citizen  was sent last month to its notorious CECOT prison, although the administration later admitted in court that Abrego Garcia was mistakenly among those deported.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said on CBS News' "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday that El Salvador "tried really hard" to prevent him from seeing Abrego Garcia when he went to El Salvador, before the government reversed course late last week.

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Van Hollen previously noted at a news conferences in El Salvador that the government was "violating international law by not allowing anyone to reach him," adding that "they realized that was a bad look."

The deportations came as Mr. Trump invoked the little-known Alien Enemies Act of 1798, previously used only in times of war, as he moves to expel people he alleges are mostly violent criminals.

Families and lawyers of many of those expelled under the crackdown dispute that characterization, with some saying their family members were targeted largely on the basis of their tattoos.

The Trump administration's is facing ongoing legal challenges, with the Supreme Court on Saturday temporarily blocking the deportations of any Venezuelans held in northern Texas. Federal judges in Colorado, New York and southern Texas have also issued orders barring the removal of detainees under the Alien Enemies Act until the administration provides a process for them to make claims in court.

Inside the monarch butterfly migration mystery: flying to Mexico from Canada, the U.S.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Premium Sale was held on April 19.

The Vice President of the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Association Jimmy Barton, sat down with KSAN-TV Senora Scott to talk about the premium sale that went on.

Barton explained that Livestock Show is in February, the kids come then and show their animal there and get awarded prize money a few days later after the auctions. Barton explained the kids use the prize money to either save for college or buy another animal for next year.

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Barton told Scott that after COVID-19 the premium show moved into the Spur Arena to social distance. Scott brought up that the Spur Arena looked pretty full and Barton explained that they have grown recently which is nice.

Premium Sale Chair Raleigh Little also talked with KLST-TVs Caroyln Mcenrue to talk about the preium sale as well.

Little told McEnrue that there were 15,700 stock show entries this year.

She showed her gratitude for everyone involved.

We are so blessed by all the individuals and business in our community that support this and what those exhibitors do and the hard work they put into it, said Little.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC NEWS NOW)  A severe thunderstorm rolled through Western Maryland on Saturday night, as high winds took out power and downed trees. Thousands could be waking up on Easter Sunday to storm damage.

Woman jumps out of car to escape kidnapper in Bethesda; man arrested

Hurricane-force wind gusts were recorded at Hagerstown Regional Airport, reaching 75 miles per hour around 10 p.m. Meanwhile, Hagerstown Fire Department battled a housefire on Bethel Street, as tens of thousands in the region lost power.

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As of 7:20 a.m., First Energy Corp. reported that about 24,000 Maryland customers were without power, and about 30,000 customers in West Virginia also without power.

Washington County officials are asking the public to call the non-emergency number to report downed trees and impassible roads, at 240-313-4345. The county is asking the public not to call if a road is passable for one vehicle.

The Hagerstown Town Light Department posted on Facebook about the extent of the damage:

Multiple circuits have been restored to service and a few remain out pending repairs. Individual electric services are being scouted and added to the work schedule. Repairs are lengthy, with many of them requiring hours of tree removal before repairs can begin. Please report downed electric utility facilities to the HLD by calling 301-790-2600.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
It was in March 2024 that the sudden death of well-known chef Max Hardy stunned metro Detroits restaurant scene.

Now the Detroit Shipping Company, the Cass Corridor food hall where Hardys Coop Caribbean Fusion stood among other restaurants, has set up a culinary scholarship that honors him.

Max Hardy was a chef to celebrities in Miami and New York before returning home to Detroit, where he would open several restaurants.

The Maxcel Hardy Memorial Culinary Scholarship aims to carry on Hardys legacy. His friends and colleagues will gather April 23 to celebrate his life and launch the scholarship.

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It will award $1,000 to one graduating senior from a Detroit high school who plans to major in culinary, baking or pastry, arts at a Michigan post-secondary school. The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association will select the recipient.

A native Detroiter, Hardy, who was 40 when he died, was a chef to celebrities in Miami and New York before returning home to Detroit, where he would open several restaurants. He was known for his community advocacy, commitment to Detroit youth and efforts to fight hunger. In addition to Coop Caribbean Fusion, he owned Jed's Detroit, a pizza and wings franchise on Seven Mile Road in Detroit, and the now-closed River Bistro in northwest Detroit.

In 2021, the New York Times named Hardy one of 16 Black chefs changing food in America. Hardy also co-authored "The Marley Coffee Cookbook" with Rohan Marley, the son of reggae artist Bob Marley. He was featured on the Food Network, participated at many events in Detroit and was a staunch leader in teaching Detroit's youth.

More: Max Hardy, Detroit chef, restaurateur and community advocate, dies at 40

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Hardy also founded One Chef Can 86 Hunger, a nonprofit that fights hunger and raises awareness around food insecurity.

Starting next week, the Detroit Shipping Companys charity tap pours will benefit the scholarship. Charity tap pours feature rotating selections of beer from breweries with portions of the proceeds benefit charities.

Information on the scholarship can be found at mihf.org.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Scholarship to honor late Detroit chef Max Hardy
Microplastics are everywhere, but we're only just starting to learn the full extent of their negative consequences. They're already linked to health problems, and new research suggests they could pose a serious threat to global food security.

What's happening?

The National Ocean Service defines microplastics as tiny particles of waste plastic less than five millimeters in length. They have contaminated every corner of the globe, which makes sense, knowing that the world produces over 462 million tons of plastic every year, per the World Wildlife Fund.

Researchers from China, Germany, and the United States have uncovered troubling signs that microplastics could be impeding photosynthesis.

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As Phys.org shared, Denis J. Murphy, an emeritus professor of biotechnology at the University of South Wales, told the Conversation: "Microplastics are hindering photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert energy from the sun into the fruit and vegetables we eat."

Why is research into microplastics important?

The results of this study indicate that millions could be exposed to food shortages in the near future.

Currently, around 2.3 billion people face what the World Health Organization terms "moderate to severe" food insecurity. Photosynthesis hindrance can also impact seafood stocks, which around three billion people rely upon as their main source of protein, per the World Wildlife Fund.

With the world's population projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, according to the United Nations, the existential threat to the world's food supply represents a serious problem.

What's being done about microplastics?

Scientists in Germany and the United Kingdom are currently developing ways to "hack" plants to be more efficient at photosynthesis. At present, most plants only absorb about 1-5% of sunlight into new tissue. Making the process more efficient is one part of a multifaceted approach to safeguarding the global food supply.

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Another aspect of the solution is encouraging more international cooperation in cracking down on plastic waste. The United Nations is currently working on an international treaty to combat plastic pollution worldwide. A summit was held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022, and while progress was made, a binding treaty has yet to materialize. Polling by the World Wildlife Fund reveals large public support for banning single-use plastics.

There are also actions that can be taken at the individual level, such as reducing plastic consumption for things like water and food.

Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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For years, South Africa's Seal Island was a bucket-list destination for marine wildlife lovers hoping to witness the breathtaking power of great white sharks leaping from the ocean in pursuit of seals.

But in a troubling turn, the great whites have all but disappeared, as National Geographic detailed  and their absence is sending shockwaves through the entire marine ecosystem.

What's happening?

A new study from the Shark Research Foundation, built on over 20 years of data and published in Frontiers in Marine Science, revealed just how much the ecosystem around South Africa's Seal Island has changed since great white sharks began to vanish. The decline started around 2010, but by 2018, the iconic predators had disappeared entirely from the region.

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"We saw things that we'd never expect," marine ecologist and executive director of the Shark Research Foundation Neil Hammerschlag, a coauthor of the study, said.

What followed was a cascade of unexpected shifts, according to the researchers. Without great whites keeping them in check, broadnose sevengill sharks  typically hidden away in nearby kelp forests  surged into the area, sometimes appearing in groups as large as 15. Cape fur seals, once cautious and elusive, began to raft in bold, floating clusters and even chase after cage-diving bait.

These changes marked more than just strange new behavior. They signaled a dramatic reshuffling of the food web  one that researchers never expected to witness firsthand.

Why is this concerning?

Great white sharks play a crucial role in maintaining ocean balance. As apex predators, they keep populations of other species in check  removing the sick and weak, thereby maintaining healthy food webs. When they disappear, ripple effects follow.

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With fewer sharks to keep them in check, seals and sevengills increased  but their own prey populations, including anchovies, Cape horse mackerel, and other smaller sharks, plummeted. This domino effect shows what scientists call a "trophic cascade"  when the loss of a top predator causes dramatic changes at every level of the food chain.

And while the exact reason for the sharks' disappearance isn't crystal clear, the finger points toward both human and natural threats. Killer whales may be targeting them, but shark nets  which kill up to 30 great whites a year  likely contribute to the decline. Because these sharks reproduce slowly and mature late, even small losses can have major consequences.

What's being done about it?

Experts like Hammerschlag say it's time to rethink how we protect both people and predators. One major change? Ending outdated netting programs and adopting non-lethal beach safety measures, such as shark spotters and electronic deterrents.

On the individual level, supporting shark conservation groups and marine policy reforms is one way to help. You can also check out organizations like the Shark Research Foundation and follow science-backed efforts to reduce harmful fishing practices.

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As Hammerschlag put it: "We can't stop the orcas. But we can stop the nets." And doing so might just help restore balance to a fragile underwater world.

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Melissa Beson photo courtesy LDF Police Department

The authorities searching for Melissa Beson, 37, a missing member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in Vilas County, who has been missing since March 17, say they have followed up on reports that Beson was seen around the city of Wausau as they continue searching the forest near her home.

The Wisconsin Examiners Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.

On March 17, Beson was noticed walking on Village Road near Wayman Lane toward Hwy. 47 on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation.

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Six days later, family members reported Beson missing on March 23.

Beson was last seen wearing red sweatpants, a black sleeveless shirt, and a gray sweatshirt. She is a Native American female, 57, with a medium build, brown hair, and brown eyes. She has numerous tattoos on her neck, arms, and legs.

Ground searches began on March 24 and 25, and aerial and underwater drones covered the Bear River in the vicinity where Beson was last seen.

Over 360 surveillance cameras positioned near tribal properties and monitored by full-time police employees had recorded footage reviewed without any evidence of Beson.

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Subsequent ground searches were hampered by the heavy snowfall, but since most of the snow has melted, ground searches have resumed.

Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Chief TJ Bill reports that on April 16, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plane provided aerial coverage, and he expects the DNR aircraft will again be available on Monday, April 21.

So far, Bill said, searchers have covered over 824 acres of forest.

We are not saying she is out in the forest, but we need to make sure, and this is why we are doing the searches, said Bill.

Recently police received reports that Beson was seen in the Wausau area.

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Besons mother, Winifred Ann Beson, Winnie, told the Wisconsin Examiner on Tuesday, April 8, that her daughter might be with friends and she noted her daughter also likes to travel to other states, but in the past, Beson has always stayed in communication.

Usually, she calls me if she needs money or is in trouble, but she hasnt called me, she said.

We have been getting numerous reports Melissa is in the Wausau area, said Bill, but nothing has been substantiated. We have our officers travelling to Wausau and other areas.

Besons mother also said she is afraid Melissa might have been kidnapped by human traffickers. Native Americans have been targeted by human traffickers who prey on vulnerable populations where there is poverty and high drug use.

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According to the Indian Law Resource Center, Native American women experience the highest rates of sexual assault of any group and are10 times more likely to experience domestic violence than white women. On some reservations, Native American women are murdered at a rate that is 10 times the national average.

The missing and murdered Indigenous women plus relatives (MMIW/R) movement has strived to raise awareness of the plight of Indigenous people in North America.

May 5 is Red Dress Day, a national day of awareness for MMIW/R.

Wisconsin has a MMIW/R Task Force that is part of the Department of Justice, but Wisconsin doesnt have a full time office as in Minnesota, which monitors MMIW/R cases, assists families, coordinates information for r law enforcement agencies and offers rewards for information.

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Concerning the search for Beson, Bill said his office has one officer dedicated to the case who is also coordinating the searches with the help of the tribes emergency management office.

Our two detectives are spending the majority of their time on the case, working social media search warrants for cellular telephones (Verizon), Facebook, Snap Chat and Google, working with these entities on past history locations, said Bill. If were not handling current cases/calls coming into the PD, we are working this case non-stop.

Bill said the public may be invited to help in the search for Beson, but he is concerned that volunteers stay safe in the large forest where it is easy to become disoriented and lost.

These areas are dangerous to the novice, and we cannot afford the volunteers to work the swamp and bog areas, he said. There is still some ground freeze, but areas of the swamps have thawed areas with deep mud. We got stuck at times [Thursday] in the swamps. When safe and weather conditions are good, we will ask for volunteer support.

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Anyone with any information regarding Besons whereabouts should call the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department at (715) 588-7717 or Vilas County Sheriffs Office at (715) 479-4441.

Acknowledgements

Bill wanted to acknowledge organizations that have helped with the search for Beson.

We literally have thousands of hours into this investigation, which involves so many entities, not just ourselves, said Bill.

Organizations that have helped include:

LDF Emergency Management, LDF Tribal Roads, LDF Tribal Wardens, LDF Natural Resources, LDF Victim Services, LDF Economic Support, LDF Prosecutor, Newbold Fire Search and Rescue, LDF Fire and EMS, Arbor Vitae Fire and EMS, Vilas County Sheriffs Office and Dispatch, Vilas County Sheriffs Office Jail, Vilas County IT Department, LDF IT Department, Manitowoc County Sheriffs Office, DNR, Wisconsin Emergency Management, Wausau Police Department, Mountain Bay Metro Police, Taylor County Sheriffs Office, Medford Police Department, Forest County Sheriffs Office, Crandon Police Department, Kenosha County Sheriffs Office, Atkins County Sheriffs Office  Minnesota, Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) agency, Vilas County Emergency Management, State of Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections Probation and Parole, Lake of the Torches Casino surveillance, Missing Murdered, Indigenous, plus Relatives (MMIW/R) Wisconsin Task Force, and Native American Drug and Gang Initiative (NADGI) Task Force.

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The tribal police department also received free software from Intrepid Networks, a company whose platform allows police to monitor searchers via cell phone using GPS coordinates.

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Rachel Reeves cannot be blamed for all the tax hikes that have come in this month. Councils in England can now charge second home owners a premium of up to 100pc on council tax thanks to legislation passed under the Tories in 2023.

This particular assault on affluence was pioneered in Wales  where a premium of up to 300pc is now permitted  by its devolved Labour government in 2017, and Scotland followed suit last year. Around three quarters of Englands councils are availing themselves of their new power.

Well-off second home owners are an easy target for vilification  making houses unaffordable for locals, hollowing out villages, dissipating a sense of community. But what if the down from London-ers are in fact the vital lifeblood for rural England that keeps it going?

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One of the crises continental Europe faces is rural depopulation. Look at central Spain, eastern Germany, areas of France  all have witnessed a significant decline in their number of residents. Near abandoned villages have become a feature of parts of southern Italy; in Spain a political movement has formed around this very issue.

Perhaps a less familiar story for British readers is how starkly the population of the former East Germany has fallen. The state of Thuringia, home to Weimar, had a population of 2.7 million at the time of unification in 1990. It is now down to 2.1 million.

In the same period, the population of Saxony-Anhalt has fallen from nearly 2.9 million to a little over 2.1 million and that of Saxony itself  the land of Dresden, Leipzig, and Meissen  from 4.8 million to a sliver over 4 million. Such falls are despite the fact that Germany has experienced annual immigration of over a million, and in some years two million, for more than a decade.

These parts of Germany are emphatically not wholly rural, but they are certainly at the periphery of where the action is. And the population falls have been steepest in the most rural areas of these eastern states.

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Now contrast this with those peripheral parts of the UK most popular with second home owners, like Cornwall and North Norfolk. One might expect to see a similar hollowing out of marginal areas as one has in continental Europe  but it just has not happened, indeed the story is the reverse.

Cornwalls population has grown from 532,000 in 2011 to 570,000 in 2021, an increase of 7pc. The 1991 census recorded the countys population at just under 470,000. In the same period that the population of Germanys eastern states has fallen by around one third, the population of the UKs most western county has grown by 20pc.

Both the council areas of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and of North Norfolk  the parts of the county most plagued by second homes  saw their populations grow between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, albeit more modestly.

And no, this growth is not explained by immigration, or rather immigration is only a tiny part of the story. Some 97pc of Cornwalls population identifies as white, with nearly 94pc identifying as from a British white population (the figures are complicated as some declare themselves to be Cornish rather than English or British). North Norfolks population is over 98pc white.

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The other, rather different, form of immigration that is a beloved complaint of some in France and Spain  that their villages are being taken over by (most often English) holiday makers or retirees who cant even be bothered to learn the language  is simply not a factor in the UK. Only in the imaginations of Burnham Market, Padstow and Mousehole estate agents are the burghers of Munich and Milan flooding in to buy English seaside houses. The sole place in the UK which has significant foreign second home ownership is London.

A major part of what keeps the economies of Cornwall, North Norfolk and other such second home hotspots going is the money brought in by wealthy Londoners. The Chelseas-on-Sea may make up only small parts of these counties, but their economic impact is much wider. They sustain a far larger area than just their immediate footprint.

The difference in population trajectories between the peripheries of the UK and the peripheries of continental Europe is emphatically not wholly explained by differences between Britains pattern of second home ownership and the somewhat different form it takes in continental Europe. But it undoubtedly is a significant factor. If second home ownership is restricted, the second home hotspots will become poorer and face stagnation and decline. In a real sense, those Down from London keep these places going.

But there is a bright spot. The second homes tax is likely to do very little to reverse second home ownership. Councils in England have been able to levy a similar premium on empty homes since 2013. Then there were 56,000 properties in the scope of this tax. Now there are just under 120,000.

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Sedgwick County commissioners are going to be asked on Wednesday to pay $375,000 to two women a then-jail deputy had sex with while working, records show.

The payments would be $200,000 to one woman and $175,000 to another, according to the commission agenda.

The incidents happened on July 17, 2022.

Dustin Troy Burnett, who worked at the Sedgwick County Jail from January 2022 until his firing in July 2022, was sentenced in March 2023 to prison. He was given a five-year, eight-month sentence in connection to the sex with the inmates and ignoring others who vandalized and trafficked contraband into the jail.

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He was in his early 20s when he was sentenced.

Security cameras in the jail pod recorded Burnett in the inmate cell for 9 minutes, 21 seconds, starting at 8:13 a.m. on July 17, 2022, according to the arrest affidavit.

Burnett walked into the cell and asked two women there whos gonna do it first, which the inmates took to mean a sexual act, the document says.

He returned later, at 2:31 p.m., and was inside for 4 minutes, 27 seconds, according to an arrest affidavit released in the case, the document said. He then told one of the woman to go shower.

When the two women later went to the deputys booth for tampons and razors, he apologized and showed them a photo of his loved ones, according to the lawsuits.

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At least one of the victimized women told a detective she did not feel like she could say no when Burnett asked for sex because he was in uniform and in a position of power over them as the pod deputy, the affidavit says.

In Kansas, its illegal for jail workers and others with authority over inmates to have sexual or romantic relationships with them, regardless of age or consent.

Burnetts sexual acts with the inmates were discovered when deputies were investigating a separate incident of contraband being brought into the jail.

Contributing: Amy Renee Leiker with The Eagle

Ex-jail deputy who ignored vandalism, contraband & had sex with inmates enters plea
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who recently met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, slammed the Trump administration for its handling of the Maryland mans mistaken deportation, telling CNN it poses a threat to the constitutional rights of everybody in America.

Van Hollen, in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN, argued Abrego Garcias due process rights are being ignored as he remains in El Salvador after being mistakenly deported.

If we deny the constitutional rights of this one man, it threatens the constitutional rights of everybody in America, the Maryland Democrat told CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union.

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Van Hollen traveled last week to El Salvador, where he was first denied a meeting with Abrego Garcia. The senator was ultimately allowed to meet Thursday evening with the Maryland father, who described being traumatized at El Salvadors notorious CECOT prison, according to Van Hollen.

In a news conference Friday upon his return to the US, Van Hollen said that Abrego Garcia was moved from the maximum-security prison into another facility, where conditions are better.

Though the White House has admitted that Abrego Garcia  an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador whom a judge ordered in 2019 could not be removed to his home country over fear of persecution  was mistakenly deported last month, President Donald Trumps administration and the El Salvadoran government have said he will not be returned to the US.

When asked by Bash whether Van Hollen would be OK with Abrego Garcias deportation if it goes through due process, the senator said: Im OK with whatever the rule of law dictates.

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Van Hollen also brushed off criticism, including from California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who denounced the Trump administrations actions but also suggested that Democrats should focus on a more viable issue, such as tariffs and the economy.

I dont think its ever wrong to fight for the constitutional rights of one person, because if we give up on one persons rights, we threaten everybodys rights, Van Hollen said, adding, Anyone who is not prepared to stand up and fight for the Constitution doesnt deserve to lead.

The Trump administration is embroiled in a legal back-and-forth over Abrego Garcias deportation and has remained defiant that it will not bring back the deported man.

The senator said the Trump administration is not complying with court orders, alleging the White House hasnt made efforts to facilitate his return.

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Facilitate does not mean you do nothing, Van Hollen told Bash, referring to the Supreme Courts ruling that ordered the Trump administration to facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia but stopped short of mandating it.

Van Hollen shared that during his trip, employees of the US Embassy in the capital of San Salvador said they have not received any direction from the Trump administration to help facilitate his release.

The White House has also attempted to paint Abrego Garcia as a violent and dangerous criminal, alleging that he is a member of the MS-13 gang. Abrego Garcias family and lawyers have denied hes a gang member.

Asked by Bash whether Van Hollen asked Abrego Garcia whether he has or previously had any ties to MS-13, the senator said he did not because I know what his answer is.

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What he told me was he was sad and traumatized that he was being in prison because he has committed no crimes, Van Hollen added.

The Maryland senator also stressed that the Trump administration has not provided any evidence of Abrego Garcias alleged gang ties in court and said it is using the claims to change the subject.

What Donald Trump is trying to do here is change the subject, Van Hollen said. The subject at hand is that he and his administration are defying a court order to give Abrego Garcia his due process rights.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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One of California Gov. Gavin Newsoms fellow Democrats took an apparent dig at him for calling the debate over Kilmar Abrego Garcias unlawful deportation the distraction of the day.

On Sundays episode of Meet the Press, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) plainly told NBC News Kristen Welker that politicians who arent willing to defend the Constitution dont deserve to lead.

Van Hollen balked when asked to respond to Newsom arguing that his party should be attacking President Donald Trumps contempt for the rule of law instead of getting lost in the details over whether he should heed a court ruling ordering to bring Abrego Garcia home.

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I dont think its ever wrong to stand up for the Constitution, said the senator, who went to El Salvador to push for Abrego Garcias return to the U.S. last week. And this is not about one man. If you deny the constitutional rights of one man, you threaten the constitutional rights for everybody.

I think Americans are tired of elected officials or politicians who are all finger to the wind, he went on, adding, Anybody who cant stand up for the Constitution and the right of due process doesnt deserve to lead.

During a press conference earlier this week, Newsom did call the fervor around Abrego Garcias case the distraction of the day, but was specifically referring to the Trump administrations decision to ignore court orders demanding his return based on unproven claims he was a member of the MS-13 gang.

This is the debate they want, Newsom said about getting bogged down in the details of Trumps justification for deporting Abrego Garcia. This is their 80/20 issue, as theyve described it, you know, those that believe in the rule of law defending it, but its a tough case because people are really [asking] Are they defending MS-13? Newsom told the press.

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The governor said the back-and-forth over whether and why the White House should obey the courts decision should not be a matter of debate.

When a judge adjudicates, its not in question. How in the hell are we even debating that? he added. Its Orwellian that youre debating that, and its exactly the debate they want, because they dont want this debate on the tariffs.

Abrego Garcias case has been in the spotlight since he, along with over 250 Venezuelan and Salvadoran men accused of gang affiliations, were whisked to El Salvadors infamous CECOT prison last month.

Abrego Garcia had entered the U.S. without authorization in 2012, but after being arrested in 2019, an immigration judge barred his removal from the U.S, citing reasonable proof he would face future persecution from local gangs if he returned to El Salvador.

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While the Trump administration has accused Abrego Garcia of being a member of the MS-13 gang, citing information from his previous encounters with authorities, Abrego Garcia has denied the claims.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the context of Newsoms distraction of the day comment.

Related...
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., accused President Donald Trump on Sunday of sending the United States into a constitutional crisis, saying members of the Trump administration are very much flouting the courts as we speak.

Asked directly on NBC News Meet the Press whether the United States is in a constitutional crisis, Van Hollen said, Yes, we are.

Van Hollen recently returned from a trip to El Salvador, where he met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who the Trump administration admitted was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month.

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Abrego Garcia has become the center of a weekslong legal and political battle, with the government contending in court multiple times that he is now in the custody of El Salvador and that theres nothing it can do to bring him back.

That is the argument members of the Trump administration are making in court filings and public statements, also alleging that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang. Abrego Garcias lawyers have insisted that he was never convicted of any crimes.

Meanwhile, Democrats like Van Hollen are citing due process concerns, arguing Abrego Garcia didnt have a chance to dispute his deportation before he was removed to El Salvador.

So far, courts are siding with Democrats and Abrego Garcias legal team, with an appeals court Thursday rejecting a bid by the Trump administration to block an order that directed the government to facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the United States.

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The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Trump administration was trying to claim a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process.

The court ruled days after the Supreme Court, in an unsigned decision, ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcias release from the Salvadoran prison and his return to the United States.

Donald Trump and his administration need to put up or shut up in court, Van Hollen told moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday, accusing members of the administration of litigating this through social media.

He cited a judges comments about the lack of evidence of Abrego Garcias ties to the MS-13 gang, saying: If you have evidence, take it to the court. Thats where we litigate these things, and otherwise just shut up on social media.

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In an Easter message Sunday on Truth Social, Trump slammed "radical left lunatics" and "ineffective judges."

Happy Easter to all," he wrote, "Including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten."

In a separate interview Sunday on CNN, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also accused the Trump administration of defying court orders by not bringing Abrego Garcia back to the United States.

She called on judges to hold the administration in contempt of court.

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"A court can actually appoint a prosecutor on their own, an outside prosecutor, because they have the power to hold people in contempt," Klobuchar said.

She also accused Trump and his administration officials of being "even more cynical than just flaunting the law."

"They have picked out this case and this man because its about a subject that they want to keep in the news, so its even more cynical than just flaunting the law. Theyre doing it because they want to distract people from the fact that our economy is in a tailspin thanks to them," she said.

Later on "Meet the Press," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., acknowledged that the Trump administrations decision to deport Abrego Garcia was a screw-up but added that theres not much the president can do now.

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I understand why the administration is bowed up and said, We wont admit its a mistake, because if they do, theyll have their throats torn out, Kennedy told Welker.

He also disagreed with Van Hollen's assertion that the Trump administration is ignoring court orders.

"I don't believe that President Trump will defy a federal judge's order. If he does, I'll call him out on it," Kennedy told Welker, adding: "I love the rule of law. I love it like the devil loves sin. I think if we start not following federal judicial orders, we undermine the system entirely."

Kennedy maintained that Abrego Garcia did have due process and added that he wasnt sure what the courts could force Trump to do now to bring him back.

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What does he expect Trump to do? Kennedy asked, referring to 4th Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III.

I mean, [Trump] brought [Salvadoran President Nayib] Bukele to America. President Bukele sat in the Oval Office in front of God and country and said, Im not sending this guy back. So I dont know what Judge Wilkinson expects Trump to do, Kennedy said.

In an interview on ABC's "This Week" that taped Friday and aired Sunday, Tom Homan, the Trump administration's border czar, defended the administration and claimed that it would need El Salvador's cooperation to bring Abrego Garcia back.

"Hes also in custody. Hes a citizen and national of the country, El Salvador. El Salvador would certainly have to cooperate in that," Homan said.

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Van Hollen, who joined Meet the Press before Kennedy, maintained that Abrego Garcia had no due process before he was deported, arguing that it would create a slippery slope to allow the Trump administration to deny due process to Abrego Garcia.

This is not about one man. If you deny the constitutional rights of one man, you threaten the constitutional rights for everybody, he said.

Homan denied on ABC that the Trump administration hadnt given Abrego Garcia due process.

"We have followed the Constitution. We have followed law. I am confident that everything weve done has followed laws within the constitutional constructs, absolutely," he said.

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Asked what he and other Democrats could do to bring Abrego Garcia back, Van Hollen said he intends to keep pressure on Bukele, citing comments Attorney General Pam Bondi made last week, when she said it was in Bukele's power to release Abrego Garcia, not in the United States' power.

"If [Bukele] wanted to send him back, we would give him a plane ride back," Bondi told reporters.

Van Hollen said he told Bukele in El Salvador: "Just open the prison, let him walk out. And then Attorney General Bondi, she said, 'We'll send a plane.' So there are also pressures we can put on the government of El Salvador."

Van Hollen also floated the notion of using congressional power to deny the Trump administration the funding it needs to send detainees to El Salvador.

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"The Trump administration is going to pay the government of El Salvador ... to take these prisoners, including the illegally abducted Abrego Garcia," he told Welker.

"I can tell you when they make that request to the Congress, and because those monies have to be appropriated, I don't think American taxpayers are going to want to spend one penny going to El Salvador to continue to hold somebody illegally and in violation of the United States Constitution," he added.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) called on the Senate to refocus on getting bills signed into law to help the American people, rather than simply posting about them on social media.

In an interview on NewsNations The Hill Sunday, Lankford said the Senate should 100 percent be a more deliberative body, where ideas can be raised, argued, settled and resolved and eventually become law.

That means committees have got to do their work, Lankford said. And when a bill passes out of committee, that means the Republican and the Democrat that were in committee that formed it have got to do their work to then get 60 co-sponsors.

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Thats just grunt work, he continued. Thats just going to one member at a time and actually working out, saying this needs to be law, not just discussed.

Lankford said the Senate has forgotten how to proceed through that standard legislative process of lobbying other senators to get buy-in for their legislation.

So that grunt work has got to start again. And quite frankly, weve lost our muscle memory of doing that.

Its easy to be able to do a post on social media saying, I filed this bill, but not do the work to actually pass it. Filing a bill doesnt solve the problem. It may get you clicks on social media. Weve got to actually do the work on that. And then once we pass it, weve got to pay attention to the House and the White House to make sure it gets across the finish line, he said.

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Lankford, a conservative Republican, made headlines during former President Bidens term for his role in negotiating a bipartisan immigration deal that got Democratic buy-in to a conservative approach to tackling immigration. The bill ultimately tanked amid reports that President Trump, the GOP candidate at the time, was pressuring GOP lawmakers to oppose the bill, which would have been seen as a win for Biden, who at the time was still running for reelection.

Lankford joined the interview to promote his new book, Turnaround: Americas Revival, in which he details the complicated politics surrounding immigration policy and pledges to continue trying to solve the problem.

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Trump border czar Tom Homan is lying through his teeth about the administrations deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an American citizen who was sent to El Salvador in what has since been described as an administrative error, Sen. Van Hollen told ABCs Jon Karl Sunday.

Van Hollen joined Karl to discuss his trip to El Salvador to meet with Abrego Garcia, something the senator said was initially refused but became possible in part because the president of El Salvador realized it was looking really bad to have this person who had been absconded from America, from the streets of Maryland, in one of their prisons and not able to communicate.

Salvadorian authorities tried to make it look like he was in paradise Van Hollen added, and the countrys President Nayib Bukele and Donald Trump are aiding in that attempt at deception.

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Homan was especially critical of Van Hollens visit. In his own interview with Karl he said that what bothers me  is that a U.S. Senator traveled to El Salvador on taxpayer dime to meet with a MS-13 gang member, public safety threat terrorist and Van Hollen never went to the border last four years under Joe Biden, when he had a 600 percent increase in sex trafficking women and children. You have a record number of non-suspected terrorists cross that border.

What shocks me is he has remained silent on the travesty that happened in our southern border, Homan also said. Many people died, thousands of people died. I met with hundreds of angel moms and dads who buried their children that were murdered by illegal alien. How many angel moms and dads has he met in the state of Maryland? Thats what concerns me.

I dont have time to go through it all, Van Hollen said of the transcript of Homans conversation. He is lying through his teeth on many places in that  in that record. And I have been actually fighting MS-13, probably longer than Donald Trump ever uttered the name MS-13. For 20 years in this region, I helped stand up the anti  you know, gang  anti-gang task force.

But the idea that you cant defend peoples rights under the Constitution and fight MS-13 and gang violence is a very dangerous idea, Van Hollen continued. Thats the idea the president wants to put out. Thats why theyre spreading all these lies.

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Homan and his colleagues need to take your information to the court he also said, because you clearly have not done that, and respect this persons constitutional rights and follow the order of the Supreme Court, which theyre defying as we speak.

Watch the interview with Sen. Van Hollen in the video above.

The post Sen. Van Hollen Accuses Trump Border Czar of Lying About Deportations: Respect This Persons Constitutional Rights | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
April 20 (UPI) -- Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., in an interview Sunday defended his recent trip to El Salvador to meet with a man from his state who was erroneously deported by the Trump administration.

Van Hollen, speaking in an interview with ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl, said the visit to meet with imprisoned Kilmar Abrego Garcia was a matter of defending the U.S. Constitution.

"I am not defending the man. I'm defending the rights of this man to due process," Van Hollen said. "My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law, because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else."

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Van Hollen pointed to how the Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and deported because of an "administrative error" to be held in El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center mega-prison, despite a 2019 court order prohibiting his removal due to safety fears.

The U.S. Justice Department later suspended a lawyer who told a federal court that he did not understand the government's reasoning while attempting to justify the Trump administration's position.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration had to arrange for Abrego Garcia's return to the United States, but the government has argued that it cannot since the Salvadoran prison where he is being held is outside the jurisdiction of the United States.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, who is holding alleged gang members at the CECOT prison, has not expressed willingness to return the U.S. resident.

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The U.S. Supreme Court later agreed with U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis' ruling, which it said "properly requires the government to 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador."

However, the Supreme Court included a stipulation that Xinis must "show due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs" and clarify the intended scope of the term "effectuate" in her order requiring Abrego Garcia's return.

Van Hollen then traveled to El Salvador, but was initially denied a visit with Abrego Garcia after meeting with the country's vice president, Felix Ulloa.

His trip prompted Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to deny requests from other Democrats for official trips to visit El Salvador, which would afford them more oversight and security resources, even after the GOP sent its own delegation.

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"I think, at some point, the president of El Salvador realized it was looking really bad to have this person who had been absconded from the streets of Maryland in one of their prisons and not able to communicate," Van Hollen said Sunday.

On Friday, Van Hollen revealed that Abrego Garcia had been moved from CECOT to another detention center and that he had been able to meet with his constituent for half an hour on the prison grounds.

"His conversation with me was the first communication he'd had with anybody outside of prison since he was abducted," Van Hollen said. "He said he felt very sad about being in a prison because he had not committed any crimes."

After the visit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a report that alleged Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 member who likely engaged in human trafficking while in the United States. Van Hollen pushed back on such claims and their relevance.

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"The idea that you can't defend people's rights under the Constitution and fight MS-13 and gang violence is a very dangerous idea. That's the idea the president wants to put out. That's why they're spreading all these lies." Van Hollen said.

"I would say that anyone that's not prepared to defend the constitutional rights of one man when they threaten the constitutional rights of all doesn't deserve to lead."
Lawmakers are questioning how Minnesota awards money to nonprofits as a state senator faces scrutiny for his association with groups he helped fund.

Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, recently stepped down as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct amid questions about his pro bono legal work for the head of a nonprofit he helped get $3 million through a budget bill two years ago.

Champion, an attorney, has maintained his free legal work for Rev. Jerry McAfee, who heads the Minneapolis violence prevention organization 21 Days of Peace, did not coincide with his efforts to fund the group in 2023. His ties have prompted ethics concerns from his Senate colleagues.

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Champion stepped down from the committee pending a review and advisory opinion, though a few days later, Senate Republicans filed an ethics complaint against him, asking the ethics committee to look into whether he violated rules prohibiting actions that discredit the Senate or undermine public trust in government.

Weak ethics rules

Its rare for ethics complaints to result in serious action against a member of the Legislature. And direct funding for nonprofits through bills rather than through a competitive process is commonplace at the Capitol.

Further, Minnesotas ethics laws for state lawmakers have historically been rated as weak by watchdog groups, and the part-time nature of the Legislature, where many members hold other jobs, lends itself to some level of conflicts of interest, political observers say.

David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University, said the nature of Minnesotas citizen Legislature lends itself to an acceptance of the fact that lawmakers work will naturally intersect with their occupations.

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In the 1990s, the state enacted a ban on lobbyist gifts to legislators, though few major changes have happened since, including disclosure rules. In fact, lawmakers relaxed some of those restrictions in 2013, MinnPost reported.

Weve been resting on our reputation for 30 years, thinking were doing a really good job, thinking that we have really good ethics disclosure rules, when, in fact, we dont, said Schultz.

In 2015, the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit watchdog, gave Minnesota a D- rating for government accountability and transparency, ranking it 28th out of 50 states. The score was a composite of many factors, including public access to information and lobbying disclosure.

On its legislative accountability index, the center rated Minnesota an F at 44th place. The state has made few changes to its ethics rules since.

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Current state ethics rules say members cant vote on matters that result in a direct financial gain for themselves or their business disproportionate to others in the same field. Theres nothing preventing a teacher, farmer, nurse or business owner from voting on matters related to their work.

Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, told reporters thats to be expected in a part-time legislature, but Champions ties warrant greater scrutiny.

You have teachers voting on education bills, you have contractors voting on bonding bills. But here you have a specific group that a legislator funds money to and then they have connections, he said. We have some real concerns about that.

Asked by reporters about the potential conflict, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, recalled eventually leaving her position as executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association after being elected to the Legislature, despite her role not violating ethics rules.

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It is time for us to take a look again at what we need as a standard on the conflict of interest, she said. So, members doing good work for the people of Minnesota: Dont get caught in that gray area.

Legislatively named grants

Its commonplace for Minnesota lawmakers to grant funding to specific nonprofit organizations. Museums, arts groups, charities, and educational groups are often funded by name in bills.

After Champions ties to nonprofits he helped fund came to light, lawmakers of both parties said the Legislature should explore changes to legislatively named grants.

Among them is Sen. Michael Kreun, R-Blaine, who brought the Senate Republicans complaint against Champion. Kreun said there should be stricter rules on when nonprofit organizations get money directly through a bill rather than having to apply for it through a state agency.

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Maybe there are situations where it is appropriate, but I think they should be rare, he said. I think we should take a look at the rules surrounding those so that those particular bills are scrutinized more.

Even before Champions potential conflicts came to light, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers called for a competitive grant process rather than naming specific nonprofits as recipients.

The letter, signed by all eight members of the House Fraud and Government Oversight Committee  five Republicans and three DFLers  urged members of budgeting committees to stop making legislatively named grants. They noted that while they make sense in some cases, they should be the rare exception rather than a general practice.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, who authored the lobbyist gift ban from the 1990s, called the named appropriation issue an ethical minefield and said hes interested in commissioning a report by experts to give the Legislature advice on changing the process.

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I think we do better than most states in a lot of ways, but  I think we have a long way to go, he said. Weve got some good legislators trying to do good things, but, but we should be doing better, and it avoids more problems if we do this.

Marty said one thing lawmakers need to consider when restricting direct grants to nonprofits is whether the bid process will actually result in a different outcome. In some cases, there may only be one nonprofit that fulfills the states needs, and a grant process would be redundant.

Another concern Marty raised is that well-established foundations that know the government bidding process well would outcompete smaller nonprofits or nonprofits from historically underrepresented minority communities.

House lawmakers signaled they were aware of that concern in their March letter.

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We want to reassure you that a shift away from direct legislative appropriations need not diminish our role in guiding funding to meet the unique needs of our communities, they wrote. Guidelines and reviewers should ensure that smaller organizations and those serving underrepresented communities are not overlooked.

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A CNN anchor grilled a top-ranking House Republican on Sunday over whether Congress would sit by and allow the Trump administration to continue with its mass deportation strategy if American citizens started being targeted.

Though its illegal to deport US citizens, President Donald Trump has raised the possibility on several occasions in recent weeks. During a White House visit with El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele last week, the US commander-in-chief urged the leader of a Central American country  with the cameras rolling  to expand a notorious mega-prison used to house gang members and other hardened criminals in order to house Americans.

In other instances, Trump has proposed such a punishment for demonstrators who vandalise or commit arson at Tesla dealerships over the lefts anger with its CEO, Elon Musk.

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On Sunday, CNNs Dana Bash interviewed House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, the third-highest ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. She pressed Emmer repeatedly over whether he, in his capacity as an attorney as well as a lawmaker, believed that Trump had the legal or constitutional authority to deport American citizens if they were convicted of violent crimes.

Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP House whip, spoke on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday about the comments from President Donald Trump regarding his desire to send American citizens to prisons in other countries (Getty Images)

Three times, Emmer refused to directly answer Bashs question. Instead, he pivoted each time to what he said the administration was really focused on doing  removing those that do not have legal status in this country that have proven to be the worst of the worst.

Bash repeatedly tried to get him to directly answer the question, noting that the president himself had raised the prospect: I just want to give you one more chance to say whether or not you're okay with US citizens [being deported], she prodded the congressman.

Emmer did not budge in his replies.

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The issue that we're dealing with is weve got a president who wants to protect US citizens from violence, from crime, and having their children solicited, murdered, et cetera, versus Democrats who seem to want to protect illegal aliens in this country, for whatever reason.

.@DanaBashCNN repeatedly presses @GOPMajorityWhip Tom Emmer over Trump floating deporting US citizens to El Salvador: "You are an attorney. Do you think the federal government has any legal authority to to do that with American citizens?" pic.twitter.com/VBu2vn9bWr  State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) April 20, 2025

On NBCs Meet the Press, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana had a more direct answer to the same question.

No, maam. Nor should it be considered appropriate or moral, the senator told moderator Kristen Welker about the prospect of deporting US citizens or housing criminals in other countries.

We have our own laws, he said. We have the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. We shouldnt send prisoners to foreign countries in my judgment.

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News service AZPM reported on Friday that a 19-year-old man with American citizenship, Jose Hermosillo, was held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention for more than a week after being detained on the street in Tuscon, Arizona, by officers who did not believe him when he told them he was a US citizen. Court documents indicate that ICE agents stated that Hermosillo admitted to entering the US illegally, but he says he did not cross the border at all. He was released from detention on Thursday after family members provided identification to a court, and his case was dismissed.

His relatives later told reporters that Hermosillo likely would have been deported soon afterwards had they not been able to provide the documents in time.

Aside from the very real possibility of US citizens being accidentally swept up in the presidents mass deportation campaign, Trump has also repeatedly raised the prospect of levying it as a punishment for Americans.

Im talking about violent people. Im talking about really bad people, the president said on Thursday during his meeting with Bukele.

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I would only do according to the law, Trump also said. I have suggested that, you know, Why should it stop just at people who cross the border illegally? We have some horrible criminals, American-grown and born.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the idea at a subsequent news briefing, but was unable to vouch for its legality.

"The president has said if it's legal, right, if there is a legal pathway to do that. He's not sure. We are not sure if there is, she told reporters. "It's an idea that he has simply floated and has discussed very publicly in the effort of transparency."
Apr. 20Carla Lee Martinez has always had an entrepreneurial spirit.

It's that spirit that prompted her to leave the corporate world behind, trading budgets and timelines for buckets and pressure washers, in pursuit of her own business: Pink's Window Services, a national window-cleaning franchise with operations across the United States.

Martinez, a born-and-raised New Mexican, launched the Pink's Window Services Albuquerque franchise in late February. The business serves the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho area, offering residential and commercial windows, gutter and solar panel cleaning, and pressure washing.

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Before Pink's, Martinez ran a medical billing business for five years and worked at Sandia National Laboratories for six years, where she focused on project management and financial analysis in the global security portfolio office.

"I was sitting there at my desk one day and I thought, 'I want to have something where I can have a tangible impact.' At Sandia, we have a mission and there's impact, but I wanted to see the results of what I was doing," Martinez said.

Martinez felt it wouldn't be long before artificial intelligence could do her job better and faster than she could. So she set her eyes on the trade industry and asked herself what customer-centered service might stay untouched by AI for awhile, ultimately landing on window washing.

"I saw AI as kind of the writing on the wall," Martinez said. "What I liked about window washing was it's pretty easy to learn. It doesn't require a super specialized skill and requires more customer service."

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Martinez said she's been "pleasantly surprised" by how the business has done so far  currently booking out over two weeks in advance and regularly servicing restaurants such as Casa de Benavidez on Fourth Street and all of the city's Flying Star Cafe locations. An extrovert, Martinez said she enjoys interacting with customers and plugging deeper into the Albuquerque community.

Pink's Window Services Albuquerque currently has a crew of two people, but Martinez said she plans to hire more employees as demand grows. Martinez also recently hired an administrative assistant and envisions expanding operations by up to six vans in Albuquerque, and possibly serving Santa Fe and El Paso in the future.

Martinez, who comes from a "working-class, poor family," said she would advise anyone with entrepreneurial dreams to have a planned and curated exit strategy before leaving a stable job, but to commit 100% once they do.

"You have one life to live. ... I don't want to be 85 and look back and be like, 'I wish I had done that, I wish I'd taken that risk,'" Martinez said. "(To) the person who's thinking about and wanting to be an entrepreneur, you're here for a reason. You're having these thoughts for a reason."
Former Columbus Councilor Judy Thomas has died.

Family friend John Shinkle confirmed the news to the Ledger-Enquirer.

She loved the city, he said.

Thomas, 79, died Saturday at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, where she was being treated for a blood infection, Shinkle said.

The funeral arrangements to honor Thomas, listed on the McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory website, are:

Visitation on May 6, from 5-8 p.m., at McMullen, 3874 Gentian Blvd.

Celebration of life May 8, from 11 a.m. to noon, at St. Luke United Methodist Church, 1104 Second Ave.

Burial on May 8, from 12:30 -1:30 p.m., at Parkhill Cemetery, 4161 Macon Road.

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Her obituary is pending.

Advocate for public safety

As the executive assistant to then-Mayor Jim Wetherington (2007-11), who died in January, Thomas is credited with being among the leaders who convinced Muscogee County voters to approve the 2008 referendum for a 1% local option sales tax that funded 100 new police officer positions, increasing the size of the force by 26%. The tax still is generating revenue for public safety salary supplements.

Thomas was the daughter of a 36-year fireman, Bill Williams, who retired as the citys deputy fire chief.

Her love for first responders never left her, Shinkle said.

I mean, she worked for all the citizens of Columbus but in particular the police and firemen, he said.

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During her four terms (2011-25) serving in the District 9 citywide seat on Columbus Council, she had a reputation for being forthright.

No one was more honest, more direct, than Judy, Shinkle said. You never had to wonder what she was thinking. She had a filter, but she chose when and where to put it on.

Resignation from Columbus Council

Thomas resigned from the council in March, citing her failing health as the reason.

I realize that the citizens of this great community deserve a councilor who can offer the full measure of engagement and leadership, Thomas said in the letter Shinkle read aloud during the March 11 council meeting. I feel my current medical conditions prohibit me from effectively serving the citizens of Columbus, GA, as a councilor-at-large at this time.

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In a controversial 6-3 vote, the council appointed former city council and mayoral candidate John Anker to fill the remainder of Thomas term until the May 2026 special election.

Thomas also was treated for a heart condition in 2011.

The city is going to miss her, Shinkle said. She left her mark, and we all wish she had more marks to leave.

Judy Thomas is shown in this 2022 photo.

Mayor Skip Henderson called Thomas a good friend and described her as striking the fine balance between sweet and strong.

She was very compassionate, he told the Ledger-Enquirer, but she could be really tough too.

Henderson laughed when he said Thomas age was a well-protected secret, then added, I always thought of Judy as kind of timeless. Even though we knew she was struggling with her health, theres still a shock today.

Teacher and education supporter

Thomas grew up in Columbus. She graduated in 1964 from Jordan Vocational High School, which she continued to support. She earned a bachelors degree in elementary education from Georgia College, now called Georgia College and State University.

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She taught fifth grade and sixth grade at Bibb Elementary School before working for the Georgia Association of Educators and the California Teachers Association.

Thomas served on numerous community boards, including the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation, the Open Door Community House and the Columbus State University Center for Quality Teaching and Learning.
Deputies in Seminole County are looking to solve a mystery that stretches back nearly five decades.

The body of 12-year-old Georgia Crews was discovered behind the Fern Park Shopping Center in Seminole County.

She disappeared on April 8, 1980, while walking to a convenience store.

Her body was discovered eight days later, over 35 miles away.

Her death has remained a cold ever since.

However, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma is hopeful that new DNA testing could finally bring some answers.

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With advances in technology over the years, genetic genealogy, and the ability to use data that has been collected and archived from DNA samples. Weve had some success, Lemma said.

Detectives and volunteers have been working for decades to solve the case.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The El Paso County Sheriffs Office Major Crimes Unit is leading an investigation into the death of a man from what initially started as a fight at an East El Paso County truck stop, according to the Sheriffs Office and the Socorro Police Department.

The Sheriffs Office said at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, the Socorro Police Department responded to a welfare check at the Petro Stopping Center, 1295 Horizon Blvd.

A male subject, no age given initially, was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, the Sheriffs Office said.

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Crime of Week: Motorcyclist critically injured after hit-and-run crash in Central El Paso

The Socorro Police Department requested the assistance of the El Paso County Sheriffs Office Major Crimes Unit, which is now leading the investigation.

The identity of the person who died is being withheld pending notification of family, the Sheriffs Office said.

Socorro Police provided some additional information on the incident.

They said when they arrived on the scene shortly after 2 a.m., they found evidence of an apparent assault, but an injured individual was not initially found.

Further investigation showed that a fight had happened in the parking lot of the truck stop.

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As individuals were leaving the scene, an 18-year-old man was struck by a vehicle that was fleeing the area, Socorro Police said.

Sheriffs Office launches DWI Task Force, makes 36 arrests

Prior to law enforcements arrival, the victim was transported by bystanders to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, Socorro Police said.

Socorro Police have requested the assistance of the Sheriffs Office for investigative and resource support. The Sheriffs Office is taking the lead on the case, Socorro Police added.

No additional information is available at this time, the Sheriffs Office said.

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We will update this story when we learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Editors note: A previous version of this article contained some grammatical mistakes. We regret these errors.

UPDATE (4/20, 6:30 p.m.)  The suspect in Saturday afternoons shooting has not yet been identified, or booked into Metro Jail, according to Mobile Police.

Officials say the suspect was transported to the hospital yesterday afternoon for a medical occurrence.

While on scene, officers told News 5 he started complaining of chest pain after being detained.

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Police say the suspect will be identified once hes released from the hospital and booked.

The victim has not yet been identified.

UPDATE (5:02 p.m.)  We are learning more details from Mobile Police.

Officers responded to the shooting just before 3:30 p.m. When they arrived, officers found a female victim with a gunshot injury in the parking lot of Publix.

Officers say a male suspect demanded money from the victim. During a struggle, the victim was shot.

The victim was taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening injury. A short time later, officers took a male suspect into custody.

A woman coming out of the grocery store told WKRG what she experienced.

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A lady approached me and made the statement that a woman was being told to go to the bank to get money, and she refused, and then the person just shot her, said Debber Clark. I just couldnt believe it. Yeah, couldnt believe it.

Police also responded to recent acts of violence.

We want our citizens of Mobile to know we do care, and we are out here to serve and protect, said Officer Roderick Miles. All this senseless violence that is going on at random, were grateful that its isolatedIts senseless violence, and were not going to put up with it.

This remains an active investigation.

PREVIOUS REPORTING

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  A shooting is under investigation in midtown Mobile.

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Mobile police say one person was shot at the Publix super market on North Florida Street Saturday afternoon.

News 5 is on the scene. The victim was transported from the scene by ambulance for treatment. Police confirm a male suspect is in custody.

This is a developing story.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
UPDATE: Shelter-in-place lifted; Suspect shot 4 to 5 times at targeted individual at Harvard Square station, police say

Gunshots were reported at the MBTA stop at Harvard Square on Sunday afternoon, according to an emergency alert by Harvard University.

The university alerted that authorities were searching for the suspect.

The university issued a shelter-in-place warning: Please enter the nearest building and stay there until all clear is given.

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The Harvard alert said that transit police are reporting shots fired at the stop.

The MBTA posted on X at about 2:25 p.m. that there would be delays of 25 minutes due to police activity at Harvard.

Cambridge police, state police and Harvard campus police were searching Harvard Square for the suspect, according to the alert.
(Fox40.com) Plumas and Sierra Counties Gray wolves have returned to California after a century and are reportedly multiplying at a staggering rate.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says there are at least seven packs.

Its an incredibly inspiring story that wolves, the symbol of the wild, can reclaim the state, their native land, Peter Tira, spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, says.

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However, this enthusiasm isnt shared by all.

The Modoc, Sierra, and Plumas County Board of Supervisors have all declared a local state of emergency due to the confirmed presence of gray wolves in the Northeastern California cattle-grazing mecca region.

Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher says theyve reached a tipping point. He has sent a letter to state officials, including the Governor, requesting permission to declare wolves a public safety risk and authorize certain wolves removal.

One thing that I am not advocating for, nor have any of the sheriffs that Ive spoken with, you know, is mass killing of wolves, Sheriff Fisher says. It is the ability for the local law enforcement to deal with a specific animal that is causing havoc and to be able to euthanize that particular problem animal, and that is after an investigation is complete.

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Dave Stix is the owner of DS Ranch and tells Fox40 that 30% of his calves did not breed last year, leading to a $300,000 loss.

DS Ranchers moved their cattle back to the Sierra Valley on March 30th, and as of Friday, April 18th, there have been 11 wolf attacks on their calves, two of which were fatal.

They just started tearing up calves, Stix says. They had all these rips and teeth marks left all over, which Ive never seen.

In the three hours FOX40 spent at DS Ranch, we witnessed a pair of wolves stalking cattle not once, but twice. Sheriff Fisher has since confirmed that 2 calves were attacked on the ranch while we were present, highlighting their lack of fear of humans.

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Weve had this place for about 30 years, and we really dont know what to do at this point, Stix tells FOX40. We dont know whether it is a good idea to get out of here and sell [the ranch], or what to do.

A new study by UC Davis found that cattle exposed to wolves had an increase in stress, leading to issues with eating, lactating, nursing calves, and pregnancy, which has had devastating repercussions.

It was anywhere from 1.4-3.6 million dollars in total losses, UC Davis researcher Ken Tate says.

With this spring comes the birth of more pups and calves.

The more predators you have, the more kills youre going to have, Chad Hermann, Undersheriff of Plumas County, tells FOX40.

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Rick Roberti, President of the Plumas-Sierra California Cattle Association, says all Californians should be prepared for the influx of wolves entering their communities.

Cattlemen are not the bad guys, Roberti says. We just want to be able to protect our private property.

CDFWs wolf compensation plan has already awarded $3 million to ranchers, but a representative tells FOX40 their hands are otherwise tied.

Gray wolves in California are listed as an endangered species under both the federal and state endangered species acts, Tira adds, meaning any form of lethal removal without special authorization is illegal.

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The Governors Office says they second CDFW but would not provide a comment on the matter.

Paul Roen with the Sierra County Board of Supervisors says state agencies are falling short.

They claim they want to collaborate and cooperate, well, were getting none of that currently, Roen, who voted to declare the state of emergency within the county, tells Fox40.

Sheriff Fisher agreed.

I can also only hope that Sierra County isnt the first county that has a wolf-human wildlife encounter that results in either injury or death, The Sheriff adds.

FOX40 reached out to several wolf and other endangered species animal rights groups to get their perspective, but they were unable to comment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
As of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russias declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes have already occurred along the front line, with 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front alone.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 16:00 on 20 April

Details: Throughout the day, Russian forces launched artillery strikes from across the border on the settlements of Myropilske and Turia in Sumy Oblast.

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On the Lyman front, two engagements were recorded near the settlements of Nadiia and Myrne.

On the Kramatorsk front, Russian forces attacked four times near the city of Chasiv Yar and in the direction of the villages of Stupochky and Bila Hora. One combat engagement is still ongoing.

On the Toretsk front, the Russians launched two attacks near the settlements of Druzhba and Toretsk.

The highest activity remains on the Pokrovsk front. A total of 20 engagements of varying intensity have taken place on Sunday 20 April near the settlements of Sukha Balka, Myroliubivka, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novooleksandrivka, Yelyzavetivka, Uspenivka, Preobrazhenka, Andriivka and Rozlyv, with two engagements still ongoing.

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On the Novopavlivka front, Russian forces attempted to advance twice near the settlements of Skudne and in the direction of Odradne.

On the Orikhiv front, Russian troops made three attempts to advance on Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Mala Tokmachka and Stepove, but were repelled.

In the operational zone in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Ukrainian defenders are currently repelling three attacks, with 12 engagements recorded so far. The Russians have carried out 100 artillery strikes, including seven using multiple-launch rocket systems.

On the Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Siversk, Huliaipole and Prydniprovske fronts, the Russians have not carried out active offensive actions.

Background:

On Sunday morning, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 20 combat engagements from 22:00 on 19 April to 08:00 on 20 April.

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Zelenskyy said that there has been an increase in Russian attacks and the use of kamikaze drones in the combat zone since 10:00 on 20 April. Russian forces have doubled its use of FPV drones.

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Apr. 19POLK COUNTY, Minn.  In the six months prior to fatally shooting Lucas Gilbertson during an attempted apprehension, an East Grand Forks police officer exchanged at least 64 emails  20 directly and the remainder including other parties  with the county attorney who would later clear him of any wrongdoing.

Although the correspondence was related to law enforcement work, a representative from a statewide watchdog group finds the volume of back-and-forth communication troubling. She believes that if there is a close working relationship between the two, it could have impaired Polk County Attorney Greg Widseth's ability to remain impartial.

"To me, this is a very troubling case," Michelle Gross, co-founder and president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, told the Grand Forks Herald. "This prosecutor is way too close to this officer  to the people involved in this  to make an objective judgment."

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Sgt. Aeisso Schrage

shot 42-year-old Gilbertson

during an attempted arrest for alleged bond violations last year. When the Pine to Prairie Task Force received a tip that Gilbertson was at his mother's house in Rhinehart Township outside East Grand Forks, its officers attempted to apprehend him there on Jan. 9, 2024. According to Schrage's statement to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, while Schrage and another officer were in the house, Gilbertson ran at them and Schrage responded with gunfire. Gilbertson sustained three gunshot wounds and died later that day. Because both Schrage and the other officer inside the residence at the time of the shooting were undercover, they were not equipped with body cameras.

Widseth released a statement in September saying that, upon review of the Minnesota BCA's investigative file, he found no basis to file criminal charges against Schrage.

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After

the Herald reported on Widseth's findings,

a reader reached out to say the county attorney appeared to have a close working relationship with Schrage, if not also a personal relationship. The Herald confirmed the two men were social-media friends, and ultimately compiled a records request in hopes of clarifying the extent of their relationship.

According to the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, there is no statewide policy to determine when the review of a deadly force investigation should be transferred to another county due to conflict of interest; each county makes that decision on its own. Widseth said Polk County has no written policy on the matter.

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"It is really a case-by-case evaluation and depends upon the facts of a case," he said in an email.

Gross said she finds this to be "appalling."

"You should have a written policy for every kind of circumstance like this," she said. "I mean, there's not a way to know about every single thing that can happen, but this is a general, broad category."

But Alicia Granse, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, said she's not surprised by the lack of written policy. She and Gross agree that prosecutors have broad, largely unchecked discretion. Granse said she believes there's a lack of oversight statewide that can be harmful in situations such as this one.

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"I wish that the County Attorneys Association had such a policy that would govern when you had to (recuse yourself), but I think it's also kind of common sense for the prosecutor in this case to recognize that there might be a conflict here," she said.

Granse believes there is a lack of transparency in how these decisions are made that does a disservice to everybody involved, as well as to the people of Minnesota.

In a Jan. 20 records request, the Herald asked for all written correspondence between Widseth and Schrage throughout the six-month period leading up to the shooting, as well as all written correspondence sent to or from Widseth related to his involvement in reviewing the BCA's investigation.

At the time of the request, Widseth explained that the IT department would be compiling the emails between him and Schrage, while he would personally look through his emails to find any records related to the second request, as there was no easy way to search for them. He also said that he, as the county attorney, would have to personally review all records to determine what is public, and make any necessary redactions or removals he deemed necessary before releasing them.

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The Herald received 64 emails as part of the first half of its records request. Of them, 20 were emails sent directly between Widseth and Schrage (two being out-of-office auto-replies), 16 were direct messages with other parties included, 11 were sent by either Widseth or Schrage to the "P2P Group" (likely referring to the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force board) and 17 were sent to the "Attorney Department."

Pine to Prairie Task Force members, including Schrage, attempted to arrest Gilbertson at his mother's home,

according to a press release

issued by the Polk County Sheriff's Office days after the shooting occurred. The task force is a Violent Crime Enforcement Team (VCET) covering eight counties throughout northwest Minnesota;

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its members often work on developing informants and cases surrounding illicit drug sales.

Widseth is an advisory member of the PTPTF board, which means he can attend meetings but cannot vote.

All of the topics included in the emails sent directly between Widseth and Schrage were related to their work. There were inquiries about criminal cases, plans to meet to discuss a case, questions about an upcoming grant application and similar matters.

The other emails largely included notices about training and other events, as well as updates on certain law enforcement requirements.

The second half of the request, which asked for any correspondence that references Widseth's involvement in reviewing the BCA's investigation, primarily yielded inquiries from the media. The exceptions are a couple of emails from a concerned community member, an exchange from an attorney asking if Widseth had Schrage's statement to the BCA and could provide it (which he said he did not have), an exchange with the BCA discussing who will let Gilbertson's family know about Widseth's decision prior to releasing it to the public, and exchanges where Widseth provides his September statement to media, as well as other people, such as the East Grand Forks police chief.

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The Herald received no emails between Schrage and Widseth that were personal in nature. If any exist, they would have been exempt from open-records laws, regardless of their presence on a professional account or device, according to Mark Anfinson, an attorney who works closely with the Minnesota Newspaper Association.

Widseth did say some records were protected from release to the public. He provided a letter that cited the relevant statutes that excluded records from both requests, though it does not state how many records were withheld or any more information about their contents.

For the first request, Widseth cited statutes that protect information used in an active criminal investigation, references to informants who might be put in danger if their identity is released, non-public security data and protected attorney work product.

The sole statute cited for the second request was the one regarding attorney work product 

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Minnesota Statue 13.393.

Anfinson characterizes this statute as the most confusing of all he has dealt with under the Data Practices Act.

"I think the easiest explanation is that it's a statute that applies most of the principles of the attorney-client privilege to government attorneys and records they create or collect working for the government," Anfinson said. "But you read this, and you could conclude that everything the county attorney, for example, does  generates, collects, holds and files  is not covered by the public access rules of the Data Practices Act, and that's not its intent, but it's just not clear at all."

After receiving the records in late February, the Herald made several attempts to discuss their contents with Widseth. Without his perspective, it's not clear how he personally interpreted the statutes, and which records he believed were exempt from release as a result.

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Prosecutors sit in a unique space because they are part of the court system, which is covered by much more restrictive data release practices, Gross said. As with police, there are many ways information can be excluded; active investigations are regularly cited as the reason. Gross believes these practices can allow law enforcement to control what information the public receives.

"When they control the data, they control the narrative," she said. "So they can say whatever they want to say about what happened, and then you find out later  only sometimes years later  that what they said was completely wrong."

Granse believes that because the queries were rooted in concerns of constituents  who reached out to the Herald  questions about transparency are amplified.

"He is an elected official, and if people in his community are asking for an explanation, I think it's important for him to answer those questions," Granse said. "(But) he doesn't have to. As far as I know, there isn't any sort of a law that dictates when (he does and) doesn't have to respond."

She reminds the public, though, that they always have the right to ask questions and voice their concerns.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office declined to weigh in on Widseth's decision not to pass the review of the shooting investigation to another agency.

"I don't believe we are able to provide an interview here," Brian Evans, the office's press secretary, answered. "As a matter of policy, the Minnesota Attorney General's Office does not provide legal advice or analysis to members of the media. We would not want to say something appears lawful or not to be lawful based on the facts available, only to have that contradicted by private information. I recommend contacting the Minnesota County Attorney's Association. I believe they could assist with this request."

MCAA Executive Director Robert Small said the association does not comment on decisions made by its county attorneys.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Rain and snow have been moving through the state today, bringing very beneficial moisture. A few thunderstorms also developed across southern portions of the state. As we head overnight, these rain and snow showers will continue to push off to the east and eventually out of the region.

Forecast Continues Below

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Drier weather will return to New Mexico by Sunday morning, but it will be a cold start to the day! A Freeze Warning is in effect for the Albuquerque Metro on Sunday morning, where low temperatures will get down to around freezing. More seasonable weather moves in by the afternoon, though with highs back to around average and sunny and calm conditions.

Warm temperatures will stick around every day next week, with dry conditions in the western half of the state. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will work its way into eastern New Mexico on Tuesday, bringing daily, isolated thunderstorm chances through the end of next week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Four people were displaced Sunday afternoon in the wake of a house fire in the Socastee area of Horry County, officials said.

Crews were sent to the area of Wallingford Circle about 1:15 p.m. for a reported residential structure fire. The house sustained significant damage, but nobody was hurt.

Horry County Fire Rescue said the cause remains under investigation.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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The Rome police department announced the death of one of their officers children this week.

On Thursday, the department said that Bentley Beard died in a tragic motor vehicle accident in the Silver Creek area of Floyd County.

Despite life-saving efforts from first responders, the boy died from his injuries at a hospital.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into the crash.

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Counselors were available to students in the Floyd County School System.

Beards funeral was held on Saturday in Rome.

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TRENDING STORIES:

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Homelessness

I would like to express my dismay at a article in the local news about homeless people not being dropped here. This is absolutely false. Every day I see 4 to 5 new faces at Pass Road and our Lady of Fatima. We cant kick it down the road. Biloxi leaders make the big money. Its time to get something done.

Good grief

83-year-old Bernie Sanders is touring the U.S. Hes in Montana telling all the California imports to vote for the same Communism they just left in the Golden State.

Paging Rep. Ezell

I look forward to a real town hall meeting with Rep. Ezell. Apparently he only meets in tiny conservative church town hall meetings and pre-screened friendly groups. There are a lot of people that have a lot to say. I voted for him, but with the exception of enforcing immigration laws, Im getting nothing, except seeing Democracy and the economy destroyed.

Tariffs on drugs?

President Trump says he will put tariffs on drugs soon. This is obviously another bad idea. Many people will be unable to afford even more of their drugs. Seniors will be hit harder than anyone. Insurance companies will refuse to cover more expensive drugs and try to push people to use cheaper, less effective ones. My insurance company has already done this to me in the past.

Secure border

Yes, there have been some hiccups since President Trumps inauguration. But I am thrilled at what Im seeing (or not seeing) from the border.

Tax exemptions

President Trump just said explicitly and emphatically, Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST! I like that, because I think some religious institutions are not acting in the public interest; they are acting in the interest of one political party or candidate or issue, so their tax exempt status should be withdrawn. That would make our political system more transparent and honest and raise taxes with which to reduce our national debt. Lets get on with it.

Just make him king

Is there some reason that our government hasnt gone ahead and made President Trump king? His administration has made it clear that it will ignore the rule of law, up to and including the right-leaning Supreme Court. Congress has shown it has no ability to stand in his way. Lets get it over with, already.

Some negotiator

I couldnt believe that a United States president actually spoke of other world leaders by saying that they wanted to kiss his behind. I looked it up. Its on YouTube. I watched the entire segment. The lies. The bloviation. Embarrassing, to say nothing of the fact that belittling the people you are negotiating with will not strengthen your position. Pray for him. Pray for our nation. Pray for those people in the audience applauding, who were metaphorically kissing his behind.

Never his fault

So President Trump has caused a stock market wipeout with his silly tariff plan, and inability to actually articulate a plan and stick with it. And he has come to the conclusion that its ... Jerome Powells fault. Of course. Im sure firing him will fix everything.

Oh, great

According to the Washington Post, Eight of the Weather Services 122 local forecast offices soon will have seven or fewer meteorologists to do the work of 12 to 15 people. But thats OK. Im sure our local office will be fully staffed as we head into the teeth of hurricane season.

Fair sports

I still cant, for the life of me, understand how anyone could think that a person who has grown up as a boy should ever compete in womens sports. Absolutely none of it makes sense to me. And judging by the most recent election, Im not the only one.

401(k)s

Its true: Your 401k is going to be just fine. If you live in China.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.
SPARTANBURG S.C. (WSPA)  A Spartanburg daycare employee has been arrested after police said she threw a toddler to the floor multiple times.

According to a report from Spartanburg Police Department, on Wednesday, a parent filed a complaint the police department regarding child abuse at a daycare at First Baptist Church in Spartanburg.

The parent told police a video taken in March of Karon Corbin, then an employee of the daycare at the church, pick up a three-year-old toddler by the arms and then throw the child to the floor during nap time. Corbin then allegedly adjusted the nap time map, picked the child up and threw the child to the floor face down.

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Reports state there were no injuries to the child as a result of being thrown to the floor. The report also said the director of the daycare reviewed the video and fired Corbin.

Corbin has been charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm to a child. She is being held in the Spartanburg County Detention Center and has not yet been given a bond.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
CHICAGO  A celebration of Black entrepreneurship designed to boost economic power in historically Black communities is empowering consumers to re-think where they spend their hard-earned money.

From sweet treats and food to clothing, accessories, flowers and so much more, Natasha Olguin joined hundreds of people on 75th Street near King Drive Saturday for Spend in the Black.

There were all these amazing corridors on the West Side and the South Side. We had 63rd Street, you had 75th, you had Pulaski and now, unfortunately, we dont always spend with us, so these type of events are extremely valuable, Olguin said.

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Personal trainer and body builder Jerisa Upton was also in attendance at Saturdays event. Upton owns House Fitness based in Hyde Park and was one of more than 100 vendors out on Saturday.

YarnCon: Chicagos indie fiber festival sparks craft creativity

The way that Im living now, I feel like a completely new person and I want to give that to everybody, Upton said.

While focusing on overall wellness, she said shes also passionate about helping clients look really good.

Learning how to unlock nutrition and exercise can literally age you backwards, Upton said.

Ald. William Hall (6th Ward) and Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates, senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church, helped spearhead Saturdays event.

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The hope is for Spend in the Black to have a lasting impact, ultimately pouring a significant amount of money back into the local Black community.

When you add up all of these businesses, this is a whole different tax bracket and so SSAs TIF dollars are formed with businesses, and so I believe what we need to do right now is use our money in a micro way, Hall said.

Aside from empowering business owners and highlighting their goods and services, Spend in the Black also serves as a response to several corporations cutting back diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

At a time when some of the larger businesses take our dollars but do not respect our dignity, this is an opportunity to spend our dollars where our dignity is affirmed, Dates said.

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Cook County Commr. Tara Stamps (1st District) echoed these claims.

Out of great chaos, weve created enormous opportunity to be self reliant, to be interdependent so that we know we can do for ourself and practice principles that come down from our ancestors, Stamps said.

Fellowship Fleet Car Service, a luxury limo company that serves the city and some major institutions, also participated in Saturdays festivities.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Not too many people know about our company. They dont think that Black means luxurious, but there is no opportunity where Black is not luxurious. Everywhere we show up we are excellence, Tiabryanna Balentine of Fellowship Fleet said.

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Throughout Spend in the Black, several shoppers were given $1,000 for an emergency savings account.

The average America doesnt have $1,000 saved. Were going to meet that need today for eight people, Dates 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.
Apr. 19WASHINGTON  In early 2024, Spokane Valley native and retired diplomat Ryan Crocker knew the U.S.-funded, Arabic-language news organization he had championed for years needed help.

Twenty years after the Middle East Broadcasting Networks were created to counter anti-American bias that Congress and the George W. Bush administration saw in the Arab world, the editorially independent news outlet was flagging amid unstable leadership and criticism of its coverage. As chairman of MBN's board, Crocker, whose storied career in the foreign service led Bush to dub him "America's Lawrence of Arabia," recruited Jeffrey Gedmin to take over as CEO and right the ship.

On April 12, after leading a yearlong overhaul that earned the support of even some of MBN's critics, Gedmin was forced to lay off more than 90% of the broadcaster's staff after Kari Lake, a former TV news anchor tapped by President Donald Trump to remake the U.S. Agency for Global Media, terminated the grants that fund MBN and other grantees, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia.

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In an email to staff announcing the layoffs, Gedmin wrote that Lake had refused to talk with him after cutting the funding.

"I'm left to conclude that she is deliberately starving us of the money we need to pay you, our dedicated and hard-working staff," he wrote. "It makes no sense to silence America's voice in the Middle East."

In an interview, Gedmin said that, along with Crocker and the rest of MBN's board, he had faced a "very painful" choice: Either run out of cash entirely by April 18 or lay off 514 of the company's 557 employees and contractors in a last-gasp effort to keep MBN online and on the airwaves until  he hopes  the courts intervene. The board, whose members aren't paid, remains intact.

On April 1, MBN filed a lawsuit against Lake and the Trump administration, alleging that their funding was illegally terminated the day after Congress passed a funding bill on March 14 that includes $100 million for MBN, an amount Crocker noted is less than the cost of two Apache helicopters.

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MBN secured pro bono counsel, including former Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, who argued cases before the Supreme Court during the Obama administration.

As of Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth had not ruled on MBN's motion for a preliminary injunction that could at least temporarily restore its funding.

But Lamberth on Friday extended a temporary restraining order in a related lawsuit filed by VOA, which prohibits the cancellation of MBN's grant along with the further dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

When MBN was established in 2004, Crocker said in an interview, it was modeled on Voice of America, created by the U.S. government in 1942 to broadcast overseas during World War II. In VOA's first broadcasts, its journalists famously said, "The news may be good or bad. We shall tell you the truth."

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VOA was followed in 1949 by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which broadcast into the Soviet Union and its satellite states during the Cold War. After initially receiving covert funds from the CIA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty later adopted a funding model that made it editorially independent from the U.S. government, despite relying on annual appropriations from Congress.

When Congress established Radio Free Asia in 1996 and MBN in 2004, both outlets followed that independent model, while VOA has remained a federal entity whose charter requires its editorial independence from the White House. Gedmin, who previously led Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said that MBN is unique in that it has a mandate to cover not only the Middle East and North Africa but also the United States, helping to explain U.S. policies and American society to its audience of roughly 30 million Arabic speakers.

On March 14, the same day Congress passed legislation to fund MBN and its sister organizations, Trump signed an executive order decreeing that the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which was created by an act of Congress, "shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." A day later, the White House published a blog post titled "The Voice of Radical America" that accused VOA of "radical propaganda" but didn't mention MBN or the other grantees.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media didn't respond to questions about the decision to defund MBN, but the White House defended the move.

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"President Trump's Executive Order was clear  taxpayers will no longer be forced to fund international media outlets that promote radical anti-American propaganda," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.

The White House cited reporting from ProPublica in 2008 that found an MBN TV channel, Alhurra, had broadcast an hourlong, uninterrupted speech by Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah who was assassinated in 2024. ProPublica's reporting also found that MBN, in its early years, had given a platform to Holocaust deniers and harsh critics of Israel.

The White House also pointed to reporting by the Saudi Arabia-based Arab News in 2021 in which unnamed MBN employees complained that the organization's coverage was too favorable to Israel.

In response to the White House's assertions, Gedmin, who took the helm of MBN in April 2024, didn't deny that the organization had problems before his tenure. He said that hiring, training and leading a diverse staff from across the Middle East and North Africa is challenging, as is covering highly contentious issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a way that all sides consider fair.

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The White House also pointed to more recent criticism of MBN's coverage by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, or CAMERA, a media watchdog organization focused on coverage of Israel. Gedmin emphasized that he has worked closely with that organization over the past year to address its concerns, which included what CAMERA considered anti-Israel bias and the platforming of extremists who were presented as experts.

In a lengthy statement, CAMERA's president and executive director, Andrea Levin, said that MBN's senior management had been responsive and worked to address her organization's concerns.

"With more than 170 corrections consequently implemented to Alhurra's output, CAMERA is now satisfied that MBN has undergone a major change in leadership and direction," Levin wrote. "This change enables it to provide accurate, balanced perspectives on key Middle Eastern issues, including Israel, in a way that stands for the values of American taxpayers."

In contrast to other Arabic-language news organizations funded by European governments, Levin said, "the dialogue with MBN was fruitful, and reflected a professional and accountable approach on their part." Whatever action the Trump administration and Congress take with respect to MBN, she said, they shouldn't leave the media landscape in the Middle East to be dominated by state-run outlets and those backed by Iran, Russia and China.

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But Crocker, whose four-decade career in the foreign service included stints as the ambassador to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan, said that's exactly what is happening now that MBN has been forced to all but shutter its operations. Iran and Russia, he said, have already increased funding to their Arabic-language media operations.

"We've basically pre-emptively surrendered the information space, and our adversaries have already moved to take advantage of it," he said. "Our enemies have tried to silence us. They couldn't. We're now silencing ourselves."

Orion Donovan Smith's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Two people were hospitalized after being stabbed on a popular beachside walk route in Santa Monica early Saturday morning.

Police confirmed to KTLA that at about 2:26 a.m., officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the 1700 block of Ocean Front Walk.

According to the Santa Monica Police Department, two victims were found suffering from stab wounds. Officials did not immediately provide the extent of the patients injuries.

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Unconfirmed reports say the victims were brother and sister, but police did not provide further information on their identities.

First responders transported the patients to a local hospital, where SMPD said they remained in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon.

Officials did not say whether any suspects were detained or identified in this stabbing. However, unconfirmed reports say the attack appeared random, and potential suspects were seen running away from the scene after the crime.

Police said the investigation is active and ongoing and will share additional details when available.

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Hawaiian island Moloka'i is home to the Kamakou Nature Preserve, which takes care of 250 species of native plants. The preserve is also part of the Kawela watershed, which provides 7 million gallons of water to residents every day.

With all its benefits to nature, it was a complete shock when conservationists for The Nature Conservancy discovered "an apparent act of senseless vandalism" with several trees chopped down and left in place, per The Moloka'i Dispatch.

The cut-down trees were ohia (Mestrosideros spp), the dominant native trees in Hawaiian forests that serve as homes for native birds and critters and are crucial for lei, hula, and other cultural materials. The trees are also beneficial in collecting water for the area.

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"Every ohia tree is special and needed. I don't understand why someone would do this," field technician Kathy Coelho told the Dispatch.

The Dispatch article, which was written by Russell Kallstrom of The Nature Conservancy, explained that the trees preserve the native forest and provide fresh water. Kallstrom added that "less than 15 percent of our original native forest [is] remaining" and so "every tree matters."

Removing the trees doesn't just interrupt the fragile ecosystem; it impacts the native Hawaiian culture, which relies on the trees for cultural resources.

"Cutting Ohia trees in our native forests hurts us all," Penny Martin, the education specialist for Papahana Kuaola, told the Dispatch.

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In 2016, the Rapid Ohia Death fungus severely threatened tree health elsewhere in the state, putting Hawaii's water supply in danger.

"The water filters through the forest and then seeps into the ground, and recharges our aquifers," Corie Yanger, of the University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources told Hawaii Business Magazine. She also noted that no other tree in Hawaii "captures water the way ohia does."

Risk of rapid ohia death is still a factor in the health of Hawaiian forests. Vandalism that opens wounds on trees can cause a "greater risk of exposure to disease and fungus," per the Dispatch.

To prevent the issue from continuing, the article put out a call to action: "Tell others about what our native forest does for us all,"

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Increased education about wildlife will help you and others learn the necessity of supporting natural landscapes. Ultimately, it creates collective action that supports the planet and yourself.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
The U.S. Department of State is strongly advising "prospective adoptive parents" to reconsider adoptions from Haiti, in part because of a longstanding travel warning to that country.

"The Department of State continues to strongly advise prospective adoptive parents to reconsider intercountry adoptions from Haiti  particularly those who have not yet selected a country from which to adopt or those who have not yet been matched with a child from Haiti," the State Department warned in an April 14, 2025, news release.

"Adoption from Haiti is a long process in a dangerous environment that impedes processing. Conditions in Haiti include protests, demonstrations, and roadblocks, as well as criminal activity involving firearms, assault, kidnappings, and carjackings," the release says.

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The governor warned in the new release that travel to and in Haiti can be perilous.

Since March 2024, Haiti "has been under a State of Emergency. The Department of States Travel Advisory for Haiti has been at Level 4  Do Not Travel since March 2020. The airport in Port-au-Prince has been closed to commercial aircraft since November 2024," the release says.

A view of the streets as growing insecurity, particularly in the capital, is forcing families to flee their former shelters on several occasions in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on April 16, 2025. Anadolu/Getty Images

Indeed, conditions in the country have deteriorated to the degree that Royal Caribbean cruise line announced in April 2025 that it was pausing a route there to a private Haitian island.

"Even prior to 2024, intercountry adoptions from Haiti have typically taken an average of four years to complete. This timeline has lengthened in some cases due to country conditions. Proximity to armed gang violence can cause Haitian government offices and courts that process adoptions and monitor child welfare to shut unexpectedly, further delaying case processing," the release notes.

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"Foreign service providers (FSPs) responsible for shepherding adoption cases through courts and local government offices report increasing difficulties in safely processing adoption cases as they navigate difficult security conditions on behalf of prospective adoptive parents," the government warned.

"U.S. embassy employees are prohibited from travel in Haiti, use of public transportation, and visiting certain areas of Port-au-Prince, and FSPs must assume such risks to advance adoption cases. There may be times where FSPs are unable to advance cases as security conditions compel them to shelter in place. The Department of State has no capacity to provide security or transportation to FSPs involved in case processing," the release says.

"Children awaiting adoption also navigate difficult security conditions to complete required steps in adoption processes, including travel for personal appearance requirements at courts, passport offices, and medical clinics," it adds. "Biological relations of children undergoing adoption may also be required to make multiple trips to give testimony in court. Adoption processing steps that are required by U.S. and/or Haitian law cannot be waived. The Department of State has no capacity to provide security or transportation for children or birth families to complete adoption processing."

Related: Southwest Airlines Announces 'Unprecedented' Change Amid Free Bag Outrage
The State Department has denied reports that Donald Trump is planning to close almost all of the United States Africa operations and shut down embassies across the continent.

A leaked executive order reportedly set to be signed this week outlined drastic changes to the State Department, which, if implemented, would be one of the biggest rounds of restructuring since its founding in 1789.

The order planned to eliminate offices which work on climate change, humanitarian support for refugees, democracy and human rights policy, along with a sharp cut to diplomatic operations in Canada.

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The executive order  copies of which were obtained by the New York Times and Bloomberg  could be signed by the US president this week, with the changes expected to come into effect by October1.

One US diplomat described the draft to Politico as bonkers crazypants, adding: Theres a lot that could be reformed, but you could give infinite monkeys infinite typewriters, and they would come up with something better than that.

However, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, dismissed the document as fake news, and a State Department spokesman called the draft a fake document.

The order, if confirmed, would be accompanied by efforts to lay off staff across the Foreign Service and the Civil Service, officials told The New York Times. The executive order also sets out new hiring criteria, which includes alignment with the presidents foreign policy vision.

Cut waste, fraud and abuse

The purpose of the shake-up, according to the 16-page document, would be to impose a disciplined reorganisation of the State Department and streamlining mission delivery while cutting waste, fraud and abuse.

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It follows cuts that have dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which critics have warned are damaging American soft power and enabling rivals like China and Russia gain more global influence.

Canada operations would be moved to a new North American Affairs Office, which would fall under the remit of Marco Rubio (centre) - AFP

It comes as Mr Trumps second administration continues to scale back the federal government, slashing jobs and funding across agencies.

One of the biggest changes would be the elimination of the Bureau of African affairs, which oversees policy in sub-Saharan Africa.

In its place would be a smaller special envoy office for African affairs, which would report to the White House National Security Council.

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So-called non-essential embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa would also be closed, with diplomats instead being sent to Africa on targeted, mission-driven deployments.

The reorganisation would instead leave just four regional bureaus, covering the Indo-Pacific region, Latin America, the Middle East and Eurasia.

Significantly reduced team

All Canada operations would also be moved to a new North American Affairs Office, which would fall under the remit of Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. This would be run by a significantly reduced team, according to the draft, while the US embassy in Ottawa would face severe cuts.

Diplomatic relations with Canada shall fall under a significantly reduced team delegated as the North American Affairs Office (NAAO) within the Office of the Secretary, the document reads.

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The executive order also sets out to eliminate the position of the special envoy for climate, the bureau overseeing democracy and human rights issues, the department handling refugees and migration and the Office of Global Womens Issues.

The Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs meanwhile would assume any mission-critical duties previously carried out by [USAID], which has been largely shuttered under the Trump administration.

All positions and duties must receive explicit written approval from the President of the United States, according to the order.

The draft also instructs the State Department to expand its use of artificial intelligence for drafting documents.

State Department slashes

The State Departments workforce includes some 13,000 members of the Foreign Service, 11,000 Civil Service employees and 45,000 locally employed staff at more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide, according to its website.

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Last week it was revealed that the White Houses Office of Management and Budget had proposed gutting the State Departments budget by almost 50 per cent, closing a number of overseas diplomatic missions, slashing the number of diplomatic staff and eliminating funding for nearly all international organisations, including the United Nations.

Elements of the proposal could still change before Mr Trump signs the order, while neither the State Department nor the White House National Security Council have commented.

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AUSTIN (Nexstar)  A vote Thursday in the Texas House moved the state one step closer to creating a program to let parents use tax dollars to help pay for private school. An announcement Friday indicates the next steps could come quickly.

The House gave final approval to Senate Bill 2, which would create education savings accounts, but included an amendment on how to prioritize the funding. The House plan put a higher priority on low income families and families of children with disabilities. The amended bill raised the potential for a conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

But on Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick posted on social media that hes calling on the Senate to accept the House changes. That would speed up the process of getting the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott to sign the bill into law.

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Ive fought for school choice for my entire legislative career, Patrick posted on X. Now, in consultation with @CreightonForTX, I am recommending the Senate concur with Senate Bill 2, the largest school choice launch in American history, Patrick added.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, posted on X that the Senate will send the bill to Abbott on Tuesday, April 22.

Abbott listed education savings accounts as one of his emergency items, making it a priority for lawmakers. He posted a response to Patricks post, saying, Ready to sign this bill into law.

The House passage of the ESA legislation came after hours of heated debate, which stretched from Wednesday afternoon into the early morning hours Thursday.

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A Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives explained to his constituents in a comment on a Facebook post that he voted to approve Senate Bill 2, the ESA bill, because all of his bills and appropriations were at risk, echoing allegations made against the Governor Wednesday night.

The bill would create a $1 billion program where families could apply to use taxpayer money to help pay for private school tuition and school supplies.

Early Thursday morning, after hours of debate, State Rep. Jeff Barry, R-Pearland, posted his official statement on the passage of the education savings account legislation.

While I have had serious reservations about any form of ESA proposal, I fought to make the legislation better for our students by working closely with House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley and committee members, House colleagues, and our school districts to develop provisions that would improve this proposal, Barry said in the statement.

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He posted it to his Facebook page and received more than 130 comments from constituents, most of them negative about his yes vote. One Facebook user, Maritza Wong, wrote in a comment, Just Wednesday morning, your staff said you were a firm no on vouchers.

Barrys account responded to that comment, saying, The bill was passing regardless of my vote. If I voted against it, I would have had every statewide and national political Al figure against me. Not to mention all of my bills vetoed. The consequences were dire, with no upside at all. I understand your frustration, and I am disappointed in the outcome as well. If I would have voted against this, all of my bills and appropriations were at risk. We have some great things we have already done for the district.

Nexstar has reached out to Barrys office for a comment and is waiting to hear back.

The comments made in the Facebook post echo the allegations made against Gov. Abbott during the House floor debate. State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, proposed an amendment to call for a referendum, allowing Texas voters to decide in a statewide vote if they wanted an ESA program.

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In his layout of the amendment, Talarico alleged Abbott was threatening Republican lawmakers by telling them he would veto all of their bills and threatened to make their primaries a blood bath.

The last time I checked, this was still the peoples House, not the Governors House, Talarico said to his House colleagues. State Rep. Mitch Little, R  Lewisville, questioned which of his Republican colleagues had been threatened, but Talarico would not provide any names.

Abbotts Press Office posted a response to those allegations on its official X account, calling Talarico two-faced. He lied about the school choice program and the Governor, the post said. A spokesperson in the Governors Office said the governor spoke with members and encouraged them to vote for school choice legislation.

The referendum was eventually tabled by the House, along with 42 other amendments that were offered by House Democrats during debate.

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Abbott met with the House Republican Caucus before Wednesdays vote. During that meeting, President Donald Trump called in to the meeting and was put on speaker for all of the members to hear.

According to a portion of that call posted on social media, President Trump could be heard saying school choice is a top priority for the Republican Party.

The President posted on Truth Social following the passage of SB 2. This is a gigantic Victory for students and parents in the Great State of Texas! We will very soon be sending Education BACK TO ALL THE STATES, where it belongs, the post read.

In 2023, school choice legislation could not get passed the House of Representatives after 21 Republican members joined Democrats in opposition.

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Following that defeat, Abbott campaigned against the members in his own party, spending millions on their primary opponents.

There were only two Republican members who voted against SB 2 on Wednesday night. That included former Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and State Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, who also voted against school choice in the past.

Texas DOGE calls for sanctions, audit of insurance company accused of investigating lawmakers and customers

The Texas House Committee on the Delivery of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is calling for an immediate audit of and sanctions against Superior HealthPlan, a state Medicaid contractor that manages the care of sick and disabled children and is accused of spying on lawmakers and private citizens.

On Tuesday, the lawmakers released a copy of a letter they sent to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, asking the agency to suspend Superiors ability to enroll new Medicaid members and to bar the company from receiving any new Texas Medicaid contracts until the Texas Attorney Generals office concludes its ongoing investigation into the companys surveillance practices.

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BACKGROUND: Insurance company accused of spying on customers, lawmakers faces Texas Attorney General investigation

DOGE also submitted a request with the State Auditors Office to conduct a comprehensive review of financial records of Superior and its parent company, Centene Corporation, to find any evidence of financial irregularities or commingling of state funds, undisclosed payments to contractors, violations of contract terms, and communications regarding whistleblower reports or obstruction of regulatory investigations.

KXAN reached out to Centene for a response and a spokesperson for the company sent an emailed response, saying, We look forward to the opportunity to share information with HHSC and the Attorney General to correct the numerous false accusations that have stemmed from the March 26th DOGE committee hearing. The actions in question amounted to a limited number of remote, desk-based research projects using publicly available information and occurred more than five years ago. None of the research was used for unlawful or unethical purposes. For 25 years, Superior has delivered access to high-quality health care to Texans statewide and employs 3,300 people across the state. Superior is consistently rated among the highest quality health plans serving the Texas Medicaid program. We remain committed to continued transparency and accountability in our ongoing partnership with the State.

DOGE Lawmakers and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have accused Superior of hiring private investigators to get information on lawmakers, who influence Medicaid policy, and private citizens, who are patients.

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KXAN investigators reviewed copies of emails showing Superiors former CEO, Mark Sanders, asking for in-depth reports about certain lawmakers and various health care providers from a personnel group known for background investigations.

The emails, sent between 2017 and 2019, were publicly revealed during a March 26 DOGE committee hearing. There, lawmakers grilled Sanders over the companys surveillance practices.

MORE: Lawmakers and advocates call for accountability after insurance company hired investigators to look into patients

At the time, committee chairman Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, told Sanders, I dont think what any of us expected was for a health insurance company that is funded mostly by Texas taxpayer dollars  that they would use some of those monies to hire private investigators  that they would hire a private investigator to follow a mom whose child was being denied medical care.

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One day after the hearing, Centene announced that Sanders was no longer with the company.

It also released a statement, saying the company had launched an internal investigation to examine the conduct in question and to ensure our current practices are fully aligned with our core values and ethical standards.

According to Centenes investigation to date, the research in question was conducted through publicly or commercially available resources and limited to desk-based research. The statement also explicitly said no individual was ever followed or photographed.

The statement went on, Background research has many business uses, including meeting preparation as well as helping to identify conflicts of interest and potential fraud, waste, and abuse, which is part of our duty as a government-sponsored healthcare organization. The research in question included irrelevant and unnecessary personal information. That was inappropriate and never should have happened. This occurred prior to 2019 and does not reflect the values or standards of our current leadership. For that, we offer our sincere and unequivocal apology.

The company also noted that the suggestions that these materials were used for leverage or blackmail are completely false.

In the DOGE announcement on Tuesday, Rep. Capriglione noted that the practices were nothing short of appalling and raised serious questions about whether Superior sought to gain leverage over legislators in order to advance their own contracting interests.

He went on, We now have no choice but to hold Superior accountable to protect the integrity of our healthcare and contracting systems. This is a serious matter of public trust, and we will use every tool available to protect the rights, privacy, and tax dollars of Texans and the integrity of our public health system.

Patient advocates told KXAN investigators that the emails point to the need for more accountability and oversight for the system in which Texas funnels public dollars to the private companies that operate the states various Medicaid programs and manage care for many low-income, elderly, or disabled Texans and foster children.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant. There is, I think, again, a pattern of behavior here that is really disturbing. Texans deserve better, and taxpayers deserve better. Patients deserve better, said Hannah Mehta, founder of the advocacy group Protect TX Fragile Kids.

She went on, This is horrifying and alarming for families who literally are fighting for life, sustaining care for their children, trying to keep their kids alive.

Middleton announces campaign, Bash touts credentials in race for Texas Attorney General

The race to replace Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is heating up as State Senator and oil and gas businessman Mayes Middleton challenges former U.S. Attorney John Bash for the Republican nomination.



The state attorney generals race became an open contest after Attorney General Paxton announced a primary challenge to current U.S. Senator John Cornyn in 2026. Sen. Middleton is now the second Republican to announce his candidacy for Texas top law enforcement officer.

Attorney Bash announced his bid for the office on April 10. Bashs candidacy has attracted national attention due to his ties to billionaire Elon Musk. Bash currently represents Musk in a defamation case after Musk amplified social media posts falsely placing a California man at a clash involving far-right protesters near an Oregon Pride festival.



During his time as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, Bash prosecuted a number of high-profile cases. He was involved in the prosecution of a network of Pill Mill clinics accused of helping fuel the opioid epidemic 2019. Bash also oversaw the prosecution of the gunman in the 2019 mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart.

Bash said his experience in Washington and as a U.S. Attorney makes him the best prepared person to lead the attorney generals office.



Im not a career politician. Ive never run for office before, he said. (Attorney General is) not a position you use to advance your political career. Its a real working position that needs to come up with legal strategies to keep our citizens safe, to keep them prosperous.

Bash said prosecuting cartel violence, challenging certain federal laws, and defending state laws from constitutional challenges are important and difficult tasks for the next attorney general to tackle.



Its not a job for somebody whos never been inside of a courtroom, he said. I think my resume and my experience will stack up well against anybody whos going to run in this race.

Sen. Middleton announced his run for the office in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday. Middleton is the President of Middleton Oil Company, which operates over 60 wells in Texas. and served two terms as a state representative prior to his senate tenure. Sen. Middleton received a law degree from The University of Texas Law School in 2008.

As a senator, Middleton represents a Republican-stronghold that encompasses much of Galveston County and Brazoria County, and a small portion of Harris County. His campaign website touts his efforts to restrict transgender women from competing in collegiate sports, ban vaccine mandates, and support border security during his time as senator.

In his announcement, Middleton said he would commit $10 million of his own money to the campaign.

There isnt another Texas to move to, he said. I will work to ensure Texas is the safest state to live and raise a family.

Middleton would have been up for re-election for his state senate seat next year, but he will have to vacate that seat for his attorney general run.

Federal government cancels $60M grant for Texas high-speed rail

More than $60 million in federal funding previously set aside to help connect Texas cities through high-speed rail, is being nixed, according to a news release from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

The Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor project would have connected Houston and Dallas. Duffy says the projected cost of that connection ballooned to more than $40 billion.

KXAN has reached out to Amtrak and will update this story when we get a response.

The Texas Central Railway project was proposed as a private venture. If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward, rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out, Duffy said.

What does that mean for high-speed rail in Texas? The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) said theyre still looking at opportunities for rail and high-speed rail projects.

Connecting Dallas and Houston remains one of the more exciting opportunities for new passenger rail in the United States, said FRA Chief Counsel Kyle Fields.

We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it forward. This project is shovel-ready and will create significant new jobs and economic growth for Texas as part of President Trumps efforts to boost the U.S. economy, Kleinheinz Capital Partners, the lead investment sponsor for the project, said in-part in a statement.

Andy Gent, a representative for Texas Central, testified Thursday before the Texas House Transportation Committee. He echoed the belief that cutting Amtrak out of the project is a good thing, even with the loss of grant funding.

We support what the Department of Transportation is saying. We look forward to working, continuing to work with the Department of Transportation, Gent told the committee. I know that they believe that Dallas to Houston remains a very lucrative route that they want to explore and so were just going to continue to explore that with them, he added.

Committee member Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville asked about the outlook for the project after the grant funding was canceled.

To put a fine point on it for the committee, do you still believe that the project is alive? Little asked.

Of course, Gent responded.

Central Texas leaders have also pushed for commuter rail connections between Austin and San Antonio. Travis County Judge Andy Brown has been one of the most vocal.

Im still focused on bringing improved passenger rail to help the Travis County-Bexar County super region continue to thrive, Brown 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 KXAN Austin.
RACINE  From jewelers and leather workers to potters and musicians, 239 Wisconsin Ave. has long been a home for artists, and the most recent business to set up there, Hot Shop Glass, is no different.

This year, Hot Shop Glass is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Located in Downtown Racine, the studio offers both glass fusing and blowing classes for the public, as well as workspace for practicing artists.

Additionally, Hot Shop Glass does commission work, including memorial glass, wedding glass and pendant lightings.

Its a cool facility. Its got a great vibe, said Amanda Cosgrove Paffrath, co-owner and founder. I think glass is such a cool material that even if you arent artistic, even if you cant paint or draw, you can make something pretty with glass because glass itself is so beautiful.

Getting started

In 2005, Cosgrove Paffrath and the other founders met for burgers and beers to discuss starting a glass art studio. Three weeks later in May, the group purchased 239 Wisconsin Ave. and opened the studio that November after six months of renovations.

Although Cosgrove Paffrath has been involved in art since taking her first art class at 5 years old, she was introduced to glass work while attending The Prairie School.

Since then, shes stuck with the practice, creating work from beads, jewelry and glass throughout college and her career as a social worker.

Its always been something I did as a hobby and self-care while I was doing social work, she said. (Its) just always been part of my life.

When opening Hot Shop Glass, Cosgrove Paffrath created a business plan for the studio and modeled much of the set-up after Funky Hannahs Beads & Art, a store she owned and operated at the time.

We all had other jobs, so it wasnt that we were going to be relying on this as an income stream, she said. It was about having access to a facility where we could create our own art.

The studio today

Following the retirement of Cosgrove Paffraths original partner Doug Chaussee 11 years ago, Daniel Sviland joined the business and became a co-owner.

Sviland was familiar with Hot Shop Glass: He was a student of Chaussees and rented studio space to create his own art.

For Cosgrove Paffrath, the partnership with Sviland is a perfect match.

I did this as a hobby for 12 years or so. I was a restaurant manager all of my life and spent most of my time dreaming and thinking about glass, Sviland said. (I) knew that it just needed to be a bigger part of my life.

While Cosgrove Paffrath handles the marketing and business, Sviland takes care of the equipment, which includes an electric glass furnace that holds 300 pounds of molten glass and maintains a temperature of 2,100 degrees.

At the studio, visitors can take classes in glass blowing, or working with hot glass in liquid form.

Participants also can learn glass fusing, which includes layering pieces of cut glass like a mosaic and melting it to create an image.

Some people, Cosgrove Paffrath said, prefer glass fusing because its not as hot, dangerous or expensive. Others gravitate toward glass blowing because the material is more mesmerizing in liquid form.

After working in customer service, Sviland said interacting with people and seeing the joy that glass brings to them is one of his favorite parts of the job.

As an artist himself, helping other people create art is fulfilling for him.

Especially in kids, he said. For the fusing studio, well have 8-year-olds come in and just create beautiful stuff and to see how proud they are of it when it comes out is really rewarding.

Cosgrove Paffrath said she hopes visitors who take a class walk away with a greater appreciation for art making, including both the skills required to be a professional artist and the beauty of creating something.

These classes, she said, are a way for anyone to be involved in art.

I hope they take away that they have creativity, even if they thought that they didnt, she said.

Sviland said he believes people enjoy both the classes and the shopping at Hot Shop Glass.

Just watching somebody manipulate molten glass  2,000 degree goo  into a final piece, he said. I think theyre amazed at how it comes out and how the product is finished.

A nice variety

In addition to handling the business side of the studio, Cosgrove Paffrath teaches classes and makes items, such as pumpkins in the fall, for art shows in Chicago and the Twin Cities.

This variety is something she enjoys.

If all I did was teach, I think it would get stifling, Cosgrove Paffrath said. If all I did was make pumpkins, physically, its so demanding.

Shes also already started on the fall pumpkins, having made around 400 of 1,000.

This year, her goal is to finish the pumpkins by June, but the amount of time it takes to make each one depends on the complexity of the design.

We joke that it takes half an hour and 10 years because it takes a long time to be skilled enough to be able to make it, she said.

Fixing mistakes

When creating her own work, Cosgrove Paffrath said she likes making functional pieces, such as stemless wine glasses, water glasses and pendant lights.

Her experience with glass art and experimenting with different colors has informed her teaching. Now, she spends time guiding students through their color choices and design ideas.

Glass isnt like paint. Theres metal oxides that are in glass that make it the color that it is, Cosgrove Paffrath said. Sometimes when you have two colors that come in contact with each other, the chemical makeup of those colors react with each other.

While sometimes this reaction can create an interesting combination, other times it can turn brown.

I think its just the experience of doing it and making a lot of mistakes that helps in teaching so that people can avoid making the mistakes Ive made, she said.

When working with glass, Cosgrove Paffrath said, fixing mistakes often involves having to pivot.

You could be thinking that youre making one thing, and then you either get too much glass or you get it too hot or something happens, she said. And no longer is that going to be a stemless wine glass. Now its going to be a really pretty vase because it just got too big.

The studio tries to recycle as much material as possible, breaking finished works that have mistakes and rolling the glass into another piece.

Hot Shop Glass also hosts a Seconds Sale in November, during which customers can purchase pieces that didnt work out.

Sometimes, mistakes have led to new traditions.

Two years ago, Cosgrove Paffrath was making glass peeps for Racine Art Museums PEEP exhibit but messed up one.

I couldnt sell it because it had a chip out of the back, but I thought I could hide this on the beach and let somebody just find it, she said.

She posted a photo of it to social media with the caption Finders peepers, and people went crazy, said Cosgrove Paffrath, adding that she saw people at the beach looking for it.

Though she was surprised at peoples reaction, the tradition has continued. This year, Hot Shop Glass hid 20 peepers for its 20th anniversary.

Ambassadors for downtown

With few studios offering glass blowing, Hot Shop Glass attracts people from Racine and other places.

For 20 years, Hot Shop Glass has been a part of Racines arts community, and Cosgrove Paffrath said they see the economic impact of art and tourism each day.

The studio sees 80-100 people each week, and of that, she estimates that about half are from out of town, with some driving two to three hours.

Because many students are traveling to Racine for classes, she said, its important for Hot Shop Glass to be active in the community.

I really think that its an opportunity for us to be ambassadors for downtown and for other businesses down here, said Cosgrove Paffrath, who will recommend restaurants or other local places to visiting students.

For her, Racine is lucky to have an active arts community, including a symphony, RAM, choral arts and community theater.

We have so many opportunities for people either to be involved in the arts or to engage and benefit from the arts, she said.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claimed the Trump administrations hands are tied and it cannot forcibly retrieve the Maryland father who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador because of an administrative error.

The view of our administration has been very clear and consistent that this man is a subject and citizen of El Salvador, Miller said during a press conference Friday. The U.S. government cannot forcibly retrieve him against the wishes of El Salvador.

Born in El Salvador, sheet metal worker Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported on March 15 in a flub that Trump officials admitted was an administrative error. He has since been held at El Salvadors megaprison amid growing calls from legal advocates and the Supreme Court for the Trump administration to facilitate his return.

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Yet Miller alleged that the irony in Abrego Garcias case is that he would most likely be deported again to El Salvador by immigration authorities under an outstanding immigration removal order against him. He claimed that a 2019 withholding of removal order protecting Abrego Garcia from deportation was no longer valid.

Because hes a member of a foreign terrorist organization, Miller claimed. And because the fake claim that he completely fabricated about being persecuted by a rival gang no longer exists. The gang itself no longer exists in the country.

The Trump administration has continued to insist that the 29-year-old father-of-one is a member of the notorious MS-13 street gang, which it recently designated as a terrorist group.

Abrego Garcia has never been charged with a crime and has been asked to speak during previous legal proceedings about his experience resisting gang recruitment in his native El Salvador, which he says motivated his initial decision to emigrate to the United States.

The Trump administration nevertheless continues to contest the technical provisions of a recent Supreme Court ruling that demanded the U.S. government facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the country.
STERLING, Kan. (KSNW)  The Sterling Police Department is urging residents to respect donation policies after a string of thefts at the Sterling Thrift Stores drop-off shed.

According to police, multiple people have been caught removing items from the donation shed behind the store in recent weeks. Officers say the activity has persisted despite efforts by thrift store staff to address the problem with patience and understanding.

Theyve asked us to step in and clarify that this is not acceptable behavior, police said in a social post.

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Scam call exposed at Decatur County Sheriffs Office

Authorities emphasized that once items are placed inside the shed, they legally become the property of the Sterling Thrift Storeeven if the person removing them was the original donor. Taking anything from the donation area without permission is considered theft.

The store, which operates as a non-profit, uses the donated goods to support community members in need. Police say unauthorized removal of donations undermines that mission and takes away resources from those the store is trying to help.

The donation shed is now under video surveillance. Anyone caught taking items without permission may face legal consequences, including criminal trespass under K.S.A. 21-5808 and potential theft charges under K.S.A. 21-5801.

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Community members who witness suspicious activity around the donation area are urged to contact the Sterling Police Department at 620-278-2100 before notifying store staff.

We know Sterling is a close-knit community, police said in the social post. Lets work together to make sure our donation process remains honest, helpful, and fair to everyone.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Reclining out on his terracotta-tiled terrace, his bare feet propped up on a worn ottoman, Steve Bannon gets a phone call. We're 2,000 miles from the Oval Office, at Bannon's Tuscan villa outside Tucson, an Italianate fountain gurgling away beside him. You might think Donald Trump's former strategist-in-chief is out of the loop these days, relegated to basking in the Arizona sun. But the call is from Alexandra Preate, a Bannon protege who's now a top advisor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The stock market has just gone into a nosedive, spooked by Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs, and Preate wants to consult with Bannon on Bessent's markets-calming remarks to reporters that morning outside the White House.

"He was so brilliant," Bannon tells her. "He has got to do that every day."

Fresh out of federal prison for his refusal to talk to Congress about his role in the attempt to overturn Joe Biden's election, the man Time magazine once called "The Great Manipulator" remains an influential force in Washington. As I saw during my two days with him, Bannon, at age 71, is still crafting MAGA's message at the highest levels. He says he speaks daily with Trump's top trade advisor, Peter Navarro, who served as Bannon's cohost of "War Room," the rowdy, MAGA-fueled podcast Bannon helms twice a day, six days a week. Bessent, whom Bannon calls "my guy," and FBI Director Kash Patel are friends, and Sen. Josh Hawley, a right-wing populist, is a frequent guest on the show. Just last week, Bannon was summoned back to what he calls the "Imperial Capital" to assist the administration "on messaging for Flood the Zone"  Trump World-speak for overwhelming the president's opponents with fresh MAGA initiatives.

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Prominent Democrats are also paying heed. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, who is widely expected to run for president in 2028, featured Bannon as the third guest on his new podcast. "He's a serious thinker," says Rep. Ro Khanna, another California Democrat touted as a 2028 contender. "Bannon got it right on the challenge deindustrialization poses" to the American economy. Khanna tells me he'd be open to appearing on "War Room," which The Wall Street Journal recently called "the hottest stop in DC's media circuit."

Despite his continued influence, Bannon doesn't agree with Trump on every issue. And this time around, there's a major new player separating the two: Trump's former right-hand man is at complete odds with his current right-hand man. Elon Musk, Bannon tells me, is basically the devil incarnate. "Elon was always evil," he says. Don't get him wrong: Bannon supports what Musk is doing with DOGE, which he lauds as "a shock troop to deconstruct the administrative state." But he says there is a "very deep chasm" between him and Musk  one based not only in politics, but in spirituality. Musk, as Bannon sees it, is the embodiment of a new form of satanism. By seeking to implant computer chips in people's brains, Musk is attempting to disrupt humanity itself, a grandiose vision that is antithetical to what Bannon, a Catholic, sees as God's will.

"He's a techno-feudalist," Bannon tells me with barely concealed venom. "We are on the side of the human being."

Musk's dark plot to engineer a race of computer-enhanced superhumans has done nothing to diminish Bannon's enthusiasm for Trump. In fact, Bannon tells me he is undertaking perhaps his most ambitious project yet: ensuring that Trump wins a third term in 2028. Bannon is confident, he tells me, that Trump will carry at least 331 electoral votes next time  a triumph even greater than his victory over Kamala Harris.

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How, I ask, can that happen within the bounds of the Constitution?

He's working on it, Bannon tells me.

Bannon's villa is nestled in a quiet neighborhood of ranch houses, saguaros, and mesquite trees overlooking the Santa Catalina mountains. He still spends most of his time in Washington, at a townhouse he owns behind the Supreme Court. But sometimes, he tells me, it's good to escape the unceasing procession of visitors who call on him in the capital. Besides, he can host "War Room" just as easily from here, in a small corner room in the villa.

Welcoming me to his retreat, Bannon asks why I became a journalist. I suppose journalism suited my skeptical cast of mind, I say.

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"You're a dick," he says.

I'm momentarily speechless. That's a good thing, he assures me. Real journalists are always dicks.

Many conservatives would like to see Steve Bannon run for president, but he says he's all in for Trump to serve a third term: "I think he does better in 2028." Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

A massive coffee table perched in front of Bannon's armchair supports four stacks of newspapers: not just mainstream periodicals like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, but outliers like The Epoch Times, a paper founded by Chinese American adversaries of the Chinese Communist Party. Where Trump professes admiration for Xi Jinping as a strong leader, Bannon, who once lived in Shanghai, views China as America's mortal enemy and dreams of a popular rebellion that will overthrow the communist regime.

A collection of books and periodicals sprawls from the table to the base of the fireplace to the kitchen counter. I leaf through "The Money and the Power," a book on the making of Las Vegas, and see Bannon's hand-scrawled circles and underlines strewn across the pages. His omnivorous reading, he tells me, is a key advantage in political strategizing, a calling in which few of his rivals are known for being avid readers. The TV on his wall is set not to CNN, which he views as aimless, or Fox News, which he dismisses as weak neoliberal tea, but to MSNBC, which he treasures as a true-blue voice he can push back against in the "War Room." "There's my girl," he says when MSNBC afternoon host Nicolle Wallace appears on the screen.

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Some in Washington suspect that Bannon may be weighing a presidential run of his own in 2028. A straw poll of attendees at the recent CPAC conference placed him second among possible Republican nominees, albeit a distant second to JD Vance. But Bannon dismisses the speculation. "I'm not running for president," he tells me. He's all in for Trump to serve a third term. He's cagey on how he plans to make that happen, but he says he's working on it with legal experts he declines to name. One possibility, he says, is a so-called Article V convention, in which delegates could propose amendments to the Constitution requiring ratification by at least 38 states.

Bannon believes that another run by Trump  his fourth  would be his biggest victory ever. "I think he does better in 2028," Bannon says. The president, he predicts, would take three states he failed to win in 2024: Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New Mexico, the latter delivered by Trump's rising support from Latino voters.

If Trump can't or won't run, I ask, will you support Vance? Bannon pointedly refuses to anoint the vice president as Trump's rightful heir. If the president is not the nominee, Bannon says, he will favor an open primary for the Republican nomination.

It's time for War Room. Throughout our conversation, Bannon has been relentlessly affable. But now, as showtime approaches, he barks at Will, his 21-year-old production assistant, over some unresolved camera issue. "I don't want bullshit," he tells Will. "I don't want spin." Will is clearly accustomed to such scoldings and takes it in stride. So, he has a temper, I scrawl in my notebook.

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To look at Bannon and his happy-hour red nose is to think, drinker. And he was, in earlier chapters of his life in finance. But his "boozer" days ended, his younger brother, Chris, tells me, when Steve realized he could be far more productive if he laid off the sauce.

Bannon takes his hands off his ample belly and points to his black sneakers. "These are my prison shoes," he tells me. "I wear them every day."

Most of today's morning show is wonky and kind of boring: an analysis of whether Democrats will shut down the government, an interview with economics writer Spencer Morrison about his new book, "Reshore: How Tariffs Will Bring our Jobs Home and Revive the American Dream." But Bannon concludes the show with a spectacular detonation: an unscripted, full-throated rant over "the $350 billion of your money"  he repeats the number several times  that the United States has spent to help Ukraine combat Russia's invasion. Bannon shows a MSNBC clip of Washington Post columnist David Ignatius defining America's national interest as keeping Ukraine "European" and out of Putin's clutches.

"This is insanity!" Bannon bellows. "We don't give a damn about whether Ukraine is European!" Ignatius, he declares, "is the spokesman for the Central Intelligence Agency." And the liberal media, as always, is the true enemy. "There's blood on the hands of MSNBC!" Bannon thunders.

The show over, Bannon immediately becomes subdued again. As we chat on the terrace, I call him out on the $350 billion figure, which Trump also uses. It's a fake number  an exercise in raw demagoguery. On this very day, Trump's own State Department is releasing a statement saying the United States had provided $66.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, and about another $20 billion has been disbursed in other aid.

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Bannon shrugs. Whatever the correct number is, he says, it's a lot.

As unprecedented as it is to have someone with a felony conviction serving as president of the United States, it's equally rare to have a leading political strategist who has spent time behind bars on the president's behalf. Bannon was released in October after completing a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress at a low-security prison in Danbury, Connecticut. In February, he pled guilty to defrauding donors who contributed over $20 million to build a border wall, but received no jail time. He's extremely proud to have served time. Sitting in his comfy living room armchair, he takes his hands off his ample belly and points to his black sneakers. "These are my prison shoes," he tells me. "I wear them every day."

I ask him what prison was like. "Yeah, I don't want to talk about it too much," he says. "Too personal."

Then he proceeds to talk about it. He wasn't sent to a "camp," he stresses, but to a true prison, "massively overcrowded" with hardened drug offenders. Standing in line one day to return to his cellblock, he saw a prisoner shanked in the rib cage, his skin ripped open, "blood everywhere. It turns out he was a rat."

In prison, the man who tried to stage an insurrection offered a course on the rule of law. "We went back to the founding documents of the country," Bannon says. Louis Lanzano/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Bannon's military training, including his time on a cramped Navy destroyer, helped him get through the confines of prison life. No one threatened him, he tells me. "You've got to be very tough. My attitude was just like my attitude every day. I don't give two fucks. And you're not going to fuck with me. Right?"

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It wasn't all grim survival mode. Bannon, a graduate of Georgetown's School of Foreign Service and the Harvard Business School, was asked to teach a class. So the man who tried to stage an insurrection offered a course on the rule of law. "We went back to the founding documents of the country," he says. He had his students read Alexander Hamilton's "Report on Manufactures"  dear to Bannon's heart for its appeal to turn the United States into an industrial powerhouse "independent" of foreign nations.

"It's interesting," he says of his course. "They had seats for 25. My class always had 50 people in it. It was oversubscribed. These people thirst for this information."

In prison, he also tried to convince viewers of the "White TV" the Black prisoners controlled a second screen, the Hispanics a third  to watch MSNBC. No dice. They insisted on Fox News.

He was released a week before Trump's victory. "I came out more empowered than ever," Bannon says. "Tougher, more focused," he stresses. "Your dedication has to be to the mission."

Bannon works virtually around the clock. On the second day of our time together, I join him in the War Room for the cold open at 7 a.m. He fell asleep at 9 p.m. after watching MSNBC, he tells me, and has been up since 1 a.m.

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"War Room," which often cracks the list of top 10 politics podcasts on Apple, is a platform for conspiracy theorists. The flamboyant election denier Mike Lindell advertises his MyPillow products on the show. On this morning's episode, Mary Holland, an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., attacks the measles vaccine as potentially dangerous to children, even as a measles outbreak in Texas has already killed an unvaccinated 6-year-old. "Fuck no, not in a zillion years," Bannon tells me, when I ask whether he took the COVID vaccine. "Poison." I push back, but he dismisses me as a brainwashed tool of Big Pharma. "Bobby is doing a great job," he says. His other guests today include Jack Posobiec, who spread the lie that Democratic bigwigs were operating a pedophilia ring out of a Washington pizza parlor, and Laura Loomer, who shared a video claiming 9/11 was an "inside job." Spotify banned the show in 2020 and YouTube in 2021.

Later, after his afternoon show, Bannon repairs to his armchair. He looks fried, and says as much. I tell him I can't tell when he's serious with his routines and when he's just acting up, to troll the libs. He denies he does anything as a troll. Yes, he assures me, he is serious about having the J6 Choir  a music group composed of insurrectionists turned prisoners  perform at the Kennedy Center. He'd like to have all of the J6 families there, seated in the "elite boxes," and he's hopeful Trump would attend.

Elon Musk and Bannon at the White House in 2017. "He's a techno-feudalist," Bannon says of Musk. "We are on the side of the human being." Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Then we come back to Musk. In February, the Times reported, Trump ordered Bannon to halt the attacks on Musk and said he wanted the two men to meet privately and work out their differences. I ask Bannon whether Trump is trying to referee between him and Elon. No, he says, Trump has more important things to do. Musk, returning fire, has lashed out at Bannon, calling him "a great talker, but not a great doer."

I tell Bannon that I get his dispute with Musk over the H-1B visa program, which Bannon sees as a globalist scam that denies rightful jobs to American workers. But what, in his mind, accounts for Musk's evilness?

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"He's a transhumanist," Bannon says. "Elon's piece is tied with actually taking your phone and putting it inside your brain."

Transhumanism is an intellectual movement that advocates enhancing humans through technology, in order to protect them against existential crises ranging from pandemics to artificial intelligence. Musk has said the ultimate aim of his brain chip company Neuralink  which today focuses on helping quadriplegics control computers with their thoughts  is to merge humans with AI so the species doesn't get "left behind."

Bannon, like Musk, is a disrupter  but he draws the line, apparently, at disrupting God.

Bannon believes we are unprepared for a near future when humanity is divided between those who have a brain-enhancing chip and those who don't. "It is a massive, massive leap for humankind," he tells me, "and we won't be the same people on the other side. We're not ready as a society, we're not ready as a culture." He rises from the chair and hands me a book on the coffee table. "Dark Aeon: Transhumanism and the War Against Humanity." It was published by War Room Books, an imprint of Skyhorse, in 2023. The tome, which features a forward from Bannon, accuses the "cyborg savior Elon Musk" of being the embodiment of "satanism with a brain chip." Bannon, like Musk, is a disrupter  but he draws the line, apparently, at disrupting God.

Afew days after I depart Arizona, Bannon texts me. If I want to understand "War Room" and his leadership style, he tells me, I need to watch "Twelve O'Clock High," a 1949 World War II movie starring Gregory Peck as Brig. Gen. Frank Savage. In it, Savage assumes command of a bomber group and whips the demoralized soldiers into men, placing the needs of the mission above the well-being of any individual trooper He goes on hazardous bombing runs himself. But his zeal comes at a cost: By the end of the movie, he suffers a mental breakdown. "Gen. Savage turns out to be human," I say to Bannon. "Frail."

"He did exactly what he had demanded from his men," Bannon replies. "No exemption. It broke him  as he knew it would if you commit to 'maximum' effort."

I suggest to Bannon that his method is the inverse of Carl von Clausewitz's famous dictum, that war is a continuation of politics by other means. In Bannon's world, politics is the continuation of war by other means.

"Nailed it," he responds. And for Bannon, the battles, the shifting alliances, never seem to cease. Where Bessent is "my guy," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the former chief of Cantor Fitzgerald, is the "crazy man," he tells me. It seems one is either with Bannon or against him.

Bannon derives his power, ultimately, from two sources. The first is the following he commands among his "War Room" posse, as he calls his followers. But it's possible his legions aren't prepared to follow him into every battle. He wants the United States to go to war, if need be, to defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion  a position directly at odds with his overriding imperative to put an end to America's global empire. Yet a recent poll found that barely a third of Republicans would support sending US troops to Taiwan. Bannon may be ready to lead the charge, but he's likely to find himself with few troops at his disposal.

The second source of Bannon's power stems from his ability to influence the man he went to prison to protect. As Bannon sees it, he is winning his war for populism. Tariff walls are going up; federal programs are coming down; America First is the slogan of the hour. But plenty remains to be done, and Trump may prove an obstacle to some of his goals. Bannon doesn't just want to kill the H-1B visa program; he aims to impose a moratorium on all legal immigration, a stance Trump has not embraced. The president also appears poised to deepen America's involvement in Ukraine, through a minerals deal that Bannon opposes and a possible acquisition of its power plants. I mention a news report that the Democratic Republic of Congo offered Trump access to minerals of value to Musk and other high-tech barons, in exchange for US military help to put down an internal rebellion. A good idea, I ask Bannon? "No," he says.

Yet Bannon insists that Trump is a truly transformational president, on par with Washington and Lincoln. On our second day, after he finishes the morning podcast, Bannon heads to the kitchen, where he brews big cups of espresso and toasts bagels for the two of us. As we eat standing up, he tells me of his first meeting with Trump, back in 2010. At the time, with Barack Obama still in his first term, Trump was mulling a presidential run. Bannon, eager to advance the cause, walked Trump through the history of American populism  only to have the future president offer a correction.

The word is "popularism," Trump said.

No, Bannon explained, it's populism.

But Trump, who liked his own rendition better, would not be moved.

Paul Starobin is the author of "Putin's Exiles: Their Fight for a Better Russia."

Read the original article on Business Insider
STAR CITY, W.Va. (WBOY)  A storm storm passed through multiple West Virginia counties Saturday evening, causing downed trees, power outages and damage.

LATEST: Thousands still without power after supercell hit Mon, Preston counties

Monongalia County 911 officials told 12 News that Suncrest and Cheat Lake were the areas hit the hardest, and that they received 81 reports of trees down, 47 reports of power lines down and 14 reports of trees falling onto houses.

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One 12 News viewer sent in photos from Star City, showing downed powerlines and a tree completely uprooted.

The Monongalia County Emergency Management Agency made a post to its Facebook page addressing the severe weather event.

There are several power outages and trees down in the area, the post said. Responders are out and prioritizing the calls by level of severity and threat of life.

West Virginia University Police issued a Community Notice after the storm as they worked with Mon Power and other agencies. According to the notice, several buildings on both the Downtown and Evansdale areas were without power Saturday night, and a barn roof at the WVU Animal Science Research, Education and Outreach Center was damaged by the strong winds. No animals or people were injured.

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A downed powerline also caused a fire to breakout near University Avenue, however no one was injured and no structures were damaged according to 911 officials.

The northern part of Preston County was also impacted by the storms according to the Preston County Office of Emergency Management Facebook page. Officials urged caution to those driving through areas west, east, and north of Bruceton Mills as first responders, utility companies and the the West Virginia Division of Highways worked to clear the roads and restore power.

As of Sunday morning, thousands in West Virginia were still without power according to the FirstEnergy outage map. At the time of publication, the estimated restoration time was being updated.

A Facebook post from Mon Power states that crews have restored power to around 23,000 customers and will continue to work around the clock to restore power to about 20,250 who remain without power.

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(Editors Note: This story has been updated to include video and 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 WBOY.com.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Families gathered at the Valley Community Center for storytime with WHO 13s Ed Wilson and astronaut Robert L. Gibson.

Families enjoyed inflatables, readings, and build-a-book workshops. Also in attendance was five-time astronaut Robert Hoot Gibson, who shared his own childrens book with the audience.

Published in October 2024, First Flight follows a young owlet who strives to master the art of flying. Gibson says the story is special to him as it wasnt just his extraordinary career that shaped this story, but his family.

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I have been really close to my grandson, Andrew, because he only lives ten minutes away from me back in Tennessee. And I would take him flying in my Beechcraft Bonanza. And he loves it, said Gibson. We should write a story about another hoot that takes his grandson, Andrew, flying. And so, it wound up being a wise old owl named Hoot and his little owl, that grandson Andrew.

Thursday saw the widest tornado in Iowa history

Author is just one of the many hats Gibson has worn in his life. Gibson was taught how to fly by his father, and once he was out of college, his course was set.

I went right into the Navy and through Navy pilot training, I learned all over again to do things the Navy way and then got to be a Navy fighter pilot and flew in the Vietnam War, Navy test pilot, and then got picked in the very first space shuttle astronaut class in 1978.

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During his time with NASA, Gibson flew five missions from 1984 to 1995. Gibson also flew the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, famous for its appearance in the 1986 film Top Gun.

Yeah, similar to Tom Cruise, except I actually flew it. So, every time I put the photo up of my F-14 Tomcat with Lieutenant Bob Gibson in the cockpit, I usually always say Tom Cruise, eat your heart out. I actually got to fly these.

Rightfully known as the man who flew everything, after retiring from NASA, Gibson flew with Southwest Airlines. Gibson now spends his time on home-built aircrafts and working with the Astronaut Scholarship 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 who13.com.
In South Africa, a group of students and faculty did their part in clearing invasive vegetation species from their college campus.

According to SMF News, the project took place at the Bellville Park campus of Stellenbosch University in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The town is located in the country's Western Cape province. According to the university, the group chose the campus since it is considered a "highly-infested area."

The small group targeted Port Jackson and Blue Gum species that were growing across the campus. Port Jackson trees are native to Australia and have been considered an invader plant in South Africa for years due to their ability to spread rapidly and replace native vegetation, endangering entire ecosystems and food webs.

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Similarly, the Blue Gum tree, or common eucalyptus, is native to parts of Australia as well as Tasmania. The Blue Gum is also known for its ability to grow rapidly and outcompete native vegetation, which is devastating for biodiversity.

Once the invasive species are completely removed from the campus, the group intends to introduce "indigenous fynbos plants endemic to the area."

There are several benefits to rewilding outdoor spaces with native plant species or replacing traditional turf grass with options like clover and buffalo grass. Native plants require less maintenance and water, saving both time and money. This is due to the fact that native species are able to establish deeper roots, which allows them to consume water from underground sources.

Native species can also promote biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. These species are often better adapted to the local environment and can provide essential food and shelter for native wildlife, including pollinators that protect our food supply.

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Christine Groenewald, the environmental sustainability coordinator at SU, stressed the importance of removing invasive plant species.

"We cannot rehabilitate unless we get rid of the invasive species," Groenewald said. "The eucalyptus leaves a very acidic soil, so nothing else can grow. And they are very water-hungry, so they take up all the water that we get."

According to Sonia Twongyeirwe, a student at SU, putting in work now to clear the campus of Port Jackson and Blue Gum plants is a step in the right direction.

"I think this is a small measure being taken to ensure the native species can continue to thrive," Twongyeirwe said.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CONWAY, Ark.  Caution tape marked the University of Central Arkansas campus as a crime scene on Saturday morning.

Conway police were called out to a shooting near the student success parking lot. The universitys president, Houston Davis, said this was an argument that escalated and got violent.

Conway police investigating Saturday morning shooting that injured 1 student

The person who was shot was a mere bystander. William Pape lives near campus and said it was unsettling.

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Literally, there were gun shots going off less than a quarter mile from where I live. Its very unsettling, Pape said.

He said crime in the city is a growing concern.

I dont ever remember Conway being like this. The fact that theres been two shootings in the span of a week. Here on a school campus, and then also at a public park, Pape said.

UCA president issues statement after Saturday morning shooting

Students have said they are worried for their safety.

It could be a fear of after graduation, of all the parties more of this stuff might happen, UCA student Ethan Johnsons said.

The student shot is at home recovering.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  This Sunday might be the last 4/20 for cannabis-loving Texans as the state legislature gets closer to banning THC products. On March 19, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 3, a ban on all forms of THC, the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis or marijuana.

This is a poison: Texas Senate passes bill that would ban THC products from being sold

SB 3 was one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks priority bills for this session and aims to crack down on the states booming consumable hemp market.

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I wish this were going out of here 31 to nothing members, Patrick said before the Senate voted 26-5 to pass SB 3. If I put in 17 years my top bills this would be in my top five because we know kids are getting poisoned today.

This comes after Texas lawmakers legalized the commercialization of hemp in 2019 by passing legislation that allowed products with THC levels under 0.3% to be sold in Texas. But Patrick contends that retailers have abused the law by using loopholes to market products with levels of THC above the legal threshold, especially to minors.

Students themselves came in and said you have to ban THC, its all over our schools, Patrick said.

This bill aims to ease those concerns by prohibiting the sale of consumable hemp products to minors under 21. It also limits hemp sales to only pure CBD and CBG products and requires those products to be labeled appropriately and placed in tamper-evident, child-resistant and resealable packaging. On top of that, the bill creates new criminal offenses to prevent the sale of illegal products in Texas.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatens special session if THC ban, bail reform not passed

Local businesses like Hometown Hero  a cannabis wholesaler in Austin focused on supporting veterans and mental health  said the passing of this would mean closing their business even though theyve been following all of the regulations.

There are a lot of people whove invested their entire life savings over the past six years and are compliant on their own. They follow all the rules. They follow the regulations. So I guess the question would be, why would somebody want to come after an industry? Thats what people should ask themselves, what is the motivation?, said Cynthia Cabrera, the Chief Strategy Director for Hometown Hero.

Cabrera believes that fighting for regulation is the only solution.

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There are about three million people in Texas that actively use hemp derived cannabinoids. Thats about 10% of the population that actively use these products. What is going to be next if we dont stand and fight for adults and veterans rights to use these products? Whats going to be the next thing that they come after because they decide they dont like it?, she said.

Cabrera said that no matter what laws are put in place, a total ban wouldnt be effective.

Prohibition puts things underground. It forces people to go to places where they wouldnt normally go to access products.

She believes that reasoning with the House is their best hope. But, there is a similar bill focused on regulating THC products in the House. House Bill 28 would ban all THC consumables like vapes and edibles, but would regulate THC-infused drink items. Both HB28 and SB3 are currently left pending in the Texas House Committee on State Affairs.

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Future of THC up in the air at Texas Capitol as store owners call for regulation over bans

As far as celebrating 4/20, Cabrera said it feels very different this year.

4/20 is less celebratory in my mind than it is more like we need to focus on it being our Independence Day, right? Cabrera said.

Patrick is so adamant about passing SB 3, hes threatened to force a special session despite not having the explicit power to do so. Special sessions can only be called by the governor, but as lieutenant governor, Patrick could kill key legislation in the Senate to force Gov. Greg Abbotts hand.

Lt. Gov. Patrick is serious [about forcing a special session], Patricks director of communications Steven Aranyi said in a statement. There are 8,000 or more smoke and vape shops, mostly around our schools, selling dangerous THC products to students and adults and causing serious side effects, including paranoia and schizophrenia. A 15-year-old shot his mother and sister in February after eating THC gummies. Youre darn right we cant leave Austin without banning all Delta 8 & 9.

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An excerpt from Krooked Ketamine.

OK, heres the thing: I had a little problem that needed correcting if I wanted to continue to work as a government surgeon. I had a janky heart, and it had a tendency to fire off at the absolute worst possible moments. I needed a pacemaker to help with the recalcitrant muscular metronome, but I absolutely hated the thought of lying down and feeling, at least metaphorically, the cold steel of the belly of the number-ten blade on my own skin, wielded by someone elses hand. I put it off as long as possible, but even I was growing weary of the pestering jankiness deep beneath my left breast.

On the day in question, I felt, as the French say, in idiomatic contradistinction to the more familiar deja vu, a definite feeling of jamais vu: a familiar thing or place that seems eerie and wholly unwonted. The holding area for patients waiting for procedures  being the same in every hospital; a setting so obvious in its pragmatic, curtain-cubicled layout, allowing the candidates for demonetization to be smoothly ushered through the system  should have been as familiar to me as a briar patch is to an old, brash hare, but I was scared. I wasnt used to being on this side of the frowzy paisley gown, cold, clammy, and shaky, like the new kid at cotillion.

Nurse Queequeg and her twenty-two-gauge harpoon had let my inner Tashtego leech out after her third attempt at an I.V. in my forearm. I had visions of the Nantucket sleigh ride, harpooned by the needle, held fast to the gurney by the I.V. line, and eased alongside the captain for the final spading (go read Moby Dick, for Petes sake, if you dont know what Im talking about).

Your veins are rolley, she mused, plumping my arm with the elastic tourniquet and surveying my arms landscape, blood vessels popping up like mole tunnels in a barely-seeded backyard.

Maybe its your hands that are rolley, I wanted to say, but wouldnt.

Finally, she found the antecubital hose in the crook of my elbow that even she wouldnt miss.

Next in the line-up was the anesthesiologist, the guy who would be putting me to sleep for the procedure. He was tall and thin, had salt-and-pepper hair and looked to be in great shape. I always secretly distrust the guys in medicine who have time to go to the gym on a regular basis; dont they know their priorities?

Hello. Dr. Sands, I think he said. My mind was too much on other things that day to roster the names of everybody I met. And, besides, I dont think I would remember anyones name on the first go on a good day. How are you doing  he paused, looking down at the chart, then with a rising tone, Dr. Anderson?

How do you think Im doing, numb-nuts?

Fine, I offered. Nice to meet you. Ben Anderson.

What kind of doctor?

Surgeon  general surgery.

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Where do you work? The medical community, even in a large city, is remarkably small and tight-knit; he would certainly know some of the people I worked with, if it were one of the big health systems in town.

The VA, I returned.

The VA? in a tone as if my chosen employment was some kind of sentence an ax murderer might be subjected to on the fourth level of Hades, for bloody peccadilloes meted out in a different life when there were better paying and more prestigious jobs for surgeons all across town.

Yep. Government pay but also government hours.

Does it feel weird, you know, on the other side?

I subconsciously broke the fourth wall, turning to the audience, though my neck never moved an inch. What kind of idiot is this guy? No, it feels great! I wish I could do this every fuckin day! my inner Italian homunculus was begging to break out.

Yeah, not something I want to get used to, if you know what I mean.

How long have you had a fib?

Feels like forever, but I guess its only been a little over a year.

Did you ever require cardioversion?

No, never did have to zap me. Its been controlled with the meds. In other words, the drugs got me back into a normal rhythm, rather than the thump of the electric paddles that are used for stubborn or unstable hearts.

I see youre on a blood thinner. Did you take it yesterday?

No, last dose was two days ago.

I also see that your EF is low. Are you having symptoms? The EF  or ejection fraction  of the heart is the measurement, usually by ultrasound or echocardiogram, of how well the heart empties with each beat. When the EFc is low, it can be the sign of a failing heart or simply one thats been injured by a virus or a sudden shock.

No, not really. It was a surprise after the first episode to find out it was low; I had no symptoms  nothing.

No shortness of breath?

Nope.

No leg swelling?

Not a drop.

Thats weird, he mused.

Im a puzzle wrapped in a mystery, I guess.

How old are you? he asked, not wanting to do the math laid out by the birthday labeled in the chart.

I guess Im older than Hell but younger than dirt, I chuckled. Fifty-eight, if you count the rings.

Well, to be on the safe side, were probably going to use a little ketamine to get you off to sleep. Its a little less of a cardiac depressant than some of the narcotics we usually use. Can cause some weird dreams, though, just so you know.

Yeah, we used it a lot on the burn unit. Didnt quite put the kids out, but they didnt feel a thing. Youre the doc, Doc; whatever you think. Now I really was playing the patient. I dont know how many times Id heard that line from the trusting veterans I usually operated on when I tried to explain in plain English some of the esoteric maneuvers of latter-day surgical practice that lay in store for them.

OK, that does it for me. Ill see you back there with the anesthetist to keep you comfortable.

Alright, then. See you on the other side 

A few more pages of paperwork, followed by an acre of shaving from an aide that would have made an Amish Brazilian proud, and then they wheeled me out of the preoperative holding area and into the operating room.

It was a simple procedure, in theory, if you were of the opinion that placing electrodes into the heart by way of accessing a major vein in the chest was a simple procedure. The audacity of repetition made it seem simple. But this time I was the patient, on the wrong side of the needle, cataloging in the not-far-enough reaches of my mind all the complications I had seen and been a party to, in my thirty-odd years of medicine and surgery, with similarly invasive procedures. My teeth chattered away in the cold austerity of the cath lab  I couldnt help it.

Nervous? came a voice from above my line of sight. Another astute gas passer: the nurse anesthetist, trying to be friendly. Wasnt everyone dragged into this place in their boxer shorts and paisley moomoo, dazzled by the interrogation lamps and petrified by the sundry sharp objects arrayed on the stark tables, nervous?

Apparently, my nipples are, I feigned nonchalance. Its freezing in here.

The warm blanket arrived and was some relief, but it didnt stop the shakes.

Dont worry. Dr. Patel is the best, the nurse assured. Walk in the park.

Right on cue, the good doctor strolls in and announces: Alright, everyone on your toes today. This guy is a surgeon; he knows more about this than I do.

Oh, shit! The fuck I do! Nice try, Patel, but self-deprecation is not what you want in the guy about to jab you in the subclavian. Besides, I wanted these guys on their toes before they knew I was in medicine.

I guess I have a sick sinus node. My heart, at rest, likes to beat about forty times a minute, which, if youre an elite athlete  something I would never be accused of  would be OK, but for the average schmoe, like you or me, its a whole suit shy of a full deck, jokers and filler cards included. So, here I am, nearly naked, definitely afraid, and laid out like a chicken on a spit, about to get poked with a sharp stick in a vein precariously close to the lungs  which, if injured, is exactly how you kill a buffalo or the great white whale (again, I beg you, go read Moby Dick).

Except for vacation and likely fewer than two weeks of sick leave, I have worked every day of my life after graduating from medical school. Now my boss wants to kneecap me, and shell use any ball bat she can find. This pacemaker was my ticket to getting her off my back and me safely back in the operating room. My heart was slow, but when I got worked up, it would beat fast. Really fast. Like, one-hundred-fifty-beats-per-minute fast! So fast I would get weak and nearly pass out, which is not good for the surgeon in the middle of a tough case, not good for his ability to keep his job, and even worse for the guy on the table, with blood welling up in his gallbladder fossa. Putting in the pacemaker would allow the pill-pushers treating me to up my dose of the medication, slowing my heart down and keeping me out of those stress-induced fast rhythms without having to worry about slowing down my already torpid baseline cardiac metronome. The pacemaker would set the pace, and I could guzzle the beta-blockers. And my boss couldnt say shit about it if I had some control over these damned spells of ventricular dispatch.

In went the juice in my vein, and out went the lights 

Ketamine is in  I vaguely remember the gas passer mumbling.

The coldness of consciousness was replaced by a warm embrace of audacious color: kaleidoscopes of oranges, reds, and scarlets that coalesced into a wall of flame and conflagration. Suddenly, as I recall, the sheets of fire built to a crescendo and then condensed into individual bonfires and licks of hellfire, punctuating the darkness like madness in a dictators gray matter. Vague shapes in the darkness were burning: apparitions with hazy outlines resembling haystacks, Conestoga wagons, and carts piled high with planked boxes, appearing like some damned wagon train crossing the River Styx 

Now, heres where it kinda gets weird 

Arthur Williams is a general surgeon.
An award-winning filmmaker drowned at Jacob Riis Park in Queens last week after his surfboard apparently got tangled in a decrepit wooden jetty, a deadly obstruction residents have begged the federal government to remove for years.

Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers, 35, of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, drowned on April 12 while surfing near the federally-owned parks eastern shoreline at Bay 1, police sources said.

The area is a longtime hotspot for queer sunbathers that is now plagued by erosion rapidly washing away the beach.

Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers, an award-winning 35-year-old filmmaker, drowned surfing April 12 after his board apparently got tangled in wooden jetties along notoriously treacherous waters at Jacob Riis Park in Queens. Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers/ Facebook

The dilapidated, 70-plus-year-old jetties in the area are routinely submerged under water at high tide, so its unclear if Rogers was trying to navigate them or didnt see them.

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His lifeless body was pulled ashore by local beachgoers who spotted a surfboard tombstoning, with half of it sticking upright out of the water.

They unsuccessfully tried to revive Rogers.

Riis Park has been the scene of at least three teen drownings when lifeguards werent present during the past two years, including two who died last June at Bay 1, according to the Rockaway Times.

Rockaways residents and a councilwoman representing nearby beachfront communities told The Post theyve been trying to get the National Park Service or US Army Corps of Engineers to remove the jetties for years, but the pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

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Instead, they said theyve been repeatedly told the issue needs further studying.

These agencies have continued to drag their feet on this, and now we have a tragedy on our hands, said Council Minority Leader Joann Ariola (R-Queens). We should not have to wait for a disaster to strike before changes are made.

Rockaway residents have been demanding for years that the National Park Service remove 70-plus-year-old wooden jetties at Bay 1 in Jacob Riis Park because they believe they are unsafe at high tide. Helayne Seidman

The reality is that these jetties are killing people, said an avid surfer and longtime resident of Neponsit, which borders Riis Bay 1.

Rogers would routinely come to Rockaway to surf over the past decade and had a deep love and appreciation of the ocean, recalled his friend and fellow surfer Chris Westcott on Facebook.

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Sebastian was a talented cinematographer, human rights activist, and total sweetheart who put everyone around him at ease with his presence, he said. I remember the way his eyes lit up in and around the water.

Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers loved to surf and had been coming to Jacob Riis Park for 10 years, recalled his friend Chris Westcott. Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers/ Facebook

Rodgers films include the 2021 documentary The Art of Making It, which won an Audience Award at the SXSW festival. Sebastian Lasaosa Rogers/ Facebook

Rogers films include the 2021 documentary The Art of Making It, which follows a group of rising artists and won an Audience Award at the SXSW festival.

The Spanish-American cinematographer recently directed Freeing Juanita, a documentary that premiered in December and follows a Guatemalan familys thousand-mile journey to Mexico to help free a loved one unjustly imprisoned for a crime she didnt commit.

Both Ariola and members of the Neponsit Property Owners Association said the park service has its priorities backwards considering the agency allowed the city to site a notorious tent city housing 2,000 migrants from November 2023 through January at nearby Floyd Bennet Field in Brooklyn  despite the federal parkland being in a high-risk flood zone.

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Riis beaches, which stretch over a mile along the west side of the Rockaway peninsula, have been plagued by growing sand erosion over the past decade that have contributed to dangerous swimming conditions.

Jacob Riis Park is plagued by soil erosion that have created dangerous surfing and swimming conditions. Helayne Seidman

In 2023, the Army Corps dumped 360,000 cubic yards of sand on the beach to help replenish it, but most of it washed away within six months  exposing deteriorating wooden groins, rockwork, and other structures.

The erosion created enough unsafe conditions for the NPS to restrict public access last summer along Bays 1 to 5 on the parks east end near Neponsit.

The Neponsit Property Owners Association says it prefers Bay 1 remain shuttered  at least this upcoming beach season  to avoid more tragedies.

The NPS did not return messages, and Rogers family could not be reached for comment.
The surviving victims from Thursdays deadly school bus crash on Interstate 77 have been released from hospitals, according to Lexington 2 School District officials.

Jose Maria Gonzalez-Linares, a 13-year-old eighth grade student at Pine Ridge Middle School, was killed when a tire blew out on the 2021 Blue Bird school bus carrying students home from a field trip to the Charlotte area, The State reported.

The bus overturned in Chester County, about 60 miles from the Lexington 2 school, and temporarily closed traffic on both directions of I-77 Thursday afternoon.

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First responders found the teenager at the rear of the bus where he died of blunt force trauma, Chester County Coroner Terry Tinker said.

Emergency service personnel including a medical helicopter line Interstate 77 to render aid after a school bus carrying students from Pine Ridge Middle School overturned.

Three Lexington 2 buses were heading back to the Midlands after a field trip, and some people traveling on the two other buses  which swerved to avoid a collision  were also treated at local hospitals, according to Chester County Emergency Management.

Multiple injuries were reported, and overall 38 people involved in the crash were treated and evaluated at hospitals, The State reported.

Chester County Emergency Management Director Ed Darby said that three of the victims were transported by helicopter, and the rest by ground, to five hospitals:

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 Atrium

 Prisma Main

 MUSC Northeast

 Piedmont

 MUSC Chester

Further information on the surviving victims conditions was not available, but as of Saturday all had been released from the multiple hospitals.

Our focus since this devastating event has been, and will continue to be, our students, families, employees, and the entire Pine Ridge Middle School community, Lexington 2 Superintendent Brenda Hafner said Saturday in a news release. Our heart aches for the family of the student who is no longer with us. We are thankful to know others who were being evaluated and treated have now been released.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  The woman accused of stabbing a man in the parking lot of the Interactive Resource Center has been arrested, according to the Greensboro Police Department.

At 10:27 a.m. Thursday, police and Guilford County EMS responded to a stabbing in the parking lot of the IRC, located at 407 E. Washington Street.

A male victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries

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Kali Chelea Graves, 33, was arrested on Friday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

Kali Chelea Graves (Greensboro Police Department)

She is in custody in the Guilford County Jail without bond. Her court appearance is scheduled for Monday.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting that occurred early Sunday morning at the Super 6 Inns and Suites on Gwenadele Avenue.

According to police, officers responded around 3:04 a.m. to a disturbance call involving an armed man at the motel. Upon arrival, officers encountered a 34-year-old male suspect in the parking lot. Police say the suspect exchanged gunfire with officers and was struck during the shootout. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroners Office identified the man as Kevin Vallian, 34, on Monday morning.

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No officers were injured in the incident. As per BRPD protocol, the two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Motel property manager Mitesh Patel told Louisiana First News that the situation began around 2 a.m. when the suspect arrived on the property and attempted to rob a guest.

The guests were standing outside. Hethe suspectwent up to her, put a gun on her, and tried to rob her, said Patel.

After the altercation, Patel said he asked the man to leave, but the suspect had lost his car keys during the scuffle and remained on the property.

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At some point, when he was fighting with my guests, he lost his car key. Thats the reason he didnt leave, Patel added.

Patel said officers arrived shortly after and made contact with the suspect.

They arrived here, and then police went to him. They had a little argument, and thats when the police shot him, he said.

Broken glass remains on the ground where the shooting happened. An investigation remains ongoing.

72-year-old man dead after being hit by two cars in Baton Rouge, state police say

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  The 95th Arkansas General Assembly wrapped up this week, with many bills completed with the Arkansas governor signing them into law.

Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met with Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to discuss highlighted legislation this session.

Gov. Sanders talks about advancing education, building up business in the state and the outlook for prison funding looking ahead.

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Talk Business & Politics airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on FOX 16. For more coverage, head to TalkBusiness.net.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com.
CLAY COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  Two people are dead after a single-vehicle crash that occurred in Clay County on Saturday morning, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Brenda Campbell, 59, of Talladega, was killed when the Chevrolet S-10 she was driving left the roadway, hit a tree and overturned. Homer Gallahair, 58, of Talladega, was a passenger in the pickup truck, and he was also killed.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Alabama native Rick Bragg looks back on the Oklahoma City bombing 30 years later

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Campbell and Gallahair were reportedly not using a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Both died at the scene.

The crash occurred around 7:36 a.m. on Clay County 31 near Skyview Road. Troopers with the ALEA Highway Patrol Division are investigating.

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Tampa Bays anti-Donald Trump contingent is fired up.

Hundreds of demonstrators flocked to downtown St. Petersburg Saturday afternoon, waving signs, chanting and voicing their disapproval for Americas 47th president.

And they promised to keep showing up.

Theres a desire among the people to have a way to express their frustration with whats happening, said Helen Amburgey, a lead organizer of the St. Petersburg event.

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It was the second major protest in April for a coalition of groups led locally by the Pinellas chapter of the National Organization of Women. On April 5, hundreds more came out in similar demonstrations that were part of the nationwide Hands Off! protest movement that saw millions of Americans take to the streets.

More protests happened around the region Saturday, including one at Cypress Point Park in Tampa and another near the University of South Florida.

About 1,000 registered to show up to the St. Petersburg event, Amburgey said. The crowd didnt appear quite that large, but demonstrators still packed around the perimeter of Williams Park. Just like two weeks ago, the St. Petersburg event was part of a nationwide day of action.

Among the protesters grievances: The Trump administrations move to slash the size of the federal workforce; its apparent disregard for due process when deporting people it says are in the country illegally; and Floridas six-week abortion ban, which many attribute to Trumps appointment of the conservative Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.

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Why hold this event? read the webpage distributed online to protestors ahead of time. This offers a way to collectively express our outrage.

One attendee dressed like a character from The Handmaids Tale  a story about an extremely oppressive male-dominated society. Another came in a full orange jumpsuit and Trump mask, alluding to Trumps felony conviction. A man walked down the sidewalk on the west side of the park proudly holding aloft toilet paper with Trumps face on it.

Mellina Jennings stood on the corner of 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue North waiving a sign that read, Eggs are expensive because all the chickens are in Congress.

As a large speaker nearby blared American Pie, Jennings said she came to the protest because she wanted a way to voice her feelings about Trumps consolidation of federal power.

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Particularly alarming to her is the Trump administrations immigration policy. Around the country, officials have revoked the legal status of numerous immigrants here legally.

Theyre totally disregarding everything that this country stands on, Jennings said.

Michael Sanford of Largo, an Air Force veteran of 25 years, stood on 3rd Street holding a sign protesting the Trump administrations planned cuts to the Veterans Administration.

Sanford said hes heard about nothing but good experiences at the local VA health system at Bay Pines. He worries the Trump administration will jeopardize the care offered to veterans who only served a short time.

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To go at it the way theyre going at it, its not to cut waste, Sanford said. Its to destroy.

There was no unifying theme to the protestors message. Some waved signs packed with paragraphs of text. The Trump administration has so angered its critics, it can be difficult to find a theme to the resistance. As one sign put it: Too much for 1 sign!

But logistically, the event was tightly organized. Leaders handed out free bottles of water to those roasting in the April sun. Volunteers worked to keep the crowd from disrupting traffic or pedestrians.

Please keep all cross walks clear! Thank you! said Jo Weddleton from the sunny corner of 3rd Street and 1st Avenue N. We are not above the law!
Across the years, in good times and bad, Medicaid and federal nutrition programs provide the necessities of life to over 100 million Americans.

They include children living in poverty, the frail elderly and workers whose low wage jobs dont provide health coverage or enough money to put decent meals on the table. And in times of economic uncertainty, those programs support tens of millions more Americans when they lose their jobs and health insurance.

Federal funding for Medicaid, SNAP (also known as food stamps) and school nutrition also provide an economic stimulus that aids local businesses and fuels economic recovery. Most Americans recognize the value of these programs, which is why polls show broad bipartisan support for keeping them strong.

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Congress is doing just the opposite. Instead of strengthening the safety net, Congress just adopted a radical plan that will savagely cut Medicaid, school meals and nutrition programs. In the coming weeks, Congress will implement its plan to cut over a trillion dollars from those programs.

Trump's tariffs policies are severely hurting average Americans

Shredding the safety net would be a disastrous idea at any time. But the fact that Congress has chosen this time to attack these programs shows just how out of touch our privileged congressional leaders are with the concerns of most American families.

Shirley Lewis, a Jawonio Day Services participant, was among the Medicaid recipients, healthcare workers, and caregivers who gathered with U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw, N.Y. April 17, 2025. Schumer spoke about how cuts to Medicaid will affect recipients as Republicans in Congress vote to enact cuts to the program as well as to other social safety net programs.

The U.S. economy is unsettled by a rapidly escalating trade war with China. Uncertainty about the effects of President Trumps tariffs has caused markets to plunge around the world.

The presidents abrupt about-face on April 9 caused markets to whipsaw, and many are losing confidence in the absence of a consistent policy.

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Much of the stock market loss affected wealthy investors who may be able to afford it or at least perhaps have the ability to be patient. But the losses more severely affect millions of ordinary Americans, whose pension funds and retirement savings have taken a beating.

Opinion: Take a chainsaw to the federal government. It's inelegant but might just work.

Families who felt financially secure only a few weeks ago face greater uncertainty and are now very worried. Grocery prices and other basic expenses remain high, continuing to weigh on working families and retirees on fixed incomes.

Congress has made tax cuts for wealthy people a priority

Stock markets move in advance of the economy, and volatility in stock prices often precedes a recession. In recent weeks, economists and financial managers have sharply increased their assessment of the risks of a recession this year.

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Even President Trump has warned Americans to be prepared for unpleasant medicine in the near future. We can hope that his strategy produces the long-term gains that the president promises. But in the meantime, we must be prepared to help the millions of American families who already depend on these programs and those who may soon be affected by job loss occasioned by worsening economy

Frank Garrison

It is tone deaf and a breach of trust that Congress is racing to severely cut those programs but particularly now. The reason is because congressional leaders intend to take money from the safety net to pay for trillions in tax cuts. Those tax cuts benefit corporations and the wealthy.

There should be genuine concern and action to address our national debt, which will undoubtedly include hard choices. But substantially increasing that deficit and paying for the bulk of it on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans is way out of step with the views of a strong majority of Americans.

Unless Congress reorders its priorities to reflect the values of the American people, it will do lasting harm to millions of families and children and have long term and far-reaching negative consequences for our nation.

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Frank Garrison is a long time leader in the financial industry and a native Nashvillian.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Republican Congress members prefer tax cuts to Medicaid | Opinion
The Washington state Capitol on April 18, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)

Major pieces of a $12 billion tax package passed the Washington state Senate on Saturday without a clear sign that Gov. Bob Ferguson supports them.

Democratic senators used their near supermajority to override Republican opposition, approving bills to expand the capital gains tax, increase tax rates on large corporations and big banks, and begin collecting sales tax on an array of services.

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Collectively, the legislation would raise around $3.2 billion in the next two-year budget and $5.5 billion over four years, money Democrats are counting on to erase a multibillion-dollar shortfall and enact a balanced budget before the regular session ends next weekend.

The most heated debate Saturday centered on Senate Bill 5814, which produces the most dollars  a projected $2.9 billion in the next budget and $4.7 billion over four years. It would affect an estimated 35,000 firms, according to a Department of Revenue fiscal analysis.

Meanwhile, the House Finance Committee on Saturday advanced the tax packages other significant components.

Those measures  expected to receive floor votes Monday in the House  would permanently increase the states business tax rate, impose a new sales tax on rented self-storage units, and add a new levy on the sale of electric vehicle credits between automakers.

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The committee also voted out a bill to lift the cap on annual increases in property tax growth.

Democrats plowed ahead on these multiple fronts without clarity on how Ferguson would respond if the bills reached his desk.

The first-term governor on Thursday called their $12 billion package unsustainable and too risky, citing unknowns about the economy and the flow of federal funding with the Trump Administration. Ferguson insisted again that a mix of progressive revenue and spending reductions is needed to resolve the budget issue, but stopped short of specifics.

He met virtually with Democratic leaders Thursday, but did not cite any specific taxes in the package he dislikes.

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Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, who took part in the meeting, didnt speculate on whether the bills passed Saturday would get signed.

I cant speak for the governor, he said. This is consistent with what we have talked with him about in terms of our approach on revenue.

Tax time

When the session began, Democrats forecast the need for new and higher taxes to sustain public services at or near or existing levels. Saturday marked the first time any significant tax measure made it to the floor of either chamber.

Senate Bill 5814, which passed 27-22, produces the most dollars, an estimated $2.9 billion in the next budget and $4.7 billion over four years. It applies the retail sales tax to more services, such as temporary staffing, advertising, security and lobbying.

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Sen. Noel Frame, D-Seattle, the caucus leader on finance legislation, described the bill as making the states tax code more appropriate for the 21st Century.

Our taxes fund core public services, she said. Thats what this is about.

Sen. Nikki Torres, R-Pasco, assistant budget leader for the Republican caucus, said there is nothing modern about this bill.

This would be an unprecedented increase in the sales tax, she said. We were told that the wealthy need to pay what they owe but this bill hurts everyone.

Democrats also pushed through Senate Bill 5813 to squeeze more money from the capital gains tax. In addition to the existing 7% tax on gains over $270,000 from the sale or exchange of long-term assets like stocks, bonds and business interests, the bill tacks on another 2.9% for gains exceeding $1 million. It would bring in $282 million in the coming budget and $561 million over four years, a fiscal analysis found. The bill passed 27-21.

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Senate Bill 5794 advanced on a 26-22 vote. It revises or repeals a number of tax breaks. Republicans tried without success to preserve some, including exempting operators of self-service storage facilities from paying a business and occupation tax on the renting or leasing of individual units. Most storage unit users are not homeowners, they argued.

This is a tax on renters, said Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia.

Theres no need

Pedersen said budget writers have scrubbed and scrubbed and come up with $7 billion in savings through cuts, delays and deferrals. He said bills like those Senate Democrats approved are needed for crucial programs related to health care, housing, child care and schools.

Republicans pushed back hard.

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Theres no need for any of the tax increases, said Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, who led a GOP effort to craft an alternative budget proposal that doesnt rely on tax hikes.

He lambasted a provision that requires businesses with $3 million or more in taxable retail sales next year to make a one-time pre-payment of sales tax to the state. This maneuver would pull more tax revenue into the 2025-27 budget that otherwise would have been due the month after it ends.

This is completely a budget gimmick that should not be tolerated, Gildon said.

In mid-afternoon, Senate Republicans attempted to pull their budget bill to the floor through a parliamentary move, but failed.

It doesnt play games and use ghost money, Gildon said. It is the only budget proposal that lives within its means.
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General surgeon Arthur Williams discusses his article A surgeons battle with ketamine-induced hallucinations. He shares an account from his novel of an experience needing a pacemaker for a janky heart prone to atrial fibrillation and bradycardia (sick sinus node), complicated by a low ejection fraction. Arthur vividly describes the anxiety and vulnerability of being a surgeon on the patient side of the gown, his candid and sometimes critical inner thoughts during interactions with the nursing staff and anesthesiologist, and the specific fear associated with the invasive procedure. He recounts the anesthesiologists decision to use ketamine due to its less cardiodepressive effects, despite warning of potential weird dreams. Arthur then details the profound and disorienting visual hallucinationskaleidoscopes of fire, burning apparitions, and a sense of crossing the River Styxthat occurred after the ketamine was administered, offering a raw look at the potential side effects of anesthesia from a physicians unique vantage point.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome back Arthur Williams. Hes a surgeon and author. And todays KevinMD article is an excerpt from his novel, Crooked Ketamine. The excerpts titled A surgeons battle with ketamine induced hallucinations. Arthur, welcome back to the show.

Arthur Williams: Hi. Thank you very much, Kevin. I appreciate the time.

Kevin Pho: All right. I think I last had Arthur on about three to four years ago, and hes a surgeon and writer of novels. For those who didnt get a chance to listen to our previous episodes, just tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into writing in the first place.

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Arthur Williams: Im a surgeon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ive been in practice for over 20 years and over the past, starting back six or so years ago, Ive had some health issues that have forced me to slow down. Ive actually retired from practice about 18 months ago.

During this time Ive always been interested in writing and telling stories. Being a surgeon or being a physician, and especially a surgeon, you come across some interesting stories. Surgery and medicine are fairly stressful. This is a good outlet to reduce some of that stress and its cheaper than a therapist. Thats my interest in writing. I come from a family of writers. My mother was an English teacher as well, so perhaps theres some genetic component there.

Kevin Pho: All right. Your latest novel is called Crooked Ketamine. Theres an excerpt from that novel on KevinMD. Tell us about this particular story.

Arthur Williams: Its semi-autobiographical. To back up a little bit, Ill fill you in on some of my health issues. About six or so years ago, I was working in the backyard and developed a racing heartbeat. I thought I was just working too hard, but it didnt go away. I went to the emergency room. I was in AFib with RVR and did not feel very well. This all progressed to needing a pacemaker; I was in RVR and also had sick sinus syndrome. When I wasnt in AFib, I had a very slow heart rate, so the electrophysiologist recommended I get a pacemaker.

The pacemaker led to more AFib, which led to a procedure to try to ablate the AFib. Then that led to needing a defibrillator. Ive had four or five procedures and each time they gave me ketamine as an anesthetic. Each time I had vivid hallucinations. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic and you get these wild out-of-body experiences. The first one was I was on a pirate ship, and it was burning. It was just bizarre. I dont know where that came from, but it gave me an idea for a story to tell about a physician, a surgeon whos having problems with his heart and he cant figure out why.

The autobiographical part of the book is I was having these experiences and I didnt know why. I was healthy: I wasnt overweight, never smoked, didnt really drink, and was having these health issues just out of the blue. That led me on a path to try and figure out what was going on.

In moments of introspection and trying to figure this out, I harkened back to college where I studied human evolution, and then medical school. In college, with evolution, you learned how evolution works to perfect the human species. Then you get into medical school and you realize were not perfect by a long shot. We have traits that seem to do us in. The response to sepsis seemed very curious to me from an evolutionary perspective, our congestive heart failure.

The body seems to be working against itself. The blood pressure goes up, blood vessels constrict when the heart fails, and that just sends you into a deep spiral. There are a host of things like this. As a surgeon who deals with gallbladders all the time, appendix, appendectomiesthese organs seem to be working against us.

That led me to think about some of the anxieties around being an academic surgeon, and that anxiety: anxieties about life, anxieties about career, and anxieties about perhaps how I deal with people, deal with different sexes, different races, different religions. We all have knee-jerk reactions to these things. It got me down the path of thinking that not only do we have these double-crossing traitsthat seem to get us later in life as a human specieswe have these double-crossing traits that, when we were a hundred thousand, 200,000 years ago, these xenophobic traits were advantageous to the tribe or to the species. And now that weve evolvedhopefully weve evolvedthese knee-jerk xenophobic or racist traits are coming back to bite us.

Thats some of the themes of the book. Its called Crooked Ketamine, and its spelled with a K; that gives you some foreshadowing that things arent as they appear. There are a lot of plot twists throughout the book, and thats one aspect of the crookedness in the title. Then theres the human bodys adaptations that we talked about that are double-crossing us. Then there are cultural double crosses. Theres a deep and winding path that seems to be crooked throughout the tale.

Kevin Pho: Lets get back to when you were given ketamine and you had these out-of-body experiences. You dreamt or thought that you were on a pirate ship, for instance. How long did these hallucinations last and did it give you insight in terms of writing about these into one of the characters in your book?

Arthur Williams: The self-experience that I had with ketamine didnt seem to last very long: five, ten minutes, the length of the procedure probably, at most. But in the book I stretched that out; I used a little artistic license.

The very initial paragraph of the book theorizes that certain people are more susceptible to ketamine than others. In the book, the protagonist has vivid, vivid, vivid dreams on ketamine that seem to go on even longer than what would be expected for the procedure. The ketamine, my experience, gave me the idea and then I ran with it in the novel.

Kevin Pho: In terms of your experiences in this book and giving you some of the ideas about some of the crookedness in terms of our health care system, how much did your experience as an academic surgeon for decades inform the plot of your novel?

Arthur Williams: Thats a good question. In residency especially, there are a lot of exciting times. When youre on the trauma service every day, youre encountering these acute life and death situations. I worked after residency; I worked with the VA. There wasnt quite that acuteness, but there certainly were memorable patients and memorable stories.

Those play out through the book as well. You have to write what you know, at least thats my experience, and I draw heavily on those patients that I remember. Some of the people that Ive worked with show up in the book in different ways. Its not meant to be fully biographical; its a work of fiction, but certainly those peopletheir characteristics show up in the writing. Its unavoidable to tell a good story.

Kevin Pho: Now, ketamine is also used outside of the operating room. I know that there are a variety of psychiatric conditions that are being treated with ketamine. How often do hallucinations happen when one undergoes ketamine treatment?

Arthur Williams: Thats a good question. Youre asking the plumber an electrical question. I dont know all the ins and outs of ketamine. The only real experience I had with administering the drug was when we were on the burn unit, the pediatric burn unit. They would give ketamine during dressing changes and interventions with them, and its a bizarre drug.

It works very well both psychiatrically and anesthetically, but for the clinician, it can be unsettling because the patient doesnt seem to be asleep. The patient can be mumbling or talking during and be completely oblivious to whats going on, but its apparently a dissociative anesthetic. And I think a fair amount of people have the same experience I have where they have a vivid out-of-body experience associated with it. But youd have to ask an anesthesiologist maybe, or a psychiatrist who deals with it. They could give you a better answer than I could.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Arthur Williams. Hes a surgeon and author. Were talking about an excerpt from his book, Crooked Ketamine. And that excerpt is A surgeons battle with ketamine induced hallucinations. Arthur, what are some take-home messages you want to leave with the KevinMD audience?

Arthur Williams: One of the take-home messages I never really paid attention to was dealing with the stressors in worksurgeons, but physicians, we have a very stressful job. If I had a heart rate monitor on during a gallbladder procedure, which those were my least favorite operations, youd have typically a junior resident that youre operating with.

With the more minimally invasive approaches to surgery, as a guiding surgeon, you lose some of the guiding instruction. The trainee is doing the operation; youre not really able to guide them through it. You can talk them through it, obviously, but theyre doing most of the work, whereas if youre doing an open procedure, youve got your hands in there and youre guiding them as well.

Losing that control is very stressful. As surgeons, were a macho breed for the most part. We dont like to admit that that might be affecting us. I know I ignored it my whole career. If I were a chairman of a department somewhere, Id have a mandatory wellness program or a meditation session for all the people to be attuned with that; it might have avoided some of the heartache, literal heartache, I had later in my career. Thats the main takeaway from this book, in the message thats in there.

Kevin Pho: Thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight and thanks again for coming back on the show.

Arthur Williams: Youre very welcome. Thank you, Kevin.
When I first arrived on Davidsons campus as a visiting assistant professor of Asian American history, I was fresh out of graduate school and burned out from finishing my dissertation in time to start my new job. Like any new professor, I had a litany of anxieties, the most pressing of which was what my students would call me. Should I let my students call me Anna, my easily pronounceable American name? Or should I opt for the hard-earned, and even harder to pronounce title, Professor Nguyen?

My last name is not uncommon, around a third of all Vietnamese people share my last name. At my high school in Portland, Oregon, there were so many students with the last name Nguyen that we had an entire row of chairs dedicated to us at graduation. Likewise, when I went to Seattle for college, I found my people quickly, as Asian and Asian American students make up one fifth of the University of Washingtons student population. It was a big change when I got a job at a college in which Asians and Asian Americans made up about five percent of the student population.

As the very first person to teach an Asian American history course at Davidson college, the smaller number of Asian American students did not deter me from taking the job. It excited me. When I was on the job market interviewing for schools with large and small Asian American student bodies, my refrain about the necessity of Asian American history remained the same: Asian American history was a valuable part of any history departments curriculum because it provided all students a unique lens to better understand U.S. History.

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I was also excited to come to Davidson so that I could be a resource for the Asian American students on campus, most of whom came to age during the COVID-19 pandemic and had questions about the anti-Asian racism they experienced or witnessed but could not fully contextualize.

During the early stages of the pandemic, President Donald Trumps tweets pejoratively referred to COVID-19 as the Chinese virus and the Kung flu. Trumps tweets have been linked to a sudden rise in anti-Asian sentiments on Twitter and a spike in anti-Asian hate crimes.

Trumps racist remarks against Asians confounded many of my Asian Americans students because they had to contend with being seen as the model minority, while the president was evoking the trope of the yellow peril. One of the goals in my Asian American history class was to provide students with examples of how Asian Americans have subverted the labels of the model minority and the yellow peril to define for themselves what it meant to be an Asian American. My hope is that in teaching my students about the past, they will be able to contextualize the present in order to imagine and pursue a better, more equitable future for all.

I am proud to be the first person to teach Asian American History at Davidson, and I hope that I will not be the last. For years now, faculty of the history department and the East Asian Studies department have argued that there is a need for a permanent Asian American historian on campus, as various scholars of East Asia have had to step up to mentor students who have wanted to conduct research on Asian American history. The Davidson administration, however, does not consider Asian American history to be a necessary part of its curriculum. Even now, as Davidson reaffirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the wake of recent executive orders released by the second Trump administration, it still does not see Asian American history in particular, and Asian American studies in general, as central to its commitment to serving a diverse student body.

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I will be moving on from Davidson next year, but I take pride in the fact that I have affirmed to my Asian American students that their history does matter  even if they will need to go elsewhere to deepen their concentration in Asian American history. As one of my students wrote to me before transferring from Davidson to further her study of Asian American history at Northwestern, Dear Professor Nguyen, her letter began, As I continue to pursue history, I will carry with me the lessons and insights that you have taught me, and I know that they will continue to shape my future endeavors.

Anna Nguyen is a visiting assistant professor of Asian American history at Davidson College.
ASHBURN, Va. (DC News Now)  Overwhelming grief filled the Harris Teeter parking lot Saturday night, as friends and family remembered Nicolas Mejia.

Nick, you will be missed. And you will always be loved, said Natalie, his classmate from Riverside High School.

Loudon County Sheriffs deputies found Mejia, 16, shot to death in a car exactly one week earlier, on April 12. Detectives said Mejia had been shot on Hillmont Terrace. But he only made it in a car to the grocery store.

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Investigation underway after teen found shot outside grocery store in Broadlands

He was such a beautiful soul, and he was somebody [who] will always try to make people laugh, said Anna Thomas, another classmate.

Detectives arrested Fadlalla Mohamed, 19, a day after the shooting in Leesburg. He is charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Police also arrested a juvenile male on April 15 and charged him with first-degree murder, principal in the second degree. He remains at the Loudoun County Juvenile Detention Center.

My brother was never selfish. He would give you the shirt off his back, said Logan Mercer, Mejias sister, as she fought back tears while she talked about her brother.

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The crowd held candles and released balloons as a tribute to the young life ended by violence.

The funeral for Nick Mejia will take place Saturday, April 26, at Colonial Funeral Home of Leesburg.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ukraine brought home another 277 soldiers in a major prisoner exchange with Russia ahead of the Easter holiday on April 19.

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CHICAGO  Over 300 bags filled with items like toothbrushes and deodorant are ready to go to people in need thanks to the help of dozens of teenagers.

Behind every bag packed at a community service event in Bronzeville on Saturday was a teen looking to help someone in need.

Im so happy that I get to be here and serve my community, especially for communities that have provided me opportunities and have served me, participant Cree Hampton said.

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Spend in the Black event boosts investment in Black-owned businesses

Over 100 middle and high school students packed the gum at Bronzeville Classical Elementary School, forming an assembly line to pack bags with toiletries and everyday necessities.

They also had stations set up for the girls to write inspirational letters and place them in bags.

My letter was Dear Black Queen or Dear Queen. I said that you can do this. Do not let anyone take away your shine, and just know that its not over yet, participant Kennedy Ray said.

Ladies of Virtue, a nonprofit organization that provides mentorship opportunities and resources to Black girls on Chicagos South and West sides, organized the event.

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Community service is something that is really important to Ladies of Virtue. We want our girls to know that its important to pour back into the people and communities that have made them, Ladies of Virtue Program Manager Brittany Taylor said.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Organizers hope Saturdays event teaches girls in the room and beyond that theyre never too young to help someone else. The event also came at a time where hundreds of Chicagos teens have taken part in large neighborhood gatherings known as teen takeovers.

I think that its easy to put all teens into a box and say were all rowdy or were all doing things that we shouldnt be doing, but this organization gives guidance and this program has shown how guidance can impact, Hampton said.

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The bags will be delivered on Tuesday to two different shelters in Chicago.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautioned against premature conclusions and unrealistic expectations as talks with the United States on Iran's nuclear programme were set to continue in Muscat next week.

"There are no grounds either for optimism or for pessimism," he said following the second round of talks in Rome with US President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Tehran was taking a step-by-step approach to the talks, Araghchi said, according to the website of the Iranian daily Etemad. Expectations should remain realistic, and results would emerge only in subsequent rounds, he said.

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Following the meetings in Rome, the two sides agreed to continue technical negotiations on Wednesday and a third political round next weekend, both in the Omani capital. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi will continue to mediate.

Observers believe that the technical negotiations will focus primarily on uranium enrichment, one of the most controversial issues.

Tehran has indicated it is prepared to return to the agreed upper limit, but only if economic sanctions are lifted in return. Unfreezing its large foreign balances estimated at more than $100 billion, is a key demand.

It is also demanding guarantees that a future agreement will be durable and rejects a Libyan style complete renunciation of nuclear technology.

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In an interview with Italy's La Repubblica newspaper published on Sunday, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi expressed optimism on the talks.

Both sides were "prepared to discuss concrete aspects with each other," Grossi said.

Grossi said he was satisfied with progress to date. "The talks really could have collapsed in this second round. Then everything would have come to a halt," he said.

"The risk was there. Instead the spirit of Rome showed it is possible to make progress," the IAEA head said without providing details.

The US and Iranian delegations broke up after four hours on Saturday without making recognizable progress towards resolving the years-long stalemate over Iran's nuclear capabilities.

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Israel, the US and many Western countries accuse Tehran of working towards a nuclear arsenal, while Iran denies this. Trump has threatened military consequences on several occasions.

Israel is the only nuclear power in the region.

The 2015 deal which Tehran struck with the US, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, provided for the easing of economic sanctions on Iran as long as it restricted enrichment to 3.67%.

Iran has now enriched uranium to 60%. The deal was also to be subject to a stringent inspection regime.

In 2018, during his first term, Trump announced the US was withdrawing from the deal and reimposed sanctions. Iran subsequently announced it had resumed enrichment. Trump is now demanding a new agreement.
Smoke shops in Austin are seeing customers panic-buy consumable hemp products after two proposals in the Texas Legislature threaten to upend Texans' right to "puff, puff, pass" smokable and edible products containing low levels of THC.

Senate Bill 3, authored by state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, would ban Texas businesses from selling or manufacturing a consumable hemp product that contains any amount of a cannabinoid other than cannabidiol (CBD) or cannabigerol (CBG), both of which are non-psychoactive compounds, meaning they don't produce the "high" feeling. The Senate last month passed SB 3, which is priority legislation for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the upper chamber. The House State Affairs Committee heard testimony on the bill April 7 and left the proposal pending.

Estella Castro, who owns Austinite Cannabis Co. on East Cesar Chavez Street, has seen many senior citizens and veterans stock buying consumable hemp products since SB 3 and House Bill 28, which also seeks to restrict the products, move through the Legislature. The House State Affairs Committee also heard testimony on HB 28 on April 7.

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Its terrible to have somebody thinking that (these products) are going to go away and they're on a fixed income, and they have to budget that gummy or that tincture in there, Castro said. So we've been giving some veterans ... discounts because we've had such a huge amount of people coming out and stock buying because they're scared.

Estella Castro, owner of Austinite Cannabis Co., said many senior citizens and veterans are stock buying consumable hemp products ahead of possible legislation targeting hemp products containing THC.

In 2019, a law sponsored by Perry legalized the production, manufacturing and sale of hemp in Texas, and inadvertently approved consumable products with up to 0.3% THC, the primary psychoactive component in the cannabis plant. In just six years, the Texas hemp industry created over 53,000 jobs and represents an estimated economic impact of $10 billion, according to Austin Monthly.

More than 8,000 businesses, including everything from gas stations, convenience stores, vape shops, dispensaries and apothecaries, sell a similarly wide range of THC products in the state. SB 3, however, would ban all consumable hemp products, including gummies, pre-rolls, smokable flower and infused drinks. HB 28, authored by Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, would ban all smokable and edible consumable hemp products except for infused drinks. The bill would bring the regulation of those drinks under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

'You just cant regulate it'

The Senate and House proposals come amid concerns from doctors and parents that many potent THC products are too accessible to minors and those whose brains are still developing, which the National Institutes of Health suggests may take until one reaches their mid-to-late 20s.

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The consumption of high-dose cannabinoids by adolescents leads to an increased risk of addiction and psychosis, which can lead to severe mental health disorders, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Medical Association, who is also a pediatrician.

About 50% of them (adolescents who experience psychosis because of cannabinoid consumption) develop a formal diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder," the spokesperson said.

Patrick, who is an ardent supporter of banning all consumable hemp products, calling it a life and death issue, has threatened to hold parts of Gov. Greg Abbotts agenda hostage to get him to call a special session if consumable hemp isn't prohibited by the end of the legislative session in early June.

Austinite Cannabis Co. Thursday April 17, 2025.

Patrick points to myriad of cannabinoid compounds such as THCa (tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), CBN (cannabinol), Delta-8 and others found in many products being legally sold across the state as being impossible for the state to keep up with effectively.

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You just cant regulate it. Youve gotta take it out, Patrick told the Texas Tribune. Youre never going to be able to regulate it.

Patrick, who alleges many businesses are selling THC products to minors, investigated the issue himself and visited the Happy Cactus Apothecary in South Austin last month. In security camera footage of the encounter, Patrick seemed to expect not to have to show identification, but the business refused despite the 75-year-old clearly being of legal age.

Im Dan Patrick, he reportedly replied, but the employee stuck to the stores policy of requiring identification.

: Last month, I paid a surprise visit to a lottery store operated by a courier service owned by the sports betting company DraftKings. Within a week, the Texas Lottery Commission suddenly banned all courier services, and the Texas Rangers launched a broad-scope pic.twitter.com/VyxsaQaYIi  Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) March 19, 2025

Brothers Mickey and Todd Harris, who own Happy Cactus, believe Patrick targeted their business due to its proximity to Crockett Early College High School and because it sold two joints to a Texas Monthly reporter last year that were above the 0.3% THC limit, according to lab testing.

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We showed him all of our testing, said Todd Harris of the encounter with Patrick. We showed him that our limits are low. He even mentioned that he supports shops doing it like us, which is very different from his attitude in the media.

Patrick didnt purchase anything at the shop, but according to the Harris brothers, customers in his age group represent a significant portion of their business.

Our clientele is pretty expansive, but I'd say most of them are looking for help with sleep, chronic pain or PTSD, Mickey Harris said. We have a pretty large 55 (years old) and up clientele base.

Twenty-one to 100" years old, Todd chimed in. We do get a pretty big range. We have 80-year-olds coming in.

Estella Castro, owner of Austinite Cannabis Co., holds packages of THC-A cannabis at her store Thursday April 17, 2025.

As the House State Affairs Committee heard testimony on the bills this month, Castro, the owner of Austinite Cannabis Co., her entire staff and hundreds of others flocked to the Capitol to lay out their case. Although Castro and her staff left after waiting more than 14 hours to testify, the Harris brothers were able to plead their case.

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For anybody that thinks that they can't get involved, they can, Castro said. Everybody has a voice. We're not out of time yet. Challenge your lawmakers and ask questions. There's always room for help in this fight.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin shop sees panic buying as Texas weighs banning consumable hemp
Looking up into the dome of the state capitol building in Topeka. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)

It was a time of great and fervent excitement. By act of Congress, citizens were asked to turn to their Creator in supplication and meditation. This national day of prayer was to be celebrated in statehouses across the land, with every individual invited to offer hosannas or amens or other holy words of praise. The places of lawmaking were transformed into houses of worship, where the symbols dear to the faithful festooned the galleries and holy banners fluttered from balconies.

When the appointed day arrived, lawmakers made thunderous speeches and pounded their desks in protestations of righteousness. There was no louder din than in the capitol building of an interior province, a region known as much for its piety as for the bountiful harvests of wheat and corn. Under a great copper-sheathed dome, choirs of young people sang the praises of the One who made the sky while lawmakers clustered elbow to bended elbow and murmured their approval.

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Few remembered the ancient day when the day of supplication became the law of the land, or the war that had prompted its passage, or the innkeeper and the lawmaker who had championed it. An ambassador of this interior province, was not yet born when the day was proclaimed, but from a dais in the capitol rotunda he addressed the assembled flock.

His face was stern as he clutched his holy book and urged the assembled to celebrate the lands deliverance from the rule of the godless. At long last the battle for theocracy had nearly been won. The faithful were in power under the great copper dome. It would be a small matter to extinguish the infidels entirely. No true patriot could doubt the land was specially ordained by the Almighty for greatness. Victory was at hand. The ambassador bowed his head and asked the One to bestow wisdom on the leaders of the land. He unashamedly asked this for all in the name of peace and love.

No one could remember a more passionate or powerful sermon.

Then an aged stranger approached. She moved silently down the aisle and mounted the platform, her chalky robe swirling like smoke. Her white hair fell in rivulets to her shoulders. Her face was as pale as those of the statues of long-dead statesmen in the alcoves of the rotunda.

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The stranger touched the ambassador on the arm and bid him step aside, which the startled man did. She grasped the lectern with skeletal hands and surveyed the congregation with eyes burning with uncanny light.

I am sent from the Throne, she said, her voice solemn and deep. The One has heard your prayers, and they will be granted  if you wish. But know that for every prayer answered, another must be dashed. Each request for favor brings with it the unspoken plea that another be disfavored. All supplications for earthly power are wishes both selfish and damned.

Her eyes smoldered.

You have asked the One for victory, she said, so that you might rule this land in the way which pleases you. Very well. I will repeat your prayer, as it falls upon the ears of the One above the clouds.

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There were calls for the capitol guards to remove the stranger, but they stood as transfixed as the crowd.

Almighty One, grant us the power over our political enemies, so that we may not only exalt You but punish them, she said, her voice growing stronger. Let us make laws that take the food from their mouths, the homes of their families, and their ability to pay for medicine and doctors to see them through sickness. Grant us the power to choose in their stead the governing of their bodies and their minds. Allow us to restrict the means of controlling conception and then force women to bear unwanted children, even when violated.

The stranger paused and clutched the robe to her breast.

Let us purge from their libraries those books we deem to be improper or impious. Allow us to deny our enemies the ability to seek redress by controlling the manner in which their leaders are selected. Grant us the right to banish from our shores those who utter seditious dissent.

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The crowd grew still.

Let our enemies live from this day forward with fear in their hearts, the stranger said. Let them fear the loss of their positions if they speak of equity or inclusion, make them cower if they dare say azure instead of crimson, allow them pain if they insist on choosing how they shall be called by others. Make their nights sleepless in expectation of a knock at midnights door. Grant them freedom of worship only if they worship as we do, deny them public office if they refuse any manner of worship, and enforce the social and marital codes of a society these thousands of years dead.

The ambassador attempted to mutter blasphemy, but the word caught in his throat. The stranger regarded him for a moment with pity, then turned back to the crowd.

Allow no truth to free a human soul, the stranger continued. Shutter the great houses of learning lest a whisper be made against the ambassador or his earthly king. Make a virtue of intolerance and paint it as just. Make retribution the supreme law of the land, power the only virtue, and chaos the only mode. Force them to abandon the sacred civic code that once governed this land, just as we have, and accept in their stead whimsy, nonsense and malice. Allow the land to wither beneath tariffs on foreign things, the fear of strangers, and the rapacious hunger of misers and kings.

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The stranger shook her head and her hair floated cloud-like about her face.

Finally, Greatest One, ignore the prayers of the meek, the young, the sick and the old, she said, her voice growing soft. Comfort not those who pray with pure hearts. Reward not those who thirst for righteousness. Punish those who seek the truth. Banish those who challenge power with fact. All are enemies of the state, Greatest One, and are therefore your enemies. Damn their hopes, dash their dreams, and make their eyes wet with tears. Deny them comfort, afflict their spirits, and fill their hearts with lead. Smite them and their generations to come. Forever make them inequal to us. Grant us the end of history and relieve us of the will to change. This we implore of You, in the name of love.

The stranger paused.

This is the prayer of your secret hearts, she said, her voice a quaver. If you still desire it, speak! The messenger of the One awaits.

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It was reported afterward that the old woman was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what she said. On the way to the asylum, a copy of Mark Twains The War Prayer was found in the folds of her voluminous robe.

Max McCoy is an award-winning author and journalist. Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
A king. A tyrant. A dictator.

Rock Hill protesters didnt mince words during an anti-President Donald Trump demonstration that drew hundreds of people between Main and White streets on Saturday.

Activists in the Republican-leaning city aired their grievances with the current presidential administration and demanded the states leaders in Congress do something to keep the president in check.

Its a collective middle finger to politicians in the area, said protester Philip Schwerin, who joined others in calling on Republican Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham and Republican Rep. Ralph Norman, whose district covers York County, to intercede.

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The event was one of hundreds across the country this weekend that were part of the 50501 Movements day of action. 50501 is a grassroots anti-Trump movement organized against what it said are anti-democratic and illegal actions taken by the president.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

Its the second of what local organizer Brian Ballard said will be biweekly demonstrations. Last time, the protest drew between 450 and 500 people in Rock Hill, he said. This week drew even more.

Attendees expressed a wide range of concerns.

Larry Marraccini, 91, was a child during President Franklin D. Roosevelts tenure. Marraccini remembers the Great Depression-era president for his sweeping expansions to public services and programs provided by the federal government, including Social Security.

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All things being taken from us today were given to us then, Marraccini said.

Trump has promised not to cut Social Security payments, though his administration has made some changes that critics say cause delays at Social Security offices.

The Social Security Administration said in February it would try to cut its workforce from 57,000 to about 50,000. And in March, the agency said it would reinstate a policy to take 100% of a beneficiarys monthly check if the person was previously overpaid, an error often resulting from the agencys own miscalculations.

Angelique McGowan said shes been a civil rights activist since she was 16 and attended her first protest against the Vietnam War and President Richard Nixons administration in the late 60s.

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McGowans more concerned for the state of democracy today than ever before, she said. McGowan is unhappy with how Trump added three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, which paved the way for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that for years guaranteed abortion access at the federal level.

Larry Marriccini holds an anti-Trump sign Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration in downtown Rock Hill.

The only Democrat in her family, McGowan said she is also upset at the administrations approach to immigration, specifically its use of a seldom-invoked 18th century wartime law to deport immigrants without due process.

Trump signed an executive order attempting to revoke birthright citizenship  an issue scheduled to be argued before the Supreme Court in May  and his administration has already revoked green cards from people who participated in demonstrations that run counter to his political interests.

I expect him to ship the Statue of Liberty back to France because it is no more bring us your poor and your homeless. For Trump and his administration, thats out, McGowan said, referencing the poem engraved on the statues base.

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Neal Kiser, a 71-year-old York resident who said he doesnt subscribe to a particular political party, was also concerned by the deportation of immigrants without due process. But for Kiser, the greater issue lies in the compounding nature of Trumps actions rather than a single policy: withholding funds from universities, attempting to dismantle the Department of Education, firing career civil servants en masse.

You can kill a horse with one fell swoop, and you can kill a horse with a thousand scratches, Kiser said. Our democracy is at about 900 scratches.

Tega Cay resident Sharon DOnofrio was one person who lost her job as a result of the mass firings. DOnofrio worked for a company that partnered with the United States Agency for International Development to implement the Prosper Africa project.

Prosper Africa was an initiative that started under Trumps first term to promote trade between the U.S. and African nations. DOnofrio said she lost her job this spring after the U.S. canceled Prosper Africa along with most other USAID projects.

Dictators hate USAID, DOnofrio said.

The next demonstration is planned for May 1.

Erik Barnette, left, and Jessica Milicevic holds signs toward Dave Lyle Blvd. Saturday at the York County Rising anti-Trump demonstration.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

A protestor holds a sign Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration.

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Hundreds of demonstrators gather in downtown Rock Hill Saturday for the York County Rising protest.

Larry Marriccini holds an anti-Trump sign Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration in downtown Rock Hill.

A protestor holds a sign towards traffic on Dave Lyle Blvd. Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration.

Protestors hold signs Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration in downtown Rock Hill.

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Protestors hold signs Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration in downtown Rock Hill.

Demonstrators smile at traffic Saturday at the York County Rising protest in downtown Rock Hill.

Protestors gather in downtown Rock Hill Saturday for the York County Rising demonstration.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

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Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

A protestor holds an anti-Trump and Musk sign Saturday at the York County Rising demonstration in downtown Rock Hill.

Hundreds of demonstrators gather in downtown Rock Hill Saturday for the York County Rising protest.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

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Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.

A demonstrator holds a sign Saturday at the York County Rising protest in downtown Rock Hill.

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Demonstrators with York County Rising protest President Trump and his policies Sautrday in downtown Rock Hill.
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article Criminalizing care: How the system turned on physicians. He argues that physicians, historically pillars of trust, are increasingly being targeted and criminalized under regulations like the Controlled Substances Act and health care fraud statutes. Muhamad details several cases, including those of Drs. Sachy, Kousa, and Anand, as well as his own acquittal on federal fraud charges, to illustrate how medical judgment and complex patient care are being conflated with criminal activity. He critiques the tactics used, such as aggressive federal investigations, flawed audits, data manipulation in PDMPs, inflammatory press releases (dirty doctors), and a perceived erosion of the presumption of innocence, noting that only 0.4 percent of federal defendants are found not guilty. Muhamad highlights the devastating personal and professional consequences for physicians and the disruption to patient care, calling for urgent reforms including clearer guidelines, prosecutorial accountability, DEA process reform, and equal application of due process to end the war on healers.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome back Muhamad Aly Rifai. Hes an internal medicine physician and psychiatrist. Todays KevinMD article is Criminalizing care: How the system turned on physicians. Muhamad, welcome back to the show.

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Thank you for having me to talk about how we can help physicians stay out of trouble and how we can, with these political and significant changes that are happening in our country, keep physicians protected and ensure that care is not criminalized.

Kevin Pho: All right. Whats this article about?

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Muhamad Aly Rifai: So in the article, I introduced the fact that physicians in the U.S. have always been part of the pillars of ethics and trust. The Declaration of Independence was actually signed by four physicians. One of them is the Father of American Psychiatry, Dr. Benjamin Rush. There are other physicians: Josiah Bartlett, Lyman Hall, and Matthew Thornton. So, even in the beginning of this republic, physicians have always been pillars of trust and have been involved in the building of American democracy.

Its kind of, its heart-wrenching that we see that some physicians are ending up on the wrong side of the law and seeing that the legal system is weaponized in terms of them providing appropriate care for their patients and that care being criminalized and weaponized. How sometimes lab coats are being exchanged for prison uniforms and how prosecutors can pursue physicians with a real significant zeal without regard to due process or constitutional rights, or sometimes without even regard to the facts: the actual facts of the case and the medical circumstances and patient care.

Kevin Pho: So you talked about some examples of those types of cases in your article, so why dont you highlight a few?

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Sure. So one of the cases is actually another fellow psychiatrist. Hes a neuropsychiatrist, a prominent research-oriented neuropsychiatrist, who actually saw very difficult cases, complex cases that required complex treatments including treatments with pain medications for complex psychiatric and neurological conditions, and two of his patients had unfortunate circumstances and died. He actually ended up being indicted for controlled substances charges and was charged with the death of two patients. He was incarcerated for an extended period of time and actually decided that he wanted to go to trial because the potential charges involved him being in prison for life.

He ended up going to trial. During his trial, the prosecution really turned out that they didnt have a strong case. The expert witnessthe forensic pathologist, the coroner who was involved in the caseactually misstated facts and indicated that one of his patients had medications next to them next to their bed, and his lawyers objected because that wasnt true. The expert witness, the coroner, had to admit on the stand that they had mixed up the facts of the case and they couldnt remember exactly what was going on.

The charges ended up being dismissed after being prosecuted for three and a half years. He ended up going home that day while he was facing life in prison for being a compassionate doctor who provided compassionate care to his patients who had end-stage conditions and ended up dying. So, it was quite an unfortunate situation that Dr. Stasi faced, but hes back with his family, with Gods blessings.

Kevin Pho: Now, surely there are some legitimate cases where doctors are doing criminal activity. So how often is it that theyre prosecuted for nuanced issues or falsely prosecuted? How often does that really happen?

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Its quite frequent. The statistics are that there are about between 300 to 500 physicians that are prosecuted around the U.S. A fellow physician who was on the wrong end of the law said a criminal prosecution, next to execution, is probably one of the most painful things that could happen to any person. So its really something thats very, very painful. And 300 to 500 physicians are prosecuted federally throughout the U.S. every year.

The statistics are very sobering, and the majority of them actually end up pleading and not fighting their charges. Of those who go to trial, only about maybe 30 or 40 percent of them are exonerated, but the majority of them will be found guilty at trial because prosecutors just have the cards stacked against physicians. They dont have appropriate representation; they may have public defenders. Theyre not able to mount a significant defense. In my case, I was able, I had resources, so I was able to mount a significant defense and prove that the allegations were not true. They were basically utilizing outdated CPT coding guidelines to incriminate me while I was in the right and was using the appropriate CPT coding guidelines. They were using outdated guidelines from five years earlier. That ended up being discovered during trial on the stand.

The governments own witness coder actually disavowed the governments case on the stand. She said, Im not supporting the governments case. Im not supporting this prosecution. Im out of here. Im not supporting anything. So it was quite a scene that the governments own witness that they brought in just kind of disavowed the case on the stand.

But there are cases where physicians are guilty. Physicians know that when theyre guilty, they just plea. But there are physicians that ended up pleading just by fear of the outcomes and by fear of additional punishment. So if somebody doesnt plea, they get additional time, they get longer sentences because they wasted the governments time and made the government go to trial. So the system is stacked against any federal criminal defendant.

Kevin Pho: Now, are there common themes that connect these false prosecutions? Any specific types of doctors that potentially get falsely prosecuted?

Muhamad Aly Rifai: So we are seeing that there are a lot of physicians who are minority physicians who fall into prosecutions. Theres a significant amount of confirmation bias. Basically, regarding a minority physician, the assumption is that their acts are criminal. They presume that the minority physician will have less resources to fight.

A story of a fellow Syrian physician in Kentucky, Dr. Kassis, who was prosecutedI mean, hes an exemplary physician, 30 years in private practice in rural Kentucky. He was accused that he was running a pill mill, and they also added charges that he committed health care fraud by doing serial EKGs on his patient who had some QTc prolongation, and he wanted to ensure that the patient was safe. Each EKG he charged the government $6 for, and they charged him with health care fraud for 10 EKGs$60. That was his charge because he was worried about the person having a QTc prolongation related to their medications.

He was also accused that he had a pill mill, and his community actually came to his rescue. His own community pharmacist testified on his behalf; his colleagues from his own hospital testified regarding his exemplary record and his pristine management of patients, and he was found not guilty on all charges.

So sometimes individuals who are Middle Easternwe have a colleague who is currently undergoing prosecution in Philadelphia, Dr. Neil Anand, of Indian ancestry; individuals who are Hispanic; individuals who are AsianChinese, Koreans, Japanesethose, sometimes theres a significant confirmation bias. The statistics do show that these individuals are prosecuted more often than their other colleagues. So its quite unfortunate, and sometimes it takes resilience to stand up to a federal prosecution and fight back. Im doing that right now with my prosecution, suing the government back for an illegal and unjust prosecution.

Kevin Pho: Now, lets say if you are a physician that tends to be targeted, like you said, perhaps a minority physician, a physician that prescribes, say, a lot of controlled substances, is there anything that they could do to protect themselves against potentially false prosecution?

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Sure. So preparation, preparation, preparation, I think, is very, very important. So there are maybe four or five steps that physicians need to really adhere to. The first one is perception. I think perception is very important. When somebody comes into their office, it needs to be a pristine office, a nice office. You know, in the nineties, Rudy Giuliani cleared up New York City. He cleaned up the broken windows and things like thatperception. So if theres a perception that this is a pristine, nice office, a clean office, the staff is good, and that the room is cleanthat goes a long way at kind of dispelling the fact that this is a pill mill.

Also, preparation: having compliance, having your books, your records, your charts in order, and having an active and robust compliance program, getting help with compliance from outside sources. So getting your charts audited before the government comes and audits them for you and finds issues with your charts.

Also, if there are any issues, if theres a complaint, if there are issues identified: investigate, investigate, investigate, and document the investigation and get somebody else to help you with the investigation. You would say, Listen, I found that I prescribed too much of this medication, and maybe I need to find out how do I taper these medications off these patients? If you bring outside help, the government will look at that very, very positively that this person identified that maybe they were going in the wrong direction, not for any fault of their own, and they corrected. Thats a very positive thing that you can do.

Also, once somebody is identified that theyre under investigation, they need to seek help immediately, and they need to seek legal help. They also need to make sure that they do not disclose anything. Never talk to the police, never talk to investigators; make sure that your lawyer does the talking for you.

So I think there are many things that our colleagues could do to ensure that they remain in a safe situation: compliance, identifying what theyre doing, doing self-audits, as well as audits guided by auditing companies to make sure that theyre doing OK and theyre staying on the good side of the law. And if you do that, even if theres prosecution, if theres confirmation bias that the person is going to be prosecuted, theyll have a positive outcome and theyll be able to navigate through this.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Muhamad Aly Rifai. Hes an internal medicine physician and psychiatrist. Todays KevinMD article is Criminalizing care: How the system turned on physicians. Muhamad, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience?

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Yes. I think that this is a call for improving the ability of physicians to understand the boundaries and limits, clear regulations ensuring that there are boundaries or limits for the Controlled Substances Act, and understanding that physicians have due process rights that need to be protected. Our goal is to serve our patients and serve our communities, and that goal should be lauded and respected.

Kevin Pho: Muhamad, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming back on the show.

Muhamad Aly Rifai: Thank you.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Thousands of protesters gathered at the Ohio Statehouse Saturday afternoon in a nationwide protest against the Trump administration.

Im a United States Navy veteran and I put my I swore a sacred oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And our Constitution is under threat right now, protester Bill Tipton said.

The protest was the latest national crusade organized by 50501, symbolizing 50 protests, 50 states and one movement. The protests have been going on for several months, and organizers say they are working to fight executive overreach and uphold the Constitution.

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How LifeWise restrictions could violate First Amendment

People laid on their car horns in support as they drove past the roughly 4,000 protesters flooding the front of the Statehouse. Lead organizer of Columbus 50501, Madison Tracy, said there were even more protesters on April 5, which drew 6,000 for a National Day of Action.

Its not just about one party for us, Tracy said. It is about all political spectrums and just uniting everyone that is under one common goal and thats going against the current Trump Administration.

Columbus protest was one of just 52 across Ohio Saturday, and one of hundreds across the nation. Many people held signs, reading things like When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty or If youre not angry, youre not paying attention.

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Ohio grant canceled by DOGE leaves these LGBTQ+ historical markers in limbo

Protesters said they are concerned the Trump administration is harming the structure of American government. Kami Bumpers, a graduating senior, marched for a better economy to get a job. Sandy Bolzenius said her military background encouraged participation in the protest, saying it was necessary to fight for democracy. Kujenga Ashe said other political leaders need to take action, fearing global conflict.

A lot of news has happened this week, whether it be Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whether its Trump possibly being held in contempt of court, the FSU school shooting, theres a lot of people out here that are fired up and are ready for change and are not seeing that change happening right now, Tracy said.

NBC4 reached out to Gov. Mike DeWines office, but they were not able to offer comment on the protests.

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Tracy said the next National Day of Action will focus on education and take place on May 1 from 4:30-7 p.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Thousands of North Texans took to the streets in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday afternoon to protest against the Trump administration.

Protestors rallied at Burk Burnett Park before marching to Sundance Square as part of a national day of action organized by the 50501 Movement, with events in all 50 U.S. states.

The crowd, which filled Burnett Park and spilled onto the surrounding streets, consisted of people across all demographics.

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One of the things that we were really trying to focus on is unity, protest organizer Kyle Powell said. Collective organizing is our greatest strength in this time.

As people gathered in the park a day before Easter Sunday, Powell, who is a minister, drew comparisons between the protest and early Christians.

I cant think of a more poetic day to have a protest than a Holy Saturday, when first-century Christians wouldnt have known that Jesus was about to arise, Powell said. We dont know what the outcome is going to be, but we know that we have hope still and that were going to pursue that hope.

Powell organized the protests speakers, who covered a range of topics including immigration and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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Dozens of the protesters carried signs referencing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man recently deported to a Salvadoran prison camp in what White House officials called an administrative error.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to take steps toward returning Abrego Garcia to the United States, according to NBC News.

The administration claims that because Abrego Garcia is now in El Salvador, the U.S. government does not have the authority to bring him back.

Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele said in a meeting with Trump that he would not return Abrego Garcia to the United States.

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Local issues, too, took center stage at the protest: Leading the speakers was Katherine Godby, the co-founder and chair of the Justice Network of Tarrant County.

Godbys organization, and her speech at the protest, focused on issues of local criminal justice reform, including the ongoing controversy surrounding Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn and the Tarrant County Jail.

Its a culture of depraved indifference, Godby said of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court. Its life and death, and the commissioners have the power to change that, and theyre not doing it.

Thousands of protestors march down W 5th Street past the Tarrant County Courthouse for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

The commissioners were asked in a letter last week from the family of a man who died in the jail to consider removing Waybourn from his post.

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Waybourn was re-elected to his office in the 2024 general election.

Mention of the Texas Houses recent approval of a $1 billion private school voucher program drew ire from the crowd.

If it is made law, the program would create education savings accounts, which would allow Texas parents to use up to $10,000 in state dollars to pay for home schooling or private education for their children.

The programs opponents say the proposed funding scheme would draw tax dollars away from public schools and create an environment that would allow for discrimination against special-needs students.

This creates a system where only the privileged few get access to good education, while the rest of us and the rest of those underserved communities get left behind, a protest speaker said.

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Richardson residents Emerald and Dylan Acrey attended the protest to fight for everything.

I used to be really passionate about womens rights because that was so at the forefront, Emerald Acrey said. But now everything is at the forefront.

Thousands of protestors march down West 5th Street for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Fort Worth resident Katie Monahan wears a decorative cap while marching for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Thousands of protestors march down West 5th Street for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Thousands of protests march down Houston Street for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

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Fort Worth resident Julia Vondrasek wears a Statue of Liberty costume for the national Hands Off protest movement at Burk Burnett Park in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Thousands of protestors march down Commerce Street for the national Hands Off protest movement in downtown Fort Worth on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Under seas of signs that ranged from angry to comical, thousands of people marched in downtown Raleigh, Durham and a dozen other North Carolina cities Saturday to protest what they said is an existential threat to American democracy under President Donald Trump.

Its the old trope of power numbers, said Brian Kalan of Cary. Its just generally a lot easier to work together than to sort of argue over niche issues.

Kalan is neurodivergent and on disability. He said hes concerned about the future of Medicaid and the recent language used by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding people with autism.

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Congregating on the Halifax Mall lawn for opening speeches and chants, Raleigh protesters then peeled off to ring the North Carolina Legislative Building.

More than 1000 demonstrators march around the Legislative Building after rallying on Halifax Mall in Raleigh to protest Trump administration policies on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

Their signs expressed an array of grievances around the first three months of the second Trump term, like the detention of Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, as well as state-specific issues like Judge Jefferson Griffin contesting the North Carolina Supreme Court election.

Everybodys got a different sign, said Anthony Brand, a 39-year-old software manager in south Raleigh. Theres a topic for everybody thats really important to them that theyve come out to talk about.

The protests  an estimated 700 nationwide  were organized by the 50501 movement, a loosely organized group that began on Reddit with a push for 50 protests in 50 states on 1 day.

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Messages in Raleigh featured direct pleas (Impeach Trump) and irreverent critiques of the president, Kennedy and Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. Brands sign featured a line graph reflecting the stock market drop since Trump announced widespread tariffs on April 2.

More than 1000 demonstrators rally on Halifax Mall in Raleigh before marching around the Legislative Building to protest Trump administration policies on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

In Durham, more than 1,000 people gathered around Major the Bull on CCB Plaza.

Among the crowd were Annie Debell, 60, and Kiki Helbig, 54, who moved to Durham from South Carolina four years ago.

Im here to fight for our freedom, Debell said. Its scary because we are a married lesbian couple and I dont want to keep waking up every morning being afraid.

David Hartwell, 72, was one of 1,000 or more people who gathered in downtown Durham Saturday to protest Trump administration policies.

The pair chatted with 75-year-old Jackie Castellow, who has lived in Raleigh for 40 years and in Durham for the last six. Im not a protester-type of person, Castellow said. But things have gotten so bad, I cant just sit.

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Claire Dennis, 42, brought her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son. Dennis, who has lived in Durham for 15 years, said she had never seen so many regular protests in the city. I feel like a line has been crossed, she said. I appreciate that people are not treating it as business as usual.

Close to noon, as the march began to wind down, 72-year-old David Hartwell walked back alone. He carried a sign that read, My Dad Fought Fascism, Didnt Yours?

Hartwell, who has lived in Durham for 45 years, said his father fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

I dont think hed be happy, Hartwell said. They fought against this. They died for it.

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Saturdays rallies were the latest anti-Trump mass protest in recent weeks, including national Hands Off events held earlier this month.

More than 1000 demonstrators rally on Halifax Mall in Raleigh before marching around the Legislative Building to protest Trump administration policies on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

In the Spotlight designates ongoing topics of high interest that are driven by The News & Observers focus on accountability reporting.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Protesters gathered outside of Centennial Park Saturday afternoon, voicing their disapproval of President Donald Trump and the actions of his administration in his first few months in office.

Im just shocked by the violations of civil liberties that were seeing under this administration, protester and Nashville native Noah Zarr told News 2. It just seems like were going down a very, very dangerous road, and I feel like, Wow, this is what we learned about in elementary school and high school. Those basic values of America are being threatened, and we have to do something.'

Multiple people carried signs reading I am Kilmar Abrego Garcia, referring to the man who was deported from Maryland to El Salvador.

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Maryland man deported to El Salvador pulled over by THP trooper, per DHS report

Prison camps in El Salvador are despicable and inhumane. That is not what America was built on, another protester, Grace Carroll, said.

Corwin Lester, an organizer with United Volunteers of Tennessee, estimates about 2,500 people were in attendance at the event on Saturday, April 19.

When you look at it systematically, its like whack-a-mole. Hes attacking free speech; hes attacking NPR. I dont even know how he can manage all the fights that hes instigating, protester and Nashville native Nita Andrews explained.

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Anti-Trump protesters rally in New York, Washington and elsewhere across the country

News 2 saw another sign reading HANDS OFF VU!!! Marsha! in reference to U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) pressing Vanderbilt University Medical Center to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

[Trump is] attacking universities. He already has Columbia University thats knelt down to him. Thank goodness for Harvard, who is standing strong, protester Jan Austin said.

Lauren McCoy, who came to Saturdays protest, told News 2, Were all people, were all Americans, and we have to stand together. Thats what we did to form this country; its what we have to do again.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

News 2 reached out to the offices of Blackburn and U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) for comment on Saturdays protest, but they did not respond before this article was published.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  On April 19, thousands of Utahns gathered at the State Capitol for a rally and a food drive as part of another national day of protest. According to the Utah Highway Patrol, as many as 2,500 people were at the Capitol at the height of the event.

People across the country took part in protests coordinated by the national organization 50501 and local partners on Saturday. In the Beehive State, the nonprofit Unsheltered Utah partnered with the Utah branch of 50501 to help run a food drive at the rally.

Our revolution will be one of peace and diversity, event organizers said in a press release.

Solidarity will be our resistance.

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PREVIOUSLY  Hands off: Utahns take part in nationwide day of protest against Trump administration

Carl Moore, the chairman of Unsheltered Utah, told ABC4.com that his organization partnered with 50501 to highlight Indigenous voices and the fact that the unsheltered community is often heavily impacted by policies.

Moore also said that undocumented people are often in need of shelter, but they are a target of the current administration. He spoke about the importance of giving a voice to communities who may be further marginalized when they are unhoused.

We have the oppression of women, people of color, Black people, Indigenous people  all of those policies are affecting people, but they affect people that are unhoused more, Moore told ABC4.com. People that are unhoused, they generally dont have that voice  their voices arent listened to.

Utahns protest at the Utah State Capitol on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Jeff Hunter/KTVX) Utahns protest at the Utah State Capitol on Saturday, April 19, 2025. (Jeff Hunter/KTVX)

Jerry was protesting on Saturday, and told ABC4.com that he was at the Capitol because he felt like the Trump administration is taking actions that dont match his view of what America is.

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That strong belief in America is in my soul, and what I am seeing right now is offensive to that, Jerry said. It is not the America I believe in. It is not the America my father fought for. It is not  and somebody has to stand up and stop it.

RELATED  Anti-Trump protesters rally in New York, Washington and elsewhere across the country

Adam Guymon was protesting in support of disability rights, and said those rights are important because anyone can end up with a disability. Adam also said he would like to see a better voting system.

I dont trust the two-party system anymore because of how its structured  its not structured to allow people to really have their own voice, Adam said.

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However, Saturdays rally also had counter-protesters present, including Rachel, who said she supports Phil Lyman and believes that Trump is better than the alternate.

Im here because I love America, and I love my country, and I love my children, and I want them to have freedom that Ive enjoyed growing up, Rachel told ABC4.com.

The protest on April 19 happened about two weeks after more than 10,000 Utahns took part in a Hands Off rally on April 5.

I believe in the checks and balances, I believe in the separation of power, Jerry said. I believe that one person should not have the ultimate authority or say over what happens in our country.

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Utahns also protested elsewhere in the Beehive State, including outside the Provo Police Department. Protesters in Provo held signs expressing sentiments like no kings and support for immigrants.

Utahns protest in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, April 19. (Courtesy: Kim Costella) Utahns protest in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, April 19. (Courtesy: Kim Costella)

Jeff Hunter contributed to this report.

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(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire responded to a water rescue on Saturday afternoon in Sacramento County.

 Video above: How to report a public safety threat

Metro Fire said the incident happened at around 2:20 p.m. at 1291 Arp in Carmichael.

PG&E to start charging customers more to make bill payments soon, ACH no longer free

Metro Fire stated that three fishermen got stuck on an island and needed assistance getting back to the shore.

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At this time, it is unknown what caused them to get stuck.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  Three former senior advisers to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth decried on Saturday what they called baseless attacks after each was escorted from the Pentagon in an expanding probe on information leaks.

Dan Caldwell, a Hegseth aide; Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; and Darin Selnick, Hegseths deputy chief of staff were among four officials in Hegseths inner circle who were ousted this past week.

While the three initially had been placed on leave pending the investigation, a joint statement shared by Caldwell on X said the three were incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended. Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.

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At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of leaks to begin with, the post said.

Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot also announced he was resigning this week. The Pentagon said, however, that Ullyot was asked to resign.

The upheaval comes less than 100 days into the Trump administration where the Pentagon has found itself frequently in the epicenter of controversial moves  from firings of senior military and civilian staff to broad edicts to purge content that promoted diversity, equity or inclusion. That led to images or other online content of heroes like the Tuskegee Airmen and Jackie Robinson being temporarily removed from the military's websites, causing public uproar.

Last month, Hegseth announced that the Pentagons intelligence and law enforcement arms were investigating what it says are leaks of national security information following reports that Elon Musk was set to receive a classified briefing on potential war plans with China.

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In the announcement by Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, the office warned that Defense Department personnel could face polygraphs in the probe.

The departures also follow the firings of senior military officers, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown; Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti; National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command director Gen. Tim Haugh; and Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.
Three Pentagon officials, who were removed from their jobs amid an investigation into leaks at the department, now claim they were slandered.

Earlier this week, Dan Caldwell, a top adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was placed on administrative leave for an an unauthorized disclosure, a government official previously told Reuters. He and two other officials  Colin Carroll, chief of staff to the deputy defense secretary, and Darin Selnick, deputy chief of staff for the department  were fired on Friday, Politico reported.

Now, the three men say they are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended, according to a joint statement posted from Caldwells X account.

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Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door, the trio wrote.

The Independent has reached out to the department for comment.

All three have served the country  Caldwell is a Marine corps veteran, Selnick is a retired air force officer, and Carroll is a Marine corps reservist  and based on our collective service, we understand the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it, they wrote.

Three Pentagon officials, who were recently fired from their posts, claim they were slandered during their exit from the Department of Defense (AP)

The group noted they havent been told what they were investigated for or whether there was even a real investigation into leaks.

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In a late March memo, Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, requested a probe into "recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information involving sensitive communications, Reuters reported.

Kasper is now also under review as part of the probe, sources told CBS News, just one day after Politico reported he was leaving his post for a different role at the department.

This whirlwind of change means Hegseth is now, at least temporarily, without a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff and top adviser.

Joint statement from Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll, and Darin Selnick:



We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended. Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door. All  Dan Caldwell  (@dandcaldwell) April 19, 2025

At this time, no final senior staffing changes have been decided, and the secretary will make any future announcements on his own timetable, a senior defense official told CBS News.

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While this experience has been unconscionable, we remain supportive of the Trump-Vance Administrations mission to make the Pentagon great again and achieve peace through strength. We hope in the future to support those efforts in different capacities, they concluded.

The news comes weeks after Caldwell was named as the defense secretary's best point of contact in the now-infamous group chat shared with an Atlantic journalist now known as Signalgate.

More recently, Caldwell and Selnick were escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday and had their access to the building suspended. Both men previously worked at Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit that Hegseth spearheaded.
In the previous article, I offered four ways (other than growth) a practice can compensate for declining reimbursements: improve efficiency, boost collection ratio, increase productivity, and consider a practice merger. As promised, here are four more.

Stay focused.

Focused strategies lead to better outcomes and lower costs. It is no accident that the best outcomes and lowest price for open-heart surgery are achieved where the highest volume of these is performed. Dr. Denton Cooley of Houston reduced the cost of coronary artery bypass surgery decades ago from a national average of $43,370 to $27,040 and still had impressive outcomes. The higher the volume of similar procedures, the more skilled the doctors become at performing them, and unit costs decline as more procedures are spread over existing fixed costs. Some doctors enjoy treating certain conditions more than others, and narrowing the focus may revitalize a burned-out practitioner.

Renegotiate contracts.

Contract terms can be improved even when doctors have little control over price. You can present that information during negotiation if you have collected patient satisfaction data. If patients are satisfied, the insurance companies want to retain that good physician. A small change in a contract can significantly impact your profit. Good patient data can justify an increased fee for proceduresespecially ones that can keep management within the practice. Other doctor-friendly changes are increasing the co-pay or reducing paperwork. When renegotiating contracts, you have more leverage than you think.

Provide supplies and products.

Some doctors still feel that selling retail products in their practices is unprofessional. But it is often a valuable service and leads to better patient care. For example, if a mother can obtain antibiotics at a pediatricians office rather than driving with a crying baby to a pharmacy, she will probably appreciate the convenience and pay a small premium for the time saved. This growing, acceptable practice provides better careand many patients even expect it!

Collaborate with peers.

Still in its infancy, peer collaboration represents one of the best potential sources of future nonpatient care incomeespecially if it improves patient care to reduce the total cost for payers. Group purchasing gives each doctor better prices from vendors. Some doctors are expanding into ancillary areas, such as specialty ambulatory surgery centers, driving surgery costs substantially lower than in a multi-specialty ambulatory surgical facility and certainly less expensive than the hospital. Quality increases, and costs decrease with higher volumes of patients, benefiting doctors, patients, and payers. Previously, doctors in academic health care centers and hospitals have had administrative and clinical duties. Doctors in private practice who enjoy management duties will have similar administrative opportunities as collaboration leads to larger physician groups and networks.

Bottom line: While patient growth opportunities are usually a mainstay in offsetting diminishing reimbursements, multiple opportunities exist for improving practices without increasing patient volumes beyond the point that leads to poor patient care. These strategies and better financial planning enable a practice to make it through this challenging period.

Neil Baum is a urologist.
NEW YORK (AP)  New York's $9 congestion toll on most drivers entering the busiest part of Manhattan remained in effect Sunday, despite an Easter deadline from the Trump administration to halt the first-in-the-nation fee.

Both Gov. Kathy Hochul's office and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency overseeing the tolls, confirmed Sunday that its system of traffic cameras continues to collect the fee assessed on most cars entering the borough below Central Park.

The cameras are staying on, said Avi Small, Hochul's spokesperson, in an email.

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President Donald Trumps transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, rescinded federal approval for the program in February, calling it a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners, and initially gave New York until March 21 to comply.

The MTA challenged Duffys decision in federal court and Duffy subsequently pushed the deadline back by a month, to April 20. The transportation department insisted it would not back off the deadline even as the court case plays out, saying it would not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal if the state failed to stop the toll.

In case there were any doubts, MTA, State and City reaffirmed in a court filing that congestion pricing is here to stay and that the arguments Secretary Duffy made trying to stop it have zero merit," John J. McCarthy, the MTA's chief of policy and external relations, said Sunday.

Spokespersons for the U.S. Department of Transportation didnt immediately respond to messages seeking comment Sunday.

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The fee began Jan. 5 and is meant to not just reduce traffic jams but also raise billions of dollars in revenue for New Yorks subways, commuter trains and public buses.

But Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone, had vowed to kill the plan as soon as he took office.

The transit authority, meanwhile, has continued to tout the benefits of the tolling program, saying fewer vehicles are now coming into the heart of Manhattan.

Around 560,000 vehicles per day entered the congestion zone in March, a 13% drop from the roughly 640,000 the MTA projects would have driven through the area without the tolling scheme, according to data the agency released earlier this month.

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The agency has previously said it's on track to meet the $500 million in revenue initially projected this year from congestion pricing.

The toll varies depending on type of vehicle and time of day and comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan.

Other big cities around the world, including London and Stockholm, have similar congestion pricing schemes.

On Thursday, a Manhattan federal judge dismissed a series of lawsuits brought by the local trucking industry and other local groups challenging the toll.

Most of those lawsuits had argued the fee was approved by federal transportation officials without proper scrutiny and that the court should order the completion of a more comprehensive environmental impact study.
SALEM, Ohio (WKBN)  Totally 80s Ice Cream Shoppe in downtown Salem celebrated its one-year anniversary on Sunday.

The entire store has a rad theme for the decade, known for its iconic movies like The Goonies and arcade games like Pac-Man. Parents and grandparents are able to share their experiences with a younger generation.

Owner Mike Thrope says its been fun trying out different ideas customers have suggested over the last year.

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A lot of our customers have been our best creativity, if you will. Theyll say, Oh, this would be cool, and then all of a sudden, the wheels start turning, Thrope said.

Totally 80s gained enough popularity to begin the process of opening a second store in Austintown, which should be opening very soon.

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A grizzly bear, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Acts, walks among pine trees in Yellowstone National Park.(Photo by Jim Peaco/National Park Service)

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.

The Trump administration proposed a new rule Wednesday that would rescind widespread habitat protections for species protected under the Endangered Species Act, a landmark law enacted in 1973 to conserve the countrys imperiled animals and plants.

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That would open the door for developments across the country to be approved even if they significantly disrupt critical habitat for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed rule, posted in the U.S. Federal Register by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, would rescind the regulatory definition of harm, which is defined as any significant habitat modification or degradation that actually kills or injures wildlife.

Environmental groups lambasted the proposal.

Theres just no way to protect animals and plants from extinction without protecting the places they live, yet the Trump administration is opening the floodgates to immeasurable habitat destruction, said Noah Greenwald, co-director of endangered species at the Center for Biological Diversity. This administrations greed and contempt for imperiled wildlife know no bounds, but most Americans know that we destroy the natural world at our own peril. Nobody voted to drive spotted owls, Florida panthers or grizzly bears to extinction.

If approved, he said, the rule would mean endangered species would only be protected from actions that intentionally lead to the harm of a species. Its just foundational to how weve protected endangered species for the last 40-plus years, and theyre just completely upending that, Greenwald said.

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This administrations greed and contempt for imperiled wildlife know no bounds.

 Noah Greenwald, Center for Biological Diversity

Just the day before Wednesdays proposed rule, the Trump administration put out a rescission notice to roll back a rule that put conservation on equal footing with extractive uses on the nations public lands. The two decisions, along with scores of others in recent months since President Trump took office, threaten species and the habitats they depend on across the country, experts and environmentalists say.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not respond to a request for comment.

What does harm mean?

By law, the ESA prohibits the take of an endangered species, which includes actions to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. Historically, the harm part of this mandate encompasses any activity that can modify a species habitat.

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This interpretation of harm has long been used by agencies to extend protections for endangered species to the land or ocean area that it relies on. For example, an oil or gas project may not be able to drill or be forced to modify operations in a certain area that provides habitat for an endangered animal, such as a dune sagebrush lizard. In many cases, the harm rule has not blocked projects altogether, but rather resulted in different designs that reduce impacts on endangered species.

In 1995, a group of landowners and timber interests in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast challenged the regulations interpretation in a push to log forests where endangered northern spotted owls and red-cockaded woodpeckers lived. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the broad definition of harm on the basis of the Chevron Doctrine, a principle that defers to federal agencies expertise for carrying out laws. Last year, however, Chevron was overturned, and the Trump administration has seized on that in the new proposed rule.

The new proposal would eliminate this harm definitionand the habitat protections that come with it, according to Dave Owen, an environmental law professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

The shift here would be to say that just habitat modification that is detrimental to a species, even if the detriment is fairly direct, is not encompassed within the word harm, Owen said. The majority of habitat protections related to the ESA fall under the harm interpretation, according to a 2012 study by Owen. Now, under the proposal, the word harm is essentially going to be read as an inconsequential nullity, he said.

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The Trump administration says that its proposal is more in line with the language in the ESA, arguing that the regulations surrounding the word harm should be defined as an affirmative act directed immediately against a particular animal, rather than one that could indirectly harm an endangered species population, according to the posting of the proposed rule in the Federal Register. However, research shows that habitat loss is a primary driver of extinction in the United States.

In the case of the spotted owl, nests must have a 70-acre circle of land around them protected, even on private lands used for timber. With this change, they dont have to do that anymore, said Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Trump administrations proposal is the latest in a series of deregulatory moves to undermine the ESA, which Republicans have long attacked for stifling economic development and interfering with states ability to manage wildlife. Rolling back its ability to protect species was outlined in Project 2025, the conservative roadmap published before the 2024 elections guiding much of the administrations actions.

On Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency, which outlined a process to enable fossil fuel projects to bypass the typical environmental reviews associated with approval, including those required by the Endangered Species Act. The order directed the heads of all agencies and the secretary of the Army to identify projects that may be subject to emergency treatment within 30 days. By mid-February, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers marked for review more than 600 permit applications for energy-related projects that could qualify for the fast-pass treatment, though environmental groups argue these efforts would disrupt crucial wetlands.

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To support efforts for unleashing energy dominance, the secretary of the Department of Interior, Doug Burgum, issued several orders in February that aim to suspend, revise, or rescind several ESA regulations enacted during the Biden administration. This new proposal to rescind the harm definition could also pave the way for new energy projects, experts say.

The historic interpretation of the regulation served as sort of a caution to people not to go down and knock down trees where red-cockaded woodpeckers were nesting. And if you change the definition, I think theres the risk that people are going to go out and engage in that behavior in the real world, said Andrew Mergen, the director of Harvard Law Schools Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. The rule plays a really important role in preventing people from doing that sort of thing, and at the same time, it has hardly damaged the economy, or made economic progress impossible.

The public will have 30 days to submit comments on the proposal. Environmental groups like Earthjustice have vowed to challenge the rule in court.

A series of attacks on conservation

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the administration proposed rescinding the Public Lands Rulea landmark achievement of the Biden administration that placed conservation on equal footing as extraction across the nations public lands following an extensive public comment period. Ninety percent of comments received supported the rule. Another rule implemented last year that restricts oil and gas development across millions of acres of public lands in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska was also rescinded.

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This is not policyits a blatant giveaway to industry that threatens to dismantle decades of conservation progress, shut down public access, harm wildlife and accelerate the reckless sell-off of our natural resources, said Alison Flint, senior legal director at The Wilderness Society, in a statement concerning the two proposed rescission notices.

Already this year, a series of executive orders and actions by Trump have removed protections across millions of acres in national forests to boost the logging industry, streamlined the permitting process for mines, made the extraction of minerals on public lands with suitable resources the priority use, and targeted national monuments elimination. Staff at national parks have also been gutted.

All of this has come despite polling showing that conserving public lands is universally popular across party lines.

The Trump administration is just working to undermine all protections for air, for water, for wildlife and climatesystematically and rapidly, Greenwald said.

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Donald Trump has been compared to a royal despot by prominent Republicans over his punishment of two former administration officials.

A strongly-worded open letter criticised the treatment of Chris Krebs and Miles Taylor, who had both publicly criticised the US president.

Mr Krebs led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency during Mr Trumps first term, and openly refuted his claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

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Mr Taylor served as chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security and wrote a New York Times opinion essay in 2018 accusing Mr Trump of rampant amorality.

Earlier this month, Mr Trump revoked the security clearance of both men and called for an investigation into their times in government.

The open letter came as thousands took to the streets across the US to protest against Donald Trumps leadership - Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP

In response, the open letter said the US presidents actions represented a dangerous escalation in the abuse of presidential power. It was signed by 200 people including several members of the first Trump administration.

Signatories included Ty Cobb, the lawyer who led Mr Trumps response to a special counsel investigation of his ties to Russia.

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John Mitnick also signed. He served as general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security until he was fired in 2019 after clashing with the White House.

Profoundly unconstitutional

The letter noted that presidents from both parties had long respected the independence of federal law enforcement but President Trumps statements are a profoundly unconstitutional break with this tradition.

It added that Mr Trump was explicitly targeting the men because they exercised their First Amendment rights and criticised him. It said the US presidents treatment of the two men was a miscarriage of justice that brought to mind the abuses of power that characterise authoritarian nations.

This is not democratic governance. It is baseless retaliation  and it has no place in the United States of America, the letter read, before adding that the Mr Trump was setting a new and perilous precedent.

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Behaviour of this kind is more to be expected from a royal despot than the elected leader of a constitutional republic. This is the path of autocracy, not democracy, it added.

The letter ended with a call for the US president to immediately rescind these memoranda and for agency heads to repudiate any order that undermines their oaths, politicises their missions, or betrays the constitutional principles they are sworn to uphold.

The letter came as thousands took to the streets across the US on Saturday in protest at the administrations recent actions.

Credit: Anadolu Agency

Known as 50501, for 50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement, events ranged from a march through Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to protests outside Tesla car dealerships against Elon Musks involvement in the administration.

Ex-presidents intervene

Three former presidents have also denounced Mr Trump in recent weeks, despite a long-standing tradition that predecessors dont criticise their successors.

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Without explicitly naming Mr Trump, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton  three Democrats  all made comments critical of him and his actions at separate events.

It is up to all of us to fix this. The most important office in this democracy is the citizen, the ordinary person who say: No, thats not right, Mr Obama said.

The last thing [beneficiaries] need from their government is deliberate cruelty, said Mr Biden adding: In fewer than 100 days, this administration has done so much damage and so much devastation.

If our lives are going to be dominated by the effort to dominate the people we disagree with, we are going to put the 250-year march to a more perfect union at risk, Mr Clinton said.

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Will we let Trump deport citizens?

The Trump administration continues to speed-run authoritarianism. This week, Trump hosted Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador. Before the event, Trump is on camera telling Bukele, Homegrowns are next, the homegrowns. You gotta build five more places. Instead of being shocked, the people in the room (Attorney General Pam Bondi, Stephen Miller and others) laugh. Gleefully.

In case its not clear, homegrowns are US citizens, and five more places are El Salvador mega-prisons. The clear illegality of this wont stop the Trump administration. No fewer than four lawsuits are challenging legality of the hundreds of people already imprisoned in El Salvador. The vast majority have no criminal record, in the US or any country. Among the extraordinary legal arguments the Trump administration is making: that the president can get around a writ of habeas corpus, upending centuries of modern law.

Homegrowns are next seems like a great reason to get to one of the many nationwide protests. If ever there was a time to meet up in solidarity with other worried homegrowns, its now.

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Lauren Kuehne, Bremerton

Chiefs payout mind-boggling

I just saw the most recent article on the payout that the ex-Tacoma Police Chief received. This is mind-boggling to me. The city is in such financial turmoil, yet they find it acceptable to pay this man almost $500K just to go away. Unbelievable. He was a poor choice to begin with (thank you, mayor and council). This is on our elected leaders. Shame on you for bringing this to what was once our fine city.

You keep making decisions like these, and our city will soon become another Detroit, everyone will leave, and it will be a ghost town.

Mary Ann Clabaugh, Tacoma

Hairston was historic chief

Some months back, I read a Seattle media report that referred to Avery Moore as Tacomas first African American police chief. I called the reporter to set the record straight: That honor goes to Police Chief James Hairston, who was appointed chief in 1999. Hairston died on Jan. 26.

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Hairston replaced an incumbent chief who came to Tacoma with a strong resume and a highly authoritarian leadership style that simply was not a good fit for the department. Hairston, who worked his way up in highly competitive, merit-based process from a Tacoma patrol officer to assistant chief prior to his appointment, had a very different and very people-centered leadership style.

At his memorial service, former colleagues, family members and Chief Patti Jackson praised his ability to listen, his empathy and his respect for others. During his time with the police department, he received the Lifesaving Award, and twice received the departments prestigious Medal of Merit. Hairston, who received his bachelors degree in law and justice from Central Washington University, was also an accomplished poet. When he retired as chief, after a 33-year career, he left a police department controversy-free.

Bill Baarsma, Tacoma

Disappearing people and our rights

This week the Trump administration will consider contracting with a private, for-profit corporation to manage the deportation and imprisonment of immigrants. Former Blackwater CEO Erik Princes 2USV business is seeking rights to fill industrial-scale compounds in El Salvador.

America is already on a slippery, legally questionable and cruel slope. What is being proposed in our name would be a moral nightmare.

Tom Craighead, Vashon
Former White House chief of staff and Republican Party chair Reince Priebus waved off a GOP senators concerns about threats from Donald Trump supporters as the consequence of disagreeing with a popular president on Sunday.

Priebus was interviewed on ABCs This Week and responded to recent comments from Lisa Murkowksi, a centrist Republican senator from Alaska. She has broken with the president on the floor of Congress numerous times, most notably in 2017 when she and two other Republicans voted to sink a GOP proposal that would have gutted the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Earlier this year, she also opposed the nomination of Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense.

Murkowski, in a discussion with local business and nonprofit leaders in Alaska, was reported by the Anchorage Daily News as fearing retaliation, presumably from Donald Trumps supporters, over speaking out about the sweeping cuts to federal agencies being pursued by the White Houses DOGE initiative.

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We are all afraid, Murkowski said, according to the news outlet. Its quite a statement. But we are in a time and a place where I certainly have not been here before. And Ill tell ya, Im oftentimes very anxious myself about using my voice, because retaliation is real. And thats not right.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke recently about violent threats she has received after various instances of breaking with the Republican mainstream to oppose Donald Trump or his administration (Getty Images)

Trumps former White House chief of staff, now an ABC News contributor, responded on Sunday by calling such retaliation the consequence of having a different opinion than a very popular president.

He went on to describe Murkowski as a senator who does nothing but win elections after a half-hearted condemnation of the rhetoric she has faced: Certainly, rhetoric should calm down. But ... if shes talking about the retribution of going against the president and suffering at the ballot box, well, that's the consequence of having a different opinion than a very popular president.

After GOP Sen. Murkowski said her colleagues are afraid to speak against some actions from Pres. Trump for fear of being primaried, former RNC chair @Reince said, Well, that's the consequence of having a different opinion than a very popular president. https://t.co/muJAcbdB3e pic.twitter.com/Os2siItZT5  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 20, 2025

But Murkowski was probably not speaking merely of political retaliation in the form of a primary challenge, which she has very recently said she does not fear coming from Trump or his DOGE deputy, Elon Musk.

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More likely, she was speaking about the actual threats of violence that she and other opponents of Donald Trump, Republicans and Democrats alike, have faced from his supporters. She has been the target of multiple cases of violent threats that led to arrests since the January 6 attack on Congress in 2021.

The news site RawStory reported in 2018 that Murkowskis Facebook page was inundated with violent threats of rape and sexual abuse after she voted against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court that year.

Another female Republican senator who expressed reservations about Hegseths nomination earlier this year was also subject to violent threats, according to her Democratic colleague Tammy Duckworth.

"Joni Ernst received so many threats and attacks outright, you know, threatening her, saying that they would primary her all the way through to threats against her own security," Duckworth told MSNBC.
Russia and Ukraine will be able to "do big business" with the United States if they secure a peace deal in the next week, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post on April 20.

Trump's comments come shortly after he threatened to pull U.S. support from the peace process altogether if either Russia or Ukraine caused negotiations to stall.

"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune."

Trump's post was published on Easter Sunday, amid what was supposed to be a temporary ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 19 declared an "Easter truce," promising to halt all combat operations until midnight on April 21.

Russia has since violated the truce over 2,000 times, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukraine and the U.S. both called on Putin to extend the truce beyond Easter and impose a complete 30-day ceasefire. According to Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Putin gave no such order.

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Zelensky later on April 20 proposed a 30-day ban on long-range missile and drone strikes against civilian infrastructure, noting that Russia had managed to halt aerial attacks against Ukraine on Easter.

Some European leaders expressed skepticism at Putin's Easter truce, with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky calling it a "media stunt" designed to appease an increasingly impatient Trump.

Read also: Trumps Ukraine peace push is really about business  and Putin knows it

Trump told reporters on April 18 that he was ready to "take a pass" on negotiating a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine.

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"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass. But hopefully we won't have to do that," he said.

Earlier that day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would abandon its negotiation efforts in the coming days if there was no progress on an agreement.

The comments represent an abrupt about-face for the Trump administration, which has made a Ukraine-Russia peace deal a priority since the Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump spent the months leading up to his election promising to end the war in 24 hours and has repeatedly boasted about his ability to secure a deal.

Business interests have played a key role in Trump's approach to both Ukraine and Russia.

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Since Trump took office, Washington has taken steps to normalize relations with Moscow, emphasizing strengthened economic ties. Following a phone call between Trump and Putin on March 18, the Kremlin said the leaders were interested in developing "mutually beneficial cooperation" in a number of sectors. The White House later touted the potential for "enormous economic deals" between the two countries.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on April 15 that "economic partnerships" with the U.S. could serve as an incentive for Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

The Trump administration is also pursuing a minerals deal with Kyiv that would give the U.S. broad control over revenues from Ukraine's natural resources  something Washington claims it deserves in return for military aid provided to Kyiv. The U.S. maintains the agreement would help protect Ukraine against Russian aggression, though it includes no security guarantees.

Read also: Theyre hitting us with everything  No sign of Russias Easter truce, Ukrainian soldiers say

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Its been nearly three years since Yevheniia Shymshyrian, 37, fled Kharkiv for London but she has still not learnt how to tear herself away from the news from her homeland.

My day starts with news and ends with news, she told The Telegraph. My family is still living in Kharkiv, where they are facing bombing almost every day.

This is the reality for thousands of Ukrainians who fled their home country for the UK, many of whom left loved ones behind and remain constantly plugged into updates from the front, particularly since Donald Trump returned to the White House promising to bring peace.

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The Republican president pledged during his election campaign to end the war in Ukraine within his first 24 hours in the White House. He moderated that claim on taking office, suggesting a deal by April or May as obstacles mounted.

But peace efforts took another pessimistic turn on Friday when Mr Trump threatened to walk away from talks very shortly if a ceasefire is not reached soon.

The US president said he did not want to abandon the negotiations, but would take a pass if parties make it difficult to reach an agreement. If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, were going to say youre fools, youre foolish, and were just going to take a pass, Mr Trump said.

Dissatisfied with peace negotiations

Meanwhile, a survey by World Jewish Relief, a humanitarian agency working across Ukraine, found that 85 per cent of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are dissatisfied with the current course of peace negotiations.

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Its a sentiment Ms Shymshyrian knows all too well, as she fears Mr Trump is aligning Washington with Moscows view of the war  including by blaming Ukraine for starting it.

Its terrible that Trump has normalised Putin again, which is heartbreaking for me, she said.

Before, no one wanted to speak with Putin and now the president of the United States is calling him, sending government officials to talk and shake hands. Its ridiculous for me, for people living in Ukraine, fighting.

Donald Trump with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House meeting in February during which the Ukrainian president faced an attack by the US president and his vice-president JD Vance - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Matvi Smirnov, 50, originally from Lviv and now living in London, said he welcomed any glimpse of peace talks but, like Ms Shymshyrian, described US-led negotiations as a disaster.

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The scary thing about it is that the (US) team chosen to negotiate on our behalf  I have zero trust in them, because Trump and his administration seemed to have missed the point, he told The Telegraph.

Everything weve heard is that the talks are going in the right trajectory but there have been zero results.

The survey also found that 95 per cent of Ukrainians feel either extremely worried (65 per cent) or worried (30 per cent) about their future. One respondent told World Jewish Relief: The hardest thing is that we dont know what will happen in a year. Living out of suitcases for 3 years is very hard. For children, its a whole life.

Fears of wider conflict

Ms Shymshyrian shares that fear, worrying that talks between Russia and the US could collapse and trigger a wider conflict.

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That might seem unrealistic but thats what people said about the war when it first began, she said.

Paul Anticoni, the chief executive of World Jewish Relief, said: The insights from our poll highlight the deep challenges that Ukrainians, both here in the UK and at home, are facing every day.

Its difficult to imagine the feelings of worry and stress experienced by those who have had to leave their lives behind, especially with the ongoing uncertainty regarding the conflicts outcome.

At World Jewish Relief, we are committed to providing the support and resources that can help these individuals find stability and hope for the future.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Department of State could be in for a massive overhaul. A draft executive order obtained by The New York Times shows what would be one of the largest reorganizations of the agency since its founding in 1789. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denies there are changes in the works.

In President Donald Trumps latest effort to overhaul federal government offices, he reportedly drafted an executive order that would drastically alter the State Department.

The executive order would eliminate nearly all of the State Departments operations in Africa, shut down embassies, and cut offices at the agencys headquarters that address climate change as well as refugee, democracy, and human rights issues, according to a 16-page draft order obtained by The New York Times.

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According to the document, this would be a disciplined reorganization of the agency to streamline mission delivery and cut waste, fraud, and abuse. If the executive order is enacted, this would mark one of the most significant reorganizations of the State Department since its 1789 inception, according to Bloomberg. The changes would need to be made by Oct. 1, the document shows.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, claims there are no such plans in the works.

This is fake news, Rubio wrote in an X post on Sunday morning. The @nytimes falls victim to another hoax."

When asked for comment about the executive order draft, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly pointed Fortune to Rubios X post.

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The NYT last week had also reported the Trump administration could cut nearly 50% of the State Departments funding next fiscal year, according to an internal document.

Other changes included in the draft would require involvement from Congress and no doubt be challenged by lawmakers, according to the NYT, and could face lawsuits.

Now, instead of bending policy to the facts, Rubio's State Department intends to censor factsabout the dictators Trump is supportingto fit the policy, former U.S. Representative Tom Malinowski wrote on X. It's embarrassing and illegal, but it won't shield him from accountability. Malinowski served as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor during the Obama administration.

According to documents obtained by the NYT, the following changesand more that arent listedcould be made at the State Department:

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Lay off career diplomats and civil service employees

End foreign service exam for aspiring diplomats

Outline new hiring criteria

Expand artificial intelligence use to help draft documents

Eliminate regional bureaus

Cut the bureau of African affairs

Move Canada operations to a new North American affairs office

Eliminate bureau overseeing democracy and human rights issues

Narrow Fulbright scholarships

End fellowship contract with Howard University

Representatives for Rubio and the U.S. Department of State didnt immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
US President Donald Trump on Sunday sounded an optimistic note in the Ukraine conflict.

"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week," he wrote in all capital letters on the social network Truth Social.

"Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune," he added.

Trump recently called on Ukraine and Russia to show willingness to compromise in the war that Russia started when it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.

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The US government made it clear that it could otherwise halt efforts to end the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced a brief ceasefire for the Easter holiday, but both sides have accused each other of not refraining from attacks.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recognized that at least there had been no air raids and on Sunday suggested that any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure should cease for a period of at least 30 days.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he hopes Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week to end the conflict in Ukraine.

"BOTH WILL THEN START TO DO BIG BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THRIVING, AND MAKE A FORTUNE!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Leslie Adler)
As Donald Trump nears the end of his first 100 days in office, he has issued a record-breaking high of 124 executive orders, while signing a record-breaking low of just five new bills into law, and caused concerns among constitutional scholars.

These orders are extraordinary, not just in their number, but in their breadth, said Rory Little, a law professor at the University of California- San Francisco said at a recent panel discussion. The current state of affairs can be characterized I think with no exaggeration as a crisis, a challenge to the rule of the law in the United States.

Others in the panel noted how many of Trumps executive orders have pushed into areas typically run by states. Trump has set records for both his executive order tally and how few bills he has received from Congress. Instead, he has governed by his signature and targeted immigration, tariffs, diversity programs, education and a host of other areas. He has taken pen to paper to reshape America in his image with little resistance or pushback.

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While some may legitimately applaud the policy goals that underlie some of these actions, I hope we can all agree these policy goals should be pursued lawfully, lest we end up living in the type of system envisioned by the president, where he is the only law, fellow professor Jodi Short said.

Having signed only five bills means that Trump has signed fewer into law at this point in his presidency than any new president in the last 70 years, according to government records. He is followed by Joe Biden and George W Bush, who had each signed only seven apiece at the same juncture.

Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday after announcing a 90-day pause on tariffs for 'more than 75' nations. As the president nears the end of his first 100 days, he has issued a record-breaking high of 124 executive orders (AP)

According to the records, at the same point in his first presidency, Trump had signed 24 bills into law. Prior to that, in 2009, Barack Obama had signed 11 bills into law at the 100-day mark, and during his presidency, in 1993, Bill Clinton had signed 21 bills.

Trumps bills so far have included three Congressional Review Act resolutions overturning Biden administration regulations, the Laken Riley Act and a stopgap funding bill needed to avoid a government shutdown. A bill is a legislative proposal that becomes a law after it is passed and signed by the president.

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In contrast, within his first three months back in the White House, Trump has already signed 124 executive orders, closing in on the totals issued by some of his predecessors during their entire terms.

In total, Biden signed 162 executive orders, Obama signed 277, Bush signed 291, and Clinton signed 364, according to the Federal Register. Trump, in his first term signed 220.

An executive order is a written directive, signed by the president, that orders the government to take specific actions to ensure the laws be faithfully executed, according to the ACLU. Such orders do not need the approval of Congress, but are open to legal challenge.

Executive orders mean that, as president, Trump can essentially tell federal agencies how to interpret, implement or enforce a law  as long as it is within their constitutional authority, and do not violate any federal laws.

Having signed only five bills means that Trump has signed fewer into law at this point in his presidency than any new president for the last 70 years, according to government records (REUTERS)

Trumps 124 executive orders have already prompted dozens of federal lawsuits, challenging the constitutionality of the orders and the extent to which they are being used.

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Executive orders can be an effective way to carry out policy while staying within the rule of law, an ACLU briefing stated. However, as weve seen with the Trump administration, they can also cause chaos, damage the democratic process and harm our must vulnerable communities.

Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen called out the administration for acting illegally and unconstitutionally in ways that weaken our democratic institutions. Others have claimed that the actions risk prompting a constitutional crisis.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who are not in the country lawfully. It was challenged by multiple immigrants rights advocates, an expectant mother and several states, resulting it being blocked temporarily by several federal judges.

Two days later, on January 22, Trump signed an executive order ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs at government agencies, and later another aimed at similar programs in the military. Following a challenge by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from terminating or changing federal contracts, considered to be equity-related.

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Despite its battles in the courts, the Trump administration has doubled down on the authority of the president and his orders. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously claimed the judicial branch was behaving erroneously, after several judges blocked various orders

"I would like to point out that the judges in this country are acting erroneously," Leavitt said in a Wednesday news briefing. "We have judges who are acting as partisan activists from the bench." Leavitt previously insisted that the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch.

Yet Trumps critics continue to argue that the intense volume of his executive orders amounts to, at the very least, an overreach, and, at worst, an unconstitutional abuse of power.

Congress is supposed to have the purse, Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University, told PBS News in 2019. It's supposed to run the money. Donald Trump now is doing something unprecedented by grabbing the funding from Congress and reallocating it in his own  with his own whims.

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As recently as Tuesday, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order targeting the law firm Susman Godfrey, describing it as an unconstitutional personal vendetta.

Frankly, I think the Framers of our Constitution would see this as a shocking abuse of power, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan said.
I love a parade, but not an estimated $90 million one that President Donald Trump would like to schedule to honor himself. The Trump administration is having early discussions about a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., on June 14, which is also the president's birthday, according to the Associated Press.

The majority of U.S. taxpayers did not vote for Trump. This parade would be a sickening farce. Trump says his administration wants to save money by eliminating thousands of federal jobs, but he is willing to spend millions of dollars to feed his ego.

More: JD Vance visits the Vatican for Easter weekend. Did he meet with Pope Francis?

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No American president has ever done this. In his first term, Trump wanted a military parade, but it never happened due to high costs - one estimate was $92 million  and logistical issues. He just thrives on the "applause." Trump belongs in a back-street theatre, not in the White House. Heaven help our beloved country.

Ann Thompson, Green Township

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump wants a military parade for his ego not America's honor | Letter
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said Sunday the White House is seeking to distract from the most pressing points in the saga around its unlawful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia  an unprecedented denial of his constitutional rights and the flouting of an order from the nation's top court.

"We have a lawless president who is ignoring the order of the Supreme Court of the United States to facilitate his return," Van Hollen, fresh off a midweek trip to El Salvador in which he succeeded in meeting the Maryland resident, told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union," one of a series of Sunday morning TV appearances.

"That's what's going on right now. That is a risk to all of us. And so all of this other stuff, you can ask about it, but they need to put up or shut up in the courts of the United States."

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Fixating on Abrego Garcia's past, and what he might or might not have done, Van Hollen told Bash, misses the bigger point.

"He's being denied his due process rights," Van Hollen told Bash. "And Donald Trump is trying to change the subject. And, you know, when people start asking about asking that question, in my view, they're falling into the president's trap."

Abrego Garcia, who illegally entered the U.S. around 2011, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March despite an immigration court order mandating he not be brought back to his country of origin due to fears he could be persecuted by a local gang.

But even after the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the White House must facilitate Abrego Garcia's return, President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly signaled no intention of doing so. El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, is working alongside Trump in the effort; both claim they have no power to send Abrego Garcia home.

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Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador drew focus not only on this one specific case but also the broader issue of deporting people without following all the usual legal procedures.

"They are very much flouting the courts as we speak," Van Hollen told NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press." "As the courts have said, facilitating his return means something more than doing nothing. And they are doing nothing."

White House officials have focused on drawing attention to Abrego Garcia's purported links to the MS-13 gang. But U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis, who ordered his return, said the Justice Department has not provided evidence connecting Abrego Garcia to the group.

"They said he is not a member of MS-13, even though hes got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles, and two Highly Respected Courts found that he was a member of MS-13, beat up his wife, etc," Trump claimed on Truth Social last week. "I was elected to take bad people out of the United States, among other things. I must be allowed to do my job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

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Van Hollen was on the second day of his trip to El Salvador when he finally succeeded in meeting Abrego Garcia at a hotel last Thursday. El Salvadorian officials "tried to make it look like he was in paradise," Van Hollen told host Jonathan Karl on Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

The El Salvadorian authorities attempted to set up the pair's conversation in a spot overlooking the hotel pool, Van Hollen said. At one point, waiters set what appeared to be margaritas on the table.

"It just goes to show the lengths that Bukele and Trump will go to try to deceive people about what this case is all about," Van Hollen told Karl. "What this case is all about is simply complying with the Supreme Court order to facilitate his return and make sure he gets due process."

GOP Sen. John N. Kennedy (La.) admitted to Welker on Sunday that Abrego Garcia's removal to El Salvador was a "screw-up." But he doesn't see it as a brewing constitutional crisis.

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Taking their cues from the White House, Republicans have slammed Van Hollen's visit, saying the Democratic Party is more interested in defending deported illegal immigrants than advocating for law-abiding Americans. Kennedy said he thought Van Hollen, whom he called a friend, was "utterly and gloriously wrong."

"The Democrats say, 'Look, you know, we told you, Trump is a threat to democracy. This is going to happen every other Thursday afternoon.' I don't see any pattern here," Kennedy said. "I mean, you know, some day pigs may fly, but I doubt it."
A leaked draft of an executive order reveals the Trump administration may soon impose a MAGA loyalty test at the State Department.

The new foreign service exam will require alignment with the presidents foreign policy vision if staff want to keep their jobs or be hired, the draft said, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reports the order will be one of the biggest reorganizations of the department since its founding in 1789 should President Donald Trump sign it into effect.

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The 16-page draft, which has circulated among American diplomats in recent days, also calls for the elimination of the Bureau of African and the closure of unnecessary embassies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied the existence of an executive order draft that would overhaul the U.S. State Department. He claimed The New York Times, which first reported on the draft, had fallen for a hoax. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

The New York Times, which also viewed the draft, reports the Trump administration hopes to have a significantly reduced state department presence in Canada. That would include shrinking U.S. embassy staff in Ottawa and the creation of a new North American affairs office under the authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

If Trump signs the executive order, it will also eliminate the position of special envoy for climate.

Rubio denied the draft executive order even existed on Sunday, calling the Times story fake news, claiming the paper had fallen victim to another hoax.

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Bloomberg reports that the Fulbright Scholars program, which the department administers, will not exist in its current form should the draft take effect. Instead of funding the education of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students in fields like fine arts, social sciences, mathematics, humanities, and more, it would be recast as solely for masters-level study in national security-related disciplines. The draft said priority will be given to programs with intensive instruction in critical languages like Mandarin, Russian, Farsi, and Arabic.

The order does not call exclusively for cuts. The Times reports the order would add the position of under secretary for transnational threat elimination, who would oversee counternarcotics policy and other issues.

The draft also outlined a change to how the Foreign Service relocates its personnel. Instead of staff being rotated to posts around the globe, the department would now require staff to select a single region to remain in for the duration of their careers to maximize expertise.

Those not on board with the sweeping changes would have until Sept. 30 to accept a buyout offer if the executive order is signed, the Times and Bloomberg reported.

Such changes are not entirely unexpected. Another memo has circulated this month that laid out sweeping changes to the state department, including the closure of embassies and consulates across Europe, which has some Trump donors concerned they are going to lose their posh new diplomatic digs.
Next week, a delegation from US President Donald Trumps team will travel to London to continue negotiations on ceasefire in Ukraine.

Source: Keith Kellogg, Trumps special envoy for Ukraine, in a comment to Fox News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kellogg was asked why the minerals deal is beneficial for the United States. He responded that it would secure access to critical minerals the US lacks in large numbers, citing titanium as an example.

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He recalled the recent talks in Paris, where Ukraine and the US signed a Memorandum of intent between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Ukraine to finalise a formal agreement on economic partnership and Reconstruction Investment Fund.

Kellogg noted that during those talks, both delegations "talked about going forward with potential ceasefire in the near term".

"Thats the reason we're returning to London this week to actually lock this down. And I think there's a tremendous opportunity," he said.

Kellogg also praised President Donald Trump, stating that Trump "has done more in 90 days to solve this war, the largest war in Europe since World War II, than they [the Democrats  ed.] did in the previous 900+ days".

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Quote: "And I think weve got a pretty good solution. The minerals deal is one of them. Also a very comprehensive ceasefire. When I talk about comprehensive ceasefire, it's sea, air, land and industrial as well  for a period of at least 30 days, and then it builds for a longer peace deal as well. And I think were on the good path."

Background:

On 17 April, Ukraine and the US signed the Memorandum of intent between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Ukraine to finalise a formal agreement on economic partnership and Reconstruction Investment Fund.

As European Pravda previously reported, the United States had agreed to link the upcoming minerals agreement with the Budapest Memorandum.

Read also: Speedy deal, strategic gains: inside the US-Ukraine mineral agreement timeline.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Alfonzo Castillo came to the U.S. in 2019, fleeing the oppressive Venezuelan regime with his wife, daughter and a dream to keep his restaurant alive. Hes done more than just that  graduating from a food truck to two restaurants, one in Orlando and one in Tampa, and adding a son to his family.

But now his stay in the country where he rebuilt his business and life is fraught with uncertainty.

Amid a turbulent series of deportation initiatives from the Trump administration, the Venezuelan community  numbering 98,000 in Central Florida  finds itself at the center of the storm. The administration is ending a special temporary protective status for immigrants from unsettled countries, known as TPS, under which many Venezuelans including Castillo came to the U.S. And it has dispatched alleged members of a notorious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, to an El Salvador prison, based on seemingly scant evidence that some say smears law-abiding immigrants as well. Both efforts are being challenged in court, but that only deepens the uncertainty.

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We have invested in this country, we have worked on the restaurant and we want to keep being here, said Castillo, who asked that the name of his restaurant not be disclosed, noting the publicity has already harmed his business.

The fear has enveloped even fellow Venezuelan-Americans whose immigration status should make them secure.

Its to a point that I  carry my passport every single day and Im a U.S. citizen for 31 years, said William Diaz, founder of Casa De Venezuela, a nonprofit that aids the Venezuelan community with branches across the country. For me to be holding my passport in my pocket, its a sign of fear of whats happening.

Giuseppe Fiorentino, a naturalized citizen who owns Daninos Trattoria, a Venezuelan-Italian restaurant in Orlando, said hes seen a big dip in the Venezuelan portion of his clientele in recent weeks. I think people are not leaving their homes and coming to restaurants because theyre afraid to be stopped in the street and deported, he said.

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The developments have been relentless. At the beginning of the year Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ended TPS, originally granted by President Biden in 2021, which brought an estimated 600,000 Venezuelans to the U.S. Soon after advocacy groups and Venezuelan immigrants sued. Earlier this month a federal judge in California halted the efforts to deport Venezuelans with TPS. The Trump administration appealed, and added to the pressure a week ago with an order circumscribing asylum proceedings, a separate avenue which many TPS recipients, Castillo among them, have also turned to.

The community has gained support from local politicians, like U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat who is pushing legislation to give Venezuelans who immigrated before 2021 a path to citizenship. But in the current climate, his chances for success are slim. Deporting Venezuelans is going to be devastating for our economy because most of these folks work in hotels or tourism, Soto said. Immigrants keep the economy working.

Castillo, 52, was a practicing lawyer in Venezuela for over 20 years but friends who loved his cooking encouraged him to open a restaurant there. He specialized in traditional pepito, a street food similar to a sandwich typically served with grilled meat.

As the country deteriorated under the iron-fisted rule of Nicolas Maduro, the Castillo family left for Florida. Alfonzo worked in construction in the sweltering heat during the day and at night sold pepito out of a food truck.

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The work paid off. Now his daughter, 32, is about to begin a medical residency program at the University of Miami and his two-year-old son, born in the U.S., has begun to enjoy trips to Disney.

On Friday, Castillo welcomed a reporter and photographer to his restaurant, which seats roughly sixty at its black tables and red chairs. He still serves pepito but also French fries and hamburgers, taking orders from the counter under a sign that reads good food, good friends, good times.

We are very grateful to the U.S. because we have had security and peace living here that we wouldnt have had living in Venezuela, Castillo said in Spanish. We have been able to contribute to the U.S. as well with our work and doing things correctly and legally.

Castillo said he understands the Trump administrations desire to take control of the immigration issue.

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This is their country and we are in their house so we have to follow their rules, Castillo said. And he is trying to stay positive. I remember Venezuela and think it could always be worse.

Last week in Orlando, Venezuelan advocacy organizations from across the nation gathered to dramatize their communitys plight. Advocates called for Venezuelans to showcase their contributions to the U.S. to combat what they called the Trump administrations narrative that many are criminals. Earlier this month over 200 Venezuelans were hastily deported to a maximum security prison in El Salvador with little to no due process. The administration alleges they are members of Tren de Aragua, but what is publicly known suggests many have no such connection.

We want all criminals to pay for their crimes no matter what their nationality is especially if they are Venezuelans, said Adelys Ferro, co-founder and executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, at a press conference at the advocacy groups summit. But we also want to stop the stigmatization of one community calling all of us Tren De Aragua when we are still waiting for that evidence to be shown.

At the summit, some Venezuelan businesspeople shared their stories with the Orlando Sentinel.

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Marianella Salazar left Venezuela in 2016, when  among other challenges  finding diapers for her second child became nearly impossible.

I was scared to even take my car to wait in hour-long lines to get diapers or milk for my two kids, Salazar said in Spanish. We were in the 21st century and how is it that we had to go back to using diapers made of cloth and sometimes there wasnt even electricity or water?

When she and her husband arrived in the U.S. they began a mailing business in Oviedo. But after three years, Salazar sold it because she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The United States is the land of opportunities and everyone can start a business and if youre willing to work you can be successful, Salazar said. Because of my cancer treatment I had to take a pill every day for five years. If I were to go back to Venezuela, how would I buy that medicine?

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Salazar is in the U.S. on an entrepreneurial visa and is working to get her permanent residency.

Marco Perez has worked in the kitchens of a Universal Orlando restaurant, Walmart bakery and a Mexican restaurant. But seven months ago he took a leap of faith and created Vzla Foods, which now produces traditional sweet and savory beans sold in many supermarkets across Central Florida.

Perez is in the U.S. on a pending asylum case but hes concerned he may be returned to Venezuela.

Im just starting out my business so Im not sure whats going to happen, Perez said in Spanish. The uncertainty of it all weighs on me.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT)  A woman was killed at a Tuscaloosa storage unit business Saturday morning.

According to Cpt. Jack Kennedy with the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, Tuscaloosa police responded around 5 a.m. Saturday to the 3400 block of Greensboro Avenue on a report of a shooting. They found the woman dead at the scene.

The TVCU started an investigation and determined a large group of people were gathered at a storage unit. Kennedy stated there was an altercation stemming from a verbal argument between the victim and suspect. The victim, 28-year-old Autumn Monea Mack, was then fatally shot.

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Boaters rethinking water safety after deadly Smith Lake collision

Kennedy stated the suspect was identified as Shaquan Lavar Knight. A murder warrant was issued for his arrest.

A U.S. Marshals task force took Knight into custody Saturday evening. He was booked in the Tuscaloosa County Jail under no bond.

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STERLING, Conn. (WWLP)  Two individuals have been arrested in Connecticut following an investigation in which 30 mistreated animals were seized and several dead animals were found in a freezer.

Connecticut State Police said that at approximately 5:18 p.m. on Wednesday, troopers received a report of an active disturbance at a home in Sterling. Upon arrival at the residence, troopers identified 22-year-old Oscar Desnoyers, who had an active warrant and was arrested without incident.

16 charged in major fentanyl and cocaine trafficking takedown in Mass.

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At approximately 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 56-year-old Kelly Desnoyers of Sterling turned herself in on an active arrest warrant connected to the same investigation. This investigation began in February 2025 when Connecticut Animal Control received a report of an animal hoarding situation at a Sterling residence.

The 1,556-square-foot home reportedly contained over 20 dogs and other animals. ACO attempted several well-being checks on the residence but did not get an answer when knocking on the door. The home was found to belong to Kelly Desnoyers, and according to Sterling town dog licensing, there were no dogs licensed to her or her address.

On March 5, Connecticut troopers served a search and seizure warrant on the home. The pets were found to be living in extremely neglectful conditions, with no visible food or water, and dogs stacked three to four crates high. Animal waste and flies were all over the home.

Troopers seized six kittens, two guinea pigs, five rats, one goat, one pony, one bearded dragon, one chicken, one rooster, two pot-bellied pigs, and 14 dogs. Two guinea pigs and three cats were also found deceased inside the freezer, and one squirrel was found dead inside the home.

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Kelly Desnoyers was charged with 35 counts of Animal Cruelty, and Oscar Desnoyers was charged with 40 counts of Animal Cruelty. They were both released on court-set $20,000 bonds and are unable to own or care for any animal.

Kelly and Oscar are both scheduled to appear in Danielson Superior Court on April 30.

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Rostyslav Bohutskyi, a 25-year-old Ukrainian bandsman of the 36th Marine Brigade, has been brought back from Russian captivity. He was taken prisoner at the Illich Iron and Steel Works in the city of Mariupol three years ago.

Source: Rostyslavs mother Kateryna Bohutska on Instagram

Details: In total, two marine bandsmen were released in the prisoner swap on 19 April. The second bandsman is 24-year-old Andrii Herasymov.

Rostyslav Bohutskyi

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Rostyslav Bohutskyi was a saxophonist in the military band of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. During the defence of Mariupol in 2022, he was wounded and captured on 12 April.

His cousin, Tetiana Savenetska-Fursa, founded the public organisation Music in Captivity to raise awareness of imprisoned bandsmen.

"[Bandsmen] go through the same beatings as other soldiers. In addition, they are forced to stand on a stool and sing the Russian national anthem and Russian songs for 10 hours a day. Its physically and emotionally exhausting.

In 2022, a young man from our band, Sviatoslav, was tortured to death in captivity. Like my brother, he played the saxophone. He was only 22. His body was brought back only in 2023, and the family was finally able to bury him," Tetiana told Tochka Skhodu in an interview.

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One of Rostyslavs fellow prisoners who was released said that Rosryslav suffered a heart attack in early 2025.

Background: On 19 April, a total of 277 soldiers were brought back to Ukraine during the prisoner exchange.

Read more: "I miss his fried potatoes, and his laugh": five couples separated by Russian captivity

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Officers displayed a gold standard example of two-tier policing during a pro-Palestinian march, a former attorney general has said.

On Saturday, more than 300 demonstrators descended on a Jewish area in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend, without giving Essex Police the legally required six-day notice.

The area is home to a large Jewish community and has five synagogues where, on Saturday, worshippers were attending services to mark the end of the festival of Passover.

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One group was stopped by officers as they tried to get home from a synagogue while demonstrators took to the streets, as critics accused officers of a disastrous failure in allowing intimidating behaviour.

Michael Ellis, a former Conservative attorney general, accused the force of two-tier policing and urged Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to demand an explanation from the Essex Polices Chief Constable.

He told The Telegraph: On the evidence currently available, this has been a disastrous failure on the part of Essex Police. They have fallen far below the acceptable standards in maintaining law and order.

This is a gold standard example of two-tier policing. After Southport, the Government committed that all minorities would be protected. The police allowed this march to go ahead and then prevented members of the local Jewish community from going about their lawful business.

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The Home Secretary must call in the Chief Constable of Essex Police to account for this failure.

Michael Ellis, a former Conservative attorney general, accused Essex Police of a gold standard example of two-tier policing - Shutterstock /Andy Rain

The rally was advertised under the slogan Essex March for Palestine, with one of the organisers suggesting on social media that the location was chosen because it was a very blue and white area, thought to be in reference to the colours of the Israeli flag.

But the Southend branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign disowned the rally and said it had played no part in organising it.

Westcliff-on-Sea has a large Haredi Orthodox Jewish community, and one group, which had been returning from synagogue on Saturday, found themselves challenged by police as they attempted to walk close to where protesters were gathered.

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Lord Austin, the Labour peer, condemned the march and said it should not have been permitted to take place. What is the difference between this and the EDL or Britain First targeting mosques? Or Mosley marching into the Jewish East End? he said. They can protest where they like. Why do they have to do it outside synagogues on Shabbat?

Max Royston, a local community representative, said many Jewish people had been left feeling upset and worried by the actions of the protesters.

He said: Essex Police have enabled a hate march to take place in the heart of Southends Jewish community. The march was unlawful because they did not give the required notice, and yet police did nothing to stop them intimidating law-abiding people.

It should have been banned

Jeremy Dein KC, a leading defence barrister, said police should launch a criminal investigation for incitement into those behind the march.

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It is clear from the evidence that a peaceful Jewish district was selected for this march. Of all places, an area populated by religious Jews was chosen, on the Sabbath, and during the important festival of Passover.

Such an event should have been banned. The deliberate intimidation of Jews is hateful and criminal and the time has come for meaningful action across the United Kingdom.

The police should now investigate as incitement to commit a public order offence since the pre-arranged circumstances clearly have a potential to harass and to cause fear and distress.

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed that a group of Orthodox Jews in the vicinity of the demonstration were supported by officers who escorted them to the opposite side of the road to ensure their safety.

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Last year, Allison Pearson, the Telegraph columnist, was investigated by Essex Police on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred for a tweet she had published and then deleted 12 months earlier. The investigation was dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service concluded that there was no realistic prospect of conviction.

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Kelly Robinson pulled out her old 2017 inflatable Donald Trump Halloween costume and wore it to a protest in Downtown Miami on Saturday.

She said she originally wore it during Trumps first term, back when she thought we as a country would have learned our lesson.

Robinson, 51, was one of hundreds who gathered at the Torch of Friendship to oppose the presidents policies, including proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare, mass deportations, layoffs and sweeping reductions to the federal budget.

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Protesters also voiced opposition to billionaire Elon Musk, who has led Trumps aggressive plans to slash federal agencies and spending.

Wearing her Trump costume, Robinson danced with a poster reading, Who will protest when they come for you? as demonstrators chanted, Donald Trump has got to go, and some banged on pots with spoons.

My parents have worked for the federal government my entire life, she said. I was always taught that that was service and a good thing, and what is happening now is not a good thing.

The event was the second in Miami this month protesting the Trump administration. The hundreds of protesters in Downtown Miami were part of a National Day of Action organized by the 50501 Movement, whose name stands for 50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement. People gathered in cities and towns nationwide to denounce the administrations measures.

Samantha Renshaw, bottom-right, holds a sign while attending a National Day of Action protest against President Donald Trump and his administration at the Torch of Friendship on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in downtown Miami, Fla.

Saturdays protest blended activism with community outreach. Informational tables lined the area, staffed by national groups like the ACLU and local organizations such as Semillas Colombia, which offers free medical and legal aid to undocumented immigrants.

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Martin Vidal, an organizer with South Florida 50501, described the protest as a stand against what he sees as an erosion of constitutional rights.

Were out here trying to stop the government from doing the tyrannical downslope that its on as the president ignores the Supreme Court and violates due process and violates the First Amendment, Vidal said.

An activist dressed up as the Statue of Liberty attends a National Day of Action protest against President Donald Trump and his administration at the Torch of Friendship on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in downtown Miami, Fla.

Among the crowd was 75-year-old John Dolson, a retired oil worker and University of Miami adjunct professor, holding a Dump Trump sign. He said hes worried about his 401(k) retirement savings plan and his familys financial future.

Ive worked in the oil industry for 45 years and lived through plenty of layoffs, Dolson said. I know how to cut waste, and you dont do it by sending form letters out, slashing tens of thousands of jobs, telling people theyre not fit to work. You dont do it that way.

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Dolson also reflected on his past as a park ranger at Black Canyon in Colorados Gunnison National Park, expressing dismay over shrinking federal park budgets. It depresses me to see parks being shuttered, being closed early. People cant get into them. Those are our precious heritage.

Brenda Aldana chants as she attends a National Day of Action protest against President Donald Trump and his administration at the Torch of Friendship on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in downtown Miami, Fla.

Nina Guerra, a 21-year-old student at Florida International University, said shes alarmed by recent political developments in Florida education, including the appointment of former Lieut. Gov. Jeanette Nunez as interim president of FIU.

She called it a hostile takeover of South Florida education and said shes already seeing the effects, with some classes being removed.

She also condemned FIU polices participation in a federal immigration enforcement program known as 287(g), which allows local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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The agreement between FIU and ICE is just abhorrent, Guerra said. I dont think that should be on a school campus.

Vanessa Brito, a Miami-Dade-born activist and co-organizer of the event, emphasized the importance of events such as Saturdays protest to give people a sense of community.

They have support, but they also have a path toward education and civic understanding of what is happening, Brito said.
Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets were scrambled twice in less than 48 hours to protect NATO airspace from Russian aircraft.

Source: The Telegraph, as reported by European Pravda

Details: This week, British Typhoon fighter jets were deployed on two occasions after Russian aircraft approached NATO borders, triggering an alert.

The interceptions will be used by the UK government as further evidence of the growing Russian threat in an effort to persuade the United States not to scale back its military presence in Europe.

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This is the first instance of RAF involvement under Operation Chessman  a new NATO mission aimed at strengthening Europes air defence.

On Tuesday 15 April, two Typhoon fighters stationed at the Malbork airbase in Poland were scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Less than 48 hours later, another pair of jets was deployed to intercept an unidentified aircraft that had taken off from Russias Kaliningrad Oblast, between Poland and Lithuania.

UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard told The Telegraph that the United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to NATO.

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"With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our plan for change," he said.

The aircraft, part of a six-jet fleet, were deployed to Poland just three weeks ago as part of a joint defence operation with the Swedish Air Force. They are usually stationed at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, and around 200 British military personnel are supporting the mission.

When the jets were deployed to Poland, Wing Commander Christopher Jacob stated that their mission was to "defend and deter, standing ready to protect against any threat".

Background:

In late February, French Rafale fighters intercepted two Russian aircraft off the coast of Latvia.

Between 10 and 16 March, NATO fighter jets carried out three sorties to detect and escort Russian aircraft violating flight rules over the Baltic states.

On 28 March, German Air Force fighter jets intercepted a Russian reconnaissance aircraft in NATO airspace and escorted it until it turned back towards Kaliningrad.

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KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine proposes that Russia abandon drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday.

"If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war," Zelenskiy said on X.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Editor's Note: This story has been updated with additional details.

Kyiv is proposing a 30-day ceasefire on long-range drone and missile strikes against civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 20.

Zelensky's proposal falls on Easter Sunday, amid a so-called "Easter truce" initiated on April 19 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite Putin's promise to halt all combat operations over the holiday weekend, Moscow has reportedly violated the temporary ceasefire multiple times.

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While Putin plans to let the truce expire at midnight on April 21, Zelensky urged Russia to adopt a ban on aerial attacks on civilian targets.

"Ukraine proposes to abandon any strikes with long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days with the possibility of extension," Zelensky said via Telegram on April 20.

"If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it only wants to continue doing things that destroy people's lives and continue the war."

Front-line reports from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi indicate that Russia violated the Easter truce over 2,000 times, Zelensky said.

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Air raid alarms, however, were quiet throughout Easter Sunday, Zelensky said.

"So, this is the format of silence that has been achieved and which is easiest to continue."

In the days leading up to Easter, Russia launched deadly ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian cities during major Orthodox holidays. An attack on downtown Sumy on Palm Sunday killed 35 people and injured over 100. Less than a week later, Russian missiles hit Kharkiv on Good Friday, killing one person and injuring 120.

Following Putin's truce declaration on April 19, Zelensky called on Moscow to extend the ceasefire to 30 days  in line with a U.S. proposal for an interim ceasefire that Ukraine has supported since March.

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The U.S. State Department issued a statement on April 20 reiterating Washington's commitment to "a full and comprehensive ceasefire" and saying they "would welcome (the truce) extending beyond Sunday."

Putin has given no orders to extend the ceasefire, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 20.

Moscow's call for a temporary ceasefire came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to pull U.S. support from peace negotiations if either Russia or Ukraine made the process "difficult."

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

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Key developments on April 19-20:

Multiple Russian ceasefire violations reported from front line during Easter ceasefire, Zelensky says

Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia

Ukraine advances in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, Zelensky says

Republican US Congressman Fitzpatrick visits Ukraines front line, signs a shell for Putin

Russia prepares to push toward Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, monitoring group says

Multiple Russian ceasefire violations across the front line have been reported since an Easter truce was declared by the Kremlin, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on April 20.

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Russia's Easter ceasefire was supposed to come into effect at 6 p.m. on April 19 and last until midnight on April 21, with Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming it would "test Ukraine's sincerity in pursuing peace talks."

However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine has observed an increase in Russian shelling and the use of kamikaze drones since 10 a.m., with the use of FPV drones "doubling," according to Zelensky, relaying information provided by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Russian forces have already carried out 26 assaults between midnight and noon today, Zelensky added.

The Russian military is reportedly most active in the Pokrovsk and Siversk directions in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk Oblast.



"We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners," Zelensky said.

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"Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage."

Zelensky also repeated his call to pressure Moscow to "genuinely commit to a ceasefire" for 30 days, rather than simply during the Easter holiday.

Russian FPV drone attacks targeting civilians were also reported in Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast after the Easter ceasefire came into effect, with at least four people reported injured and one person killed.

Read also: Moscow declared an Easter ceasefire. According to Ukrainian soldiers, the shooting never stopped

Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia

Ukraine brought home another 277 soldiers in a major prisoner exchange with Russia ahead of the Easter holiday, President Zelensky announced on April 19.

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The latest swap was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

"I thank everyone who made this return of our people possible," Zelensky said. "I am especially grateful to the United Arab Emirates for their mediation."

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs), 246 Ukrainian service members were released as part of the exchange with Russia. Another 31 were released outside of the exchange.

Previously, Sky News reported that the Easter swap would involve 246 POWs from each side, as well as 46 injured soldiers.

The soldiers released on April 19 took part in the defense of Mariupol and other parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts, Zelensky said.

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The service members belonged to Ukraine's Armed Forces, National Guard, State Transport Service, and Border Guard Service, but most were from the Marine Corps, especially those taken prisoner in the surrounded city of Mariupol in April 2022.

The returned prisoners include nine officers and 268 privates and sergeants, the Coordination Headquarters reported.

This is the 63rd prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. The most recent POW exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place on March 19, with 175 Ukrainians brought back home.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Kyiv has returned 4,552 people from Russia's captivity, including both soldiers and civilians, according to Zelensky.

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Ukraine floated the idea of an all-for-all prisoner exchange back in 2024, but Russia has not agreed to the proposal.

Ukraine advances in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, Zelensky says

Ukrainian forces have advanced in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, President Zelensky claimed on April 19, citing a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Ukraine launched a small-scale offensive in Belgorod Oblast in late March, marking Kyiv's second cross-border operation in Russian territory after the August 2024 Kursk incursion.

Zelensky said on April 19 that Syrskyi briefed him on the activity of Ukrainian troops in Russia.

"Our forces continued their activity in Kursk Oblast today and are maintaining their positions. In Belgorod Oblast, our military advanced and increased our zone of control," Zelensky said.

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The report comes nearly two weeks after the president confirmed the presence of Ukrainian forces in Belgorod Oblast. Zelensky on April 7 said that cross-border operations were "absolutely just" and a means of returning Russia's war "to where it came from."

Kyiv has carried out occasional cross-border raids since 2023, with a variety of Russian volunteer soldiers fighting alongside Ukrainian units. These raids were hours-long and served primarily as political operations rather than military ones.

Ukraine launched a major cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, occupying Russian border territories in an attempt to divert Russian attention from front-line areas of eastern Ukraine.

While Kyiv managed to occupy parts of Kursk Oblast for seven months, Russia recaptured the logistics hub of Sudzha in March 2025 amid a counteroffensive that forced Ukrainian troops to withdraw from a substantial part of the region.

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Russian military bloggers and independent analysts reported on March 29 that Ukrainian forces advanced three to four kilometers into Belgorod Oblast, engaging in battles with Russian troops.

Read also: We know what we are fighting for  Zelenskys Easter address to Ukraine in full

Republican US Congressman Fitzpatrick visits Ukraines front line, signs a shell for Putin

U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a pro-Ukraine Republican representing Pennsylvania, visited Ukrainian troops near the front line on April 18, following his meeting with President Zelensky in Kyiv.

"These are amazing soldiers, the men and women of the Ukrainian military, much like the men and women of the U.S. military, have this amazing fighting spirit. They're fighting for their democracy, they're fighting for the freedom  all of us in America need to stand behind them," Fitzpatrick said in a video address filmed on the front line, published on his Facebook account.

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"I always have and always will have their back. I encourage all my colleagues in Congress to come here."

Fitzpatrick's visit comes as Washington signaled that it was ready to cease its mediation efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine if one of the sides "makes it difficult."

In a post shared on Facebook, Fitzpatrick published another video, showing him signing an artillery shell with a message to Vladimir Putin.

"It was my profound honor to deliver a very 'personal' message to Vladimir Putin today, from the front lines of the war near the Russian border, on behalf of our PA-1 community," Fitzpatrick wrote.

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The congressman said he had spent several days on the ground, visiting artillery units of the National Guard and the drone operators from the Third Assault Brigade, who he praised for "completely changing warfare - not just here but across the globe."

Fitzpatrick said that during the visit, the group was shelled near the Russian border, tracked by Russian drones, and forced to carry out an emergency evacuation from the area.

According to Fitzpatrick, the territories previously occupied by Russian forces were "completely burned down."

"That's what they do. They overwhelm you with bodies, overwhelm you with artillery with not a lot of thought behind it," he said.

Earlier on April 17, Fitzpatrick met with Zelensky, during which the two discussed U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, Washington's proposed full and unconditional ceasefire, and broader efforts to achieve what Zelensky described as "a dignified and lasting peace."

Read also: Fox News labels Kyiv a Russian city, Ukraine calls for apology and investigation

Russia prepares to push toward Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, monitoring group says

Russian troops are solidifying their presence in the village of Kalynove in Donetsk Oblast as they prepare for an advance toward Stara Mykolaivka and the road to Kostiantynivka, Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reported on April 18.

Russian forces are deploying infantry and establishing logistical routes and communication lines in Kalynove, according to DeepState.

There has been a notable slowdown in Russia's offensive operations after months of steady territorial gains across eastern Ukraine. According to a DeepState report from April 1, Russian troops captured just 133 square kilometers in March  the lowest monthly total since June 2024.

Ukrainian soldiers operating in the area reported an overwhelming presence of Russian drones in the area of Kalynove, according to DeepState. New Russian drone crews, previously active in battles in Russias Kursk Oblast, have arrived to the area, the group said.

Russian forces are attempting to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and are now able to operate drones deep enough to reach Kostiantynivka, the report added.

Kostiantynivka is a city in Donetsk Oblast with a pre-war population of 67,000 people. The city has been one of the key logistical hubs for the Ukrainian military in Donetsk Oblast since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. It is currently located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of the front line in Chasiv Yar.

Note from the author:

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has commented on the fact that American news channel Fox News called Kyiv a Russian city during its broadcast of the Orthodox Church of Ukraines Easter service.

Source: Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson of Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Fox News was broadcasting Easter services from various parts of the world, including Kyiv. Initially, the broadcast correctly labelled the Orthodox Church of Ukraines service at St Michaels Golden-Domed Cathedral as taking place in "Kyiv, Ukraine". However, the caption later changed to "Kyiv, Russia" and remained on screen for an extended period.

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"If this was a mistake rather than a deliberate political statement, there should be an apology and an investigation into who made the mistake," Tykhyi wrote.

Background: This incident comes shortly after Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that the US is allegedly willing to recognise Russian control over Ukraines Crimean peninsula as part of a broader peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv.

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Families of senior officers in Russias Black Sea Fleet have left Crimea in recent weeks, the Ukrainian partisan group Atesh reported on April 20.

The group claimed that an internal directive was issued by Russian authorities in early April, mandating heightened security measures at military installations across Crimea.

This reportedly includes increased surveillance, covert patrols conducted by reservists in civilian clothing, and efforts to conceal military hardware. Additionally, all shore leave for Russian personnel stationed on the peninsula has reportedly been suspended.

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"There is currently panic in the units of the Russian Black Sea Fleet," the group said in a post on Telegram.

The Kyiv Independent could not very the information.

Families of senior Black Sea Fleet officers fled Crimea. Panic in Sevastopol: civilian-clad BARS patrols, security boost, no days off. A few hits  and the fleet runs. #ATESH #RussianUkrainianWar #Crimea pic.twitter.com/S6c9rNBfL3  ATESH_eng (@atesh_eng) April 19, 2025

Ukraine has repeatedly launched coordinated attacks on strategic Russian military targets in the occupied peninsula since the start of the full-scale war. In early April, Ukraine's military intelligence claimed to have struck two Russian military boats and an air defense system.

Friedrich Merz, Germanys chancellor-in-waiting, suggested on April 13 that the potential delivery of long-range Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine could enable strikes on high-value Russian military targets in occupied Crimea  including the strategically vital Kerch Bridge that links the peninsula to mainland Russia.

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Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and since then the peninsula has been used as a Russian military base.

The Atesh movement regularly conducts sabotage attacks in Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

On March 9, the group sabotaged a railway line linking parts of occupied Crimea with the front line in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, disrupting Russian supply lines.

They reported doing the same in Russia's Smolensk Oblast on March 23.

Read also: Fox News labels Kyiv a Russian city, Ukraine calls for apology and investigation

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Ukrainian diplomat Andrii Melnyk has called on Germanys incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to fulfill his campaign promise and immediately deliver 150 Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, alongside a broader set of decisive actions to stop Russias full-scale war.

"Germany, of all places, has a decisive role to play in stopping murder and bringing about a just peace," Melnyk wrote in a letter published in German by Die Welt, a national daily newspaper. "Not only does the future of the Federal Republic depend on your success as chancellor, but also the fate of Ukraine  and the whole of Europe."

Andrii Melnyk served as Ukraines ambassador to Germany from December 2014 to October 2022, then as Deputy Foreign Minister, and since June 20, 2023, he has been Ukraines ambassador to Brazil.

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In the letter, published shortly before Easter, Melnyk outlined five steps Merz should take during his first 100 days in office. First, he proposed a coalition decision to allocate 0.5% of Germanys GDP annually  around 21.5 billion euros ($24.5 billion) per year, or 86 billion euros ($98 billion) by 2029  for arms supplies to Ukraine. The funding, he said, should go toward the production of advanced weapons in both Germany and Ukraine, calling it "a huge investment in Germanys security."

Read also: Today we will pledge billions for Ukraine  allies begin Ramstein-format meeting in Brussels

Melnyk also called for the same 0.5% commitment to be adopted at the EU and G7 levels, excluding the United States. He said the resulting 550-billion-euro ($622 billion) investment in Ukraines defense over the next four years would send a powerful message to Moscow.

"This mega-commitment would be a huge warning signal to Putin that you, Mr. Merz, and our allies are serious about Ukraines aid," he wrote. "This will impress Putin."

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One of the most urgent demands in the letter is the immediate announcement and implementation of Taurus missile deliveries. "This election promise must be fulfilled, despite the expected resistance from the (Social Democratic Party) SPD," Melnyk wrote, adding that Germany does not need "coordination with partners" or to issue ultimatums to the Kremlin.

The outgoing German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles over his concerns about escalation. Merz has been critical of this position and advocated for Ukraine's ability to strike strategically.

In an interview on April 13, Merz also suggested that the long-range missiles, if supplied to Ukraine, could be used to target strategic Russian military infrastructure in occupied Crimea. The Telegraph reported on April 16 that the U.K. would support a potential German decision to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

"These inferno weapons should simply be delivered, without 'ifs' and 'buts', to stop the creeping advance of the Russians and change the current war dynamics at its core," Melnyk wrote, according to the Welt.

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The letter also proposes transferring 30% of Germanys available fighter jets, helicopters, and armored vehicles to Ukraine and adopting a lend-lease-style law to enable swift deliveries.

Melnyk concluded by urging Merz to push to confiscate 200 billion euros in frozen Russian assets and use the funds for Ukraines reconstruction.

Read also: As Trump mulls cuts, NATOs integrity is on the line

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Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, has stated that Ukraines defence forces are not conducting offensive operations and are only responding to attacks by Russian troops.

Source: Voloshyn in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine

Quote: "We are conducting a defensive operation and are responding only to enemy attacks and assault actions, as well as to its fire on our positions [in the context of the so-called truce declared by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin  ed.]."

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Details: Voloshyn stressed that Ukrainian soldiers will respond to the actions of Russian troops in the event that Russia violates the very "truce" it has announced.

"The actions of our soldiers and of Ukraines defence forces as a whole are and will remain mirror-like, responding rationally and in kind to each Russian strike," he said.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Ukrainian troops noticed that the Easter truce promised by the Russians was not being upheld on most fronts.

Following a report from Syrskyi late in the evening on 19 April, Zelenskyy said that Russias Easter truce did not cover Russias Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, and that attacks had not ceased in some other areas of the combat zone.

Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, reported continued Russian drone attacks in the oblast after 18:00 on 19 April, when the Russian "Easter truce" had supposedly come into effect.

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Ukrainians are celebrating Easter for the eleventh year not only in churches or their homes, but also at the front. Soldiers enjoy Easter bread, and military chaplains bless Easter baskets and pray together with their comrades. [Easter bread or Paska is a traditional Ukrainian bread made at Easter, typically sweet and round, often decorated with religious symbols  ed.]

Source: UP.Life

Details: This year, the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) added deep historical symbolism to their celebrations.

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They recreated archival photos of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) fighters celebrating Easter in 1944. [UPA, or the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, was a nationalist paramilitary organisation that fought for Ukrainian independence during and after World War II, primarily against Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union  ed.]

"We had long been considering the idea of symbolically touching the past and connecting the modern struggle with the struggle of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. We are those who are continuing their fight today. And no matter how times or military uniforms change, the essence is the same  to fight for an independent Ukraine," the unit stated.

The unit recalled that during Easter 1943, UPA fighters took the "Oath of the UPA Warrior" for the first time. The traditional greeting, "Christ is risen  Indeed He is risen," took on patriotic meaning, evolving into "Christ is risen  Ukraine will rise!"

Due to the constant threat of Soviet raids, insurgent Easter services were often held in forests, sometimes led by commanders in the absence of clergy.

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"Easter for the Ukrainian insurgents was a symbol of the beginning of a new year of fighting and an especially important period after often hard and hungry wintering in hideouts," the brigade recalled.

Soldiers of Ukrainian Insurgent Army on Easter 1944 and soldiers of 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade Chornyi Lis on Easter 2025.



Photo: Brigade Chornyi Lis

Incidentally, the name of the unit Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) is not accidental, but inspired by the memory of the UPA Tactical Sector No. 22 Chornyi Lis.

Soldiers of the AREY Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army also held Easter rites  confession, anointing and blessing of Easter bread.

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"Even in battle, among trenches and silence before the storm, warriors seek not only victory  but peace in the soul.

This Easter became a reminder: we are fighting not only for land  we are fighting for light. And light always finds its way to every heart, even at the front," the unit said.

Soldiers of the AREY Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army

Soldiers of the AREY Separate Assault Battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army

The 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade Edelweiss celebrated Easter on the line of contact, yet still found time to observe Easter traditions.

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This year, one of the soldiers created a special front-line pysanka (a traditional Ukrainian Easter egg, decorated using a wax-resist method with intricate folk designs), depicting three symbols: a wreath  a wish for well-being; arrows  an ancient symbol of victory; and an edelweiss flower  the symbol of the brigade.

Pysanka made by a soldier from the Edelweiss Brigade.

The 95th Separate Polissia Air Assault Brigade celebrated Easter at their positions.

"For us, Easter is not just a holiday. It is a reminder that light always prevails over darkness. Just as Ukraine will certainly win this war.

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Our warriors are celebrating this holiday at combat positions, under the wind of the front, with faith in their hearts, love for their native land and care for every one of you. During these holy Easter days, the hearts of millions of Ukrainians beat in unison with those who defend our freedom," the brigade wrote.

Easter basket from 95th Separate Polissia Air Assault Brigade

Soldiers 95th Separate Polissia Air Assault Brigade.

Soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade shared Easter photos straight from the trenches.

"Easter bread brought from afar is not just the taste of childhood or a memory of home. It is a gesture of love. It is the rear that holds the line. We feel your support in every piece, in every word, in every gesture that comes from home.

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Easter during war is not only a holiday honouring the victory of life, but also a symbol of our resilience. We are holding the line because we know that behind us are love, faith and the unbreakable spirit of those who are waiting for us," the brigade wrote.

Soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade with Easter bread

Soldiers of the 40th Separate Coastal Defence Brigade also shared photos from the celebration.

"Today the warriors of the 40th Coastal Defence Brigade are celebrating Easter with faith in Gods blessing, peace and Ukraines future. Where every day is a battle for life and freedom, their spirit remains unbroken," the brigade said in a post.

Soldiers from the 40th Coastal Defence Brigade celebrating Easter.

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Ukrainian Christians have also received Easter greetings from the National Police of Ukraine units currently serving on the front line.

"Today we are holding the line of defence and protecting each of you so that your homes may be filled with kids' laughter, Easter candles may glow and peace may prevail. We are fighting for a peaceful future and for a Ukraine that will never surrender to the enemy. We are a strong, free and unbreakable nation that will undoubtedly achieve Victory," the defenders wrote.

Soldiers from the National Police of Ukraine units

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine also reminded: Easter is not only a holiday, but also a time to remember those who are no longer with us.

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"May the Lord bless our country and people! And also grant strength to overcome all hardships. Let us pray for everyone who fights for our peace on Easter and on all the days to come. Let us remember those heroes who have gone into eternity. Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!" the border guards added.

Soldiers of The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Background: Last year, Ukrainian defenders also showed Ukrainians "combat" Easter bread, pysankas, and "surprises" for the Russian troops.

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LUKASHIVKA, Ukraine (AP)  Dozens of Ukrainians gathered outside the ruins of a damaged church in northern Ukraine on Sunday to mark Easter, doubting a ceasefire with Russia is possible.

Kyiv has voiced skepticism about the Easter ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin and said that Ukrainian forces would only mirror a genuine halt in hostilities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday night that Russian strikes had continued, although with less intensity.

Christ is risen!

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In the village of Lukashivka in the Chernihiv region, briefly occupied by Russian forces in 2022, parishioners of the damaged Ascension Church arrived early at a small makeshift wooden church built last year to cater to the needs of the faithful, holding traditional Easter baskets and cakes to have them blessed.

As the sun rose, they stood quietly in the spring chill, the roofless silhouette of the wrecked church behind them, its pale walls scarred by shell fragments.

The churchs priest, Serhii Zezul, walked among them, shouting Christ is risen! as he sprinkled holy water over the baskets  his voice nearly drowned out by the hum of a nearby generator.

The restoration of the original church, a 20th-century architectural landmark, would require at least hundreds of thousands of dollars, money the community doesn't have as the war rages on.

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Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, about 530 churches across Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed, and at least 25 clergy members have been killed, according to Ruslan Khalikov, head of the Religion on Fire project, which monitors Russian war crimes against religious communities.

A destroyed church is a shattered soul of the community, Zezul said. When churches fall, the heart and core that unite people begin to collapse.

Marking Easter in fear

More people than usual gathered in the damaged church's courtyard on Sunday. Some said they drove from cities to Lukashivka to mark Easter, fearing Russian forces might target large gatherings, especially after a recent string of missile strikes killed dozens of civilians.

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For 26 years, 44-year-old Olha Rudeno attended church in the nearby city of Chernihiv, where she got married.

But given the war, its psychologically difficult for me to go where there are large gatherings in cities, she said.

Rudeno doesn't think a ceasefire with Russia will happen.

Believing in a ceasefire is deceiving yourself. I dont know how much time has to pass for me to truly believe one is possible," she said.

Doubt of a truce between Russia and Ukraine has deepened as U.S.-led efforts have so far yielded no breakthrough. Moscow has effectively rejected a separate, comprehensive ceasefire proposal, backed by President Donald Trump and endorsed by Ukraine. The Kremlin has tied any agreement to a halt in Kyivs troop mobilization and Western arms supplies  conditions Ukraine has refused, fearing they would allow Russia to regroup and escalate.

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My personal opinion is that there will be no ceasefire, said Zezul. And even if there is one, there are no details on where it would apply. On the front line, our soldiers are still fighting.

Still, Zezul said that celebrating Easter among ruins reflects the resilience of faith during war. Despite everything, people still gather. They believe in something better. We are being reborn, we are standing back up. Truth always triumphs over evil. People believe that, they hope for that.

In his Easter message, Zelenskyy reflected on suffering and the struggle to hold on to faith. Each of us has lived through such moments ... and you ask: God, why is this happening to us?

He also mentioned the deadly missile strike on Sumy during Palm Sunday, and the bombardments of Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, and other cities, saying people tend to turn inward when they can't make sense of things.

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"Something invisible yet powerful within us doesnt let us give up. It shows us where to find the light, so we dont lose our way.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
I thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

American poet e.e. cummings wrote this, apparently on Easter Sunday. He continues: "(I who have died am alive again today, and this is the suns birthday; this is the birthday of life and of love and wings."

Associating rebirth with cycles in nature isn't just a Christian or even religious thing. In temperate climates, especially, every year life that seems to die in autumn is resurrected in spring. Even where trees don't drop their leaves and the earth doesn't sleep under a blanket of snow, subtle changes may indicate a slowing, a retreat, a sense of suspended animation. And now, in the spring, as sap begins to flow, buds begins to form and shoots begin to sprout, life is resurrected. Animals emerge from hibernation, like Sleeping Beauty woken from her death-like 100-year sleep.

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But some animals, and a few other organisms, take the analogy one step further: apparently dead, they then, it seems, come back to life.

Take the weirdly cuddly-looking tardigrade  like a cross between a tank and a teddy bear, and renowned for its indestructibility. Under extreme conditions, tardigrades may engage in cryptobiosis, a process in which they may become completely dehydrated and roll up into a little ball called a "tun."

"Tardigrades form tuns by contracting their musculature and simultaneously expel water, which results in a decrease in overall volume," Derrick Kolling, chair of the department of chemistry at Marshall University and head of its tardigrade-focused Kolling Lab, told Salon.

The tardigrade is then said to be in the "tun state." It can stay like this for weeks before reviving under more favorable conditions. Some species have been shown to resurrect quite well (that is, a substantial proportion of studied individuals survived) when rehydrated after more than seven months of cryptobiosis. And after two weeks of exposure to the vacuum of low orbit space while in their dried-out state, tardigrades came "unambiguously" back to life (although after two years of that treatment, which also involves exposure to cosmic radiation, there was no resurrection). In another study, one species of tardigrade revived after 20 years as a dried-out little ball.

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"One criterion for something to be considered living is metabolic activity," noted Kolling, "and even in the extreme case of a complete pause in metabolism, tardigrades still possess a network of enzymes that can catabolize and anabolize  in this situation, I would consider them alive. Would you consider a cryopreserved human dead?"

Keep breathing...

... Or don't. Naked mole rats are unique mammals in many respects. They have complex social lives, for example. They're eusocial, a description applied to animals  including bees, wasps, a few other insects, some snapping shrimp and these odd mammals  that have complex social organization involving overlap of generations, cooperative rearing of young, and non-reproducing worker castes. Their blood temperature fluctuates with the ambient temperature, a rare trait among mammals that they share with the sloth.

Perhaps most amazingly, they are able to  apparently  die for a little while when ambient oxygen levels are extremely low, or completely absent. That's right: In the tunnels in which naked mole rats spend their lives, humidity levels can approach 100% and carbon dioxide accumulates thanks to dozens of the wrinkly little guys exhaling in the already very low-oxygen environment. So naked mole rats are chronically oxygen-deprived, but in the lab researchers have confirmed that they can survive for a little while with no oxygen at all.

"In nature, naked mole rats are not exposed to anoxic (0% oxygen) [conditions], but when they were exposed to it in the lab, they did survive for 18 mins which in itself is very impressive! In their tunnels, it is debated whether they naturally experience hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions, but when they are exposed to these conditions in the lab, they do undergo metabolic rate depression," Hanane Hadj-Moussa said to Salon. Currently a research scientist at the Brabraham Institute in Cambridge, UK, where she studies the metabolic adaptations and advantages of ageing, Hadj-Moussa did her doctoral work at the extreme adaptation-focused Storey Lab at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, where she studied the metabolic adaptations animals make to cope with extreme environments.

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Reducing the metabolic rate and slowing the heart is an adaptation naked mole rats share with most resurrecting animals. But they also have a unique adaptation: switching their energy source from glucose to fructose.

"This is an odd adaptation but allows them to perform anaerobic glycolysis," Hadj-Moussa explained. This means that during those low oxygen periods, they're able to generate energy from fructose without needing to use scarce oxygen to do so, as generating energy the usual way, from glucose, would require. "They activate neuroprotective and cardio protective mechanisms to limit damages."

Then, when it's time for resurrection, Hadj-Moussa explained, "they 're-animate' by reversing what they did to depress their metabolism, shift back to glucose metabolism, all while elevating levels of antioxidants."

Staying cool

As with the world that freezes in winter then thaws back to life, resurrection often involves the cold. Among these is the wood frog, a Canadian amphibian that freezes solid for eight months of the year.

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"One of the main protective adaptations the frogs have is their ability to simultaneously dehydrate their cells while pumping them full of glucose to prevent and minimize ice crystal formation inside cells, which is much more dangerous than freezing their body water in their extracellular spaces," Hadj-Moussa, who studied wood frog freeze tolerance during her time in Ottawa, told Salon. Each molecule of glucose, she explained, surrounds itself with water molecules. The glucose prevents the water from forming cell-slashing ice crystals, lowering the temperature required for it to freeze. And since the cells have also been dehydrated, there is less water inside them. About 70% of the body water that gets frozen in the wood frogs is frozen outside their cells, in those "safe" extracellular spaces: inside the abdomen and in sheets between their skin and muscles.

The first ice crystal that forms on the wood frog's skin triggers a cascade of chemical signals that "prepares the frog to undergo freeze tolerance and metabolic rate depression. This cascade leads the liver to produce massive amounts of glucose, [adjusts] the heart rate to make sure the heart can pump the glucose-rich blood to all the cells that need it, and this starts to slow organs down and turn on protective mechanisms," Hadj-Moussa said.

Some years after also working on the wood frog in Ottawa, another Storey lab alumna, Rasha Al-Attar, now works at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Engineering in Medicine & Surgery, where she takes inspiration from nature to develop cryopreservation techniques for experimental model animals like zebrafish, or to preserve organs like human hearts.

The mechanisms animals use to hibernate or slow their metabolism during unfavorable seasonal conditions are similar to those used by resurrecting creatures, who are just rather more extreme about it. As Al-Attar and her M.Sc. supervisor, Ken Storey, wrote in a 2020 paper, "while there are many forms of metabolic rate depression, the underlying theory remains the same ...energy expensive non-critical and or harmful cellular and metabolic processes ... are greatly reduced and the finite amount of energy reserves available are allocated to promoting pro-survival processes" such as the wood frog's self-cryopreservation.

Little death

Enduring extreme conditions is one thing. Then there's thriving in them. When you can do that, you're called an extremophile. Extremophiles form another group of resurrectors. Many are bacteria or other microbes. Luis Andres Yarzabal, a microbiologist at the Universidad Catolica de Cuenca in Ecuador, described the surprising findings of Russian scientists studying ice cores extracted from pristine glaciers in Antarctica in the 1980s.

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"When they started to look at them with a microscope, they discovered plenty of microbes. Many were dead, of course, but others were alive and reactivated very, very rapidly. Now we call this process of reactivation "resurrection," and this word is used on purpose because, in fact, they can be in a kind of sustained life state for millions of years. In fact, bacteria can remain frozen and alive for at least 3.5 million years, and they recover very rapidly, they reactivate," Yarzabal told Salon. "In fact, this is what we [as scientists] do to preserve our bacterial strains, we freeze them, in our ultra freezers at minus 80 degrees. So this is no surprise that microorganisms can remain not only alive, but viable, which means that they can start dividing again."

Organisms that can survive in this suspended, or anabiotic, state, Yarzabal explained, include not just extremophile bacteria but also viruses, fungi, protozoa and microscopic animals called nematodes. Salts dissolved in the water ensure a very tiny amount of water remains in a liquid state in the interface between ice crystals. Microorganisms can be displaced to this tiny space, where they avoid being injured by the crystals of ice and remain alive although their metabolic rate stays almost imperceptibly low, so they are expending practically no energy on life functions, instead biding their time until conditions improve.

For e.e. cummings, like earlier American transcendentalist poets like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, paying attention was everything. And when nature's creations perform acts magical enough to be described as resurrection, there's so much wonder to attend to. This time of year invites us all, believers and atheists alike, to emerge from our own suspended animation or curled-up little balls, like cummings writes at the end of that poem:

now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened
Apr. 19GRAND FORKS  A UND junior is one of the honorees in the 2025 class of Truman Scholars.

Greyson Orne, a junior studying unmanned aircraft systems operations and political science, is one of the 54 honorees for this year's Truman Scholarship.

The federally-funded program, established by Congress in 1975, offers $30,000 in graduate studies funding for students studying in a public-service oriented field.

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The scholarship is named in honor of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States.

UND President Andy Armacost and Provost Eric Link surprised Orne with the news during class last week, per a university press release.

He is the 15th UND student to receive a Truman Scholarship since the award was established, per Political Science Professor Mark Jendrysik, who served as Orne's adviser.

"A lot of people are going to meet Greyson and say, 'We're going to invest in this young man, and make sure he succeeds beyond his wildest dreams,'" read a statement attributed to Jendrysik.

Orne intends to pursue a law degree focused on aviation policy, according to his bio on the Truman Scholarship Foundation's website.
(NewsNation)  The Trump administration is now targeting the leaders of La Nueva Familia Michoacana Cartel, the Hurtado Olascoaga brothers.

The U.S. Treasury has announced economic sanctions against the cartels two leaders, Johnny and Jose Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, as well as their siblings, Adita and Ubaldo.

The State Department is offering up to $8 million in rewards for information leading to their capture and conviction  $5 million for Johnny, $3 million for Jose Alfredo.

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The brothers are currently fugitives and are believed to be hiding in Mexico, according to federal officials.

Anti-Trump protesters rally in New York, Washington and elsewhere across the country

Now these brothers were charged by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia with various crimes related to the manufacture, distribution, and importation of massive quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States, said Michael Herskowitz, chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs section of the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District of Georgia.

La Nueva Familia Michoacana has deep roots in central Mexico and is notorious for combining brutal tactics with modern technology, like weaponized drones.

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This comes after the U.S. designated the cartel a foreign terrorist organization in February in a rare move that allows for expanded federal tools to dismantle the cartel and its international drug trafficking network.

The cartel leaders sister, Adita Hurtado Olascoaga, is also facing charges and is accused of laundering money through used clothing stores in the Rio Grande Valley.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
South Korea will hold negotiations with the US government next week over the trade tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump.

According to a government statement on Sunday, Seoul will send Trade Minister Ahn Duk Geun and Finance Minister Choi Sang Mok to Washington for the talks, which are expected to take place on Thursday and Friday.

According to the statement, the negotiations are being held at the request of the US government.

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Interim President Han Duck Soo had previously signalled an accommodating stance regarding the trade measures.

South Korea "will not fight back" against the US import tariffs, Han said in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday.

In it, he emphasized South Korea's historical debt to the US: After the devastation oF the Korean war ... the United States gave us aid, technology transfer, investments and security assurances, he said, enabling the country's current prosperity.

Earlier this month, Donald Trump announced a so-called "reciprocal tariff" of 25% on South Korea, before then announcing a 90-day suspension of the measures.

South Korea's export-heavy economy is likely to be hit particularly hard by the tariffs.
The United States aims to secure "a full and comprehensive ceasefire" in Ukraine beyond a temporary Easter truce, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said on April 20 in a statement emailed to Reuters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a temporary Easter ceasefire from 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 until midnight on April 21. Russia has already violated the truce multiple times, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers on Ukraine's front lines.

"We have seen President Putin's announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire," the U.S. State Department said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

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"As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday."

Putin has given no orders to extend the ceasefire, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on April 20.

Ukraine is ready to extend the truce to at least 30 days, Zelensky said on April 19. The president responded to Putin's declaration by inviting Russia to accept a month-long unconditional ceasefire.

"This will show Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours is enough for headlines, but not for real confidence-building measures. Thirty days can give peace a chance," he said.

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Ukraine will abide by a ceasefire for as long as Russia does, but will return fire if attacked, Zelensky said.

The U.S. initially proposed a complete 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in March, during talks with Kyiv and Moscow in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine accepted the proposal immediately and said it would enact a ceasefire once Russia agreed to the same terms.

Russia has persistently rejected calls for a wider ceasefire, refusing the U.S. proposal unless Ukraine takes actions to undermine its defense capabilities, including halting all foreign military aid.

U.S. President Donald Trump on April 18 threatened to withdraw from the Russia-Ukraine peace process if either side "makes it very difficult" to achieve a deal. Putin announced his 30-hour "ceasefire" the following day.

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European leaders have responded skeptically to Russia's move, calling it a "media stunt" and urigng Putin to declare an unconditional ceasefire.

Meanwhile, soldiers fighting on Ukraine's front lines say they see no sign of any Easter truce.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Moscow violates Easter truce, Ukraine brings home 277 POWs in swap with Russia

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President Donald Trump is coming up on his 100th Day in the White House on April 29.

So far, his presidency has been marked by deep funding cuts across federal agencies, a closed southern border and deportations, and a string of tariffs aimed at U.S. allies and foes alike.

Trump told Fox News Tuesday that he is most proud of addressing the border crisis.

I think the thing that people now realize is the border is 100%. Its like literally 100%. Its perfect now, and I dont know if you can tell. Perfect. But its going to get better. And by the way, we want people to come in, but they have to come in legally and everybody agrees to that, Trump said.

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The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported a little more than 11,000 apprehensions at the border last month. This is much less compared to the nearly 189,360 apprehensions in March 2024, under former President Joe Biden.

After Trumps very active first few months back in the White House, do Utahns think Trump is doing a good job?

Despite being a red state, Utah is divided on Trumps job performance. A slight majority, 54%, said they somewhat or strongly approve of what Trump has done so far, and 42% disapprove, while 5% said they dont know.

The latest poll from the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics conducted by HarrisX asked Utahns whether they approve or disapprove of Trumps job performance.

DN-presidential poll

Trump enjoys popularity among Republicans

Trump is especially popular with the right: 8 in 10 self-identified Utah Republicans approve of the presidents job performance.

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His policies also generate this support within his party. More than 5 in 10 Utahns believe the tariff policy would have a somewhat or very negative impact on the national economy, But just a quarter of Republicans think that, said Jeremy Pope, a political science professor at Brigham Young University.

Utahns are generally wary of cuts made by Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, as they are of his ideas to make Canada and Greenland a part of the U.S., as per the latest Deseret News/HarrisX polling. But, again, these moves are well received among Republicans.

Compared to the 80% of Utah GOP voters who approve, nearly 82% of Utah Democrats disapprove of Trumps job performance so far.

Independents also disapproved in high numbers, at 62%. This high data point could indicate that Trump could be headed towards higher levels of unpopularity unless he can find a popular set of policies to which he can rally the public, Pope said.

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It leaves Trump in a tough spot, the BYU professor added. Right now, all Trump has to show for are a few big plans, like his tariff policy, partially on hold, and his big picture ideas of pressuring allies to succumb to his wishes.

Stepping away from the numbers, one of Trumps core problems is that he doesnt seem to be able to stick to a course, Pope noted. For whatever reason, he backed off of the tariff.

He said he thinks Trump is still enjoying his honeymoon period. With that said, he also seems to have little clear direction for the future, Pope added.

Do Utahns approve of JD Vances job performance?

The poll also asked voters whether they approved or disapproved of Vice President J.D. Vances performance so far. According to Pope, the job of the presidents right-hand-man rarely draws strong opinions.

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Vice presidents are really typically just a shadow of the president for most people, he said. Its safe to say that a lot of the folks who like Trump like Vance, Pope added.

According to the Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll, about 47% of Utahns approve of the job Vance has done so far as vice president and 38% disapprove. Meanwhile, 15% said they dont know.

Joshua McCrain, a political science professor at the University of Utah, considered Trumps job approval numbers disappointing and Vances below water.

I dont think that Republicans should be too thrilled with these numbers in red states, and they definitely want to see these go up before the midterms, he said.

DN-vpresidentialpoll

McCrain explained his view that the general populace doesnt want national politics to affect their life, but the ups and downs of the Trump-Vance White House are breaking through to the public discourse. That includes the tariff policies wreaking havoc on Wall Street and impacting small businesses.

When (people) have to think about it, theyre generally displeased, he added.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on Sunday defended his efforts to protect Kilmar Abrego Garcias rights, even as President Trump and his allies levy serious allegations against the deported Maryland man and highlight his mixed court record.

In an interview on ABC Newss This Week, host Jonathan Karl asked Van Hollen about some pretty serious allegations of abuse that Abrego Garcias wife previously made in court and President Trump has highlighted in recent days.

Obviously, everybody in this country, even those undocumented immigrants, have rights. But are you concerned about standing so forcefully with somebody that has, you know, at least a questionable record? Karl asked.

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Van Hollen said he is defending the principle, not Abrego Garcias record.

I am not defending the man. Im defending the rights of this man to due process, Van Hollen said. And the Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported.

My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else, he added.

Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador this week to check on the well-being of Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who lived in Maryland with his wife before he was taken and sent to El Salvadors notorious terrorist confinement center.

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Trump administration officials previously said he was mistakenly sent to El Salvador but have recently doubled down on accusations that Abrego Garcia is a gang member, as they have refused to comply with a court order instructing them to facilitate Abrego Garcias release from Salvadoran custody.

Van Hollen said the administration should bring their concerns to court.

The Trump administration is trying to change the story. Theyre trying to distract attention. Heres where they should put their facts: They should put it before the court. They should put up or shut up in court because Judge Xinis, whos the district court judge in this case, said, and I quote, they put no evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or to any other terrorist activity, unquote. She says that a couple times in her decision, Van Hollen said.

So, Mr. President and Republicans and anybody involved with this: Take your facts to court. Dont put everything out on social media, he added.

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Van Hollen specifically addressed concerns about Abrego Garcias wife, noting she has been the most outspoken figure calling for his return.

As to his wife, his wife is the one who is asking us all to bring him home, so his rights can be respected, Van Hollen said.

Jennifer Vasquez Sura, Abrego Garcias wife, said Van Hollen answered the prayers of her and her children.

My children and my prayers have been answered. The efforts of my family and community in fighting for justice are being heard, because I now know that my husband is alive, Sura said in a previous statement.

We still have so many questions, hopes, and fears. I will continue praying and fighting for Kilmars return home, she said, thanking Van Hollen and numerous others for continuing this fight for my family to be reunited.

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Senator Chris Van Hollen accused Donald Trump and the Republican Party of throwing the US into a constitutional crisis on Sunday by ignoring court orders and attempting to litigate the fate of Kilmar Abrego Garcia on social media.

Abrego Garcia remains in a Salvadoran prison after a visit by Van Hollen over the weekend ended in the senator delivering the first real confirmation of the deported Maryland mans status and whereabouts.

The senator also reported that Abrego Garcia informed him that hed been transferred away from the notorious CECOT prison, which Republicans including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem have lauded for its harsh conditions, but that which critics say violate international human rights laws and standards.

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On Sunday, Van Hollen completed a whirlwind tour of all the major broadcast networks as he appeared across the five biggest interview programs: Meet the Press, This Week, Face the Nation, Fox News Sunday and State of the Union.

In interviews, he repeated his assertion that allowing the Trump administration to trample Kilmar Abrego Garcias due process rights, which the Supreme Court has ruled apply to everyone in the United States regardless of citizenship, would open the door to violations of those rights for natural-born American citizens.

If we deny the constitutional rights of this one man, it threatens the constitutional rights of everybody in America, the Maryland Democrat told CNNs Dana Bash.

The US, he said in multiple interviews, had entered a period of constitutional crisis. Van Hollen pointed to the White Houses continuing refusal to press the government of El Salvador to return Abrego Garcia to the United States. The Trump administration, he said, was ignoring an order from the Supreme Court to facilitate the mans return  doing nothing instead  while taunting Democrats on social media.

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Im okay with whatever the rule of law dictates. But right now, we have a lawless president, Van Hollen said. We have a lawless president who is ignoring the order of the Supreme Court of the United States to facilitate his return.

The subject at hand is that he and his administration are defying a court order to give Abrego Garcia his due process rights. They are trying to litigate on social media what they should be doing in the courts, he said on CNN.

Republicans werent the only ones complaining about Van Hollens meeting with Abrego Garcia.

Senator Chris Van Hollen appeared across the Sunday show bookings as he discussed his return from El Salvador and meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia. (REUTERS)

Even as a contingent of House Democrats sought Mike Johnsons permission to lead an official congressional delegation to El Salvador (which was denied), some centrist members of the senators party have dismissively called the furor around the growing legal fight a distraction. One of them is Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, who is thought to be considering a 2028 run for president.

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Newsom called the issue the distraction of the day in a recent podcast interview.

The Democratic senator, back in Washington from San Salvador and receiving a surge of support from Democratic voters in his home state and across the country, had a scathing response for the governor and others in his party whove vented their frustrations to reporters and friendly media outlets.

Anyone who is not prepared to stand up and fight for the Constitution doesn't deserve to lead, he said in repeated interviews.

Born in El Salvador, Abrego Garcia applied for asylum in 2019 and was granted an order barring his deportation to El Salvador after a judge ruled that he had a well-founded fear of facing retaliation from gangs and other local groups. In that asylum case, the judge similarly heard and rejected the entirety of the governments evidence, which federal attorneys said supported the position that he was a gang member  an arrest report from a police officer claimed that a confidential tip pointed to Abrego Garcias gang affiliation. He was never charged over that arrest, which occurred after officers spotted him loitering outside a Home Depot looking for work.

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The White House and the government of El Salvador, run by the Trump-loving Nayib Bukele, have continued to taunt Democrats and Abrego Garcias family over the Easter weekend as Democrats turn to the courts to see whether the Judicial Branch will try to force compliance with the Supreme Courts 9-0 ruling.

In an Oval Office meeting with Trump last week, Bukele escalated the unfounded smear campaign against Abrego Garcia, calling him a terrorist despite neither the authorities in the US nor El Salvador being willing to make the same allegation under oath.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) argued that if the Trump administration denies the rights of one man, his constituent Kilmar Abrego Garcia, they are threatening the rights of everybody.

Van Hollen joined CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, just after he returned to the United States from a trip to El Salvador to visit with Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported.

If we deny the constitutional rights of this one man, it threatens the constitutional rights of everybody in America, Van Hollen said.

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Van Hollens trip to the Salvadoran prison where Abrego Garcia is being held was sharply criticized. He said Abrego Garcia was completely in the dark about the fight to secure his release and the political debate over his deportation.

The Maryland senator criticized President Trump for the deportation, noting that the president has said he wants to remove violent criminals and has alleged Abrego Garcia is a member of MS-13.

His argument is you cant fight that and at the same time uphold peoples constitutional rights, Van Hollen said. Thats a very dangerous view.

The Supreme Court left wiggle room for the administration to return Abrego Garcia, noting that they have to facilitate his return. The administration has pointed to El Salvador as the country responsible for Abrego Garcias return.

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Host Dana Bash asked Van Hollen if he would accept a situation in which Abrego Garcia returned home, was found to be in the country illegally, and was then deported.

The senator said he would accept any outcome as long as Abrego Garcia was given his due process rights. Abrego Garcia was given deportation protection from a 2019 court ruling.

Im OK with whatever the rule of law dictates. But right now, we have a lawless president, Van Hollen said.

We have a lawless president who is ignoring the order of the Supreme Court of the United States to facilitate his return. Thats whats going on right now, he continued. That is what is a risk to all of us.

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Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said El Salvadors president, Nayib Bukele, wanted his meeting with the mistakenly deported Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to look like he was in paradise.

The Maryland senator made the rounds on Sunday morning news shows and described his meeting with Abrego Garcia, which he managed to secure in El Salvador this past week after his initial efforts were rejected and he was denied entry to the prison.

I think at some point, the president of El Salvador realized it was looking really bad to have  this person who had been absconded from America, from the streets of Maryland, in one of their prisons and not able to communicate, Van Hollen said in an interview on ABC Newss This Week.

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So, I ended up getting a call saying, We will bring him to your hotel, and thats how we met, he added.

Van Hollen said Salvadoran officials initially wanted to hold the meeting by the swimming pool at the hotel, but they negotiated those terms.

The Salvadoran authorities tried to deceive people. They tried to make it look like he was in paradise. They actually wanted to have the meeting by the hotel pool originally, Van Hollen said.

We had to negotiate that, he added. They wanted to put me right overlooking the pool. In fact, if you had a different angle on the camera shot, you would see the pool.

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Host Jonathan Karl asked whether the senator thinks he walked into a trap, noting Abrego Garcia was brought in civilian clothes and that Salvadoran authorities, during the meeting, even brought the two men margarita glasses, which Van Hollen noted they did not touch.

No, it wasnt a trap, Van Hollen said. My goal was to meet with him and make sure I could tell his wife and family he was OK. That was my goal. And I achieved that goal.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) argued that elected officials and politicians on both sides of the aisle need to step up to fight for the Constitution, and if they dont, they dont deserve to lead.

Van Hollen joined CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, shortly after he returned from a trip to El Salvador to meet with wrongfully deported Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

His trip was criticized by the Trump administration and GOP officials, but Democrats have sounded the alarm that Abrego Garcia was denied due process rights and the administration is skirting judicial power by avoiding the Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.

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Host Dana Bash asked Van Hollen about the theory that the administration is picking a fight over Abrego Garcias deportation to distract from the administrations tariffs.

I dont think its ever wrong to fight for the constitutional rights of one person, because if we give up on one persons rights, we threaten everybodys rights, he said.

I think a lot of voters, both Republican and Democrat, are tired of  elected officials and politicians who just put their finger to the wind, Van Hollen continued. And I would say that anyone whos not prepared to stand up and fight for the Constitution doesnt deserve to lead.

At first, it was unclear if Van Hollen would be able to meet with Abrego Garcia while he was in El Salvador. The two eventually met on Friday, and the senator said Abrego Garcia was completely in the dark about his familys fight to get him home and the fiery political debate thats ensued since his deportation.

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Van Hollen said Abrego Garcia had no idea that there was a directive from the Supreme Court to facilitate his return. The Trump administration, however, has sought to direct responsibility for Abrego Garcias return to El Salvador, sparking a legal debate and struggle between the executive and judicial branch.

The subject at hand is that he and his administration are defying a court order to give people, to give Abrego Garcia his due process rights, Van Hollen said. They are trying to litigate on social media what they should be doing in the courts.

They need to put up or shut up in the courts, let me tell you, he added.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen defended the Constitution and fired back at California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat, who said that the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident, to El Salvador was the distraction of the day.

I dont think its ever wrong to fight for the constitutional rights of one person because if we give up on one persons rights, we threaten everybodys rights. I think a lot of voters, both Republican and Democrat, are tired of elected officials and politicians who just put their finger to the wind Anyone who is not prepared to stand up and fight for the Constitution doesnt deserve to lead, Van Hollen said in a Sunday interview on CNNs State of the Union.

Sen. Van Hollen: "I don't think it's ever wrong to fight for the constitutional rights of one person because if we give up on one person's rights, we threaten everybody's rightsAnyone who is not prepared to stand up and fight for the Constitution doesn't deserve to lead." pic.twitter.com/Uv8Yk8c702  The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) April 20, 2025

The senator last week traveled to El Salvador and its infamous Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)  one of the harshest prisons in the world  to speak with Abrego Garcia, his constituent, whom the Trump administration has admitted should not have been deported. The administration has admitted multiple times in court that Abrego Garcias detention was an administrative error.

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Rep. Jason Crow also condemned the administrations actions and disagreed with Newsoms claim the issue is a distraction.

I wouldnt use the word distraction because this is a real man with a family. He matters, Crow said on CNNs Inside Politics. There was no due process in this case The Trump administration has no evidence that this person is a criminal, that hes involved in any gang activity They are trying to distort the truth. Their philosophy is to lie over and over and over again until it becomes true. That is right out of an autocratic playbook. Thats what makes this so dangerous.

Q: Is Gavin Newsom right that the Abrego Garcia case is a 'distraction'?



Crow: "I wouldn't use the word distractionThere was no due process in this caseThe Trump administration has no evidence that this person is a criminalThat is right out of an autocratic playbook." pic.twitter.com/8R7qqCqHS2  The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) April 20, 2025

While El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele initially denied Van Hollens attempts to speak with Abrego Garcia, he ultimately caved, and allowed Van Hollen to meet his constituent.

What [Abrego Garcia] told me was he was sad and traumatized that he was being imprisoned because he has committed no crimes, Van Hollen said.

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Van Hollen demanded the Trump administration must put up or shut up in court regarding Abrego Garcias case. The administration is currently defying a court order  upheld in a unanimous Supreme Court ruling  to facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the U.S. A lower court has also rejected the administrations attempt not to comply with the Supreme Courts ruling. Abrego Garcia has not been convicted of a crime or proven in court to be a member of any gang. Despite that, the administration continues to claim he is a member of MS-13.

The subject at hand is that he and his administration are defying a court order to give people, to give Abrego Garcia his due process rights, Van Hollen said. They are trying to litigate on social media what they should be doing in the courts.

He went on to quote U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who said, No evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or any terrorist activity has been presented to the court.

Hes here legally now, he has a work permit, hes a sheet metal worker, he has a family, he has three kids, Van Hollen said.

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Van Hollen was denied entry to CECOT and initially was not allowed to see Abrego Garcia. Bukele and Trump had no intention of letting me meet with Abrego Garcia until they felt the pressure from public outcry the senator said. Following Van Hollens visit, Abrego Garcia was moved to a different detention facility where conditions are better, the senator said Friday.

Van Hollen also gave a peek behind the scenes of his meeting with Abrego Garcia, saying that the Salvadoran government staged the scene to look like the two of them were drinking margaritas.

The lengths that both the El Salvadorian President Bukele and Donald Trump will go to deceive people are boundless, he said, adding that waiters brought to the table two glasses that appear to be margaritas.

We didnt touch them, and they tried to manipulate it to make it look like Mr. Abrego Garcias margarita had been drunk. In other words, the liquid was lower, he continued. But they screwed up in their scheme because if you look at the rims of the glasses, I dont know if it was salt or sugar, but theres no gap in them. So, nobody touched the margaritas.

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They want to pretend that this is some sort of tropical paradise when he was in one of the most notorious prisons in the world, the senator added.

Van Hollen stressed the urgency of the issue of Abrego Garcias deportation and the necessity of defending his constitutional rights to protect those same rights for everyone in the U.S.

Right now, we have a lawless president who is ignoring the order of the Supreme Court of the United States to facilitate [Abrego Garcias] return, Van Hollen said. Thats whats going on right now. That is a risk to all of us.

Politicos Jonathan Martin made the point on ABCs This Week that Abrego Garcias deportation is a test case for Trump to send Americans to foreign prisons.

Abrego Garcias deportation was a test case for Pres. Trump to remove Americans from the U.S., Politicos @jmart said.



Its what Trump wants to do, which is deport American citizens who commit crimes to foreign prisons. https://t.co/EiB1FVE0fE pic.twitter.com/XABVcc0RDF  This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 20, 2025

Its what Trump wants to do, which is deport American citizens who commit crimes to foreign prisons, Martin said. Hes said it himself twice now. Thats where this is going. This is a test case for Trump to get Americans out of the country.

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US Vice President JD Vance is set to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, with trade on the agenda.

Vances visit alongside his wife, Usha, the daughter of Indian immigrants, reflects warming ties under US President Donald Trump.

The issues that had strained Washingtons relationship with New Delhi during the Biden administration  including Indias approach to Russia, as well as US criminal charges against an Indian government official and a business tycoon  have little relevance in Washington today, The Washington Post wrote.

New Delhi is hoping to strike a trade deal to avoid Trumps tariffs, and capitalize on the US-China trade war: There is a fair amount of confidence, a former Indian foreign secretary said.
NEW DELHI (AP)  U.S. Vice President JD Vance began a four-day visit to India on Monday as the two countries seek to unlock economic opportunities and negotiate a bilateral trade deal.

Vance will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for talks on the economy, trade and geopolitical ties. Vances visit is seen as an important diplomatic mission by President Donald Trumps administration, and it coincides with a rapidly intensifying trade war between Washington and Beijing, which is New Delhi's main rival in the region.

A trade deal between India and the U.S. could significantly enhance economic ties between the two countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties.

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The U.S. is also Indias largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at $190 billion until recently.

Indias Foreign Ministry has said the visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and the two leaders will exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

Heres what to know about Vances visit:

Bilateral trade agreement

Vances arrival in India comes weeks after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was in India for a geopolitical conference and two months after Modi met Trump in Washington.

Modi was among the first leaders to visit the U.S. and hold talks with Trump after he returned to the White House. During his visit, Modi hailed a mega partnership with the U.S. and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimize the possible fallout of Trumps tariffs after it had already cut tariffs on a range of U.S. goods.

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Regardless, Trump targeted India with a 26% levy as part of his now-paused tariff program, which has provided temporary relief for Indian exporters.

During his visit, Modi sought to soften impending trade barriers by saying he was open to reducing more tariffs on U.S. goods, repatriating undocumented Indian nationals and buying military gear. The two countries also agreed to start talks toward clinching the bilateral trade agreement.

Modi on Friday said he spoke with Elon Musk, noting that he and the SpaceX CEO discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation, adding India remains committed to advancing our partnerships with the U.S. in these domains.

India's deep ties to US business

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India is a close partner of the U.S. for bilateral trade, foreign direct investments, defense cooperation and an important strategic ally in combating the rising influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

It is also part of the Quad, which is made up of the United States, India, Japan and Australia and is seen as a counterbalance to Chinas expansion in the region.

Leading U.S. companies such as Apple Inc. and Google have expanded operations in India in recent years. Last month, Musk's Starlink entered into agreements with two of Indias top telecom operators to provide satellite-based internet services.

To further boost trade ties, the U.S. and India have set an ambitious target of more than doubling their bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 under the expected trade deal agreement.

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The negotiations are especially urgent for New Delhi as it could be hit hard by Trumps reciprocal tariffs, particularly in the agriculture, processed food, auto components, high-end machinery, medical equipment and jewelry sectors. This poses a significant challenge for Modi's government as it hopes to improve the country's economy and generate jobs with an export-led recovery.

Modi and Trump already share rapport

Modi established a good working relationship with Trump during his first term in office. It now appears that the two leaders are likely to further boost cooperation between their countries, particularly in trade. Chinese President Xi Jinping is aiming to position Beijing as a reliable trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region amid rising tensions with Washington.

India has also already taken a number of steps to win over Trump. It will purchase more oil, energy and defense equipment, including the fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, from the U.S.

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The U.S., however, wants greater market access for its agricultural and dairy products in India, but New Delhi has been reluctant so far as the farm sector employs the bulk of the countrys workforce.

Family trip for Vance

Vances visit to India marks his first official trip to the country, which has added significance for the second family. His wife Usha Vance  a practicing Hindu  is the daughter of immigrants from South India.

In his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, Vance described his wife as a supersmart daughter of Indian immigrants whom he met at Yale Law School. Ushas parents moved to the U.S. in the late 1970s.

Vance will be accompanied by Usha, their children and other senior members of the U.S. administration, and the couple will visit the Indian cities of Jaipur and Agra and participate in engagements at cultural sites, a readout from the White House said.
L.A.'s fragile urban canopy was dealt a vicious blow this weekend when a chainsaw-wielding vandal cut down a number of shade trees along South Grand Avenue and other areas of downtown, according to media posts and photos uploaded to Reddit and Instagram.

The Los Angeles Police Department told The Times it had no information about the tree destruction, and an email and phone call to the city's Urban Forestry Division went unanswered Sunday.

Social media images showed a number of trees that were severed at the base, while others were cut several feet above the pavement. A few of the felled trees were still connected to their trunks by just a thread of bark or wood.

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Read more: SoCal cities desperately need more shade. Is it time to finally ditch palm trees?

According to Reddit user TipTapMyWipWap, every tree between 1st Street and Wilshire Boulevard was cut down. However, a review of photos suggests a few remain standing.

Photos from Instagram show downed trees at the intersections of Olympic Boulevard and Hope Street, Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street, and Broadway and Cesar Chavez Avenue.

Trees lie on the pavement in downtown L.A. on Sunday after having been cut down over the weekend. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

A number of the trees appeared to be a drought-resistant species known as Indian laurel fig, or Ficus microcarpa.

Trees provide myriad benefits to urban areas. They capture stormwater runoff, replenish groundwater and slow the deterioration of streets. They also clean the air and help to cool areas that are experiencing increasingly hot temperatures due to global climate change and the built environment. One study by the UCLA Luskin Center found that shade can reduce heat stress in the human body by 25% to 30% throughout the day.

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Social media users condemned the culprits, and some noted that the cuts were done just ahead of Earth Day.

"So, eco terrorism on the day where most are having their earth day celebrations? Seems very intentional," said user @Janky-Ciborium-138.

Read more: 'There is no easy fix': Study reveals attitudes about lack of trees in South L.A.

Others wondered whether it was a grand conspiracy by someone who wanted the trees down but didn't want to go through the red tape of city bureaucracy.

"Someone needed these trees removed  either some city employee or private developer  and decided this was way easier than getting actual permission," said @Difficult_Collar4336.

A number of trees were severed at the base, and others were cut several feet above the pavement. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Many noted that security cameras are omnipresent, so video evidence should be available for investigators to review.

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.
The Vatican is set to mark Easter Sunday, the highlight of the Christian calendar, with a large Mass at St Peter's in Rome.

Due to Pope Francis' health issues, as he recovers from pneumonia, the Mass is expected to be celebrated by a high-ranking cardinal, the Italian Angelo Comastri.

It remains uncertain whether Francis will be able to deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing to tens of thousands of believers in St Peter's Square and cameras from around the world.

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The 88-year-old was able to leave the Gemelli Hospital in Rome four weeks ago after spending more than a month in the hospital. However, he still needs to take it easy following his life-threatening illness, under doctors' recommendations.

During his few public appearances since his discharge, he sometimes appeared very weak. Speaking also poses difficulties for the leader of the world's more than 1.4 billion Catholics.

On Saturday evening, Francis appeared in a wheelchair in St Peter's Basilica.

One million visitors expected in Rome over Easter

At Easter, according to Christian tradition, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are commemorated.

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This year, the festival holds even more significance because the Catholic Church has declared 2025 a Jubilee. Pope Francis had originally intended to be present at these important events.

This weekend alone, an estimated 1 million visitors are in Rome, including believers from all over the world.

Among them is US Vice President JD Vance. The deputy of Donald Trump, who converted to the Catholic faith in 2019, plans to attend Easter Mass with his family.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista presides over the Easter vigil as part of the Holy Week celebrations, at St Peter's Basilica. -/IPA via ZUMA Press/dpa
During a visit to the Vatican on Easter Sunday, JD Vance met with Pope Francis, according to the vice president's office.

"The Vice President expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family," Vance's office said in a news release.

The meeting came a day after Vance sat down with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin  the Catholic Church's most senior official after the pope.

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The two discussed "Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President (Donald) Trump's commitment to restoring world peace," the vice president's office said in an earlier news release. The two also discussed their shared religious faith. Vance, who has a home in East Walnut Hills, converted to Catholicism six years ago at a church in Greater Cincinnati.

British outlet Sky News reported on Saturday that sources told them Vance and the pope had a "quick and private meeting" at the pope's residence in Vatican City.

Vice President JD Vance meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Easter Sunday.

Vance and his family arrived in Vatican City on Friday to attend a Good Friday service at St. Peter's Basilica. He also met with the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The vice president's visit to Vatican City amid disagreements between the pope and U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. According to USA Today, the pontiff has been critical of the administration's mass deportation of migrants.

Vance converted to Catholicism at Madeira church

Vance's faith is strongly tied to Cincinnati. The Middletown native was raised nominally evangelical and explored atheism before converting to Catholicism in 2019 at St. Gertrude Priory, which is attached to a Dominican parish in Madeira.

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Vance told The American Conservative that as he became more interested in faith, Catholicism was the practice that appealed most to him "intellectually."

The vice president will be in Vatican City and Rome through Sunday, visiting cultural and religious sites. Vance may also attend the Vatican's celebration of Easter in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, according to Reuters.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: JD Vance has sit-down with Pope Francis on Easter Sunday
The victim in a random knife attack on a Bronx subway deflected a stab to his heart with his arm, prosecutors revealed at the arraignment of the mentally ill parolee accused of attacking him.

The 21-year-old victim was on his way to work with his uncle when stranger Lateef Green, 50, allegedly lashed out with a knuckle knife on a No. 5 train nearing the 219th St. station in Williamsbridge Friday morning.

Green, who police say was pacing back and forth between cars on the moving train, stormed up to the victim and stabbed him multiple times in the arm and stomach, according to cops. His knife had holes in the handle for the wielders fingers, providing a firmer grip, according to police.

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Had the victims arm not gotten in the way, Greens knife would have pierced his heart, prosecutors said Saturday.

Police released surveillance images of Green, asking the publics help identifying him, before nabbing him about 12 hours later. Prosecutors said his parole officer recognized him and the victim picked his face out of a photo array.

A Bronx Criminal Court judge ordered him held without bail after a state parole representative described him as an imminent threat to the community. Hes charged with attempted murder, multiple counts of assault and weapon possession.

His defense lawyer, Susan Light of the Legal Aid Society, asked for a much more reasonable bail, pointing out that Green has lived in supportive housing for more than four years and that he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She asked that he receive psychiatric treatment.

Green has been arrested about 30 times, many for criminal trespass for sleeping in building doorways and stairwells, and violated parole after he was released from prison in 2021, police sources said. He served three-and-a-half years at Mid-State Correctional Facility after he was convicted in Manhattan on a hate crime assault and sexual abuse incident in 2017, state records show.
(KRON)  Families, friends and community members gathered for a candlelight vigil in Marin County Saturday to mourn the loss of four young lives taken in a fiery crash on San Geronimo Valley Drive, west of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard Friday night.

Four teenage girls are dead and two more remain hospitalized with serious injuries. All were students at Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.

Four teenagers dead, two injured in Marin County crash

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Community members told KRON4s Jack Molmud that five of the crash victims were sophomores at the school. One was a freshman.

As of Saturday night, authorities have not released the victims names.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
AGAWAM  Robert Calise, 33, felt he knew the time and place his life would change forever: during an Easter vigil at sunset Saturday at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Agawam.

I dont think Ill feel that giant rush of the Holy Spirit. But I feel standing up there getting the Sacraments is going to feel like a burden has been lifted, like youre being filled with breath, not in your lungs. I think its going to be more of a comfort feeling, he told The Republican before that moment came.

Calise, a robotics maintenance technician, planned to be one of 200 people converting to the Catholic faith across Western Massachusetts at vigils this weekend. There are 79 churches in the diocese and the religious rite is as old as the church itself.

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Its the process of evangelization. Jesus walked the earth and asked people to follow Him, and people are still being asked to follow Jesus. It hasnt stopped, said Celeste Labbe, director of faith formation for the Diocese of Springfield.

There are many paths to conversion. For most of these converts, it began last September when they filled out paperwork and declared their intent to become Catholic.

They approached their new faith in stages, taking classes and working with teams of people at each parish helping them along this spiritual journey.

Were on call 24/7, guiding them through their daily walk, said Dale Marie Breault, a member of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults team at St. Johns.

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Its all about finding out where they are, meeting them and finding out how they learn and how they can embrace understanding. We structure it so you get to know who Jesus is, she said.

The converts come from a range of religions. Some embraced spirituality through tarot cards or even witchcraft. Calise said he wasnt sure what to believe before turning to Catholicism.

Most of my life, I was agnostic. I always knew God, or some form of higher being, was there. But religion was never at the forefront of my thoughts. It was always on the back burner, he said.

On their road to discovery, Calise and others have attended classes at their chosen churches, immersing themselves in a process of inquiry to see if they were on the right path.

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There is the period  where theyre delving deeper into the knowledge of the faith, said Labbe. That time is known to Catholics as the catechumen, when the convert receives instruction ahead of baptism. They go into the period of purification and enlightenment where theyre learning what it means to live the Christian life and preparing for the Sacraments they will be receiving at the vigil.

The Easter vigil is the one day of the year when pastors across the diocese are presented with delegations of people to be converted. Depending on their religious backgrounds, they will participate in many of the Sacraments including Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and Conversion.

Religious leaders say the last six months have been intense for the converts, with classes, reading, studying and daily Masses towards the end. But the final two weeks can be the most grueling, as human and otherworldly forces collide, said Breault.

Its difficult because youre rubbing up against the secular world. The last two weeks are when they come under a lot of pressure. Were fighting for their souls and thats when things start happening. In the end, we get them across the finish line, she said.

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I call them my little chickens, Breault said.

Calise agrees he was in a race to the finish  and to a place he believed he would find satisfaction.

It is chaotic, but I know at the end, its going to be good, he said.

Holiest day

The Easter vigil comes at the end of Lent and Holy Week, when Christians mark the trial and crucifixion of Christ, mourn His death and celebrate His resurrection.

Its the holiest day of the year. Its the celebration of His life and love poured out for us. Its when we celebrate Jesus light coming and passing on in baptism, Labbee said.

She is pleased to be seeing so many people converting at a time when she believes the Catholic church is constantly under fire.

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You hear about the downfall of the Catholic Church. Its bashed everywhere. Then you look at the Easter vigil and the number of people coming into the Catholic faith and you say, Our Church is not dying. Were alive and were active and were growing, said Labbe.

Breault said she converted to Catholicism when she married her husband in 1994 but failed to practice the faith until years later, when retirement from a job she loved in financial services left her feeling hopeless.

When my husband asked me to step away from that and learn how to live more of an ordinary, simple life, I crashed. Success was my God. But He divinely healed me from my anxiety, depression  everything that medication and therapists couldnt fix, she said.

Breault shared that story as she helped steward other people  eight at St. Johns this year  into the faith they joined this weekend.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Leif Ericson is a little over a month away from hosting its first camps of the year, but before campers start making their way out there, the staff needed to do a little spring cleaning.

Around 60 volunteers helped get the camp ready for summer.

Solar bringing more light to Sioux Falls parks

Chainsaws, rakes and wheelbarrows were out in full force at Camp Leif Ericson on Saturday.

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Today is kind of the kickoff of our new summer season. We are excited that its a community event, an opportunity for the community to give back in a lot of ways, and maybe theyve been impacted by camp in the past, Camp Leif Ericson director Justin Lassen said.

Volunteer Kaitlyn Bultje was a camper at Leif Ericson for four years.

When I was nine years old, I basically fell in love with the camp. It was so much fun. I absolutely enjoyed it, Bultje said.

Bultje will be working at Leif Ericson this summer. Shes also a member of the Roosevelt High School Student Council. Bultje and other members of the council did some raking and sawing.

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Its very important because we need the camp to be clean just for us to really enjoy it and have fun, Bultje said.

It brings us together as a community of not only bonding, but helping our community, too, volunteer and Roosevelt student council member Ashley Bohnet said.

Whether it was clearing branches or sprucing up the trail, Lassen says the work will go a long way to ensure Leif Ericson has a successful summer.

A day like this is is critical, especially coming out of an off season where winter takes its toll on camp. Weve got thousands of campers coming out in just a little over a month, Lassen said.

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And Lassen was blown away by support.

For them to give back in this way, without really expecting anything in return, is truly inspiring and awesome to me, Lassen said.

For more information on camp dates at Leif Ericson, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The Walmart shooter will be back in court on Monday, April 21, and is expected to plead guilty to state charges in the Aug. 3, 2019 massacre.

This comes after El Paso District Attorney James Montoya announced on March 25 that his office would not pursue the death penalty in the states long-delayed case against Patrick Crusius.

Crusius murdered 23 people in a racially motivated attack at the Cielo Vista Walmart store on that August day nearly six years ago now.

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DA: Victims families want Walmart case done with as soon as possible

The Walmart shooter also wounded more than 20 others in the attack.

The Walmart shooter is expected to plead guilty in a plea agreement reached last month and then be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Mountain Time at the El Paso County Courthouse.

The plea hearing and sentencing are expected to last about 90 minutes on Monday morning.



The Walmart shooter is the most lethal mass shooter to face justice in a U.S. courtroom. There have been deadlier mass shootings than the Walmart massacre, but all those gunmen either took their own lives or were killed by police.

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After the guilty plea and expected sentencing, people who were victims of the attack will be able to address the court about how the crime impacted their lives and the lives of their families.

Victim impact statements are expected to last until Wednesday.

More than 40 people have signed up to talk about the crime during this portion of the court proceedings, KTSM was told.

The Walmart shooter pleaded guilty in 2023 to federal charges and was sentenced to 90 consecutive life terms without possibility of parole.

Montoya said he made the decision not to pursue the death penalty on the state level after talking to families of the victims, shortly after taking office in January. He announced his decision last month.

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He said families want this case over and done with as soon as possible.

The states case has long been delayed. Montoya is the fourth DA to oversee the state prosecution of the case.

The case has been riddled with delays caused by the COVID pandemic, the forced resignation of previous DA Yvonne Rosales and defense allegations of prosecutorial misconduct against the office of her replacement, Bill Hicks.

This defendant will die in the penitentiary. He will not get out. He will die in prison. And fundamentally, thats what this comes down to: Are we going to drag this out? For a year, two years, for decades, so we can stick a needle into his arm? He will die in prison. Theres no doubt about that, Montoya said when he announced his decision not to pursue the death penalty.

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Special on-air coverage on KTSM 9 begins at 9:50 a.m. Monday. We will also livestream the proceedings on KTSM.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 KTSM 9 News.
In 2015, a brown and white puppy with floppy ears wandered onto Scotty and Dawn Dunton's ranch.

The couple already had dogs, so Dawn gave the pup to her friends.

Her friends had a female Great Pyrenees, and the new guy, Bosco, was a boxer-Anatolian-Pyrenees mix. So they let the pair breed because they figured they'd make great dogs.

They certainly did. One of Bosco's sons would grow up to rescue his own little wanderer: a 2-year-old boy named Bodin Allen lost under a full moon in the high desert. That dog, Buford, got famous this week after shepherding Bodin to Dawn and Scotty's ranch about 40 miles east of Kingman, Arizona.

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Rescuer in the wings: A sleepless, terrifying night ends with good news for Arizona family

Bodin made it about seven miles on foot, but Scotty found tracks indicating that Buford had reached him from at least a mile away. It's hard to tell what happened that night, but based on the boy's limited recounting of events, Buford slept with him under a tree, keeping him warm in the cold night.

Buford is at least 150 pounds and a whole lot of fluff.

The story has captured national attention, with news outlets eagerly sharing it. AI-generated childrens books about Buford and Bodin have begun to surface, along with YouTube videos featuring songs about their adventure. Meanwhile, Scottys been fielding calls from across the country, with people asking about Bufords favorite treats and promising to send gift baskets.

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Back in 2018, when Buford was just a puppy, Dawn pitched in to help her friends raise him and his eight sibling, taking over feeding and cleaning duties whenever they were out of town.

"I kind of tricked Scotty the one time," she said, laughing.

Scotty tells it that way too.

Dawn asked him once to help her feed the puppies. He obliged. While they were there, in the chaos of feeding time, she asked him which one he'd pick if he had to pick one.

"Eight of them are like, jumping on me, and running around yapping and stuff," Scotty said.

But there was one, chilling in the corner, who casually came over when the couple put the food out, ate, walked back to his corner and lay down.

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That would be the one, Scotty said.

And so it was. Buford became his Christmas present. The couple named him Buford after Buford T. Justice, the sheriff in the film "Smokey and the Bandit."

"He's by far the coolest dog we've had," Scotty said.

Buford was a good puppy. He only occasionally chewed on things, and any time Dawn told him no, he acted mortified that he'd broken the rules and then didn't repeat the infraction.

He adopted his calling young. When he was just about 1 year old, Dawn spotted Buford outside instinctually watching over a calf. From then on, he has guarded them and cuddled with them.

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He has since taken on an important job for the ranch. He patrols to keep out coyotes and mountain lions. He must be the stuff of legend among the animals around there because most of the time, the predators don't dare walk near the animals.

"He's a tough dog," Scotty said. "His bark wakes the dead."

He's only engaged in physical battle a couple times, that Scotty knows of. He's never returned home injured.

When Buford isn't guarding his calves and patrolling the ranch, he hangs out with family and even lets Scotty's niece paint his nails. He's gentle and patient with children.

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Buford is so gentle and patient that even when other dogs  like this Arizona Republic reporter's pup, Luci  rudely made a beeline for his food upon meeting him, he didnt seem to mind at all.

"He's just always been a real mellow dog," Scotty said.

For now, Buford doesn't know he's a star. But by next week, Scotty suspects half the UPS truck will be gifts from Buford's fans around the nation.

"He'll probably figure it out," Scotty said.

Thank you, Buford! Hero dog finds missing toddler who was 7 miles from Arizona home

Reach Caitlin McGlade at caitlin.mcglade@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on BlueSky, @caitmcglade.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How a wandering pup in Arizona led to the rescue of a wandering boy
Part of the tradition of the Easter dawn service atop Mount Penn is dressing for a chilly morning. Families wrap themselves in blankets while wearing heavy winter coats, scarves and mittens.

This year, the temperature during the 112th annual service nearly hit 60 degrees by the time it was over, but a stout wind kept the morning from being a truly sweater weather experience.

Easter, known as a moveable feast because of its changing dates, can occur between March 22 and April 25, determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.

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This years relatively balmy temperature drew more than 300 worshipers to the service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower in Lower Alsace Township.

A 15-minute delay in the start time due to power issues prompted emcee Mike Reinert, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Reading, to remind the congregants that Jesus spoke at a mountaintop service without a microphone as he was preparing to proceed without the electronic aids.

While waiting for power to be restored, Noah Lash, 9, munched on hard-boiled Easter eggs surrounded by his extended family, which arrived at the service in a large passenger van. His mother, Connie Lash of Mohnton, said loading up a van and heading up Mount Penn for Easter is a family tradition started by her father 38 years ago.

Noah Lash, 9, of Mohnton, enjoys some Easter eggs with his family during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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First-time attendees the Rev. Jim Gutacker and veterinarian Dr. Becky Frank met that morning while both were running up Mount Penn to attend the service, he from South 18th Street near Neversink Mountain and she from Friedensburg Road in Mount Penn.

A retired pastor from New Jersey, a flatlander, Gutacker and his wife moved to Reading after they retired.

Im making peace with the mountains, he said with a laugh, 800 feet of climbing.

Gutacker had just heard about the event and thought: I run that mountain all the time. I might as well run up for the service.

Frank learned about the sunrise service from a fellow choir member of her church, St. Johns Reformed in Sinking Spring. When she told the church organist, who also leads the choir, of her plans to run up the mountain with her dog Twister, the choir director told her: Well, dont break anything. Dont break your lungs.

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Ill have a warmed up voice since I ran here, and then Im running home, Frank said. Its really great to see the whole community come together and celebrate the risen Lord.

Rev. Jim Gutacker and Dr. Becky Frank DVM with her dog Twister, first-time attendees, met each other as they ran up the mountain during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Besides the late date and warmer weather, this Easter is being celebrated on the same day by both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western churches.

Craig Caltagirone from Calvary Mohnton United Methodist Church gave some background on why the two rarely coincide.

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The Eastern church utilizes the Julian calendar for its holy days, while the Western churches follow the Gregorian calendar, he said.

Craig Caltagirone of Calvary Mohnton United Methodist Church talks about Eastern Orthodox Easter falling on the same day as the Western church during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Today, Caltagirone said, We have that wonderful opportunity to recognize diversity while celebrating unity in the body of Christ.

The last time Easter coincided between the traditions was 2017.

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The service included a liturgical dance by the Unstoppable Youth of Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading, which co-sponsors the event and shares worship space with the founding congregation of the Mount Penn service, First Baptist Church.

The Unstoppable Youth of Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading perform a liturgical dance during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Jackson Garcia, youth pastor at Jesucristo Es El Rey, delivered the message, Hosanna to the King.

Jesus life had a clear and planned purpose, he said.

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Garcia reminded those who may be feeling lost or feeling that this year was not a good one that the Lord had plans for them.

God comes to resurrect and give you hope, he said. He understands our pain, our frustrations, our sadness, but through it all, He will be with us, Garcia said.

Jackson Garcia, youth pastor at Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading, delivers the message during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Other participants in the ecumenical service included the Rev. Calvin Kurtz, who led the worshipers in song and prayer; Rev. David Turley of First Baptist Church, who delivered the Invocation; Andrew Angstadt of Holy Guardian Angels School, who played the keyboards and led the hymns; Gretchen Manmiller, who read the gospel lesson; and Pastora Carol Pagan of Jesucristo Es El Rey, who led the congregation in song. Benjamin Reber sounded the shofar.

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Angelica Garcia, 20, leader of the Unstoppable Youth liturgical dance team, listens as her husband Jackson Garcia delivers the message Hosanna to the King during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

Next years Easter Dawn Service will be held on April 5.

Bundle up.

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Over 300 worshipers turned out for the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Worshipers sing the opening hymn during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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A couple listens to the Rev. Calvin Kurtz as he leads the worshipers in the opening hymn during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Noah Lash, 9, of Mohnton, enjoys some Easter eggs with his family during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Rev. Calvin Kurtz leads the congregation in an Easter prayer and the Lords Prayer during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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The Unstoppable Youth of Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading perform a liturgical dance during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Rev. Jim Gutacker and Dr. Becky Frank DVM with her dog Twister, first-time attendees, met each other as they ran up the mountain during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Craig Caltagirone of Calvary Mohnton United Methodist Church talks about Eastern Orthodox Easter falling on the same day as the Western church during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Jackson Garcia, youth pastor at Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading, delivers the message during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Jackson Garcia, youth pastor at Jesucristo Es El Rey church in Reading, delivers the message during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Angelica Garcia, 20, leader of the Unstoppable Youth liturgical dance team, listens as her husband Jackson Garcia delivers the message Hosanna to the King during the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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Over 300 worshipers turned out for the 112th Annual Easter Dawn Service at the William Penn Memorial Fire Tower atop Mount Penn on Sunday, April 20, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)

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NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Rain and snow have been moving through the state today, bringing very beneficial moisture. A few thunderstorms also developed across southern portions of the state. As we head into the later evening hours, these rain and snow showers will continue to push off to the east and eventually out of the region through the overnight hours.

Forecast Continues Below

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Drier weather will return to New Mexico by Sunday morning, but it will be a cold start to the day! A Freeze Watch is in effect for the Albuquerque Metro on Sunday morning, where low temperatures will get down to around freezing. More seasonable weather moves in by the afternoon, though with highs back to around average and sunny and calm conditions.

Warm temperatures will stick around every day next week, with dry conditions in the western half of the state. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will work its way into eastern New Mexico on Tuesday, bringing daily, isolated thunderstorm chances through the end of next week.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
In recent years, Washington has recorded a record number of students experiencing homelessness, according to data from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Pierce County school districts represent some of the largest populations of students experiencing housing instability.

According to some of the most recent data available from the OSPI, Washington recorded 42,436 homeless students in 2023, more than double the amount the state recorded more than a decade before in 2010.

According to a report from Building Changes, a Washington-based homeless advocacy group, Washington ranks sixth in the nation among states with the most students experiencing homelessness and fifth in the nation for percentage of students experiencing homelessness.

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According to the report, 3.8% of the total student population in Washington experienced homelessness during the 2022-23 school year.

The report defines homelessness as living in a shelter, unsheltered, a motel or hotel, or doubled-up, meaning they share housing with relatives, friends, or other people.

Roughly three quarters of students experiencing homelessness in Washington during the 2022-2023 school year were considered to be doubling-up, according to the report. Roughly 11% were living in shelters, 6% in hotels and motels and 7% percent were considered to be unsheltered.

Unsheltered is defined in the report as living in abandoned buildings, campgrounds, vehicles, trailer parks, Federal Emergency Management Agency shelters, bus or train stations, substandard or inadequate housing, on the streets, or in similar situations.

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Tacoma Public Schools (TPS) has been recognized to have the highest number of McKinney-Vento students in the state.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law to protect students experiencing housing instability, and it ensures that homeless children and youth have access to a public education. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

According to TPS spokesperson Kathryn McCarthy, the district was serving 2,685 students through McKinney-Vento programming during the 2023-2024 school year. Of those, 414 were considered unaccompanied youth.

McCarthy told The News Tribune the district recorded 2,389 students who were experiencing homelessness or considered unaccompanied youth during the 2024-2025 school year. Additionally, she said there are 202 students in foster care.

Impacts on student success

According to the report from Building Changes, students experiencing homelessness in Washington in 2023 had a 48 percent attendance rate. Housed students recorded a 71 percent attendance rate during the same year.

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In 2023, less than one-quarter of students experiencing homelessness were proficient in English Language Arts, according to the report. This was 29 percentage points lower than the rate for housed students and 12 points lower than the rate for housed low-income students.

Only 15% of students experiencing homelessness were considered to be proficient in math, while 41% of housed students met this standard.

Students experiencing homelessness were suspended from schools at more than double the rate of their housed peers.

In 2023, 63% of students experiencing homelessness graduated within four years, according to the statewide report. This was considerably lower than the 86% rate for all housed students and the 80% rate among housed low-income students.

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According to McCarthy, Tacoma Public Schools recorded an 83.2% on-time graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness in 2024, just 10% less than the on-time graduation rate for non-homeless students.

Tacoma Public Schools has a team of support staff focused on McKinney-Vento students.

McCarthy said the team includes: two family liaisons who provide direct support to McKinney-Vento students and families to address immediate needs and school-related concerns; a housing navigator who works to assist families in locating stable housing and navigate housing-related resources; a McKinney-Vento coordinator who oversees program implementation, compliance, and systemic support; and a staff member who focuses on graduation support, post-secondary planning, and removing barriers to academic success for McKinney-Vento students.

Our McKinney-Vento team focuses on removing barriers within the K12 public education system to ensure McKinney-Vento and foster care students have equitable access to the same opportunities as their housed peers, McCarthy told The News Tribune. Support is individualized based on student needs and often coordinated in partnership with community organizations.

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McCarthy said housing instability can create a number of barriers to student success, including disruptions that impact attendance rates and create educational gaps and create limits to basic needs like food, clothing and healthcare.

She also said housing instability can subject students to trauma and chronic stress that impacts mental health and social development.

In the 2022-23 school year, 46 grants totaling approximately $2.3 million in funding were given to 38 districts to support students experiencing homelessness through either the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act or the state Homeless Student Stability Education Program, according to the report. Clover Park School District, Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, and Tacoma Public Schools were among the districts that received funding.

According to the report from Building Changes, the 38 districts collectively enrolled just less than half of the students experiencing homelessness in the state while the other half of students resided in districts that did not receive grant funds specifically for homelessness efforts.
This week marks a moment of truth for Washingtons push to rein in Big Tech  a yearslong and often fruitless battle to curb the power of the worlds richest companies.

After years of empty threats from Congress, two major antitrust cases have landed two companies in court at once.

Google has now lost twice to the Department of Justice and faces a remedy trial Monday that could see the company broken up to fix its illegal monopoly in online search. Just down the hallway, Meta will kick off its second week in court defending itself against a breakup threat from the Federal Trade Commission.

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The cases have spanned two administrations and seem to unite tech critics on both the left and right. And if the government gets its way, the trials raise the real possibility of a reshaped Silicon Valley.

But Big Tech breakups are by no means assured. The government notched only a partial win against Google in last weeks ruling over its advertising monopoly, a stumble that makes a breakup less likely. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg has also expressed significant skepticism about the FTCs case against Meta.

President Donald Trump is the biggest wildcard. Despite pressure from MAGA supporters who regard Big Tech as the enemy, many in Washington believe the president sees these cases less as history-making pushback against corporate power and more as a form of leverage.

Trump has marketed himself as the kind of president who can be courted and is prepared to make law enforcement decisions based on his own personal best interests, said Rebecca Haw Allensworth, a Vanderbilt University law professor. And so what we know is that tech companies are trying to take advantage of this.

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All of the Big Tech companies have cozied up to Trump in some fashion, including by donating to his inaugural fund and sending their CEOs to Trumps inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg visited Trump personally in the White House before the start of the company's trial.

Trump has essentially done away with the independence of the FTC and has also reportedly discussed antitrust relief in exchange for concessions from Meta, at least. Whether he extends those discussions to Google  or even Amazon and Apple, who will soon face their own antitrust trials  remains an open question.

So far, Trump hasnt intervened, and both the Google and Meta trials are charging forward. A White House spokesperson did not respond when asked if Trump intends to weigh in on the Big Tech antitrust trials, or if he has spoken to antitrust enforcers about those cases.



There is a sense that the image of the Big Tech titans sitting at a prize table at the Trump inauguration demonstrates closeness between the Silicon Valley and the White House, said Anupam Chander, a law professor at Georgetown University. But the antitrust cases show that that is a superficial assessment.

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The president could always intervene down the line, however  particularly in the remedies phase, which Google is now grappling with in both of its antitrust cases. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta will hear the governments case that Google must spin off its Chrome browser, and possibly its Android operating system, to remedy its illegal monopoly over online search. A remedies trial in Googles advertising case, which it partially lost last week, has yet to be scheduled.

In an interview earlier this month, far-right lawyer and Trump adviser Mike Davis  who reportedly helped persuade Trump to keep the pressure on Meta  suggested it made more sense for the president to hold off on rescuing Big Tech until after an antitrust verdict, giving him more leverage to extract concessions.

Why would the president give away all of his negotiation power before the trial? Davis asked. Why wouldn't he wait until after the trial, when you get a massive verdict against Facebook, and then you have the negotiating power?



If the FTC convinces Boasberg that Meta has an illegal monopoly over social media, it will next try to spin off the tech giants acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. (You can listen to an analysis on the POLITICO Tech podcast here.) Davis said thats when it would be wiser for Trump to weigh in on Metas behalf  for a price, of course.

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If you do it before the trial, that's not The Art of the Deal, said Davis.

Even if Trump declines to put his thumb on the scale, both Meta and Google could come through this alive. The judge in Metas trial is openly skeptical of the governments case. And despite losing two antitrust cases, Google still has some powerful cards to play before it is broken up.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai is slated to take the stand in this weeks trial over his companys illegal search monopoly. Both he and Googles lawyers plan to argue that spinning off Chrome and possibly Android  which the Department of Justice has asked for  would cripple the companys ability to innovate in artificial intelligence.



Thursdays separate ruling, which found Google holds an illegal monopoly in two online advertising markets, may also fail to meet the bar for a forced breakup, after the judge rejected key parts of the governments case  including the DOJs assertion that Googles acquisition of digital advertising companies DoubleClick and Admeld were anticompetitive.

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Bill Kovacic, a George Washington University law professor who chaired the FTC at the end of the George W. Bush administration, said hes not sure how the government can force Google to sell off those acquisitions after its partial loss.

Im wondering exactly what they ask for  Im not sure, Kovacic said, explaining he no longer sees an obvious advertising platform for Google to spin off.

Trump could also order the DOJ to pull its punches in one or both of Googles remedy trials. Compared to Meta and Zuckerberg, there are fewer signs that the company is willing to make major concessions to the White House  in fact, Google faces growing pressure from top Republicans precisely because it hasnt bent the knee like Meta.

But during a Cabinet meeting earlier this month, Trump only had warm words for a company he once accused of being irreparably biased against him. I love Google, the president said. They didnt like me so much in the first administration, but they like me a lot now.

Allensworth said it's just chaos, honestly, trying to figure out without really knowing what Trump's priorities are here. ... I think Trump wants control of the agencies, and he wants to be able to use enforcement as a bargaining chip with powerful companies.
It was not Justin Welbys place to forgive the most prolific abuser associated with the Church of England, a bishop has said.



Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, the bishop of Newcastle, said forgiving John Smyth, a child abuser, is up to his victims, or God, and was an opinion Mr Welby should have kept to himself.



She also accused the former Archbishop of Canterbury of attempting to begin some rehabilitation process with his baffling decision to appear on BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg last month.



Mr Welby resigned as the Churchs most senior bishop in November after an independent review found he did not do enough to act on reports about Smyth.



Keith Makin, its author, concluded Mr Welby did not adequately follow up on claims about the Christian camp leader and barrister and that the abuser could have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported allegations to police in 2013.

John Smyth, a former barrister, abused as many as 130 boys and young men

In his first interview since officially leaving the role in January, Mr Welby told Kuenssberg he failed to handle allegations of historical sexual abuse of children properly because they were on an overwhelming scale.



Now, reacting to his interview, Dr Hartley, who was the first senior Church of England figure to call for Mr Welby to step down, said Mr Welbys latest comments had caused trauma to victims.

The former Archbishop of Canterbury engaged in his first interview since resigning with Laura Kuenssberg - Jeff Overs/BBC



On his decision to publicly forgive Smyth, she told the Daily Mail: I think thats for victims of Smyth to do. Thats for God.



It may be the Archbishops opinion, but its one that he should have kept to himself.



Regarding the interview itself, she said: I think it was baffling. And yet again its caused trauma to those abused.



Dr Hartley said she knew this because she had been contacted by both victims of Smyth and other cases within the Church.



Last year, the Makin Review found Smyth had subjected as many as 130 boys and young men to traumatic attacks across five decades in three different countries: the UK, Zimbabwe and South Africa.



He died in 2018 in Cape Town aged 75, while under investigation by Hampshire Constabulary, having never been brought to justice for the abuse.

Mr Welby resigned after an independent review found him to have not adequately followed up on claims regarding Smyth - Asadour Guzelian

While he initially resisted calls to resign ahead of the publication of the Makin review, Mr Welby eventually confirmed he would be stepping down days after it was released, saying he took personal and institutional responsibility for his handling of the allegations.



The following month, Mr Welby faced further criticism for his final speech in the House of Lords, in which he said that while safeguarding in the Church of England was a completely different picture to the past, it was clear he had to quit.



He was criticised as a result and apologised the next day for overlooking the experience of survivors.

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JACKSONVILLE, Texas (KETK)  A man was taken into custody on Sunday after eight to ten gunshots were fired inside the Super Gallo grocery store in Jacksonville, according to a press release.

Minor arrested after alleged threat made to Carthage daycare

Jacksonville Police Department Chief of Police Steven Markasky said the four hour long standoff started after a man walked into Super Gallo and entered the business office where he fired several gunshots at the ceiling. The business was then evacuated, according to a Jacksonville PD press release.

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Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson confirmed the man was barricaded inside the office and was occasionally firing rounds into the ceiling. According to Dickson, the local SWAT team arrived at the scene and waited for the Texas Department of Public Safetys SWAT team to arrive so they could help end the standoff.

Photo of Amado Urquiza, 38 of Jacksonville, courtesy of Jacksonville PD.

The Texas Department of Public Safety SRT and Crisis Negotiation Response Team arrived at the store and after four hours of calling out to him, the man was taken into custody without incident, officials said. A press release identified the man taken into custody as Amado Urquiza, 38 of Jacksonville.

Markasky said there were no injuries reported from the shots fired. He added that theyre currently processing the scene for evidence and that theres no threat to the public as of Sunday afternoon.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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From the Dispatch Faith on The Dispatch

Happy Sunday, and, for fellow Christians, happy Easter! (He is risen!)

Its sometimes so hard to communicate something fresh about a holiday, event, or idea that we routinely interact with. But in contemplating what millions of Christians around the world are celebrating todayJesus Christs resurrectionContributing Writer Jake Meador focuses on key imagery taken from the Old Testament that Christians may see anew on Easter.

Jake Meador: Water From Stone

Illustration by Adria Volta.

Theres an odd story tucked away in the Hebrew Bible about the Israelites and their wilderness wanderings after their escape from Egypt. It being the desert and there being quite a lot of Israelites, food and water were constant worries for the people, for reasons one can understand. But God persistently supplies Israel with the food and water that it needs even as the people continue to worry and complain.

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In the story I am thinking of, he does it in a particularly surprising way: God instructs Moses, the leader of the Israelites, to take his walking stick and strike a large rock in the sight of the Israelites. Then, God promised, he would cause water to come from the rock, so Moses does that and the Israelites receive water.

The image of water flowing from a rock is an image of EasterJesus Christs resurrection surprising as that might seem. To understand why, consider a marvelous poem by the Catholic poet and memoirist Mary Karr.

It is part of a broader series of poems she has written, all with the title Descending Theology. In her poem on the resurrection (which you can read in full here) the arresting revelation comes in the final couplet, which in the sonnet form she is using is often where the problem of the first three quatrains is resolved. Thus the poem that begins by considering Jesus deathand he really was deadand how In the corpses core, the stone fist / of his heart began to bang, resolves with this:

its your limbs he comes to fill, as warm water shatters at birth, rivering every way.

Im not sure youll find a more distilled, condensed account of the Christian understanding of the resurrection than those two lines. And note the final image: birthing waters, rivering out from a stone tomb and filling the world. The Christian claim, as Karr puts it so beautifully, is that a man who was dead (and who was also God) came back to life. And now he seeks to fill you with the same resurrected life that he took up on Easter Sunday, if you would respond to his call and follow him into life, light, and love. Those who thirst can find water herea stone tomb that is now empty.

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Today Christians are celebrating because we believe this claim, made unanimously by the church down through the ages, is true: Early on a Sunday morning after Passover sometime around 30 AD near Jerusalem, a recently executed man condemned as a criminal by the Roman civil authorities and accused of blasphemy by the Jewish religious authorities came back to life. And we believe something further, and perhaps, if possible, even stranger: that that same man who was murdered and returned to life was actually a union of God and man, that he was, himself, God, come down to earth as a man, like an author writing himself into the story he was writing. This means that the Christian claims here are both universalizing and radical in what they mean about the basic nature of reality, and of life and death.

Saying all of this in our current context is both necessary and, I suspect, somewhat fraught. The place of religion in Americas public life, particularly Christianity as it is Americas most practiced religion, is a deeply contested and complicated issue today.

On the one hand, there are those who, in a metaphor used by J.R.R. Tolkien in a letter, want religion to basically be a kind of supplement to help some human machines run moderately better. But it isnt strictly needed. Viewed this way, religious practice is a tool some of us use to help us deal with life, perhaps to help us find community or connect with family or even some deeper part of ourselves. When viewed this way, many think religion is perfectly fine. The trouble begins, they say, when people (mostly Christians in the American context) start acting as if their religion is universally true, as if everyone has to reckon with it in some sense, as if it cant simply be relegated to a negotiable and privatized domain of life kept safely away from questions of common life. When politicians speak not of freedom of religion but freedom of worship they are working with this sort of constrained understanding of religion and public life.

The trouble is that the basic nature of the Christian claims dont really allow for such constraints. Christians dont believe that Jesus had some good ideas about life that can be found just as easily elsewhere. Christians believe that Jesus was God, that he was dead because a bunch of powerful people murdered him, and then  he wasnt dead. Not only that, but by reversing death, as Jesus does, he does that not only for himself but for all who are subject to death.

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St. Paul says that Jesus is the firstfruits of the dead. This is an agrarian term, referring to the first produce in a crop. The first fruits are a sign that more fruit is coming, like them. So Jesus resurrection is a sign that death itself is defeated and more resurrection is on the wayincluding your own, one day. Is this good news or bad? Imagine a person propelled through life by selfishness or greed or anger or some other vice, something actively harming them and hindering their relationships with others. Now imagine that person having an eternity to sink deeper into those evils. To exist forever as a person like that sounds horrid. But, Christians, believe, resurrection is coming, like it or not. So those who would have resurrection be a cause for joy and not for grief, have only one thing to do, as St. Paul exhorted his readers: Repent, follow Jesus, be baptized.

These claims that the church makes are not claims about how some people can make their lives better. These are claims about the basic nature of reality. So you cant really reduce them to a form of privatized therapy. Resurrection is coming. It can be good news for you or it can be bad. What it cant be is a matter of indifference.

On the other hand, some Christians take the radical and universalizing nature of Christian claims, vindicated on Easter Sunday, to mean that Christians have a unique calling to dominate the world because Christians have unique knowledge of what is true about the world. But to read Easter in this way also badly misses the point, as the simple facts of Easter weekend make plain.



Jesus himself rejected the possibility of domination during his life on earth. Early in St. Matthews Gospel he is tempted with an offer of global domination by Satan and rejects it. Later, as he is dying on the cross, some in the crowd taunt him and say that if he is really God then he should come off the cross and destroy his enemies. But Jesus does not.

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Instead he allows himself to be mocked, ridiculed, beaten, spit upon. In Karrs words, he consents to have oafs stretch you out / on a crossbar as if for flight, then thick spikes / fix you into place.

The events of Easter are a vindication of Christian claims about life and death. But a vindication of dominance politics, acquisitiveness, greed, and the destruction of enemies they very much are not, for such things are foreign to the moral wisdom of the faith laid out in the scriptures.

We might put the matter this way: Ours is a moment when many are fearful of their perceived enemies. We then allow this fear to drive us to behave monstrously in search of their destruction and our imagined safety. This is the story playing out now in our politics and with the support, to our shame, of many Christians.

The events of Holy Week suggest a better path: On the cross, Jesus shows his enemies mercy. He might have struck out at them. But he didnt. And in return for his mercy he received death and violence. Is that not what we fear? Is that not why we fail in mercy? We fear what we will lose if our mercy is met with violence in return.

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In his resurrection, the mercy of Jesus is vindicated, not because his human enemies are destroyed, driven before him in fear and despair. The mercy of Jesus is vindicated, rather, because the resurrection shows us that the worst thing an enemy can do to us when we show mercy is not so ultimate or final as we fear. Mercy is vindicated because death is defeated. Mercy is vindicated because the resurrection has come and more resurrections are on their way, as new life rivers outward from the stone. The question Christianity poses: Will you allow your own limbs to be filled with it?

John McCormack: Get Out By Good Friday, Feds Say to Afghan Christians

Photo illustration by Noah Hickey/The Diispatch. (Photo via Unsplash)

Earlier this week, my colleague John McCormack reported a puzzling, infuriating story for our site: Afghan Christians who sought (and were granted) legal protection in the U.S. recently received a notice from the Department of Homeland Security telling them to get outby Good Friday.

Ahmad has no plans of self-deporting to face the Taliban and still hopes his asylum claim will be granted. I cannot think of going back to Afghanistan, he told The Dispatch. The Taliban soldiers, the leaders, they somehow think they are serving God  if they can kill Americans, if they can kill Christians.  I will not survive. Hayes Thielman, a pastor at Apostles Church, told The Dispatch that the congregation, which is predominantly white and leans politically conservative, is rallying behind the Afghan members of the congregation now living in fear of being deported to a country where they would be persecuted or killed. Were raising money to get immigration lawyers, said Thielman. He noted the bitter irony that on the day Jesus was crucified, Christians who were fleeing persecution are being sent out of our country.

People like Andre Mann helped get Ahmad and others out of Afghanistan. Earlier this Holy Week, they were pondering what to do in light of the orders for them to go back.

Mann believes, based on his personal interactions, that there are many Christians who are among the Afghans being told to leave the country. Their lives were in danger. They were getting hunted. They didnt want to leave Afghanistan, but they had to flee, Mann told The Dispatch. Its unknown whats actually going to happen, whether this letter is just kind of to scare them and see if theyll leave or whether, come Friday, someones going to show up at their doorstep because [federal agents] have their addresses because theyve legally been here. Mann said he hoped the Trump administration would reverse course after realizing just how vulnerable of a population Afghan asylum seekers are: As an American, I would hope that the U.S. would be the last place that someone whos fled religious persecution is afraid for their life.

Read the whole thing.

More Sunday Reads

Ive discussed televangelist-turned-presidential-adviser Paula White before, along with the history of the White House Faith Office. For the Wall Street Journal, Aaron Zitner profiled White and included looks at her history with President Donald Trump and the degree to which she uses her connections with him in her questionable (and, in my view, theologically dubious) ministry. She has built a national profile preaching a strain of Christianity that holds that God can offer the faithful good health and prosperity. Some critics label such teaching the prosperity gospel for tying divine gifts to financial contributionsa label White and others reject. She counts musician Kid Rock and model Tyra Banks as friends. In her autobiography, she said she had ministered to members of the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was called to Michael Jacksons Neverland Ranch when the late pop star was facing criminal charges. When White got married for the third time, to Jonathan Cain, keyboard player for the rock band Journey, she began using the surname White-Cain. Her husband often appears in her video sermons from behind a piano. White said critics have been unfairly dismissive in describing her ministry. Prosperity gospel is a pejorative, White said, Zitner writes. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has criticized the fundraising messages White delivers in appeals like the Passover-Easter sermon, calling her a theological nutcase who is selling the promises of God in the guise of fundraising for a ministry. Speaking recently on his podcast, Mohler, who supported Trump last year, said Whites strain of teaching turns into a very manipulative theological system, and that he was concerned about the number of Trump supporters who subscribe to it.

How much do you know about Quakersalso known as the members of the Religious Society of Friends? They are perhaps most well known for unprogrammed worship. But did you know most of the worlds Quakers live in Africa? Calvin Manika explains for Religion Unplugged: Quakerism  also known as the Religious Society of Friends  is a Christian movement emphasizing direct experience of God, the equality of all people and a life of simplicity and peace, with a history rooted in 17th-century England. Africa is home to the largest Christian population in the world. Constance Maina, a Kenyan Quaker, said she believes, as do many friends in Africa, that the Bible is central to her faith and identity as a Quaker. My faith is hinged to Quakerism because it is the way I can help encourage my community and people to read the Bible, Maina said. Quakerism in Africa aligns more closely with evangelical Protestant traditions, incorporating hymns, Bible readings, and prayers. The exception is in South Africa, where unprogrammed, silent meetings in the British tradition are the norm.

As we noted in a past edition of Dispatch Faith, this year the Western celebration of Easter and the Eastern celebration of Pascha occur on the same date. Which leads to stories like this one, reported by Jim Graves of the National Catholic Register: Father Richard Sofatzis, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Sydney, has a very personal perspective on the issue. He grew up in a mixed Catholic and Orthodox environment, since his father is Greek Orthodox and his mother, who died in 2017, was Catholic. The priests Catholic mother, who was born in England, and his Greek Orthodox father, who was born on the Greek island of Lemnos, agreed before their marriage to baptize and raise their children in the Catholic faith, but to send them to a Greek Orthodox primary and secondary school. At Easter, Father Sofatzis family would have double traditions and double celebrations, he said, noting that, as children, he and his siblings always enjoyed celebrating Easter twice  doing all the usual things, like chocolate eggs, for Catholic Easter and, a few weeks later, the Greek traditions for Greek Easter. The fact that Easter is the same this year is, I think, really important, Father Sofatzis said. Im really hoping more than anything else, even if [Catholics and Orthodox] cant achieve full unity, we could work towards that common date for Easter  something Ive been looking forward to for many years.

A Good Word Sight

To end the newsletter this week, an image from one of the Holy Week celebrations. Happy Easter.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during the ceremony of the "Holy Fire" at the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem's Old City on the eve of Orthodox Easter, which this year aligns with the Western church calendar. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Norman confirmed five tornadoes developed last night across several cities in southern Oklahoma.

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings across Oklahoma between Saturday evening and early Sunday morning, including in Love, Hughes, Pontotoc and Marshall counties, where the confirmed tornadoes occurred.

More: 'Historical' flooding in Moore leaves adult, 12-year-old dead, dozens of high-water events

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Bruce Thoren, a meteorologist at the local NWS, said tornadoes were present in Ada and near Courtney, Oswalt, Lebanon and Spaulding. More areas are under investigation, such as an area in Carter County, three miles away from the city of Wilson.

"There are double-digit tornado tracks that we're going to look at," he said.

A tornado that swept through Marshall County left two homes completely destroyed and damaged about 20, said Marshall County Emergency Management Director William Macon, who added that the department was conducting assessments Sunday morning. The Powell Church of Christ and a gas station called Crossroads at the intersection of highway 77 and highway 32 were also damaged.

"Some of them were severely damaged. We had trees down, powerlines down, road signs damaged, trees damaged. Private property damaged-sides, roofs, windows all blown out  things like that," Macon said.

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However, no injuries or fatalities were reported, Macon said.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Services stated that six homes in Marshall County were damaged as a result of tornadoes, according to a situation update. Powerlines and trees were also down in the area.

The state agency also reported two injuries and several residential and commercial properties damaged in Pontotoc County, including Quality Inn and the North Hills Center, where an overturned semi-truck was seen in the parking lot.

Love County Emergency Management Director Trenton Barrick said only one home in the county in Courtney was damaged by the tornado.

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The Hughes County Emergency Department could not be reached for comment, but the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Services stated that two homes were found damaged in Spaulding.

Carter County Emergency Department could not be reached for comment because the offices are closed during weekends and no damage was reported to the state department.

Numerous water rescues occured Saturday night, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Services said in the update.

This story was updated to include new information.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Were there tornadoes over the weekend in Oklahoma? Find out more
PORTAGE, Mich. (WOOD)  Hundreds of people gathered in Portage and Grand Rapids Saturday to protest actions taken by President Donald Trumps administration, joining a wave of demonstrations across the country.

In Portage, more than 230 people lined Westnedge Avenue for a protest similar to a Hands Off! demonstration earlier this month. Demonstrators waved signs directed against the administrations policies and cuts by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

Protesters gather in Portage on April 19, 2025. Protesters gather in Portage on April 19, 2025. Protesters gather in Portage on April 19, 2025.

Dozens in Grand Rapids protest opening of ICE facility near Baldwin

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Those who spoke with News 8 said they were worried about the direction the government is heading in domestic and foreign policy, as well as cost cutting.

One protester said she works as a caregiver and worries that programs like Medicaid could be cut, leaving clients without important services.

It breaks my heart because Ive done my job since Ive been in college. I have been so humbled. Something I have learned from my job is unconditional love, Samantha Wright said. Its the unconditional love they taught me. I think thats something that these legislators are not aware of, and thats what breaks my heart.

GOPs legal threats sink Democrats billboard attacks over Medicaid

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Some cars honked their horns in support of the protest, while other drivers heckled demonstrators with pro-Trump slogans and hand gestures.

Protesters in downtown Grand Rapids on April 19, 2025.

Meanwhile, in downtown Grand Rapids, hundreds of protesters gathered at Calder Plaza and lined the street. They chanted and carried signs bearing messages like make love more contagious than measles, disarm DOGE and everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

I care about everybody. Its a lot of injustice, inequities and unethical things thats going on across the globe and here across the United States. And Im just sad. Im disappointed. Im angry, Dee Jones, who spoke at the event, told News 8. But I can do something. I can step up and I can lead, so thats why I chose to speak up.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
POLK COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  For 69 years crowds of people have spent Easter morning at Chimney Rock State Park, watching the sun rise over Lake Lure during an early morning service to celebrate the Easter holiday.

Unfortunately, due to damage caused by Hurricane Helene, the park was unable to play host to its usual ceremonies this year. But organizers and the faithful still found a way to keep the annual tradition alive at Tryon Equestrian Center.

Crowds piled into the equestrian center early Sunday morning for a special service and watched as the sun rose over over the center and surrounding fields.

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It was slightly emotional, said Emily Walker, director of Chimney Park management, said. In the audience today were so many people from the village and from Lake Lure, and a lot of us dont see it other like we used to. We are disconnected and we try to limit our time there and stay out of the way of the construction and so on and so forth. It was amazing to see all the same faces in a different place but it had the same feeling.

Like much of Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock  the state park and the surrounding village  saw significant damage from Hurricane Helene. Six months after the hurricane hit, the park and village remain closed to the public while efforts to rebuild are under way.

Earlier this month North Carolina Department of Transportation announced it has selected locations for temporary bridges into the area and construction crews continue to rebuild homes and businesses washed away by flood waters and mudslides.

Despite the difficult times the community is facing, ceremonies like the sunrise service continue to hold a special place for those who attend.

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For a lot of people they have been coming their entire lives we meet people and get letters from people who have come since they were one years old and now they are coming with their grand kids, said Walker.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
(NEXSTAR)  Its been nearly two years since the Department of Health and Human Services recommended the Drug Enforcement Administration reschedule marijuana in the U.S.

That process has, however, stalled after the proceedings were put on pause in January. Despite the pause, some hoped the then-incoming administration could get the ball rolling again after President Donald Trump expressed support for marijuana legalization on the campaign trail.

Less than 100 days into Trumps term, that hasnt happened. Efforts throughout the country to legalize marijuana, however, havent slowed down.

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Heres what to know.

Will marijuana be rescheduled?

Marijuana may still be rescheduled from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug. The process has historically played out over years and even decades, Paul Armentano, the deputy director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), told Nexstar.

Can TSA stop you for marijuana in your luggage?

In 1972, NORML petitioned the DEA  then the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs  to make cannabis a Schedule II drug. It wasnt until 1988 that a DEA law judge issued an opinion, which recommended cannabis be rescheduled. Two years later, the DEA rejected the decision. Following rounds of litigation, the petition ultimately died in 1994, more than two decades after it had been filed.

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There have been other attempts since, all taking roughly four to eight years to be resolved, Armentano said. That makes the current delay not surprising at all, he added.

What could get the case going again is Trump, Heather Trela, director of operations and fellow at the Rockefeller Institute. Trelas research is focused primarily on marijuana policy.

If marijuana is rescheduled, will it be legalized nationwide?

If President Trump made this a priority, I think this would move, she explained, noting, however, that this does not appear to be one of his biggest priorities early in his administration.

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Armentano and Trela pointed to those Trump has appointed to lead key agencies dont have much of an appetite for taking up marijuana issues.

Whats the future of marijuana legalization, rescheduling?

I would have told you 25, 30 years ago that you would never have a situation where 39 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana and 24 states have legalized adult use of marijuana, in flagrant contradiction of federal law, Armentano said.

He pointed to a similar situation in the U.S.s history: Prohibition. As Armentano explained, amid an unpopular federal policy, states began defying the ban on alcohol. Ultimately, the federal government turned the decision over to the states while stepping in regarding aspects like taxation, advertising, and interstate commerce.

A bill introduced in the House on Thursday could do just that, Lauren Daly, interim executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, told Nexstar. The bipartisan STATES 2.0 Act would end the federal prohibition of cannabis and allow states to determine their own cannabis policies.

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Bigger Social Security payments going out this month: Do you qualify?

With 24 states that have already enacted adult-use legalization laws, its long past time for Congress to move forward with federal cannabis reform, Daly said.

A national move to legalize marijuana may be further down the road, Trela suggested, depending on what else is going on in politics.

If were facing other issues that are bigger and more immediate, I think some of this legalization is going to be pushed more to the side, she explained.

Other bills introduced in Congress thus far have called for the prohibition of tax deductions or credits for marijuana businesses to continue, regardless of whether it is rescheduled. No actions have been taken on those pieces of legislation.

Where do state legalization efforts stand?

More than three dozen states have legalized some form of medical marijuana already. Nearly half have legalized it for recreational use among adults. This has all happened since 2010, marking a fairly amazing political achievement for such a short period of time, according to Armentano, reflecting an increasingly positive opinion on cannabis.

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Four states had marijuana-related legislation on the ballot in November. In addition to Florida, voters in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska had a marijuana-related question on the ballot. Only Nebraska saw the measures pass.

I would say success [for marijuana legalization] has slowed, but efforts have not slowed down, Trela said. NORML is tracking over 120 pieces of state level marijuana-related legislation, Armentano noted.

Hertz says some customers personal info exposed in breach

Meanwhile, some states that have already legalized marijuana are seeing efforts to roll back voter-approved laws or repeal them. That includes Ohio, where some have been trying to rewrite the recreational marijuana law voters approved two years ago.

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Other states are making adjustments to aspects of the law, like lowering legal potency levels, Trela said. In some cases, like Virginia, lawmakers have been unable to pass a sales bill, so while possessing cannabis is legal, there is nowhere in the state to legally purchase it.

Were contending with a perception that many have that legalization is inevitable, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us, Daly said.

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(NewsNation)  Across the nation, 10 ZIP codes have seen noticeable drops in home prices since 2024, with costs dropping by up to 25%, according to new research from Realtor.com.

Notably, the 12-month tumble in listing prices was not confined to one region or state. The reasons behind the dropoffs are varied, according to Hannah Jones, a senior economic research analyst.

In the report, Jones said these locales housing markets are likely already regulating themselves.

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Areas where prices climbed quickly may be seeing a correction. ZIPs where inventory has started to build up, as is the case in much of the south, could see prices fall as sellers look to attract buyer attention, Jones said.

Where to buy or sell a home this spring, according to Zillow

Spotswood, New Jersey

The location with the sharpest decline in home prices is Spotswood, a small town located roughly 40 miles outside New York City.

The current median home price is $449,000, down 25% year-over-year.

South Elgin, Illinois

Situated along Illinois Fox River about an hour outside of Chicago, South Elgin recorded a 25% drop in home prices in the last year.

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The median home price comes in at $384,900.

Carlsbad, California

Carlsbad is one of the most expensive areas on the list, with median home list prices hitting a whopping $1.19 million.

Located just north of San Diego, the California citys pricey listings dropped 25% year-over-year.

White Castles new spring merchandise line includes a bounce house

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolinas capital has seen a 25% drop in home prices in the last 12 months, with median prices ringing in at $465,000.

Tomah, Wisconsin

Central Wisconsins city of Tomah saw a similar 25% drop in home prices in the past year. Median home listing prices dropped to $225,000.

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Other areas with the steepest price drops include DeQuincy, Louisiana (25%); North Miami Beach, Florida (25%); San Jose, California (25%); York, Maine (24.9%); and Schenectady, New York (24.9%).

There are signs that this spring homebuying season is shaping up to be more favorable for home shoppers than its been in recent years  as long as they can afford to buy.

Home prices are rising more slowly. Mortgage rates remain elevated, but have been mostly easing and could be headed lower if the U.S. economic outlook continues to darken over the Trump administrations widespread tariffs, which have rattled financial markets and stoked fears of a recession.

Most importantly, the number of homes on the market is up sharply from a year ago.

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While the inventory of homes for sale nationally is still low by historical standards, active listings  a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale  surged 28.5% last month from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings jumped between 44% and 68% in many large metro areas, including San Diego, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Washington D.C.

As homes take longer to sell, prices have started dropping in many markets. The median listing price was down last month from a year earlier in most of the nations biggest 50 metro areas, including a more than 6% drop in Austin, Miami and Kansas City.

These trends should give prospective homebuyers more leverage as they negotiate with sellers this spring, though they are unlikely to be a game-changer for many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market after years of soaring prices.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Deep in northwestern Westphalia, Germany, stands a twelfth-century castle conceived by Heinrich Himmler, leader of the paramilitary Schutzstaffel, as a kind of Camelot for the triumphal knights of the Aryan race. The Wewelsburg Castle was also a fantasy nerds dream come true. In its bowels lies an occult enclave straight out of Cecil B. DeMille: an Arthurian-style set of catacombs designed to look medieval but actually made of concrete. Above, in the Hall of the Supreme S.S. Leaders, theres a marble floor inlaid with a design of the Black Sun, or Sonnenrada circle containing swastika-like arms that epitomizes Nazi striving to create an idealized Norse-Aryan past for themselves. Himmler started renovations on the castle in the mid-1930s; the Nazi paradise he built was meant to host S.S. ceremonies, such as handing particularly distinguished murderers the Totenkopfring, a ring adorned with the signature S.S. skull but also a variety of quasi-Nordic runes and symbolic oak leaves, designed by Himmlers personal occultist, a purportedly clairvoyant mystic by the name of Karl Wiligut.

The Nazis, in short, were obsessed with legend and magic. Consider the swastika itself: First written about in Germany by the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, who discovered the symbol in the ruins of Troy in 1868, the swastika was seized on by Hitlerwhose birthday falls on Easter Sunday this yearas emblematic of the idealized, quasi-mythical Aryan race he sought to recreate. More to the point, the Nazis were murder nerds, LARPing as wizards of racial superiority as they committed very real atrocities. And the same is true of their successors today. Partly aping their dead heroes and partly engaged in a similar delusionself-mythologizing as the scions of an ancient white raceneo-Nazis are a remarkably myth-oriented bunch. This manifests in a lot of different ways, like engaging in werewolf-themed cultic neopaganism or dedicating themselves to Norse gods. Or, in a recent newsworthy example, following the Order of the Nine Angles, a late-twentieth-century neo-Nazi pseudoreligion that seeks to turn its adherents into racially pure Satanic wizards.

Earlier this week, a Waukesha, Wisconsin, teenager and devotee of the Order of the Nine Angles, or ONA, was charged with murdering his mother and stepfather and plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump, in order to further the Orders goals of a world plunged into chaotic violence. Jewish occupied governments must fall. The white race cannot survive unless America collapses, the 17-year-old, Nikita Casap, wrote in a manifesto. Huge amounts of violence will be required. He called himself a niner (a Nine Angles devotee) and encouraged his imitators to read a variety of extremist books. In doing so, Casap drew on nearly a century of blood-drenched legacy in his pairing of violent death with a potent dose of magical thinking.

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The symbol of the Order of the Nine Angles looks, more than anything, like a mutilated cats cradle, just as their ideology is a muddle of inverted myths, profligate cruelty, and pure bigotry. Its a religion of shock and destruction, and as such, it has appealed particularly to young menteens seeking to break away from their parents, and aimless mid-twenties men who want to blaze a path of dubious glory by blood.

The movement was created in the 1970s by a British neo-Nazi named David Myatt, nicknamed the Cat Strangler by his friends because of his affinity for torturing animals. His ideology reflects the charming sobriquet. In 1999, a 22-year-old man reportedly inspired by Myatts book A Practical Guide to Aryan Revolution planted bombs embedded with nails in areas frequented by Londons minority and gay communities, injuring 129 people and killing three. In Myatts work and speeches, an increasingly elaborate cosmology is paired with direct calls to terrorist action, all in the service of ushering in an eschatological race war. Affiliated with the so-called Left-Hand Path of magicdark or black magicthe ONA offers such occult hokum as a world divided into the seven branches of the Tree of Wyrd, a creator deity named Vindex, and individual cells called nexions.

Its a religion of edgelords whove cliff-dived over the edge into madness.

The chief tenet of the Order of the Nine Angles, though, is chaos. Its a religion of edgelords whove cliff-dived over the edge into madness. The creation of chaosideally through violence, particularly murder and rapeis a form of magic, which, if enacted often enough and brutally enough, will destabilize a moral order dominated by Magian (Jewish) and Nazarene (Christian) morality. The ultimate goal of the Order is a climactic race war, which will usher in a new Aeon, or agein essence, a Thousand-Year Reich. With enough chaos magic unleashed on the world through acts of violencethe more spectacular the better, like Casaps would-be assassination of Trumpthe Dark Imperium led by evil wizards will commence.

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According to the ONA, Judeo-Christian morals, such as Dont rape and murder people, and racial equality, human rightsthose are part of a worldwide illusion, Barrett Gay, a threat-analysis researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told me in an interview. Part of becoming self-actualized and pursuing the eternal Imperium is to act out the taboos of that system, and by doing so you take away its power. They practice a more mystical form of accelerationism: They believe they can destabilize the entire moral fabric of our civilization through mystically boosted, but also very real, murder and rape. They also, Gay added, get into some weirder stuff, like an Aryan empire in space.

The movement made the transcontinental jump from the U.K. to the United States by the mid-1990s, but took off in the early 2000s. One early and prominent American branch got the cheesily murderous name the Tempel ov Blood. The cult spread among neo-Nazis on the now-defunct white supremacist forum Iron March; according to Gay, until quite recently, information on the Order was hard to come by unless you already knew what you were looking for, deep in the fever swamps of Telegram. It isnt, in and of itself, a path to radicalization: Its a method of making murderers out of those already inclined toward white supremacist ideals; an instrument of self-justification and self-aggrandizement. It isnt especially innovative, either: The Ku Klux Klan wore robes and called themselves wizards too.



All of the Order of the Nine Angles seminal texts are written in a pseudo-elevated tone, larded with jargon that reads like a particularly depraved D&D campaign. Rites such as the Black Mass of Heresy open with adulation of Hitler and include chants like:

We believe in justice for our oppressed comrades

And seek an end to the world-wide

Persecution of National-Socialists.

We believe in the magick of our wyrd

And curse all who oppose us.

This is, to put it mildly, dorky; its generally a social faux pas to chant loudly about the magick of your wyrd. Its also part of a murderous doctrine of total amorality. These two things go together better than you think; as events around us are illustrating all the time, things can be ridiculous and awful all at once. The Sevenfold Way of the Order dictates an incremental increase in violencewith a particular focus on sexual violence, which is something of an obsession in the creedalong with personal asceticism and the military or paramilitary training common among neo-Nazi groups of all stripes. To put it another way: The rigmarole of the order is an occult support structure for the endgame of creating a decentralized army of racist rapists and murderers. And its been quite successful.

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Theres been a lot of murder, and a great many terror attempts and attacks, inspired by this ideology.

Theres been a lot of murder, and a great many terror attempts and attacks, inspired by this ideology. Its been taken up by a number of neo-Nazi groups as their chosen niche sub-ideology, and has inspired lone gunners like Casap, along with multiple rapes and widespread dissemination of child pornography (in keeping with its doctrine of sexual depravity). In 1997, members of a Swedish affiliate group murdered a gay Algerian man in a Gothenburg park, as part of a human sacrifice (which ONA literature refers to as a culling). In 2008, eight young Russian Satanists killed four teenagers in the Yaroslavl region, fried their hearts over a bonfire, ate them, and buried the bodies in a peat bog; an ONA cult dedicated to their deeds sprang up in the region. The pace picked up in the 2010s and 2020s; affiliates of the Order were charged with possessing child pornography, planning terror attacks, multiple child rapes, and murders. In 2022, a U.S. soldier and Order member was caught plotting to ambush members of his unit in order to cause the deaths of as many soldiers as possible. The same year, an 18-year-old in London murdered two sisters in a park after signing a pact with a demon in blood, promising to sacrifice only women.

Why are murder and magic so intertwined for these adherents? Whether you wear Crusader gear, don a skull ring bedecked with runes, chant black masses, or sacrifice to Odin, it all serves the same goal: Its a process of bonding and becoming. Neo-Nazis lean so heavily on myth because their ideology is prima facie absurd; the purported oppression of whites needs tortuous, even mythological explanations to ring remotely true. Hence the dorky architecture propping up all that manic violence. It serves social and psychological purposes too: The commission of crimes in service of an ideology binds one tighter to it. Embracing a faith that is repugnant and outlandish to outsiders shuts one off from the rest of the world. And the profession of belief in concert with others is one of the most ancient, and simple, forms of human communion.

Its also a big confidence booster, at age 17, to think youre at one with the underlying forces of the cosmos. Even if youre not one hundred percent sold on the magick of your wyrd, its exciting to be part of a secret scary movement that does scary things, and know you can scare or impress people just by being part of it. Its one thing to post racist things online from the comfort of your home; another thing entirely to embrace the notion that you are a master of magic, a powerful wizard whose bloodletting will usher in an Imperium of racially pure enlightenment. To wield that kind of power is to be wondrous; to stride atop multiple planes of reality.

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In other words, the appeal of evil wizardry is, on some level, the same as the desire to be Harry Potter: to be the most special boy in the world. These ideologies dangle just that promise, convincing people around the world that shooting your mother will make you a wizard, instead of just another killer. Thats what creates murder nerds, and the myths and legends that support them: the urge to achieve a great apotheosis and to do so via the blunt instruments of the knife, the gun, and the pain of others.

In Westphalia, the Wewelsburg Castle is now a museum of the horrors of the S.S. Despite Himmlers grandiose desire to drench his murders in myth and mystery, the elaborate occult ceremonies he and his pet clairvoyant hoped for didnt materialize; there were unfathomable atrocities to commit. Less than a kilometer from Himmlers faked-up magic playground stand the remnants of a concentration camp where over a thousand people died, conscripted as slave labor to build ever-grander extensions to the castle. The tombs in the great S.S. catacomb are empty; they always were. But the graves are full, the only true monument to the small, sadistic men who dreamed they were the kings of legend. All they ever made was a heap of bones.
OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Ottawa County is running out of water.

We have residents that are literally running out of water. People dont necessarily believe it, Paul Sachs, director of strategic impact for Ottawa County, said. That has been one of the biggest challenges that we are dealing with: the general public understanding of what is happening.

A Greener Mitten: Watch the special

You may have wondered how its possible. With streams, inland lakes and of course Lake Michigan, it seems like the seventh largest county in Michigan should be overflowing with water. But with 306,575 people, Ottawa County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. In rural areas, farms, businesses and new homes are dependent on water drawn from wells.

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About 3 billion gallons of water a year are used in Ottawa County to simply irrigate turf grass, Sachs said. We are one of the top agriculture producer counties in the state, if not the country.

A housing development in Ottawa County.

Wells in Ottawa County.

For years, Sachs has been trying to inform and educate people in Ottawa County about whats happening below their feet.

Does it have to get worse for it to get better? And thats what we need to get in front of, he said.

Inside woodtv.com: A Greener Mitten

There are two ways people in Ottawa County get their water: through municipal systems, which use water from Lake Michigan; or from private wells, drawing water from underground aquifers. Because there are a lot of rural areas, most people use well systems. Many of them get their water from the glacial aquifer, which refills itself naturally from the rain. In some places, the glacial aquifer is too shallow, so wells have to be drilled deeper, reaching into the Marshall aquifer, which is separate from Lake Michigan and takes a very long time to refill.

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Ottawa County has 15 well monitoring sites that collect data and materials to see whats happening with the water system.

When it rains; how is the Marshall charging; when were pumping water, what does that do with the static water levels? And we can start to do scenario planning, Sachs said.

As demand continues to rise, the water is drying up. Wells need to be drilled deeper, reaching lower into the Marshall aquifer, where mineral content is high. The deeper you go, the more gravel you get. Then at 250 feet, you reach all rock.

That is impermeable. Water cant get through that. And look at the depth, this is a very large clay lens preventing water from getting any deeper, Sachs said.

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You can make a difference: Kalamazoo refill store aims to cut down on plastic waste

Steve Hecksel, owner of Hecksel Brothers Well Drilling near Coopersville, knows whats going on below. His company has received plenty of calls over the years from people having water problems.

The typical call we get is somebody calls up (and says), Yeah, our water was working fine yesterday, but (we) woke up this morning and we dont have any water, Hecksel said.

Hecksel said his company has already had to return to some wells it drilled in the last 10 years and place pumps deeper.

A lot of those areas where we see a lot of development, new homes, he said.

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He showed News 8 how it works on one recent call.

We are trying to reconstruct this well to make it more useable, and hopefully spring rains and everything brings back the table up to where it should be, Hecksel said.

Hecksel Brothers Well Drilling at work in Ottawa County. Hecksel Brothers Well Drilling at work in Ottawa County. Hecksel Brothers Well Drilling at work in Ottawa County.

There are solutions, Sachs said, like turning more to the big lake:

We have access to fresh water. Lake Michigan is a few miles to the west from us. We could extend municipal supply to residents that need it, and as new developments rise, we could connect them to municipal water supply, he said.

The problem is that extending infrastructure is costly.

In order for local governments to pay for that infrastructure, you have to have more and more connection on it, he said.

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West Michigan dairy farm turns manure into profit

The county is urging residents to be more water wise as it searches for a large-scale solution that makes sense.

Sachs said the county is leading by example on landscape design. At its Fillmore Street Complex, it removed a majority of the turf grass and planted native grasses and plants.

We have saved, just in our landscape project in the county, 227,000 gallons of water. Weve also saved $6,000 in landscape maintenance, he said.

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Apr. 19William Baldwin O'Neill February 20,1956  March 31, 2025 On Monday, March 31, 2025, Bill O'Neill passed into the waiting arms of our Lord. His family lost a beloved member and New Mexico lost a fierce advocate dedicated to improving the lives of the people of New Mexico. Bill was born in 1956 in Newark, Ohio. He attended Granvile High School in Granville, Ohio, and went on to graduate from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. After graduating from Cornell, Bill spent a number of years traveling the Country, (often by hopping freight trains), supporting himself by working odd jobs, and writing, always writing. Eventually, in 1990, he ended up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There he began his lifetime of public service, with a special emphasis on supporting marginalized people. Initially he began by working at a homeless shelter and the Bernalillo County Jail through an internship with the non-profit Center for Action and Contemplation. Over time his work expanded to working with incarcerated juveniles. Ultimately he became a co-founder of Dismas House, a transitional living program in Albuquerque that is dedicated to helping parolees re-enter the community. In 2005, Governor Bill Richardson appointed Bill Executive Director of the New Mexico Juvenile Parole Board. Seeing the need for governmental help in addressing the problems of the people he worked with, Bill decided to enter politics. It took several tries, but in 2009, he was elected to the House of Representatives to represent the people in House District 15. He served in the House from 2009-2013. In 2013, he was elected to the Senate to represent the people of Senate District 13, which he did through 2024. Bill introduced, co-sponsored, and/or fought for many bills aimed at improving the lives of New Mexicans, with a particular emphasis on juvenile justice issues. Among these were the expansion of arts programs in juvenile justice facilities, the prohibition of life sentences for juveniles, and the creation of the New Mexico School for the Arts, which is a special, state-wide residential public high school. In addition to his many political accomplishments, Bill was also a gifted and published writer. His literary works include two poetry books (The Freedom of the Ignored and The Definition of Empty), two novels (Panoramic Diaries and Short Session), and the play "Save the Bees". He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by his family members and his many, many friends. He is survived by his sister Nancy O'Neill and her spouse Charles Childress of Austin, Texas; brother Henry O'Neill and his spouse Carol Muranaka of Honolulu, Hawaii; brother John O'Neill and his spouse Annette O'Neill of Portland, Oregon; brother Robert O'Neill and his spouse Alexa Robinson of Granville, Ohio; and nieces and nephews Quinn Ryan, Regan, Kerry, Eaton, Cullen, Bryna, Natalie, Molly, Ellen, and Alex O'Neill. There will be a Lying in State and Memorial at the State Capitol open to the public to pay their respects on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 2:00-4:00p.m., New Mexico State Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, N.M. with a reception following in the Rotunda. There will also be an Intention Mass for Bill O'Neill on April 24th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1301O Sage Ave, Santa Fe, N.M. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the Albuquerque Community Foundation, or the charity of your choice.
WILLIMANTIC  The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut will distribute proactive grants to three regional libraries to recognize how libraries bring people together, spark imagination and support lifelong learning.

A total of $45,000 in grants will be distributed to public libraries in New London, Norwich and Willimantic to continue providing programs and services, such as free Wi-Fi, digital collections and more. Each library will receive an award of $15,000.

We are very excited and grateful to be receiving the $15,000 grants from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, Willimantic Public Library Director Daniel Paquette said. The grant is going to help us fund materials and databases, as well as programming for children and adults.
Extreme right-wing Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for a complete occupation of the Gaza Strip and, if necessary, military rule by Israel.

"This is the path to securing our safety, and this is the path to bringing the hostages home quickly," he wrote in Hebrew on the X platform late on Saturday.

He agreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that the Gaza war must not end without a complete defeat of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas and its expulsion from the Gaza Strip, Smotrich added.

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On Saturday, Netanyahu reiterated his position in a recorded video address.

"We will not end the war of rebirth before we destroy Hamas in Gaza, return all our hostages and ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel," the prime minister asserted, the Times of Israel reported.

According to Israeli information, there are currently 24 living hostages and 35 bodies of abductees in the Gaza Strip. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and the release of hostages are currently at a standstill.

The Gaza war was triggered by the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel led by Hamas and other extremist groups, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 Israelis were taken hostage and held in the Gaza Strip.

Since then, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority in the Gaza Strip, around 51,000 people have been killed, a large proportion of them women and children. The information, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified.
DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN)  Wiregrass residents protested on Saturday in Dothan, opposing President Donald Trumps administration.

Protesters gathered in front of the Houston County Courthouse for several hours for a protest titled, No Kings.

They joined other groups nationwide that also protested the government on Saturday. Similar to groups that protested two weeks ago across the country as part of the Hands Off initiative, which called for President Trump and Elon Musk to take their hands off the government and stop the government downsizing.

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During Saturdays protest, residents say that everyone in the country should have a voice and that the United States is a democracy, not a dictatorship.

Were against any leader without checks and balances, and we are for everyone receiving due process, Protest organizer, Karie Fugett said. This has nothing to do with Republicans or Democrats, or any party. Its just Americans wanting to make sure our leader is abiding by the law.

Organizers say that Saturdays turnout was bigger than they expected, and they hope to hold more protests in the future until changes are made in Washington, D.C.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A woman is facing a DUII charge after police said she crashed into another vehicle in Southeast Portland early Sunday morning.

Just before 1:30 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Southeast Stark and Washington Street on reports of the crash.

On arrival, police said they found a woman had been driving under the influence when she crashed into another vehicle.

UCC athlete, coach die in head-on crash in Coos County

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Authorities said the woman, identified as 23-year-old Raquel Moreno, was taken to the hospital for her injuries.

The other driver only suffered minor injuries, police said.

After her release from the hospital, Moreno was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of DUII and reckless driving.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A woman was hospitalized after a Sunday shooting in Northeast D.C., according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Police say officers responded to reports of a shooting at 11:37 a.m. in the 800 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE.

Man hurt after shooting in Southwest DC

There, a woman was found suffering from a gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital, conscious and breathing.

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The incident remains under investigation.

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Even in the decade of alternative facts, some truths are irrefutable.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., had to stare down one during a visit to "Meet the Press" on Sunday, admitting to host Kristen Welker that Maryland man Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in error.

The administration of President Donald Trump initially admitted that the 29-year-old father had been sent to the notorious Central American prison CECOT due to an "administrative error." They've since walked back that characterization, digging in their heels in ongoing court cases and throwing up their hands when ordered to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return.

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On Sunday, Kennedy was direct.

"This was a screw-up in my opinion, the administration won't admit it, but this was a screw-up," he said.

While his statements were a break from the wider GOP, don't go welcoming the senator to the resistance just yet. Kennedy spent the rest of the interview extending sympathy to the Trump administration and refusing to admit that such a grave error might signal further sloppy work from the Department of Homeland Security.

"I don't see any pattern here. I mean, you know, someday pigs may fly, but I doubt it," he shared. "I understand why the administration is bowed up and said we won't admit it's a mistake because if they do they'll have their throats torn out. But it was a screw-up."

Watch the interview via NBC News.
Worshippers are giving thanks across Southern California this Easter Sunday, and many locals are focusing on healing in the wake of the devastating January wildfires.

The annual Easter Sunrise Service at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park in Westlake Village wrapped up around 7 a.m., and parishioners there dedicated time to supporting the Pacific Palisades community after the Palisades Fire ravaged homes and led to a dozen deaths.

As the Westlake Village event was finishing, others were gathering in Altadena for the Pasadena International House of Worships Easter Sunrise service, which celebrated life in the wake of the Eaton Fire.

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One PIHOP staff member, Haley Alaji, lost everything in the fire and still has yet to find a new home. She used to live up the street from Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery, where PIHOPs first Easter sunrise service in 50 years  which accepted all denominations  was being held.

Deadly wrong-way crash shuts down freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Easter Sunday

Were here by faiththe Holy Spirit told us to do this, she said. For meits very surreal to be here, and I feel like I wont really feel the true effects of what we are doing here but by faith, I know that we are doing something.

Speaking on why the celebration was held at the cemetery, another staff member, Cheryl Allen, said the location represented both the holy day and the communitys experience.

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This community has gone through so much tragedyand we [want to celebrate] the message of Easter, she told KTLA 5s Jennifer McGraw. Its about extreme tragedy and hope arising, so we really thought it should be here.

Just in time for Easter, Palisades Lutheran Church became the first church in the Pacific Palisades to start having services again in the wake of the fire this week.

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Researchers are hoping that by solving the mystery of why bats can harbor viruses like hantavirus and coronavirus  pathogens that are highly dangerous to humans  without becoming ill themselves, they might also find the answer to preventing outbreaks and fighting the diseases.

Washington State University molecular virologist Michael Letko led the team studying how bats and their immune systems respond to these viruses.

Bats are a reservoir for many pathogens that can infect humans and domestic animals, yet we lack effective tools to study bat viruses in the lab, said Letko, an assistant professor in WSUs College of Veterinary Medicine. One big question is how do bats tolerate these infections? These cell lines and future research can help us uncover those mechanisms, and that could lead to new therapies for human diseases.

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According to the study published by WSU, A cell line is a population of cells that are cultured and maintained in a laboratory for research purposes. These cells are typically derived from a single original cell and go through a process known as immortalization, which allows them to be grown and divided indefinitely under controlled conditions, making them a valuable tool for viral research.

Most labs have been limited to using cell lines developed more than 50 years ago, limiting their usefulness. Therefore, new lines were developed from kidney tissue of a Sebas short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) that came from a colony at WSU Vancouver.

The new lines will be particularly useful for studying coronaviruses and orthohantaviruses. The orthohantaviruses family includes sin nombre virus, which is found in the western United States and recently caused a fatal infection in Whitman County, Washington.

These viruses have the potential to impact not just our own national health, but global health, because theyre found all over, Letko said.

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The study outlines one major challenge to developing useful lines  ensuring the cells maintain their ability to mount immune responses to pathogens.

We started off with a pile of different tissues and cells, and then we went through different immortalization routes and basically started to weed them out, Letko said. By the end, we had a small number of cells that were immortalized in specific ways, and those were the ones that actually still retained the properties we think are going to let us study how bats actually respond to viruses.

Much of the research thus far has relied on cell lines from humans, rodents, or primates, which wont answer why bats tolerate viruses that make other species sick.

We could study a virus like Ebola just fine in a human cell, and we can watch how it interacts with that immune system, Letko said, but that wont help us identify the reason why bats tolerate these infections.

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According to WSU, while some bat lines have been developed in private labs, those are not often made available to other researchers. Letko wanted to ensure their work would aid future research.

We have a lot of really good immunologists and virologists here and elsewhere, but they just dont have access to all this specialized material, Letko said. That creates tiers in bat research between the groups that have access and basically everybody else who had to rely on old cell lines that were collected in the 1960s.

To learn more, visit the WSU Insider website.
OMAHA, Neb. (USD)  South Dakota softball battled late at Claussen Field but would fall 2-1 to Omaha in the series finale.



Omaha struck first in the bottom of the first with a two-run homerun over the center field fence. Edwards would settle into Saturdays contest following the first frame and held the Mavs scoreless over the next three innings.



Delaney White tallied the Yotes first hit of the contest with a single in the fourth, but was left stranded as Maddia Groff recorded her fourth straight scoreless frame.



Rylie Jones nearly had herself a homerun in the fifth, as her blast bounced off the centerfield wall for a stand-up double. Jones would move over to third by tagging on a fly out to the right fielder in foul territory. The Mavs, however, were able to get out of the inning without any damage with a strikeout.



McKenna Young took over in the circle in the bottom of the fifth and put the Mavs down in order. USD found runners on first and second early in the sixth following a Tatum Villotta single and a walk from Sara Iburg . However, Groff held the Yotes off by retiring the next two batters.



Facing a 2-0 deficit in the seventh, Madison Evans got the Yotes going with a triple down the right field line. Omaha was able to get the next two outs without allowing Evans to come across home but would eventually be brought in by an RBI double from Abi Brown . The Mavericks would ultimately force a fly out to right field in the next at-bat to close out the series with a 2-1 win.



The Yotes had three extra base hits with a pair of doubles from Jones and Brown and a triple by Evans.



Edwards takes the loss after throwing 4.0 innings in the circle, while Young went 2.0 innings with three strikeouts.



South Dakota will head to Fargo, North Dakota next weekend for its final road series of the regular season. The Coyotes and Bison kick off the series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  An event in Youngstown on Saturday honored young teens lost to gun violence in the city.

18-year-old Tenya McKinley was shot and killed last June on Glenwood Avenue. She was home from college on summer break when she was caught in the crossfire of a shooting.

The event Saturday was her second annual celebration of life.

The event was organized by the Amya Marie Foundation. It was created in memory of Amya Monserrat, who was shot and killed at just 15 years old in 2023.

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My daughter, she wasnt a bad person. She was on break from college, and she lost her life at a park that we went to our whole life. So, it just really hurt, said Letayah McKinley, Tenyas mother.

As far as the community, we would love to have more support, as far as getting these kids off the street and more strict gun laws, because its nonstop. I hear gunshots all the time, and more has to be done to make this community safer, said Jasmine Morris with the Amya Marie Foundation.

A teen has been charged as an adult in Monserrats death. No one has been charged in Tenyas death.

Tino DiCenso contributed to this report.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
As Trump administration officials enjoy a wholesome Christian holiday weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for lying about an Easter ceasefire.

As for yet another attempt by Putin to play with human livesat this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine, Zelensky posted on X. At 17:15, Russian attack drones were detected in our skies.

He continued: Drones in our skies reveal Putins true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.

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On Saturday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 30-hour halt to fighting throughout the Holy weekend. According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire would last from 11 a.m. EST on Saturday to 5 p.m. EST on Easter Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia has already violated their Easter ceasefire agreement. / Global Images Ukraine / Global Images Ukraine via Getty

We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example, Putin said in the announcement video.

But at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, Ukraines air force issued an alert about the threat of ballistic weapons in areas where air alert has been declared.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the ceasefire would last through Easter Sunday. / Contributor / Getty Images

Zelensky later confirmed he would only agree to a ceasefire if Putin also followed through.

If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordinglymirroring Russias actions, he said, but added: Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow.

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Putins 30-hour ceasefire proposal came only one day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told officials that the U.S. would abandon its efforts to end the war in Ukraine if progress proves impossible over the next couple of days. The U.S. government earlier proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which Russia rejected.

Despite President Donald Trumps promises, the U.S. government has been unsuccessful in its efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

If it is not possible to end the war in Ukraine, we need to move on, Rubio said Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war on day one of his presidency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed suspending drone, cruise missile and rocket attacks on civilian targets for at least 30 days.

This would be a compromise after Russia refused to agree to a general, longer ceasefire.

Zelensky called for a 30-day ceasefire as the Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to an end on Sunday.

It calls for any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure to cease for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension.

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"If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war," Zelensky said of the truce proposal.

While he again lamented numerous violations of the 30-hour suspension of hostilities ordered by Putin himself on Saturday, he made it clear that there were opportunities for a limited ceasefire.

But he noted that "there were no air raid alerts today." He concluded: "Hence, this is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend."

In the war that has been going on for more than three years, Ukraine complains above all of almost daily heavy airstrikes by Russia, which cause massive damage to energy facilities and civilian infrastructure. Civilians are repeatedly killed or injured in the process.

Although Russia insists that it is only attacking military targets, images show almost daily evidence of hits on residential buildings and other civilian targets.
As of 16:00 on Sunday, Russia has continued to increase its use of heavy weaponry. Ukrainian troops have been ambushed by Russian forces on the Toretsk front.

Source: Zelenskyy, following a report from Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi

Quote: "Unfortunately, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues. From the beginning of the day until 16:00, there have been a total of 46 Russian assaults across various directions and 901 instances of shelling, 448 of which involved heavy weaponry. More than 400 cases of FPV drone use by Russians have already been documented.

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The highest level of Russian combat activity this Easter is on the Pokrovsk front. Putins words about a 'ceasefire' have also proven empty in Kursk Oblast, on the Siversk front and other fronts in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Toretsk front, our troops unfortunately fell into a Russian ambush. Some servicemen have been killed. The Russian soldiers responsible for this will be eliminated."

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that the Ukrainian forces are responding and will continue to respond in a fully reciprocal manner.

"The Ukrainian army is acting  and will continue to act  in a fully symmetrical manner. This Easter has clearly demonstrated that the only source of this war, and the reason it drags on, is Russia. We are ready to move toward peace and a full, unconditional, and honest ceasefire that could last for at least 30 days  but there has been no response from Russia on that so far. The situation on the frontline shows that pressure on Moscow and real oversight of the actions of the occupying forces are needed for the ceasefire to be established," the president emphasised.

Background:

On Sunday morning, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 20 combat engagements from 22:00 on 19 April to 08:00 on 20 April.

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 21 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

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Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

Most Ukrainian defenders have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by Russian forces, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

Zelenskyy said that there has been an increase in Russian attacks and the use of kamikaze drones in the combat zone since 10:00 on 20 April. Russian forces have doubled its use of FPV drones.

Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russias declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes have already occurred along the front line, with 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front alone.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following a report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, has stated that active hostilities are ongoing in the combat zone despite Russias attempts to create an impression of a ceasefire.

Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

Details: Syrskyis report on the frontline situation as of 06:00 shows that Russian forces carried out 59 attacks and launched five assault operations along different front lines.

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Quote: "In the sector of the Starobilsk Operational Tactical Group (OTG), one combat engagement was documented, in the Donetsk OTG sector there were three combat engagements  two on the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka [fronts], and one combat engagement took place near Stepove on the Zaporizhzhia [front]. The enemy carried out dozens of FPV drone strikes.

In the Kursk region, Russian forces conducted artillery strikes and used drones.

Everywhere our warriors are responding as the enemy deserves, based on the specific combat situation. Ukraine will continue to act symmetrically.

Between 18:00 yesterday and midnight today, there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces. Drones were used by the Russians 290 times.

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Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine. Russia must fully comply with the conditions of the ceasefire."

Details: Zelenskyy also confirmed that Ukraines proposal to extend the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight on Sunday 20 April remains in effect, and the country will respond in line with the real situation on the front.

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 21 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine does the same.

Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would respond in kind to any Russian ceasefire, but Russian assaults and artillery activity were continuing on some fronts.

DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Ukrainian troops noticed that the Easter truce promised by the Russians was not being upheld on most fronts.

Following a report from Syrskyi late in the evening on 19 April, Zelenskyy said that Russias Easter truce did not cover Russias Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, and that attacks had not ceased in some other areas of the combat zone.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honoring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce.

As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

Despite Putins declaration of an Easter ceasefire, Zelenskyy said Sunday morning that Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units along the front line, as well as dozens of drone strikes.

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In later updates, Zelenskyy said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues. He said, however, that it was a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens.

He noted that some Ukrainian troops were killed in a Russian "ambush on Sunday in the Donetsk region, and said the Russian soldiers responsible would be eliminated."

Russias Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire. It said Ukraine had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were dead and wounded among the civilian population, without giving details. It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the truce.

Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson also said Ukrainian forces had launched attacks.

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Zelenskyy said that Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraines offer to extend the truce for 30 days when it ends midnight Sunday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow had not responded to Kyiv's proposal.

In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favorable PR coverage, Zelenskyy wrote.

Just hours after announcing the ceasefire, Putin attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

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His announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head and insisted that neither side is playing him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.

The State Department said Sunday that the U.S. is committed to a full and comprehensive ceasefire. It noted encouraging discussions this past week in Paris about peace prospects in Ukraine, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio conveyed in a call to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___

Morton reported from London.
There has been an increase in Russian attacks and use of kamikaze drones in the combat zone since 10:00 on 20 April. Russian forces have doubled their use of FPV drones.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

Details: A report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, shows that the most active Russian military operations are taking place on the Pokrovsk and Siversk fronts.

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Russia continues to use heavy weaponry in these and "several other areas of the front line".

Russian forces have carried out 26 assault operations over the course of 12 hours of the day.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "We are documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a full ceasefire for the Easter period and are prepared to provide the necessary information to our partners. In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage. Its a good thing, at least, that there were no air-raid warnings."

Background:

On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced a so-called Easter truce, which supposedly means a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russias Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine did the same.

Ukrainian defenders on most fronts have not witnessed the so-called "Easter truce" promised by the Russians, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.

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CHITUNGWIZA, Zimbabwe (AP)  A pair of white hands blinding a Black face. A smiling colonizer with a Bible, crushing the skull of a screaming native with his boot. Chained men in gold mines, and a pregnant woman.

These stone sculptures from Zimbabwe will take center stage at an upcoming exhibition at Oxford University in Britain, aiming to contextualize the legacy of British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes with depictions of religious deception, forced labor and sexual abuse.

Rhodes conquered large parts of southern Africa in the late 19th century. He made a fortune in gold and diamond mining and grabbed land from the local population. His grave lies under a slab of stone atop a hill in Zimbabwe.

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Oxfords Oriel College, where the exhibition will be held in September, is a symbolic setting. A statue of Rhodes stands there despite protests against it since 2015. Rhodes, who died in 1902, was an Oriel student who left 100,000 pounds (now valued at about 10.5 million pounds, or $13.5 million) to the school. His influence endures through a scholarship for students from southern African countries.

For Zimbabwean stone carvers at Chitungwiza Arts Center near the capital, Harare, the exhibition is more than an opportunity for Western audiences to glimpse a dark history. It is also a chance to revive an ancient but struggling art form.

Stone sculpture, once a thriving local industry, has suffered due to vast economic challenges and declining tourism.

This will boost business. Buyers abroad will now see our work and buy directly from the artists, said sculptor Wallace Mkanka. His piece, depicting the blinded Black face, was selected as the best of 110 entries and will be one of four winning sculptures on display at Oxford.

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Zimbabwe, meaning House of Stone, derives its identity from the Great Zimbabwe ruins, a 1,800-acre Iron Age city built with precision-cut stones delicately stacked without mortar. It is a UNESCO World heritage site.

The southern African country has long used stone sculpture as a form of storytelling to immortalize history. The craft survived close to a century of colonial rule that sought to erase local traditions, religion and art forms.

It thrived internationally instead. Thousands of pieces were plundered from Africa. Some later became subjects of repatriation campaigns. Others became prized by tourists and collectors. A permanent collection of 20 Zimbabwean stone sculptures is displayed in a pedestrian tunnel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the worlds busiest.

At its peak following independence, Zimbabwes stone sculpture industry thrived, with local white farmers purchasing pieces for their homes and facilitating international sales.

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Customers were everywhere. They would pay up front, and I always had a queue of clients, recalled Tafadzwa Tandi, a 45-year-old sculptor whose work will feature in the Oxford exhibition.

However, the industry has struggled over the past two decades.

Zimbabwes global image suffered after controversial land reforms more than two decades ago displaced over 4,000 white farmers to redistribute land to about 300,000 Black families, according to government figures. Late ruler Robert Mugabe defended the reforms as necessary to address colonial-era inequities, but they had unintended economic consequences.

Many of our customers were friends of the farmers. That is where the problem originated from, said Tendai Gwaravaza, chairman of Chitungwiza Arts Center.

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At the center, the sound of grinders filled the air as sculptors carved. Hundreds of finished pieces, ranging from small carvings to life-sized sculptures, waited for buyers.

The only solution now is to get out there to the markets ourselves. If we dont, no one will, Gwaravaza said.

The Oxford exhibition represents such an opportunity for exposure, he said.

It is the brainchild of the Oxford Zimbabwe Arts Partnership, formed in response to the Rhodes Must Fall campaign during the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S.

The group, consisting of Zimbabwean artists, an Oxford alumnus and a professor of African history, initially envisioned a larger project titled Oxford and Rhodes: Past, Present, and Future. It included enclosing Rhodes statue in glass, installing 100 life-size bronze statues of African liberation fighters and creating a collaborative sculpture using recycled materials to represent the future.

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However, the project required an estimated 200,000 pounds, far beyond available resources. Eventually, Oriel College provided 10,000 pounds for a scaled-down exhibition.

Its still my hope that one day it could happen, but for now we have just accepted something very small to make a start and to do something, said Richard Pantlin, the Oxford alumnus and OZAP co-founder.

___

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.
To protect kids online, Mark Zuckerberg says Congress should focus on Apple and Google  not Facebook and Instagram.

The Meta CEO, owner of the two social media sites, is flooding Washington with ads aimed at convincing lawmakers to require his rivals app stores to verify shoppers ages and require parental consent for kids to download social media apps.

Last year, Zuckerberg was able to convince House Speaker Mike Johnson to shelve a bill that would have required Facebook and Instagram to make design changes to protect kids from bullying, sexual exploitation and other online ills. If he succeeds now in convincing Republicans to target Apple and Google instead it will show how much headway he has made with the GOP majority in Congress.

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There is already evidence Zuckerberg is swaying the people who matter.

They are doing a very good job distracting from any legislation that would hold them accountable, said Ava Smithing, director of advocacy and operations at the Young Peoples Alliance, an advocacy group that favors regulation of social media.

An app store age-verification bill is now one of the most high-profile pieces of legislation a powerful House committee is considering to address kids safety online.

"Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their childs age and approve the apps they download. The best place to do this is on the app store, and our ads reinforce the need for legislation that puts parents in charge, Meta said in a statement.

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The Senate in July overwhelmingly passed the bill to require Meta to make design changes, the Kids Online Safety Act, and it might have passed the House, too, but Johnson declined to bring it up for a vote. Meta and Johnson said KOSA would violate the First Amendment and lead to online censorship.

The Senate bills passage followed years of hearings concerning social medias harms to children. Whistleblowers have testified about how the platforms present risks to kids and that company executives were aware of the dangers.

Parents, schools, and dozens of state attorneys general have sued the social media companies over mental and physical harms that children have suffered as a result of bullying, illegal drug sales, and content recommendations that stoke negative social comparison and eating disorders.

Even so, it looks like Congress might go along with Metas plan. Following Johnsons decision to shelve KOSA, House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) promised to pursue legislation to protect kids online and is considering an age-verification proposal from Rep. John James (R-Mich.).

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They are very interested in trying to find a way to make something like it work, a lobbyist, granted anonymity to share insight into the committee's thinking, told POLITICO.

In response to Metas campaign, Google is advocating for a more targeted approach, so it only has to share an age signal, indicating whether a shopper is an adult or child, with apps that are risky to minors, per a recent blog .

In a policy whitepaper , Apple argues the responsibility to verify a users age rests with the apps.

We ask merchants who sell alcohol in a mall to verify a buyers age by checking IDs  we dont ask everyone to turn their date of birth over to the mall if they just want to go to the food court, the report says.

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Still, both companies are developing tools to verify ages .

Ironically, Zuckerberg has a potentially powerful ally in concerned parents. To this point, they have been his No. 1 adversary. They formed grassroots groups and pressed lawmakers relentlessly last year to pass the Kids Online Safety Act and similar measures in the states.

But in embracing age verification, Zuckerberg is piggybacking on one of their other ideas  and turning enemies into allies.

A parent-led campaign prompted Utah, last month, to become the first state to require app store age verification.

Wooing the GOP

Zuckerbergs reframing of the kids-safety debate is part of a broader reputational rewrite and an effort to win over Republicans in Congress and President Donald Trump  with whom he has warred  to shield his company from government interference.

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In addition to fending off the Kids Online Safety Act, Zuckerberg is also fighting an antitrust case with the Federal Trade Commission with existential implications. Losing could force him to sell Instagram.

Just a year ago, Zuckerberg was on defense about social medias impact on kids. He faced hostile Republican questioning on Capitol Hill about kids taking their own lives after experiencing bullying and exploitation on his platforms. Over the summer, GOP senators followed up by passing the Kids Online Safety Act.

But after a well-funded tech industry lobbying campaign made the case that the bill violated free speech protections, Johnson let it wither.

In the lead up to Johnsons decision, Zuckerberg wrote a letter to a key Trump ally in the House apologizing for censoring posts critical of the governments Covid response. And he put the firms financial might to work, donating a greater share of Metas PAC money to Republicans than it had before and tapping a lobbying war chest bigger than any other company in America , $24 million last year.

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This year, Meta settled a lawsuit with Trump over the companys move to ban him from its platforms after the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol, paying $25 million toward Trumps presidential library. The company also donated $1 million to Trumps inaugural fund. Zuckerberg stood on stage with Trump as he took the oath of office and recently purchased a Washington mansion to keep close to the halls of power.



Parents continue to press Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. They want to see its protections implemented regardless of whether lawmakers move ahead with app store age verification. Age verification, on its own, wont keep kids off social media since children could continue to access social media the old-fashioned way, through a browser, or use other more technologically savvy methods to bypass the law. Plus, parents could still let kids download the apps. But Johnson hasnt moved off his position.

Part of the reason may be fear the courts will find the Kids Online Safety Act unconstitutional. A federal district court in San Francisco last month enjoined a similar California law, finding it likely violated the First Amendment.

While KOSA has yet to get reintroduced this year, the Senate in February passed by unanimous consent the TAKE IT DOWN Act to require platforms to get consent from all parties depicted in intimate photos and videos, including images generated by artificial intelligence, before publishing them. Majority Leader Steve Scalise has promised itll come to the House floor for a vote soon.

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The Senate Commerce Committee has also advanced the Kids Off Social Media Act , a bill co-sponsored by its chair, Texas Republican Ted Cruz, and Hawaii Democrat Brian Schatz, that would codify most social media firms policies barring accounts for users under age 13.

In the House, conversations among staff at Guthries Energy and Commerce Committee are focused on a handful of bills: James App Store Accountability Act, KOSA, the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (an update to a 1998 privacy law), and Sammys Law, which would require social platforms to make it easy for parents to connect software to manage their childrens accounts. The committee advanced a fifth, a companion to the Senates TAKE IT DOWN Act, in April.

Senators are looking at app store age verification, too. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced a bill last year that would allow parents to sue the app stores if they dont verify a child shoppers age. Its based on the Utah state law.

Despite the browser loophole, advocates say age verification is still worth doing.

Parents and states

While Meta has embraced the age-verification idea, it was a Utah parent who showed it was viable.

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Melissa McKay, a mom and longtime kids safety advocate, teamed up with lawyer Joel Thayer to craft a bill centered on contract law. (Thayer is set to join the staff of incoming Federal Trade Commissioner Mark Meador as Meadors chief of staff.)

Contracts signed by minors are unenforceable, but the app stores, including Apples and Googles, make all users  including children  sign a user agreement entitling the companies to collect data and limiting their liability.

Thayer made the case that should be illegal.

We wouldn't accept this from a bank. We wouldn't accept this from a car dealership. Why in the hell are we accepting this on an iPhone? Thayer told POLITICO.

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McKay took the idea to Utah state Sen. Todd Weiler, a Republican who introduced an age-verification bill last year. In March, GOP Gov. Spencer Cox signed it into law.

The first-of-its-kind law requires app stores to obtain the age of users and if they are under 18 get verifiable consent from their parents for every app download and purchase. The app store also has to notify parents of major changes to apps their kids have downloaded. It gives parents the right to sue if an app store violates the law.

Fourteen other states, Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia, are considering similar legislation.

Texas, another Republican stronghold, could be the next to pass it.

While parents and Meta may agree about putting more parental controls in the app stores, they still have different agendas, according to McKay.

She notes that Meta wants to put the age of consent at 16, not 18, which wouldnt work with the contract law framework. But it would enable more teens to use its apps freely.

That's kind of the dead giveaway of that influence, she said.
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Don Juan Perry appears in Yakima County Superior Court Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. He is charged with second-degree robbery after Yakima police say he brandished a gun and demanded gas from a downtown Yakima convenience store. He pleaded guilty April 17, 2025, to second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
BluSmart Crisis: S Ravi, former chairman of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), expressed deep concern over the recent allegations surrounding BluSmart, stating that such incidents could damage investor trust and tarnish the broader perception of startups.

S Ravi (Sethurathnam Ravi), the former BSE chairman and founder of Ravi Rajan & Co, warned that these actions could shake investor confidence in new ventures and affect the credibility of even well-established startups.

Recently, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) flagged issues related to alleged fund diversion and document falsification involving Gensol Engineering Ltd, which had a direct impact on BluSmart, ultimately leading to the suspension of its services.

Anmol Singh Jaggi, along with his brother Puneet Singh Jaggi, are the co-founders of BluSmart and also served as directors at Gensol Engineering, an Ahmedabad-based solar engineering and services firm. Both have stepped down from their directorial roles following the SEBI notice.

"It is not good for two reasons. Firstly, when new investors and companies come in, existing investors might stop funding altogether. Theyll feel that startups are focused solely on personal gains and inflated valuations. Thats not a good thing at all," Ravi said. "Secondly, BluSmart was a well-established brand. Its not a small nameit was built with great effort. But they demolished it for personal gains. They might have made money in the short term, but this shortcut is not right," he added.

The former BSE chairman also pointed out allegations of insider trading, mismanagement, and fund diversion. By definition, insider trading involves buying or selling a company's stock using confidential, non-public information.

"There were two trigger points. First, concerns were raised regarding the pricing of sharesthere were numerous complaints about insider trading. Second, a whistleblower came forward with complaints against the company. SEBI launched an investigation and issued an interim order. In that order, they found certain deficiencies, including fund diversion and misstatements," he explained.

Looking ahead, Ravi emphasized that startups and their promoters must focus on transparent communication and honest disclosures to prevent such incidents. "The startup community must now start engaging with all lenders and stakeholders, and demonstrate that they are operating under a robust governance structure," he said. Discussing the roles of independent directors and auditors, he stressed that promoters should provide accurate and complete information to enable better disclosures.
New Delhi: Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman will be on an official visit to USA and Peru beginning 20th April, 2025, according to an official statement by the Ministry. During the visit to the USA, the Union Finance Minister will visit San Francisco and Washington D.C. from 20th to 25th April, 2025.

In the course of her two-day visit to San Francisco beginning 20th April 2025, the Union Finance Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Hoover Institution at the Stanford University, San Francisco, on 'Laying the foundations of Viksit Bharat 2047' followed by a fireside chat session.

Sitharaman will also interact with top CEOs from prominent fund management firms during a Roundtable meeting with investors, besides holding bilateral meetings with CEOs from top information technology (IT) firms based in San Francisco. Sitharaman will also participate in an event featuring Indian diaspora in San Francisco and interact with the Indian community settled there.

During her visit to Washington D.C., USA, from 22nd to 25th April 2025, Sitharaman will participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) Meetings, Development Committee Plenary, IMFC Plenary, and Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meeting.

On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., Sitharaman will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts from several countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and USA; besides meeting EU Commissioner for Financial Services; President, Asian Development Bank (ADB); President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA); and First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

During her maiden visit to Peru from 26th to 30th April 2025, the Union Finance Minister will lead an Indian delegation of officials from the Ministry of Finance and business leaders, highlighting the strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations between the two nations.

Beginning her visit in Lima, Union Finance Minister Sitharaman is expected to call on the President of Peru, H.E. Ms. Dina Boluarte, and Prime Minister of Peru, H.E. Mr. Gustavo Adrianzen, besides holding bilateral meetings with the Peruvian Ministers of Finance and Economy; Defence; Energy and Mines; and also holding interaction with local public representatives.

In the course of her visit to Peru, the Union Finance Minister will chair the India-Peru Business Forum meeting with prominent business representatives in attendance from both India and Peru. Sitharaman will also hold an interaction with the Indian investors & businesses currently operating in Peru, as well as the Indian Business delegation visiting Peru.

Given Peru's importance in the global supply chain of critical minerals and precious metals, discussions during these engagements are also expected to explore avenues for greater collaboration in the mining sector, particularly to strengthen India's resource security and facilitate value-chain linkages between the two economies.

The Union Finance Minister will also participate in a community event at Lima, where she will interact with the Indian diaspora living in Peru.
New Delhi: The Jaggi brothers, promoters of scam-hit Gensol Engineering, are in for deeper trouble than merely being barred from the stock markets as the SEBI investigations have revealed that they have submitted fake documents to the government-owned Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to hide defaults and raise fresh credit.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said these diversions could lead to major financial losses for shareholders. Gensols proposed stock split was put on hold. As it is turning out, the case will need deeper investigations to find out any case of wrongdoing on the part of other officials and whether proper due diligence was carried out or not, a senior official said.

The loans, worth Rs 978 crore, were taken from government organisations like the IREDA and the PFC. These loans were supposed to be used for buying EVs for BluSmart, the EV ride-hailing firm of Gensol. Instead, over Rs 200 crore of the amount was routed through a car dealership and sent to other companies linked to the promoters. Some of the money was used for luxury purchases, including flats in DLF Camellias, where the price of an apartment starts at Rs 70 crore.

The SEBI said that, given Gensol was supposed to provide a 20 per cent equity contribution, the total outlay should have been Rs 829.86 crore, leaving Rs 262.13 crore unaccounted for.

On April 15, the SEBI released a detailed interim order showing what went wrong at Gensol. The order said the promoters of Gensol, including Anmol and Puneet Singh Jaggi, had treated the company like their personal 'piggy bank'. There were no proper financial controls in place, and the promoters had diverted loan money to themselves or related entities.

Gensol had secured loans amounting to Rs 977.75 crore from the IREDA and the PFC between FY22 and FY24. Of this, Rs 663.89 crore was specifically meant for the purchase of 6,400 EVs. However, the company admitted to buying only 4,704 vehicles, worth Rs 567.73 crore, as verified by supplier Go-Auto.

The SEBI investigation report also states that it found "no manufacturing activity" at Gensol Engineering Ltds electric vehicle (EV) plant in Pune, with only two to three labourers present at the site which itself was a leased property.

This site visit came after Gensol informed stock exchanges on January 28, 2025, that it had received pre-orders for 30,000 units of its newly launched EVs showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. However, the SEBI's review revealed that these were only Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with nine entities for 29,000 vehicles, and the company was making misleading disclosures to investors.

BluSmart Mobility started in January 2019 in Gurugram. It was founded by Anmol Singh Jaggi, Puneet Singh Jaggi, and Punit K. Goyal. The company got off to a good start with $3 million in angel funding from big names like Hero MotoCorp, Jito Angel Network and Micromax.

It now turns out that the startup was using the green cover to carry out a black scam that has sent shockwaves through the financial world.
A Jammu to Delhi IndiGo flight with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on board was reportedly diverted to Jaipur on Saturday night. After this, the CM sharply criticised the Delhi Airport, calling it a 'bloody sh** show'.

Abdullah posted a picture of himself with the IndiGo flight in the background during the early hours of Sunday and slammed the Delhi Airport.

"Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but Im in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu, we get diverted to Jaipur, and so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. Ive no idea what time we will leave from here," he posted on the social media platform X.

Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but Im in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. Ive no idea what time we will leave from pic.twitter.com/RZ9ON2wV8E  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 19, 2025

Later, Abdullah posted an update and informed that his flight reached Delhi just after 3 am.

#UPDATE | Indigo flight carrying J&K CM Omar Abdullah took off from Jaipur at 2.00 am and landed in Delhi. https://t.co/gftCxnihTf  ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2025

According to news agency ANI, passengers on the flight were left stranded aboard the aircraft at Jaipur after midnight. There was no statement on the matter from IndiGo yet.

Delhi Airport had also issued an advisory at 7:40 pm on Saturday and informed that certain airline operations may face a delay due to a 'shift in wind pattern'.

The advisory said, "Due to shifting wind pattern in the vicinity of the airport, certain airline operations may experience delays. Air traffic flow management measures for Flight Arrivals will be implemented from 2230 IST till 0230 IST tomorrow by ATC authorities to ensure safe operations, in accordance with international and regulatory protocols, keeping passenger safety as the highest priority."

"Passengers are advised to stay in touch with their respective Airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules," it added.

IndiGo had issued an advisory as well at around 7:30 pm and informed about the "unfavourable" weather conditions in Srinagar.

"Unfavourable weather in #Srinagar is impacting flights, but we're here to keep you informed!" it read.

#6ETravelAdvisory: Unfavourable weather in #Srinagar is impacting flights, but we're here to keep you informed! Stay updated on your flight status https://t.co/CjwsVzFov0 or explore flexible options https://t.co/KpeDADMWMC, should there be a need to adjust your travel plans. pic.twitter.com/pfJEBM5D9T  IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) April 19, 2025

ANI also reported that earlier, Jammu airport also witnessed chaos as many passengers complained of inconvenience due to flight delays and cancellations. Bad weather conditions in Srinagar disrupted flight operations, affecting several connecting flights.

(with ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the ruling party distanced itself from comments made by its MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma criticising the Supreme Court.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of hypocrisy, calling the clarification issued by outgoing party president JP Nadda damage control.

The distancing of the outgoing BJP President from the atrocious remarks made by 2 BJP MPs on the Chief Justice of India carries little meaning. These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals, Ramesh posted on X.

Calling Naddas statement hollow, he added, The outgoing BJP President's clarification is nothing but damage control. It will fool nobody. This is Entire Political Science reflecting itself as Entire Political Hypocrisy.

He further questioned Naddas silence on other controversial remarks allegedly made by BJP-appointed officials.

But the outgoing BJP President is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high Constitutional position. What does he have to say about these remarks? Does the BJP subscribe to them? Ramesh asked.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also condemned Dubey's comments, calling them a direct attack on the judiciary. Speaking to ANI, he said the remarks amounted to contempt of court and violated constitutional values.

It is a clear case of contempt of court, violation of Constitution... This cannot be taken lightly. A serious allegation has been made by a member of Parliament against the Chief Justice of India... It is a serious direct attack on the judiciary... Venugopal said.

He urged both the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the judiciary to take appropriate action. The Speaker and the Court should take action... They are trying to threaten the judiciary, he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) spokesperson Manoj Pandey slammed the Godda MPs statement, saying it reflected an erosion of democratic values.

The dictatorship in the nation has reached such a level that now a member of Parliament is challenging the court... Are these people more learned than the judges? Will they do anything in the darkness of the majority, and will the courts stay silent?... When the courts give decisions in their favour, they say that the judiciary is the third pillar of democracy, Pandey told ANI.

Calling the remarks "very unfortunate", Pandey demanded that the judiciary act against Dubey.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the BJP MPs comments, accusing the ruling party of attempting to intimidate the judiciary.

"You people (BJP) are tubelights...threatening the court in such a way. Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar," Owaisi said, referencing the constitutional provision empowering the Supreme Court to ensure complete justice.

The controversy has sparked widespread outrage among opposition leaders, who are demanding accountability and action from both Parliament and the judiciary.
Seelampur Murder: Fresh details have surfaced in the Seelampur Murder case, where Delhi Police has apprehended eight people, including two juveniles, in connection with the case, officials said on Sunday. The brutal incident pertains to the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old boy in northeast Delhi's Seelampur area.

The eight accused were arrested on Saturday. According to Delhi Police, the arrested accused include Sahil (18), Sohaib (35), Nafish (32), Aneesh (19), Zahida (42), Vikas (29) and two minors, aged about 17 and 15 years.

During the investigation, evidence was collected against the accused persons, namely Zikra, Sahil, and the two minors, who had conspired to attack Kunal (deceased), Delhi Police said, as reported by news agency ANI. The police further stated that Sahil had an old rivalry with Kunal, and on April 17, the group caught hold of him and stabbed him multiple times.

Delhi's Seelampur Murder Case | The arrested accused include Sahil (18), Sohaib (35), Nafish (32), Aneesh (19), Zahida (42), Vikas (29) and two minors, aged about 17 and 15 years: Delhi Police  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Further investigation in the case is ongoing. On April 18, Zikra (19), who worked as a bouncer for jailed gangster Hashim Baba's wife, was arrested and sent to two days of police custody in the case, a senior police officer said.

Kunal, a resident of New Seelampur, was stabbed to death in J-Block, Jhuggi Seelampur, on the evening of April 17. He was rushed to JPC Hospital by his family members, where doctors declared him dead.

"Zikra, Sahil and the two juveniles conspired and carried out the fatal attack, while the other five were involved in harbouring and helping the main accused escape," a senior official said, as quoted by PTI.

A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at the Seelampur police station, and multiple teams were formed to investigate the incident, he said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was the result of old enmity. On the day of the incident, the accused caught hold of Kunal and stabbed him multiple times, according to police.

Following the arrest of Zikra, locally referred to as 'Lady Don', police teams conducted raids across Delhi-NCR and in parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Ghaziabad, Meerut, Moradabad and Amroha.

During interrogation, Zikra revealed that in November last year, her cousin Sahil was attacked by Kunal's friends Lala and Shambhu. Although Kunal was present at the time of the attack, he was not named in the FIR as he was a minor, the officer said. Investigators have collected evidence supporting the role of the accused, and efforts are underway to recover the weapons used in the crime, the officer said.

(With agencies Inputs)
The technician employed at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, who was arrested in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a flight steward, had watched pornographic videos both before and after committing the crime, according to Gurugram Police on Saturday.

The accused identified as 25-year-old Deepak, a native of Bihars Muzaffarpur district, was arrested on Friday by the special investigation team constituted in this case.

He allegedly committed 'digital rape' on a 46-year-old flight attendant inside the ICU of Medanta Hospital on April 6.

According to the PTI, the police informed that the accused was identified after questioning hospital staff, including doctors, and reviewing footage from over 800 CCTV cameras.

Police said the accused's mobile search history confirmed the claim, adding that he has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody. He had been employed as a technician at the hospital for the past five months.

He has confessed to the crime, police said on Friday.

What is 'digital rape'?

The assault, allegedly a case of 'digital rape', took place inside the ICU at Medanta Hospital. According to media reports, the term 'digital' in this context does not refer to technology, but rather to the use of fingers or toes to carry out non-consensual penetration of a person's private parts.
A shocking incident emerged after some answer sheets were found containing handwritten requests and even currency notes, asking examiners to help them pass the exam.

As reported by the media, the examiner found the written pleas too ordinary, with some students slipping in money to make their requests more tempting for the assessor.

Teachers serving as invigilators discovered these requests in the answer sheets of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) or Class 10 exams in Chikkodi, located in Karnataka's Belagavi district.

The photo of the note in the answers goes viral on social media. One of the students placed a Rs 500 note in between the answer sheets with a request to help him clear the exam.

As roughly translated by NDTV in English, placing Rs 500 in between the answer sheets, the student said, "Please pass me, my love is in your hands."

"I will only continue my love if I pass," wrote another student.

One of the students said, "Have tea with this Rs 500, sir, and please pass me."

According to viral photos of the answer sheets, it appears that students inserted money in the hope of passing the examinations.
Kerala Lottery Results Sunday 20-04-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "AKSHAYA AK-698" Lucky Draw Result today Akshaya AK-698, April 20, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Akshaya AK-698" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Akshaya AK-698 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 70 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Akshaya AK-698 results today.

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Maharashtra News: Amid the buzz over the possible reunion of estranged cousins, Raj and Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that there is no alliance in place as of now, and only emotional talks are taking place.

Speaking to mediapersons, Raut further stated that the relationship between the two brothers had not been broken, and they have been together for years. He also said that as far as an alliance between the two is concerned, they will make a decision pertaining to that.

"There is no alliance (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on... Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not broken... Both brothers will decide (about the alliance). We have accepted what Uddhav Ji said: for Maharashtra, if we (MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) need to come together, we will."

#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "... There is no allaince (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on..."



He says, "Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not pic.twitter.com/KW4V3OnJTL  ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2025

Furthermore, in a veiled dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Raut said that the parties claiming to be well-wishers of Maharashtra were its enemies, and broke the Shiv Sena to attack the state's pride. He added that no relations should be maintained with such parties.

"Uddhav Ji said that there are a few parties who claim to be well-wishers of Maharashtra, but they are the enemy of Maharashtra. They broke Balasaheb's Shiv Sena to attack the pride of Maharashtra, and with such parties, we shouldn't have any relations, and then only we can be true Maharashtrians, and this is not a condition but the feelings of the people of Maharashtra, and this is what Udhhav ji has said..." the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the possibility of a reunion between the two cousins and called it a 'good' step. "If the two come together, we will be happy about it. If people settle their differences, it is a good thing. What else can I say about it?" Fadnavis told reporters.

The Maharashtra CM was responding to Raj Thackeray's recent statement, where the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief expressed willingness to reunite with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav by forgetting past differences.
Buzz in Maharashtras political circles suggests the estranged Thackeray cousins could reunite and bury the hatchet in the name of Marathi pride and cultural unity. After a video of Raj Thackeray on a podcast went viral on social media, in which he spoke about the possibility of an alliance 'for Maharashtra', his cousin's faction, Shiv Sena (UBT), shared a clip of Uddhav Thackeray echoing a similar sentiment.

This rumour of reconciliation comes nearly two decades after the Thackeray cousins parted ways. The buzz has been sparked days after the Maharashtra government reportedly made the teaching of Hindi compulsory as a third language from Class 1 in all state government schools, along with Marathi and English. This was done per the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 from the academic year 2025-26.

Raj is the nephew of the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and had left the party at the beginning of 2006. He had blamed Uddhav for his departure.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj featured in a podcast interview hosted by filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar which was recorded weeks ago and was released on Saturday. In the conversation, he said that he has no problem working with Uddhav and said it was unclear if the Sena (UBT) leader was ready to work with him.

Raj in the podcast said, "For a larger cause, our problems and personal fights are minor, Maharashtra is big. Our fights are minor for the state of Maharashtra and the existence and identity of the native Marathi speakers (Marathi Manoos)."

He added that it was not a big deal to work together with Sena (UBT), but the real question is whether there is a desire to do so.

Raj continued, "It is not the issue of my desire or selfishness, as we need to look at the bigger picture. All Maharashtrians should come together to form one united party."

After he parted ways from Shiv Sena, Raj formed his party, the MNS. It won 13 seats in the Assembly Polls of 2009. However, the crushing loss came in the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections when MNS lost at all 135 seats.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are expected to be held later this year.

Thackeray Reunion On Cards?

In response to the comments of Raj, Sena (UBT) posted a video of the party President Uddhav addressing the function of party's trade union wing, Bhartiya Kamgar Sena in Mumbai, saying that he, too, is ready to get back together with Raj by keeping all trivial issues aside for the sake of Marathi language and culture.

Uddhav said, "I appeal to all Marathi people to come together for the benefit of the state and Marathi."

He also brought up the alleged move of industries of Maharashtra to Gujarat and stated that if Raj had opposed the issue at that time, things would have been different at the Centre.

"During the Lok Sabha elections, when we said that the industries of Maharashtra are moving to Gujarat, if they had opposed at the time, then the Central government would not have been in power today. We would have formed a government at the Centre and state levels that thinks about the welfare of Maharashtra," he added.

He also clarified that supporting the present ruling government of Maharashtra sometimes and then opposing it would not work and stated that he will not 'welcome them'.

"Sometimes we will support, sometimes we will oppose, and sometimes we will compromise -- this will not work, I will not come in the way of the state's interest. I will not compromise with them, I will not invite them home, I will not go to their home, I will not welcome them, I will not sit in a row with them," he said, talking about Raj's relations with the state government.

Raj had recently hosted the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at his home, who is the head of the other faction of Shiv Sena.

The relations between the two factions of Shiv Sena are sour as in 2022, Shinde split the party, which resulted in the toppling of the government. This happened as Shinde claimed that he was against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. MVA is an alliance between the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Indian National Congress.

Uddhav in the address said, "First decide this, then discuss about Maharashtra's interest, as for the rest of the issues, today I end all the fights and work for only Maharashtra's interest", he added.

During the Lok Sabha elections, Raj had given his 'unconditional support' to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and this rumoured reunion with Uddhav would mean an end to that support.

Reshaping Maharashtra Politics  Again?

A reunion of the estranged Thackeray cousins would mean that the Maharashtra politics would see a shift yet again  after the alliances and disagreements of the past years.

The split of Shiv Sena was not the only flip that Maharashtra politics saw in the past years; the split of NCP between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar was also momentous. The upcoming BMC elections could be a testing ground for the Thackeray cousins and their collaboration. It could be that the MNS-Sena (UBT) alliance will play on the emotional appeal during the civic elections.

Political Reactions After Reunion Rumours

Fadnavis welcomed the possible reunion of the Thackeray cousins. He said, If the two come together, we will be happy about it. If people settle their differences, it is a good thing. What else can I say about it?

Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut remarked that there is no alliance yet, only emotional talks are going on. He said, "There is no allaince (between MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) as of now, only emotional talks are going on."

He added, "Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are brothers. We have been together for years. Our relationship has not broken... Both brothers will decide (about the alliance). We have accepted what Uddhav Ji said: for Maharashtra, if we (MNS and Shiv Sena -UBT) need to come together, we will."

Finally, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande clarified that the comments of party chief Raj should not be viewed from an electoral lens.

He said, The stand taken by Raj Saheb in his interview shouldnt be viewed merely from an electoral lens, thats a very narrow perspective. Elections come and go, but whats important is to reflect on what truly benefits Maharashtra and the Marathi people. The growing dominance of Hindi in Maharashtra and the way outsiders are taking away local employment are issues that need serious and wide-ranging discussion.
US Vice President J.D. Vance, accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their three children, is set to arrive in India on Monday for a four-day official visit as part of his broader international tour.

The visit marks the first by a sitting US Vice President to India in over a decade, with the last being Joe Biden's trip in 2013.

Having landed in Italy on Friday, Vice President Vance will touch down at Air Force Station, Palam, New Delhi on Sunday evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to host Vance for talks and dinner at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, on Monday evening.

The meeting is expected to cover the long-discussed India-US bilateral trade agreement and explore ways to deepen strategic and economic ties between the two democracies. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar are expected to join the discussions.

Meanwhile, the US Vice President will be accompanied by a five-member high-level US delegation, including representatives from the Pentagon and the State Department.

Following his engagements in the capital, Vance will fly to Jaipur on April 21, where he will stay until April 24. On April 22, he will visit the iconic Amer Palace in the morning, where a traditional Rajasthani welcome awaits him and his family.

They will don Jodhpuri 'safas' and enjoy folk performances, puppet shows, traditional attire, and regional cuisine during the two-and-a-half-hour tour. The palace will remain closed to the public for the duration of the visit, with 12 trained guides designated to assist and maintain protocol.

Rajasthan Police personnel, including plainclothes officers, have been mobilised, and a 20-vehicle convoy will support the US Vice President's movements. A specially-equipped ambulance with senior doctors and emergency medical infrastructure has been arranged as part of the VVIP protocol.

Later that day, Vance will deliver a keynote address at the US-India Business Summit at the Rajasthan International Centre.

The summit will see participation from top Indian and American officials, with Vance expected to articulate his vision for enhanced bilateral trade and investment.

On April 23, Vice President Vance will travel to Agra aboard a US Air Force aircraft for a visit to the Taj Mahal. After spending approximately three hours at the monument, he will return to Jaipur the same afternoon and visit the Jaipur City Palace.

He is scheduled to meet the Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and the Governor Haribhau Bagade later on April 22.

Vice President Vance will depart for Washington at 6:30 a.m. on April 24, concluding a visit that is expected to reinforce the growing partnership between the United States and India on both regional and global fronts.
Former Karnataka director general of police (DGP) Om Prakash was found murdered on Sunday, lying in a pool of blood at his home in HSR Layout in Bengaluru.

Police have recovered the knife used in the crime from the residence. Om Prakash was reportedly stabbed three times.

As per the IANS, initial investigations suggested that the murder may have been committed by a close family member.

Police currently suspect the involvement of Om Prakashs wife in the incident, according to the IANS.

Senior police officials rushed to the scene and have launched an investigation. The body has been sent to St. Johns Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Who is Om Prakash?

The 68-year-old retired officer Om Prakash is a 1981 batch IPS officer, who served as the 38th Director General of Police (DGP) of Karnataka in 2015.

Om Prakash hails from Bihar's Champaran and during his career, he served as the Commandant General of Home Guards and worked in the Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Rights Enforcement, and other departments.

He held key roles in the State Vigilance Commission, Lokayukta and CID, and served as Transport Commissioner. Known for managing communal tensions in Bhatkal, he also led investigations into two major terror attacks in Bengaluru including the 2013 BJP office blast and the 2014 Church Street bombing and played a crucial role in arresting the accused.

(With IANS inputs)
Every nation has its native language, which its citizens are most comfortable using. However, in our increasingly globalised world, a common language is essential for diplomacy and international collaboration. English, spoken by 1.5 billion people globally and serving as an official language in over 50 countries, plays this crucial role.

The 2024 EF English Proficiency Index (EPI) ranks countries based on their English-speaking abilities. Here are the top 10 nations with the highest proficiency scores:

Netherlands (Score: 636)

Topping the list, the Netherlands boasts very high English proficiency, thanks to its emphasis on English in education and business.

Norway (Score: 610)

English is widely used in Norwegian media and international commerce, supported by an education system that promotes language learning from an early age.

Singapore (Score: 609)

As one of Singapores official languages, English is integral to its education system, business, and government operations.

Sweden (Score: 608)

English is prevalent in Swedish education, media, and corporate settings. Watching undubbed English content further boosts fluency.

Croatia (Score: 607)

English is increasingly important in tourism and business, and schools place a strong emphasis on the language.

Portugal (Score: 605)

With tourism and international business playing key roles, English is essential. Its a mandatory subject in schools.

Denmark (Score: 603)

Danes learn English from a young age and frequently consume English-language media, aiding their strong command of the language.

Greece (Score: 602)

English is vital for Greeces tourism sector and is heavily promoted through the education system.

Austria (Score: 600)

English education starts early, and the language is widely used in both business and tourism sectors.

Germany (Score: 598)

With strong economic ties globally, English is a key language in business and education, learned widely from an early age.

Indias Ranking: #69 (Score: 490)

While India ranks lower in proficiency, it has a vast number of English speakers, stemming from its colonial history and the languages central role in education and professional life.
Mumbai: It's Easter Sunday today, a special day for Christians as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. To mark the occasion, several B-town celebs took to their social media to send warm wishes to their fans.

Among the many posts, one of the most adorable came from Ananya Panday. The actress shared a fun photo dump that included pictures of bunnies, her skincare routine, and even a cute childhood video. She captioned the post, "Some Easter goodness."

Veteran actor Anil Kapoor kept it simple and elegant. He took to his X account to post a picture of a decorated Easter egg on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle with the message, "Happy Easter."

Priyanka Chopra also joined in the celebration by posting a selfie with her daughter on Instagram. Her caption read, "Wishing you a Happy Easter."

She followed that with a sweet moment of her daughter enjoying an Easter egg hunt with her aunt, Danielle Jonas. "Thank you, Aunty D, Uncle Kevin, Alena, and Valentina, for a magical Easter egg hunt," she added.

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who rose on the third day after being crucified by the Romans, according to the Bible. The celebration is held on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.

Easter is determined by the lunar and solar calendars. It is celebrated in Western Christianity on the first Sunday after the first full moon, which occurs on or after the vernal (spring) equinox. This typically falls between March 22 and April 25. The date for Easter changes each year.
Mumbai: Pan-India star Yash, who is known for blockbuster K.G.F., is set to join the shoot of Ramayana Part 1 in the coming week in Mumbai. To signify an auspicious commencement to his journey with this mythological epic, Yash will first visit the revered Shree Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain to seek the divine blessings.

The film also stars Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor, and actress Sai Pallavi. Yash commences every new film project with a temple visit.

This time, his visit to the temple marks a symbolic moment as Raavan, the character played by the actor in Ramayana Part 1, was a devotee of Mahadev.

In addition to playing a pivotal role, Yash is co-producing the film under his banner, Monster Mind Creations along with Malhotas Prime Focus Studios. As a hands-on co-producer, he has been working closely with the team on all aspects of the ambitious project and is slated to kickstart shooting his scenes from the end of April.

Producer Namit Malhotra is backing the cinematic epic, which is touted to be Indian cinemas most ambitious mythological epic to date. The film is helmed by acclaimed filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari, and boasts rich storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and a cinematic vision set to redefine the mythological genre for a global audience.

Ramayana Part 1 is all set to release on Diwali 2026, followed by Ramayana Part 2 on Diwali 2027.

Meanwhile, Yash also has Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups in the pipeline. The makers of the film recently shared the film will arrive in cinemas on March 19, 2026.

As the first large-scale Indian project conceptualized, written, and shot in both Kannada and English, Toxic blends cultures and continents. The film will be dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and several other languages. The film is helmed by Geetu Mohandas, who is known for her emotionally resonant, award-winning cinema.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise ceasefire, declaring a 30-hour Easter truce in Ukraine that is set to last until midnight on Sunday. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism, stating that this is just another attempt by Russia to play with human lives.

The proposal, which marks one of the most significant pauses in the three-year war, was described by Putin as a humanitarian gesture.

Zelensky responded with deep scepticism, accusing the Kremlin of using religious holidays to manipulate public perception.

"As for yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives -- at this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine," Zelensky wrote on X.

"Shahed (attack) drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life."

Putin, during a televised briefing with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, announced that Russian forces would halt combat operations from 6:00 PM Saturday until midnight Sunday. While calling for Ukraine to reciprocate, Putin also instructed troops to remain alert for potential violations or provocations.

The announcement coincided with blaring air raid sirens across major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, which only subsided around the time the ceasefire was to take effect. Ukrainian authorities have not confirmed whether they would adhere to the truce.

Zelensky dismissed the ceasefire as another ploy by Moscow.

Putin might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity. But either way, of course, we don't trust Russia, said Dmitry, a 40-year-old Ukrainian soldier. These 30 hours will lead to nothing The killings will continue.

Despite the looming scepticism, Russia and Ukraine conducted a major prisoner swap on the same day, with both sides confirming the return of 246 captured soldiers each. Zelensky noted that the total number of Ukrainian POWs released has now reached 4,552.

Putin framed the truce as a test of Kyivs willingness to engage in peace talks, stating, This will show how sincere the Kyiv regimes desire and ability are to observe agreements.

Past efforts to arrange ceasefires around major holidays, such as Easter in 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in 2023, collapsed due to mutual distrust and ongoing hostilities.

A month ago, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by former US President Donald Trump, but Moscow declined.
Dhaka: The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police has submitted a request to the Interpol seeking a red notice against 12 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a media report said Saturday.

Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 last year when she fled Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that toppled her Awami League's (AL) 16-year regime.

The NCB processes such requests based on appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies, The Daily Star said, quoting Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media).

Confirming the development, Sagor said at the Police Headquarters: "These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings."

A red notice is used by Interpol to help locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or similar legal action. Interpol assists in tracking the whereabouts of fugitives living abroad, and once confirmed, the information is shared with relevant authorities, the newspaper said.

Weeks after Muhammad Yunus took over as the Chief Adviser of the Interim government on August 8, Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for crimes against humanity and genocide.

In November last year, the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the ICT formally asked the Police Headquarters to seek Interpol's help in arresting Hasina and others identified as fugitives.

On January 21, Bangladesh's interim government said it will continue its efforts to bring deposed Hasina back from India and will seek international intervention if necessary.
A Hindu state minister in Sindh province of Pakistan has been attacked by protestors who took out a rally against a plan for new canals.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawmaker Kheal Das Kohistani, the minister of state for religious affairs, was driving through the Thatta district on Saturday when his motorcade was pelted with tomatoes and potatoes by protesters who chanted slogans against the federal government.

Officials said Kohistani was unharmed in the attack.

Radio Pakistan reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned Kohistani and assured him of a thorough investigation into the incident.

"The attack on the public representatives is unacceptable. The persons involved in the incident would be given exemplary punishment," the prime minister said.

Minister for Information Atta Tarar sought details of the incident from Sindh Inspector General Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon and a report from the federal interior secretary.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also strongly condemned the act in the strongest terms.

In a statement, Shah said no one had the right to take the law into their own hands.

He directed the Deputy Inspector General of police for the Hyderabad region to immediately arrest the miscreants involved in the attack and submit a report.

According to personal details on the website of the National Assembly, Kohistani hails from the Jamshoro district of Sindh and was for the first time elected as a member of the parliament in 2018 from the PML-N.

After serving for the full five-year term, he was reelected in 2024 and got the nod for elevation to become Minister of State.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said again Saturday that Israel has no choice but to continue fighting in Gaza and will not end the war before destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages, and ensuring that the territory won't present a threat to Israel.

The prime minister also repeated his vow to make sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu is under growing pressure at home not only from families of hostages and their supporters but also from reservists and retired Israeli soldiers who question the continuation of the war after Israel shattered a ceasefire last month. In his statement, he claimed that Hamas has rejected Israel's latest proposal to free half the hostages for a continued ceasefire.

The prime minister spoke after Israeli strikes killed more than 90 people in 48 hours, Gaza's Health Ministry said Saturday. Israeli troops have been increasing their attacks to pressure Hamas to release the hostages and disarm.

Children and women were among the 15 people killed overnight, according to hospital staff. At least 11 people were killed in the southern city of Khan Younis, several of them in a tent in the Muwasi area where hundreds of thousands of displaced people stay, hospital workers said. Israel has designated it as a humanitarian zone.

Mourners cradled and kissed the faces of the dead. A man stroked a child's forehead with his finger before the body bags were closed.

Omar is gone ... I wish it was me," one brother cried out.

Four other people were killed in strikes in Rafah city, including a woman and her daughter, according to the European Hospital, where the bodies were taken.

Later on Saturday, an Israeli airstrike on a group of civilians west of Nuseirat in central Gaza killed one person, according to Al-Awda Hospital.

Israel's military, in a statement, said it killed more than 40 militants over the weekend.

Separately, the military said a soldier was killed Saturday in northern Gaza and confirmed it was the first soldier death since Israel resumed the war on March 18. Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said it ambushed Israeli forces operating east of Gaza City's al-Tuffah neighbourhood.

Israel has vowed to intensify attacks across Gaza and occupy indefinitely large security zones inside the small coastal strip of over 2 million people. Hamas wants Israeli forces to withdraw from the territory.

Israel has also blockaded Gaza for the past six weeks, again barring the entry of food and other goods.

This week, aid groups raised the alarm, saying thousands of children have become malnourished and most people are barely eating one meal a day as stocks dwindle, according to the United Nations.

The head of the World Health Organization's eastern Mediterranean office, Dr Hanan Balkhy, on Friday urged the new US ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, to push the country to lift Gaza's blockade so medicines and other aid can enter.

I would wish for him to go in and see the situation firsthand, she said.

The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas currently holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive.

Israel's offensive has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The war has destroyed vast parts of Gaza and most of its food production capabilities. Around 90 per cent of the population is displaced, with hundreds of thousands of people living in tent camps and bombed-out buildings.

Frustration has been growing on both sides, with rare public protests against Hamas in Gaza and continued weekly rallies in Israel pressing the government to reach a deal to bring all hostages home.

Thousands of Israelis joined protests Saturday night pressing for a deal.

Do what you should have done a long time ago. Bring them all back now! And in one deal. And if this means to stop the war, then stop the war, former hostage Omer Shem Tov told a rally in Tel Aviv.
22:10 SIT probing Tirupati laddu case issues notice to Gwalior trader The Special Investigation Team probing into the allegations of use of adulterated ghee to make 'laddu prasadam' of the renowned Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh has served notice to a trader in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, a police official said. Following the... Read more >

21:58 Police defer Malayalam actor Shine Tom's quizzing in 'drug case' Despite issuing a notice, the police have decided not to interrogate Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko on Monday in connection with an alleged drug use case.He was arrested and later released on bail on Saturday.A senior police officer said on Sunday that although a notice had initially been... Read more >

21:44 Security tightened in Delhi ahead of US VP Vance's arrival US Vice President J D Vance and Indian-origin second lady Usha/File image Security has been stepped up across the national capital in view of the arrival of US Vice President J D Vance and Indian-origin second lady Usha on Monday morning, an official said on Sunday. The US vice president, his wife Usha and their three children -- Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel -- are... Read more >

21:40 'Sky debris'? Huge metal object falls on house terrace in Nagpur File image An unidentified object from the sky fell on the terrace of a house in Umred taluka of Nagpur district in Maharashtra, triggering discussions of whether it was part of 'space debris'. For its part, Nagpur Rural police said a large metal piece reportedly fell from the sky on the terrace slab... Read more >

21:36 Snowfall blankets Kargil, schools closed for 3 days File image Snowfall for the second consecutive day on Sunday in Ladakh and adjoining areas has affected normal life in Kargil, officials said, as authorities announced closure of all schools for next three days owing to inclement weather.Kargil town recorded around six inches of snowfall, while several of... Read more >

21:24 Union Minister Suresh Gopi visits Chettur Sankaran Nair's family in Kerala Union Minister Suresh Gopi Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Sunday visited the family members of freedom fighter and former Indian National Congress president Chettur R Sankaran Nair at their ancestral home on Palat Road in Ottapalam, near Palakkad. The minister also visited the family's residence in Chandranagar in... Read more >

20:44 Anurag Kashyap booked over remarks on Brahmin Film director Anurag Kashyap An FIR was registered against film director Anurag Kashyap at Bajaj Nagar police station in Jaipur for his remarks on Brahmins on a social media platform, an officer said on Sunday.The case was registered based on a complaint lodged by Anil Chaturvedi, a Barkat Nagar resident, on Saturday... Read more >

20:39 Spiritual organisation official loses Rs 2.5 cr in 'digital arrest' in MP, 6 held Two employees of a private bank and four others were nabbed from Ujjain district after a functionary of a spiritual body was allegedly digitally arrested by cyber crooks for money laundering and forced to transfer Rs 2.5 crore over 26 days, the police said. Swami Supradiptananda, secretary... Read more >

20:15 Karnataka ex-DGP found murdered at Bengaluru residence Retired director general of police Om Prakash, a 1981-batch Indian Police Service officer from Karnataka, was found murdered at his residence in HSR Layout, Bengaluru, the Bangalore City Police confirmed on Sunday. According to a brief statement issued by the police, Retired DGP Om... Read more >

19:58 Quraishi was not EC but...: BJP MP Dubey on Waqf Act criticism BJP MP Nishikant Dubey After causing an uproar with his remarks against the Chief Justice of India, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday fired a salvo at SY Quraishi, saying he was not an election commissioner but a Muslim commissioner, after the latter criticised the Waqf (Amendment) Act as a sinister... Read more >

19:52 Another case against former cop Kasle for false claims on polls and EVMs The Beed police have registered a case against dismissed police sub-inspector Ranjit Kalse for allegedly making false statements about the Maharashtra assembly elections and EVMs, an official said on Sunday. The state government recently dismissed Kasle, who earlier alleged that he was... Read more >

19:28 Twenty-five injured as winds bring down mandap at Maha religious event Twenty-five devotees were injured on Sunday afternoon after a 'mandap' erected for a religious event in Maharashtra's Jalna district collapsed due to strong winds, an official said. Thirteen persons have sustained serious wounds and are being treated at Jalna district hospital, while the... Read more >

19:15 16 militants arrested in Manipur, arms recovered File image A total of 16 members of several proscribed outfits have been arrested in the last 48 hours in Manipur, the police said on Sunday. Two cadres of the banned United National Liberation Front (Pambei) were apprehended from Napetpalli Andro road near Nongdam village in Imphal East district on... Read more >

18:30 Sri Lanka police launches probe on Buddha relic image File image The Sri Lankan police on Sunday said that an investigation has begun to determine how a purported image of a sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha was captured after the photo went viral on social media. No cameras or mobile phones were allowed in the inner sanctum of the Temple of the Tooth... Read more >

18:12 Makers of Dhanush-starrer 'Kuberaa' release first song 'Jaake Aana Yaara' The makers of Kuberaa, Tamil superstar Dhanush's next movie, on Sunday released the first track from the film. Titled Poyivaa Nanba in Tamil and Poyiraa Mama in Telugu, the song is sung by Dhanush in the two languages. The Hindi version of the song, titled Jaake Aana Yaara, is... Read more >

18:03 4 Marathi films selected for Cannes Film Festival: Minister A scene from Marathi movie 'Sthal'/Screen grab from video Maharashtra cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar on Sunday said four Marathi films have been selected for the Cannes Film Festival to be held in France next month.Speaking at a press conference here, Shelar said the selections were made by a panel of experts appointed by the Maharashtra Film,... Read more >

17:38 MTNL defaults on bank loans worth Rs 8,346 cr State-run telecom firm MTNL has defaulted on bank loans worth Rs 8,346.24 crore from seven public sector banks, the company said in a regulatory filing.The loss-making public sector telecom firm's total debt obligations reached Rs 33,568 crore as on March 31, 2025, according to the filing dated... Read more >

17:04 RSS chief calls for 'one temple, one well' for Hindus RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat/File image Seeking an end to caste differences, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has called upon members of the Hindu community to strive for social harmony by embracing the principle of one temple, one well, and one cremation ground for all. Bhagwat, on a five-day visit to Aligarh,... Read more >

16:57 Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Kesari Chapter 2' earns Rs 17.92 cr in two days Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan, has collected Rs 17.92 crore nett in two days at the domestic box office, the makers announced on Sunday.The film, which delves into an untold story of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also stars Ananya Panday and is directed by... Read more >

16:26 Search operation underway in J-K's Kathua File image Security forces on Sunday launched a search operation after getting information about movement of three suspected persons near a forest area in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.A priest noticed three persons with backpacks moving towards the forest area of Rasana around 3.30 am... Read more >

16:02 Urinated on, sexually attacked by 2 men: Raj Dalit youth File image A 19-year-old Dalit youth from Sikar district of Rajasthan has alleged that he was beaten, urinated on and sexually assaulted by two men, the police said on Sunday. They said the incident took place in Sikar's Fatehpur area on April 8 but an FIR was lodged in the matter on April 16 after the... Read more >

15:46 I promise 'Jaat 2' will be even better: Sunny Deol Actor Sunny Deol on Sunday thanked people for showering love on his latest release, action movie Jaat, and said its upcoming sequel will be even better. Since its release in theatres on April 10, the film has grossed over Rs 89 crores at global box office. The makers announced a... Read more >

15:30 SSC implements Aadhaar-based authentication for exams The Staff Selection Commission has decided to implement Aadhaar-based biometric authentication in its all forthcoming examinations in order to verify candidates' identity on a voluntary basis, officials said on Sunday.They said the new measure will come into force for recruitment tests conducted... Read more >

14:52 Nine held in massive engine theft from Kia Motors' plant in Andhra Nine people have been arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police in connection with the theft of 900 engines from Kia Motors' plant located in the Sri Sathya Sai district, the police said on Sunday. The Penukonda court remanded the accused to 14 days of judicial custody, as police continue to... Read more >

14:48 Emotional talks underway: Raut on Raj, Uddhav tie-up Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray/File image Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said there has been no announcement of an alliance between his party and the MNS, but claimed emotional talks between the two are going on. Talking to reporters, Raut also said Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has not set out a precondition for... Read more >

14:47 Emotional talks underway: Raut on Raj, Uddhav tie-up Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray/File image Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said there has been no announcement of an alliance between his party and the MNS, but claimed emotional talks between the two are going on. Talking to reporters, Raut also said Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray has not set out a precondition for... Read more >

14:31 Police constable shot dead by colleague in Bihar's Bettiah A police constable was allegedly shot dead by a colleague in Bihar's West Champaran district, officials said on Sunday.The deceased has been identified as Sonu Kumar, a resident of Kaimur district. The accused, who has been arrested, has been identified as Sarvjeet Kumar also a constable... Read more >

14:06 3 key accused held in Seelampur murder case, 7 arrests so far: Police File image Three key accused involved in the Seelampur murder case have been arrested, while seven people have been apprehended so far, the police said on Sunday. The Delhi police have apprehended a total of 7 individuals in connection with the Kunal murder case. Key accused Zikra, Sahil, and... Read more >

13:47 IAF's Surya Kiran pilots paint Ranchi sky with tri-colour The Indian Air Force's Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team painted the skies above the Namkum Army Ground in Ranchi with vibrant streaks of saffron, white and green, leaving thousands of spectators spellbound on the final day of an air show on Sunday. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, senior... Read more >

13:19 MDMK seeks ban on 'Jaat' in TN over LTTE depiction The Vaiko-led MDMK on Sunday demanded that the recently released Sunny Deol-starrer Jaat be banned in Tamil Nadu over the alleged maligning depiction of the Eelam Tamil freedom movement and the LTTE. A resolution to this effect was adopted at the party's administrative council meeting... Read more >

12:58 Modi-Vance talks on Monday; PM to host dinner PM Narendra Modi with US Vice President JD Vance and his Indian-origin wife Usha along with their sons/Courtesy @narendramodi/X Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for US Vice President J D Vance and Indian-origin Second Lady Usha on Monday evening after holding talks with the American leader on a range of key issues, including trade, tariff, regional security and ways to expand the overall bilateral... Read more >

12:47 Zelenskyy condemns Russia for violating Easter ceasefire with 387 shellings File image Following President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a 30-hour ceasefire in observance of Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces carried out attacks, citing a total of 387 shelling incidents and 19 assaults. Zelenskyy further said that despite... Read more >

12:44 Another prime accused in Murshidabad father-son murder case held Security forces patrol in Mushidabad after violence/ANI Photo One of the prime accused in the murder of a man and his son in violence-hit Murshidabad district in West Bengal was arrested, the police said on Sunday. This was the fourth arrest in the killing of the two at Jafrabad in Shamsherganj, a senior officer said. The arrested person,... Read more >

12:13 J-K: Heavy rains lash parts of Udhampur; National Highway blocked Vehicular movememt on NH 44 is blocked due to landslides following heavy rainfall. The parts of National Highway 44 in the Ramban area of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir were blocked due to heavy rains in the area on Sunday. Heavy rains lashed parts of Udhampur on Saturday night, blocking traffic in various parts of National Highway 44 in the Ramban... Read more >

11:55 Man killed by neighbour over victim's dog's entering his yard in Kerala A 42-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death by his neighbour near Vellikulangara here following an argument over the victim's dog going into the yard of the accused, the police said on Sunday. The victim, Shijo, and the accused, Joseph (69), were neighbours and there were frequent... Read more >

11:49 'Free Gaza, Free Palestine' posters surface in Sambhal File image Posters bearing Free Gaza, Free Palestine messages were found pasted on walls of shops in the Narauli town of this Uttar Pradesh district, prompting a police investigation. The posters also included an appeal to a particular community to boycott Israeli goods. Baniyathair SHO Ramveer Singh... Read more >

11:12 You're tube lights: Owaisi slams BJP MP over SC remarks All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday strongly criticised Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey's recent remarks against the Supreme Court, alleging that BJP members have become so radicalised that they are now threatening the judiciary with a religious... Read more >

10:47 Vehicle collides with Indigo plane at B'luru airport File image A mini bus collided with a stationary Indigo aircraft at the Kempegowda International Airport here, an airport official said on Sunday. The vehicle hit the 'undercarriage of the non-operational aircraft', the airport spokesperson said.However, no injuries were reported in the... Read more >

10:22 'They want to divide us': Mamata attacks BJP, RSS, urges people to maintain peace Alleging that the BJP and the RSS initiated a vicious false campaign in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged the people to maintain peace, and stated that the majority and the minority communities must take care of each other.Referring to the violence in Murshidabad,... Read more >

10:14 Fadnavis reacts on possible Raj-Uddhav reunion Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday welcomed the possibility of a reunion between estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, calling it a good step. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said, If the two come together, we will be happy about it. If people... Read more >

09:41 UP man tricked into marrying bride's mother A man was allegedly tricked into marrying the mother of his 21-year-old bride here, police said Saturday. The complainant, Mohammad Azeem (22), a resident of Brahmapuri in Meerut, said that his wedding was arranged with Mantasha from Shamli district by his brother Nadeem and his... Read more >

09:07 B'desh police requests Interpol for red corner notice for Hasina The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police has submitted a request to the Interpol seeking a red notice against 12 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a media report said Saturday. Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 last year when... Read more >

08:51 If Raj, Uddhav are reuniting, it should be...: Sule NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule on Saturday said if estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray were coming together in the interest of Maharashtra, it should be welcomed wholeheartedly. She was reacting to speculation about the possibility of reconciliation between the two... Read more >
KUALA LUMPUR, April 20  The organisers of the TCE Baby Expo have apologised over a video displayed by a Singapore-based exhibitor that triggered backlash from Malaysian visitors.

They said the exhibitor, Singapore Lactation Bakes, had its booth shut down immediately and the video removed after concerns were raised about content that many deemed disrespectful.

The incident unfolded just days after local newspaper Sin Chew Daily came under fire for featuring a distorted image of the Jalur Gemilang, with the exhibitor also using a Malaysian flag missing its crescent moon, among other errors.

A thorough internal investigation is currently underway, and we are engaging with the relevant parties to understand how this occurred and to ensure appropriate measures are taken, the organisers said in a statement.

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We are treating this issue with the utmost seriousness and are currently reviewing our internal screening protocols to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.

The organisers acknowledged the gravity of the incident and stressed that maintaining the trust of Malaysians was their highest priority.

They also reaffirmed their respect for the national identity and urged the public for patience as they review the incident.

The recent controversy surrounding Sin Chew Daily sparked outrage across Malaysia after the daily published a distorted image of the Jalur Gemilang on its cover earlier this week.

The newspaper apologised over its lapse involving the image, reportedly generated using artificial intelligence, but remains under investigation by the police and the Home Ministry.
Former Defence Minister Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, also known as GBM, has been pardoned by Zambias President Hakainde Hichilema after serving part of a five-year prison sentence for corruption.

Mwambas release was granted on medical grounds, following a public outcry over his deteriorating health while incarcerated. Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu confirmed that the former minister had petitioned President Hichilema for his release in February, with the request being considered amid growing concerns about his condition.

It was reported that Mwamba had withdrawn his appeal against his conviction as part of the conditions set for his release. His legal team had previously filed a petition in court, citing the need for medical treatment abroad for his worsening prostate cancer, which they argued could not be adequately addressed within Zambia. The release comes after significant media attention surrounding his health, with local sources indicating that treatment options in the country were insufficient for his condition.

Mwamba had served as Defence Minister during President Michael Satas administration from 2011 to 2013 and was also Hakainde Hichilemas running mate in the 2016 presidential election, although the pair was unsuccessful in their bid. His release marks a significant development in a case that has garnered considerable attention due to both his political background and the medical crisis that led to his pardon.
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

The head of the hospital service on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on Sunday called for medical reinforcements to cope with an epidemic of the mosquito-borne chikungunya disease.

"We are really stretched to our limits," Lionel Calenge told the RMC radio station.

"Epidemiologists predicted the epidemic peak would hit in mid-April, and here we are."

His appeal went out a day before French President Emmanuel Macron was to embark on a five-day tour of Indian Ocean territories, including a stop in Reunion on Tuesday.

Since the start of the year, chikungunya has already killed six people on the island, and around one in nine people in the population of nearly 900,000 is believed to be affected.

Although France's public health service said the epidemic appeared to be easing in early April, Calenge said, "Every day, for several weeks now, we have been getting between 30 and 40 patients with 'chik' in our two emergency wards."

The four hospitals under his charge have insufficient beds, with 581 people hospitalized with the disease since the start of 2025, including 46 newborns, while 540 medical staff have been off work since early March because they contracted chikungunya, he said.

He said that his service had so far received three back-up doctors, but he was calling for six more.

The hospital service has put off some 300 previously scheduled operations and called personnel back from leave to cope with the outbreak, Calenge said.

 2025 AFP
The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) has delivered a record-breaking sales in the just-concluded financial year 2024-25. Dinesh Bihani, Secretary of the Guwahati Tea Auction Buyers Association said that the centres recorded the sale of 169.13 million kilograms of tea in 2024-25 at an average price of Rs 227.70 per kilogram, strengthening its position as a leading hub for quality Assam teas. "This marks an increase from 166.34 million kilograms sold in the previous financial year at an average price of Rs 183.20 per kilogram -- a notable rise of Rs 44.50 per kilogram," Bihani said in a statement. The total sales turnover for the fiscal year is estimated to be around Rs 3,851 crore, Dinesh Bihani said. He further said that, this season also witnessed record-breaking prices at GTAC. "A line of Hookmool teas fetched an all-time high of Rs 751 per kilogram. Additionally, Bought Leaf Factories (BLFs) enjoyed strong and remunerative pricing throughout the year, with a line of Bejopathar teas being sold at Rs 471 per kilogram," Bihani noted. This year, Dhemaji district's bough leaf factory teas fetched the highest price among all the districts in Assam. "In addition to offering competitive pricing, GTAC stands out for having the lowest cost of selling tea among other auction centres, making it a preferred platform for seller members. With consistently high-quality offerings and cost-effective operations, GTAC is fast emerging as a key hub in the Indian tea industry," Bihani said. Bihani further highlighted that, GTAC has been actively promoting single-origin Assam teas through its in-house tea lounge, located within the auction centre building. Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, set up in 1970, is just next to Assam Legislative Assembly premises. "This initiative allows tea producers to directly sell their teas to consumers at their own pricing, helping enhance brand visibility and profitability. Over time, the GTAC Tea Lounge has also become a popular stop for tourists looking to purchase authentic, high-quality Assam teas. In FY 2024-25, the lounge recorded a turnover of over Rs 1 crore from its tea promotion and retail activities," Dinesh Bihani apprised in the statement. Renowned globally for its richly coloured and aromatic tea, Assam's tea industry provides livelihoods to millions, with many others directly or indirectly dependent on the plantations. The state is famous for both Orthodox and CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) varieties of tea. About 25 percent of the teas produced in the state are dust grade, and the rest are CTC and orthodox. Assam now produces nearly 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India's overall tea production. (ANI)
National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV) has raised concerns placing an order with BluSmart, amidst recent allegations surrounding the electric vehicle ride-hailing company's promoters. Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi, promoters of Gensol Engineering, face a capital market ban and charges of fund diversion. The brothers are also promoters of ride-hailing service company BluSmart. On Friday, Ethical Governance Committee and NHEV - Procurement Committee held a meeting with other relevant Working Group Members from Annuity Hybrid E-Mobility (AHEM) - Financing Banks and their counterpart representative from Process Committee to ensure financial health of partners, and service providers. National Highways for Electric Vehicles (NHEV) is a pilot program adopted by the central government; initially supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to upgrade highways into e-highways. "In the current scenario, placing an order with BluSmart poses certain risks, and it is inevitable that the NHEV pilot seeks intervention from the Piloting Agency, Ease of Doing Business, to ensure that the positive characteristics of future mobility--on which BluSmart's selection for participation was originally based--remain intact," per a statement put out by Ease of Doing Business after the meeting. Abhijeet Sinha, National Program Director, Ease of Doing Business chaired the meeting. "The positivity must be protected for electric mobility industry regardless of any change in management, board, or any other measures/ actions that regulatory bodies may eventually decide upon due to the irregularities that have surfaced," the statement added. To qualify for order the electric fleet company has also fulfilled the demanding NHEV intercity parameters by inducting long-range SUVs--first during the tech trials and subsequently continuing with intercity EV fleet operations, the statement added. At the meeting, they decided that the Ease of Doing Business will reach out to Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to join a mutually beneficial joint meeting to exercise either of the following two alternatives as NHEV has vested interest in either protecting original participant's technical competence and customer satisfaction standards or spend on Technical Trial and procurement to find replacement. The two public sector enterprises - IREDA and PFC -- loaned Rs 977 crore to Gensol between 2021-22 and 2023-24, as per SEBI's preliminary findings. Out of Rs 977.75 crore, availed by the Company from IREDA and PFC as term loans, Rs 663.89 Crore was for purchasing 6,400 Electric Vehicles. At Friday's meeting, Ease of Doing Business has placed a formal query before the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to know their willingness to join a mutually beneficial joint meeting. As per the statement, the purpose of this meeting will be to exercise one of the following two alternatives, as NHEV has no vested interest in the company. But it has interest in either protecting the original participant's technical competence and customer satisfaction standards, or to avoid technical trials and fresh procurement to identify a suitable replacement Among the two alternatives to be proposed during the joint meeting is IREDA and PFC to rely on Blusmart plans to do whatever internal, rental and financial adjustment excercised by their board to come out clean (from ongoing regulatory bodies inquiries and actions on irregularities) and financially healthy to repay loans and deliver SPEDMM orders to NHEV where the nationwide expansion shall be done on recent directions of Ministry of Cooperation, in various local Cooperative Taxi Service units eventually absorbing IREDA and PFC fleets too. The second proposal would be IREDA and PFC are to rely on BluSmart's plans to undertake all necessary internal, rental, and financial adjustments as exercised by their board, in order to emerge clean from ongoing regulatory inquiries and actions related to irregularities. These adjustments are also intended to ensure BluSmart's financial health to repay loans and successfully deliver SPEDMM orders to NHEV, if placed. NHEV nationwide expansion shall proceed in line with the recent directions of the Ministry of Cooperation, Govt of India, to form various local Cooperative Taxi Service units to run cab and fleet operation locally; which will eventually absorb IREDA and PFC fleets as well in co-operative model. Ease of Doing Business said it has offered and assured all necessary services from NHEV to exercise the above-mentioned resolutions. (ANI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will have a series of meetings during her visit to the United States and Peru beginning Sunday. She will interact with CEOs from prominent fund management firms during her visit to the United States and participate in an event featuring the Indian diaspora. The Union Finance Minister will visit San Francisco and Washington DC from April 20 to 25. In the course of her two-day visit to San Francisco beginning 20th April 2025, the Union Finance Minister will deliver a keynote address at the Hoover Institution at the Stanford University, San Francisco, on 'Laying the foundations of Viksit Bharat 2047' followed by a fireside chat session. Sitharaman will also interact with top CEOs from prominent fund management firms during a Roundtable meeting with investors, besides holding bilateral meetings with CEOs from top information technology (IT) firms based in San Francisco. She will also participate in an event featuring Indian diaspora in San Francisco and interact with the Indian community settled there. During her visit to Washington DC, from April 22 to 25, Sitharaman will participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the second G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) Meetings, Development Committee Plenary, IMFC Plenary, and Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meeting. On the sidelines of the Spring Meetings in Washington DC, Smt. Sitharaman will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts from several countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the USA. She will also hold meetings with the EU Commissioner for Financial Services; the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB); the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA) and the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). During her maiden visit to Peru from April 26 to 30, the Union Finance Minister will lead an Indian delegation of officials from the Ministry of Finance and business leaders, highlighting the strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations between the two nations. Beginning her visit in Lima, Sitharaman is expected to call on the Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, and the Prime Minister Gustavo Adrianzen, besides holding bilateral meetings with the Peruvian Ministers of Finance and Economy, Defence, Energy and Mines. She will also interact with local public representatives. During her visit to Peru, the Union Finance Minister will chair the India-Peru Business Forum, with prominent business representatives from both India and Peru in attendance. Sitharaman will also hold an interaction with the Indian investors and businesses currently operating in Peru. Given Peru's importance in the global supply chain of critical minerals and precious metals, discussions during these engagements are also expected to explore avenues for greater collaboration in the mining sector, particularly to strengthen India's resource security and facilitate value-chain linkages between the two economies. The Union Finance Minister will also participate in a community event at Lima, where she will interact with the Indian diaspora living in Peru. (ANI)
In a fiery response to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's alleged casteist remarks, renowned lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir Shukla has strongly condemned the filmmaker, accusing him of attacking the Brahmin community. The issue stems from an earlier social media post by Kashyap, which criticised the ongoing controversy surrounding his upcoming film 'Phule', a biopic of social reformer Jyotirao Phule. Taking to his official X account, Manoj Muntashir Shukla delivered a direct message to Kashyap in a video saying, "If you have less income, then you have to control your expenses, and if you have less knowledge, then you have to control your words. Anurag Kashyap, you have less income and less knowledge, so control both." He further admonished Kashyap for his alleged remarks, adding, "You don't have enough water in your body to pollute the entire legacy of Brahmins." In his message, Shukla challenged Kashyap to name a Brahmin figure from history whom he believed deserved to be insulted, listing prominent figures such as Acharya Chanakya, Peshwa Bajirao, and the legendary poet Tansen, among others. "The proud tradition of Brahmins will not end. I, a Brahmin, give you an open challenge. Choose one name from the 21 I have listed and let me know," Shukla said. https://x.com/manojmuntashir/status/1913578200287883743?s=48&t=pGU8BerQmkbmBgzLSg580g Shukla's post went on to describe Brahmins as the "honour of India" and denounced Kashyap's comments as "heartless thoughts." He added, "A Brahmin may forgive your heartless thoughts, but the Hindu society will never forgive you for dividing the country." The poet further expressed his willingness to pray for Kashyap's "sick mind" and offered to take responsibility for any treatment Kashyap may need. "#AnuragKashyap ko meri khuli chetawani," he captioned the video. The controversy has escalated as police complaints have been filed against Kashyap. On Saturday, a complaint was lodged in Indore by Anoop Shukla, accusing Kashyap of hurting the social and religious sentiments of the Brahmin community. Vijay Singh Sisodia, the Police Station In-Charge of MG Road PS, confirmed that an investigation is underway. Advocate Ashish Rai has also demanded swift action from the Mumbai Police Commissioner, emphasizing that Kashyap's statements fall under the category of hate speech. "There is a citation from the Supreme Court which mandates action in cases of hate speech on social media. These statements are highly condemnable," Rai said, following the filing of a complaint with the Mumbai Police. Kashyap issued an apology on Friday night, clarifying that his statement had been taken out of context. He acknowledged the threats his family and friends had received but maintained that his apology was specifically for the misinterpretation of his words, not the content of the original post. "This is my apology, not for my post, but for that one line taken out of context and the brewing hatred... So, if it's an apology you're looking for, then this is my apology," Kashyap wrote. He also urged the Brahmin community to refrain from targeting his family members and to direct their anger toward him alone. "Brahmins, please spare the women even the scriptures teach this much decency," he added. (ANI)
According to a source cited by Variety, Madison was offered a part in the film but chose not to participate.

The film is directed by Shawn Levy, known for his work on 'Deadpool & Wolverine', the film promises to deliver a brand-new adventure with new characters.

The movie is slated to hit theatres on May 28, 2027.

Star Wars: Starfighter takes place after the Battle of Exegol, a pivotal moment in the 'Star Wars' saga.

Levy has promised a brand-new adventure with new characters, blending heart, action, and fun in a way that's both new and original.

"It takes place in a period after the Battle of Exegol, after episode 9," Levy said during the movie's announcement in April, as per Variety.

"[There are] so many opportunities to tell a Star Wars story that has all the heart and action and fun of Star Wars, but to do it in ways that are new and original," he added.

Levy confirmed Gosling's role in the film at the 'Star Wars Celebration' event in Tokyo, and said, "I had heard at one point that my movie was going to star Ryan Gosling and, believe me, that would be a dream come true for me... that rumor is 100 per cent true," as quoted by Variety.

Madison recently won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 'Anora'.

After accepting the award, she described the moment as "surreal" and expressed her gratitude for being recognised by the film industry. (ANI)
The threat follows a verbal argument between his wife, actress Rubina Dilaik, and rapper Asim Riaz on the show 'Battleground.'

Soon after the episode aired, Shukla was allegedly targeted online, with the threat mentioning the recent shooting incident at Salman Khan's house.

According to screenshots and videos shared by Shukla on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the threat message was sent from a profile under the name Ankush Gupta. The message warned Shukla of harm and made a chilling reference to the attack on Salman Khan's residence.

"I'm from Lawrence Bishnoi's gang. I know your address. Should I come over? Just like Salman Khan was shot at, I'll come to your house and shoot you with an AK-47," the message read in Hindi.

"Consider this your final warning. Say anything about Asim, and your name goes on the list. Lawrence Bishnoi stands with Asim," it further read.

https://x.com/ashukla09/status/1913847148082258268

Shukla posted a screen recording of the sender's Instagram profile and mentioned that the person appeared to be from Chandigarh.

https://x.com/ashukla09/status/1913852311350165950

Tagging the Punjab and Chandigarh Police in his post, the actor wrote in his caption: "@DGPPunjabPolice @PunjabPoliceInd @DgpChdPolice @ChdPol - The person seems to be from Chandigarh or Mohali. Kindly take immediate and strict action. If anyone can identify this individual, please report them." (ANI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday welcomed the possibility of a reunion between estranged cousins Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, calling it a "good" step. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said, "If the two come together, we will be happy about it. If people settle their differences, it is a good thing. What else can I say about it?" Fadnavis was responding to Raj Thackeray's recent statement, where the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief expressed willingness to reunite with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav by forgetting past differences. Uddhav also responded positively, saying that he was ready to put aside disputes for the sake of the Marathi language and Maharashtra. Addressing a function of his party's trade union wing, Bhartiya Kamgar Sena, in Mumbai, Uddhav said, "What I want to say is I also appeal to all Marathi people to come together for the benefit of Maharashtra and Marathi." He added that during the Lok Sabha elections, his party had raised the issue of industries moving from Maharashtra to Gujarat. "If you (Raj Thackeray) had opposed this at that time, the government currently in power at the Centre would not have existed. We would have formed a government that thinks about the welfare of Maharashtra both at the Centre and in the state," he said. Uddhav stated that if Raj Thackeray had opposed the issue at that time, a government in the centre today would not have been in power. Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that both leaders were willing to set aside their grievances. He noted that Uddhav had placed one condition for reconciliation: that Raj Thackeray should not provide space to the "enemies of Maharashtra and Shiv Sena (UBT)." "Raj Thackeray has said that if there are any grudges between the two brothers, then I will keep my ego aside and will remove it (grudges) for the best interests of Maharashtra. On which Uddhav Thackeray has said that we are brothers and there are no grudges between us; if there are any, I will remove them. However, you should not give space in your home to the enemy of Maharashtra and the Shiv Sena (UBT)...If you agree on this, we will surely talk", Sanjay Raut said. However, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske questioned Uddhav Thackeray's past actions against Raj. " "Uddhav Thackeray had threatened that he would leave the house if any responsibility were given to Raj Thackeray. He opposed Raj Thackeray's visit to the branches in Mumbai. He separated all the workers who worked for Raj Thackeray...He should answer first why he opposed Raj Thackeray", Mhaske told reporters on Saturday. The developments come ahead of the much-anticipated BMC elections expected in October this year. (ANI)
Days after violence erupted in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, leaving three people dead--including a father-son duo--Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday issued a public appeal urging citizens to maintain peace and unity. She accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliates, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of exploiting the incident to incite unrest for political gain. In an open letter, Banerjee alleged that certain groups were "using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident" to promote a divisive agenda. "BJP and its allies have suddenly become very aggressive in West Bengal. These allies include RSS...These forces are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident that happened on provocation. They are using the backdrop to play divisive politics...," she said. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of communal harmony and solidarity. "My appeal is: please remain calm. We condemn communal riots and must curb them. The criminals behind the riots are being dealt with strongly. But, simultaneously, we must avoid mutual mistrust and distrust. The majority and the minority communities must work together and take care of each other...," she added. Banerjee also highlighted the state's response to the violence, confirming that law enforcement authorities have acted swiftly. "For maintaining law and order and for saving human lives and dignity, we have taken strong actions. Two police officers-in-charge have been removed. Police are investigating. Further actions are being taken..." she said. Accusing political opponents of attempting to destabilise the state, CM Banerjee said, "They want to incite riots, and riots can affect everyone. We love all. We want to stay together. We condemn riots. We are against riots. They want to divide us for some narrow electoral politics." The Chief Minister's letter comes in the wake of the Murshidabad violence that broke out on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The incident resulted in three deaths, several injuries, and extensive property damage. Multiple families were displaced, with some migrating to Jharkhand's Pakur district and others taking shelter in relief camps in Malda. (ANI)
The elderly couple's son was also injured in the incident, they added.

The accident occurred near Baripura village, under the limits of Kabrai police station, along the Kanpur-Sagar National Highway.

According to officials, the family was returning to their native village of Jind in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, when their car collided head-on with a speeding dump truck.

The deceased have been identified as 68-year-old Satish Maurya, his 56-year-old wife Urmila Maurya, and their 32-year-old daughter-in-law Mohini Kanaujia. Their 33-year-old son, Hardik Maurya, was critically injured.

The police and district administration, including the Superintendent of Police, reached the spot shortly after receiving the information.

All four victims were extricated from the mangled vehicle with a lot of effort and rushed to Mahoba District Hospital, officials said.

Doctors declared Satish, Urmila, and Mohini dead on arrival. Hardik was given preliminary treatment and referred to Jhansi Medical College in a critical condition, they said.

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination, and we are further looking into the incident, they added. (ANI)
In a post on X, the President said, "The news of the death of many people, including children and women, in the unfortunate incident of the collapse of a building in Mustafabad, Delhi, is extremely sad."

"I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," she added.

The incident occurred in the congested Mustafabad locality during the early hours of Saturday when a multi-storey building collapsed, trapping several people beneath the rubble.

Rescue operations were ongoing since morning, involving teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services, and local authorities.

Second-in-command of the 16 Battalion NDRF, Praveen Kumar Dahiya, said, "Since morning, 22 victims have been rescued. The operation has reached the last stage and will conclude in the next 1.5-2 hours."

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed condolences over the loss of lives and announced a probe into the incident. "May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss," she posted on X, assuring strict action against those responsible. (ANI)
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said that the names of Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were deliberately included in the National Herald charge sheet "under a conspiracy and out of vendetta," according to a party statement. In his opening remarks at the meeting of the party general secretaries, state in-charges and heads of frontal organisations, the Congress president also referred to the timing of the Enforcement Directorate action to attach National Herald properties in Delhi, Lucknow and Mumbai to coincide it with the AICC session at Ahmedabad. As per the release, the Congress president pointed out, earlier during the Raipur session, that the Modi government had the ED and the CBI raid Congress leaders in an attempt to disrupt the session. He also referred to the sealing of the Congress party's bank accounts just ahead of the General Elections. However, he added, despite all that, the Congress party emerged stronger and doubled its strength in Parliament. Referring to the National Herald case, Kharge said, the Young India was a "not-for-profit" company. He said nobody can claim the profits of the Associated Journals Limited, nor can the property be transferred. He alleged that the BJP was spreading lies about the case and urged the party leaders to explain the truth to the people and expose the BJP's false propaganda. The Congress president expressed relief that the Supreme Court of India had taken note of the concerns and objections raised by the Congress and other opposition parties about the Waqf Amendment Act. He expressed confidence that they will win the battle in the Supreme Court. He also underlined the need to clarify and expose the BJP's lies about the Waqf Act. Kharge made a special mention of the empowerment of district Congress presidents and also referred to the resolution passed at the AICC session in this regard. He called upon the senior party leader to raise various important issues facing the country. Those present included Congress General Secretary-Organisation KC Venugopal, Treasurer Ajay Maken, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary-Communications Jairam Ramesh, and others. (ANI)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday strongly criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's recent remarks against the Supreme Court, alleging that BJP members have become so radicalised that they are now threatening the judiciary with a religious war. He further mocked the BJP, saying, "You people (BJP) are tubelights... threatening the court in such a way. Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar," referencing the constitutional provision that empowers the Supreme Court to deliver complete justice in any matter before it. Owaisi's remarks came after controversial statements made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma regarding the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. Earlier in the day, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past court decisions, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he added. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court want to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. Echoing similar sentiments, BJP leader Dinesh Sharma stated that no one can "challenge" the President, as the President is "supreme." "There is an apprehension among the public that when Dr BR Ambedkar wrote the Constitution, the rights of the Legislative and Judiciary were clearly written...According to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The President has already given her assent to it. No one can challenge the President, as the President is supreme," Sharma told ANI. However, the BJP on Saturday issued a statement distancing itself from the remarks made by Dubey and Sharma, saying that the party "completely rejects" their statements. Both MPs have been asked to refrain from making such comments in the future. (ANI)
In a joint operation, the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and the intelligence department apprehended three Bangladeshi nationals, including a woman, at Agartala Railway Station on Saturday, the Agartala GRP said in a statement. According to police, preliminary investigations suggest that all three had entered India illegally and were planning to travel further into southern states via train through Kolkata. Authorities suspect their movement was part of a broader human trafficking or illegal immigration network. The arrested individuals have been identified as Kamrun Nessa (23), a resident of Dhaka, and two men--Md. Ismail Hossain (22) and Md. Noor Hossain (25), both from Chittagong, Bangladesh. The trio is currently being interrogated at the Agartala GRP Police Station. Officials believe further arrests may follow as the investigation progresses. Police sources indicate that more crucial information is expected to be extracted during extended questioning. A case has been officially registered at the Agartala GRP Police Station, and the accused will be presented before the Hon'ble Court tomorrow. Authorities are treating this as a serious breach of national security and are continuing efforts to uncover the full extent of the illegal network. Earlier, in a major crackdown on illegal immigration, the staff of Police Station South Campus, South West District, Delhi, detained eight Bangladeshi nationals found residing unlawfully in various areas of the city. The operation was executed on April 15, 2025, following a tip-off regarding the presence of illegal migrants near Satya Niketan Market. Following their detention, the deportation process was promptly initiated with the assistance of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Delhi, and all eight individuals were transferred to the designated deportation centre on April 16. Investigations revealed that most of them had entered India illegally between 2007 and 2023 through various border crossings, including Tripura, Ghoja Donga, and Benapole, with some using the assistance of brokers. Several were found working in Delhi as domestic helpers or enrolled in vocational training programs. (ANI)
According to police, the suspects were travelling in a vehicle en route from Jammu to Udhampur when they were intercepted by police, leading to the recovery of the suspected narcotics.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Ishfaq Ahmed, a resident of Srinagar, and Farooq and Mohd Kamal Hussain, both residents of Delhi, they said.

A case has been registered at Police Station Rehambal under sections 8, 21, 22, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The police investigation is underway to trace the larger network behind the smuggling attempt, they added. (ANI)
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has introduced a robotic device capable of carrying out underwater search operations at depths of up to 200 metres. AMC plans to procure the equipment, known as a Deep Trekker remote-operated vehicle (ROV), for future use. The robot is equipped with a camera and a mechanical grabber and can be operated remotely. It can perform search tasks in low-visibility conditions and retrieve objects weighing up to 100 kilograms. According to AMC's Divisional Fire Officer Om Jadeja, the fire and emergency department was approached by a third-party agency that demonstrated the device. The equipment, which uses sonar technology, was tested in the presence of local first responders during a field demonstration. "Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's fire and emergency department was approached by a third-party agency. They said that they have such a product, and with the help of Sonar technology, it is helpful for deep search and rescue operations. We called the nearby first responders for the water rescue operations. An object was put inside the water, and this equipment was used for searching. With this equipment, we can carry out search operations up to 200 m deep," he said. Officials said the robotic device is expected to support various operations, including retrieving objects used as weapons during any crime or dead bodies from rivers and canals. This will provide more assistance to the authorities in crime-related investigations when items or bodies are discarded underwater. Currently, the absence of such equipment in the fire department requires divers or even firefighters to manually search underwater, often during nighttime or in complex conditions. With the addition of this robotic system, the department aims to increase its response capability with more procurement in process. Earlier on Friday, AMC conducted mock drills at Nexus One Mall as part of its fire and rescue service operation, in coordination with multiple emergency response agencies. (ANI)
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the party of focusing on "trivial issues" while neglecting the real concerns of the public. Speaking to the reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said, "This government has two achievements, pakora and bhagoda (fugitive). Anyone who wants employment, they ask them to make pakora, and you know about the fugitive who ran away with the country's money." The SP leader then took a jibe at the recently passed Waqf Act, questioning its relevance to the needs of farmers. "Will the income of farmers be doubled after the Waqf Bill is passed? These people want to create trouble. If you see a riot anywhere, the Bharatiya Janata Party is behind it...This army is Yogi Army, Yogi Ji is hell-bent on destroying Uttar Pradesh," Yadav further said. Earlier on Saturday, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav visited Agra to meet the party's MP Ramji Lal Suman, days after violence erupted outside the latter's residence in connection with a controversial statement about historical figure Rana Sanga. On the occasion, Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while speaking with reporters. After meeting Ramji Lal Suman, Akhilesh Yadav, "The Samajwadi Party will move ahead following the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the rights that we have under it. Action will be taken against those who waved swords and those who have abused (without taking anyone's name). We are followers of the law contrary to the Bharatiya Janata Party." "BJP is like snatching the rights and does not act on the Constitution," he alleged. Ramji Lal Suman has sparked controversy with his statement on Rana Sanga, a 16th-century Rajput king. He called him a "traitor" for allegedly bringing Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. (ANI)
Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday visited the Lourdes Syro Malabar Forane Church in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the Easter prayers today. The Kerala BJP chief also sat down with the Christian community leaders, including Cardinal Baselios Cardinal Cleemis. Earlier today, while wishing everyone on Easter Sunday, the BJP leader highlighted that this auspicious day marks the rise of hope and gives a message of love given by Jesus. "Easter marks the resurrection of hope. May the profound message of love that Jesus Christ shared, along with the blessings of this holy day, guide us toward the vision of a Viksita Keralam. Wishing everyone a Happy Easter! Easter is the rise of hope. The great message of love given by Jesus God again and the goodness of this holy day, may it lead us towards the goal of developing Kerala," Chandrasekhar wrote in a post on X. https://x.com/RajeevRC_X/status/1913767079704248532 The Easter prayers were performed by the head priest of the Forane Church in Palayam. Speaking to ANI after the prayers, Chandrasekhar highlighted that every festival holds importance for the BJP. "For the BJP, every festival is an important festival, a holy festival... Today, I've had the occasion to come to the church, seek the blessings of everybody, and wish everybody the best wishes for the blessed Easter. I also got an opportunity to meet the Cardinal," he told ANI. Easter Sunday is a religious Christian holiday that is observed globally to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and while holidays like Christmas have fixed dates, the date for Easter changes from year to year. According to the Bible, it marks the third day after Jesus was crucified when he rose from the dead. Around the world, Easter is celebrated in various ways, with many cultures incorporating their own traditions and customs into the holiday. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. It is a time when Catholics gather to remember and participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion was the final period of Christ's life in Jerusalem. It covers the span from when He arrived in Jerusalem to when He was crucified. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who had risen on the third day, after being crucified by the Romans, according to the Bible. The celebration is done on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox. Easter is determined by the lunar and solar calendars. Easter is celebrated in Western Christianity on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal (spring) equinox, which usually occurs between March 22 and April 25. The date for Easter changes from year to year. The reason for this variation is that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. As a result, the Easter date for the Eastern Church may differ from that of the Western Church. (ANI)
Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday stated that BJP National President JP Nadda had clarified the party's official position on BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's controversial remarks about the Supreme Court. Speaking to ANI, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "JP Nadda has already spoken about the issue. He is our National President, and what he tweeted yesterday reflects the official position of the BJP. That is also my position." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had "completely rejected" and distanced itself from controversial remarks made by the party MP Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. The two MPs have also been asked to refrain from making such remarks. In a post on X on Saturday, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements. "Nadda added, "Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because, as a party, we believe that all the courts of the country, including the Supreme Court, are an integral part of our democracy and are a strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution." He further said that both MPs and others in the party have been instructed against making similar remarks in the future. "I have instructed both of them and everyone else not to make such statements," he wrote. Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past court decisions, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he added. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. Meanwhile, BJP leader Dinesh Sharma stated that no one can "challenge" the President, as the President is "supreme." "There is an apprehension among the public that when Dr BR Ambedkar wrote the Constitution, the rights of the Legislative and Judiciary were clearly written...According to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The President has already given her assent to it. No one can challenge the President, as the President is supreme," Sharma told ANI. (ANI)
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday condemned the "controversial" remark made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on the Supreme Court and stated that it was a clear case of contempt of court and the violation of the Constitution. Venugopal further stated that this could not be taken lightly and was a serious attack on the judiciary. Speaking to ANI, the Congress General Secretary said "It is a clear case of contempt of court, violation of Constitution... This cannot be taken lightly. A serious allegation has been made by a member of Parliament against the Chief Justice of India... It is a serious direct attack on the judiciary..." He further stated that action should be taken by the Speaker and the Court. "The Speaker and the Court should take action... They are trying to threaten the judiciary..." he further added. Meanwhile, JMM spokesperson Manoj Pandey said that the dictatorship in the country has reached such a level where a Parliamentarian is now seen challenging the courts. JMM spokesperson on Saturday urged the judiciary to take action against Dubey while calling Godda MP's remark "unfortunate". Speaking to ANI, Pandey said, "The dictatorship in the nation has reached such a level that now a member of parliament is challenging the court...Are these people more learned than the judges? Will they do anything in the darkness of the majority, and will the courts stay silent?... When the courts give decisions in their favour, they say that the judiciary is the third pillar of democracy." "The court should take action against him. This is very unfortunate," he added. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised Dubey's remarks and alleged that BJP members had become so radicalised that they were now threatening the judiciary. "You people (BJP) are tubelights...threatening the court in such a way. Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar," Owaisi said while referencing the Constitutional provision that empowers the Supreme Court to deliver complete justice in any matter before it. (ANI)
According to officials, the accused has been identified as Constable Sarvjeet Kumar, who opened fire on the victim Constable Sonu Kumar with his Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) around 10:20 pm on Saturday.

The victim sustained 11 bullet injuries and died on the spot, police said.

Speaking to ANI, Sadar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Vivek Deep said that both constables were recently transferred to the Bettiah Police Line and had been working together.

A total of 12 rounds were fired during the incident, with 11 shells and one live cartridge recovered from the scene.

"Both were working together, and both were transferred here recently. Constable Sarvjeet Kumar said that there were some family issues, and during an argument (with the deceased constable Sonu Kumar), he lost his mental balance. Police have recovered a total of 11 shells and 1 live bullet from the spot," he said.

"After the incident, Sarvjeet Kumar was immediately taken into custody and his weapon was seized," said the Police.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Sunday jumped into the ongoing controversy over remarks made by party MP Nishikant Dubey on Supreme Court and said that his stand mirrors that of Union Minister JP Nadda, who distanced the ruling party from such remarks while "completely rejecting" them. "JP Nadda has already spoken about the issue. He is our National President, and what he tweeted yesterday reflects the official position of the BJP. That is also my position," Chandrashekhar told reporters here. He was visiting the Lourdes Syro-Malabar Forane church in Thiruvananthapuram on the occasion of Easter, and his reaction comes after BJP MP Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. Meanwhile, the BJP has "completely rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by the party MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. The two MPs have also been asked to refrain from making such remarks. In a post on X on Saturday, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements." Nadda added, "Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because, as a party, we believe that all the courts of the country, including the Supreme Court, are an integral part of our democracy and are a strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution." He further said that both MPs and others in the party have been instructed against making similar remarks in the future. "I have instructed both of them and everyone else not to make such statements," he wrote. Earlier, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi strongly criticised BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's recent remarks against the Supreme Court, alleging that BJP members have become so radicalised that they are now threatening the judiciary with a religious war. He further mocked the BJP, saying, "You people (BJP) are tube lights... threatening the court in such a way. Do you even know what Article 142 is? It was framed by BR Ambedkar," referencing the constitutional provision that empowers the Supreme Court to deliver complete justice in any matter before it. (ANI)
As a part of the Chhattisgarh government's extensive efforts and introduction of a new industrial policy, Naya Raipur is gearing up to become a new destination for IT companies and offer large-scale employment opportunities to youths here. Under this campaign to become the new IT hub of India, Square Business Service Private Limited has established a BPO at Nava Raipur and is currently offering jobs to around 350 youths of Chhattisgarh, including candidates hailing from naxal-hit Dantewada, Gariaband and Dhamtari districts. Notably, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has inaugurated the BPO of Square located at the CBD building in Naya Raipur. "Chhattisgarh Government has a vision, and Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai has given directives to engage in employment generation activities for educated youths. Keeping this in mind, Naya Raipur Development Authority (NRDA) is ensuring plug-and-play space to companies. So far, 1800 seats have been allocated to four companies," said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) NRDA Saurabh Kumar, elaborating that the CM has recently inaugurated the BPO of Square. Shedding more details about the ongoing exercise to make Naya Raipur an IT hub, the CEO elaborated, "Seats have been allocated to multiple companies, including Teleperformance, and we are also developing a separate IT Tower in the space available here. Frequently receiving queries from companies as well as youths, efforts are on to generate 5000-6000 jobs at the earliest. " "Specific directives have been given to the district collectors about creating awareness related to job openings in Naya Raipur. Moreover, we are also ensuring coordination of companies coming here with the employment officers of all the districts. Currently, candidates from 13 districts, ranging from north to south of Chhattisgarh, are working in the company that recently started operating here," he added. "Children from naxal-hit areas, which are shrinking rapidly, be it Dantewada, Kanker, Dhamtari or any other, are getting employment in the BPO is a very positive initiative, and the long-term impact of this will be visible in future," said CEO Saurabh Kumar. "There are prospects of generating 2000-plus employment here because the state government and the Chief Minister here have the vision to convert Naya Raipur into an emerging IT city," said Centre Head of Square in Raipur, Prashanth Kumar Samal, adding that we (Square) will extend full support in this endeavour. "The way NRDA is working and extending support, not just 'Square', other companies will also move here and Naya Raipur will emerge like other IT cities in future," Samal stated. He further elaborated that so far we have generated 350 jobs and are going to take it to 600 to 650 by the next 4-6 months. The company has a vision of generating 1000-1200 jobs in one and a half years. "We also have our headquarters in Hyderabad, and due to non-availability of opportunities, candidates from Raipur, Odisha and other states have to move to another state in quest of a job. Now we have started operating here, and other companies are likely to move here soon, so Naya Raipur could be the first preference for youths in terms of job location," he added. Of 350 candidates here, 92 per cent employees are from Chhattisgarh, while the remaining eight per cent are from other states like Telangana, Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, said Samal, elaborating that candidates working here are from different parts of Chhattisgarh. Around 700-800 employment opportunities may possibly be created here and immediately we have a requirement of around 150 candidates, said Samal and further informed that recruitment exercise in this regard was ongoing. "Due to the efforts of Chhattisgarh Government, IT companies are coming here and youths from Bastar region as well as other part of the state can explore the employment avenue in the field of Information Technology," said Kishan Mandavi, an employee of Square's BPO, who is native of village Telam under Katekalyan block of naxal-hit Dantewada district. Earlier, people believed that an IT company means Bangalore, Mumbai or Gurgaon and which IT company will come to Chhattisgarh, he said, adding "even I also had the mindset that only big cities give opportunities for IT jobs." Mandavi further said, " Obtaining a job in an IT company in Naya Raipur is not an easy task for me, but initiatives taken by the Chhattisgarh government made my journey a bit easier. I am working here in the IT company and will inspire several in Bastar and give a new ray of hope to them. "Since childhood, we have been hearing about Naxal incidents, but hard work can overcome any challenge. With the efforts of the Chhattisgarh Government, the problem will be solved soon as the population out there also understands what is right and wrong. People are supporting the government and joining the mainstream of society and hoping to contribute to the development of the state as well as the nation," he added. "While thinking about the IT company, names of foreign countries and cities like Mumbai and others comes to our mind but with arrival of 'Square' in Nava Raipur due to the government's support, we are now able to shape our skill and become capable to work in this field," said Manorama Sahu, a resident of Dhamtari district. "After joining the company, we have been subjected to skill development activities, training to gain command on language and handle customers properly," she added. "Apart from work, employees here get time for recreational activities and interactive sessions," Sahu said. (ANI)
Christian devotees attended the Easter Vigil Mass at CSI Immanuel Church in the Nerkundram area in Chennai on Sunday, remembering the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of devotees gathered inside the church to offer their prayers and celebrate Easter Sunday, celebrated across the country's Christian community and others. Meanwhile, in various places, including Kerala and Manipur, Easter Sunday is celebrated in their own way, with some prayers offered at midnight as per tradition, too. In Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, Easter Vigil Mass and special prayers were held with fireworks and a light show at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended their wishes on the occasion. On the occasion, PM Modi wished for joy and harmony all around. "Wishing everyone a blessed and joyous Easter. This Easter is special because world over, the Jubilee Year is being observed with immense fervour. May this sacred occasion inspire hope, renewal and compassion in every person. May there be joy and harmony all around," PM Modi said. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who had risen on the third day after being crucified by the Romans, according to the Bible. The celebration is done on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox. Easter is determined by the lunar and solar calendars. Easter is celebrated in Western Christianity on the first Sunday after the first full moon, which occurs on or after the vernal (spring) equinox, which usually occurs between March 22 and April 25. The date for Easter changes from year to year. (ANI)
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Sunday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her response to the recent incidents of violence in Murshidabad district, accusing her of selective vote bank politics and raising concerns about the safety of the Hindu community in the state. "What happened in Murshidabad right under Mamata Banerjee's nose is very regrettable, and Mamata Banerjee's silence after that clearly shows that Mamata Banerjee wants to do politics of only one class," the BJP MP told ANI. He added that the West Bengal Governor, CV Ananda Bose, also visited the incident site and assessed the situation, but questioned the response from the state government. "There is a lot of insecurity for the Hindu community. The question arises that who will protect the Hindus living in Bengal? Will Mamata Banerjee make this promise to the people of Bengal?" Khandelwal added. The statement comes in the wake of violence that erupted on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the region, which resulted in the deaths of three people, injuries to several others, and widespread property damage. Several families have been displaced, with many migrating to Jharkhand's Pakur district, while others have taken refuge in relief camps set up in Malda. Meanwhile, days after the violence, Mamata Banerjee on Saturday issued a public appeal urging citizens to maintain peace and unity. She accused the BJP and its affiliates, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of exploiting the incident to incite unrest for political gain. In an open letter, Banerjee alleged that certain groups were "using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident" to promote a divisive agenda. "BJP and its allies have suddenly become very aggressive in West Bengal. These allies include RSS. These forces are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident that happened under provocation. They are using the backdrop to play divisive politics," she said. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of communal harmony and solidarity. "My appeal is that please remain calm. We condemn communal riots and must curb them. The criminals behind the riots are being dealt with strongly. But, simultaneously, we must avoid mutual mistrust and distrust. The majority and the minority communities must work together and take care of each other," she added. Banerjee also highlighted the state's response to the violence, confirming that law enforcement authorities have acted swiftly. "For maintaining law and order and for saving human lives and dignity, we have taken strong actions. Two police officers-in-charge have been removed. Police are investigating. Further actions are being taken..." she said. Accusing political opponents of attempting to destabilise the state, CM Banerjee said, "They want to incite riots, and riots can affect everyone. We love all. We want to stay together. We condemn riots. We are against riots. They want to divide us for some narrow electoral politics." (ANI)
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring condemned the remarks of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday, claiming that the BJP MP "does not speak a single word without the consent of the BJP's senior leaders." He alleged that the party simply uses Dubey to say what they wanted to say. "I know Nishikant Dubey very well. The opposition and the ruling party in the Parliament believe that whatever Nishikant Dubey does not speaks a single word without the consent of the BJP's senior leaders. I think this is not Nishikant Dubey's statement, it is a statement he was made to say by the BJP. This is an insult and contempt to the Supreme Court," Warring told ANI in Chandigarh. Saying if BJP President JP Nadda really does not agree with the statement, then Dubey should be served a notice from the party. "If JP Nadda really doesn't agree with his statement, then give notice to Nishikant Dubey," the Congress leader said. He further criticised the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, particularly the provision of non-muslims being unable to donate properties to Waqf Board. "The BJP has made such a law (Waqf Amendment Act 2025) that if Raja Warring wants to donate his property to someone, then first he will have to take a license from the BJP," he added. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has found himself embroiled in a controversy after he alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. The BJP has "completed rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by the party MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. In a post on X on Saturday, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements." Nadda added, "Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because, as a party, we believe that all the courts of the country, including the Supreme Court, are an integral part of our democracy and are a strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution." (ANI)
Three key accused involved in the Seelampur murder case have been arrested, while seven people have been apprehended so far, police said on Sunday. "Delhi Police have apprehended a total of 7 individuals in connection with the Kunal murder case. Key accused Zikra, Sahil, and Dilshad have been arrested, along with several minor suspects who are now in police custody," an official statement said. Further investigation is underway. Earlier, 'Lady Don' Zikra was arrested in the murder case involving a 17-year-old boy in Seelampur. During questioning, Zikra told police that her cousin Sahil was attacked in November last year by two boys, Lala and Shambhu, who were friends of Kunal. Kunal was also there at that time, but since he was a minor, his name was not in the FIR. Zikra and Sahil believed that Kunal was behind the attack, so they sought revenge against him. The opposition party lashed out at the BJP-led government in the state and said that the situation has worsened after the new government came to power in Delhi. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that justice would be served in the case of the 17-year-old boy who was stabbed to death and later declared dead at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital. "I have spoken to the Police commissioner about the murder of a 17-year-old boy, Kunal. He was attacked with knives and was rushed to the Jai Prakash hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival," Gupta told reporters. Meanwhile, the victim's mother said she had not received any updates from the police and accused the authorities of helping the culprits escape. The murdered teenager, identified as Kunal, was killed in the J Block area of Seelampur. (ANI)
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Sunday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the remarks of party MP Nishikant Dubey against the Supreme Court. Tiwari said that the BJP broke all limits of decency and showed that the party did not have faith in democracy. Speaking to ANI, Tiwari said, "This breaks all limits of decency and shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not have faith in democracy... Nothing could have been more difficult for democracy than this. The common man has faith in the Supreme Court. Who are these people who lead every such mission of the Bharatiya Janata Party?... Earlier, the opposition leaders were not allowed to speak in the Vidhan Sabha or Lok Sabha, and opposition MPS were suspended from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, and laws were passed. Now the judiciary has been treated like a bully." Meanwhile, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also lashed out at the BJP MP for his remarks and stated that "people like Nishikant Dubey justify the ideology of the BJP, that they are ready to go against the Supreme Court". On BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks on the Supreme Court, Saurabh Bharadwaj told ANI, "... The Highest Court gave the judgment on the Ayodhya issue, and everyone accepted it; even Muslims accepted that. What Nishikant Dubey is saying shows that Muslims are ready to accept the Supreme Court's judgement even when the judgement was against them, but people like Nishikant Dubey justify the ideology of the BJP--that they are ready to go against the Supreme Court..." Meanwhile, the BJP has "completely rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by the party MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. The two MPs have also been asked to refrain from making such remarks. In a post on X on Saturday, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements." Nadda added, "Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because, as a party, we believe that all the courts of the country, including the Supreme Court, are an integral part of our democracy and are a strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution." He further said that both MPs and others in the party have been instructed against making similar remarks in the future. "I have instructed both of them and everyone else not to make such statements," he wrote. (ANI)
Congress MP Imran Masood on Sunday hit out at BJP leader Nishikant Dubey over his remarks targeting the Supreme Court, alleging that threatening the judiciary is a serious concern. Speaking to ANI, Masood said, "Nothing can be more worrisome than threatening the Supreme Court. The BJP has a long-standing habit of shrugging off such statements. We want an India of Babasaheb's dream." Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past decisions of the court, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he said. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. Meanwhile, the BJP has "completely rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by Nishikant Dubey on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. (ANI)
In a strongly worded letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chairman of the All India Bar Association, Dr Adish C. Aggarwala, has expressed deep concern over recent remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey criticising the Supreme Court. Dubey had reportedly said, "If the Supreme Court has to make laws, then Parliament should be shut down," a statement that has drawn sharp reactions from the legal community. Dr. Aggarwala, who is also a Senior Advocate and former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, termed the comment "stunning" and cautioned that such remarks from ruling party leaders can "erode public trust in the judiciary." Referring to the Supreme Court's landmark 2023 judgments in State of Punjab vs. Principal Secretary to Governor of Punjab and State of Tamil Nadu vs. Governor of Tamil Nadu, Dr. Aggarwala clarified that the Court had acted within constitutional bounds by prescribing a reasonable three-month timeframe for Governors and the President to take a decision on Bills, in the absence of any specific timeline under Articles 200 and 201 of the Constitution. "These rulings are not an instance of judicial overreach," he stated. "The Court did not issue any directions to the Head of State or the Head of the Nation but only held that delays beyond three months would amount to deemed assent." Dr Aggarwala reminded that if the Government disagrees with the timeframe set by the Court, it retains the sovereign power to legislate and amend existing provisions. "There may be a difference of opinion regarding the time limit, but the appropriate course of action is legislative amendment--not public criticism," he wrote. Lauding the government for its past respect toward the judiciary, Dr. Aggarwala urged the Prime Minister to advise party members against making public comments that "undermine the foundational balance of powers established by the Constitution" and "hamper the cordial relationship between the Judiciary and the Executive." The letter concludes with an appeal to preserve the dignity of democratic institutions and maintain public faith in the Indian judicial system. (ANI)
Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party over party MP Nishikant Dubey's recent remark at the Supreme Court, noting that whatever Godda Lok Sabha MP said reflects the thinking of the BJP. While addressing the media in Prayagraj, the Samajwadi party chief alleged that the BJP is responsible for creating divisions in society, be it in the name of religion or caste. "The truth is that if anyone is creating rifts between religions, then it is the BJP. Creating a divide in society in the name of religion, caste is a very well-planned programme of the BJP, and they spend funds on it. Whatever was said is the thinking of the BJP," Yadav said. This came in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding the comment made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey at the Supreme Court, after he alleged that the apex court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the judicial institution was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and the State Assembly should be shut," Dubey said. Referring to past decisions of the court, Dubey further criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. Meanwhile, the BJP has "completely rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by Nishikant Dubey on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. In a post on X on Saturday, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with nor supports such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements." (ANI)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's recent comments directed at the Chief Justice of India. He said that the remarks were an attack on the judiciary and an indication that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to change the Constitution of India. Speaking to ANI, Tagore said, "PM Modi must react to the attack on the Chief Justice of India. Again, the BJP is trying to change the Constitution of India, and the signals are coming from Nishikant Dubey, who is very close to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The words used against the CJI are unacceptable. We hope that the Supreme Court takes suo motu and takes this as a contempt of court." Congress leader Pawan Khera also strongly criticised the BJP-led government over the remarks made by Nishikant Dubey. "Without the silent acceptance of PM Modi, neither Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar nor Nishikant Dubey can say whatever they have said. If the BJP is serious about this issue, they should tell us what action they are taking on Nishikant Dubey. Are they sending a show cause notice to him?" he told ANI. Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past decisions of the court, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he added. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. (ANI)
Following the abduction and killing of a Hindu minority leader, Bhabesh Chandra Roy in Bangladesh, former diplomat KP Fabian condemned the incident on Sunday, accusing the neighbouring country's administration of 'not taking any prompt action.' "It is clear that there is violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, which is unfortunate and quite sad. The government there should do more about it to prevent such things. I understand that Bangladesh is a big country with millions of people. So government cannot control everyone," the former diplomat told ANI in Delhi. "But this is also the government's responsibility that they should take prompt action, but what I have read, the Bangladesh government didn't take any prompt action," he added. On the comments of Bangladesh's Chief Advisor, Mohammad Yunus, the former diplomat mentioned, "Even if red notice is sent, then nothing will happen, because the question is not about whether she got permission to stay here. We have to look at the big picture of how India-Bangladesh relations are ongoing. However, public statements harm these, Yunus the chief advisor said that the seven northeastern states are landlocked and that Bangladesh is the guardian of the maritime space there. There was no need to say that, what benefits did they get? India just put restrictions." On April 19 (Saturday), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed strong concern over the abduction and brutal killing of Hindu minority leader, calling it part of a troubling pattern of persecution. The Ministry condemned the incident and urged the interim government in Bangladesh to ensure protection for all minorities. "We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh," Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson for the MEA, posted on X (formerly Twitter). The postmortem of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, who was allegedly abducted and beaten to death earlier this week in Dinajpur district's Biral upazila, Bangladesh, has been completed, police said on Saturday. Roy was a resident of Basudebpur village under Shatagram Union and served as vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. (ANI)
Criticising BJP leader Nishikant Dubey over his remarks on the Supreme Court, Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari on Sunday said that the comments made by Godda Lok Sabha MP reflect the BJP's intention to take the country towards dictatorship. Speaking to ANI, Tiwari said, "Nishikant Dubey is very dear to PM Modi...He raised questions on the wording of the Supreme Court...This is a clear message that they will take the country towards a dictatorship. The way the allegations of manipulation of ED, CBI, Election Commission and other courts are made against the BJP, Nishikant Dubey has confirmed it. The court should also take cognisance of his comments." Congress MP Imran Masood also criticised the BJP MP over his remarks, alleging that threatening the judiciary was a serious concern. Speaking to ANI, Masood said, "Nothing can be more worrisome than threatening the Supreme Court. The BJP has a long-standing habit of shrugging off such statements. We want an India of Babasaheb's dream." Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past decisions of the court, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he said. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. Meanwhile, the BJP has "completely rejected" and distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by Nishikant Dubey on the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Gorakhpur to inspect the Herbert Bandha four-lane Road project. He emphasised that the new road will ease transportation and reduce traffic congestion. Additionally, CM Adityanath approved development projects worth over Rs 700 crores to further improve the district's infrastructure. CM Adityanath also highlighted the importance of widening and strengthening roads in Gorakhpur district, along with the construction of new four-lane roads and an overbridge. Taking on X, CM Adityanath wrote, "Today I participated in the program organized for the on-site inspection of the widening and strengthening of roads in Gorakhpur district, new construction of 4-lane road, and construction of an overbridge." "Giving further impetus to the prosperity journey of Gorakhpur, development works worth more than Rs 700 crores have been approved for the public. Hearty congratulations to the people of the district!," the post added on X. Earlier today, the Chief Minister's office statement said," In view of the storm, hailstorm, and lightning, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath directed the officers of the concerned districts to conduct relief work promptly. The officers should visit the area, conduct a survey, and monitor the relief work." "In case of loss of life or animal due to the disaster, the relief amount should be distributed to the affected immediately. The injured should be given proper treatment. After conducting a survey and assessing the crop loss, send the report to the government so that further action can be taken," the statement added. CM Yogi further noted that the injured should be given proper treatment without delay, directing health facilities to ensure timely care for those affected. He also ordered officials to assess crop damage through local surveys and send reports to the state government for further action. Additionally, in areas facing waterlogging, the Chief Minister directed that drainage arrangements be made as a priority.(ANI)
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Sunday commended the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) for their performance at the air show held at Namkum Army Ground in Ranchi. The event, attended by residents and officials, featured close formation flying and a display of the Indian tricolour in the sky. Speaking to ANI, Mos Defence Seth said, "Miraculous, unbelievable, unimaginable. First of all, I would like to salute the brave pilots of Surya Kiran... Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, our defence sector has become innovative, self-reliant, and stronger. People here were saluting our pride and honour, the Indian tricolour in the sky." "This air show was a milestone. We hope that we get to see another such amazing sight in September. Yesterday we missed three planes because they were damaged due to a hailstorm the day before yesterday... This is the new India. The new India roars. It does not turn its back, does not lower its eyes, does not spread its hands. This is PM Narendra Modi's new India, which looks into the eyes of the strongest nations of the world," he added. The air show drew a large number of spectators, who watched as the fighter jets flew in synchronised patterns, maintaining a height as low as 100 feet during some phases. The Surya Kiran team painted the sky with the colours of the national flag, prompting applause and salutes from the crowd below. The Indian Air Force's renowned Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) was formed in 1996 and is among the very few nine-aircraft aerobatics teams in the world, and the only one in Asia. This one-of-a-kind team has carried out more than 500 displays in India, besides showcasing the professionalism of the Indian Air Force in Air Shows abroad in China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and the UAE. The Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, popularly known as SKAT, inherits the motto "Sadaiva Sarvottam" with ease, aptly describing the adage "Always the Best". The Air Show was organised as part of the IAF's outreach programme and to spread awareness about the Armed Forces and to inspire the youth of the country to join the Armed Forces. (ANI)
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 21st 'Samooh Lagnotsav' (mass wedding ceremony) of the Thakor community from Viramgam, Mandal, and Detroj-Rampura talukas, held in Ughroj village of Mandal taluka on Sunday, as per a release. On this occasion, while blessing the newlywed couples for a happy married life, the Chief Minister remarked that the mantra given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' -- is taking shape on the sacred soil of the Chuwala region. The area, rich in cultural heritage, has landmarks like the Bahucharaji Temple, Rudatal Ganesh Temple, Ughroj Jain pilgrimage site, and Kunteshwar Mahadev Temple and is also emerging as a symbol of progress through rapid industrial development. The Chief Minister further noted that the region's industrial growth has attracted people from various states across the country, who are now contributing to the realisation of the vision of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'. The spirit of 'Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, Sauno Prayas' is also being actively embodied here. Commending the organisers for hosting the mass wedding ceremony, he stated that when a community, society, or family unites with a selfless spirit of service and receives collective support, extraordinary milestones can be achieved, and today's event stands as a shining example of that. He emphasised that such mass weddings promote harmony, unity, brotherhood, and social inclusiveness, while also adding momentum to the development of both the state and the nation. Continuing his address, the Chief Minister highlighted that under the leadership of the PM, the Gujarat Thakor Koli Community Development Corporation was established to uplift the community. Over the past decade, the board has extended assistance exceeding Rs 181 crore to nearly 17,000 beneficiaries. It also supports the youth of the Thakor community in pursuing higher education. Applauding the community's growing awareness and progressive mindset, the Chief Minister lauded the seven innovative social initiatives undertaken under the concept of 'Saptapadi'. He also urged everyone to embrace the nine resolutions outlined by the Prime Minister and actively contribute to the vision of building a Viksit Bharat. On this occasion, Surendranagar MP Chandubhai Shihora extended his blessings to the newlywed couples for a joyful and prosperous married life. He noted that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, effective planning has ensured adequate irrigation facilities for the farmers of Saurashtra. He also acknowledged the growing awareness within the Thakor community regarding de-addiction efforts. Urging community leaders to take initiative, he called for active participation in establishing educational complexes at every taluka headquarters and emphasised the importance of unity in driving the community forward. Gandhinagar South MLA Alpesh Thakor, while extending his blessings to the newlyweds, remarked that under the leadership of Bhupendra Patel, farmers have consistently received strong support and cooperation from the government. He added that today, a tangible sense of progress is evident across the state's districts, driven by inclusive and people-centric development initiatives in key sectors such as education, healthcare, and road infrastructure. Viramgam MLA Hardik Patel, in his address, highlighted that under the guidance of the CM, consistent and ongoing development initiatives are being implemented across Viramgam, Detroj, and Mandal talukas. He also called upon the community to actively participate in the de-addiction campaign and lend their support to this important social cause. Vijapur MLA C.J. Chavda and Thakor Saheb Dharmpalsinh of Katosan State also addressed the gathering on the occasion of the mass wedding, offering their heartfelt blessings to the newlywed couples. Community leader Khodaji Thakor delivered the welcome address, warmly greeting all those in attendance. Notably, 71 couples embarked on their new journey of married life during this grand ceremony. On this occasion, a large number of members from the Thakor community were present, including Khodaji Thakor, President of the Thakor community from Viramgam, Mandal, and Detroj-Rampura talukas; R.K. Thakor, General Secretary; social leader Bhaveshbhai Thakor; along with community elders, donors, leaders, members and office-bearers of various organizations and committees. (ANI)
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday came down heavily on BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his remarks against the Supreme Court, asserting that such statements undermine the dignity of the judiciary and warrant contempt proceedings. Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, "Such comments should not be made on the Court, and if someone makes such comments, contempt proceedings should be initiated." Dubey's remarks have sparked a wider political backlash. Opposition parties, including the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have condemned his statements, viewing them as an attack on judicial independence. Congress MP Imran Masood on Sunday hit out at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over his remarks targeting the Supreme Court, alleging that threatening the judiciary is a serious concern and reflects a pattern within the ruling party. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, accusing him of undermining the Supreme Court's authority and alleging that Dubey's remarks reflect the 'BJP's ideology ' of disregarding court verdicts, unlike Muslims who accepted the Ayodhya judgment despite it going against them. Earlier, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court was "inciting religious wars" and questioned its authority, suggesting that the Parliament building should be closed if the apex court was to make laws. "The top court has only one aim: 'Show me the face, and I will show you the law'. The Supreme Court is going beyond its limits. If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and State Assembly should be shut," Dubey told ANI. Referring to past decisions of the court, Dubey criticised the judiciary for its handling of issues like the decriminalisation of homosexuality and religious disputes. "There was an Article 377 in which homosexuality was a big crime. The Trump administration has said that there are only two sexes in this world, either male or female...Whether it is Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain or Sikh, all believe that homosexuality is a crime. One fine morning, the Supreme Court said that we abolish this case...Article 141 says that the laws we make, the judgments we give, are applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 states that Parliament has the authority to enact all laws, and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret the law. The top court is asking the President and Governor to tell what they have to do regarding the Bills. When the Ram Mandir, Krishna Janmabhoomi, or Gyanvapi issue arises, you (SC) say, 'Show us the paper'. Mughals ke aane ke baad jo Masjid banne hai unke liye keh raho ho paper kaha se dikhao," he added. Dubey further alleged that the Supreme Court wants to take this country towards "anarchy." "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," he said. (ANI)
Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday said that the state government eventually plans to get rid of the tanker system for water distribution in several areas of the national capital. He stated that the long-term plan of the government was to provide water straight from the tap. "Our long-term plan is that every house in Delhi gets water straight from the tap so that the tanker system can be gradually weaned off...This is the transparency and good governance model of our government," Verma told reporters here. He said that there was no management system for the water tankers earlier and informed that people of Delhi can now track the location of the tanker through a mobile application. "There was no management system for this earlier...It will be completely monitored through an app if a tanker reaches the location it has been given. The people of Delhi can download that app and see which tanker is going to which area," the PWD minister said. "Sensors will be installed in the tankers to check if the tanker has unloaded water or not, or how much water it has unloaded after reaching its designated area," Verma added. Meanwhile, speaking on the tanker mafia, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said, "Jad se samaapt kiya jayega; tanker mafia agar hai bhi to wo Delhi chhodkar chala jaaye' (We will uproot it from the roots; if tanker mafia exists, they should leave Delhi)." "This government has taken this resolve to get rid of the water issue, and we did what was done in 10 weeks, which was done in 10 years. For this, I thank the CM and the minister concerned... There is no scope for corruption by taker mafia," he added. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off 1,111 water tanks for the Jal Board and said that people would be able to monitor the location of the GPS-enabled tankers with the help of the tanker application. Hitting out at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, Gupta said there was a "leakage" in the entire system in the name of the tanker mafia. She stated that the whereabouts of the water tanks were unknown earlier. However, she added that the routes undertaken by the tankers could be monitored since they have GPS installed. (ANI)
Sanjay Bhandari, an arms dealer, has challenged the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) request to label him a 'fugitive' in a black money case. He argued before a Delhi court that his residence in the UK is lawful, as the London High Court had rejected his extradition to India. On Saturday, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, challenged the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to designate his client as a 'fugitive.' Presenting arguments before Special Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal, Singh asserted that the ED's petition was vague, improperly filed, and did not meet the legal requirements set forth in the Fugitive Offenders Act. Referring to prior rulings, Singh maintained that Bhandari's stay in the UK could not be deemed unlawful, emphasizing that he has a legitimate right to reside there. He pointed out that the Government of India is bound by the UK court's judgment, which denied Bhandari's extradition. Bhandari is legally living in the UK, and in Singh, further contended that under the Fugitive Offenders Act, an individual can only be declared a fugitive if the scheduled offence--such as the ongoing black money case against Bhandari--exceeds a monetary threshold of Rs 100 crore. In February, the High Court of Justice in London ruled in favor of Sanjay Bhandari's appeal against extradition to India, citing concerns over his safety in Tihar prison. The court stated that he would face a real risk of extortion, accompanied by threatened or actual violence, from other prisoners and/or prison officials." Earlier this month, the UK High Court also rejected the Indian government's petition seeking permission to challenge its decision in Britain's Supreme Court. Sanjay Bhandari's counsel argued that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) misled the court by claiming the offence exceeded Rs 100 crore, despite the Income Tax Department's 2020 submission stating it was lower. He further noted that Bhandari, arrested on non-bailable warrants in the UK, has since been discharged by the UK High Court, with no fresh warrants pending against him. The Rouse Avenue court of Delhi has scheduled ED's rebuttal for May 3, following detailed arguments on the agency's plea to declare Bhandari a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Bhandari's extradition was blocked by the UK High Court on human rights grounds, citing risks of extortion and violence at Tihar prison. The court found India's assurances insufficient to guarantee his safety, highlighting concerns about overcrowding, understaffing, and discrepancies in prison conditions. (ANI)
Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder-president Thol Thirumavalan, in an open appeal to the party's cadres on Sunday raised alarm over the Bharatiya Janata Party "getting stronger in Tamil Nadu," and the party's "Octopus legs" capturing everything in India. Releasing a video on Facebook today, the VCK chief urged the party's cadres of not falling into the trap of "opportunistic politics" by focusing on just having an alliance with other parties. "We consider BJP shouldn't get stronger in Tamil Nadu but BJPs octopus leg have captured India. They are controlling everything. They are creating unnecessary debates in Tamil Nadu. Encouraging caste, communal powers. They spread rumours against VCK. They spread misinformation as if VCK only trusts DMK, they are creating this image," the VCK chief said in the video. He further urged for his cadres to focus not only in political debates but raise the issues of the people, urging people to understand that while it is important to defeat BJP in elections, it is more important to save the Constitution. "All of us have been working towards elections. The important issue is BJP have been taking steps slowly, intelligently and doing all acts against Ambedkar penned constitution. We can't sit and see this. Defeating them in electoral politics is important but more important is saving the Indian Constitution." "Awareness regarding this is not yet created among general public. Political debates are like whether it is BJP or Congress, BJP or DMK. We should participate in such political debates but we shouldn't get struck. We have to think and act beyond that," he said. He said that the party is ready to align with anyone who will give a good bargain to VCK and the community they represent, however one should also be confident in being with one alliance or other. "VCK cadres should understand we can take any decision on electoral politics. We can open all doors and we can have bargain talks with many parties and having alliance with the party which gives huge bargain..but those are opportunistic politics. We don't want that. One should have confidence and braveness to continue in one alliance without any alliance," he said. His comments come amidst political parties gearing up for 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with BJP and AIADMK holding talks for a potential alliance in the state. AIADMK has insisted that they will be deciding on whether to even have an alliance or be standalone will be decided after the elections itself. Speaking to ANI, AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said the nature of the next government--whether standalone or coalition--would depend on the election outcome. "Our leader, Edappadi K Palaniswami, made it clear that we have to address the alliance parties after the results of the elections. The nature of the results will determine whether the government is all by itself or a coalition government. Misrepresenting these two terminologies in their favour is the handwork of certain paid media on DMK's payroll," he said. However, the BJP-AIADMK alliance was formally announced on April 11, with EPS leading the campaign. He called it a "pivotal moment" and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his guidance. AIADMK has faced challenges in recent elections, both in the 2021 Assembly polls and the previous Lok Sabha election. The party allied with the BJP after the death of J Jayalalithaa in 2016. In 2021, the BJP won four seats in alliance with AIADMK, but the two parties broke ties in 2023 before reuniting for the 2026 Assembly polls. (ANI)
Delhi Airport authorities on Sunday issued a clarification about the diversion of a Delhi-bound IndiGo flight carrying Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. They cited operational issues due to ongoing infrastructure work and changes in wind patterns. This came after Abdullah took to social media to express his frustration over the delay and diversion. In response, Delhi Airport said that it had already issued several advisories about the "unseasonal changing" wind patterns. It added that runway 10/28 had been closed since April 8 for Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgrades after consultations with all stakeholders and based on past wind data. "Dear Mr. Abdullah, as you may be aware, we've issued several advisories regarding the unseasonal changing wind patterns in Delhi. Runway 10/28 has been closed for ILS upgradation since 8th April, following consultation with all stakeholders and based on historical wind patterns," the airport said in its reply to Abdullah's post. The airport further explained that these changes may have caused flight diversions and were necessary to ensure passenger safety. "Additionally, the shift toward more easterly winds and the use of converging runways for easterly arrivals have led to temporary capacity constraints during this upgrade. These conditions at times result in flight diversions to ensure passenger safety. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused," it said. Earlier, the IndiGo flight carrying Omar Abdullah, which was heading to Delhi, was diverted to Jaipur on Saturday night. It finally landed in Delhi in the early hours of Sunday. According to reports, the flight left Jaipur at 2:00 am, and Omar Abdullah confirmed that it landed in Delhi just after 3:00 am. "In case anyone is wondering, I got to Delhi just after 3:00 AM," Abdullah posted on X, replying to his earlier complaint in which he had sharply criticised Delhi Airport. "Delhi airport is a bloody shit show (excuse my French but I'm in no mood to be polite). 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I've no idea what time we will leave from here," he wrote. https://x.com/OmarAbdullah/status/1913678711955787949 Abdullah also shared a selfie while standing on the aircraft stairs, saying he had stepped out briefly to get some fresh air. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday took a metro ride from Nayaganj metro station to Rawatpur metro station in Kanpur. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also visited Gorakhpur to inspect the Herbert Bandha four-lane Road project today. He emphasised that the new road will ease transportation and reduce traffic congestion. Additionally, CM Adityanath approved development projects worth over Rs 700 crores to further improve the district's infrastructure. CM Adityanath also highlighted the importance of widening and strengthening roads in Gorakhpur district, along with the construction of new four-lane roads and an overbridge. In a post on X, CM Adityanath wrote, "Today I participated in the programme organised for the on-site inspection of the widening and strengthening of roads in Gorakhpur district, new construction of a 4-lane road, and construction of an overbridge." "Giving further impetus to the prosperity journey of Gorakhpur, development works worth more than Rs 700 crores have been approved for the public. Hearty congratulations to the people of the district," the post added on X. Earlier today, the Chief Minister's office statement said, "In view of the storm, hailstorm, and lightning, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath directed the officers of the concerned districts to conduct relief work promptly. The officers should visit the area, conduct a survey, and monitor the relief work." "In case of loss of life or animal due to the disaster, the relief amount should be distributed to the affected immediately. The injured should be given proper treatment. After conducting a survey and assessing the crop loss, send the report to the government so that further action can be taken," the statement added. CM Yogi further noted that the injured should be given proper treatment without delay, directing health facilities to ensure timely care for those affected. He also ordered officials to assess crop damage through local surveys and send reports to the state government for further action. Additionally, in areas facing waterlogging, the Chief Minister directed that drainage arrangements be made as a priority. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday inspected the venue of a public meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kanpur visit. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with public representatives and officials at Chandrashekhar Agriculture University ahead of Prime Minister's visit. Earlier in the day, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister took a metro ride from Nayaganj metro station to Rawatpur metro station in Kanpur. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also visited Gorakhpur to inspect the Herbert Bandha four-lane Road project. He emphasised that the new road will ease transportation and reduce traffic congestion. Additionally, CM Adityanath approved development projects worth over Rs 700 crores to further improve the district's infrastructure. CM Adityanath also highlighted the importance of widening and strengthening roads in Gorakhpur district, along with the construction of new four-lane roads and an overbridge. In a post on X, CM Adityanath wrote, "Today I participated in the programme organised for the on-site inspection of the widening and strengthening of roads in Gorakhpur district, new construction of a 4-lane road, and construction of an overbridge." "Giving further impetus to the prosperity journey of Gorakhpur, development works worth more than Rs 700 crores have been approved for the public. Hearty congratulations to the people of the district," the post added on X. The Chief Minister had also directed the officers of districts hit by hailstorm, and lightning to conduct relief work promptly. The CM said, "In view of the storm, the officers should visit the area, conduct a survey, and monitor the relief work." "In case of loss of life or animal due to the disaster, the relief amount should be distributed to the affected immediately. The injured should be given proper treatment. After conducting a survey and assessing the crop loss, send the report to the government so that further action can be taken," the statement added. CM Yogi further noted that the injured should be given proper treatment without delay, directing health facilities to ensure timely care for those affected. He also ordered officials to assess crop damage through local surveys and send reports to the state government for further action. Additionally, in areas facing waterlogging, the Chief Minister directed that drainage arrangements be made as a priority. (ANI)
"Acting on specific intelligence input, a joint operation was launched from Zokhawthar, resulting in the recovery of 46 cases of assorted foreign-origin cigarettes, including Red and Blue, Gold Land, Karaweik, Premium Gold, and V Cigarette," Assam Rifles said.

The seized items were handed over to Land Customs Station, Zokhawthar, for further investigation and legal proceedings. The total assessed value of the recovered cigarettes is Rs 59.8 lakh.

Assam Rifles remains committed to curbing cross-border smuggling and safeguarding the economic interests of the nation, the press release added.

Earlier, Assam Rifles, in collaboration with Bualpui police, seized a large consignment of Methamphetamine tablets and arrested a Myanmar national from the general area of Siachangkawn, Lawngtlai district, on April 12, an official statement said.

According to a release, the operation led to the recovery of approximately 17.946 kilograms (1,80,000 tablets) of the illicit substance. The estimated value of the seized narcotics is around Rs 54 crore in the international market, highlighting the scale of the operation and the severity of the drug trade in the region.

One individual, identified as a Myanmar national, was arrested in connection with the consignment.

The suspect, along with the recovered drugs, has been handed over to the Bualpui Police Outpost for further legal proceedings, an official statement said. (ANI)
Hindu Mahasabha President Swami Chakrapani Maharaj condemned the incident where a student, Suchivrat Kulkarni, was allegedly forced to remove his sacred thread (Janeu) at the Karnataka CET exam centre on April 17. He hit out at the Congress and said that the state government should apologise to the followers of Sanatan Dharma and the student. Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said, "Janeu is worn under the garment. Such incidents show how much hatred they have towards Hindu Sanatanis. I strongly condemn this. The Congress government should apologise to all followers of Sanatan Dharma and also to that child, and arrangements should be made so that he can reappear in the exam. Those who are responsible for causing trauma to the student should be immediately terminated. Those who are suspended should be terminated. Suspension is only a temporary provision. It is delaying justice. This country is governed by the constitution. This shows the negative character of the state government towards the Hindus." Meanhwile, the Principal of Sai Spoorthi Pre-university College, Dr Chandra Shekar Biradar, and staff member Satish Pawar have been suspended with immediate effect following an incident where a student, Suchivrat Kulkarni, claimed he was forced to remove his sacred thread (Janeu) at the Karnataka CET exam centre on April 17. The incident occurred at the Sai Spoorthi Pre-university College in Bidar, during the Undergraduate Common Entrance Test (UGCET) for the mathematics subject. The Bidar district authorities took swift action, with the Collector issuing a letter following the incident, leading to the suspension of both Dr Biradar and Satish Pawar. An emergency meeting of the Sai Deepa Education and Charitable Trust, which manages the college, was held on April 19, where the decision to dismiss the principal and staff was finalised. Earlier, student Suchivrat Kulkarni alleged that his entry was denied at the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (CET) exam centre on April 17, at Sai Spoorthi PU College in Bidar, because he was wearing the sacred thread (Janeu). Speaking to ANI, Kulkarni said that he urged the Karnataka government to conduct a re-examination. "I had my Mathematics CET exam on 17th April. When I reached the exam centre, the college management checked me and saw my Janeu. They asked me to cut it or remove it; only then would they allow me to appear for the exam. For 45 minutes, I kept requesting them, but finally I had to come back home...I demand that the government conduct a re-examination or provide me a seat in the government college," Kulkarni said. (ANI)
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended Bollywood actor-director Manoj Joshi's play Chanakya at Thakorbhai Desai Hall in Ahmedabad on Saturday night, as per a Gujarat Chief Minister's Office release. Before the play began, the writer, director, and lead actor Manoj Joshi mentioned that the play "Chanakya" has been running for the past 36 years. He noted that it has been performed at the Indian Parliament, across the country, and on international stages. In another development, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the 21st 'Samooh Lagnotsav', a mass wedding ceremony of the Thakor community from Viramgam, Mandal, and Detroj-Rampura talukas, held in Ughroj village of Mandal taluka. On this occasion, while blessing the newlywed couples for a happy married life, the Chief Minister remarked that the mantra given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- 'Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi' -- is taking shape on the sacred soil of the Chuwala region. This area, rich in cultural heritage with landmarks like the Bahucharaji Temple, Rudatal Ganesh Temple, Ughroj Jain pilgrimage site, and Kunteshwar Mahadev Temple, is also emerging as a symbol of progress through rapid industrial development. The Chief Minister further noted that the region's industrial growth has attracted people from various states across the country, who are now contributing to the realisation of the vision of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'. The spirit of 'Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas, Sauno Prayas' is also being actively embodied here. Commending the organisers for hosting the mass wedding ceremony, he stated that when a community, society, or family unites with a selfless spirit of service and receives collective support, extraordinary milestones can be achieved -- and today's event stands as a shining example of that. He emphasised that such mass weddings promote harmony, unity, brotherhood, and social inclusiveness, while also adding momentum to the development of both the state and the nation. Continuing his address, Chief Minister Patel highlighted that the Gujarat Thakor Koli Community Development Corporation was established to uplift the community under the leadership of Narendra Modi. Over the past decade, the board has extended assistance exceeding Rs 181 crore to nearly 17,000 beneficiaries. It also supports the youth of the Thakor community in pursuing higher education. Applauding the community's growing awareness and progressive mindset, the Chief Minister Patel lauded the seven innovative social initiatives undertaken under the concept of 'Saptapadi'. He also urged everyone to embrace the nine resolutions outlined by the Prime Minister and actively contribute to the vision of building a Viksit Bharat. On this occasion, Surendranagar MP Chandubhai Shihora extended his blessings to the newlywed couples for a joyful and prosperous married life. He noted that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, effective planning has ensured adequate irrigation facilities for the farmers of Saurashtra. Chief Minister Patel also acknowledged the growing awareness within the Thakor community regarding de-addiction efforts. Urging community leaders to take initiative, he called for active participation in establishing educational complexes at every taluka headquarters and emphasized the importance of unity in driving the community forward. Notably, 71 couples embarked on their new journey of married life during this grand ceremony. (ANI)
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated on Sunday that the state government would not take any hasty decision regarding the socio-economic survey, commonly referred to as the caste census. He emphasised that the Congress party remains committed to empowering the oppressed and delivering justice to all communities. "We will empower the oppressed and ensure justice for everyone. There will be no hasty decisions on this matter," Shivakumar said while addressing the media in Mangaluru. When asked about Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's recent letter reportedly concerning the caste census, Shivakumar said he had not seen the letter. He reiterated the Congress party's stance on equitable development and inclusive justice. "I have not seen that letter. The Congress party is committed to taking all communities forward equally. Our aim is to provide justice to everyone. Nowhere have we said we want to do injustice to anyone. Empowering the oppressed is our primary goal," he said. Shivakumar also highlighted that poverty exists across all communities, mentioning specific groups to underscore the inclusive nature of the Congress party's agenda. "There are poor people in all communities, including Jains, Vokkaligas, and Lingayats, and justice will be provided to all," he added. Lok Sabha leader of opposition, Rahul Gandi on Friday, had urged the state government to enact the Rohith Vemula Act to ensure that no one faces caste-based discrimination in the education system. "Recently, I met students and teachers from Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities in Parliament. During the conversation, they told me how they face caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities. Babasaheb Ambedkar demonstrated that education is the primary means by which even the most deprived can become empowered and break the caste system. But it is very unfortunate that even after decades, lakhs of students are facing caste discrimination in our education system. This discrimination has taken the lives of promising students like Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi and Darshan Solanki," Rahul Gandhi wrote in a post on X on Friday. "Such horrific incidents cannot be tolerated at any cost. Now is the time to put a complete stop to this injustice. I have written a letter to Siddaramaiah ji requesting him to implement the Rohith Vemula Act in Karnataka. No child of India should have to face the casteism that Babasaheb Ambedkar, Rohith Vemula and crores of people have faced," he added In a letter dated April 16, Rahul Gandhi said, "The murder of bright young people like Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi and Darshan Solanki is simply not acceptable. It is time to put an end to this firmly. I urge the Karnataka government to enact the Rohith Vemula Act so that no child of India must face what Dr BR Ambedkar, Rohit Vemula and millions of others have had to endure," The Lok Sabha LoP further said that it is a shame that even today, millions of students from Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities must face such brutal discrimination in our educational system. Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at the Hyderabad Central University, died by suicide in January 2016, allegedly upset over disciplinary actions taken against him by Hyderabad Central University, where he was pursuing a PhD. He was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a hostel room on January 17, 2016. (ANI)
Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday condemned the recent violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad following the passage of newly amended laws on the Waqf and said that those who seek to divide people will face consequences. Speaking to the media here, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said, "Whatever the situation, whoever tries to divide (people), it is written in the Quran that they will be punished." Meanwhile, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul called the Murshidabad violence ethnic cleansing and alleged that the violence was state-sponsored terrorism under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Sunday also criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to maintain law and order amid unrest in Murshidabad. Speaking to ANI, Jayanta Malla Baruah pointed out that the matter is still being heard in the Supreme Court, and its verdict on Waqf laws will be accepted, but Trinamool Congress is trying to take political advantage of the situation. BJP leaders have criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's handling of the situation following the violence in parts of the state and accused the TMC government of negligence and inaction. The violence began on April 11 in the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district during a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The protest turned violent, leading to the killing of two people, injuries to several others, and property damage, forcing thousands to leave their homes for safer places. The protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act spread across other districts, including Malda, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly, and involved incidents of arson, stone-pelting, and road blockades. Following the violence, several families fled their homes. Many have migrated to the Pakur district in Jharkhand, while others are staying in relief camps set up in Malda.Meanwhile, days after the violence, Mamata Banerjee on Saturday issued a public appeal urging citizens to maintain peace and unity. She accused the BJP and its affiliates, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of exploiting the incident to incite unrest for political gain. In an open letter, Banerjee alleged that certain groups were "using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident" to promote a divisive agenda. (ANI)
According to a brief statement issued by the police, "Retired DGP Om Prakash, 1981 batch IPS officer from Karnataka, has been murdered. The murder took place at a residence in HSR Layout, Bengaluru. The exact reason for the incident is not yet known."

Police officials reached the scene shortly after receiving information about the incident. No arrest has been made in connection with the case at this time. The motive behind the killing remains unknown.

More information is awaited pending the outcome of the full inquiry. (ANI)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) responded on Sunday to a viral video on social media. The video, also shared by Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, shows a former Police official in Maharashtra claiming that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were being tampered with. The ECI said the claim was made by a suspended police officer named Ranjeet Kasale and that it had no factual basis. In a post on microblogging platform X, the ECI wrote, "Allegation comes from a disgruntled police officer (under suspension). Though strict legal admin. protocol in which EVMs are placed there is no possibility of removal of EVMs, report has been called from DM & SSP thro CEO considering its seriousness. Action(s) will follow the report." The ECI's reaction came after Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav shared the video on X. In his post, Yadav wrote, "The revelation by a police officer in Maharashtra that Rs 10 lakh was deposited into his account by BJP members to tamper with EVMs is a massive expose of BJP's grand corruption. Those who used to ask 'who would they earn for?' must have received their answer today." On Saturday, a video in which Kasale makes allegations against the ECI regarding EVM tampering was also shared by the Indian National Congress on their official 'X' account. Responding to the Congress post, the Election Commission said that the protocol followed in handling EVMs leaves no room for tampering. A report has been requested from the District Magistrate (DM) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) through the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), and further action will be taken based on the report. "Allegation comes from a disgruntled police officer (under suspension). Though strict legal admin. protocol in which EVMs are placed there is no possibility of removal of EVMs, report has been called from DM & SSP through CEO considering its seriousness. Action(s) will follow the report," the ECI said in its post on 'X'. In a separate post, ECI also shared a report on the incident, which stated that Ranjit Kasale, a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), was not on election duty during the Maharashtra Assembly polls. It said that the allegations were made with the intention of disturbing public order and encouraging violence. "Official report by DEO and SSP Beed: dismissed PSI Ranjit Kasale was not on election duty during MH Assembly polls. The allegations are aimed at disturbing public peace & tranquillity, inciting people for violence against state. DEO directed to act against Kasale," the ECI's 'X' post added. The District Election Officer (DEO) of Beed also informed the ECI that an FIR has been registered against Kasale for spreading false information about the EVM storage process. "DEO Beed has informed that today an FIR has been filed against the dismissed Police officer for spreading rumours against EVM storage thereby jeopardizing the public peace and tranquillity by his statement on 17/04. ECI had asked for a report followed by strict action," the ECI said in another post. The Congress party had raised several allegations against the ECI regarding EVM tampering following the Maharashtra Assembly election results. (ANI)
Delhi Police Crime Branch has apprehended two drug traffickers and recovered over 27 kilograms of cannabis from their possession in the North-West area of Delhi. The drug traffickers have been identified as Birender Pratap Singh (46) and Jayaram Das (54), both residents of Samaypur Badli. Police said that the duo was involved in supplying cannabis in Delhi at wholesale from Odisha and Bihar. Jayaram Das, originally from Bihar, was responsible for transporting the narcotics from Odisha to Delhi. He was arrested based on the information provided by his co-accomplice, Birender Pratap Singh. Sharing information, police said that a raid was carried out and 27.568 kilograms of cannabis (ganja) were recovered from the possession of the accused Birender Pratap Singh. Following the seizure, a case was registered under sections 20/25 of the NDPS Act at PS Crime Branch. Upon interrogation, it was revealed that co-accused Jayaram Das was expected to visit said Birender Pratap Singh to collect the proceeds from the sale of the narcotics. Based on this information, the team apprehended Jayaram Das on the same day. Further investigation traced the source of the recovered cannabis/ganja to suppliers in Odisha and Bihar. The accused Birender Pratap Singh, originally hailing from Samastipur (Bihar), shifted to Delhi in search of a livelihood and got involved in illegal activities to make easy money. He has previously been booked under the Arms Act and the Excise Act in cases registered at PS Prashant Vihar and PS Begumpur, Delhi. After serving jail time, he started supplying narcotic substances--mainly ganja--sourced from Odisha and Bihar to various parts of Delhi. During this period, he established links with one Jayaram Das, a resident of Bihar, through an Odisha-based supplier. The modus operandi for trafficking narcotics involved travelling to Odisha by train, acquiring the narcotics there and then travelling to Delhi by bus. The accused avoided being arrested as they frequently changed buses and destroyed their tickets after each journey to avoid detection, ensuring that the police could not trace their routes. Accused Jayaram Das, a resident of Vaishali, Bihar, is a school dropout. He sought to earn easy money and got involved in to trafficking of narcotic substances from Odisha and Bihar through interstate buses. During this, he came in contact with Birender Pratap Singh and started supplying cannabis for him on a commission basis. (ANI)
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that BJP president JP Nadda's distancing the party from remarks concerning the judiciary of its two MPs - Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma - carries little meaning and asked if a show cause notice has been sent to them. In a post on X, Jairam Ramesh said the "outgoing BJP President's clarification is 'damage control' and 'will fool nobody". "The distancing of the outgoing BJP President from the atrocious remarks made by two BJP MPs on the Chief Justice of India carries little meaning. These MPs are repeat offenders when it comes to hate speech and are very often used by G2 to attack communities, institutions, and individuals. The outgoing BJP President's clarification is nothing but damage control. It will fool nobody. This is Entire Political Science reflecting itself as Entire Political Hypocrisy," he said, without taking any names. Jairam Ramesh also apparently referred to remarks of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in the context of the Supreme Court verdict in the case relating to Tamil Nadu Governor's decisions concerning some bills passed by the state legislature. "But the outgoing BJP President is totally silent on equally unacceptable remarks on the judiciary that are continually made by one of its very distinguished appointees to a high Constitutional position. What does he have to say about these remarks? Does the BJP subscribe to them? If the continued silence of the Prime Minister on these repeated attacks on the Indian Constitution is not tacitly supportive of them, why has no action been taken against these two MPs? Has Nadda ji issued show causes notices to these two MPs?" he asked. Dubey kicked up a storm with his remarks on Saturday and said that "Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna is responsible for all the civil wars happening in this country". "How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?... How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to take a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this," Dubey told ANI in response to a query, referring to the Supreme Court verdict in case relating to decisions of Tamil Nadu Governor. He also stated that Article 368 stipulates that Parliament has the authority to enact laws and the Supreme Court has the power to interpret them. Asked about Dubey's remarks, Dinesh Sharma had said that according to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and "the President has already given her assent to the bill (concerning Waqf Act)". Nadda distanced the BJP from Dubey's and Sharma's remarks and "completely rejected" them. He said Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary. (ANI)
Senior police officials have confirmed that an FIR will be registered based on a complaint submitted by his son.

Speaking to ANI, Bengaluru Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Vikas Kumar said, "Today afternoon around 4-4:30 pm, we got information about the death of our former DGP and IGP Om Prakash. His son has been contacted, and he is giving a complaint against the incident, and based on that, an FIR will be registered."

ACP Kumar mentioned that the motives behind the killing remain unclear, and no arrests have been made yet.

He added, "After the case is registered, a detailed investigation will be carried out. Immediately, there are no arrests. Initial investigation suggests that things might be internal in nature."

On the possible cause of death, Kumar stated, "It seems that some sharp weapon has been used, which caused so much blood loss that it led to death."

The retired IPS officer, who was a part of the 1981 batch, was found dead at his residence in HSR Layout, a residential locality in Bengaluru.

More information is awaited pending the outcome of the full inquiry. (ANI)
In the aftermath of the deadly building collapse in Delhi's Mustafabad that claimed multiple lives, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has hit out at the BJP for allegedly shielding guilty MCD officers through the Commissioner. Despite an urgent directive issued on Saturday itself to initiate action, the Commissioner did not act. The AAP has now announced it will escalate the matter in writing and vowed that "no culprit will be spared". Simultaneously, AAP has demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh for the injured from the BJP-ruled Delhi government. Delhi Mayor Mahesh Kumar Khichi and AAP leader Adil Khan addressed a press conference on Sunday, expressing deep anguish over the tragic collapse of a four-storey building in Mustafabad's Dayalpur area on Saturday. "The incident is heartbreaking. Several lives have been lost. We offer our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray that God gives them strength in this difficult time," said Mayor Mahesh Kumar Khichi. The Delhi Mayor added, "On Saturday, I visited the incident site myself and reviewed the rescue operations. I had directed the rescue teams and officials to complete relief operations on a war footing and immediately rush those trapped under the debris to hospitals. I also spoke to the MCD Commissioner and orally instructed that strictest action be taken against any officer found guilty of negligence. As per preliminary reports, around 22 people were trapped under the rubble and 11-12 lost their lives. I had clearly instructed the Commissioner to immediately suspend the guilty officers." The Mayor, however, condemned the inaction of the MCD administration. "It is extremely unfortunate that no action has been taken so far. The entire system is riddled with corruption. Therefore, we are formally writing to the Commissioner demanding immediate suspension of the officials responsible for this criminal negligence." Meanwhile, AAP leader Adil Khan said, "The building collapse in Mustafabad's Dayalpur led to 22 people being trapped. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the NDRF and local residents, victims were pulled out from the debris. Unfortunately, 11 people died and 11 others were injured -- 5 to 6 of whom are still critically injured. We express deep sorrow over this tragedy and stand in solidarity with the victims' families." Sharing details of his presence at the site, Adil Khan added, "I was present at the spot the entire time with AAP workers. Mayor Mahesh Kumar arrived and instructed the MCD Commissioner to act strictly against the guilty. Even Delhi government Cabinet Ministers reached the site. But it is extremely shameful that the BJP-ruled Delhi government has not yet announced any compensation for the victims. This shows their utter insensitivity." He further said, "The BJP government claims to present a Rs 1 lakh crore budget, yet it doesn't have the funds to compensate poor families affected by this disaster. This exposes their anti-poor mindset. I demand that Delhi CM Rekha Gupta immediately announce compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh for each of the injured." (ANI)
BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led Telangana government and accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of 'administrative failure and negligence.' The BRS leader made the allegations on Sunday, during her presence at the housewarming ceremony of BRS leader Devulapally Pattabhi Ram in Khammam district. Addressing the media on the occasion, K Kavitha slammed Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his silence on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases filed against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. "While the Congress party at the national level called for widespread protests, Revanth Reddy maintained complete silence and offered no reaction whatsoever," she said, stating that the action exposed his double standards and lack of commitment to his party's leadership. MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha pointed out that despite the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister and two state ministers in Khammam, no review was conducted on the massive crop losses caused by recent hailstorms. The BRS leader said that in Telangana, paddy fields were flooded, mango blossoms were lost, and yet, there has been no serious response or assessment from the government. She emphasised that Revanth Reddy, who is currently on a foreign tour in Japan, hasn't even spoken to revenue officials about the rains and the resulting damage. MLC K Kavitha demanded that every acre of damaged farmland be compensated with Rs. 20,000, calling it a bare minimum step towards supporting struggling farmers. She also lashed out at the government for failing to deliver on its flagship promises. "More than half of the intended beneficiaries have not received the Rythu Bharosa financial assistance. The government is lying about having completed the farm loan waivers, as 60 per cent of eligible farmers are still waiting," she stated. She also mentioned that the promised funds for farm labourers under the Aathmiya Bharosa scheme haven't been disbursed. K Kavitha said that ministers are too busy engaging in power struggles instead of focusing on public welfare. She also raised alarms about the condition of government hospitals, saying people are afraid to even enter them due to their miserable condition. Kavitha further criticised the Congress for running a government of mere words, not action, and claimed that the people of Telangana are rapidly losing faith in its leadership. In contrast, she recalled the quick and effective governance under BRS, especially the construction of the Bhakta Ramadasu Project by KCR immediately after the formation of Telangana, which brought water to 60,000 acres. She claimed that in the last 15 months, the Congress government has not even initiated a single new irrigation project. Calling for mass public participation in the upcoming BRS Rajatotsavam Sabha, MLC Kavitha said it is time to show the Congress that people demand governance that delivers, not just empty slogans. (ANI)
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday attended the 'Samooh Lagnotsav' (mass wedding ceremony) of the Rabari community held in Ahmedabad. According to a press release, on the occasion, he blessed the newlywed couples and conveyed his heartfelt wishes for a joyful and harmonious married life. The Chief Minister presented gifts to the brides as part of the traditional Kanyadaan ritual. Organized by the family of Jayrambhai Motibhai Desai from Surpura of the Rabari community, the ceremony witnessed 16 newlywed couples embarking on a new chapter of their lives. Mahant Jayramgiri Bapu of Valinath Dham, Ahmedabad Mayor Smt. Pratibha Jain, Rajya Sabha MP Babubhai Desai, MP Mayank Nayak, MLAs Amit Shah, Dr. Harshadbhai Patel, Jitubhai Patel, Mavjibhai Desai, Deputy Mayor Jatinbhai Patel, Standing Committee Chairman Devangbhai Dani, along with saints, mahants, community leaders, dignitaries, and a large number of members from the Rabari community were present at the event. Earlier, the Gujarat Chief Minister mentioned that the government aims to build sub-district hospitals in remote villages to provide timely medical care to people, according to an official statement from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The Bhiloda Community Health Centre in Aravalli district has been upgraded to a 125-bed sub-district hospital with modern facilities for 43 crores, the statement said.The CM addressed a gathering as he unveiled a series of development projects worth 282 crores in the Aravalli district, including the upgraded hospital. During the ceremony in Modasa, he inaugurated the newly constructed iconic busport, built at a cost of 15 crores, as well as roads under construction worth 140 crores. He also launched Samaras Kanya and Kumar Chhatralay, primary healthcare centres, municipal corporation development projects, smart classrooms in schools, and various other initiatives. The CM said that the Prime Minister's approach is to make basic facilities like education, healthcare, housing, connectivity, and water supply easily accessible to everyone. The iconic busport, featuring airport-like facilities, and the modern Samaras Chhatralayas stand as prime examples of this vision. He also emphasised the importance of the state government's Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati schemes, which are designed to promote and support the education of both boys and girls. He also assured that the request made by Minister of State Bhikhusinh ji for the establishment of a university in Aravalli district would be given due consideration. (ANI)
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP in poll-bound Bihar, accusing it of misusing probe agencies "to harass" the party and trying to mislead people "through communal polarisation". Addressing the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' rally here, Kharge also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the promise to provide a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package to Bihar had not been fulfilled. While accusing BJP of misusing Enforcement Directorate against party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Kharge also mentioned Robert Vadra and said it was all being done to "finish Congress". Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had been questioned by ED earlier this week in the Gurugram land case. The Congress president said he had spoken of "eleven lies" by PM Modi and the "twelfth" is about the package announced for Bihar. He alleged there is a "BJP-RSS conspiracy" to implicate Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi so that Congress members may get scared. He said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi belong to a family which has a great and glorious record of sacrifices for the unity and integrity of the country. He pointed out that former Prime MInister Indira Gandhi took bullets on her chest for preserving the unity and integrity of the country. Alleging that the National Herald case was a conspiracy, Kharge said "lies" were being spread about the case. He said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had donated his ancestral house and other ancestral properties to the Congress party. Kharge accused the BJP and PM Modi of treating the Congress leaders "like their enemies" and said "that is why they were slapping false cases on the Gandhi family". He said the Gandhis or Congress "will not be scared" of "intimidation and arm twisting". "PM Modi and BJP treat us as enemies. The way they have filed a chargesheet against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and started an investigation against Robert Vadra, this is just to harass the Congress party and finish us...The Gandhi family is not going to bow down in front of anyone. They will keep fighting for the country," he said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 15 filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case. The chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, including several firms. Referring to the Waqf Amendment Act, the Congress president said that the BJP wanted to polarise people and create a division between Hindus and Muslims. He suggested that the alliance between the BJP and Nitish Kumar was "just a marriage of convenience." He said the JD-U leader had returned to the BJP to "protect his own chair and not for protecting and safeguarding the interests of Bihar". Lauding the people of Bihar, he said that the Buddha attained enlightenment in the state and spread the message of peace across the world. He said, the world has now realised that it is "Buddh over Yudh" (peace over conflict). Kharge also stated that the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born in Patna and spread the message of peace and sacrifice worldwide. He appealed to people to throw out the Nitish-BJP government and bring in the 'mahagathbandhan' (alliance) government for "peace and progress of Bihar" and for the bright future of children of the state. A high-stakes contest is expected in Bihar between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and opposition Mahagathbandhan. The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be held later this year. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his blessings to make Madhya Pradesh a 'cheetah state' from being a 'tiger state'. He said that the successful rehabilitation of cheetahs shows that the state's environment is suitable for the species. "PM Modi gave us the blessings to convert our 'tiger state' into 'cheetah state'... Cheetahs have been able to survive in our (MP's) environment. There have been a lot of states where cheetahs became extinct, but today, they have been rehabilitated here. Two cheetahs have been released in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a big effort to restore the ecosystem," CM Yadav said. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister released two cheetahs in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary under Project Cheetah, marking a new phase in the government's wildlife conservation initiative. The cheetahs were relocated from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary as part of efforts to expand their habitat and promote biodiversity. "History has been written today, as two cheetahs have been released in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. I congratulate the countrymen," CM Mohan Yadav said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to wildlife conservation, the Chief Minister added, "PM Modi had pledged to make Madhya Pradesh a cheetah state on the occasion of his birthday... Taking that pledge forward, we released cheetahs in Kuno National Park... due to which the state has become a centre of research." He also said the project would help create jobs. "'Project Cheetah' will also provide employment opportunities to many people," he said. Neemuch Chief Forest Officer Subharanjan Sen explained how the decision was made. "When it was decided to bring cheetahs here, Kuno was the most suitable place, so the cheetahs were released there first. Apart from this, some places in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh were also chosen for releasing cheetahs," he said. "After Kuno in Madhya Pradesh, there was Gandhi Sagar, so they were released there. After this, Nauradehi was also considered a suitable place for cheetahs. We plan to release cheetahs there too in future," Sen added. (ANI)
Union Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is on a visit to Brazil to attend 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers meeting where he stressed on promoting production and export of soya in India. Besides leading the Indian delegation at the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, the Union Minister's visit is an important step towards strengthening agricultural trade, technology and innovation between India and Brazil. During Brazil visit, the Union Minister said that he intends to upgrade Indian farmers by enabling them the benefits of global technologies. He said that joint efforts of various countries will strengthen global food security, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said. During his Brazil visit, Union Minister Shivraj Singh mainly expressed his concerns related to small farmers of India. He said that unless the small farmers are protected and empowered, the goal of global food security will remain incomplete. The Union Minister said that India is fully committed to inclusive, equitable and sustainable agriculture. Echoing the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", he said that India always follow the message of trust and cooperation with all countries. He called for enhanced cooperation in agricultural technology, innovation, capacity building and trade facilitation so that farmers and agricultural enterprises of various countries can benefit. On the BRICS platform, India called for further strengthening cooperation in agricultural technology transfer, research, food processing and trade. Chauhan's address, on behalf of India, focused on global food security, empowerment of small farmers, agricultural innovation and technological cooperation and advancing partnership with BRICS countries. Altogether, Chouhan's visit to Brazil is not just a diplomatic but also a concrete initiative towards technological innovation, production increase and global partnership for Indian agriculture, which can yield direct benefits to the farmers. The 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, held in Brasilia, was attended by Agriculture Ministers/Senior Officials from India, host Brazil and BRICS member countries including Russia, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran. The main theme of the meeting was "Promoting inclusive and sustainable agriculture through cooperation, innovation and equitable trade among BRICS countries". Besides participating in the 15th BRICS Agriculture Ministers' meeting, Chouhan's visit is expected to give a new direction to agricultural cooperation between India and Brazil. This will boost agricultural trade between the two countries. The Union Minister expressed his desire to share knowledge with Brazil on climate-friendly soyabean varieties, mechanization, precision farming and sustainable agricultural practices. He also expressed his desire to learn from Brazil's agricultural model, mechanization, irrigation and research and implement it in Indian agriculture so that maximum benefits can be transferred to the farmers. Cooperation in the areas of biofuel, bioenergy, supply chain integration and agricultural machinery was discussed during the meetings which would enable Indian farmers to have access to global technology. Joint efforts of the two countries will also strengthen global food security as Brazil has achieved tremendous growth in agricultural exports in the last 50 years, an inspiration for India as well. Shivraj Singh Chouhan also held bilateral meetings with Brazil's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Henrique Baquetta Favero and Minister of Agricultural Development and Family Agriculture, Luiz Paulo Teixeira. During these meetings, the issues of enhancing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, agro-technology, rural development and food security were discussed. The Union Minister also met 27 members of Brazil's agribusiness community at Sao Paulo. During this meeting, possibilities of cooperation on agricultural trade, production technology, food processing, biofuel, technological innovation and supply chain integration were discussed. Union Minister Chouhan visited soyabean production plant, tomato farm and other institutes in Brazil and closely observed the latest technologies related to mechanization, irrigation and food processing. Currently India imports soyabean oil, but now both the countries are jointly exploring the possibilities of investing and setting up technology and plants for soyabean production and processing. This can boost soyabean production and export in India. Chouhan said that there is a plan to work together with Brazil to increase soybean production and processing in India. Besides, possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in mechanization and seed research will also be explored. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's routine of planting a sapling every day continued in Brazil as well. He participated in the tree plantation drive at the Indian Embassy in Brasilia under the initiative 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', promoting environmental protection and respect for motherhood. Shivraj Singh also met the Indian diaspora at Sao Paulo in Brazil and appreciated their role in bilateral relations. He said that this is the Amrit Kaal of our independence under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2047, we will complete 100 years of independence and our goal is to make India a developed nation by then. Union Minister said, "During my stay in Brazil, I got the opportunities to enrich myself with various experiences and techniques. We will utilize these technologies to increase production in India. I am confident that the mutual cooperation between India and Brazil will empower our farmers and give a new direction to global food security." This visit is an important step towards India-Brazil agricultural cooperation, partnership with BRICS countries and accelerating innovation and sustainable growth in Indian agriculture, Singh added. (ANI)
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, on Sunday hailed the largest women representation in the history of Indian Administrative Services, with 74 women officers, making up 41 per cent of the current batch of 180 officers. The Union Minister was interacting with the Officer Trainees (OTs) of the 2023 IAS batch. The interaction was part of the ongoing Assistant Secretary programme, wherein the IAS Officer Trainees are attached to 46 Central Ministries for a period of 8 weeks from April 1 to May 30, giving them early exposure to policy formulation and the workings of the Central Government, according to the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions. Jitendra Singh attributed this landmark development to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose tenure, women-led initiatives have gained unprecedented momentum. "The Prime Minister has always been a champion of women's empowerment. This record representation is a testament to his unwavering support for inclusive and progressive governance," the Minister said. The Minister reflected on the inception of the Assistant Secretary Programme in 2015, calling it Prime Minister Modi's brainchild to give young officers real-time governance exposure at the beginning of their careers. "The programme has brought a resurgence of confidence among officers. During the pandemic, many of these officers performed remarkably when called upon for district-level crisis management," Jitendra Singh added. As the initiative marks its 10th anniversary, Jitendra Singh noted its outstanding impact on nurturing capable and confident civil servants. He also celebrated the democratisation of the Civil Services, with increasing representation from states like Punjab, Haryana, and the North-East, regions that earlier saw fewer selections. The Minister took pride in the academic and professional diversity of the batch, mentioning that 99 officers hail from engineering backgrounds, along with many from medicine and other technical fields. "For years, I wondered why technocrats joined the civil services. But now, I realise the technical nature of flagship Government programmes--from Digital India to Smart Cities--makes their presence a national asset," he said. Jitendra Singh praised the young average age (22-26 years) of the batch, which provides a long-span career trajectory to contribute to the nation. He urged the officers to stay technologically ahead and make full use of the iGOT Karmayogi platform, a digital learning ecosystem offering continuously updated capacity-building modules. "You are fortunate to be in the best of times, when India is rapidly moving towards becoming Viksit Bharat 2047," he emphasised. In an open-floor dialogue with the young officers, Jitendra Singh expressed support for a more dynamic and flexible civil service ecosystem, where officers may be allowed to gain exposure outside government for a few years and return as domain specialists--a model that he termed "a win-win for both the officer and the government." On the issue of bridging the digital divide, the Minister called technology a great leveller, citing examples like the Swamitva Mission, which eliminates the need for revenue officials by leveraging drone-based property mapping. "This has democratised access to land records and decentralised service delivery at the grassroots," he said. Jitendra Singh also stressed the importance of grievance redressal mechanisms, urging the trainees to study the CPGRAMS platform, which he described as a global benchmark. "Nearly 26 lakh grievances have been disposed of with a 98 per cent resolution rate, most within 13 days," he shared. Yet, he reminded the officers that human intelligence and empathy must complement technology. "Despite resolving grievances technically, many citizens still feel emotionally dissatisfied. That's why we have created a 'human desk' to provide emotional closure, proving that governance is not just administrative but deeply human," he remarked. In a moving exchange, one of the Officer Trainees quoted Singh's past speech, "One retires from service, not from citizenship." Responding to this, Singh spoke about initiatives to involve retired civil servants through a Digital Repository of Expertise, allowing India to harness their knowledge. He also highlighted the Anubhav Awards, which encourage retiring officers to document their experiences for the benefit of future generations. As the interaction concluded, Jitendra Singh urged the young civil servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and service, aligning their efforts with the spirit of Antyodaya--working for the last man standing. "This batch of IAS officers is not only the youngest and most diverse, but also the most representative of New India's aspirations. Let your work reflect the hopes of a billion people," said Jitendra Singh. (ANI)
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday called for harnessing students' new Ideas and innovative thinking to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat "The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal called on harnessing new Ideas and innovative thinking of students. Sonowal identified how Yuva Shakti with the Power of Knowledge are key to realising the vision of Viksit Bharat," as per a Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways release. Sonowal was addressing and interacting the students of Sreeram Academy Pathsala today on the occasion of its 20th Foundation Day celebration. Sarbananda Sonowal, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The vibrant gathering included students, teachers, parents, alumni, and distinguished local dignitaries, making the occasion a memorable milestone in the institution's illustrious journey. On the occasion, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, "Students must not confine themselves to textbooks alone; they should strive to introduce new ideas and innovative thinking." He highlighted the transformative initiatives of the Government of India, noting, "Programmes like Digital India, Make in India, and Skill India have been launched to empower the new generation, equipping them with the tools to lead and innovate." "Knowledge is power, and students must acquire it and apply it effectively for the greater good." Sonowal also underscored the significance of value-based education, stating, "Education rooted in moral values must be prioritised. I urge parents to raise their children as responsible citizens and also to emphasised the importance of integrating Yoga and holistic health practices into daily life. "Yoga is not just physical exercise; it is a way of life that brings mental clarity and physical strength. It helps one stay focused, balanced, and healthy," added Sarbananda Sonowal. "The celebration featured captivating cultural performances by students, including dance, music, and drama, which showcased their talents and enthralled the audience," the release read. The event was also attended by Phanidhar Talukdar, MLA of Bhawanipur Constituency, Dhanpati Deka, Vice-Chancellor of Bhattadev University, Dr Kakali Das, Principal Shree Ram Academy along with other notable dignitaries. (ANI)
BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia on Sunday supported the idea of "One Nation, One Election", saying its implementation would help strengthen India's economy. Speaking to ANI, Chandolia said, "From 1952 to 1967, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha elections were held simultaneously. After that, this tradition was broken. In the last 30 years, there has not been a single year when elections were not held. This weakens our economic development. It affects the country's economy, GDP... Crores of rupees are spent on elections, so if One Nation, One Election is implemented, India's economy will be strengthened." BJP MLA Karnail Singh also supported the proposal, saying it would help save public money that could be used for development. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, "A roadmap has been made. This should not only be the agenda of the political parties but should also come from the public. It will save people's and the government's money. Lakhs and crores of money are used for the elections. So, it (one nation one election) will save money for development. That's why it is important." Earlier in the day, the BJP held a legislative party meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi to discuss the "One Nation, One Election" idea. The meeting was led by BJP's National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, and State Organisation General Secretary Pawan Rana. It was attended by Delhi BJP MLAs including Yogendra Chandolia and Kamaljeet Sehrawat, State General Secretary Vishnu Mittal, former Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay, Delhi Government Ministers Dr. Pankaj Singh and Ravindra Indraraj, Delhi Coordinator for One Nation, One Election Gajendra Yadav, Co-coordinator Ashok Goel Devrha, Yogendra Lakda, and other party officials. After the meeting, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva told the media that "One Nation, One Election" is a national need. He said, "Through today's workshop, we received guidance from National General Secretary Sunil Bansal, and we discussed how to turn One Nation, One Election into a national campaign." Sachdeva said that holding elections frequently affects the country's progress. "If you look at the data from the past 30 years, you'll find that elections are held in some state or the other every year, and state elections are also held alongside the Lok Sabha elections every five years. This creates many problems in the electoral process," he said. He added that repeated elections waste a lot of time, money, and resources. "For example, in the last Lok Sabha elections, about one crore (10 million) government employees were involved in the election process. If we want to turn India into a developed nation, we need to conserve our resources, money, and time. Every time the Model Code of Conduct is enforced, developmental work comes to a halt." Sachdeva said that the BJP will take this campaign to every household in Delhi and launch an awareness drive to explain its benefits. He pointed out that simultaneous elections were already held in the past. "From 1952 to 1967, elections were held simultaneously. It was only after a government collapse in 1968 that the system broke down. Hence, a One Nation, One Election is needed by the country." (ANI)
Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister over violence in Murshidabad district concerning Waqf Amendment Act, BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar alleged on Sunday that she was importing "Bangladesh situation" and "Hindus are being murdered" in the state. Majumdar, who is Union Minister of State for Education, said that people are aware of the situation in Bangladesh, which is a foreign country. He alleged that the Trinamool Congress leader has made West Bengal, "Bangladesh version lite". "Mamata Banerjee has already made West Bengal- Bangladesh Lite. Hindus are being killed in West Bengal...We are all aware of the situation in Bangladesh," Majumdar told ANI. He was asked about the brutal killing of Hindu leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy in Bangladesh. India on Saturday expressed strong concern over the abduction and brutal killing of Hindu minority leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy in Bangladesh, calling it part of a troubling pattern of persecution. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the incident and urged the interim government in Bangladesh to ensure protection for all minorities. "We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. "This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity. We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions," he said. The postmortem of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, who was allegedly abducted and beaten to death earlier this week in Dinajpur district's Biral upazila, Bangladesh, has been completed, police said on Saturday. Roy was a resident of Basudebpur village under Shatagram Union and served as vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. He was widely respected within the local Hindu community. (ANI)
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has elevated India's global stature and identity in the past 10 years, and under his leadership, both India and Haryana are progressing steadily. According to a release, Saini said that "over the past 10 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has elevated India's standing on the global stage and given the nation a new identity. Under his leadership, both the country and Haryana are progressing steadily." He added that the people of Punjab, who have so far placed their trust in various political parties but received only disappointment, now look to PM Modi for the state's development and prosperity. According to the release, the Chief Minister made these remarks while addressing a felicitation ceremony organized in Zirakpur, where he was honoured by representatives of various Punjab-based organizations for his leadership and governance. As per the release, in his address, the Chief Minister shared that "whenever he interacts with the youth of Punjab, he sees strong enthusiasm and a commitment to support the vision of Prime Minister Modi." "The youth and farmers of Punjab are eager to walk shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Minister and move forward toward a brighter future," he said. According to the release, reflecting on Haryana's journey, Nayab Singh Saini said that since the formation of the BJP government in the state in 2014, the people have continuously expressed their trust and support. He recalled that when he took oath as Chief Minister on March 12, 2024, he had promised to provide 25,000 government jobs. Though the implementation was delayed due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct just 56 days later, he fulfilled his commitment by giving appointments before his swearing-in. The release stated that the Chief Minister said that under PM Modi's leadership, all government policies are focused on public welfare. In Haryana, all crops are being procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP), and he had advised the Chief Minister of Punjab to adopt the same model. However, the suggestion was not accepted. "When the BJP forms the government in Punjab, we will ensure procurement at MSP for farmers there too. Just like in Haryana, we will not allow the respect of Punjab's farmers to diminish," he stated. As per the release, he said that the Haryana government not only guarantees full price for crops but also ensures direct compensation to farmers in case of crop damage. Drawing a comparison, he said "that during the tenure of the previous Congress government, farmers received only Rs 1,155 crore in compensation. In contrast, the current BJP government has disbursed Rs 14,500 crore over the past 10 years." As per the release, the Chief Minister said that although Haryana is considered the younger brother of Punjab, it has now surpassed Punjab in terms of development. He attributed this progress to the welfare-oriented policies of the state government, stating that Haryana is currently advancing at three times the pace. He added that, just as rapid development is taking place in Haryana, similar progress will be achieved in Punjab once a government is formed there under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the release, the Chief Minister highlighted the success of health schemes in Haryana. He shared that over 20 lakh beneficiaries have received free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat and Chirayu Yojana, with the Haryana government covering expenses worth Rs6,500 crore. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to extend Ayushman benefits to senior citizens above 70 years of age was fully implemented by Haryana, resulting in 12,000 elderly citizens receiving free healthcare. As per the release, the Chief Minister underscored India's economic growth under PM Modi's leadership, stating that the country is undergoing transformative change. "In 2014, the Prime Minister set a goal for India to become the fifth-largest economy. Now, we are on the path to becoming the third-largest economic power by 2027," he said. According to the release, he also mentioned that the BJP had promised the people of Delhi that Ayushman card benefits would be extended upon formation of a BJP government. Now people in Delhi have also started availing the benefits of Ayushman Bharat. As per the release, Nayab Singh Saini appealed to the people of Punjab to bring a BJP-led government to power under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Only then will the poor, farmers, and people of every section receive the benefits of government schemes, and Punjab too will move forward on the path of development," he said. The release noted that the event was attended by several dignitaries, including former Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly Gian Chand Gupta, and former MP from Punjab, Mrs. Preneet Kaur, among others. (ANI)
Jailed MP and Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh's father,, Tarsem Singh, has slammed the Punjab government for extending his son's detention under the National Security Act (NSA) and alleged that "people sitting in power are murdering democracy". "People sitting in power are murdering democracy. There is no place for black laws like this in the nation. These kinds of laws are being imposed on minorities and then are being extended for a long time. People voted for him in large numbers, and he is being put in jail by imposing false cases," Tarsem Singh told ANI. Amritpal Singh's lawyer, Imaan Singh Khara, said the NSA has been imposed on Amritpal Singh for the third time. "The detention order will come into effect from April 23, 2025, as the first NSA was imposed on April 23, 2023, the second NSA was imposed on April 23, 2024, before the Lok Sabha elections, and the third NSA has been imposed in violation of human rights by the government," he said. Amritpal Singh's paternal uncle, Sukhchain Singh, who met the Jathedars of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, alleged that governments are rattled after the people of Khadoor Sahib voted for him in the Lok Sabha polls. "Jathedar Sahib listened to our grievances and the government is again and again imposing black laws on Sikhs...Amritpal Singh talked about saving the youth... Since the people of Khadoor Sahib voted for him in large numbers, the governments are rattled," he said. Amritpal is lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail after he was detained under the NSA following his arrest on April 23, 2023. Earlier this January, the Independent MP had filed a petition seeking permission to attend the Parliament session and participate in the Republic Day celebrations. In his earlier petition, Amritpal Singh argued that his prolonged absence is preventing his 19 lakh voters from having their voice heard in Parliament. He claimed his detention was 'politically motivated' and intended to curb his rising popularity. Amritpal Singh lived in Dubai prior to his return to Punjab in 2022, after the death of Punjabi Actor Deep Sidhu. After his return, he became the chief of Deep Sidhu's pro-Khalistani organization, Waris Punjab De. He was arrested from Moga's Rode village after he and his supporters on February 23, 2023, staged a protest at the Ajnala police station and clashed with police personnel in an attempt to free one of his aides, who was taken into custody for making inflammatory and pro-Khalistan statements. On Friday, Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of Amritpal Singh and a key figure in the 'Waris Punjab De' organisation, was produced before the Ajnala court after the completion of a three-day police remand. On April 16, the National Security Act (NSA), Punjab Police got custody of Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of Amritpal Singh. Punjab Police had reached Dibrugarh on April 9 to take Papalpreet Singh into custody under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA). Papalpreet Singh was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) in an operation conducted by the Punjab Police in Hoshiarpur on April 10. The crackdown came almost three weeks after Amritpal's supporters stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar on February 23, demanding the release of one of his close associates, Lovepreet Toofan. Rejecting the allegations, the family members of Papalpreet Singh have claimed that no damage was done to the police station and that he only tried to stop the use of drugs in Punjab. (ANI)
Amid criticism over the Maharashtra government's decision to make Hindi a compulsory third language, state Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Sunday clarified that that Hindi will only be taught from Classes 1 to 5 to provide students a basic understanding of the language. Kesarkar said the controversy stems from a misunderstanding, as Hindi was already a compulsory subject in Classes 5 to 7 under the previous framework. "Hindi was already compulsory for Classes 5, 6, and 7. Now, that compulsion is being removed from class 6 onwards... Hindi will be taught only at the primary level -- from classes 1 to 5 -- to give students a basic grasp of the language, which is widely spoken across the country," he told ANI. Kesarkar noted that both Hindi and Marathi share the Devanagari script, making it easier for students to learn. "Marathi and Hindi both use Devanagari script, so they already have some similarity... There has been a misunderstanding - the compulsion for Hindi was already there before... Now it's being relaxed," he said. The minister also reiterated the government's efforts to promote Marathi. "Our government has taken major steps for Marathi -- granting it classical language status, building Marathi Bhawan, launching the Marathi International Council, and a Marathi encyclopedia. All this happened in the last 2.5 years under the leadership of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis," he said. Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also defended the move, saying it was incorrect to say that Hindi was being imposed. He stressed that Marathi remains mandatory in the state and is not being replaced. "It is incorrect to say Hindi is being imposed as Marathi will remain mandatory in Maharashtra. I am often surprised that while we oppose an Indian language like Hindi, we praise and carry English on our shoulders. I find it curious why Indian languages feel distant to us while English feels closer. This is something that we need to think about," Fadnavis said. He explained that the new guidelines are in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates the learning of three languages, two of which must be Indian. "The first thing to understand is that Hindi has not been made mandatory in place of Marathi; Marathi remains compulsory. However, the New Education Policy (NEP) offers an opportunity to learn three languages, and learning three languages is mandatory. According to the policy, two of these three languages must be Indian languages," he added. The Maharashtra government has made it compulsory for students in state board schools to learn Hindi as a third language from Class 1, in addition to Marathi and English. Earlier, Rahul Ashok Rekhawar, Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Maharashtra, said that the decision was taken by the School Education Department on April 16. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Rekhawar said, "On behalf of the Maharashtra Government, the School Education Department has taken a decision in which teaching Hindi language along with Marathi and English has been made compulsory from Class 1 in all the schools of the state board. This decision has been made with all the appointments and their development in view, and the students will definitely benefit from it." He clarified that the decision is meant purely for educational reasons and is not linked to any political or community agenda. (ANI)
US Vice President JD Vance met with top Vatican officials on Saturday to exchange views on issues concerning migrants, refugees, and prisoners. The meeting comes after months of tension between the administration of US President Donald Trump and American church leaders over immigration policies. Vance, a Catholic, has been visiting Rome with his family over the Easter weekend and attended a Good Friday service in St Peter's Basilica. During his visit, he held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States. Saturday's meeting marked the first in-person talks between the Holy See and the Trump administration during its second term. According to a Vatican communique released after the meeting, "There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners." The Vatican statement released following the meeting with Vance on Saturday said that during the talks, "hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the State and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged." Despite any tensions, the Vatican is accustomed to engaging with leaders with whom it disagrees. The statement noted that "the good existing bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America, and the common commitment to protect the right to freedom of religion and conscience, were reiterated." Following his visit, Vance shared a post on the social media platform X, wishing Christians around the world a blessed Good Friday. "I'm grateful every day for this job, but particularly today, where my official duties have brought me to Rome on Good Friday. I had a great meeting with Prime Minister Meloni and her team, and will head to church soon with my family in this beautiful city," the post read. "I wish all Christians all over the world, but particularly those back home in the US, a blessed Good Friday," it added. (ANI)
Vice President of ISKCON Kolkata, Radharaman Das, has strongly criticised Bangladesh over the killing of Hindu Minority leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy, alleging that such acts are aimed at forcing minorities into submission. Speaking with ANI, Das called the incident "extremely sad" and claimed that the violence was intentional. "We can see what is happening in Bangladesh, and it is extremely sad...a Hindu leader, Roy, was kidnapped and brutally beaten to death...this is being done intentionally so that the rest of the minorities get frightened. They want minorities to submit before them. This is extremely sad, and the whole world should take a look at it." Das said. India on Saturday expressed strong concern over the abduction and brutal killing of Hindu minority leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy, calling it part of a troubling pattern of persecution. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the incident and urged the interim government in Bangladesh to ensure protection for all minorities. "We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh," Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson for the MEA, posted on X (formerly Twitter). "This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government, even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity. We condemn this incident and once again remind the interim government to live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities, including Hindus, without inventing excuses or making distinctions." The postmortem of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, who was allegedly abducted and beaten to death earlier this week in Dinajpur district's Biral upazila, Bangladesh, has been completed, police said on Saturday. According to earlier accounts, Bhabesh had received a phone call around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. His wife, Shantana Roy, told The Daily Star that the perpetrators allegedly made the call to confirm his presence. About 30 minutes later, four men arrived and forcibly took him. Witnesses said he was taken to Narabari village and brutally assaulted. That evening, his unconscious body was returned to his family in a van. Locals helped rush him to the Biral Upazila Health Complex and later to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His body was later sent for a postmortem examination. Bhabesh Chandra Roy was a resident of Basudebpur village under Shatagram Union and served as vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. He was widely respected within the local Hindu community. (ANI)
The United States has carried out 13 air strikes on Hodeidah's port and airport, days after strikes on the Ras Isa port, Al Jazeera reported, quoting Houthi-affiliated TV channel Al Masirah. At least three people were killed and four others were injured in the latest strikes on al-Thawra, Bani Matar, and al-Safiah districts in the capital, Sanaa, CNN quoted Al Masirah as saying. This comes after US airstrikes on Yemen's Ras Isa oil port on Thursday, which resulted in at least 74 fatalities. The Houthis rebels' Health Ministry spokesman, Anees Alasbah, said that the strikes carried out on Thursday also wounded 171 people. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the strikes were aimed at cutting off the Houthis' fuel and revenue sources, describing the operation as an effort to target the economic power of the Iran-backed group. In a post on social media on Thursday, CENTCOM said, "Today, US forces took action to eliminate this source of fuel for the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists. The objective of these strikes was to degrade the economic source of power of the Houthis." Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels have vowed to continue their military operations against Israel and the United States "Yemen will not back down from continuing its support operations for the Palestinian people until the Israeli aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted," the Houthi-controlled armed forces in Yemen said in a statement, as reported by CNN. US President Donald Trump had vowed to use "overwhelming force" until Washington achieves its goal of stopping the Houthis from targeting shipping in the Red Sea. (ANI)
Thousands of protestors across the United States rallied once again on Saturday (local time), voicing strong opposition to President Donald Trump's policies. Nearly a fortnight after the first wave of demonstrations, protesters returned to the streets to express frustration over Trump's policies, including the imposition and threats of tariffs, The New York Times reported. However, turnout in cities like New York, Washington, and Chicago appeared smaller than the protests held on April 5. According to an organiser quoted by The New York Times, More than 700 events were planned nationwide, from Jacksonville, Fla., to Los Angeles. Participants accused the president of trampling on civil liberties and the rule of law, citing concerns over immigration, federal job cuts, economic policies, and other issues. The protestors gathered outside the White House, repeatedly chanting "shame!" to voice their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. Thousands more marched from the Washington Monument, many demanding that the administration bring back Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia -- a Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador, The New York Times reported. "I am worried that the administration would not stop at deporting undocumented immigrants without due process and would imprison and deport U.S. citizens," said Aaron Burk, who joined the rally in Washington. He added, "Where does it stop?" he said. Burk also said that his daughter is transgender and that he was most concerned about the dehumanisation of minorities, The New York Times reported. In Jacksonville, Fla., hundreds took to the streets to protest a number of causes, including the president's attacks on the LGBTQ community and the government's desire to alter the Endangered Species Act. "We are losing our country," said one demonstrator, Sara Harvey. In the last few months, she said she had protested the federal job cuts led by Elon Musk and joined the nationwide protests on April 5. (ANI)
After the US Supreme Court temporarily barred the deportation of migrants, President Donald Trump's administration has urged the apex court to allow the use of alternative laws to remove a group of Venezuelan migrants detained in Texas, CNN reported. Following the Supreme Court's order, the US Justice Department argued that the justices should deny the request to halt deportations under the controversial wartime authority provided by the Alien Enemies Act. The Justice Department further urged the Supreme Court to provide clarity that it may remove at least some of the same migrants under less controversial immigration laws. The Supreme Court's order did not distinguish between deportations under the Alien Enemies Act and other laws, CNN reported. The court said, "The government is directed not to remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order of this court." Earlier, the White House said in a statement Saturday morning that "President Trump promised the American people to use all lawful measures to remove the threat of terrorist illegal aliens, like members of (Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua), from the United States." "We are confident in the lawfulness of the Administration's actions and in ultimately prevailing against an onslaught of meritless litigation brought by radical activists who care more about the rights of terrorist aliens than those of the American people," said press secretary Karoline Leavitt, as reported by CNN. Previously, a Federal Judge in Washington DC told lawyers for migrants in Texas who believed the Trump administration was about to swiftly deport them under the Alien Enemies Act that he did not have the power to pause the deportations, even though he was concerned about the administration's actions, CNN reported. The dispute between SC and the administration reflects Donald Trump's aggressive stance on deportations. (ANI)
Taiwan detected six Chinese naval vessels and four official ships operating around its territory up until 6 am (local time) on Sunday, a statement by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said. In a post on X, the MND wrote, "1 PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN vessels and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 1 out of 1 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1913759521199312903 Earlier on Saturday, the MND detected 14 Chinese aircraft, five Chinese naval vessels, and four official ships operating around its territory up until 6 am. In a post on X, Taiwan's MND said, " 14 PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN vessels and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 13 out of 14 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." On Friday, 11 Chinese aircraft, six Chinese naval vessels, and three official ships were detected around Taiwan. On April 17, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted sharply to a joint statement released by China and Vietnam, which mentioned Taiwan as part of China and described it as "a serious distortion of the facts," Taiwan News reported. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit on Tuesday, Vietnam backed China's claim that "Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory" and opposed "any separatist activity" seeking Taiwan Independence, Taiwan News reported, citing Viet Nam News. In response to the joint statement issued by China and Vietnam, the ministry said it "strongly condemns and firmly refutes the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian regime for continuing to spread rhetoric that internationally undermines Taiwan's sovereignty." It said that Taiwan's stance on defending national sovereignty remains firm and unchanged. Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its position that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation and is not subordinate to China. The ministry further said that the CCP has never ruled Taiwan. (ANI)
The United States Vice President JD Vance will undertake an official visit to India from April 21 to 24 and will arrive in New Delhi on Monday. The Ministry of External Affairs said that he will be received at the Air Force Station, Palam, at 10:00 am. A formal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled at 6:30 pm, the same day at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. On Tuesday, April 22, Vance will travel to Jaipur, while on Wednesday, April 23, Vance will visit Agra. Concluding his visit, Vice President Vance will depart from India on Thursday, April 24, at 6:40 am. Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, on the upcoming visit of Vance, had said that India has a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership with the US, and when such a high-level visit takes place, all issues of importance are discussed. "This is an Official Visit. He will be meeting the Prime Minister. And with the United States of America, we have a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership. So, when you have that level of partnership with any country, obviously you will discuss all relevant issues," Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing on Thursday. Jaiswal added that India was very certain that the visit would give a further boost to India-US bilateral ties. "And with America, with the United States, of course, our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of human endeavour... forms part of our bilateral engagement. So, all these issues, bilateral issues will be discussed. And we are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties," he said. The Office of the Vice President in a release last week had said, "Vice President JD Vance and the Second Family will travel to Italy and India from April 18 to April 24. The Vice President will discuss shared economic and geopolitical priorities with leaders in each country." "In India, the Vice President will visit New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. The Vice President will hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Vice President and Second Family will also participate in engagements at cultural sites," the release said. (ANI)
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) in its report on Saturday has stated that China is using local criminal organisations, illegal lenders, religious institutions, and civil groups to penetrate the Taiwanese military, Taipei Times reported. The report, prepared for lawmakers ahead of a scheduled hearing on Chinese espionage, said that retired military personnel who had aligned with China often relied on these channels to access active members of the armed forces. According to the ministry, Chinese intelligence operations commonly use measures such as blackmail, online communications, bribery, and pressure from loan sharks to manipulate serving military personnel into cooperating. Beijing's primary objectives are to gather intelligence and build a network of operatives within Taiwan that could weaken the nation's defence capabilities, the MND reported. However, the report noted that counterintelligence efforts have been effective--87.5 per cent of caught Chinese spies were reported by military members they had approached. The MND, in coordination with the National Security Bureau and agencies under the Ministry of Justice, has created special procedures to investigate and prosecute espionage cases while safeguarding classified information. To further strengthen defences, the military is implementing a standardised system for probing information security violations and vetting both personnel and contractors to prevent internal threats. Meanwhile, a monthly report by the Ministry of Digital Affairs said that Taiwan was subjected to 82 cyberattacks in March, a slight decrease from the number of attacks in the same month last year, according to Taipei Times. The Administration for Cyber Security reported that over 20 government institutions were targeted by distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, which caused disruptions or slowed internet services. These attacks affected local governments, tax agencies, judicial systems, social services, and healthcare providers, with those sectors accounting for 30 per cent of the incidents. Due to the use of proxy systems, officials have not been able to trace the attackers. Still, the agency confirmed that none of the cyberattacks caused lasting damage and that most systems were quickly restored. (ANI)
Following President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a 30-hour ceasefire in observance of Easter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces carried out attacks, citing a total of 387 shelling incidents and 19 assaults. Zelenskyy further said that despite Russia's declared truce, Ukrainian frontline units recorded 59 cases of shelling and 5 assaults, along with multiple combat engagements across the Donetsk, Starobilsk, and Zaporizhzhia sectors. In a post on X on Sunday (local time), Zelenskyy wrote, "A report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi on the frontline as of 6:00 a.m. Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and 5 assaults by Russian units. In the sector of the Starobilsk Operational Tactical Group, one combat engagement was documented. In the Donetsk OTG sector, there were three combat engagements - in the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka directions, and one combat engagement took place near Stepove in the Zaporizhzhia direction. The enemy carried out dozens of FPV drone strikes." "In the Kursk region, Russian forces conducted artillery strikes and used drones. Everywhere, our warriors are responding as the enemy deserves, based on the specific combat situation. Ukraine will continue to act symmetrically. Between 6:00 pm yesterday and midnight today, there were 387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces. Drones were used by Russians 290 times," he added. The Ukrainian President further emphasised that while Russia seeks to create the impression of a ceasefire, Ukraine will continue to respond accordingly. "Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine. Russia must fully comply with the conditions of the ceasefire. Ukraine's proposal to implement and extend the ceasefire for 30 days after midnight tonight remains on the table. We will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground," Zelenskyy added. https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1913807239871111169 Zelenskyy on Saturday (local time) alleged that the Russian offensive has not "subsided" despite Moscow declaring a ceasefire on the occasion of Easter. In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that Russian assault operations are ongoing on several frontline sectors and there is no "trust" in Moscow's words. "As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow. We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything," Zelenskyy wrote on X. Zelenskyy also stated that Russia has rejected the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, noting that the 30-hour Easter ceasefire is insufficient for building "genuine confidence". In a video shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Russia on X, President Putin said, "The Russian Side announces an Easter ceasefire from 06:00 pm today to 00:00 am Monday. This is done for humanitarian reasons. I hereby order all military operations ceased for this period." This is the second ceasefire to be announced since the conflict began in 2022. A previous attempt at a ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 failed after both sides were unable to agree on a proposal. (ANI)
Renowned journalist Niaz Baloch has come forward with alarming claims that he has recently received serious threats from individuals linked to Pakistani intelligence agencies, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to Baloch, these threats include warnings of enforced disappearance, a tactic reportedly used to silence dissent in Balochistan. According to The Balochistan Post, in a powerful public statement, Baloch condemned the escalating dangers faced by professionals in the region. He asserted that journalists, educators, healthcare workers, legal professionals, writers, artists, students, and activists are being targeted simply for speaking out against systemic injustice. Baloch pointed to so-called "death squads," which he alleges operate with impunity, instilling fear and carrying out violence against those who raise their voices. Calling on the international community, including the United Nations and global human rights organisations, Baloch appealed for urgent intervention. "The people of Balochistan are under siege," he said. "If the world remains silent, the cycle of bloodshed will only continue." According to the Balochistan Post, Baloch warned that the situation has reached a critical point, and the global conscience must awaken to the plight of the Baloch people. He emphasised that silence in the face of such oppression equates to complicity. His statement comes amid ongoing concerns over press freedom in Balochistan. In recent years, numerous journalists have been murdered or forcibly disappeared, and independent reporting in the region remains extremely dangerous. Baloch's appeal highlights the urgent need for international scrutiny and action to address the grave human rights violations occurring in the region. The Baloch community has endured extensive human rights abuses for years, including enforced disappearances, unlawful killings, and deep-rooted marginalisation. Security forces are frequently accused of targeting civilians, students, and activists, often detaining them without legal procedures. Families are left in agony, with no information about the whereabouts or well-being of their missing relatives. Fundamental rights--such as freedom of speech, political participation, and access to education--are routinely denied. Military operations in the region have triggered mass displacement and widespread fear among residents. Although human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns, the suffering of the Baloch people continues to be largely overlooked, intensifying their frustration and fueling calls for justice, recognition, and self-determination. (ANI)
The decision was delivered by ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah, who ruled against the interim relief sought by the accused, citing non-compliance with court protocols and prolonged misuse of bail provisions.

Among the individuals whose bail pleas were rejected are some of PTI's most prominent former officeholders in Punjab. These include former provincial ministers Raja Basharat, Sanam Javed, Mashal Yousafzai, and Seemabia Tahir.

Their involvement in multiple cases stemming from the protests has kept them under scrutiny, with court officials highlighting their repeated absence from proceedings as a key factor in the bail rejections, reported Dawn.

The ruling underscores the court's stance on ensuring accountability for all involved, regardless of political status.

The court also denied bail to Taimur Masood, Fahad Masood, Saad Ali Khan, Raja Nasir Mahfouz, Javed Kausar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Matiullah, Nadia Khattak, Omar Tanveer Butt, Babar Lodhi, Nisar Khan, and Abdul Waheed.

These individuals are reportedly linked to various cases spread across different police jurisdictions in Rawalpindi and Attock, indicating a wider network of legal challenges linked to last year's protests.

During the hearing, Prosecutor Zaheer Shah informed the court that the accused had been availing interim bail for over four months while deliberately avoiding appearances, which had hindered the progress of investigations.

He added that such conduct was in clear violation of legal obligations and presented relevant Supreme Court judgements in support of the prosecution's stance, Dawn reported.

The court, after reviewing the arguments and legal references, dismissed all bail applications on grounds of non-cooperation and procedural non-compliance. The ruling now paves the way for continued investigation without the protection of interim bail. (ANI)
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita on Sunday met Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry YB Liew Chin Tong and discussed ways to strengthen trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two nations. In a post on X, Margherita wrote, "Had a productive meeting with H.E. YB Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister at Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Discussed ways to further enhance India-Malaysia trade, investment, and economic cooperation as well as means to provide impetus for our burgeoning collaboration in the Semiconductor sector." https://x.com/PmargheritaBJP/status/1913814442628046902 A day earlier, Margherita held talks with the Indian community in Malaysia and appreciated their contributions in strengthening India-Malaysia relations. Margherita said that the diaspora included members of Assamese, his native state, and Manipuri descent. In a post on X, he said, "Interacted with the vibrant Indian community in Malaysia, including members of the Assamese and Manipuri diaspora. Their contributions to strengthening India-Malaysia ties are noteworthy. Always a pleasure to connect with our extended family abroad." On Friday, Margherita held talks with YB Kulasegaran Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and said that his talks focused on law and institutional reforms. In a post on X, he said, "Had a fruitful meeting with H.E. YB Kulasegaran Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform). Had engaging discussions on working together to further strengthen India-Malaysia ties especially in the field of law and institutional reforms." He also interacted with the business community in Malaysia, led by the Consortium of Indian Industries in Malaysia (CIIM) and Malaysia-India Business Council (MIBC). Margherita said that these communities represent the growth of India-Malaysia ties. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that Margherita is leading a delegation that is participating in the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair on April 18-19 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of the ASEAN-India Tourism Professionals Exchange Programme 2025. (ANI)
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) reportedly killed five individuals in what it described as an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Duki district, as reported by The Balochistan Post. However, the identification of two of the deceased as Baloch missing persons has sparked serious concerns about the authenticity and legitimacy of the encounter. One of the individuals killed, Muhammad Deen Marri, was reportedly forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from Balochistan's Harnai district in December 2024. His case had gained attention on January 19, 2025, when human rights activists and social media users highlighted his disappearance and demanded his safe return. Now, nearly four months later, the CTD has claimed he was killed in a recent operation, prompting allegations of a staged encounter, as cited by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, the second victim identified was Ejaz, son of Khuda Bakhsh, a resident of Mangochar in Kalat district. According to his family, Ejaz was allegedly detained by Pakistani forces on April 12, 2025, along with his companion Zaid, son of Abid Khan, a resident of Saryab, Quetta. Both men were reported missing after the incident. On April 16, Ejaz's family informed the media that he had been forcibly disappeared. On Saturday, they recognised his body in the photographs released following the CTD operation. According to The Balochistan Post, human rights groups, political activists, and members of civil society have vehemently condemned the incident, describing it as part of the state's ongoing pattern of extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. Activists assert that these "fake encounters" typically involve individuals who have been forcibly disappeared, only to be killed later and falsely portrayed as militants in fabricated shootouts. Rights organisations have once again condemned these incidents as serious breaches of basic human rights and demanded independent investigations into the actions of the CTD. The identities of the other three individuals killed in the same operation have not yet been verified. However, rights groups continue to express concern that they may also be victims of enforced disappearances. (ANI)
The Pickup Union in Gwadar staged a sit-in protest on the Coastal Highway, completely blocking traffic, according to The Balochistan Post. The protest was launched in response to what the union claims are unjust actions by the Coast Guards, who have allegedly been stopping and seizing pickup trucks without valid reasons. According to The Balochistan Post, union representatives stated that they are engaged in legal and peaceful business activities, but constant interference by the Coast Guards has pushed them to the brink of financial ruin. One protester stated, "We are drowning in debt, and now our vehicles are being taken, further ruining us." The union members accused the Coast Guards of impounding their vehicles under the cover of darkness and without any prior notice or justification. They asserted that the trucks were transporting diesel legally, with permits issued by the Balochistan government, and were operating along approved routes, as reported by The Balochistan Post. They further claimed that they had previously met with Colonel Zain-ul-Abideen of the Coast Guard, who had promised the return of both the trucks and the diesel. However, only the empty vehicles were returned, while the diesel remained confiscated. The union described this outcome as a grave injustice to the struggling local community. Protesters emphasised the growing hardships they face in continuing their work. Many purchase diesel on credit and make high-risk journeys with minimal profits. "When state agencies take away our livelihoods, it's like taking food from the mouths of the poor," said one driver. The union has set a deadline for Saturday night, demanding the return of the confiscated diesel. If the demand is not met, they plan to launch an indefinite sit-in starting at 11 AM the following day. They also advised the public and fellow transporters to avoid unnecessary travel due to ongoing road disruption. The protest has resulted in a massive traffic jam, with long queues forming on the highway. Locals expressed frustration, questioning the government's claims of development in Gwadar. Despite the city's central role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), residents argue that under the pretext of security, local economic activity is being suffocated. (ANI)
Police have arrested Syed Jalal Shah, the district president of the Sindh Taraqi Pasand (STP) Party, for allegedly being involved in an attack on the convoy of Minister of State for Religious Affairs, Kheel Das Kohistani. The incident took place in Thatta during a protest where demonstrators reportedly targeted the minister's vehicle, according to The Express Tribune. A case has been registered after protestors, allegedly linked to nationalist groups, threw stones at the minister's convoy. The First Information Report (FIR) also names other STP members -- Haider Shoro, Hakeem Brohi, and Javed Janori -- as suspects in the incident. Police said the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests could be made. The protest happened as the minister's convoy passed through an area where nationalist groups demonstrated against canal-related infrastructure projects. Protestors were seen throwing eggs and tomatoes and shouting slogans at the convoy. Although the situation became tense for a short time, the convoy passed through without major damage or further confrontation, as per The Express Tribune. Reports say the protest was part of a larger campaign by nationalist groups in Sindh who oppose water diversion projects. They say these developments are harmful to local agriculture and may lead to the displacement of indigenous communities. The issue has increased tensions in rural parts of the region, where many people rely on farming. After Shah's arrest, human rights activists and local political groups raised concerns about the police action. They are demanding an impartial investigation into both the attack and the police response. Some fear that the crackdown could suppress political dissent. Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar condemned the attack and said, "Attacks on public officials are unacceptable," and urged the Sindh government to investigate fairly and bring those responsible to justice. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also condemned the incident. He instructed the Hyderabad DIG to submit a full report. "No one has the right to take the law into their own hands," he said. (ANI)
Two young girls tragically lost their lives when a wall collapsed in the Pedan area of Jaglot town of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan due to heavy rain and an earthquake that jolted the region recently. The incident has sparked widespread anger and frustration among locals over the lack of basic emergency medical facilities and government negligence in the area, as cited by Markhor Times. According to Markhor Times, the wall--referred to locally as the Garniwali wall--collapsed suddenly, burying the girls beneath the debris. The victims were rushed to the local hospital, but residents allege that no medical staff were present during the emergency. "There was no oxygen setup. No doctors or nurses. The hospital was empty," said one resident. "Our children were dying, and there was no one to help." In a disturbing claim, locals reported that the District Health Officer (DHO) refused to provide an ambulance. "We pleaded with them, but they said they won't send any vehicle," said another community member. "Most of the medical staff were busy in their private clinics instead of being at the government hospital." According to Markhor Times, community members have now threatened to launch a protest and block roads if the government fails to take immediate action. They are demanding accountability from health authorities and local administration, calling the incident a result of sheer negligence and disregard for public safety. "We demand that the government fix the health infrastructure in Jaglot. If they don't listen to us now, we will take to the streets," one local elder warned. This tragedy has once again highlighted the dire state of healthcare in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, especially in remote areas like Jaglot, where residents continue to suffer due to a lack of resources, infrastructure, and official attention. Residents of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) are grappling with severe living conditions, facing economic struggles, political neglect, and a shortage of essential public services. Although the region is abundant in natural resources, it remains underdeveloped, with crumbling infrastructure, frequent power outages, insufficient healthcare facilities, and limited access to quality education. (ANI)
Republican Party Senator Pete Ricketts of the US told Taiwanese President William Lai that the US would continue to assist Taiwan with its self-defence and also wants to see peace across the Taiwan Strait without coercion or the threat of force, as reported by the Taipei Times. According to the Taipei Times, Republican Senator Pete Ricketts in a meeting with Lai at the Presidential Office in Taipei said that although administrations change, bipartisan support for Taiwan in the US Congress has continued. "The United States is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. We want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. We oppose any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan," Ricketts said as quoted by Taipei Times. "We expect any differences between Taiwan and the mainland to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force," he said. "To that end, the United States will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defence. There is broad consensus in the US Congress to support Taiwan's self-defence." Notably, Taiwanese President Lai said that he looked forward towards Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region, and that Taiwan was committed to spending more on its defence. Taipei Times reported that a bipartisan group of American lawmakers are on their first trip to Taiwan under the new administration, thereby aiming to show Taipei and Beijing that Washington's support for Taiwan's defence remains broad, despite the call for tariffs by US President Donald Trump. Taipei Times further noted that Ricketts is being accompanied by Republican Senator Ted Budd and Democratic Senator Chris Coons. Despite the tariffs hit, conversations in Taiwan this week were "optimistic and forward-looking," Coons said, adding that he was "optimistic that we're going to see a strong next chapter in US-Taiwan relations." Notably, this includes assurances from Taiwanese that they are working fast to strike new trade and investment deals that suit the Trump administration. Taipei Times noted that after seeing the Russia-Ukraine conflict-- learning from Ukraine's defence against Russia and criticism from Trump, Taiwan also said it is investing fast to make the military stronger, nimbler and less dependent on the US, as the nation's strongest deterrent against China, the US lawmakers said. That includes seeking investment with the US on drone warfare, learning from Ukraine using fleet fighting forces with portable Stingers, the lawmakers said. The senators made the remarks ahead of talks yesterday with Lai, Minister of National Defence, Wellington Koo and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu. Ricketts said Taiwanese leaders had already reached out to US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick for negotiations, moving quickly in the 90-day pause that Trump announced before the US starts enforcing the new tariffs, Taipei Times observed. Regarding China, Coons said, "Of course, there is the possibility that [Chinese President] Xi Jinping would decide that this is the right time for the Chinese Communist Party to take aggressive action... I think it's exactly the wrong thing for them to do," Coons said. "I think they would find a forceful and united response." (ANI)
Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his Easter message from the balcony of St Peter''s Basilica to thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square. The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was recently discharged from Rome''s Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia. On Easter Sunday he was able to offer the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the "City [of Rome] and to the World". Only the pope can offer this blessing which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins. Ahead of his Easter Sunday appearance, the Pope had a brief private meeting with Vice President JD Vance. "The meeting, which lasted a few minutes, provided an opportunity to exchange Easter greetings," said the Vatican in a statement. Vance who has been visiting Italy with his family this weekend had posted on X earlier on Friday, "It was an honour to visit the Vatican during Holy Week, and a blessing to experience the beauty and reverence of the Good Friday liturgy at St Peter''s Basilica." According to media reports, including CNN, Pope Francis, who is from Argentina, appeared without the nasal cannula he had been using to receive oxygen. Cardinal Angelo Comastri, Archpriest emeritus of Saint Peter''s Basilica and Vicar General emeritus of Vatican City, led the liturgy in the Square and read the homily of Pope Francis prepared for the occasion as per Vatican News. Pope Francis dedicated his Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and for the release of prisoners. In a text of the Pope''s Easter Sunday message released by the Vatican says that he spoke first of the Holy Land, "wounded by conflict", and home to an "endless outburst of violence". He extended his closeness, in particular, to the people of Gaza and to the Christian community in the enclave where "the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation." "I appeal once again," Pope Francis said, "for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the release of the hostages... and for access to humanitarian aid." (ANI)
As US Vice President J D Vance embarks on his visit to India with his family, the small village of Vadluru in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh is abuzz with anticipation. Vadluru is the ancestral home of Usha Vance (nee Chilukuri), the wife of Vice President Vance, and locals are hopeful the couple will visit their village during their time in the country. The visit has sparked a wave of excitement and emotion among villagers who take great pride in Usha's achievements. The villagers, aware that Usha's family once lived in Vadluru before relocating, have extended a warm public appeal to the Vance family. They are urging Usha and Vice President Vance to make time to visit their ancestral roots. Many have also appealed to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to support and help facilitate such a visit, which they believe would be a historic moment for the community. For the residents of Vadluru, Usha's global stature symbolises a deep connection to their heritage and a reminder of their village's legacy. Among the villagers expressing their sentiments was PV Ramanaiah, a long-time resident. He said, "First of all, I would like to extend my greetings to J D Vance and Usha Bala Chilukuri for their victory in the US elections. We are proud to see Usha in such a respected position. Since their family has come to Delhi, we appeal to them to visit this village and nearby places. I've lived here for 10 years, and people often speak about their family's past and their contributions to our village." Echoing the same hope was Vadluru Badrinath, who emphasised the family's historical role in village development. "We have learned that Vice President J D Vance and his wife Usha Vance are scheduled to visit India. We sincerely hope they visit Vadluru, where their ancestors once lived. About eighty years ago, their family played a key role in the village's development, and many residents received education thanks to them. We appeal to CM Chandrababu Naidu to help make their visit to the state and our village possible." The priest of the Sai Baba temple, Satya Gopal Krishna, shared a personal connection to the family's contributions. "Usha Bala Chilukuri has roots in Vadluru, and we are happy to see her reach such heights. We hope she and her family - including Vice President J D Vance and their children - visit the village. Their family donated land here, which allowed for the construction of the Sai Baba temple as a memorial." Another local resident, Vetukuri Satyanarayana Raju, added, "We warmly welcome Usha Vance and US Vice President J D Vance to India and urge them to visit Vadluru in West Godavari district. In the past, their ancestors generously donated land to the village, which led to the construction of the Sai Baba temple." The entire village stands united in excitement and pride, hoping for a memorable reunion with the Vance family that will honour their legacy and deepen the bond between past and present. (ANI)
The Nepal Police has arrested royalist leaders for defying a prohibitory order as they stage a protest inside Singhadurbar, the administrative capital of the Himalayan Nation. Amongst those arrested are the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) President Rajendra Lingden, Vice President Buddhiman Tamang and Chief Whip Gyanendra Shahi, amongst half a dozen leaders. While walking out of the administrative centres, the royalist leaders displayed placards reading slogans demanding the release of previously arrested leaders. One of the leaders who escaped arrest was Deepak Bahadur Singh, who claimed to have achieved the target of breaking the restricted area as previously announced. "We have broken the restricted area, we have defied the restriction, we will now move forward to our ambition. Beware, this government- you kept our president, Vice-president and the Chief Whip under house arrest. As they walked out of the Singhadurbar they were arrested, this is the evidence that we have broken the restricted zone, we have won this fight. This is the public's victory, we will move forward to our destiny to achieve it," Deepak Bahadur Singh told ANI. The royalist, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) had been staging a demonstration near the parliament, a restricted zone, demanding reinstatement of the monarchy. Cadres gathered at Archbridge Bridge, and proceeded toward Baneshwor via Everest Hotel. Upon reaching the restricted area, they raised slogans demanding a king and criticised the leaders of major political parties. The RPP has been waging a legal and political struggle for the unconditional release of party leaders Rabindra Mishra and Dhawal Shumsher Rana. Mishra and Rana were arrested following a deadly violence on March 28, for inciting the mob. The violence had claimed the lives of two people, injuring over one hundred, as the capital witnessed arson and vandalism. The party, which has been demanding the reinstatement of a constitutional monarchy and the establishment of Nepal as a Hindu state, staged a protest assembly at Balkhu as designated by the government on April 8. Formed in the 1990's after lift of ban in formation of political parties by then monarchial system, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) since then serves as the force always supporting the Kingship. It has also been taking part in periodic elections and presenting its demands forth. In the year 2008 right after the overthrow of monarchy rule from Nepal, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) had secured 8 seats in then Constituent Assembly out of the 575 seated strong parliament. In the 2013 election it was able to secure 13 seats while in the year 2017 it fell down to 1 seat while it bounced back in the election of 2022 with 14 seats. The party since its inception has been supporting Hindu State and the Kingship as interdependent in the tiny nation buffered between two giants India and China. The Himalayan Nation of Nepal has a population of 30.55 million has a Hindu population of 81.19 per cent as per the census of 2022. The Monarch of the Himalayan Nation which follows the linage of Shah dynasty was revered as an incarnation of Hindu god Bishnu. With abolishment monarchy it got limited to a very small group which now again is reemerging. (ANI)
The drugs, consisting of 200 kilograms of methamphetamine, were cleverly concealed in 2,000 packets of spice.

According to an ANF spokesperson, during a major operation, officials recovered 200 kilograms of methamphetamine, commonly known as "ice," which was concealed in a shipment destined for Dubai. The narcotics were expertly hidden inside 2,000 packets of broast spices.

The ANF acted on a tip-off and conducted a thorough search of the container going to Dubai, uncovering the illicit consignment, as per ARY News.

Efforts are currently underway to identify and arrest the suspects involved in the smuggling attempt, the spokesperson noted.

In a separate incident earlier in January, the ANF also foiled a drug smuggling attempt, arresting a Ugandan woman and a Nigerian man suspected of trafficking cocaine into Pakistan.

According to ARY News, the woman, who travelled from Dubai to Karachi, was found carrying 144 grams of cocaine.

As per details from the ANF spokesperson, the woman admitted to carrying capsules filled with narcotics. ANF officials later transferred her to the hospital, where 144 grams of cocaine were recovered from the possession of a suspect.

During further investigation, she revealed that the Nigerian suspect was her accomplice. Based on this intelligence, the ANF arrested the Nigerian suspect from a hotel in Lahore.

On January 11, ANF, while conducting eight operations across the country, recovered 19.876 kg of drugs worth over Rs 9.6 million and arrested 12 suspects, including four women.

ANF spokesman informed that two suspects, including a woman, going to Riyadh were arrested at Islamabad International Airport.

75 heroin-filled capsules were recovered from their stomachs. 6 kg of hashish was recovered from the possession of a suspect arrested near a bridge on IJP Road, Islamabad.

In the third operation, 3.5 kg of heroin was recovered from the possession of three suspects rounded up near F-Block, Johar Town, Lahore. (ANI)
A peaceful protest against the illegal occupation of the Indus river in the Bubrlo area of Sindh turned violent last night when agents believed to be from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) launched an armed assault on demonstrators. Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) Chairman Shafi Burfat highlighted that two unmarked Vigo vehicles arrived at the protest site, and armed personnel opened direct fire on the protestors, injuring a lawyer among others. The protest, which had been nonviolent and largely led by Sindhi lawyers, political activists, and civil society members, was part of a larger movement to block supply routes to Punjab in protest against what organisers called the "illegal occupation" of the Indus River and systematic exploitation of Sindh's resources. The attack on the sit-in has sparked outrage among local communities and rights groups, with JSMM calling it a blatant act of "state terrorism." The JSMM Chairman issued a strong condemnation, accusing the Pakistani state of employing violence to suppress a growing grassroots movement demanding water rights, land sovereignty, and political freedom for Sindh. "This cowardly and violent attack by state agencies is a clear attempt to crush Sindhi voices demanding justice," the statement read. In response to the brutal crackdown, JSMM has appealed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and international human rights organisations to urgently investigate the human rights violations being committed against Sindhi political activists and civilians. The group called on global civil society to speak out against what it described as "colonial repression, economic exploitation, and systematic cultural erasure" of the Sindhi people by the Punjabi-dominated Pakistani state. According to the JSMM Chairman, the roots of the conflict lie in historical grievances dating back to the 1945 Sindh-Punjab Agreement, which the group says has been repeatedly violated through the construction of dams and canals that divert Sindh's water resources. Activists argue that millions of acres of land have been seized under the pretext of military-backed development schemes, including the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and so-called "Green Pakistan" initiatives, leading to mass displacement of rural Sindhi communities. The organisation also warned that the Pakistani state is orchestrating demographic changes and cultural suppression by encouraging the settlement of non-Sindhis and promoting extremism at the expense of Sindh's pluralistic, secular traditions. "The existence of the Sindhi nation and its identity is under existential threat," the statement claimed. Shafi Burfat drew parallels to the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh, warning the international community of the potential for similar atrocities if the global silence continues. "We urge the world not to turn a blind eye to the atrocities being committed against our people," the statement read, concluding with a firm call for the right to self-determination and independence of Sindhudesh. The violent events at Bubrlo mark a new chapter in the rising tension between Sindhi nationalist movements and the Pakistani establishment. With public anger intensifying and global awareness growing, JSMM's plea to the international community adds urgency to an already volatile situation. (ANI)
During the visit, they learned about Antoni Gaudi's architectural vision and the cultural significance of the landmark.

https://x.com/CGIBarcelona/status/1913932632540295197

In a post on X, India in Barcelona wrote, "Hon'ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, along with the delegation, visited the iconic Sagrada Familia in Barcelona today. The delegation also learned about Antoni Gaudi's visionary architecture and its deep cultural significance."

Upon Soren's arrival, Acting Consul General in Barcelona Aarsha NS welcomed him.

Earlier in the day, the delegation led by the CM had engagements with Indian diaspora entrepreneurs and Spanish dignitaries.

https://x.com/CGIBarcelona/status/1913582590688215185

"Acting CG @Aarsha_NS welcomed Hon'ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Shri Hemant Soren, to Barcelona. The delegation led by CM has engagements with Indian diaspora entrepreneurs, Spanish dignitaries, and key meetings with @firabarcelona & @FCBarcelona for future collaborations," India in Barcelona said on X.

The Sagrada Familia is a one-of-a-kind temple, for its origins, foundation and purpose. Fruit of the work of genius architect Antoni Gaudi, the project was promoted by the people for the people. Five generations have now watched the Temple progress in Barcelona. Today, more than 140 years after the laying of the cornerstone, construction continues on the Basilica, the Sagrada Familia's official site noted.

Hemant Soren's visit to Spain has come under criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party. State President and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi launched a sharp attack on Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Marandi questioned the timing and purpose of the foreign trip, alleging that while the state struggles with rising incidents of daylight murders and a worsening electricity situation, the Chief Minister is embarking on an overseas visit with a large government delegation, accompanied by his wife, JMM MLA Kalpana Soren. (ANI)
United Nations' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave a message for peace and solidarity as the world celebrates Easter. In a video message on X, shared on Sunday, the UN Chief gave a call for solidarity and compassion across the world. In the post on X, he noted, "To all Christians celebrating #Easter, I want to express my best wishes, especially to those who cannot celebrate in peace and security because of conflict and persecution. In this moment of hope and resurrection, I want to appeal for a world of solidarity and compassion". https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/1913713467254849675 In his video message, Guterres brought to attention how several Christian families and communities are unable to celebrate Easter with peace and security as the world continues to suffer because of conflicts, persecution. Sharing the message of the spirit of Easter, he appealed for solidarity and compassion to prevail upon the world. Earlier, Pope Francis on Sunday delivered his Easter message from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to thousands of people gathered in Vatican Square. The 88-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church was recently discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he spent five weeks receiving treatment for an infection that led to double pneumonia. On Easter Sunday, he was able to offer the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing to the "City [of Rome] and to the World". Only the pope can offer this blessing, which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins. Pope Francis dedicated his Easter Urbi et Orbi message to calling for peace worldwide, for global disarmament and for the release of prisoners. In a text of the Pope's Easter Sunday message released by the Vatican says that he spoke first of the Holy Land, "wounded by conflict", and home to an "endless outburst of violence". He extended his closeness, in particular, to the people of Gaza and to the Christian community in the enclave where "the terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction and to create a dramatic and deplorable humanitarian situation." "I appeal once again," Pope Francis said, "for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the release of the hostages... and for access to humanitarian aid." (ANI)
The IDF said it targeted Hussein Ali Nasser, deputy head of Hezbollah's Unit 4400 in an airstrike in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Unit 4400 is responsible for smuggling Iranian weapons and money into Lebanon.

The army added that Nasser worked closely with Iranian officials and collaborators at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. According to the IDF, Nasser also played a key role in coordinating arms deals along the Syria-Lebanon border.

According to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, the terror group is forbidden from operating in Southern Lebanon south of the Litani River.

The ban on Hezbollah activity in southern Lebanon was reinforced by the ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024.

Hezbollah rocket barrages forced thousands of residents of northern Israel to evacuate their homes. Leaders of the Iran-backed terror group vowed to continue the barrages as long as Israeli forces were in Gaza. In September 2024, thousands of booby-trapped Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies exploded, followed by wide-ranging airstrikes on Hezbollah's leadership, missiles, and other assets.

After Israeli forces began a ground operation on October 1, soldiers found evidence that Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force had been planning to invade the Galilee. (ANI/ TPS)
Tel Aviv [Israel], April 20 (ANI/TPS): The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour and situation assessment in Syrian territory that the Israeli military continues to control, on Sunday with the Commander of the IDF Northern Command, Major General Uri Gordin, and other IDF commanders. The Chief of Staff spoke with the commanders and soldiers operating in the field and approved the plans for continued defensive and offensive operations there. "This space is a vital space," Zamir said of the areas of Syria the IDF has occupied for security reasons since the fall of the Syrian dictatorship last year. "We entered here because Syria fell apart, so we hold key points and are on the front lines to best protect ourselves. From this place, we see everyone on this ridge - it's a strategic point. We don't know how things will develop here, but our hold here has an extremely important security significance." Zamir pledged that IDF forces will "continue to operate in the security space and protect the residents from any threat." (ANI/TPS)
Tel Aviv [Israel], April 20 (ANI/TPS): The Israeli military dismissed a deputy commander and reprimanded another officer over their roles in a deadly incident when troops opened fire on a convoy of ambulances in the Tel a-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, southern Gaza, killing 15 people, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday. The deputy commander of the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance unit was dismissed after army investigators found he gave a "partial and inaccurate" account of the incident in the initial inquiry, the IDF said. The commander of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade, which was overseeing operations in the area, was formally reprimanded for his "overall responsibility," including mishandling the scene after the attack. The IDF acknowledged that troops mistakenly identified medical personnel as Hamas operatives. "The existing guidelines on the special caution required with regard to rescue forces and medical workers, even in areas of intense combat, were sharpened and clarified," the military said in a statement. While the investigation found no ethical violations, it cited multiple "professional errors" and breaches of protocol. The probe determined that the March 23 incident involved three separate shootings: the first at a vehicle wrongly identified as a Hamas police car, killing two people; the second at a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck, killing 12; and a third at a UN-marked vehicle, where one UNRWA staff member was killed. The final case involved fire "in violation of orders." The initial shot was fired at 3:57 a.m. after Golani troops lying in ambush mistook a vehicle with red and blue markings for a Hamas vehicle. Later, around 5:06 a.m., they opened fire on a fast-approaching convoy, mistaking it for a Hamas operation. The commander, using night vision, failed to identify medical insignia. "They did not recognise vests and lights," the IDF said. Footage later reviewed by the IDF and cross-referenced with a New York Times video revealed that the soldiers ceased fire after realizing the convoy did not contain armed terrorists. "There was no execution," the military emphasized, denying allegations made by Palestinian sources. One paramedic survived and was arrested; his testimony was included in the investigation. At 5:18 a.m., a UN-marked vehicle arrived. Although troops identified it as a UN vehicle, they still opened fire, killing the staff member. The IDF confirmed this action violated standing orders. After the incident, bodies were covered with netting, vehicles were crushed, and the scene was buried in sand on orders from the brigade commander. The IDF said this was done to shield the scene from civilians as evacuations continued. "The vehicles should not have been run over and buried," the military later acknowledged. UN representatives were eventually able to retrieve the bodies, with the final remains recovered on March 30. At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead. (ANI/TPS)
According to sources, the crisis has also left PKR 36 billion, collected from pilgrims, stuck in Saudi Arabia, with the Saudi government reportedly refusing refunds and instead offering to adjust the funds for next year's pilgrimage.

According to ARY News, the delay in approving Pakistan's Hajj Policy 2025 prevented private operators from submitting applications on time. However, the funds were transferred to Saudi Arabia, and insufficient time and failure to coordinate timely arrangements with Saudi authorities led to incomplete preparations.

Further, the sources noted that the lack of prompt communication and coordination with the Saudi government further exacerbated the issues.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that some private companies obtained court injunctions, which stalled the allocation of the private Hajj quota. As a result, only 23,620 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj 2025 under the private scheme, a significant drop from the usual 90,000 Pakistanis who undertake the pilgrimage annually through private operators.

Notably, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued guidelines regarding the Private Hajj Scheme 2025, urging all approved Hajj operators to ensure visa issuance by April 18, as per ARY News.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs has asked that private Hajj operators submit copies of their service agreements in accordance with the newly allocated quota. The ministry has also published an updated list of authorised operators on its official website and the Pak Hajj mobile app.

Pilgrims can now check the status of their applications and the services offered by operators through these platforms. To ensure a smooth experience, private pilgrims are advised to use the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile app for real-time updates and service tracking. (ANI)
An IDF (Israel Defence Forces) unit that was deployed to the scene arrested the civilians and returned them safely to Israeli territory. The civilians were transferred to the Israel Police.

The IDF emphasised that the civilians did not cross into the Gaza Strip.

"Approaching the barrier area is dangerous and interferes with the activities of the security forces in the area," it said. (ANI/TPS)
Tel Aviv [Israel], April 20 (ANI/TPS): The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) reported that Israel Air Force (IAF) aircraft attacked earlier today in the Houla area in southern Lebanon and eliminated the terrorist who served as the head of engineering for the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the al-Adisa compound. In addition, IAF fighter jets recently attacked in the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon several launchers and military infrastructure where Hezbollah terrorists were operating. "These actions by the terrorist organisation Hezbollah constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens," said the IDF. (ANI/TPS)
These include the murder of Bhavesh Chandra Roy in Biral, Dinajpur; the forced resignation of school headmaster Kantilal Acharya in Sitakunda, Chattogram; and the rape of a Marma girl in Kaukhali, Rangamati, the statement said.

The statement also mentioned that in March, around fifty violent incidents took place across the country.

"These include murder, rape, attacks on temples, arrests on charges of religious defamation, attacks on indigenous people, and looting of homes and businesses", the statement said.

The council leaders, Ushatan Talukder, Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Nirmal Rozario, and Acting General Secretary Monindra Kumar Nath, said these events are increasing fear and worry among minority communities during this period of unrest and communal tension.

They demanded the immediate arrest of the criminals and strict punishment under the law.

According to the reports, the postmortem of Hindu community leader Bhavesh Chandra Roy, who was allegedly abducted from his home and beaten to death earlier this week in Dinajpur district's Biral upazila, has been completed, police confirmed on Saturday.

According to earlier reports, Bhavesh had received a phone call around 4:30 pm on Wednesday. His wife, Shantana Roy, told the local media outlet The Daily Star that the call was allegedly made by the perpetrators to confirm his presence at home. About 30 minutes later, four men arrived on two motorcycles and forcibly took him from the premises.

Eyewitnesses said Bhavesh was taken to Narabari village, where he was brutally assaulted. Later that evening, the attackers reportedly returned his unconscious body to the family in a van.

Notably, the situation for minorities and Hindus in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, after Bangladesh's dramatic leadership change last August, when mass protests led by a wide-ranging coalition of student groups, civil society activists, and radical Islamists forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived at the San Francisco International Airport on Sunday (local time) for her five-day visit to the United States, scheduled from April 20 to 25. Upon her arrival, she was received by Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador of India to the US, and Srikar Reddy Koppula, Consul General of India in San Francisco. "Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman is welcomed upon her arrival during her official visit to the USA by Shri Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador of India to the United States of America, along with Dr. Srikar Reddy Koppula, Consul General of India in San Francisco in presence of Shri Ajay Seth, Finance Secretary, at San Francisco International Airport, today," The Ministry of Finance wrote on X. https://x.com/finminindia/status/1914051621526650934?s=12 During her two-day stay in San Francisco beginning April 20, Sitharaman will deliver a keynote address at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, San Francisco, on 'Laying the foundations of Viksit Bharat 2047', followed by a fireside chat session. She will also interact with top CEOs from prominent fund management firms during a Roundtable meeting with investors, besides holding bilateral meetings with CEOs from top information technology (IT) firms based in San Francisco. She will also participate in an event featuring the Indian diaspora in San Francisco and interact with the Indian community settled there. from April 22 to 25, during her Washington DC leg of the visit, Sitharaman will participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the second G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) Meetings, Development Committee Plenary, IMFC Plenary, and Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meeting. On the sidelines, Sitharaman will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts from several countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the USA. She will also hold meetings with the EU Commissioner for Financial Services; the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB); the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA) and the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Following her US visit, Sitharaman will travel to Peru for her maiden visit from April 26 to 30. (ANI)
United States President JD Vance has departed from Rome Ciampino Airport for his first official visit to India, scheduled from April 21 to April 24. According to the White House Press Pool, Vance, who was visiting Italy with his family, boarded Air Force Two (AF2) on Sunday evening. The aircraft is expected to land at Air Force Station, Palam in New Delhi at approximately 9.30 am IST on Monday. He will be formally received at 10.00 am. A formal meeting between Vice President Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled for 6.30 pm on Monday at the Prime Minister''s official residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. In a brief yet endearing moment before boarding AF2, Vance was seen gently lifting his sleeping daughter, Mirabel, from their car, while his son s, Ewan and Vivek, waved toy swords as they boarded with Second Lady Usha Vance. Following his meeting with PM Modi in Delhi, Vice President Vance will travel to Jaipur on Tuesday. On April 23, he is scheduled to visit Agra. His visit to India will conclude on Thursday, April 24, with his departure from the country at 6.40 a.m. Ahead of his arrival in India, hoardings welcoming JD Vance have been put up near Palam Airport and in the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri in New Delhi. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, had stated that India has a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership with the US, and when such a high-level visit takes place, all issues of importance are discussed. "This is an Official Visit. He will be meeting the Prime Minister. And with the United States of America, we have a Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership. So, when you have that level of partnership with any country, obviously you will discuss all relevant issues," Jaiswal said during a media briefing last Thursday. He added that India was confident that the visit would provide a further boost to India-US bilateral ties. "And with America, with the United States, of course, our relationship is such that we are doing anything that is part of human endeavour... forms part of our bilateral engagement. So, all these issues, bilateral issues will be discussed. And we are very positive that the visit will give a further boost to our bilateral ties," he said. (ANI)
TOKYO, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - As former U.S. President Donald Trumps trade policiesparticularly tariffsonce again become a topic of global attention, Japanese citizens are voicing a wide range of opinions.

From concern about economic fallout to frustration over perceived American isolationism, the public mood in Japan reveals deep unease about the impact of Trump-style politics on international relations and Japans economic future.

I think Japan needs to study more, said one respondent. Especially in business. We have to understand that if we impose tariffs, the other side will respond. Its going to lead to chaos.

Many fear the United States is heading toward greater isolation. If America loses too many allies, I dont think it can stand alonenot in todays world, said another. While some expressed hope that Trump's decisiveness could lead to positive change, others were skeptical. He moves fast and makes big decisions. That can be good, but also dangerous. His actions lack diplomacy.

Several respondents labeled Trump's behavior as erratic and even dangerous. Of all the presidents Ive seen, hes the most extreme. Its beyond aggressivealmost reckless. In the past, this kind of attitude would have led to war.

Others pointed to economic concerns. The global stock markets are unstable, and its affecting ordinary people. Ive already lost about two million yen, said one investor. I worry about both the Japanese and American economies. These tariffs are being used as threats, and thats not sustainable.

Despite the criticism, there were nuanced views as well. Some acknowledged the logic behind Trumps efforts to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. from China. I get his intention, but the method is too harsh. Diplomacy should come first. Tariffs shouldnt be used to bully other countries.

A recurring theme was skepticism over whether the U.S. could revive domestic manufacturing to the level Trump envisions. American workers arent as meticulous as Japanese workers, said one respondent, particularly in reference to the precision required for semiconductors and advanced machinery.

Cultural differences also emerged. In Japan, we value preparation and subtle coordinationwhat we call nemawashi, one person explained. Trump doesnt do that. His approach is all pressure and no groundwork.

While some admired Trumps energy, others felt his rhetoric had lost credibility. He says one thing today and something else tomorrow. Maybe its a negotiation tactic, but it comes off as unreliable.

Still, a few expressed support for Trumps intentions. Hes trying hard, and I respect that. But he needs to think globally, not just about America.

Messages to American voters varied. Please think carefully before voting again, said one. Another added, Dont hate Japan. We want to maintain a good relationship with America.

One woman was blunt when asked if shed date someone like Trump in his 30s. No way. Too selfish. Though hes handsome, she laughed.

Overall, most called for peaceful, cooperative solutions. Dont push your own opinions too forcefully, said one. Use dialogue. Dont escalate things unnecessarily. The world only works if we work together.

As Trump considers a return to political prominence, voices from Japan are clear: the stakes are high, the world is watching, and actions taken by one leader can ripple far beyond one nation's borders.

Source: Interviewing Japan
TOKYO, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - Prime Minister Ishiba has clarified his stance on ongoing trade negotiations with the Trump administration, stating that security and trade are separate matters and that discussions on security should not be linked to tariffs.

Appearing on a television program on April 20th, Ishiba said, "Security and trade are different areas, and I do not believe it is appropriate to link them in discussions." He expressed his intention to keep the security dialogue independent from tariff-related negotiations.

Regarding the review of non-tariff barriers in Japans auto market, Ishiba noted, "We must take the safety of Japanese consumers into account and ensure that our positions are well-prepared to avoid being seen as unfair." He also emphasized that Japan will not compromise on food safety standards for imports such as agricultural and livestock products, stating, "We will not yield on food safety."

He concluded by noting that after continued ministerial discussions, "In the end, it will be a decision made between myself and the president."

Source: FNN
SAPPORO, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - Shonosuke, a 28-year-old rapper from Sapporo, once spent his teenage years in constant fights, arrests, and turmoil. Raised in a single-parent household, his playground was the nightlife district of Susukino, where he ran away from home, dropped out of high school, and was arrested several times for soliciting customers.

The daily chaos left physical and emotional scars, and his memories of that time include constant swelling on his face from regular brawls.

His life took a dramatic turn in his twenties when he encountered Hiroyuki Suzuki, a former gangster who had become a Christian pastor. Suzuki had entered the world of organized crime at the age of 17 and served two prison terms for assault and other offenses. After being released from prison and hitting rock bottom, he sought refuge in a church and eventually embraced Christianity. He went on to found the Shiloam Christian Church in Susukino, which has served as a sanctuary for troubled individuals since its establishment 11 years ago.

Shonosuke first visited the church out of desperation. During a service, he found himself in tears, overwhelmed by the emotional weight he had been carrying. Pastor Suzuki recognized the moment as a critical turning point and reached out to him with compassion and understanding. Shonosuke later described how Suzuki's words stripped away the psychological armor he had built around himself. "He said, 'I understand what you're going through,' and for the first time, I felt truly seen," Shonosuke recalled. Suzuki urged him to accept his vulnerability, saying, "Even your flaws, even your weaknessGod still loves you. Admit that youre weak, and open your heart."

Today, Shonosuke works at a property management company in Susukino, handling tenant coordination and building repairs. He has gained a reputation for being sincere and energetic, balancing his job with his passion for music and faith. On Sunday evenings, he returns to the church where he once sought healing, now helping others find hope. His transformation has been significant, not just in his actions but in his mindset. Where he once dismissed the idea of patience, he now makes a conscious effort to listen to others without judgment and to empathize with their struggles.

Through gospel-inspired rap, Shonosuke delivers messages of resilience, forgiveness, and love. His lyrics often reflect the emotional journey he has takenfrom anger and isolation to faith and acceptance. He wants people to know that no matter how lost they feel, there is always a path forward. "Even someone like me is okay," he said. "Theres always a way out. Dont give up."

In his music, the theme of redemption is central. One of his songs proclaims, "Even when you're lost or hate yourself, you were born to be loved." For Shonosuke, those words are more than lyricsthey are a testimony to the life he reclaimed, and the hope he now extends to others walking similar paths.

Source: HBC 
FUKUOKA, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28th, leaving 3,600 dead and hundreds missing, prompting Myanmar nationals living in Fukuoka City to call for support for their stricken homeland.

In the Yoshizuka district of Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, a memorial service was held to pray for the victims.

Aung Ko Ko Paing said, "Its heartbreaking. I want to do everything I can from Fukuoka to help with the recovery," as he urged people to donate.

Donations have come not only from the Myanmar community, but also from Japanese, Vietnamese, and others. The funds are expected to be delivered to Myanmar sometime in April.
OSAKA, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - A Chinese couple has been arrested on suspicion of laundering approximately 29 million yen in criminal proceeds obtained through fraud.

The Osaka police arrested a man and his wife, both Chinese nationals and company executives based in Osaka, on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Organized Crimes.

According to investigators, in June 2023 the couple allegedly disguised a transfer of about 29 million yenfunds obtained through an investment scamas a legitimate payment from a business partner when depositing the money into their companys account.

Police have not disclosed whether the two have admitted to the charges.

Authorities also confirmed that a total of 3.3 billion yen in suspected criminal proceeds was deposited into the same account through similar methods.

Investigators believe the funds were ultimately transferred to a Chinese fraud group based in Cambodia and are working to uncover the full extent of the operation.

Source: KBC NEWS in JAPAN
NARA, Apr 21 (News On Japan) - Governor Yamashita announced during a regular press conference today that Nara Prefecture will launch a new initiative next month aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from households as part of its broader push toward a decarbonized society.

According to the Nara prefectural government, carbon dioxide emissions within the prefecture totaled 4.78 million tons in fiscal 2021. Of this, household emissions accounted for 29.8%, significantly higher than the national average of 17.3%.

The initiative, titled the "Everyones Reduction Project," emphasizes the collective goal of cutting CO2 emissions. As part of the program, fourth to sixth grade elementary school students across Nara will receive educational kits introducing them to eco-labelslabels that identify environmentally friendly products. The prefecture will also offer special on-site classes to teach children how everyday shopping choices can contribute to environmental sustainability.

"We want children to learn from an early age so they can consciously choose products with eco-labels," Yamashita said. "Through this kind of consumer behavior, we hope to foster residents who actively help reduce CO2 emissions."

The Nara government expects that by educating children, household shopping habits will gradually shift toward more sustainable practices.
The Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES) is to be held in Tripoli from 2426 January 2026, with the event set to be extended to three full days for the first time. The Summit, now in its fourth year, has been established as a premier platform for investment and innovation in the countrys energy sector.

Libyas plans to increase oil production to two million barrels per day within the next few years are to be highlighted, with a particular focus placed on the role of both domestic and international private sector actors. Natural gas development and supporting infrastructure are also to be prioritized, as efforts continue to be made to meet local energy needs and strengthen downstream industries.

The summit is expected to be held shortly after the conclusion of Libyas first licensing round in 17 years, during which 22 exploration blocks were offered. The new exploration landscape is to be presented in detail, with high-value opportunities anticipated to be identified by attendees. With 167 active contractual blocks and a 33% success rate in exploration already reported, confidence is being bolstered among potential investors. Existing operators are also likely to be encouraged to expand their activities, as drilling efforts are increased and discovery operations are advanced under improved regulatory and market conditions.

A significant increase in international participation is being projected, supported by recent changes to foreign travel guidance and renewed diplomatic engagement. Global energy leaders and technical experts are to be brought together under the endorsement of Libyas Ministry of Oil and Gas and the National Oil Corporation. International pavilions are expected to be expanded, while technical sessions are to be enhanced, building on the success of the previous edition. Strategic partnerships are to be fostered, and Libyas energy ambitions are to be supported through collaboration with financial institutions, oil companies, and technology providers. Through LEES 2026, Libyas reintegration into the global energy market is to be further solidified and advanced.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a $19.85 million grant to support a humanitarian and resilience operation in Sudan over the next two years. The grant is intended to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable populations and ease the impact of the ongoing conflict on communities and infrastructure.

The project has been categorized as Category 1 on the Banks Gender Marker System, indicating that its primary objective is to address gender equality and womens empowerment.

The Crisis Response for Women and Affected Communities in Sudan project is co-financed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and will see the mobilization and training of frontline workers, such as health professionals, water and sanitation experts, and market facilitators. Five health facilities and four emergency centers are to be restored, and water and energy systems in urban and rural areas will be rehabilitated. Emergency food aid, cash grants, and farming inputs, such as fertilizers and seeds, will be delivered, benefiting 1.5 million people, including 265,000 households, with a significant proportion headed by women.

The project is set to be financed through the Banks Transition Support Facility (TSF), which provides concessional resources to countries facing fragility and conflict. The ICRC, drawing on its long-standing presence and operational experience in Sudan, will oversee the implementation, which will focus on sustainable solutions and the strengthening of local capacities. The respect for International Humanitarian Law will be advanced to protect civilian infrastructure and assets. The project aims to support long-term development and peace, while addressing immediate needs, and will involve efforts to ensure womens participation in conflict prevention and crisis management.
An invitation has been extended by Ghanas President John Mahama to the military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, to attend the upcoming ECOWAS Summit in Accra. The summit will be significant as it marks the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS. This invitation comes despite the fact that the three Sahel countries formally cut ties with ECOWAS earlier this year and formed their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Their departure has raised concerns regarding potential disruptions to trade and regional cooperation, particularly for Ghana and its neighboring countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa explained that the invitation was made directly by President Mahama, acting in his capacity as the summit host. He clarified that all ECOWAS heads of state, including those from the AES countries, have been invited to the event. Given the Sahel nations departure from ECOWAS, the responsibility for extending the invitation rests solely with the host president. Ablakwa said that this gesture was aimed at fostering goodwill and potentially rebuilding ties between ECOWAS and the breakaway countries. He also noted that no opposition was encountered when President Mahama discussed his decision with his fellow ECOWAS leaders.

Furthermore, it was revealed that President Mahama had briefed ECOWAS Chair, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, on his discussions with the military governments of the AES nations. Tinubu has agreed to allow President Mahama to present a detailed report on his engagements during the next ECOWAS summit. Meanwhile, questions remain about the future role of the Sahelian leaders in ECOWAS affairs, considering their official exit. Historical context was provided by Fatau Musa, who noted that although these nations had been involved in the Accra Initiative, they had been reluctant to fully collaborate with the rest of the region for many years.
Governments and tech leaders are grappling with how to address the energy needs of AI while balancing economic competitiveness, environmental responsibility, and energy security, leading to differing policy approaches and priorities.

There is a debate among experts regarding the severity of AI's energy impact, with some arguing it's an overblown concern due to potential technological advancements, while others warn of serious consequences for energy security and climate goals.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is leading to a significant increase in energy consumption by data centers, raising concerns about the strain on global power grids and the ability to meet this growing demand.

Last week, tech moguls pleaded with the United States Congress to ramp up energy production to meet soaring energy demand driven by artificial intelligence. The already considerable energy footprint of data centers is sharply on the rise, and is projected to keep gaining steam in the coming years. As a result, industry insiders are lobbying congress to ramp up energy production so that the U.S. tech sector can stay competitive with China.

We need energy in all forms, said Eric Schmidt, a former Google CEO who now leads a think tank focused on technology and security called the Special Competitive Studies Project. Renewable, nonrenewable, whatever. It needs to be there, and it needs to be there quickly.

Supplying enough energy to meet AIs growing needs without threatening domestic energy security is a bipartisan priority, but there are  of course  some partisan disagreements on how to get there. In 2023, Joe Biden signed an executive order with sweeping policy goals governing the development and use of AI safely and responsibly. When he entered office earlier this year, Donald Trump almost immediately overturned the order, saying its onerous mandates would threaten American technological leadership. Instead, Trump is leading a charge with less emphasis on responsible development and more stress on securing and advancing American AI dominance.

An ongoing global AI arms race will require staggering amounts of electricity. In 2024, data centers accounted for roughly 1.5% of global electricity consumption. And the International Energy Agency projects that this energy footprint is set to double by just 2030. The IEAs models project that data centres will use 945 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2030, roughly equivalent to the current annual electricity consumption of Japan, Nature recently reported. By comparison, data centres consumed 415 TWh in 2024, roughly 1.5% of the worlds total electricity consumption, the scientific outlet continued.

Already, this sharp increase is placing strain on power grids around the globe. Many countries, including Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, dont have the energy production capacity needed to power their already-planned data centers. And in the United States, a recent scientific study found that the government would have to invest billions of dollars in generation and transmission capacity over the next few years to meet demand. And if the government falls short, Americans can expect their energy costs to go up by as much as 70 percent.

All of this energy demand growth also threatens to seriously derail global climate accords if it results in increased fossil fuel production. Google has already admitted that powering its AI ambitions may be fundamentally incompatible with its goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2030. In 2024, the company reported that its carbon emissions had increased by nearly 50% in the last five years.

When you look at the numbers, it is staggering, Jason Shaw, chairman of the Georgia Public Service Commission, an electricity regulator, told the Washington Post last year. It makes you scratch your head and wonder how we ended up in this situation. How were the projections that far off? This has created a challenge like we have never seen before.

However, some experts say that concerns over AI crashing global power grids and obliterating all hopes of achieving global decarbonization goals are overblown, and that all the panic around them is a classic Malthusian fallacy. There is a global race to make AI more efficient, and some believe that technological advances will drastically reduce strain to global power grids.

As the IBM sustainability chief Christina Shim wrote in a recent op-ed for Fortune, Raising a flag over AIs energy use makes sense. It identifies an important challenge and can help rally us toward a collective solution. But we should balance the weight of the challenge with the incredible, rapid innovation that is happening.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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The upgrades at Port Talbot are part of Tata Steel's broader strategy to modernize and transition to more sustainable steelmaking practices.

A new pickling line with increased capacity is being installed at the Port Talbot plant, expected to be commissioned by late 2027.

Via Metal Miner

Tata Steel recently signed an agreement to install a new pickling line at its Port Talbot site in Wales. The steel industry leaders latest move will offer 50% more capacity than the existing line. According to the companys April 9 announcement, the new equipment will have an annual capacity of 1.8 million metric tons and will employ up to 220 people during construction.

The UK Steel Industry Should See the New Line by 2028

A source within the company told MetalMiner that Tata expects to commission the line in Q4 2027. They also stated that the previous pickling line had an annual capacity of 1.2 million metric tons. Pickling lines use acid baths to descale hot-rolled coil and remove other impurities before the material undergoes cold rolling.

French company Clecim will design and supply the mechanical process equipment for the line, while a Swedish company will provide the electrification and automation technology, Tata said. With the pre-engineering phase completed, both companies are now moving forward with detailed engineering, the company added.

One Part of Port Talbots Multi-Billion-Dollar Makeover

The work is part of Tata Steels 1.2 billion ($1.56 billion) project to transition Port Talbot to green steelmaking by replacing its two blast furnaces and converter shop with two electric arc furnaces, or EAFs.

Tata hopes to commission the new furnaces by 2027, and expects they will have a listed crude steel capacity of 3.5 million metric tons per yearmore than 30% lower than the 5 million metric tons previously produced via the blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace route.

However, in 2022, the plant produced less than half that volume, pouring just 2.2 million metric tons. Tata also shut down Port Talbots blast furnaces and closed the converter shop in 2024. The company planned to bring in slab from other sites to continue rolling operations while replacement work on the hot end was underway.

In addition to replacing the blast furnaces and basic oxygen converter with EAF technology, other planned upgrades at Port Talbot include installing the new pickling line, upgrading the continuous slab caster and modernizing the hot strip mill.

By Christopher Rivituso

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Just as when their order arrived in Omaha in 1878, the Sisters of Poor Clare are going about their cloistered lives on the outskirts of the city.

Their modern monastery overlooks the Elkhorn River north of the Mount Michael Benedictine school, just as the original faced the Missouri River from its promontory only blocks from Creighton University.

The nuns have a rich history. So does the brick building they left over 50 years ago at 29th and Hamilton Streets, now in use as a banquet hall.

Omaha was the first U.S. home for the Order of Poor Clares, which had to adhere to all things relating to the observance of Holy Poverty.

Two sisters, nieces of Pope Pius IX, Countesses Anetta and Constance Bentivoglio, sailed to America, arriving in New York City on Columbus Day, Oct. 12, 1875, to start the Poor Clares in the states.

Their inland voyage in the next few years rivaled Columbus for choppy waters. Rejection after rejection.

Furtive attempts to establish the order in New York, New Orleans, Cleveland and Philadelphia led Anetta, now the Rt. Rev. Mother Mary Magdalen of the Sacred Heart, and her sister, Mary Constance of Jesus, in 1878 to go out West on a begging tour, as the True Voice newspaper termed it in 1905.

They arrived in Omaha on Aug. 15, 1878. Because they found a spiritual angel and two financial angels, they stayed.

They were kindly received in Omaha by Rt. Rev. James OConnor, of blessed memory, who, alluding to the poverty of the city in those days, told them they had come to the stable of the United States. Here, through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Creighton, a permanent foundation was made, the True Voice wrote.

Although the financial aid offered by those good friends was thoroughly appreciated by the two sisters, the personal sympathy given in later trials by Mr. and Mrs. Creighton was to them a stronger evidence of friendship.

The first home of the Poor Clares was one step up from a stable, a cottage of four rooms and a kitchen on 17th Street between Cass and Webster Streets. The next one was at 16th and Burt Streets in a residence owned by John G. Lee.

John and Sarah Creighton bought 6.57 acres of Moses Shinns land at 29th and Hamilton Streets in September 1878 and donated it to the Poor Clares the following May.

They moved into their new motherhouse, a three-story brick building designed by Alfred Dufrene, in 1881 only after more tribulations for the nuns.

Back-to-back tornadoes, or at least extreme straight-wind winds, struck the building while under construction in spring 1880. The damage from the May 23 storm, which knocked the north wall into the basement, had just been repaired when the second storm on June 5 resulted in complete destruction.

All that remanded were piers 10 feet high midway on the north end and in the southeast corner. Boards were blown two blocks away. The crash was heard as far away as 20th and Cuming Streets.

Two wings to the monastery were built in 1885.

Count Creighton  Pope Leo XII named him a Knight of the Holy Roman Empire in 1895 for his benevolence to Creighton University and the Poor Clares  in 1901 spent $22,000 for contractor Patrick J. Creedon to build a chapel and other additions.

Two years later, Count Creighton started over. He paid for the complete rebuilding of the monastery.

Grading of the surrounding streets left the building 30 feet above street level, and the clay bluff was crumbling. The building was inadequate and growing dilapidated.

It was torn down in summer 1903, the one regret that the monastery could not keep its orchard.

During construction, the youngest sisters and the two-year novices  they could not speak until admitted as sisters  were housed in another Poor Clare cloister in Evansville, Indiana, while the older nuns took temporary housing five blocks away in a large residence at 24th and Caldwell Streets.

Special dispensation was obtained from the pope so the women could be in public during disruption of their secluded lives.

A World-Herald reporter did not waste the opportunity. He visited the Caldwell house for a feature story.

Was it true, he asked the abbess, the Rev. Mother Rock, nee Monaghan, about the local legend that Omaha owed its immunity from tornadoes to the prayers of the of the Poor Clares?

It was, she said, through the Litany of Saints the nuns said nightly and whenever a storm threatened the vicinity. A silver bell, a religious relic from Europe, would be rung only during a storm threat.

(When the March 23, 1913, tornado struck Omaha on Easter, it blew off the chimneys but spared the rest of the building. The stress was too much for the Rev. Mother Rock, who died three weeks later.)

The new two-story, $30,000 building, designed by architect Charles F. Cleves and built by Henry Hamann, had the kitchen and laundry in the basement, the chapels, reception rooms and work rooms for handiwork on the main level and the spartan dormitories and small separate rooms on the upper floor built for a capacity of 35 nuns.

Over the doors and on the walls the word silence is stenciled frequently in black letters and such mottos as this: The pleasure of dying without trouble is well worth the trouble of living without pleasure, the Omaha Bee reported.

The Sept. 15, 1904, dedication was the one time the public was admitted into the monastery.

In 1908, the Sisters of Poor Clare sold land east of 28th Street for $25,000 to enlarge the monastery. A new wing incorporated the refectory, kitchen, infirmary and 12 living units. A sacristy was added. A burial vault of solid cement had room for 36 caskets.

The caskets of Sisters Mary Clare, who died in January 1879, and Mother Mary Constance, who died in January 1902, were moved in 1911 from Holy Sepulchre Cemetery to the new crypt.

In 1961, Sister Mary Raphael, nee Jane Simons of Meridian, Mississippi, became the first Black novice in the monastery.

NBC-TVs First Tuesday news program spent eight days in 1969 inside the monastery  it required Pope Paul suspending the writ of silence  for a 20-minute segment that aired Nov. 4, 1969.

Some of these scenes were rather candid, Sister Eunice said. The sister superior said the producers were authentic in their presentation of daily cloistered life.

The Poor Clares were part of a convent switch in 1971 involving the Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of the Cross.

The Mercy nuns, who were stationed at the Benson neighborhoods St. Bernards parish, bought a home on the east side of Benson Park for $35,000. The Poor Clares bought the Mercy convent, built in 1963 for 18 residents for $200,000, and sold their monastery  now with three chapels among its 115 rooms  for $150,000 to the Sisters of the Cross.

The latter group had been housed at the Good Shepherd home at 653 S. 40th St.

The Sisters of the Cross, then the Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd, occupied the monastery building until 1989 when the nuns moved to a smaller convent on Fontenelle Boulevard.

Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers lived part time in the caretakers house while he was negotiating, unsuccessfully, to buy the property in 1990.

Covenant Life Fellowship Church occupied the monastery from 1992 to 2012. It was sold to Dave Paladino of Landmark Group who renovated it and has leased it to the Starlight Chateau event center since 2013.

The sounds of silence have been replaced on Hamilton Street. And at their $6.4 million monastery on the Elkhorn bluffs, the Poor Clares no longer have rigid 24/7 silence rules.

They have a phone number and a Facebook account.
NORMAL  Pizza for breakfast is not uncommon for a college student.

So, when 21-year-old Cassandra Chandler-Haag, a junior at Augustana College in Rock Island visiting home in the Twin Cities, had a few slices Sunday morning, no one batted an eye.

Until, that is, her parents told her it was a weed pizza.

"I quit smoking weed, honestly. And this was a 4/20 miracle," she said.

April 20, or simply 4/20, is celebrated annually as a sort of "unofficially official" holiday for users of marijuana.

Sunday afternoon, Chandler-Haag and her older sister, Aspen, were shopping at Mother Murphy's, a local glass shop that sells weed paraphernalia and one of their favorite places in Normal.

"Oh, it's beautiful. It's such a vibe, literally a vibe," Aspen Chandler-Haag said of the headshop that has been a staple of Bloomington-Normal counterculture for more than 50 years.

The local headshop held a multi-day sale beginning Friday in honor of 4/20.

But the sale was also a way to draw foot traffic as the prices of everyday goods squeezes small businesses.

Earlier in April, the owners posted on Facebook asking for community support as they look to "realign the store to get back to our roots and build the headshop you deserve," they wrote.

The response was overwhelmingly positive, said Colton Walsh, one of three co-owners along with Griffin Burns and Noah Anderson.

"The outpouring of support that we received really just feels, I mean, it's incredible," Walsh said Saturday.

Passing the torch

The three friends had been patrons of Mother Murphy's for years when, in December of 2019, they heard the owners were looking to sell, Walsh said.

"They had, you know, suits from Chicago and all manner of people that knew the name, knew the place, knew that it had been here for forever," Walsh said.

"And, so, we were just like, 'We're going to throw our hats into the ring."

At the time, Walsh was living in the Pacific Northwest, he said. He had been visiting home for the holidays and talking with Griffin and Anderson about possibly purchasing the shop.

"We went to them and said, 'Hey, we're just some local kids. We grew up here. We've been coming up here for years. We love the place. We don't want to see it go to be or do anything other than what it has always done'," he recalled.

To their collective surprise, their offer was accepted in early January 2020, Walsh said.

"Basically, a three-week span of time between hearing about it for the very first time to, they accepted our offer, and we're getting the place," he said. "That was just, probably, among the craziest and extreme things that I've, kind of, ever done in my whole life."

Celebrating properly

On Saturday, Charleston resident David Vanderport was visiting his daughter, who attends Illinois State University, and shopping at Mother Murphy's.

They were buying T-shirts printed with posters of the film "Reefer Madness" on them in honor of 4/20.

"I used to celebrate a little differently," Vanderport said, "because I was a police officer for 20 years. Four/20 (had) a different connotation many years ago. But, the last five, I've celebrated it the way it should be celebrated  with family and the great plant that Mother Nature gave us."

Illinois legalized the sale and purchase of marijuana on Jan. 1, 2020, and consuming weed has become more socially acceptable, Walsh said.

"In my head, it's no different than going to the bar and having a drink or, you know, any number of things like that," he said.

But that certainly doesn't mean people can shirk responsibility for their behavior, Walsh said.

"Be decent. Be responsible. But there shouldn't be any issues with a grown adult having access to this thing," he said.

Even before marijuana possession and consumption was legalized, Vanderport thought the laws were antiquated, he said.

"When I was a police officer, I thought, 'This is stupid. Why are we putting young, especially young folks (in jail for marijuana possession?)' Because you can ruin someone's life with a simple drug charge," he said.

Since then, he has seen a shift is public perception not only from younger generations, but also the elderly, Vanderport said.

"I've also seen the biggest changes (with) the cops," he said. "In their minds, it's just, you know, it's almost like cigarettes."

Purpose, privilege

The Chandler-Haag sisters visit Mother Murphy's every 4/20 for the latest local fare.

"Every year, they drop a new 4/20 shirt. And, every year, the design is sick," said Cassandra Chandler-Haag who was sporting a design from years' past.

The yearly ritual has become a family endeavor, her older sister said. "We got two new puppies a couple years ago, and their first big, public outing, we did bring them to Mother Murphy's," Aspen Chandler-Haag said.

"So, Mother Murphy's is very close to our family," she said.

Walsh and his co-owners take that responsibility to heart, he said.

"We know so many people that have been coming up here for many years that love this place ... This place, it's here for the people. We're here for the people," he said.
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:

It was the fourth spaceflight for US astronaut Don Pettit, who has logged more than 18 months in orbit throughout his career.

Cake, gifts and a low-key family celebration may be how many senior citizens picture their 70th birthday.

But NASA's oldest serving astronaut Don Pettit became a septuagenarian while hurtling toward Earth in a spacecraft to wrap up a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

A Soyuz capsule carrying the American and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan on Sunday, the day of Pettit's milestone birthday.

"Today at 0420 Moscow time (0120 GMT), the Soyuz MS-26 landing craft with Alexei Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and Donald (Don) Pettit aboard landed near the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan," Russia's space agency Roscosmos said.

Spending 220 days in space, Pettit and his crewmates Ovchinin and Vagner orbited Earth 3,520 times and completed a journey of 93.3 million miles over the course of their mission.

It was the fourth spaceflight for Pettit, who has logged more than 18 months in orbit throughout his 29-year career.

The trio touched down in a remote area just over three hours after undocking from the space station.

NASA images of the landing showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth with the sunrise as a backdrop.

Spanning 220 days in space, Pettit and his crewmates Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, orbited the Earth 3,520 times and completed a journey of 93.3 million miles.

The astronauts gave thumbs-up gestures as rescuers carried them from the spacecraft to an inflatable medical tent.

Despite looking a little worse for wear as he was pulled from the vessel, Pettit was "doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth," NASA said in a statement.

He was then set to fly to the Kazakh city of Karaganda before boarding a NASA plane to the agency's Johnson Space Center in Texas.

The astronauts spent their time on the ISS researching areas such as water sanitization technology, plant growth in various conditions and fire behavior in microgravity, NASA said.

The trio's seven-month trip was just short of the nine months that NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams unexpectedly spent stuck on the orbital lab after the spacecraft they were testing suffered technical issues and was deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.

Space is one of the final areas of US-Russia cooperation amid an almost complete breakdown in relations between Moscow and Washington over the Ukraine conflict.

 2025 AFP
We are just talking about Donald Trump. Donald Trump. Donald Trump. Donald Trump, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a progressive Democrat running for governor, said at a panel in late November, faulting the Democratic Party for focusing too much on simply not being Trump.

But three months into Trumps second term as president and two months ahead of the New Jersey primary election for governor, talking about Trump is a requirement for the six Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

Baraka released a video campaign ad this month that starts with a clip of Trump promising to eliminate the federal Department of Education, accompanied by eerie music, before a more upbeat tone brands Baraka as unafraid to stand up to Trump.

That message has been one of the most consistent among the Democrats running in the partys competitive June 10 primary for New Jerseys top office.

Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, said Trump is top of mind for Democratic primary voters because its impossible to ignore his onslaught of executive orders, appointments, court cases, deportations, and tariffs. Rasmussen and other New Jersey political experts used the same phrase to describe Trump: He takes up all the oxygen in the room.

And each of the Democratic candidates is well aware of that.

I never dreamed that running for governor would be so much about Trump and [Elon] Musk, said Steve Sweeney, a South Jersey union leader and former state Senate president running in the primary. We have issues that we really need to be talking about, but its hard to talk about it because of the craziness in the country.

A video featured prominently on Sweeneys campaign website mentions Trumps name before his own.

Sean Spiller, president of the NJEA teachers union and former Montclair mayor, has a page on his campaign website called Protecting Our Democracy that mentions Trump nine times.

And an 8.5-by-11-inch mailer supporting Spiller has an image of Musk giving a controversial salute at Trumps inauguration event spread across one side of the page. The other side says to Stand with Sean against hate and MAGA extremists.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, one of two members of Congress in the race, said in an interview that New Jersey needs an aggressive fighter whos not afraid to fight for Jersey families. Thats exactly how U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is branding herself, such as in an ad called Fighter.

As much as Sweeney laments the focus on Trump, he  and voters  know that cuts at the federal level could affect New Jerseys budget, a touchy subject in a race that is also focused on making New Jersey a more affordable place to live.

Sweeney blames Democrats in Congress for not doing more to fight Trump, an argument that Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop also makes in an effort to discredit Gottheimer and Sherrill.

Fulop argues in a mailer that congressional Democrats are failing to stop Trump and Musk, and in a video ad he says he successfully protected Jersey City residents from Trump discrimination in health care, housing, and policing. In that video, the camera pans out to a high-rise behind Fulop, who points to it and says he prevented the Trump family from getting tax breaks to build it.

But Sherrill and Gottheimer both argue they have been fighting Trump on the front lines on Capitol Hill and can offer solutions to the so-far-tumultuous economy under his administration.

Sherrill said in an interview that she has a record of standing up to Trump, as one of the leaders working to impeach him in 2019 during her first term, and now through Democrats 45-member Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group formed to push back against Trumps administration. She said the task force is working on amicus briefs, pressuring Trump to honor congressional appropriations, and reaching across the aisle to Republicans who could, in Sherrills words, peel off.

She said that as governor she would look to build more housing, get solar power into the grid, and increase oversight to state health insurance plans to help drive down costs.

Gottheimer, meanwhile, touts legislative efforts that aim to push back on Trumps tariffs and protect Social Security. He unveiled a plan to Stop Trump and Protect our Jersey Values at Honda of Tenafly earlier this week, which includes ideas like requiring utility companies to add a Trump tariff cost indicator on bills. He also created a survey for New Jerseyans to share how tariffs are affecting them.

Trump has also been top of mind in the Republican primary, with various candidates making their loyalty to the president a hallmark of their campaigns and two competing for his endorsement.

Kellyanne Conway, a pollster and former senior adviser to Trump who managed his successful 2016 presidential campaign, said she believes former Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, a third-time candidate for governor whom she is backing in the race, has positively evolved his campaign this time around by reaching out to more of Trumps base.

On a call with reporters, she criticized Democrats for answering questions with Trump, Trump, Trump and said she is not concerned about a Trump endorsement hurting a Republican in the general election because the Democrats have one message, still, for whatever reason, and its Im not Trump.

Im not Trump is not a message, she added.

But Democratic political consultants are counting on blaming economic stress on Trumps administration as the year goes on.

Every single Democrat, running for governor or not, should be hollering from now until Election Day about the Trump-Musk economic chaos and the Trump tariffs that are really just a Trump-imposed tax on every single New Jerseyan, said Joshua Henne, a Democratic political consultant who has worked on several statewide races in New Jersey.

Poll: 83% of South Jersey voters support smoking ban for Atlantic City casinos A new poll of voters in South Jersey finds 83% favor making the city's casinos smoke-free, and 79% would be more likely to visit a casino if smoking were banned indoors.

He warned, however, that politicians should focus on issues that matter to voters and be wary of the bait  like what he called Trumps crazy statements.

Democrats also have to balance attacking Trump on their priorities with being cautious about material Republicans could frame for general election attacks, such as on immigration and Israel, according to Patricia Campos-Medina, a former progressive candidate for U.S. Senate and political activist who is now serving as an adviser for Sherrill.

They all are trying to survive the primary in a position that they can actually withstand an attack from the right in the general election, she said.
Neither the courts nor a committee tasked with advising the mayor produced any formal, written conclusions regarding allegations a now-former Davenport alderman said a racial slur in council chambers in 2023.

In 2023, Ald. Tim Kelly, 5th Ward, said a colleague, now-former 4th Ward Alderman Robby Ortiz, attempted to justify the use of a racial slur for Black people as a term of endearment in front of Kelly, the council's lone Black alderman, as they and three other aldermen were having an informal conversation about racial insensitivities after an August council meeting.

The allegations caused an uproar, with members of the public speaking at meetings to criticize Ortiz. The incident, in addition to allegations that a different alderman came to meetings intoxicated and made inappropriate comments to female staff, spurred a push by the newly elected council to enact a code of conduct for elected officials, which the council approved in September.

Kelly's allegations came up again at a joint meeting between the civil rights commission and the city council this week. The civil rights director referred to the apparent lack of clear resolution as an example that "conveys a very, very, very clear lack of concern for Black peoples' humanities."

Convening a committee

Mayor Mike Matson called together a committee in September 2023 to look into Kelly's allegations and provide advice.

In October 2023, Ortiz sued Kelly. Ortiz, in the court filing, alleged Kelly publicly accused Ortiz of direct(ing) racial slurs toward Kelly, accusations that Ortiz said were false and have a libelous effect.

Ortiz also demanded $950,000 from the city in 2024, alleging it did not adequately defend him against allegations he made racist remarks. There are no records the Quad-City Times is aware of indicating that the city paid Ortiz.

In January this year, Ortiz filed a motion requesting to dismiss his own lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought up again in another court. District Court Judge Tom Reidel granted the dismissal. No trial was held in the case. Ortiz did not respond to a phone message from a reporter to ask why he requested the dismissal.

Before the 2023 election, the mayors committee interviewed Kelly and Ortiz and the other aldermen that were present, according to interviews last week with three of the panel members.

The members recommended to the mayor that city officials undergo training, such as implicit bias and cultural sensitivity training.

But, the members the Quad-City Times interviewed said it was difficult to reach a consensus on anything else. Even among the three interviews, each member differed in their recollection of what, if any, conclusions were drawn by the committee as to what happened between the aldermen.

Ortiz lost the election to the 4th Ward seat in November 2023 and the committee never met again, the members told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus.

Last year, Matson told the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus, the special panel had met with Ortiz and Kelly, but had ceased meeting because it was no longer necessary.

Topic brought up at meeting last week

During a joint civil rights commission and city council meeting this week, commissioner Frank Holley, who was a member of the mayors panel, asked whether the trainings the committee recommended had ever been implemented.

Matson, who was not at the joint meeting on Tuesday, told a reporter Wednesday that training was conducted for council members and department directors with Iman Consultings LaDrina Wilson and a second attorney on the topics recommended.

Holley told council members Tuesday that the committee in the fall of 2023 sat down with all the council members who were present or had any knowledge of those actions, and we tried to ascertain whether or not certain things took place.

Bottom-line is some things took place and one of the recommendations out of our committee was sensitivity training be conducted on the council and within the city, Holley said.

But, Holley said, the committee never heard anything more after Ortiz lost the election.

Kelly, during Tuesday's meeting, said the lack of a public acknowledgment of what happened was an example of how people of color are treated in City Hall.

So, there was an investigation and it was swept under the rug, Kelly said.

Some new council members expressed surprise at Holley's statements. Ald. Jazmin Newton, At-Large, asked whether there was a written report. Ald. Jade Burkholder, 4th Ward, said the mayor had previously told the council the committee did not do an investigation, but provided opinions.

Kelly said he'd like to be able to move on, but thinks something should be acknowledged publicly and an assurance that recommendations from the committee were followed.

"I got nothing. That's the part I don't like. Completely swept under the rug like it didn't happen," Kelly said.

Panel members differ on recollections

The mayor's panel members included Randy Moore, now the former president of Iowa American Water; Toni Robertson, vice president of LULAC Council 10; Phyllis Thede, a former state representative; Holley, associate minister at Third Baptist and a member of the NAACP; Dwayne Hodges, a motivational speaker and pastor at Redeemed Voices Worship Center; and Stephen Echols, a pastor and organizer of nonprofit Davenport Peace.

When reached by phone this week, Thede said the committee met, interviewed aldermen involved and found a consensus around recommending training, but found it hard to come to a consensus on much else.

"We knew that there was some tensions," she said. "That we knew. It's not that we didn't believe everybody, but we were trying to come to some sort of consensus. And to be perfectly honest with you, that was difficult. That was very, very difficult, because everybody sees and hears things differently. We knew something happened, and we knew some words were spoken, that people were upset about the conversation."

More than a year later, Thede said some of the details escaped her. But she said she recalled from interviews it seemed Ortiz did not call Kelly the offensive word, but that Ortiz had said the offensive language in conversation.

She said she recalled the committee's discussions of not wanting to interfere with Ortiz's lawsuit and that Matson took notes during the meetings.

"The committee was just trying to be helpful," Thede said. "But at the end, to be perfectly honest with you, I don't know if we ever were because we didn't come to any real resolve."

In Holley's recollection, he said the witnesses to the conversation were consistent in telling what happened  that a derogatory word was used by Ortiz directed at Kelly.

Holley said in an interview Thursday he had been in favor of more aggressive actions  a punishment or dismissal if the mayor had the power to do it.

"Something that would show that we were not condoning that kind of behavior, especially from a senior leader," Holley said. "And that there are consequences. We struggled to come up with solutions because of the nature of the ordinances and the mayor's authority over the council. He did not have authority over the council. The soft recommendations were the best we could do."

Holley said after the joint civil rights and city council meeting Tuesday, he reached out to the other panel members to ask if they recalled putting in writing a determination of what happened and their recommendations.

Holley said the committee had not heard anything of whether their recommendation for training was followed and would've preferred additional meetings or communications to acknowledge what happened and move forward with new policy.

"It was OBE, Overcome By Event, due to the nature that the guy did not get reelected, but he (Matson) did not establish anything in the policy to correct or improve the situation or address it for the future for issues of that nature that could possibly come up," Holley said.

"It's coming around again because of the reported harassment and negative culture that is still going on," Holley said, referring to concerns that Civil Rights Director Latrice Lacey and commission members brought up to the city council this past week.

Hodges, reached by phone this week, said he couldn't recall if the committee came to any conclusion about what happened. Hodges said he remembered the committee interviewed the aldermen, recommended trainings and how council members could better run their meetings, but after Ortiz lost the election, Hodges said, "we didn't hear anything else."

Hodges said he didn't want to get into the "legal nightmare" of describing what he thought was said by Ortiz.

"It's just so conflicting between what both of them said that it's hard to even say what was said," Hodges said. "One saying he didn't. One saying that he did. It's one of those things. That's the reason why we were supposed to keep meeting. And we never did."

Former Ald. JJ Condon and current At-Large Ald. Kyle Gripp declined to detail their recollections of the conversation to a reporter. Both said they gave their testimony to the committee a year and a half ago. Condon pointed to his past comments and said he did not have anything further to add.

Gripp said he told the committee what he witnessed, the committee gave recommendations to the mayor, and that the mayor did not take any more action. Gripp said he considered his personal involvement to have closed.

"I was a witness to something I didn't want to be a witness to," Gripp said.

Matson said Wednesday the panel was him "getting people together to advise me."

Matson said another recommendation of the committee was for him to talk to Ortiz, which Matson said he did.

"There wasn't a lot of consensus on anything else," Matson said.

Asked if he thought anything else needed to be said about what happened, Matson said no.

"He lost the election," Matson said in response to a question about whether Ortiz faced consequences. "That's a pretty big consequence. And I did talk to him."
Walter Lee remembers coming home one evening to find his parents sitting around the kitchen table with several members of the NAACP.

His parents later asked him if he wanted to be among the first group of Black students to attend classes at Lee-Davis High School  now Mechanicsville High School. Without putting too much thought into it, he agreed.

I considered myself kind of cocky when I was younger, Lee said. I just said yes.

Without fully understanding his place in history, Lee was one of eight African American students to enter into the countys previously all-white public schools in 1963.

Lee started school Sept. 4, 1963, alongside his brother Norbert Lee, cousin Phyllis Lee and three other Black students: Raymond Bagby and sisters Jacqueline and Blanche Holmes.

That same day, Patrick Henry also opened its doors to two Black teenage sisters, Arlene and Harriett Thompson.

Full integration of the rest of the countys schools and teaching staff took several more years, but they were the first.

Hanover County Public Schools is honoring and memorializing those students and their families for the courage they showed in taking the first step toward a more equal school system.

The school system is unveiling plaques memorializing the first group of African American students. Arlene and Harriet Thompson were honored at Patrick Henry High School on April 14.

These two brave Hanover County sisters, whose names are engraved on these plaques, were able to open the door to this education experience, said School Board Chair Bob May. (They) will always be founding members of the diversity that makes up this family, and their names are now memorialized forever.

Superintendent Lisa Pennycuff noted how the sisters started at Patrick Henry at a time when prejudice loomed large.

I often share that education is a powerful tool that can change the trajectory of someones life. Arlene and Harrietts courage was a declaration of belief in the promise of education. That belief continues to inspire us today, Pennycuff said.

Lee and the other five students who went to Lee-Davis will be honored at a similar ceremony at 5 p.m. Monday.

Going to school in the era of Massive Resistance

Before 1963, Black students in Hanover went to the segregated John M. Gandy High School in Ashland. For the Lee family living in Mechanicsville, that meant a journey of about 1 1/2 hours.

Lee said he wasnt concerned about his impact on society; he just wanted to go to a school closer to home.

Youve got to go to school, right? I wasnt thinking so much about history and what it meant, Lee said. For me, it just meant that I could go to a school that was only about 10 minutes away from my house.

As the first day of school drew closer, he started to understand the magnitude of passing through the front doors of a previously all-white Lee-Davis High School.

The night before, I got on my knees and prayed. My family was a church-going family, very religious, Lee said. I prayed that everything was going to be OK. At 16 years old, you dont really expect a kid to pray like that.

Despite his prayers, all of those students faced a tough journey toward graduation.

The Richmond News-Leader reported that integration was smooth in Hanover. There were not reported incidents as students arrived at school to a heavy police presence at the gate.

The News-Leader quoted student Raymond Bagby, then a 17-year-old junior, who said he felt kind of lonesome.

I just dont have any of my friends here, Bagby said. But I think I can get used to it.

According to Lee, Bagby didnt come back the next year.

It was partly the environment that we were in. He really didnt want to put up with it. He just didnt come back.

Lee said that he remembers the days in school being treated as an outsider.

It was a horrible situation. Here you are in an environment where they act like youre not the same person you are, Lee said. They do things differently around you; you can hear whispers.

Lee said he learned to sit in the back of the classroom because otherwise kids would throw spitballs at him. None of the other kids talked to him much aside from one girl who sat behind him in his homeroom. He said he would eat lunch by himself and thought of school as something to do and then go home.

Virginia resisted the Supreme Courts 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision for several years. The environment was ripe with lawsuits challenging decisions made to prevent mixed-race schools.

In 1956, as U.S. Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr., D-Va., led massive resistance to school desegregation, Virginia formed the Pupil Placement Board, which assigned each student to a school. It was a legal loophole used to keep schools segregated without outright defying Brown v. Board.

In 1958, Gov. Lindsay Almond ordered several Virginia jurisdictions to close their public schools. Prince Edward County, one of the districts cited in Brown v. Board, closed its schools for five years in favor of all-white private schools.

The Supreme Court later ruled in 1964 that the countys school closures were unconstitutional. The court also outlawed tuition grants to private schools that same year, effectively ending massive resistance.

By the 1961 school year, just 11 of 131 school districts had been integrated according to a count by Southern School News in 1961. There were 211 Black students in desegregated schools versus 35,165 white students in desegregated schools.

The pupil placement board approved 10 African American students for placement at Patrick Henry and Lee-Davis in the summer of 1963. Two of those students didnt show up for the first day, instead going back to the all-Black Gandy High School.

Students carried the torch

Arlene Thompsons daughter, Tasha Pope, said her mother and aunt preferred not to dwell on the horrors experienced while they went to school, and instead focus on the clear expectation that education was of utmost importance.

Instead, Pope said her siblings and cousins cherished the things they were able to get from their time in school.

(My mother) didnt go to prom, Pope said. We made sure that we enjoyed those proms, those big graduation parties and celebrations that she may not have been able to have because of the environment that she had to walk into every day.

Were making sure our children are very clear about the sacrifice that was made for them.

Pat Hunter-Jordan, president of the Hanover NAACP, said the families made a hard choice when they sent their kids to Patrick Henry and Lee-Davis, but that we make hard choices to bring about right in this world.

Im grateful for that, Hunter-Jordan said. They carried that torch for the rest of us to stand strong.

Walter Lee said he thinks there is still a long way to go when it comes to acceptance of all races, but that progress has been made.

While he wasnt thinking about his historical impact as a teenager, he looks back on his high school days more proudly now.

His great-niece is currently a teacher at Mechanicsville High School, the same school he integrated more than six decades ago. Her father, Lees nephew, was a starting running back there during his high school days.

Theres nothing about having to be bused somewhere else. Thats just where they went to school, Lee said. In that respect, its a proud moment for me when I think about that.
The Easter season of 1968 was engulfed in a cloud of doubt and despair familiar to many of us today.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated on April 4, with his funeral five days later during Holy Week. Civil unrest and riots punctuated the period of mourning. A measure of hope was lost that has never been fully recaptured.

Today, our waning confidence in the durability of the American Experiment, amid a constitutional crisis, is a byproduct of the rejection of Kings vision of a beloved community. Racism, retribution, poverty and the hoarding of obscene wealth by the few are incompatible with justice and democracy.

Resources are being extracted from those in need to further enrich the greedy. America has forsaken its allies and embraced fascism, with imperialist designs on Greenland, Panama and even Canada. People are being snatched off the streets for deportation, without due process.

What is the meaning of Easter at a time when the state has weaponized faith as an instrument of oppression?

Thats the Easter message, said Corey D.B. Walker, dean of Wake Forest University School of Divinity. And thats the message that needs to go out across the nation and the world in the Christian community: That Christianity does not side with the empire against the oppressed.

Were recognizing the Jewish religious leader that is executed by the Roman Empire. That is Easter, Walker, formerly of the University of Richmond and Virginia Union University, said Thursday. So to side with the empire is antithetical to the very essence of Easter.

Easter, Walker said, announces the message that the empire does not have the final say.

The resurrection begins the movement of what we understand as Christianity, Walker said. So the movement doesnt begin in victory over the Roman Empire. It beings with the transformation of the act of crucifixion by the Roman Empire to the symbol of the cross, which is then taken up by those who want to continue the Jesus movement and inaugurate a reign of justice.

Folks like me are still waiting for that reign of justice in a nation where Christian nationalism endorses an agenda incompatible with a pluralistic, equitable democracy.

That has historically been the challenge because it is always the question of not just Christianity singular, but Christianities, Walker said, citing the wedding of Christian nationalism with Americas status as a global nuclear superpower. So now those who want to see Christianity inaugurated by the Easter Jesus will not only have to struggle for that, but also begin to articulate why this Christianity is something that benefits all of humanity.

Walker was preparing for Saturdays Easter Vigil at Wake Forest. To keep vigil is to stay awake, especially through misty midnight hours, to be with someone who is near death or to protest an injustice or to pray during a crisis. To keep vigil is to keep watch when people are usually sleeping, Walker and Jill Y. Crainshaw, vice dean of Wake Forests School of Divinity, wrote in their announcement of the vigil.

We are in the misty midnight hour of American democracy but our eyes are wide open. The next time you hear politicians sneer at wokeness, understand that our vigilance and consciousness is what they fear.

These are the folks who bray contemptuously at those who would secure the release from El Salvador of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was taken from his wife and family and deported without due process. Garcia had fled El Salvador because of fear of gang violence; an immigration judge had previously forbade his deportation there. The Trump administration admitted that Garcias deportation was a mistake but refuses to rectify it, even after being told to do so by the Supreme Court.

Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, a permanent U.S. resident, was arrested Monday in Vermont by Department of Homeland Security agents after attending his naturalization interview. Another permanent resident, Columbia grad student Mahmoud Khalil, faces deportation after a ruling by an immigration judge in Louisiana. On Thursday, another immigration judge denied bond to Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student from Turkey, apprehended March 25 on a suburban Boston street as she prepared to meet friends to break the Ramadan fast. All are guilty of nothing more than advocating on behalf of Palestinians.

The Trump administration is treating noncitizens here legally like criminals and the First Amendment like pulp fiction  a potential prelude to doling out the same harsh treatment to U.S. citizens.

What is Easter to us at this moment?

In the words of Howard Thurman, What does your religion have to say to those with their backs up against the wall? Walker said, citing the renowned African American theologians 1949 book, Jesus and the Disinherited.

Thurman responds with an exposition and a theology of the Jesus movement  not of Christianity with a capital C that is singular, but with a movement of that first century Palestinian Jew that has ignited a number of movements for justice across the world  while recognizing that that same symbol has been mobilized for oppression, marginalization and outright killing of those who are deemed its enemies.

Too many people in America have been deemed enemies of the state. Too many American institutions have surrendered their autonomy to autocracy. The faith community  by the design of the founders, independent from the state  is uniquely equipped to be a beacon of hope and justice at times like this. A cursory glance at the Civil Rights Movement proves this.

But too often in moments of moral panic, religion has been complicit.

Or as Walker noted, Theres never been a movement of justice and a movement of injustice that has not had the imprimatur of Christianity at its side in the modern West.

But Walker thinks a change is gonna come.

As were seeing with universities that are getting their feet under them and also capturing their voice, the voice of the prophetic Christian church will be heard Easter Sunday morning as its constantly heard every Sunday morning, he said.

Walker pointed me to the words of the legendary theologian Wyatt Tee Walker, a VUU graduate, Petersburg pastor and civil rights leader who served as chief of staff for King. The occasion: Wyatt Tee Walkers sermon at Princeton Theological Seminary shortly after Kings death.

What Im saying to you, he preached, is that I have the ultimate faith that we are going to find a tranquility with justice in this nation, in this world. We must! And it is conceivable it could happen in our time.

At the moment, tranquility and justice are increasingly in short supply. But as Corey Walker says, the empire does not have the final say. It is those who seek to establish and bring into being a new form of community, and most importantly, a new humanity for all people.

In other words, hope aint over till we say its over.
ROCKY MOUNT  Nationwide, the number of volunteer rescue squad members has been steadily declining for more than a decade while call volume continually increases. With fewer volunteers, localities such as Franklin County are forced to hire staff to pick up the slack.

Emergency medical services, or EMS, is where Franklin County has suffered the most losses in volunteers over the years. In the past, the county had a volunteer rescue squad that operated along with each fire department in the county. Today, volunteer squads in Scruggs and Red Valley are the only two remaining in operation.

Due to the loss in volunteers for EMS services, the county has been forced to steadily increase its paid staff. Franklin County Fire and EMS Chief Mike Fowler said the county currently employs nearly 60 paid EMS staff.

That number about 30 years ago was zero, Fowler said.

Billy Ferguson was the first paid paramedic in Franklin County. He was hired in 1990 to help improve response times for rescue departments that were already starting to see a reduction in volunteers.

He remained with the county for another 33 years in public safety. He retired last year after spending six years as the countys fire and EMS chief.

Ferguson said the decline in EMS volunteers is due to multiple factors in Franklin County. Those factors have had a snowball effect on volunteer rescue departments. He said once one stops providing service, it would put an increased burden on surrounding departments that eventually ended up shutting down.

A significant increase in calls for service has put added strain on volunteers. A growing number of those calls in recent years are what Ferguson referred to as public service calls where people may need assistance, but it is not an emergency. Those calls include issues such as someone needing help getting into bed or taking their medicine.

Back in 1990 we may run three or four calls a day. Now it is not unusual to run 30 a day, Ferguson said.

Another concern is the time it takes to respond to calls. EMS crews in the past only had to carry patients to Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital in Rocky Mount. Ferguson said paramedics now have to carry more than half of their patients to hospitals in Roanoke because some services are not available at the Rocky Mount hospital. That can take volunteer EMS up to two hours for a service call.

Ferguson said, in the past, employers would allow a member of their staff to volunteer for a rescue squad. With the long times away for calls, that is less likely.

Despite the challenges, Red Valley Volunteer Rescue Capt. Toby Hodges currently has more than 20 volunteers. He said there are people in the community willing to volunteer, the trick is finding them and showing them what they are missing out on.

Once you do it, you get the love for helping somebody, Hodges said.

Become a volunteer for the rescue squad does take some training. Hodges said volunteers have to take a CPR course and an Emergency Vehicle Operator Course to join. To become an EMT, volunteers would have to attend a course that takes four to six months to complete. To become a paramedic, course work could take multiple years.

Most EMTs or paramedics take paid jobs due to the time and cost for their education, but several are still willing to volunteer. Hodges said many of the volunteers on his staff work in surrounding localities and volunteer in Franklin County during their off time.

Due to the Virginia Fair Labor and Standards Act, an individual cannot volunteer for the same locality that also employs them.

Without the assistance in the county from volunteer firefighters and EMS, Fowler said he would need to more than triple the amount of paid staff in the county. That would put an increased strain on the countys budget that has already seen a slow increase in paid staff due to needs.

It is monumentally important, Fowler said of the need for volunteers. It would cripple the county if we didnt have it.

All paid EMS staff for Franklin County also have the training necessary to be firefighters and do respond to those calls, Fowler said. That helps to provide assistance to local volunteer fire departments that have seen some reductions in recruitment as well in recent years.

Franklin County Public Safety currently has 163 active volunteers. That number is down from 176 last year, according to Fowler.

While the reduction in volunteer firefighters may not be as grim as on the EMS side, Rocky Mount and Franklin County currently have efforts underway to bolster their numbers. A firefighter class is currently being held, hosted by Franklin County Public Safety and the Rocky Mount Fire Department, that is training 29 recruits eager to join one of the countys firefighting crews.

It is part of a new approach to recruiting that Rocky Mount Fire Department Chief Justin Woodrow and Assistant Chief Brad Basham have instituted in the past few years. The approach has helped grow the numbers at the towns department from 35 volunteers a few years ago to nearly 50 today.

Weve had to adapt with the times, Woodrow said. We believe there is a place for everybody.

They understand that some people may be hesitant about some aspects of being a firefighter, whether it be the danger or the occasional long hours on a call. Woodrow said he encourages volunteers to give what they are able in terms of commitment.

Woodrow said that in the past anyone signing up to be a volunteer firefighter was often expected to commit most of their free time to answering calls and even occasionally running into burning buildings. He understands that people may be willing to help, but cant contribute the time or may be hesitant to fight a fire up close.

Back then there was no in between, Basham said. You either did all of it or nothing.

The RMFD started an engineer program for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter who may have concerns about going into a burning buildings. Engineer volunteers run the equipment while other firefighters go inside.

A student program also was started in an effort to encourage young people to join and give some of their free time assisting. Basham said it was an idea they had after a the department had spent hours fighting a fire.

Basham reached out to some area high schoolers to help with the cleanup after the fire had been put out by firefighters. He said some of them enjoyed the job and wanted to help out more.

Once some of the students started wearing shirts sporting the RMFD logo on them to school, Basham said they received even more interest.

Once someone has joined in any capacity, whether as a student or an engineer, Woodrow said many will stay on for years and even expand their role. He said many who started out as engineers later sign up for expanded roles and eventually take the firefighter course. He has even seen fathers who join after their son joins as a student volunteer.

Once they feel the reward of giving, they are hooked, Woodrow said.

Woodrow said their approach to recruiting is being used in several other fire departments around the county as well. It is something they hope will start to reinforce the countys overall number of volunteers.

There is a place on a volunteer fire department for anyone who wants to volunteer, Woodrow said.

Mecayla Gray of Rocky Mount is one of the new recruits currently taking the firefighter course. The 22-year-old just returned from college and was looking for something that would push her to be better.

She is currently a volunteer for the Boones Mill Fire Department. She said the firefighter course will help her as a volunteer. She has also taken an EMT course.

I wanted to do something for the county, Gray said. I love volunteering.

Carter Alexander of Rocky Mount is one of the youngest taking the course at 18. He has been a member of the Rocky Mount Fire Department since he was 16.

Alexander said he wants to continue to be an asset to the department. He wants to be able to provide the help people need in an emergency.

I want to be there for people on their worst day, Alexander said.

Several of the volunteers currently in the firefighting course will be joining the Rocky Mount department. The RMFD works together with the multiple volunteer departments throughout the county.

The Rocky Mount department is funded by the town of Rocky Mount while the county departments are provided funding through Franklin County Public Safety. Franklin County also provides some funding for the Rocky Mount department as more than 60% of the calls the department responds to are outside the town.

The need for volunteer firefighters and EMTS was made even more apparent earlier this year with multiple natural disasters that impacted Franklin County. Volunteer crews battled a 600-acre wildfire in Callaway in January and a significant winter storm that covered much of the county in ice just a few weeks later in February.

Fowler said the fire would have likely burned more than 1,000 acres if it wasnt for the tireless work of volunteers as well as paid staff who helped. He also praised the many people in the community who provided food as well a shelter for operations provided by Monte Vista Church of the Brethren.

Volunteers were also needed during the early February winter storm that coated the county in ice, which resulted in trees falling onto roadways and power lines. Volunteer firefighters assisted the Virginia Department of Transportation and Appalachian Power Co. in clearing trees while continuing to respond to a high volume of emergency calls in the days following the storm.

While their benefits in recent months have been apparent, many volunteers would like to see additional funding to support their efforts. Ferguson said volunteer departments are no longer able to afford much of their equipment solely on their own fundraising efforts and need additional assistance from the town and county.

Many of the vehicle and equipment costs have grown exorbitantly in recent years. Franklin County does pay the cost for most of the vehicles used by volunteer fire and rescue departments, but the increased cost has put a strain on the county budget.

The average cost for a fire truck a little more than a decade ago was $500,000. Today, that same truck will cost between $1 million and $2 million.

The costs of equipment has increased as well. Ferguson said volunteer departments are required to purchase the necessary equipment for vehicles and for volunteers. Some protective gear necessary for firefighters can cost in excess of $10,000, he said.

Its impossible to do fundraisers to get that amount of money for that type of equipment, Ferguson said.

Franklin County does provide significant funding for volunteer departments in addition to purchasing vehicles. Fowler said the county budgeted more than $3 million in funding for volunteers in 2024.

In addition to new vehicles, that funding went to insurance and fuel costs for vehicles as well as discretionary funds for each department that can be used to purchase equipment. Volunteers are also given a stipend of $12 for each call they respond to.

While the Rocky Mount Fire Department receives funding from the town and county, Woodrow said additional funding is always needed. Even if funding is lacking, he said volunteers will find a way to make due with what they have to save lives.

No matter what you give us or dont give us, we get the job done, Woodrow said.
SIOUX CITY  For the Christian Church there's no more important day on the calendar than Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Historically, that celebration hasn't always fallen on the same day for everyone in the church. But this year it will.

While the Catholic Church and Protestant denominations make use of the Gregorian Calendar, which was adopted in October 1582, the Orthodox Church still utilizes the Julian Calendar which came into being in 45 B.C.

The difference is how Leap Year is handled which has led to the Gregorian Calendar being about 13 days ahead of the Julian Calendar. As a result, Easter usually doesn't fall on the same day for the Catholic, Protest and Orthodox churches, which are the three largest in the Christian faith. Before 2025, the last time it happened was 2017.

Pope Francis took time in 2025 to push for the "date of unity" to be made permanent.

"I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter," Francis said earlier this year.

The Rev. Kostandin Tuda of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Sioux City said such differences are not barriers for him and his congregation on Sixth Street.

"We have these differences between churches but we have respect. I'm trying to be very respectful for everybody and for the people who are Orthodox or Catholic or whatever," Tuda said. "I'm trying to be very thankful and to respect tradition and be in a good spirit and in a good brotherhood because we are brothers in Christ and we are in the name of the Christ."

Easter dates coincide The Rev. Father Kostandin Tuda talks about Easter during an interview Tuesday at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Sioux City. This year,

Tuda, who began serving in Sioux City in 2024, had a long journey to heading up the 107-year-old congregation, whose church building turns 100 in October. The 54-year-old pastor native of Elbasan, Albania, began working for the Albanian Church in his homeland after the fall of Communism in 1991. The southeastern European country is one of only a handful Muslim majority countries on the continent and in 1967 former Albanian leader Enver Hoxha declared Albania "the world's first atheist state."

"We don't have that impact of the religion because in Albania we don't have religion for more than three, four decades," Tuda said.

The journey for Tuda to the United States came after the patriarchate for the Orthodox Church asked the Albanian Church to send a priest to serve Albanians who had relocated to America. Since that time his stops have included Boston for four years, Chicago (for nine years) and Sioux City.

"I miss a lot because it's my heritage. I was born there. I was raised there. I'm formed like I am today. I finished school. I married there  Sometimes I feel that I'm just here with my body but my soul and my heart it's there," Tuda said. "But now, after 14 years of living in the United States, I feel my country is here now."

One thing Tuda said has helped him feel at home in Sioux City is the tight-knit nature of Holy Trinity. He said the congregation is like family and that an overwhelming majority of church members know a good deal about the church and are very involved in the community.

"For me, it's very easy," he said.

When it comes to Holy Week, which began April 13 with Palm Sunday and concludes Sunday with Easter (Pascha for the Orthodox Church), Tuda said planning is helped by the decorative work the congregation is willing to pitch in on.

"They got it," he said.

As for how long he's been a part of the church, Tuda said it really doesn't seem like that long.

"I'm not feeling the time because I'm thinking I'm still in the beginning. Because every year in the church, it's like a minute. Because the teaching from God never ends. And every day and every week and every month passes by and you feel that you have to learn," he said. "You have to learn every day to serve and every day is a challenge."

Easter dates coincide The Rev. Father Kostandin Tuda talks about Easter during an interview Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Sioux

For the Orthodox Church, the service stretched from the late evening Holy Saturday into Easter Sunday which included a "Divine Liturgy" at 12:30 a.m. Holy Trinity has "Agape Vespers" set for 11 a.m., Sunday.

Such Easter traditions for the Orthodox Church and Catholic and Protestant Churches as well present challenges to a common celebration day ever being set, scholars have said. In a piece from the Catholic news group OSV News, Aristotle Papanikolaou, co-founding director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University in New York City, called the challenge to a common day a "self-identification issue" as much as anything.

What Tuda said he has always treasured about Easter is the message it communicates: A message of life. And of light.

"This is most important. Because we leave the darkness of our lives and we start again and again in that resurrection because Christ is the light of the world," he said.

Despite all of the help with planning, Tuda said he won't be doing a lot of resting on Sunday or in the days to follow.

"Every day we dont know whats happening with the life of the people. Were going to visit the people who are sick. We have to go in the jail to meet the people who are in need of it. We have to go meet the youth people. We have to be organized with ladies, with, with ladies of the church to organize what we have next week," he said. "The life of a priest never have any days off."

Easter dates coincide The Rev. Father Kostandin Tuda gestures towards iconography painted on the ceiling of the Sioux City church last Tuesday.
How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous!

Dear How to Do It,

I have been seeing my boyfriend Roger for about six months now. However, I just learned that Roger is married (he doesnt know I found out). His husband doesnt know about us, and while I wasnt thrilled to learn hes been cheating with me, the sex is spectacular. With that said, would it be ethical for me to simply ignore this fact and keep the status quo?

Permission to Look the Other Way

Dear Permission to Look the Other Way,

You are writing this because you know its not ethical but want, as your sign-off indicates, permission to look the other way. Look, Id love to be God and rewrite the rules as we know themand after all it is Easterbut if I did it for you, Id have to do it for everyone. Knowingly abetting a cheater is not ethical. That said, the former Catholic in me who was taught to divine between mortal and venial sins will allow that helping someone cheat is not as bad as cheating itself. You dont know Rogers husband. You unknowingly entered this situationship with Roger, which means you werent doing anything wrong at all prior to finding out about Rogers monogamous marriage. But upon finding out, the ethical thing to do would be to stop seeing this guy. Dont be an accessory to cheating if you want to live ethically. Its simple. You havent been seeing Roger for very long, and theres plenty of spectacular sex to be had out there. Theres really no excuse here. If you were less concerned about being ethical, this might be more difficult to answerjust how bad is it to do this really? I mean, if Im God, Im not sending you to Hell for this one, but I think in general, people should strive for generosity and connectedness, which means doing as little harm to your fellow human as possible, even if you never meet that person and even if offending behavior will never be traced back to you. I know I sound like a hippie, but whatever. Jesus wore Birkenstocks, right?

By the way, Rogers marriage is monogamous right? If were talking about queer men here, you must always consider the fact that they could be open. If Roger were the first guy you slept with, OK, maybe youd have some excuse to not have thought about this, but you dont say that in your letter. I can only assume by your use of the word cheating that you know his marriage isnt open and you havent made a giant leap based on a monogamy-centric frame of mind, but just in case you havent thought about that, think about it.

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Get advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear How to Do It, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to How to Do It following up) Submit

Dear How to Do It,

Several days ago, some friends stayed with me and my husband while they were in town for a business convention. We dont get to see them in person very often, and this was the perfect opportunity to spend some time together.

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When I was changing the bedding after they left I discovered a sex toy among the sheets. What is the proper thing to do here? Send it back through the mail with a humorous note? Get rid of it and never mention it to them? Contact them and tell them well hang onto it until they can pick it up the next time they visit (which will be at least a few months)? Please advise.

You Forgot Something!

Dear You Forgot Something!,

Ideally, all of this would be openly discussed with ease, but it doesnt seem that you have that kind of relationship with these friends and I think the most compassionate thing to do is to tread lightly. They shouldnt be embarrassed about having and using sex toys, but of course, our culture isnt particularly kind to pleasure-seekers and they may in fact be embarrassed all the same. Respecting their discretion is the way to go here.

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Unless they were staying at multiple locations and somehow lost track of their toy, they almost certainly know theyve left the toy at your place. Id give it a week to see if they end up reaching out and then if not, send a text that doesnt spell out the situation entirely, in case theyre shy about this kind of stuff: You left something of yours behinddo you want me to mail it to you? They know you know, so embarrassing as this may be, it wont come as a shock and will allow them to determine what happens to their personal property.

I would go that route if they seem the type to very much care about their things. If theyre wealthy and have the means to easily replace a missing sex toy, the situation may be less urgent and you may want to just wait on it further until their next visit. Then you can discreetly place it in your guest room and they can take it home, no conversation needed.

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The columnists behind our new advice column, Good Job, want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here!

Dear How to Do It,

My boyfriend is into being a submissive. Ive never been in a relationship with this type of person before and am not entirely sure how to pull off being dominant. Do I have to be on all the time? To be honest, speaking to him in a disrespectful manner and ordering him to do humiliating things makes me feel weird, but he assures me it turns him on big time and he appreciates my openness to it. Im willing to go along since it makes him happy even though it doesnt do anything for me. Can you give me some pointers on how to embrace this role?

Learning the Ropes Literally

Dear Learning the Ropes Literally,

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There are many, many ways to do BDSM. The dom/sub dynamic for some is confined to the bedroom. For others, it shows itself in other contexts. For others still, its a defining part of all aspects of the relationship (the members of this kind of an arrangement are sometimes referred to as 24/7 doms and subs). The exact terms of the relationship are best often laid out in a contract, which is to say that you really shouldnt be coming to an advice column asking, Do I have to be on all the time?, because this would ideally already be agreed upon with your boyfriend.

That there is any ambiguity here makes me wonder just how experienced he is with this kind of play/lifestyle. Its OK to try this stuff out, of course (everyone is new at some point), but it strikes me that he may be inexperienced as well, and thus not the best leader here. Theres a lot for you both to become acquainted with if you want to conduct this kind of dynamic in a healthy, open way using time-tested techniques.

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The purpose of a contract is to clearly articulate desires and set boundaries and expectations. A contract should cover things like safe-words: what they are, when theyll be used, what do do if you cant speak but need to tap out (like if youre gagged, for example), and so on. The intensity of BDSM, particularly when it involves physical contact like spanking or floggingor emotionally sensitive practices like degradation and humiliationmake these safeguards necessary. But these negotiations are not merely to protect the sub in the event that things go too fartheyre also to allow the dom to work at their comfort level so theyre protected, too.

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When you ask, Do I have to be on all the time?, the answer is: not if you dont want to be. You should feel empowered enough to say when, and you can do that during the contract stage. (You can also revoke your consent for playing any time, even if it occurs outside of the agreements stated in your contract). The contract stage is a point to designate when a scene starts and ends and how much of the power dynamic you maintain when the scene is over. (A scene, in case you didnt know, is an incidence of kinky play that has an agreed-upon start and end.) Its OK if your conception of this doesnt initially align with your partners stated desiresthis is about mutual consent and meeting in the middle. Your boyfriend has put you on the spot to be a dom, which means giving you a position of power. You can easily parlay that into being deliberate with when and in what circumstances you engage in this kind of play. Subs often crave that sort of leadership.

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Since the impetus to engage in this kind of dynamic isnt coming from within, you may continue to find it tricky. Going along with your partners kinks in which you have no interest can be a generous, loving thing, but its far easier when you get to passively indulge them. If youre not inclined to dom, it can be exhausting, after a while, to have to assert yourself. Speaking disrespectfully and making humiliating demands may never come naturally to you. At a certain point, you must wonder whether this is actually the proper relationship for you if his directions (as he effectively tops from the bottom) effectively transform you into someone you arent. This is why its really important for you to draw the line now regarding just how much of this youre willing to partake in. Focus on the aspects of this dynamic that turn you on, and avoid what makes you feel icky or apathetic. It wont do your boyfriend any favors if you pretend to be into something youre not.

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Hopefully you will draw up a compromise. Let your boyfriend know that youre out of your depth and that you need guidance here, at least to get started. You arent going to get all you need to know about domming from an advice column, and that should be countered with education. There are online courses for BDSM. There are intro tutorials. There are, of course, booksyou can start at many places, but I think things like Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy The New Topping Book and Lee Harrington and Mollena Williams Playing Well with Others: Your Field Guide to Discovering, Exploring and Navigating the Kink, Leather and BDSM Communities would provide good foundational reading for you. You can check out your local scene, perhaps attend a munch (a gathering of people into BDSM) or even a club night, just to get a feel for what all of this looks like and entails. Learning and understanding more about kink and the culture around it will help you sort all of this out.

Rich

More Advice From Slate

Of all the penises Ive had sex with in my life, only one has truly done it for me: A crooked one. It really hit the spot, and I miss it so, so much. Now Im married to a man with a straight penis, and Im sad to say that I just dont enjoy it as much. My husband is starting to pick up on it, and I feel awful. How can I learn to enjoy sex with the penis I have, instead of the one I lost?
Nathan Fielder believes in second chances. With its dizzyingly complicated layers of nested simulations and unnerving ethical provocations, his HBO series The Rehearsal seemed like an impossible act to follow: a landmark, maybe even a masterpiece, but not a repeatable phenomenon. So when plans for a second season were announced on the eve of the shows finale in August of 2022, it was hard to know what to think. How could another season possibly replicate the first ones protean unpredictability, its mixture of deadpan cringe comedy and postmodernist rug pulls? Could this be another one of Fielders elaborate conceptual pranks, like selling outdoor apparel to raise Holocaust awareness? How do you re-create the disorienting high of seeing something youve never seen before a second time?

The answer provided by The Rehearsals second season, which premieres on HBO on Sunday night, is: You dont. Thats not to say its six episodes arent full of outlandish surprises and sudden turns, beginning with an opening scene that plunks viewers in the cockpit of a commercial airliner that shortly thereafter explodes in a ball of fire. (All six episodes were sent to critics in advance; Im only discussing the first in any detail.) But this time around, Fielder seems less interested in provoking his audiences discomfort than plumbing his own, even if the on-screen version of himself remains almost preposterously blind to what hes doing.

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Where the first seasons Nathan, as well call his on-camera persona, started out trying to help strangers navigate awkward social situations, in one case constructing a needlessly detailed replica of a Brooklyn bar to help a man role-play a difficult conversation with a friend, the second season is built around a much more targeted fixation: airplane crashes. The opening scene turns out to be, unsurprisingly, a reenactment, this time of a real-life disaster, with actors reciting lines taken from a downed planes black box. (The setup is similar to the stage play and film Charlie Victor Romeo, whose dialogue consists entirely of exchanges from cockpit voice recorders.) As the planeactually a mocked-up cockpit facing a large curved screenapproaches landing, the first officer expresses concern that the plane is off course and warns the pilot about the presence of a low hill close to the airport. But the pilot overrides his second in command, and within seconds, alarms are blaring and the screen is filled with a billowing cloud of flame. And there, standing like an indifferent angel at the gates of hell, is Nathan, impassively watching as his actors go limp in their seats.

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Gotta Have Funa title taken from the near-last words of a fatally inattentive pilotrestages several plane crashes in quick succession, all marked by the pilots failures to heed their first officers warnings. (In one case, he snaps, I am the pilot flying, idiot.) In his bass-heavy voice-over, Nathan informs the audience that after years of studying the subject, hes come to the conclusion that one of the leading causes of aviation disasters is poor communication in the cockpit. Pilots arent open to criticism, and first officers are either afraid to speak up or unable to puncture the captains sense of superiority, exacerbated by the fact that both are in a stressful situation theyve never experienced before. If only there were some way to practice those situations in advance, a simulation realized with the kind of obsessive attention to detail that only Nathan Fielder can provide.

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The trouble is, as Nathan admits, hes both the best and the worst person to solve this problem. The best, because no one understands more deeply and dramatizes more effectively the strategies humans evolve to avoid direct confrontation with each other. On his series Nathan for You, which introduced Fielders brand of comedy to most American viewers, the lack of confrontation is part of the joke: He doesnt show a bar owner how to fight anti-smoking ordinances but comes up with an ingenious way to get around them by staging happy hour as a play performed for an audience of two. On The Curse, he played a henpecked husband so intent on not weighing his wife down that he floated off into the stratosphere. With The Rehearsal, his obsession with helping others assuage their anxiety is clearly a proxy for managing his ownclearly, that is, to everyone except on-screen Nathan. The first seasons Nathan seemed so overwhelmed by the prospect of even mundane social disagreements that it led some viewers to speculate that the real Fielder might be on the autism spectrum, although his penchant for deflection and indirect disagreement may simply stem from the fact that hes originally from Canada, a country renowned for both exhibiting and joking about its tendency toward passive aggression. It feels like a sly nod to his roots that the first plane crash in Gotta Have Fun is of a Canadian flight that crashed on its way into Nunavut.

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As for the worst, well, hes a comedian, one whos built his career on hoodwinking unsuspecting civilians. When he calls a major airline to ask whether theyd be interested in taking part in his experiment, the best Nathan can offer them is a promise that the enterprise will be somewhat sincere. He may have access to HBOs checkbookand, like his Sunday night neighbor John Oliver, he takes delight in showing just how much of the networks money he can spendbut hes still making a comedy show, no matter how many real-life pilots and former National Transportation Safety Board officials he ropes into his ever-expanding plan. You might think you can revolutionize airline safety, Nathan observes in rueful voice-over, but you cant take that thought too seriously, because no one else will.

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Related From Slate The Most Unpredictable Show on Television Is Going Exactly According to Plan Read More

Nathans desire to be taken seriously may itself be an elaborate put-on. The Rehearsals second season touches on decades of Fielders personal history, including his childhood obsession with magicians and his early job as a low-level producer on the Canadian version of American Idol. But its never clear how much of himself hes really exposing, and how much hes just toying with the idea that artists expose themselves through their work. Nathan is excruciatingly self-conscious, but hes comically, in every sense, lacking in self-awareness. He zeroes in on the way his pilots issues with frank communication might overlap with difficulties in their dating lives, but even when he draws an analogy with his own past failed relationships, the ones that crashed the hardest, he cant quite seem to connect the dots. For the audience, its painfully obvious that hes projecting his personal issues onto the world at large, using the forced universality of his second-person narrationTalking to other people is never easy, no matter how close you get to themto avoid confronting the possibility that he might not, in fact, be just like everybody else.

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In an era where comedians are asked to do double duty as cultural truthtellers, Fielder mocks the idea that for comedy to matter, it has to do something importantall while simultaneously touching on subjects that genuinely matter. But its impossible to say whether pointing to that fact means youre getting the joke or youre the butt of it, and maybe theres no way to do one without being the other. Late in the second season, Nathan catches up with the press coverage of the first, the dozens of articles and thousands of words, not a few of them published in Slate, explaining how significant and groundbreaking the series is. (He skips the ones accusing him of ethical infractions, although he did learn to keep children out of the mix this time.) Hes flattered, but hes also confused, especially because so many of the takes involve the toxic underside of his on-screen persona. Perhaps were taking Nathan Fielder too seriously? Well do better next time.
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Getting too stoned always has beenand always will bean absolutely awful feeling. You reach that tipping point where your high turns from mellow to paranoid, and all of a sudden youre stumbling uncontrollably down a rabbit hole of terrifying thoughts which all lead to the conclusion that the world is ending. Nobody likes how it feels.

Ever since recreational cannabis became legal, the risks of overconsuming have raised debates about potency. (Remember Maureen Dowds 2014 hotel room freak-out?) That panic has returned with force in recent months, as cannabis has become more popular than ever, and dispensaries are advertising ever more potent products. Earlier this year, the New York Times blasted the cannabis industry for fighting bills that limit potency. Such laws have been proposed around the country, including in New York , Colorado (where it applies only to people under 25), and Florida, and would put caps on THC flower potency between 0.3 and 15 percent. (Commercially available cannabis usually contains at least 20 percent THC.)

The problem is that lawmakers and the media alike deeply misunderstand how cannabis potency actually works. Peter Grinspoon, a physician, Harvard Medical School instructor, and author of Seeing Through the Smoke, on medical cannabis, told Slate that limits on the simple percentage of THC in cannabis products could actually hurt medical patients for a number of reasons. People adjust their doses based on the strength of a productso if theyre smoking a product thats half as strong, for example, they might end up smoking twice as much, doing further damage to their lungs. Studies have shown that consumers will naturally use less when the product is stronger.

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When I was growing up, one of the arguments against cannabis was that it was so weak, you had to smoke so much, and it was bad for your lungs, Grinspoon said. Now its stronger. And the argument is its so dangerous because its so potent. On top of potential lung damage, Grinspoon says that weakening potency will simply make cannabis more expensive for medical patients, and twice as expensive for people on fixed incomes, like veterans and older people.

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Existing and past laws limiting cannabis potency are misguided not just because they might actually lead people to consume more, but because theyre written in a way that fails to understand the complexity of cannabis potency, according to Brien Hoffhine, director of cultivation at Loudbird Cannabis in Boulder, Colorado. The misunderstanding originated with the 2018 Farm Bill, which stipulates that cannabis potency should be determined by the percentage of the cannabinoid delta 9 THCthe most well-known intoxicating component of cannabisin a product.

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They just had no idea how the science actually worked, Hoffhine told Slate. What the lawmakers misunderstood is that THCA, which is often present in higher quantities than delta 9 THC and which does not influence legal potency levels in the Farm Bill, can convert to delta 9 THC when its smoked. On top of that, there are many other cannabinoids in the plant that can make a high more powerful.

Hoffhine admits that consumers gravitate toward high-THC products, and that influences what he grows and sells. He says that if the weekly menu that Loudbird puts out has products with THC levels below 20 percent, they wont get any orders.

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But the percentages listed on product labels and menus dont tell the whole truth. THC potency is determined through mandatory lab testing. But, Hoffhine explained, labs can return dramatically different results for the same plant. Its an open secret in the industry that brands will shop around labs to get the highest potency result, and multiple studies have shown that potency labels on products are usually inflated. So when the New York Times reports that a certain brand is selling the most potent weed around, they might inadvertently be promoting the brands dubious marketing claims.

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Masha Ty, who works for ACS Laboratory, which tests cannabis products in Florida, told Slate that her lab has lost clients because they refused to inflate their THC numbers. We dont give them the high numbers that they want to see, so they leave, Ty said. Its bad, right? But were under NDA. We cant really call them out.

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Ty emphasizes that, unlike alcohol, cannabis potency is influenced by multiple components, and varies quite a bit based on the individual consumer. There are at least 118 cannabinoids in the plant that go beyond the well-known THC and CBD, and they all interact with one another to produce different kinds of highs. Different individuals, too, have different endocannabinoid systems, which will affect their response to different products. Terpenes, which exist in all plants, can also contribute to the quality of the high. These compounds help steer the experience, Ty explained, because they can make it focused, relaxing, or uplifting.

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Newer to the market are THC distillates and concentrates, which can contain up to 95 percent THC. These products are more potent in some ways, but they also provide a more one-dimensional experience, because they only contain THC.

Grinspoon is concerned about how the market has gravitated toward high-THC cannabis. I think we fetishize high THC, and we could do a lot better with lower THC, he said, adding that CBD can mitigate some of the addictive qualities of cannabis, and other cannabinoids have more medical benefits.

Grinspoon, Hoffhine, and Ty all agree that potency limits arent the answer, but they also find that the market focus on THC is misguided. To fix this, they want better research and education about all of the components of cannabis and how they affect different people differently.

For example, if people understood the science behind cannabis edibles, theyd know why some people simply arent affected by them , no matter how potent they are. Some people dont even process it, Ty explained. So they eat gummies and nothing will happen to them.

Its just one example of how deeply complicated cannabis potency is. Until lawmakers learn to understand it, they have no hope of effectively regulating it.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250420/-do-us-iran-nuclear-talks-score-big---1121896685.html

Do US-Iran Nuclear Talks Score Big?

Do US-Iran Nuclear Talks Score Big?

Sputnik International

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up the negotiations at the Omani Embassy in Rome.

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Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up the negotiations at the Omani Embassy in Rome.  White House praised the "progress in direct and indirect discussions.  Araghchi said that the talks were "held in a constructive atmosphere" and "moving forward."  The next round will focus on technical details, including defining the maximum levels to which Iran could enrich uranium and the size of nuclear stockpiles it could retain, Araghchi added.  Ahead of talks, Iranian officials signaled readiness to reduce enrichment levels to the 3.67% set in the 2015 deal with the Obama administration, which was enough to produce fuel for nuclear power plants, NYT reported.  Omans Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Witkoff and Araghchi agreed that the next phase of the talks aims to seal a "fair" deal.  Iranian officials made it clear the country's nuclear infrastructure would not be disassembled or destroyed.  Witkoff warned that if the US insists on full dismantlement of this infrastructure, a deal is unlikely.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250420/archbishop-markell-calls-on-orthodox-people-in-moldova-to-remain-committed-to-canonical-church-1121900571.html

Archbishop Markell Calls on Orthodox People in Moldova to Remain Committed to Canonical Church

Archbishop Markell Calls on Orthodox People in Moldova to Remain Committed to Canonical Church

Sputnik International

BALTI, Moldova (Sputnik) - Archbishop Markell of Balti and Falesti, who was not allowed to fly to Israel for the Holy Fire by the Moldovan authorities twice, called on the Orthodox Christians in Moldova to remain committed to the canonical church, which is a part of the Russian Orthodox Church, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Sunday.

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Markell conducted the Easter service in the St. Constantin and Helena Cathedral. He gave the parishioners a piece of the Holy Fire, which was brought to Moldova by the delegation of the Moldovan Orthodox Church. Alongside with the canonical Moldovan metropolis, which is a part of the Russian Orthodox Church, there is also the Bessarabian metropolis in Moldova, which is a part of the Romanian Orthodox Church. This year the Orthodox Easter is celebrated on April 20. In Moldova, where 97% of the people identify themselves as the Orthodox Christians, this is one of the most respected religious events. On the eve of Easter solemn services are conducted in all the churches of the country. The Orthodox Church of Moldova is a self-governing part of the Russian Orthodox Church that unites 70% of the residents of Moldova and Transnistria. Metropolitan of Chisinau and All Moldova Vladimir (Nicolae Cantarean) has repeatedly expressed regret that the current authorities of the country avoid dialogue with the church. Markell was stopped at the Chisinau airport on Thursday for a lengthy security check and missed his flight to Israel where he planned to attend the traditional Holy Fire ceremony. Markell told reporters that he would make another attempt to fly to Jerusalem on Friday evening. However, a Sputnik correspondent reported that the archbishop was once again prevented from boarding.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250419/eu-globalists-violate-religious-freedom-by-crackdown-on-archbishop-markell-1121893516.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250420/christ-is-risen-russian-warriors-celebrateeaster-at-the-frontline-1121900280.html

Christ is Risen! Russian Warriors Celebrate Easter at the Frontline

Christ is Risen! Russian Warriors Celebrate Easter at the Frontline

Sputnik International

The sacred feast of Christs victory over death holds profound significance for the Russian military. Here is how it is celebrated.

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Christ's Victory. On the eve of Easter, military chaplains of the Tsentr Group of Forces delivered blessed Easter cakes to frontline units and conducted festive services, so that every serviceman could partake in the joy and sacred significance of this holy day.With God's Help. A copy of the icon of the "Savior Not Made by Hands" was presented to servicemen of the Tsentr Group of Forces. The handover took place at the Saur-Mogila memorial complex in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).Underground Churches. On the eve of the feast, military chaplains visited churches built underground by Russian paratroopers in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Easter cakes were delivered to paratroopers stationed on the Dnepr River islands by drones.Guarding the Peace of Easter. Servicemen of the tank battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District celebrate Easter during combat duty. Military chaplain Father Ioann visited a tank crew to bless their Easter meal.Finding the Spirit of Faith. Soldiers of the Vostok Group of Forces commemorate Easter with profound reverence and steadfast faith. The sacred service was led by Archpriest Pyotr Gritsenko, assistant to the chief chaplain in the special military operation zone.Family Traditions. On the eve of Easter, military chefs and bakers of the Vostok Group prepared Easter cakes in two shifts to provide festive sets for all units, using family recipes passed down through generations.Unity of Army and People. More than 200 Easter cakes for local residents were blessed at the previously destroyed Church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene in Avdeevka, DPR, according to Father Andrei Karpets, the head priest of the church.Unity of Historic Rus. In his Easter address, Patriarch Kirill urged the faithful to pray for "a lasting and just peace across historic Rus."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240222/land-of-churches-and-vast-grasslands-why-are-westerners-moving-to-russia-1116922240.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250420/eu-does-everything-to-prevent-peace-in-ukraine---french-politician-1121900726.html

EU Does Everything to Prevent Peace in Ukraine - French Politician

EU Does Everything to Prevent Peace in Ukraine - French Politician

Sputnik International

The European Union does everything to prevent establishment of peace in Ukraine and makes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy take an uncompromising position, chairman of the French right-wing Patriots party Florian Philippot told Sputnik.

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"Any truce is welcomed, if it enables resuming of the dialogue for peace negotiations. Unfortunately, the EU does everything to undermine the dialogue and pushes Zelenskyy to take an uncompromising position, which prevents peace," Philippot said. The politician added that the truce declared by Russia is "a very positive step forward." Philippot also said that France could contribute to reaching peace, if it was free from the EU. Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian troops strictly observed the Easter truce, however, the Ukrainian side violated the ceasefire and carried out 900 drone strikes and ammunition drops on Russian territories overnight, which led to civilian casualties.On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Easter truce. It came into effect at 18:00 Moscow time (15:00 GMT) on Saturday and will last until midnight from Sunday to Monday (21:00 GMT on Sunday).Putin said on Saturday that he assumed that Ukraine would follow Russia's example and comply with the truce. At the same time, Putin noted that Russian troops must be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250420/israel-will-not-end-gaza-war-until-hostages-returned-hamas-destroyed---netanyahu-1121896017.html

Israel Will Not End Gaza War Until Hostages Returned, Hamas Destroyed - Netanyahu

Israel Will Not End Gaza War Until Hostages Returned, Hamas Destroyed - Netanyahu

Sputnik International

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the Palestinian movement Hamas has again rejected a deal to free some hostages, and stressed in this regard that Israel will not end the war in the Gaza Strip until it achieves the return of all those kidnapped and completely eliminates Hamas' potential.

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"We will not end the war of revival until we destroy Hamas in Gaza, until we return all our hostages, and until we ensure that the Gaza Strip no longer poses a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said in an address to the nation. At the end of the week, Palestinian radicals again rejected a proposal that would have led to the release of half of the living hostages still in Gaza and the return of the bodies of a number of dead hostages, the prime minister said. "The Hamas movement demands an end to the war and the preservation of its power. It also demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the restoration of Gaza with the attraction of capital that will allow it to rearm and prepare new attacks on us. Ending the war on these terms of capitulation will make it clear to all of Israel's enemies that by kidnapping Israelis, the State of Israel can be brought to its knees," the prime minister noted. On March 18, Israel resumed strikes on the Gaza Strip, citing Hamas' refusal to accept the US plan to extend the ceasefire, which expired on March 1. Israel cut off electricity supply to a desalination plant in the Gaza Strip and closed off entry to trucks carrying humanitarian aid.

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israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu said on saturday that the palestinian movement hamas has again rejected a deal to free some hostages, and stressed in this regard that israel will not end the war in the gaza strip until it achieves the return of all those kidnapped and completely eliminates hamas' potential.
Brue Hanover sealed the deal on another $36,000 Preferred Pace at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday, April 19 and notched his fifth straight victory in the process.

Brue Hanover (Travis Cullen) settled into the center of the car in post five and as the car drew away, he charged into a three-way sprint between Jabberwocky (Trevor Henry) and Poseidon Seelster (Bob McClure). Jabberwocky was the first to click the quarter in :26.2 with Brue Hanover to his outside, but Brue Hanover quickly gained control and never looked back. After the :55.1 half, Brue Hanover could hear the hoof beats approaching on the outside, but he never faced an anxious moment. Posting the three-quarters in 1:23, the David Menary student completed his five bagger with a 1:50.3 clip by a half length. Write Me A Rose (Tyler Borth) sprinted late to take second with Poseidon Seelster third.

Owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, the five-year-old Stay Hungry - Blind Ambition gelding won his seventh race from nine starts this year and moved his career record to 25-9-11 with $469,545 banked. Brue Hanover paid $2.50 as the bettors' choice in the mile.

Whichwaytothebeach ($10.80) achieved a career milestone on the Saturday evening card with his victory in the second race as he passed the $1 million mark in career earnings. Driven by Travis Henry for trainer Garry Merner and owner Gino Toscani, the seven-year-old gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere - Swinging Beauty won the $28,000 conditioned pace in 1:51.2, landing him a spot among the millionaires with career earnings now showing $1,002,973. He is a winner of 26 races in 108 lifetime starts.

A single Pop-Up Series class went to the gate on Saturday, carrying a $14,000 purse as part of the second leg of the series. The series was open to horses and geldings that are non-winners of $15,000 in 2025 or not averaging $1,400 per start in 2024 or 2025.

Batterup Hanover ($7.90) collected his victory in 1:52.3 with Bob McClure holding the lines for trainer Ben Hollingsworth and owners Debbie Francis, Rosanne Langille, Douglas Lowthers, and Chantel Langille. The Betting Line - Beachbunny Hanover gelding worked his way from eighth to the three-quarter pole up to the win by a length at the wire.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(Standardbred Canada)
In this week's edition of Rewind Robert Smith recalls the very long and successful career of well known horseman Patrick Joseph "Pat" Crowe who recently passed away at the age of 87.



Cam Fella and his trainer driver Pat Crowe

Followers of harness racing recently lost one of the sport's longest serving members with the passing of Pat Crowe on March 27, 2025. He was 87 and had spent the major part of his life around the sport and business he loved so dearly. At the tender age of just 12, Pat started his dedication to harness racing by assisting his father Clarence in the building of a racetrack on family owned property.

The track venture was at Crowe's birth area in Simcoe County north of Barrie at a small place called Orr Lake. The track was a family affair and quite a venture for the senior Crowe who had dabbled in other business ventures such as running a dance hall. In 1949 the dream of creating a racetrack on a farm field became a reality. It was quite a happening.

In 1949 two race meetings were held at the newly created Orr Lake track. It became a popular spot for a number of years and was one of many stops as small venues hosted harness racing across this area in north central Ontario.



The racetrack at Orr Lake built by Clarence Crowe opened in 1949 and attracted many fans and horse people travelled quite a distance to compete. The scene above shows the start of a race using the mobile starting gate which was just making its introduction in harness racing at this time

Also at about that time the very young Mr. Crowe secured his first job grooming horses for Jack Waples, Keith's father. It was perhaps his official entry into the world of harness racing beyond his family. In later years Pat also worked in the Keith Waples stable, back in the Montreal days when both Blue Bonnets and Richelieu Park were very popular spots. When Pat went on his own it was not unusual for Keith to call on him to drive in his absence on occasion, knowing that he had learned his lessons well.

His drive and determination combined with an immense talent in his chosen profession would lead him on a long career. While he will forever be remembered for his two years of racing Cam Fella, affectionately known as "The Pacing Machine", he also covered a lot of ground with a multitude of other horses during his many years in the sport.

Early in his life Pat had to overcome extreme adversity when a disastrous auto accident nearly left him crippled. In 1957 at age 20 he and a close personal friend, Jack Tipping, were travelling on Highway 401 in Eastern Ontario when their car struck a transport truck. Pat was sleeping at the time and his friend was killed in the collision. Pat sustained serious leg and ankle injuries and was told at a Cornwall, Ont. hospital that he would never walk again.

At this young age he was not about to accept this devastating diagnosis. Armed with a strong will to recover he spent over two years in rehab and beat all odds when he completely recovered. It was said that much of his miraculous recovery was achieved because of his strong will to beat the odds. While the injury left some residual aggravation he was able to live a normal life.

In 1963 the Ontario Jockey Club built its first new track at Campbellville, Ont. and named it Mohawk Raceway. The following is an excerpt from a Rewind column published in 2019 recalling that time in history.

"On the evening of Friday April 26, 1963 a reported 4,338 fans flocked to the opening of Mohawk Raceway. A nine-race card greeted them and when the pacer David Hal B and driver Pat Crowe crossed the finish wire a winner in the first race in 2:09.1, yet another milestone in Canadian harness racing entered the books. The purses on opening night ranged from a low of $500 to a high of $1,400 for the featured sixth race which was won by Adios Dominion driven by Ken Galbraith."

In May of 2013 when Mohawk observed its 50th anniversary Pat Crowe was in a reminiscent mood as he recalled the start up of Mohawk. I remember the race very well, admitted Crowe, who, at the time, was 25 years of age. He (David Hal B) was just a cheap horse, but he got the job done that day. Its pretty amazing how things have changed since then.

Some 20 years after this happened, Pat scored the first win at the then new Canterbury Downs in Minnesota. It was a repeat of history.

While many of Pat's most memorable moments involved his successes with Cam Fella he also enjoyed some other notable achievements in the sulky. One such event occurred in December of 1984 at Kingston, Ontario. The following excerpt recalls that record setting day.

"Sunday, December 30, 1984 turned out to be a pretty good day for 47-year-old horseman Pat Crowe, originally from Orr Lake, Ont. He made the best of his rather lengthy trip to Eastern Ontario to compete at Kingston Park. At the end of the 11-race program Crowe counted eight winning drives. This performance equalled the current North American record and obviously set a new personal record as well as setting a new high at Kingston Park. A crowd of 856 fans bet a total of $87,922 as they watched a masterful performance by Mr. Crowe."

While Pat Crowe maintained a fairly large public stable for many years he also found time to do some catch driving when the opportunity presented itself. One such notable instance was in 1970 when he got the call to drive an outstanding three-year-old pacer named High Ideal. Most often driven by either Keith or Ronnie Waples, Pat got the call when they were not available.

This colt was Canadian owned by Wm. Ellerington of Exeter and trained by noted colt expert Russel Miller of Dutton Ont., a man described by Pat as "the best ever trainer in the business." During this season he was asked to drive this son of Bret Hanover on five occasions and returned to the winner's circle on every try!



A happy gathering following a win by High Ideal in the Geers Stake at Wolverine Raceway in Detroit. In the upper photo trainer Russell Miller is on the far left next to driver Pat Crowe with owner Wm. Ellerington holding the winner's trophy

In 1982 and 1983 Pat experienced what few if any people in the world of harness racing ever realize. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. He took over the training and driving duties of one of the truly all time greats in the entire world of harness racing, Cam Fella. Purchased by Norm Clements and Norm Faulkner following his two-year-old campaign from Doug Arthur he was placed in the hands of a then 45-year-old Pat Crowe. From here he went on to achieve greatness and rewrote many records. His fan following was one of the greatest ever.

What that duo accomplished in just two seasons of racing was truly amazing. They put together a magnificent record of 58 victories, six seconds and two thirds in 69 starts during the final two years of his career. He closed out a brilliant career on the crest of 28 consecutive victories. "The Pacing Machine" retired the richest pacer of all time with earnings of $2,041,367.



Roosevelt Raceway President William B. Hopkins (right) presents driver Pat Crowe with a silver bowl in honour of Cam Fella setting a new world record for consecutive victories (25) in one season. Greg Coleman is at the far left and co-owner Norm Clements is next to Pat.

They travelled across both Canada and the U.S. winning race after race against the absolute best talent that then existed. They raced over all sizes of tracks and faced a shipping and training schedule that was extremely difficult. Through it all they prevailed and thrilled fans wherever the schedule demanded.



Cam Fella, 1982 Horse of the Year, and driver Pat Crowe as depicted by the talented artist Philip Berkeley in a realistic painting. This horse was U.S. Horse Of The Year in both 1982 and 1983.

I think that most observers would agree that Pat did a great job and helped to author one of the great and enduring stories of the 20th century of harness racing. Cam Fella's exploits became legendary. He became the first horse to ever capture both the Canadian and the U.S. "Horse of the Year" awards in consecutive years.

Some 40 plus years have passed since the two great seasons authored by Cam Fella and Pat Crowe and I don't believe too many, if any, have come close to the unforgettable show they put on back in 1982 and 1983. Farewell to Pat Crowe and thanks for so many memories.

Pat Crowe Picture Gallery



Cam Fella makes one of many trips to the winner's enclosure during the 1983 season, this one at Greenwood on Canadian Pacing Derby Day. From left: driver Pat Crowe, Cam Fella, caretakers Peter Houck and Doug Marshall while Rod Seiling (second from right) presents owners Norm Clements (third from right) and Norm Faulkner (far right) with yet another trophy compliments of Racetracks of Canada. Photo by Steve Tombosso.



Wm. Rowe left greets driver Pat Crowe trackside at Windsor Raceway where he raced for many years including the 1965 season when the track opened.



Cam Fella with (left to right) Norm Clements, Pat Crowe and Norm Faulkner. The two Norms were co-owners.

Quote For The Week: "Sharing tales of those we've lost is how we keep from really losing them." - From Mitch Albom, radio host and noted author of inspirational books

Who Is It?

Can you identify this fellow and his very famous equine partner?

Who Else is it?

Can you identify the two gentlemen on either side of the horse in this photograph? If you recognize the horse, include that name too.

The correct answers will be posted here by Robert as a comment in a few days.

Happy Easter To Everyone! This year with a relatively late observance of Easter Sunday, we are supposed to have a late spring according to folklore. So far that old wisdom seems to be true.

The observance of Easter is a wonderful way to start a new season. Experiencing the rebirth of everything living is a miracle in itself. To see buds emerge from previously dormant trees and shrubs is inspirational. The warmth of the sun and the greening of the landscape gives new hope once again. The birth of farm animals is always a special occurrence. I love to drive across the countryside and see the spring planting; it brings back special memories. Hopefully that will be soon.

Because of foaling taking place around Easter I suspect that a number of horses were named based on being born either on Easter Sunday or at a time close to it. I can recall such names as Easter Sunday Bars, Easter Sonnet, Easter Goose, Easter Royal, Easter Parade, Easter Rose, Easter Dawn, Easter Majesty...and the list could go on forever.

Note: Back in 1969 O.J.C. publicity man Bill Galvin organized the Easter Sonnet Poetry Contest. Almost 500 poems were written about Easter Sonnet and many people visited Jimmy Holmes' barn to visit the real Easter Sonnet.

I hope everyone enjoys their Easter season and many will observe it by gathering with loved ones to savour the many foods associated with this time of year.
LINCOLN  One of the most historic and largest multigenerational ranches in the Nebraska Sandhills  owned by only two families since the Cherry County land was settled in the late 1800s  is poised to find new owners.

With an asking price of $50 million, the 55,136 acres could rake in the biggest sum ever for a Nebraska ranch.

Located in the nations No. 1 cow county  and including nine miles of the Snake River, eight miles of Gordon Creek, 26 solar wells, 79 windmills, 20-plus artesian flowing wells and an airplane hangar  the property has grabbed the attention of potential buyers from numerous states.

But not all are happy with the idea of the sale.

Not all want to sell

Some members of the Abbott family, which bought the property from the Metzgers over a half-century ago, object to letting go of the ranch where whitetail and mule deer run, walleye and trout fishing is common, and the Ogallala Aquifer nourishes grassy meadows for acres.

Chris, who has been the ranchs main steward, wants to hold onto the operation, but the majority of the five brothers and sisters who are major shareholders have voted to sell and focus on other areas of their lives.

Its an emotional struggle that, without discussing specifics of the ranch, Nebraska State Sen. Tanya Storer said many Sandhills natives can relate to.

Being part of a multigenerational ranch family myself, sometimes even selling a specific pasture can be emotional, said Storer, who lives in Cherry County.

She says the ranch is a cornerstone of the north-central Nebraska region, with the Abbott family legacy entrenched not only in the cattle but banking industries. While new owners are always welcome, Storer said, the bond is really never the same as with families that have grown up together, branded together and have run to each others aid when fires or other ranch tragedies hit.

Its the interwovenness of the experience, the culture of what we do, said the lawmaker from Whitman.

Mike Abbott, who at age 67 is the youngest of the siblings and among those ready to sell, said he wouldnt change any of his ranch experiences, including 4-H and riding horseback to a one-room schoolhouse.

He recalls his mom and dad, Art and Patricia, buying the ranch from Woodrow Metzger in 1969. Mike was about 10 years old then, though generations of the Abbotts have lived in the area since the turn of the 20th Century.

Yep, that was my childhood, said Mike, president of the corporation that owns the property. Then, ranching provided well for my family. But it was different for my three kids.

He called ranching a changing industry, and said his own three children have ventured into other work. The sale of the ranch should allow Abbott family members to support younger generations in their endeavors, he said.

Mama cow country

Marketing the ranch for sale is Hall and Hall, a brokerage firm based in the county seat of Valentine.

Agent Mark Johnson said torn feelings are commonplace in his business and can be magnified with multigenerational ranch land. He also worked on the recent sale of the Dumbbell Ranch, which was mostly situated in Cherry County and attracted national attention for its quirky name, rich history and size of 15,500 acres.

In that case, the two siblings who controlled the Dumbbell, despite sentimental attachment, agreed on selling. One sibling was immersed in a computer career in Colorado, and his sister was about to get married again.

Her daughters had more pressing interests than to oversee the operation and, as Anne Anderson Bennet said at the time: We love the Sandhills. Our family loves ranching. Its time to move on.

Even larger, the Metzger Ranch, also known as the Abbott Ranch, is a rock in the county known for having the most cows in the United States, Johnson said, calling Cherry County the best place for a mama cow.

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Nebraska, and cattle production represents the largest segment of the industry, notes the Nebraska Beef Council.

Just the sheer size of it is extremely notable, Johnson said of the Abbott property. His team, whose expertise is in ranches, believes the asking price surpasses all other Nebraska ranches to date.

Since hitting the market earlier this month, Johnson said, hes fielded interest from people in Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming and Montana. He said they include land investors and ranchers, some attracted to the subirrigated land where drought is not as common and others who feel pushed out of their current regions by non-agricultural development.

He suspects potential buyers will see an opportunity to invest in a hard asset versus the stock market.

The cows arent included in the price tag, but the real estate listing shows the ranch as a 2,500-head cow/calf year-round operation. Included in the sale are five homes, a bunkhouse. Theres a horse barn, cattle working facilities and other outbuildings.

Rarely do ranches of such large acreage and quality come to market, says the Hall and Hall web site. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone who dreams of a future in land ownership and cattle production.

Land with long ties

After News Channel Nebraska reported the real estate listing, the family sent a statement from the children of Chris Abbott, who described their dad as the decades-long main steward of the ranch.

A.J. and Carver Abbott and Alicia Abbott Clark said in the statement that their dad, who they said grew the cow herd and land mass, would never vote to sell the ranch. They said his four siblings did vote to sell, and one has since retracted.

The cattle, hills, meadows, trees, river ground, summer pastures, windmills, fence lines, etc., run deep in our Dads soul. As a working rancher since he was a child, Chris has developed pride, respect and callouses, they wrote.

The three said many have reached out to them, and they wanted people to know that all was done to try and convince the on-paper majority owners not to sell.

Their hope, they said, is that someone with a whole hell of a lot of money and vision will hear about what is going on and will partner in the ranch, or that Dads siblings will accept our lease offer.

Mike Abbott said he and wife Pam want the next owner to value and appreciate all the natural resources the land can offer and be exceptional stewards to it.

My favorite memories were working alongside my dad all those years, no matter the task, the youngest sibling said. His dad, Art, passed away in 1986 and mom, Patricia (Frank), died in 2009.

Hard decision

Storer said her heart hurts for any family that, for whatever reason, closes a ranching chapter.

There is something unique about the Sandhills. It becomes part of you, she said. If and when you have to separate from that, it certainly leaves an empty spot in your soul.

Mike Abbott expects some of the Abbott family to remain in the area after a sale. His sisters and major shareholders are Andrea Berger, Diane Shadbolt and Helen Feller. Grandchildren have expanded the number of stakeholders in the ranch.

He didnt want to discuss or add to any conflict, but he said a sale would get more complicated over time, and now seemed the best way for most involved.

This was a very very hard decision, said Mike Abbott. Weve got to move forward.
VATICAN CITY  Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless thousands of people in St. Peter's Square and treat them to a surprise popemobile romp through the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause as he continues his recovery from a near-fatal bout of double pneumonia.

Viva il Papa! (Long live the pope), Bravo! the crowd shouted as Francis looped through the square in his open-topped popemobile and then up and down the main avenue leading to it. He stopped occasionally to bless babies brought up to him, a scene that was common in the past but unthinkable just a few weeks ago as the 88-year-old pope fought for his life.

Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter! Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since he was released from the hospital March 23 after a five-week stay.

Francis didn't celebrate the Easter Mass in the piazza, delegating it to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica. But after the Mass ended, Francis appeared on the loggia balcony over the basilica entrance for more than 20 minutes and imparted the apostolic blessing in Latin.

The crowd below, estimated by the Vatican to be more than 35,000, erupted in cheers as a military band kicked off rounds of the Holy See anthem.

In all, Francis was outside on a sunny spring day for around 50 minutes, with temperatures at 70 Fahrenheit in a piazza awash in daffodils, tulips and other flowers donated by the Netherlands for Easter.

It is excellent, a miracle, said Margarita Torres Hernandez, a pilgrim from Mexico who was in the square. Now that he has come out, for me its a miracle, its something very big, very beautiful.

On his way to the basilica, Francis met briefly in his hotel with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was spending Easter in Rome with his family. The Vatican said the encounter lasted just a few minutes and was designed to allow for an exchange of Easter greetings.

Francis, for his part, gave Vance three big chocolate Easter eggs to give to his three young children.

I know you have not been feeling great but its good to see you in better health, Vance told the pope. Thank you for seeing me.

In all, Vances motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes. The vice president later joined his family for Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four pontifical basilicas in Rome. The Vances visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul that is said to be located there.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, and the pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

Francis has appeared in public only a handful of times since returning to the Vatican after a 38-day hospital stay. He skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter, but he had been expected to make an appearance on Sunday.

Doctors have prescribed two months of convalescence and respiratory therapy to improve his lung function after he came down with a life-threatening case of double pneumonia. He still seems to require great effort to project his voice, and his breathing remains labored. But his voice sounded stronger than it has to date in the few words he uttered from the loggia.

It was a very touching moment for us (to see the pope)," said Marcin Popowsky, a pilgrim from Poland. "And we are very happy that we can see a pope in good shape.

Easter is the most joyful moment on the Christian liturgical calendar, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. This year, Easter is being celebrated on the same day by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, and has been marked by Russia's announced temporary Easter truce in its war in Ukraine.

Easter at the Vatican traditionally involves a Mass and the popes Urbi et Orbi blessing (Latin for to the city and the world), a papal speech delivered from the loggia that is usually a roundup of global hotspots and human suffering.

Vatican: Pope condemns 'deplorable humanitarian situation' in Gaza After delivering his Easter greetings to a crowd estimated at over 35,000 from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, Pope Francis delegated the

In the speech, read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies, Francis appealed for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as Congo and Myanmar and in other hotspots. And he made a special appeal for migrants and those affected by violence.

How much contempt is stirred up at times toward the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants! the message said. On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!

Before Sunday, Francis' biggest outing had been a visit to Romes downtown prison to spend Holy Thursday with inmates. The visit made clear his priorities as he slowly recovers: to spend time with the people most on the margins.
FULL BLOWNS music isnt made for one time of year. You can listen to it at the gym, the office, the bedroom, on rainy days, during break-ups, and as a pick-me-up.

In a genre driven by the cyclical rush to Carnival, the Hart brothers are among a growing group of deliberate outliers. Theyve always made music that lives beyond the season. That very philosophy inspired their latest single, Castaway.
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.
Opera has long been reinventing itself with innovations including supertitles (1983) so audiences could translate the foreign language they were hearing and video projections (around 2018) that enhanced stage sets and allowed opera companies to give audiences a more expansive visual experience.

Last weekend, Arizona Opera unveiled what could become the latest innovation, artificial intelligence.

The company became the first to fully integrate AI into a live opera with its concert production of Verdis Aida. While eight lead vocalists and a choir of 46 performed on the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall stage, an AI-generated full-length film of the opera played on a big screen.

The experience was far more interesting than watching a straight-up concert performance of Verdis grand opera, but there were enough head-scratching moments during the three-hour performance to beg the question: Are we really ready to go there?

Truthfully, it needs a little work.

There were some hiccups reverse-syncing the films avatars to the live vocalists, which is unlike what the audience will experience when the Tucson Symphony Orchestra performs Star Wars: The Force Awakens In Concert on May 17-18. The conductor for that performance has to sync the live orchestra with the film. On Saturday, the film was synced with the live performance, although there were a couple of times where the lips on the screen were not matching the voices on the stage.

But thats fixable. What was a little more perplexing was figuring out if we were in ancient Egypt or modern-day America.

Verdi set Aida in ancient Egypt, somewhere around 2700 to 2200 BC. Its common to recast the timeline to make a 300-year-old opera resonate with todays audience, but you couldnt tell with projection designer and film director David Murakamis film if we were in ancient, 21st century or circa WWII Greece.

The physical landscape looked to be ancient-ish Egypt but the avatars costumes were straight out of the 21st century: Radames wore capris and sneakers while the King of Egypt was rocking a tie and button-down shirt and his daughter Amneris wore a skin-tight, just-above-the-knees dress.

Battle flashback scenes showed WWII-era tanks and rifles.

And in a scene that prompted Saturdays sold-out audience at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall to laugh out loud, Radames and Aida are have a heart-to-heart on the phone  shes on an old-school rotary dial, hes on a cordless.

But the biggest problem with integrating AI into live opera was that it gave the audience one more distraction from the action on stage. There was the deliciously big-voiced choir sitting under the giant screen showing the film, the impressive cast performing in front of the choir section and the supertitles scrolling above the stage.

Add into that two pairs of trumpeters playing on the far sides of the stage in one scene and focusing on the gorgeous music Conductor Stephanie Rhodes Russell was summoning from the very fine 61-player-strong Arizona Opera Orchestra and it was dizzying.

But as Joseph Specter, making his final appearance Saturday as the operas president and general director, noted: the most important thing is staying true to the art, the voices.

In that arena, Arizona Opera hit a home run with soprano Leah Hawkins, who understandably seemed to be tiptoeing lightly into her role debut at Aida; Limmie Pulliam, who took his tenor to impossibly high highs as Radames; and soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano in a stunning vocal performance as Amneris.

Other standouts included the richly voiced bass-baritone Peter Barber as the King of Egypt and Emma Marhefka, whose soaring soprano turned the minor role of priestess into an unforgettable moment.

Saturdays performance closed out Arizona Operas season and was the finale of the 2025 Tucson Desert Song Festival.
The U.S. Forest Service gave conflicting answers on whether to expect chainsaws on Arizonas Mount Lemmon or Mount Graham, and its own map indicates logging trucks could also be coming to southwest New Mexicos Gila Wilderness.

The recently published Forest Service map puts much of Southern Arizonas Coronado National Forest and at least some of the Gila Wilderness as among more than 112 million total forested acres nationally that could be opened to commercial logging under vastly reduced environmental restrictions compared to those in force today.

U.S. Forest Service officials and the agencys parent, the Agriculture Department, classify these lands as being in an emergency situation due to wildfire risk and insect or disease infestations.

In a memo published early this month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said these areas are now authorized to allow timber-cutting under streamlined or greatly reduced environmental restrictions aimed at protecting water supplies, endangered species and historic sites, among other things.

At the same time, however, the Coronado National Forests most recent management plan, from 2018, said none of the Coronados 1.178 million acres across Southern Arizona are suitable for timber production.

And commercial logging in federal wilderness areas has been banned since Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Wilderness Act in 1964, except on wilderness lands that had pre-existing logging rights before the act was passed.

Between them, the Coronado National Forest, the Gila Wilderness and two neighboring areas in Southwest New Mexico contain more than 2,100 square miles that are already set aside as wilderness or recommended or being studied for possible wilderness protection. At least parts of those wilderness areas in both states are shown on the Forest Service map as having an emergency designation to qualify them for logging.

Asked about the possibility of these areas being logged, Forest Service officials gave contradictory responses.

On Monday, the services national press office said the Coronado wont be open to logging under the Trump administrations new orders, noting that the 2018 Coronado forest plan found no suitable timber-cutting acreage.

It observed, There is not commercial logging on the Coronado National Forest ... The Coronado National Forest will continue to use the land and resource management plan, published in April 2018, as a guide for its land management. That includes using small scale timber projects to meet resource management objectives for forest health and fuels reduction.

But after the Star wrote the press office about the presence of Coronado forest lands on its map, the press office walked back its denial on Wednesday.

Thank you for pointing that out. You are correct, we erred in the part of our response. ... The Coronado is included, and as we said, we dont have forest-level or state-specific information to share right now.

Wilderness areas

Forest Service officials also were quoted in a Bloomberg News article early this month as saying the recent emergency order doesnt apply to wilderness areas and that those areas will be left alone.

But Bloomberg reported that several other noteworthy wilderness areas, including the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho and the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness, are on the services map. But the Forest Service wouldnt comment further on the question of logging in wilderness areas, Bloomberg reported.

The Forest Services national press office didnt respond to questions from the Star seeking to confirm Bloombergs reporting. The press office also didnt answer a question about why the various wilderness areas are shown on the services map if it doesnt intend to authorize logging in them.

Nationally, more than 36 million acres of land is protected as wilderness in national forests, Bloomberg reported. Congress banned roads and logging within wilderness boundaries because the areas provide habitat for endangered species, support recreation, and protect watersheds that supply drinking water to millions of people.

Including wilderness on the maps is either an attempt to grease the skids for logging in wilderness, or sloppiness, Brian Nowicki, of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity, told the Star. If its the latter, the Forest Service can easily clear things up by putting in writing that they dont intend to undertake emergency action in wilderness. If they wont do that, it looks more like a plan to log everywhere.

Mark Allison, executive director of New Mexico Wild, told Bloomberg hes skeptical the Forest Service intends to avoid logging in wilderness areas. The Gila Wilderness Area was designated 101 years ago at the behest of pioneer ecologist Aldo Leopold.

The Agriculture Departments order calls for numerous environmental shortcuts to promote logging, including cursory environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, emergency provisions of the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act, and exemptions for emergency logging projects under a forest planning rule, Allison said.

The way the memo is written raises red flags about whether projects will comply with other laws and regulations, such as the Wilderness Act and a rule blocking road-building in some other parts of national forests, he said.

Timber industrys position

The American Forest Resources Council, a timber industry trade organization, doesnt favor logging in wilderness areas, said Nick Smith, a spokesman for the group.

It is our understanding that the (Agriculture) secretarys memo with the emergency designations for where they will treat designated forests do not go into designated wilderness areas because that requires an act of Congress, said Smith. The group supports the Agriculture Department and the Forest Services plans to boost logging in general, however..

Across the national forests, only one-third of the national forest land base is available for timber harvesting, Smith said. The question is, what more can be done with the third of the land base where the forest can be actively managed? We think more can be done. Weve harvested less than half the timber that can be harvested under existing forest plans.

The Forest Service wont have firm plans for specific areas they intend to prioritize for future logging until two things happen, the services national press office told the Star.

First, the national Forest Service office must produce a plan outlining goals, objectives and initial actions related to increasing active forest management, said an April 3 letter from Acting Associate Forest Service Chief Chris French.

Second, the services regional foresters were directed by Frenchs letter to develop five-year strategies to boost their forests timber production enough to produce a 25% increase nationally over the next four to five years. French directed that both these tasks be completed in 90 days total.

The Coronado forest falls under the control of the Southwest Regional Foresters office, based in Albuquerque.

We want to ensure we are providing accurate information, and we anticipate having a detailed map we can share next week. Well make sure you have it as soon as its available, the Forest Services national press office told the Star on Thursday.

Environmentalists here werent surprised by the services conflicting directives.

Weve been seeing this kind of contradictory, confusing things happening with the (Trump) administration, said Louise Misztal, director of the Tucson-based Sky Island Alliance, a nonprofit group that tries to protect the Coronado from environmental damage.

Theres not even a legend on this thing, said Misztal, referring to the Forest Service map. Having it in writing  its better than not having it in writing, but were just seeing a pattern of sidestepping laws and trying to remove regulations. Thats what this administration is doing.

Cost-efficiency issues

Specifically on the Coronado, the Forest Services most recent long-range management plan for the forest, from 2018, found 45,657 acres tentatively suitable for timber production.

But it also classified all but 55 of those acres as not cost efficient in meeting timber production objectives. The remaining 55 acres are recommended to be set aside as wilderness areas where commercial logging isnt allowed, the plan said.

Lands (in the Coronado) having potential commercial-grade timber are located at very high elevations of mountain ranges on four ranger districts. These areas are isolated and difficult to access, making it extremely unlikely for a single processing facility to develop a feasible business model that could incorporate most timbered lands, the 2018 Coronado plan said.

None of the ranges contains more than 15,000 acres of commercial-grade timber, and most contain much less. Even within each range, timber lands are often separated by major topographic features and/or have little or no road access.

After reviewing the Forest Service map, University of Arizona Professor Donald Falk, who specializes in fire ecology and ecological restoration, said, I can confirm that the shaded areas (on the map in Southeast Arizona) are unequivocally forested areas on the Coronado National Forest.

I dont know what the criteria were, but it appears to be all of the middle and upper elevation areas of most of the major Sky Islands, nearly all of which is managed by the Coronado, the National Park Service, or other public agencies. There is no question that the Coronado is on this map.

Falk added in an interview, The Coronado in todays climate and wildfire and land use is really not a good candidate to be a timber forest. One question is whether the Coronado is an appropriate place to be doing commercial timber extraction? The second is will this new directive minimize wildfire risk?

The two things are not the same. The reason for that is if you do timber extraction, you always want larger trees. For minimizing fire risk, you want the opposite, you want smaller trees.

Small trees, maybe 10 to 15 feet, are the key to minimizing fire risk. Those are the trees that spread wildfire, said Falk, of UAs School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Once it gets up into the canopy, the upper part of the trees, they are all connected. Theyre growing together, Falk said. Once they catch fire, they send fire to adjacent trees.

But timber industry spokesman Smith told the Star his group is not advocating industrial-style logging in national forests. The Forest Services forest plans are informed by the best available science, developed to meet very specific objectives on these unique landscapes. To say we favor industrial style logging on the forests is (creating) a straw man, he said.

The group favors the thinning of tree densities that encourage insects and disease and increase fire mortality in forests, Smith said.

Thinning and controlled burning can and should be done to reduce wildfire risk, he said. If were taking care of the forests, the forests will take care of us.
A weird feeling came over me as I walked among demonstrators at El Salvadors consulate in Tucson Wednesday, the blue and white stripes of the Salvadoran flag fluttering above the crowd on East Fifth Street.

It was the sense that I was hearing some sort of historical echo, bent by the years. The tune was familiar, but in a different key.

Americans were demonstrating at a Salvadoran consulate against that countrys government for its role in supporting our own right-wing governments human-rights abuses.

During the 1980s civil war, demonstrators in San Salvador regularly targeted the U.S. Embassy, protesting our governments role in supporting their right-wing government and its human-rights abuses.

Times change, roles reverse, but the themes remain the same: Safety vs. danger, freedom vs. repression, left vs. right.

Dora Rodriguez, a Tucsonan who fled that country in 1980, can also hear the troubling echoes.

For me, as a Salvadorian, it is terrifying, she said, reflecting back to the civil war years when government repression ramped up and she fled. In the beginning of 1980, it exploded. People my age were being arrested. I didnt even know that we had any rights. We were being arrested, disappeared, not even being jailed, being killed. It is terrifying to me that we are going back to this.

In that period, the U.S. government refused to recognize the abuses the Salvadoran government was committing, rejecting appeals for asylum from escaping Salvadorans. Thats what led the Rev. John Fife and others to start the Sanctuary Movement here in Tucson, bringing Salvadorans covertly into the United States for years. Now, El Salvador Pres. Nayib Bukele is rejecting appeals from people sent by the U.S. to El Salvador.

While the United States propped up right-wing governments in El Salvador during the civil war era, now its El Salvadors turn to bolster ours, serving as a model of authoritarian governance for the USA. Bukele has governed his country under a state of exception, in which constitutional rights are suspended, for more than three years. Hes rounded up tens of thousands of prisoners, simultaneously slashing gang violence in the country and disappearing an unknown number of innocent people.

He lifted the threat of the gangs, said Fife, who still follows Salvadoran politics. Now hes an autocratic guy whos aligning himself with Trump on everything from cryptocurrency to being the warehouse for anyone who Trump wants to deport.

A mocking refusal

In that sense its fitting that it was Bukele who walked Pres. Trump across the threshold Monday in the White House, consummating our presidents pursuit of one-man rule by together defying the U.S. Supreme Court. Bukele mocked our entire system of government when he told a reporter he would not follow our Supreme Courts ruling and send Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran mistakenly sent to prison there, back to the United States.

I hope youre not suggesting that I smuggle a terrorist into the United States, Bukele said. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? Of course Im not going to do it. The question is preposterous.

No one has ever even accused Abrego Garcia of being a terrorist, but that sort of accusation is what sustains leaders like Bukele and Trump. The idea that they are imprisoning bad people distracts from the fact that, in this case, the real issue is that our president, with the help of Bukele, is violating a Supreme Court order.

During the protest on East Fifth Street, many people held up signs with Abrego Garcias name and image, but it doesnt really matter who the prisoner is. If the administration is going to ignore court dictates and label anyone they take away as a criminal deserving it, any of us could be taken away mistakenly and sent to a Salvadoran prison. I cant imagine Bukele would sympathize with us any more than the U.S. government did with fleeing Salvadorans in the 1980s.

As Rodriguez, founder of a migrant-rights group called Salvavision, put it, The case of this young man is not about him. Its about all of us, citizen and non-citizen.

The appeal to fear

Even though the principle, not the individual, is what matters, the appeal to fear remains strong. Bukele came to power in 2019 during a severe public-safety crisis, with gangs controlling and terrorizing much of his country.

These gangs, coincidentally, are also the fruit of the civil war. Salvadorans who fled to Los Angeles grew up in gang culture there and, when deported, brought it back to El Salvador, where it flourished.

Trump has tried to create the impression that a similar crisis exists in the United States, talking up the dangers of migrant criminals and gangs and portraying himself as the man who can protect us. But the difference in conditions is stark: In 2018, the year before Bukele was elected, the homicide rate in El Salvador was 51 per 100,000. In the United States in 2023, the year before Trump was elected, it was 5.7 per 100,000 people. Preliminary reports say it dropped here in 2024.

But politicians know that Americans dont feel like crime rates are going down, and they arent going down everywhere either. In Tucson, homicide numbers are rising, and there are occasional shocking killings like the death of Jake Couch in Tucson, who was attacked randomly April 5 on a downtown street by a man with a hatchet.

So naturally, politicians are tempted by Bukele-style crime crackdowns. In his policy of sending foreigners to prisons abroad, Trump even has had support from Arizonas new U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat. He told my colleague Emily Bregel that he supports sending foreign criminals to prisons abroad if their countries wont accept them and if they get due process.

Look, what Donald Trump did was set up a trap for Democrats to run into because, of the 500 they sent there, Im sure 200 of them are actually hard-core criminals, Gallego said. Now, are we going to go run to the podium and defend and try to get those people back? No, absolutely not. What we should be highlighting are those mothers that have children being deported arbitrarily without any due process.

This is a short-sighted and overly narrow perspective on the issue and the politics, in my view. The Trump administration will try to color any wrongly arrested person they wish to as a gang member, criminal or terrorist. Just as Bukele called Abrego Garcia a terrorist, Trump pointed to a photo of his hands with obviously photoshopped characters MS13 on his knuckles as evidence he is a gang member. The photo was fake.

Raquel Gutierrez, a Salvadoran-American writer who lives in Tucson and attended the protest, put it to me this way: They create the narrative they need.

Authoritarian tradition

A crucial difference between El Salvador and the United States is that the Central American country has a long tradition of authoritarian governments, the Salvadoran historian Hector Lindo, an emeritus professor of history at Fordham University, says. And theyve often not just been authoritarian but also personalist, led by a populist figure like Bukele and Trump.

Bukeles rule, Lindo said in Spanish during a 2024 lecture, Unfortunately, is very consistent with El Salvadors trajectory.

We dont have the same tradition in the United States. Were also about 57 times as populous as El Salvador.

El Salvador is almost the size of New Jersey, Rodriguez noted. Youre able to control it because demographically its a small country. But you cant do that to this country. We are a massive number of people. (People) will speak out.

If we dont speak out, yes it is dangerous. Yes. But I have hope.

And Rodriguez plans to continue speaking out, in a way that wasnt possible in El Salvador during the civil war or now, under the Salvadoran flag on East Fifth Street.
PHOENIX  Gov. Katie Hobbs has nixed legislation designed to promote greater cooperation between local officials and federal immigration agents.

In a flurry of vetoes late Friday, the governor also rejected a host of proposed changes in state water laws, alterations to statutes governing the conduct of elections and even a prohibition against the state Department of Agriculture enacting any rules designed to ensure that laying hens have enough room to spread their wings.

And school board elections around the state wont be turned into partisan affairs as some Republicans had proposed.

Those are just some of the 33 measures from the Republican-controlled Legislature that found disfavor with the Democratic governor. That brings her veto tally so far this year up to 52.

With dozens of measures still making their way through the process, Hobbs could easily match the 73 vetoes she issued last year. But she is a long way from breaking the states all-time veto record  one she set herself in 2023  of 143.

Not everything Hobbs touched on Friday was quashed. The governor signed 38 other bills, including a controversial bill to allow Axon Enterprises to build a campus for its international headquarters, a hotel and nearly 2,000 apartments despite a local referendum that brought the plan to a halt.

Hobbs also gave her approval to impose new requirements and regulations of sober living homes which are operated by private entities to help people recover from alcohol and drug addictions. There have been a series of reported abuses where individuals were taken to these facilities but not provided any care yet the state was billed.

Theres also new stolen valor legislation to make it a felony for people to knowingly misrepresent their military record and honors for personal gain, a definition that includes running for office.

And Hobbs signed legislation to end the immunity of public agencies, including schools, if they fail to conduct background checks on staff who later go on to molest children and others. That is a direct outgrowth of efforts by attorney Gretchen Jacobs, who acted after her special needs daughter had been sexually assaulted and there was no way to hold the school liable.

There likely wont be any more bills signed or vetoed for some time to come.

Hobbs told lawmakers Thursday they should not send her anything else until they come up with a plan she finds acceptable to fully fund services for the developmentally disabled through the end of the fiscal year on June 30. Put simply, anything that reaches her desk before that will automatically be vetoed.

Arizona ICE Act vetoed

The highest profile bill that met with the governors disfavor was what was dubbed the Arizona Immigration, Cooperation and Enforcement Act, or Arizona ICE Act for short, designed to require law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Strictly speaking, the only mandated action was that when law enforcement had arrested someone accused of committing a crime, they had to hold them for up to 48 hours if federal authorities placed a detainer on them, essentially making it easier for those arrested to be deported versus immigration officials having to go into the community to find them.

But the measure also contained a broader provision against any state or local agencies from adopting or enforcing any policy that prohibits cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

To put teeth in it, it would have required the attorney general, on request from any lawmaker, to investigate and file suit against offenders. But it also would have allowed any taxpayer to file complaints with the AG and also sue if there was no action within 60 days.

Hobbs, in her veto message, said she has worked productively with the federal government to secure the border, specifically mentioning funding for a task force to stop fentanyl trafficking. But we should not force state and local officials to taking marching orders from Washington, D.C.

The veto drew immediate fire from the Republican Governors Association, which called the governors policies window dressing. That is not surprising given that Hobbs, who faces reelection next year, has been on the defensive about her border policies.

Food stamp benefit checks nixed

Hobbs also rejected a series of new procedures to verify on at least a monthly basis that food stamp recipients remain eligible, including verification of employment records, income amounts and job-search activities. While benefits under what is known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are paid for solely with federal funds, Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said it would ensure that the funds available help those most in need.

In her veto, Hobbs cited her own experience receiving food stamps.

Instead of creating needless frustration for Arizona families, I invite you to join me in more targeted efforts to secure transactions and prevent theft that robs eligible SNAP participants of their benefits, she wrote.

Groundwater, utility measures rejected

The governor also rejected four measures designed to alter specific provisions in state law dealing with the use of groundwater.

Some were technical, like extending the amount of time someone using water in the Willcox Active Management Area has to claim a grandfathered right to pump. But some created new exceptions to pumping regulations for things like growing wine grapes.

Hobbs took a slap at lawmakers for failing to take a more comprehensive look at groundwater policy statewide, calling the vetoed measures just political cover for the Legislatures inaction on water security.

There also were a couple of vetoes related to electricity and regulation.

One now-dead measure would have barred the Arizona Corporation Commission from approving shutting down any coal, natural gas or nuclear power plant source unless it was replaced by something that provided equal dispatchable energy, meaning something constantly available and, by definition, excluding things like wind and solar. The governor said Arizona needs an all-of-the-above approach to energy.

And she also found disfavor for a measure that would have allowed the construction of small modular reactors without zoning and regulatory oversight. Proponents said these could fill the needs of data centers that are large energy consumers.

This bill puts the cart before the horse by providing broad exemptions for a technology that has yet to be commercially available anywhere in the nation, Hobbs wrote in vetoing the bill.

Election bills discarded

Hobbs also returned several election-related bills to the Legislature with a veto stamp.

One would have outlawed paying individuals in cash or anything of value based on the number of voter registration forms collected, completed or submitted; the governor calling it speculation that the practice creates problems.

She also rejected a requirement that paper used for ballots must have a watermark to ensure they are valid, saying she is confident elections can be administered fairly without added expense and complexity.

And Hobbs said a requirement that anything that looks like an official election-related document must have a bold disclosure not from a government agency was so broad it could inadvertently discourage qualified citizens from registering to vote.

Other vetoed measures include:






Prince Charming wasnt deported

Fox News has been reporting on the criminal activities of illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Fox reported on a 2022 Homeland Security Investigation report that Abrego Garcia was a member of the gang MS-13. The report also identified Abrego-Garcia as a suspected participant in human trafficking in December 2022. In 2021, Prince Georges County, Md., court records filed by the wife alleged Abrego Garcia repeatedly beat her.

The guy is a real Prince Charming. If Democrats want to find an illegal alien to canonize, they ought to pick one who is clean and sympathetic. Oh, wait, none of them have been deported.

Rick Cunnington

Oro Valley

Keep it up

Please, Democrats, stick with your campaign to return to the U.S. from El Salvador, Salvadoran citizen Kilmar Abrego Garcia, MS-13 gangbanger, alleged murderer (in El Salvador) and illegal immigrant and serial wife-beater (in the U.S.), as a winning issue in 2026. Please flood El Salvador with the presence of Democratic members of the U.S. Congress, like clueless Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and see what happens. Your party will encounter another epic fail. Like men in womens sports, opposed by Americans 80-20, you just wont stop digging. Keep it up.

Steve Sollenberger

Foothills

Abrego Garcia

Thank you, Democrats, national and local, the defenders of Our Democracy have to say?

Thanks for going to bat for a known abuser. Why did this Super Dad have a restraining order issued by a judge?

What does your bumper sticker on Tucson City vehicles say about domestic abuse?

Look at his adjudication on MS-13 membership when stopped in MD. What did the judges say? MS13 or not?

You fly to El Salvador, where a Dictator has shut down this gang that was terrorizing their country.

They have committed horrible crimes against innocents here and there and you fly there to bring them back here for due process.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Who gave our citizens due process when crimes were committed against their persons & lives?

Please defend their rights.

Youre going down a rabbit hole.

Richard Barnes

East side

The Maryland father

Your readers are having a hissy fit regarding the deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant who entered in 2012. Interestingly, ICE firstly, then an immigration judge, then an appellate judge determined he was a member of MS13, therefore immediately subject to deportation. Also, a domestic abuser. MS13 has been declared a foreign terrorist organization. If returned, he will be immediately deported as the law requires. Many protests regarding the return of Garcia but no protests regarding the brutal deaths of several young women by illegal immigrants. Call me stupid, but our nations women deserve our protection by any and all means. Apparently, a significant portion of the population believes the so-called rights of a criminal illegal are far more important than those of brutally murdered women. Uncontrollable hatred has so infected a significant number of far-left liberals that they have lost all reality regarding right versus wrong and common sense has disappeared. Illegals are more important and have more rights than valid citizens.

Loyal M Johnson Jr

Oro Valley

Democrats

The Dems have found their purpose after the 2024 elections. They now support illegals who are classified terrorists. The Salvadorian man who entered the U.S. illegally in 2012 who was found to be a part of MS-13 by two separate Federal courts, married a U.S. citizen while in jail, beat her up twice and injunctions filed against him is now the poster boy for the Dems. He is referred to by the media as the Maryland man ,inferring he is a citizen. The hate for Trump is so great the media is distorting the truth and passes the lies on. The individual has been deported to his home country. The Biden administration did nothing and allowed him to stay in the U.S.

Bill Dowdall

Oro Valley

With friends like this ...

I just finished a book by Jim DeFede titled The Day the World Came to Town. It is the extraordinary story of a small town in Newfoundland and what they did on 9/11.

Immediately after the Trade Center attacks, American air space was locked down and 460 commercial flights were diverted to Canadian towns from coast to coast. Gander, Newfoundland, is a town of 10,000 and they became the host to 36 planes with 6,000 people on board. The book details how the people there literally gave the shirts off their backs to help the stranded passengers and crew for 3 days. The story of how they went so far above and beyond kindness is close to unbelievable.

It is sickening to read how these people helped us then and to see a vile wretch go there now and tell them they need to be state No. 51.

Tim Canny

Oracle

The three branches of US government

1. The guy who does whatever he wants.

2. The people too scared to stop him.

3. The courts he openly ignores.

Terry Louck

East side

Coming for homegrowns soon

Both Trump and Tom Homan stated they would not rule out deporting U.S. citizens, excuse me  homegrowns. They planned to do just that to further challenge the American legal system. Its happened.

The Florida Highway Patrol stopped a car on Thursday and arrested the passenger, turning him over to ICE. Juan Carlos Lopez Gomez, 21, is a US (Georgia)-born American citizen. An ICE hold will keep him in jail for 48 hours. His mother and a community advocate presented his birth certificate and Social Security card during a hearing, but the judge refused to release him.

The charges? Two months ago, Florida passed an anti-immigration law, even though it is currently under restraining order and shouldnt be enforced. ICE stated that he is an unauthorized alien.

As it appears, ICE authorities are following Trump, who believes disobeying court orders is within his authority. Is disregarding Lopez Garcias natural-born U.S. citizenship a Trump-approved order to further test the Court?

Sheldon Metz

Northeast side

Paul Revere Day ... one if by land

As I write this letter, it is Friday, April 18, sometimes known as Paul Revere Day. It is the 250th anniversary of that famous event in 1775. Many of you may know the rest of the story but some of you may not. On that night, the signal from the steeple of the old North Church was two lit lanterns indicating the British would attack from the sea. This year, April 18, 2025, the signal from the highest point in America should be one lantern, indicating the attack is coming by land by domestic enemies attacking the very foundations of our democracy in violation of the constitution upon which we were founded and in violation of the very sacred oath they each took to protect these United States of America. Prepare yourself. Speak out. Exercise your freedom of speech now before it is taken away tomorrow.

Retired USAF A10 Warthog pilot and retired American Airlines Captain,

Phil Bulldog Bentley

Foothills

Ciscomani doublespeak

Rep. Ciscomani claims to represent his constituents in AZ but acts to please the oligarchy. He signed onto the Letter to Speaker Johnson from the Congressional Hispanic Conference. This letter asks that funding for Medicaid, Pell Grants and SNAP programs not be cut because such cuts would greatly affect Hispanic communities. But this same letter supports the reauthorization of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act- ostensibly to protect the Child Tax Credit and prevent reckless taxation. This is typical Ciscomani doublespeak because the proposed cuts to the programs are a direct result of the $4 billion cost of the proposed extension of the tax cuts! The letter does not propose a solution to this problem, yet the solution is simple  vote against extension of the tax cuts that will benefit the Wealthy and then there is no need to cut programs that benefit constituents!

Wendy Anderson

Foothills

Your own reality

The followers of Trump have to be really agile in their morals and connection to reality. In a LTE from Mr. McConnell, he claims that Dems hate blindly. His claim that Tesla owners who bought their car before the Muskrat proved himself to be a corrupt tool of the right, are above shame for owning a Tesla, is wrong. Those are not related by cause. The hatred may or may not exist in the person who flipped off his friend. It may have been the result of the driver having an all-too-frequent unpleasant driving experience.

McConnell goes on to say that Dems can no longer claim they are the party of Clean Energy. This was stated because his friend traded his Tesla for an imported hybrid. McConnell is making this stuff up in his weak mind. How can he connect his friends solitary act to what the Democrats may or may not have as policy. Just blame Hunters missing PC or Hillary. Stupid and not in reality.

Jeff Rayner

SaddleBrooke

God works in mysterious ways ...

God may work in mysterious ways, but the Arizona Legislature doesnt. By mandating religious clerics in state-run schools, members of the Legislature have left no doubt that they are reviling and attempting to cancel the American and constitutional principle of separation of church and state. Lets hope the courts still stand to protect the principle and the Constitution.

Barbara Benjamin
Staying in touch: Congress is out for two weeks, but some members of Oklahomas congressional delegation have been busy on social media.

U.S. Sen. James Lankford posted photos and videos of himself around the state, including a visit with a school counselor in Stroud and activities surrounding the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing.

Probably the most visible, though, has been Sen. Markwayne Mullin, whos divided his posts between politics and updates on his familys medical issues.

On the personal side, Mullin reported that the spots on son Andrews lungs are not cancer and that tests at the Mayo Clinic to determine what they are were continuing through Friday.

Meanwhile, Mullin continues to recover from eye surgery, his wife, Christie, from a knee operation, and his mother, Brenda, from a stroke.

Markwayne and Andrew Mullin also heartily endorsed a Minnesota pizzeria they drove 90 minutes to try on the recommendation of personality Dave Portnoy.

Politically, Mullin continued extolling (or defending, depending on point of view) his friend President Donald Trump.

On Wednesday, Mullins account posted what appeared to be a comment on Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, whom the Trump administration said it mistakenly included in a group of 238 Latin American immigrants it sent to an El Salvador prison.

Liberals are throwing themselves in front of an illegal alien criminal MS-13 gang member with a deportation order, read Mullins post. You cannot make this up.

Second District Congressman Josh Brecheen also joined in, referring to a Fox News report about a domestic violence complaint filed by Abrego Garcias wife four years ago.

Its outrageous that Democrats would continue to demand the release of an MS-13 gang member who was illegally in our county and is a citizen of El Salvador, said Brecheens post.

Where is the outrage for the countless Americans who have lost loved ones due to their reckless open-border policies?

The Trump administration itself, however, conceded that Abrego Garcia was not supposed to be on the flight to El Salvador. His only connections to MS-13 are an unconfirmed 2019 statement by an unnamed confidential informant and the clothes he was wearing when arrested with several other men outside a building supply store.

A judge subsequently ruled that Abrego Garcia could stay in the U.S., and the first Trump administration did not appeal.

According to reports, the current administration could have plausibly asked a court to lift the original order, since Abrego Garcia did enter the country illegally in 2011 and was allowed to remain because of threats against his life that may no longer be valid, but it didnt.

In any event, the argument against Abrego Garcias treatment is not that hes a good guy but that he was picked up and transported to a foreign prison without due process and in violation of a court order.

As a footnote, experts say there is no evidence that illegal immigrants are more prone to murder or other violence than the general population  which, of course, is not much consolation to those whose loved ones have been killed by someone in the country unlawfully.

Salvador: First District Congressman Kevin Herns office confirmed that he was part of a Republican House junket to Central America last week that included a stop in El Salvador and a visit to the prison where the Trump administration says it mistakenly sent Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia along with 237 other Venezuelan immigrants.

The contingent led by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri reportedly was exploring economic development and mutual cooperation prospects.

Early returns: Herns campaign filed a 2,534-page first quarter report with the Federal Election Commission that shows $650,500 in receipts, nearly $300,000 in expenditures and more than $1.5 million in cash on hand.

The report lists $92,555 from individuals, $323,000 from political action committees and $234,500 transferred from other committees, including joint fundraising committees.

Herns only announced opponent, Democrat John Croissant, reported receipts of $9,580.

Mullin, who is up for reelection next year, reported first-quarter receipts of just under $500,000, including $275,500 from political action committees, $186,500 from individuals and $36,000 from joint fundraising committees.

The filings also indicate that Mullin still owes himself more than $400,000 of the $1 million he put into his 2022 campaign.

Mullin has no announced opponent for his Senate seat, and no opponents to Oklahomas other four House members up for reelection in 2026 have registered with the FEC.

Lankfords current term runs through 2028.

Chinese checkers: Brecheen is going after a Manhattan-based organization that offers know your rights seminars with New Yorks Asian population.

Brecheen and others accuse the Chinese-American Planning Council of using federal grants to teach immigrants how to thwart immigration officials.

The organization denies the charges.

Brecheen and Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee ordered the council to produce records related to the seminars and the organizations activities.

Dots n dashes: Christie Mullin is chairing a rural initiative of the America First Policy Institute, which was formed in 2021 by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.  Former Oklahoma Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon was named Rollins senior advisor on rural prosperity.  Former NASA Administrator and 1st District Congressman Jim Bridenstine, now a key player in space industries, told Fox Business that China is technologically surrounding Taiwan in such a way as to make it more difficult for the United States to defend.  Tulsa Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer recently attended a Wednesday Easter dinner in the White House.  Offshore oddsmakers dont seem to think much of the constitutional prohibition on third presidential terms, or age for that matter  theyve installed Trump as the second favorite behind J.D. Vance to win the 2028 presidential election.

The Tulsa World is where your story lives
OKLAHOMA CITY  Thirty years to the day after she lost both of her parents in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, LaDonna Battle-Leverett spoke of the terrible loss but also of the legacy of faith and enduring love that her parents left behind.

Former President Bill Clinton talked about such things while delivering the keynote address on Saturday at a 30th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony held for victims of the blast. He said America needs the "Oklahoma Standard" now more than ever.

Battle-Leverett's parents, Calvin and Peola Battle, who had been married for 39 years and who had raised four daughters together, went to the Murrah building on April 19, 1995, to apply for disability assistance for Calvin, who had recently suffered a stroke. They were in the Social Security office when the bomb went off and were among the 168 victims, including 19 children, who died that morning.

Battle-Leverett said she was there later when Clinton spoke at the first memorial service held for the victims. She recalled how he committed the nation to helping Oklahoma recover and himself to always standing with the families of those who were lost.

On Saturday, Clinton returned to Oklahoma City, at least for the eighth time since the bombing. Battle-Leverett said she was touched by his message  consistent across three decades  that faith, love and commitment to family and neighbors will never be defeated by any act of evil.

Clinton was among several dignitaries, including Gov. Kevin Stitt and U.S. Sen. James Lankford, who spoke. More than 1,200 people, including many who lost loved ones or who rushed to the Murrah building that day as first responders, sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the sanctuary of First Church, just across the street from the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

Clinton, who spoke for about 25 minutes, often in a quiet, raspy voice that betrayed his advancing years, said he had vivid, painful recollections of the tragedy of April 19, 1995. Among those who were killed, he said, was Alan Whicher, who had been on the presidents Secret Service protection team but who had moved his family to take a new federal post in Oklahoma City.

All of us that knew him thought he was going on a much safer journey, Clinton said, which shows you how little any of us can know about what tomorrow will bring.

He said the bombing profoundly shook the nation but, in the end, brought out the best of America.

Within minutes of the blast, which occurred at 9:02 a.m., firefighters, police and other first responders in Oklahoma City descended into the smoke, flames and chaos at the site. Within an hour or so, others from Tulsa and scores of other communities in the state were either on the scene or on their way. Some little towns sent the only ambulance crews they had. Thousands of Oklahomans turned out to donate blood in hopes of saving the life of someone elses family member.

Clinton said that display of unity and of shared humanity was inspiring then, and that it remains so.

The domestic terrorists who did this awful thing believed that it was part of a nationwide upheaval against the American government and would eventually destroy our government and democracy and our way of life. Instead, you gave them the Oklahoma Standard. You gave them service, honor and commitment, he said. I know of no other example that can compare to what (was) done here, and I, as a citizen, am grateful for it.

As the tragedy continued to unfold, disaster response teams were dispatched to Oklahoma from states across the country. An example was set in Oklahoma City, Clinton said, for how the nation would endure tragedies yet to come.

He expressed hope that that example will never be forgotten and, indeed, will inspire Americans who continue to struggle with divisiveness and all-too-frequent acts of hate.

Know this: You needed your country then but make no mistake about it, your country needs you now, he said. America needs the Oklahoma Standard.

In his remarks, Stitt urged parents to teach their children about how people responded to the tragedy.

Amid that heartbreak, something powerful emerged. In the smoke and rubble and the chaos and sorrow, we saw the very best of Oklahoma, he said.

He said children should be taught about how hundreds who were hurt and thousands more whose family members were killed or injured managed to carry on, despite their grief.

You are the embodiment of resilience, Stitt said. You have turned pain into purpose and sorrow into strength.

Lankford said a sapling taken from the Survivor Tree that remains at the site of the former Murrah building was planted recently on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to serve as a reminder to millions of visitors of the resilience of Oklahomans. Notably, hundreds of other saplings from the tree were shared Saturday with people who attended the observance, no doubt to be planted in yards in towns and cities across the state.
In 1971, there were only three women serving in any state legislature. The womens movement hit hard the following year, propelling nearly 345 women into various state assemblies and legislatures  out of about 7,700 seats.

In my lifetime, the percentage of women elected as state legislators has gone from about 4% to a little over 30% this year. Oklahoma has always been on the trailing end, currently ranking 44th nationally at 22.8% of legislators being women.

Its certainly progress but still not reflective of the 51% population that women make up. It wasnt until 2019 that the Womens Legislative Caucus was formed within the Oklahoma Legislature.

Its easy to look around and think women have gained equality, and in many ways thats true. Women in my mothers generation needed a mans approval to get basic needs, from a home loan to birth control. For generations, women lost their names at marriage, being known as Mrs. Husband Name.

While improvements have been made, there remain unique challenges, both in public policy and in societal expectations. Its not just a political phenomenon; women still lag at the C-suite levels in business (estimated at 29% last year).

So why arent more women in the Oklahoma Legislature? What keeps women from seeking office?

Lack of self confidence. Monetary resources (i.e., how can I live on that salary realistically). Home and other responsibilities (i.e., how can I possibly make this work?). They cant see themselves in that role because its usually males unless you are one of those bossy type, said Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa.

The Legislature isnt built around family. There are representatives who are young or retired, said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa.

Part of it is women arent as exposed to it as much; possibility its about a personality type; and women tend to be more nurturers and home caregivers, whether thats for school children or for elderly family. Its about the stage of life for women. Its a lot harder for women with younger children. Senators and representatives have had babies while in the Legislature. Its doable, but it is rare. As a lawmaker, your time is not your own, said Rep. Denise Crosswhite-Hader, R-Piedmont.

Family responsibilities come up a lot among women when considering public office. Child care and household management still largely fall to women, and that is a bipartisan challenge.

In July 2023, former Duncan Rep. Jessica Garvin, a Republican, sought an opinion from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on whether campaign finances could be used for child care. In September last year, she finally got the answer: Yes, as long as the candidate is a childs primary caretaker.

Thats a big help, if child care can be found  an issue being tackled by Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa.

Just deciding to run can be a monumental decision. Legislators must be in Oklahoma City full-time from February to May, but the job is often year-round with constituent meetings, interim studies and other hearings. It pays $47,000 a year.

Modern legislative campaigns require more than just filling out paperwork and forking over the $500 filing fee. An entire infrastructure is needed, with jobs ranging from creating websites that can take donations to organizing canvasses.

Once in office, the farther one lives from the Capitol, the harder it is on parents. When Provenzano was elected in 2018, she made the two-hour drive home daily to be with her family. Several lawmakers have had such routines.

I had a senior in high school and was committed to being a mom. If you have kids, thats what you want to do. But it darn near exhausted me, Provenzano said.

The Oklahoma Womens Legislative Caucus remains in its infancy as a bipartisan group and struggles to gain traction. That could change as more female legislators see the value in setting an example of bipartisan, problem-solving leadership.

Right now, we have collaborative learning time to learn about bills, Provenzano said. If we can get women in a room and talk, we start coalescing around an agenda we can agree upon. In an ideal world, we can tackle issues like women in criminal justice. We just havent been able to get there yet.

Though the caucus has been slow going, bipartisan relationships among women are common. Provenzano found unifying legislation around obtaining parity in mammogram coverage.

Women have an approach of What is the problem? Lets solve the problem. Thats what we do, Provenzano said. The best pieces of legislation Ive had the honor to work on or support have been by (Republicans) Nicole Miller, Cindy Roe, Tammy West and Rhonda Baker. These are commonsense bills and about what helps people.

Additionally, female leaders who disagree often disagree well because they are respectful in their relationships.

After Crosswhite-Hader spoke in favor of a bill to ban drugs used in medication abortions, House Minority Leader Cindy Munson opened her dissent with kind words about Crosswhite-Hader, saying she believed in her sincerity and genuine motivations. Then Munson explained her different point of view.

It was nice of her to say that off-the-back into the mic; it was a way to say this is not a cat fight; this is not an attack on me; this is not about the person, Crosswhite-Hader said. Ive opposed some Republicans, too, and they arent all happy about that. Its not personal, but I want to know where people are coming from, and I can say, Heres why I dont like your policy.

As women, were more wired for relationships. We try to work out relationships separate from policy.

Crosswhite-Hader entered the House with eight other GOP women. Though two are no longer serving, their text chain remains.

We continue to work because we know how isolating this building can be. The job is a constant push and pull, Crosswhite-Hader said. We dont have to line up on policy. (Provenzano) and I dont have to agree, though we do on some things. I can appreciate the struggle for her as it is for me.

Oklahomas female legislators often find themselves the lone woman in the room, and none are intimidated. Thats a change in the last 50 years, according to a 1972 report from Rutgers University about female legislators.

An observation that remains true today is that women are more issue-oriented than power-oriented, leading to a broader view of their constituency  as opposed to special interests. A significant change is that women are no longer cautious not to talk too often or too long on the floor or committee. It was believed that if women were less verbose, they would command more attention when they did speak.

Women will talk, Provenzano said. Weve evolved away from the Dont ask questions in committee or on the floor philosophy. Committees are where there is a lot of activity, and women arent afraid to ask questions.

Women bring a different view to any table, but thats not the campaign slogan anyone will hear. Women are running on their credentials.

Dont vote for me because Im a woman; vote for me because Im the best candidate, Crosswhite-Hader said. Im going to work harder, be prepared, and youre going to know where I stand and what I think.
When youve stood at Hellfire Pass, located in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, its impossible not to be moved by the excavation through the largest rock cutting on the Thai-Burma railway -also known as the Death Railway.

Today there are sleepers, poppies, memorial plaques, Australian flags and a nearby memorial centre built and maintained by the Australian Government.

More than 200,000 Southeast Asian civilians and 60,000 Allied soldiers as prisoners of the Japanese army built the railway. Sadly 90,000 civilians and 12,000 soldiers died in the process.

Prime Videos new 5 part drama The Narrow Road Road to the Deep North, is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Flanagan. Adapted by Shaun Grant and directed by Justin Kurzel, it tells the story of Dorrigo Evans, a prisoner of war whose memory of his one true love helps him to survive the darkest of times.

Set in both Australia and Thailand, it spans several time periods, including with Jacob Elordi as the young Dorrigo before heading to war, as a surgeon aiding troops at POW camps in Thailand 1943, and Ciaran Hinds as an elder Dorrigo in the 1989, reflecting on back on his life.

Although betrothed to Ella (Olivia DeJonge), Dorrigo falls hard for Amy (Odessa Young), wife of his uncle and local publican Keith (Simon Baker).

Swinging between these time periods, the narrative is given a slow-burn treatment, and veers between a forbidden romance, the horrors of war, and a man remembering his one true love.

In 1989 Dorrigo is still married to older Ella (Heather Mitchell) and runs a clinic with partner Rick (Dan Wyllie), but is having an affair with Ricks wife Lynette (Essie Davis). It points to a flawed life but one which encountered incredible duress. In 1989 hes also expected to help launch a new history book, which is stirring conflicting emotions and whethe he has reconciled with failures in his life.

The most confronting, and significant, arc of the series is the torture and suffering in building the railway. Dorrigo may liaise with Japanese officers on behalf of his men, but he is also a prisoner, far from home and forced to survive in punishing, diseased conditions.

The recreation of war scenes, shot in New South Wales, is excellent if deeply confronting. Full points to the casting department for finding actors who have undergone weight loss, including Thomas Weatherall as Frank Gardiner, in order to depict realistic scenes of starvation and emaciation. That said, it was hard to discern between Jacob Elordis physique in Australia to those as a iPOW in Thailand.

But he plays the role of the young Dorrigo to great effect, with a presence befitting the lyrical direction by Justin Kerzel. There are scenes of stolen moments, with hand-held cameras and possibly improvisation, evoking a tone and connection with Odessa Young that must serve generations of the story.

At its most brutal -one particular scene in episode two- this is violent and distressing stuff. I would have liked the storyline to drive the plot more but theres no mistaking this is a compelling work set against an equally important chapter of history.

Its also worth noting Edward Weary Dunlop was a commanding surgeon on the Thai-Burma Railway, with parts of his ashes now buried at Hellfire Pass.

Although these characters may be fictional, the dramas launch before Anzac Day is but a stark reminder of sacrifice.

The Narrow Road to the Deep North is now screening on Prime Video.
TCN News Desk

Mumbai: Nearly 17 years after a deadly explosion shook the communally sensitive town of Malegaon in Maharashtras Nashik district, a special NIA court on Saturday concluded the trial in the 2008 blast case and reserved its judgement for May 8.

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The blast, which occurred on September 29, 2008, killed six people and left over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon, located about 200 km from Mumbai.

On Saturday, the prosecution submitted its final written arguments, including citations, marking the formal end of proceedings. Special Judge A K Lahoti then adjourned the matter to May 8 for the verdict.

Over the course of the lengthy trial, the prosecution examined 323 witnesses  34 of whom turned hostile.

Seven individuals are facing trial in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Among the accused are Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, BJP MP Pragya Thakur, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni.

Initially investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the case was handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. In its 2016 chargesheet, the NIA gave a clean chit to Pragya Thakur and three others  Shyam Sahu, Praveen Takalki and Shivnarayan Kalsangra  citing lack of evidence and recommending their discharge.

However, while the court did absolve Sahu, Takalki and Kalsangra, it ruled that Sadhvi Pragya Thakur would continue to stand trial.

On October 30, 2018, the special court framed charges under UAPA sections 16 (committing a terrorist act) and 18 (conspiracy to commit a terrorist act) and IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 153A (promoting enmity between religious groups).

The recording of prosecution witness testimony concluded in September 2023, bringing one of Indias most high-profile terror trials to its final stage.
HCM CITY  Military contingents from Laos and Cambodia have arrived in HCM City to participate in rehearsals for the upcoming parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of national reunification (April 30, 1975 - 2025) alongside the Vietnamese armed forces.

On April 19, over 100 soldiers and commanders from the Lao Peoples Army arrived at Phu Bai Airport in the central city of Hue, before taking a connecting flight to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City to commence their rehearsals.

Previously Cambodian army personnel utilised specialised vehicles to cross through the Moc Bai border gate into HCM City.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of National Defence invited military units from China, Laos, and Cambodia to partake in the upcoming parade.

Viet Nam continues to acknowledge and deeply appreciate the significant support provided by countries such as China, Laos, and Cambodia.

In recent years, defence cooperation between Viet Nam and its three closest neighbours has consistently strengthened.

Key areas of collaboration encompass personnel exchanges, military training, joint exercises, and border defence initiatives.

HCM City will be organising a series of activities from April 19 to April 30 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification.

After two months of training, over 10,000 personnel from various forces on April 18 conducted their first rehearsals along Le Duan Street, in front of the Reunification Palace in District 1.

The national commemoration ceremony is expected to commence at 6:30am on April 30 along Le Duan Street in District 1 and other thoroughfares in the central districts of the city.

This event will showcase military and police units, militia forces, civilian organisations, and guest contingents, with 13,000 participants expected to take part in the parade.

Organised by the Ministry of National Defence, the parade will feature four ceremonial formations, 36 military parade formations, and 12 civilian marching formations.

A delegation of over 100 representatives of overseas Vietnamese from over 25 countries and territories will also participate in the parade.

Around 10,000 spectators, mostly local residents, are expected to gather along the streets to witness the event.  VNS
The flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Viet Nam flew atop the Independence Palace in Sai Gon on April 30, 1975, signalling the end of a long and painful war, and marking the reunification of a divided country after more than two decades.

That triumphant moment etched in national memory began a new chapterone of reconciling, rebuilding and healing the wounds of the past.

Half a century later, Viet Nam's journey toward national reconciliation continues to be exemplified by the voices of those who once fled, but have now returned to live, work and contribute to the national cause.

The consistent policy and commitment of the Viet Nam Communist Party and State to foster national harmony has, over the past 50 years, yielded substantial results. Reconciliation and reintegration have helped strengthen the great national unity bloc, which now serves as the cornerstone of the country's rapid development.

In the years following the war, many Vietnamese left the country due to different circumstances. Yet, each year, thousands of diasporal Vietnamese return to visit and many resettle and work in their homeland. This steady flow back is living proof of the spirit of unity that now defines the nation.

Architect Nguyen Huu Thai, now 87, was a witness to history. He saw the liberation army tank crash through the gate of the Independence Palace and helped deliver the surrender statement of President Duong Van Minh of the Republic of Viet Nam on Sai Gon Radio on that historic day.

After time living abroad and gaining Canadian citizenship, he later returned and reclaimed his Vietnamese nationality. His most indelible memory of April 30, 1975 was the moment when renowned songwriter Trinh Cong Son sang Noi Vong Tay Lon (Joining Hands) in a spirit of peace and solidarity.

"The song lyricsabout connecting forests to oceans and joining hands across the landresonated deeply on that day," Thai recalled. "They symbolised the populace's desire for national reunification and the Vietnamese people coming together under one roof."

The journey to rebuild wasnt easy, but looking back, Vietnamese both at home and abroad have every reason to take pride in what has been achieved. From economic reform to advancement of diplomacy, security and society, Viet Nam has made remarkable progress. This success, Thai said, reflected a national effort to resolve conflict, erase hatred and march forward in peace and unity.

ang Luong Mo, 89, an expert in microelectronics, returned from Japan in 2002 and has since dedicated himself to education and technology development in Viet Nam. Recognised with national honours for his contributions, Mo believes that reconciliation is the natural path for any nation after war.

"The weapons have long gone silent. Those who once held rifles are now elders. We share blood, language and heritagewhy wouldnt we reconcile?" he asked. "My only concern has ever been how to give back."

From the United States, Ha Ton Vinh, a former White House advisor under President Ronald Reagan, also returned to Viet Nam and is now a well-respected figure in the countrys finance and banking sectors. To him, April 30 represents not just the end of a war, but the start of a unified journey.

"I was successful in America, but I came back to contribute to national development because Im Vietnamese," Vinh said. "The world now sees Viet Nam as a rising economy. Thats the fruit of reunification."

Their stories are deeply personal yet emblematic of a greater narrative, of people who, once scattered by conflict, now return with open hearts and eager minds. Whether through academia, arts or investment, they reaffirm Viet Nam's open-armed approach to reconciliation and concord, and the enduring truth voiced by President Ho Chi Minh: "The country of Viet Nam is one, the Vietnamese nation is one."

This philosophy is enshrined in a March 2004 resolution by the Viet Nam Communist Party on Vietnamese diaspora affairs, which calls for the removal of prejudice and division, and the promotion of openness, understanding and solidarity.

"All Vietnamese, regardless of ethnicity, religion, social status, origin, or reason for living abroad, who wish to contribute to the national cause, must be united in the great bloc of national solidarity," says the resolution.

That spirit is more than words. Today, over 400 projects of the Vietnamese diaspora worth nearly US$2 billion are active in Viet Nam. Hundreds of overseas intellectuals have returned to work long-term, and diasporal remittances reached US$16 billion in 2024.

In the quiet, heartfelt reflections of Thai, Mo and Vinh, we see the enduring bond between people and the land, the undying devotion of Vietnamese people to their motherland and the success of Viet Nam's policy of reconciliation.

It is a path paved not only by policy, but by human connection and by the unbreakable thread of a shared identity. VNS
by Thanh Hai

HAI DUONG  'Smart and Sustainable Hospitals' was the main topic of discussion at the annual conference of hospital directors in the northern provinces, which took place in Hai Duong on April 18 and 19.

With a focus on patient-centred care, the meeting aimed to bring satisfaction, safety and the best medical services to patients, meeting people's medical examination and treatment needs.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan asked hospitals to apply the digital transformation, operate transparently and effectively in real time, and build smart hospitals with patients at the centre.

The health sector needs to effectively utilise all resources from the State budget, health insurance, public-private partnership and socialisation to increase investment in grassroots health care, ensuring that people in all regions have access to essential, high quality and safe health services. All aim to ensure that every citizen receives a regular health check-up every year, gradually moving towards the extremely humane and noble goal of free hospitalisation for all people according to the policies and directions of the Party and State leaders."

Thuan said that in recent years, the hospital system nationwide has made many changes in management, improving both service quality and the application of technology, but there are still many shortcomings. Although bidding and procurement of drugs and medical equipment have improved, there are still places where there is a shortage of drugs and supplies, affecting professional activities. The financial mechanism and implementation of autonomy are still inadequate. Some units face many difficulties in balancing finances.

In addition, the current health insurance payment mechanism, technical and economic norms and service price framework are not suitable for the actual costs incurred at hospitals. In many hospitals, the digital transformation has achieved initial results, but implementation is uneven, and there is a lack of skilled workers, according to Thuan.

The Ministry of Health therefore requests hospitals to rapidly apply the digital transformation, operate transparently and effectively in real time, build smart hospitals with patients at the centre, and consider patient safety and life as a top priority, said Thuan.

To improve the quality of medical examinations, Thuan suggested that hospitals need to innovate their hospital management mindset, including with an extensive application of technology in management, operation and expertise.

Thuan said: "Hospitals need to promote the implementation of electronic medical records, electronic health records, quality management systems and interconnection between facilities, as well as move towards building a smart hospital model, meeting real-time management requirements and focusing on patients.

"Upper-level hospitals should increase professional support, on-site training and apply information technology in remote consultation and treatment, while expanding the satellite hospital model in a sustainable manner, linked to the practical needs and reception capacity of each facility.

Director of Bach Mai Hospital and Chairman of the Club of Hospital Directors of the Northern Provinces, Associate Professor ao Xuan Co said that the health sector is entering a period of development that is full of potential, but that also holds many challenges.

In addition to the continuous efforts in medical examination and treatment, hospitals identify science, technology and innovation as the key to improving the quality of medical services, better meeting the diverse health care needs of the people.

In particular, the Government's Project 06 on the digital transformation has pushed the healthcare sector to make breakthroughs in applying information technology, from digitising the entire medical examination and treatment process and connecting medical data, to applying artificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment, said Co.

According to Co, digital transformation brings four major benefits, including improving the quality of medical examination and treatment thanks to electronic medical records; optimising medical examination and treatment processes, saving nearly VN80 billion yearly by eliminating paperwork; improving patient experience through online services; and promoting research and application of artificial intelligence, such as the AI system for diagnosing lung cancer from CT images and histopathology developed by the hospital.

Many large hospitals, such as Bach Mai, Cho Ray and 108 Military Central Hospital, have taken the lead in digital transformation by using electronic medical records, improving health checkup and treatment processes and enhancing professional ethics.

Bach Mai Hospital has switched to completely electronic medical records since November 2024 and successfully deployed the "Bach Mai Care" application to help patients look up information and medical examination history.

Bach Mai Hospital also implemented a streamlined management project, standardised processes, optimised costs and worked with many partners to develop a green, environmentally friendly hospital model.

Dr Co stressed that building smart hospitals and sustainable management is not only to increase internal efficiency but also to narrow the healthcare gap between regions, aiming for a universal, personalised and humane healthcare system.

Regarding the implementation of electronic medical records, Director of the health ministrys Medical Services Administration (MSA) Ha Anh uc said that the agency has recently advised the leaders of the Ministry of Health to promulgate documents on the list of inter-clinical tests with identification codes for each hospital.

These lists all meet more than 90 per cent of international standards. This is the first guarantee for data interconnection nationwide. When this list is available, medical facilities will apply electronic medical records more conveniently, said uc.

Regarding the list of clinical tests and hundreds of other categories, the MSA will submit these categories by the end of May to gradually ensure the feasibility of the roadmap for implementing electronic medical records, according to the MSA director.  VNS
By Alex Reeves  @afreeves23

Admittedly, I was never a big fan of Com tam (broken rice), though not for want of trying. Being a northern soul, the options up here in Ha Noi are, to the best of my knowledge, limited. Having gambled a handful of times on local recommendations, only to be met with a plate of overly crumbly rice, sandy sinews of pork skin and a dry, grisly cutlet, I was fairly certain that this was one of the few Vietnamese classics that I was destined not to enjoy. As the saying goes, you cant really miss what youve never had. And it appears I had never really had Com tam.

So, its safe to say that my silence wasnt exactly that of the overawed variety when we pulled up outside Com Tam Ba Ghien, after two weeks sampling the more finite offerings of the rural south on a road trip. A travel buddys promise of Michelin renowned local food had thoroughly tickled my fancy, but Com tam? I knew how wrong I was no faster than my nostrils were filled with the sweet, smoky scent that only grilled, marinated pork surrendering itself to fire can produce, my despondency drifting off into the street along with the charcoal smoke.

To many Saigoneers, the feature of this piece will be of little surprise, perhaps even bordering on the predictable. Recognised in consecutive years by Michelin (Bib Gourmand), more than a little harder on the pockets than most, definitely somewhere you could run into tourists. Though while its nice, and a great privilege to shine a light on lesser known spots, rather than chartering the path well trodden, sometimes it's important to acknowledge that some things are recognised because theyre actually really, really good.

This was my experience, one of rediscovering a dish that I had long since discarded into the bin of rare disappointments, tasted again as a revelation. It has undoubtedly redefined my understanding of arguably Ho Chi Minh Citys most beloved culinary export. One of those meals that I knew before Id (kinda) finished the plate, more on that later, that I would definitely be writing home about. Hopefully to others, a new favourite found, or at least something to ignite the flame of their soon-to-be smouldering love affair with com tam.

To those already loyal to this dish, you likely have your own beloved spot and equally strong opinions as to what makes it the best in town. This isnt to disparage the many other purveyors of this classic, but to highlight a gold standard, or at least a baseline in quality. Though, I fear for many, once youve gone Ba Ghien, theres no going back. The plate is monstrous, almost of Man versus Food proportions. Commonly enjoyed as a breakfast but equally at lunch or into the evening, my mind draws comparisons with all-day breakfasts back home in Blighty, the ones with ungodly amounts of food that mere mortals could not hope to truly contend with.

Thankfully, the portion sizes here are far from a gimmick and serve only to deliver maximum satisfaction, bordering on culinary hedonism. If youre not of a gluttonous sort, nor feeling particularly ravenous, then I would go as far as to recommend sharing with a friend. Its one spot in Viet Nam that Im not afraid to admit took on my appetite and thoroughly dispatched of it. You dont so much receive a plate at Ba Ghien as have it heaved in front of you  with a pork chop weighing in at around 300g, coated in their signature sweet and sticky glaze, seared yet tender, as the centrepiece to a bountiful display of flavours and textures.

Making up the rest of this medley, we have Bi, thick strands of shredded pork skin which add a crumbly texture from the roasted rice powder that stops them from clinging together, its dry to the tongue but moist to the chew, garlicky and will be unfamiliar to many palates, yet it grows on me further with each and every bite. Theres Cha trung thit, a steamed egg and pork meatloaf; which is a spongy, almost custardy affair. Herby in flavour, it is elevated to near transformation when dipped into the fish sauce, notably sweeter than its more pungent northern cousin.

Finishing things is Lap xuong, also known as Chinese sausage, its fatty and heavily cured, a firm texture with a sweet taste. Theres almost always a runny in the middle fried egg and a side salad which more closely resembles a slaw, made up of shredded cucumber, carrot and papaya, with a few chillies thrown in for a slight kick, the sweetness cuts through the saltiness of the abundant meat. Its a real symphony of flavours; sweet, sour, smokey, spicy and savoury, all working together in unison. Described in this way, it may sound pretentious, but it really is anything but.

The story of this dish, as with so many of the worlds finest culinary triumphs, is humble in origin. Rice, the foundation of the meal, is not your typical rice, its broken. The byproduct of rudimentary milling techniques, the fractured rice considered unfit for export was kept by farmers, while the long, whole grains that were used to seeing, were sold for a premium. Over time, broken rice gained popularity  whether due to rarity or novelty  as necessity, so often the mother of invention, saw it paired with a whole host of sidekicks, the best of which make up the modern iteration that we now enjoy.

For nearly 30 years, the family here has been dishing out the good stuff, and their popularity has only grown since Michelin recognition. This isnt a restaurant that whispers. It sizzles, it smokes, it yells, you can hear it down the street, and youd better listen.

Tucked into an otherwise forgettable stretch of ang Van Ngu in Phu Nhuan District, the space remains defiantly unchanged; communal tables, fluorescent lighting, and apparently no plans to expand. That, of course, is exactly the point. Deliberate, humble, and honest, just like the food. VNS

---------------------

Com Tam Ba Ghien

Address: 84 ang Van Ngu Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: +84 28 3846 1073

Price: VN75,000 - 145,000 (US$2.90 - 5.60)

Opening hours: 8am - 8:30pm

Top tip: Share a plate with a friend, unless youre really hungry!
10m agricultural college unveils new qualifications to support future of farming

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Apr 20th, 2025

New HE qualifications at a state-of-the-art land-based college will support the future of farming in Wales.

Coleg Cambria unveiled Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes aimed at the next generation of farm managers, shepherds, farmers, and leaders in the sector.

Based at the colleges Llysfasi site, near Ruthin  which recently unveiled the 10m Hwb Arloesi (Innovation Hub) and submitted plans for a 50-bedroom student accommodation building  the courses include modules on a wide range of subjects.

Among them are Business and Business Environment, Managing a Successful Project, Principles of Livestock Production, Animal Health and Welfare, Land-based Machinery and Technology, and Rural Business Administration and Accounting.

Cambrias Dean of Access and Higher Education (HE) Emma Hurst said: These qualifications provide students with a broad knowledge base, higher technical skills and opportunities to go on and pursue a wide range of careers within land-based industries.

As well as having access to the amazing team of lecturers and visiting speakers at Llysfasi, those joining the HND or HNC courses can benefit from having dairy, suckler and sheep enterprises on-site, a personal tutor for one-to-one support, and real-time, real-life experience utilising practical skills on a 1,000-acre working, commercial farm.

With advances in precision agriculture, smart technology and new farming methods, there is no better place to learn, as Cambria is renowned for its standing at the forefront of advances in agriculture education.

The cutting-edge Hwb Arloesi was backed with more than 5.9m from the Welsh Governments Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme.

The 1,095 square metre, two-storey carbon-neutral complex was built by Wrexham-based Read Construction and includes a library, classrooms, laboratories, a coffee shop, climbing wall, meeting spaces, atrium, a HE (Higher Education) centre and wellbeing hub.

Head of Llysfasi Elin Roberts said: The building is incredible and already a big hit with the students and staff, as the equipment, the meeting and academic and workshop spaces and all of the rooms and resources are incredible, said Elin.

Students enrolling on FE and HE Agriculture courses will have access to the best teaching in a welcoming, state-of-the-art environment, unmatched in this region  this is definitely the time to choose Coleg Cambria for the next step of your academic or career journey in the farming sector.
Former landladys poem celebrates 40 Years of care at Pendine Park

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Apr 20th, 2025

A former pub landlady turned amateur poet has written a moving tribute to mark the 40th anniversary of a Wrexham-based care organisation.

Michelle Williams, a care practitioner at Hillbury House, penned the poem in honour of Pendine Park and its founders, Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill.

The story of Pendine Park began 40 years ago when the Krefts converted Gwern Alyn, a Victorian villa in Wrexham, into a care home.

Since then, they have expanded their vision, opening Hillbury House next door and later establishing further homes at Summerhill, near Wrexham, along with a specialist dementia centre, Bryn Seiont Newydd, in Caernarfon in 2015.

Michelle, 57, from Ruabon, joined the care sector nine years ago and says she has found her true calling.

She said: Believe it or not I followed my daughter, Emily, into this line of work. She came here from school on work experience and she enjoyed it so much that on leaving school she was thrilled to land a job here.

I always thought that I wouldnt want to work in a care environment, having done various other jobs, including as a shop assistant, then as a pub landlady and then in an office for 10 years before I came to Hillbury.

Im so glad I did as I loved it from the start. It can be highly emotional at times, but in the end it is such a fulfilling and rewarding job. I found my vocation, and now I wouldnt want to do anything else.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Michelle began writing poetry to cope with the emotional toll of frontline work.

Michelles writing draws inspiration from real-life events rather than fiction. She composed a poem for her fathers funeral and is currently writing one for her daughters wedding in June.

For her poem about Pendine Park, entitled Celebrating 40 Years, Michelle was inspired by the story of how Mario and Gill Kreft gradually built up their care organisation from a single home to an award-winning group of nine homes over the past four decades.

She said: I wanted to focus on how they have never lost their determination to do the best they can for all the residents in their care.

Michelle is among nearly 30 members of staff and residents who were encouraged by Pendine Park Consultant Artist in Residence, Sarah Edwards, to write a poem marking the 40th anniversary.

Sarah also crafted a poem herself, later turned into a short video featuring residents and staff reading lines aloud.

Among the contributors was Michael Williams, 65, a resident at Cae Bryn in Summerhill, who inherited his love of poetry from his late mother.

Michael, originally from Connahs Quay, inherited his love of poetry from his late mother who would take him to poetry recitals.

He has met several professional poets including former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, and TV performance poet Pam Ayres, both of whom he met backstage when they appeared at Theatre Clwyd, Mold.

Michael said: I gave Pam Ayres one of my poems about how it feels sometimes to be in a wheelchair and people automatically assume you have no conversational skills. I was really chuffed when she later read it out during one of her television appearances.

I love to write. For me it is a form of communication like no other. I will write about serious subjects sometimes, but also I like to inject humour into my poems quite often.

Sarah hopes to eventually gather 40 poems  one for each year of Pendine Parks journey  to create a commemorative book.

She said: When we first embarked on this project I wasnt sure how many poems we would receive but since that first one from Michelle it has really snow-balled and we have almost enough now to create that book.

I want to thank everyone who has contributed so far for all the hard work they have put in, not just the homes, but also the administrative team at Bromfield House Technology Park. They have all put on their thinking caps and come up with some really good reads. A big thank you to all.

Michelles poem, Celebrating 40 Years, can be viewed in full below:
Nationwide Wrexham branch to host free face-to-face dementia clinics

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Apr 20th, 2025

A building society in Wrexham city centre will host a series of free sessions aimed at tackling tough conversations around dementia.

Dementia specialist Admiral Nurses will host clinics at Nationwide branches in Swansea, Aberystwyth and Wrexham this month and offer tailored support and guidance to anyone affected by the condition.

Nationwide and Dementia UKs free face-to-face clinics provide specialist support in a safe, comfortable and private space for people to discuss any aspect of dementia.

Hosted by Dementia UKs Admiral Nurses, the clinics are open to anyone impacted by dementia, offering life-changing support to families and individuals in the area.

In Wrexham sessions will take place at the Nationwide branch on Regent Street on 22, 23 and 24 April. Appointments can be booked via Dementia UKs website here.

The clinics will offer practical and emotional advice on all aspects of dementia  from worries about memory problems, understanding a diagnosis and how the condition can progress to help with financial and legal issues.

Ahead of the appointments, Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nursing charity, has shared tips on how to discuss dementia with a loved one and encourage them to visit their GP if they are showing signs or symptoms of the condition.

Someone develops dementia every three minutes in the UK, and it is often a challenge to obtain an accurate diagnosis of dementia.

Tackling tough conversations  tips on speaking to someone who is showing signs of dementia from Admiral Nurses:

Act: If the person suddenly becomes upset or frustrated with themselves, this can be a good opportunity to have a conversation with them about the symptoms they are experiencing and if theyd like support with seeking help

Explain: The signs and symptoms of dementia are often shared with other conditions. Explaining this, and encouraging the person to seek advice from their GP can be less daunting than suggesting they seek a diagnosis of dementia. You can also explain that a prompt diagnosis of dementia will help them seek the right support sooner

Support: Seeking support can be tough, and people will appreciate help in arranging the appointment and attending it. You can also help them to keep a symptom diary which will support a healthcare professional to make an accurate and timely diagnosis

Ruby Guild, Admiral Nurse at Dementia UK, said: Were looking forward to returning to Wales. Nationwide branches offer a safe and private space for people to access specialist support for dementia, and the Fairer Futures partnership is helping us bring face-to-face support to people in a familiar location.

Debbie Crosbie, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide, added: Nationwide wants to help people live their best life possible, for as long as possible.

By working with Dementia UK to fund more Admiral Nurses and turning our branches into dementia clinics, were helping to tackle the countrys leading cause of death.

As a mutual, we work for the good of society as well as our members.

We believe this and Nationwide Fairer Futures will change hundreds of thousands of lives for the better.

The clinics are part of Nationwides social impact programme, Fairer Futures, which addresses three of the UKs biggest social issues through charity partnerships  dementia (Dementia UK), youth homelessness (Centrepoint) and family poverty (Action for Children).

Nationwide is funding 30 dementia specialist Admiral Nurse posts through Dementia UK, and is hosting 200 pop-up clinics in branches across the country.
Wrexham groups unite to tackle cost-of-living crisis at major summit

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Apr 20th, 2025

Community groups, council officials, and local leaders came together at a landmark Cost of Living Summit aimed at addressing poverty in Wrexham.

The event was organised by the Wrexham Poverty Action Collaboration (WPAC) and Financial Justice Working Group (FJWG), funded by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales.

The gathering united grassroots organisations, councillors, and national representatives to listen to the real-life experiences of those struggling with poverty and rising living costs.

The summit highlighted the importance of community engagement and the need for policy changes at both local and national levels.

Key participants included local councillors, officers from Wrexham Council, Andrew Ranger MP, representatives from the Wrexham and Flintshire Public Service Board, the Department of Work and Pensions, and the local Health Board.

WPAC, a partnership between Together Creating Communities (TCC), Citizens Advice Wrexham, and Wrexham Foodbank, welcomed the pledges of support received on the day. Wrexham Council has also committed to providing an official response, which the collaboration is keenly awaiting.

Moving forward, the WPAC and FJWG will create an action plan based on the insights gathered at the summit.

David Hughes, Community Organiser at TCC who with members of the Financial Justice working Group helped organise the summit.

The dedication demonstrated by community group in highlighting the lived experiences of those impacted by the cost of living and poverty at the summit shows the strength of community collaboration, said David.

We eagerly anticipate continuing our work with the collaboration and community groups to highlight these experiences and emphasise to decision makers and power holders the urgent need for a tackling poverty strategy and increased support for people facing crisis in Wrexham.

Suzanne Nantcurvis, Chair of Wrexham Foodbank, said: Wrexham Foodbank values the collaboration between Wrexham Citizens Advice and Together Creating Communities.

With the support of the Lloyds Bank Foundation, we believe we are a strong collective voice for those in our community experiencing poverty.

The Cost-of-Living Summit was a powerful starting point, bringing together like-minded agencies to address the iniquity of food poverty and the inability to afford heating.

Omonigho Idegun from the organisation Wrexham African Community who attended the event, said: The most impactful way to drive change is by recognising that these are not just distant narratives but real-life experiences affecting our friends, siblings, parents, and children.

Knowing that someone close to us is going through this makes it all the more meaningful and urgent.

Hajer Newman, Ethnic Youth Support Team (Wales) who attended the event said: The revitalised debate, informed by powerful lived experiences, has shone a bright light on the cost-of-living crisis.

While this is a vital step, we acknowledge that much work remains. This is a clear call to action for sustained and collaborative efforts, driven by those lived experiences, moving forward.

Amy Jones, Community Development Officer from AVOW: It was great to see people with lived experience, the local MP, local councillors, council staff, and support charities at the same table discussing the issue from their different perspectives.

We all learned something valuable, and it was a great step towards understanding each other.

We enjoyed exploring the complex issues with a view to making positive local change.

Anyone interested in joining the Financial Justice Working Group can contact office@tcc-wales.org.uk or call David Hughes on (01978) 262588.
The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is asking for your feedback in an online community survey.

Listening to our community is at the heart of our mission to serve and keep our community safe, said Sheriff Darin Balaam. This survey gives residents a direct way to tell us whats working and where we need to improve. Your feedback helps guide our decisions, shape our policies, and ensure we serve with transparency, fairness, and accountability. Were not just asking for input, were committed to acting on it.

The survey includes questions about:

* Overall Performance

* Leadership Performance

* Public Safety

* Quality of Service

* Trust & Transparency

* Community Engagement

Residents will be asked to reflect on topics such as the Offices relationship with the community, perceived changes in neighborhood safety, and the level of public trust in law enforcement.

The Survey is being administered by the University of Nevada, Reno in collaboration with the Washoe County Sheriffs Office. The survey is open to all residents who live in Washoe County. It is completely confidential and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

(The Washoe County Sheriff's Office contributed to this report.)
Construction is ongoing at Alabama's new mega prison in Elmore County, which will be called the Governor Kay Ivey Correctional Complex. It will cost more than $1 billion. (Photo by ADOC) Contributed

In a handwritten letter, Robin Alford begged for help.

Her son, Clinton Willard Bridges, died last year at one of Alabamas maximum-security prisons. When my son died so sudden, a part of me died with him. I will never be ok, she wrote.

Bridges was locked up at St. Clair Correctional Facility for property crimes, his mother said. They talked regularly during his 14 years in prison, but in early September, the calls stopped coming in.

And they didnt start again.

Eventually, Alford learned her son was in the infirmary. She checked in daily, and officials told her each time that Bridges was doing well.

But then, on Sept. 16, she was abruptly told that her son was dead.

(A worker) said he (had) seen his body in the infirmary curled up on the floor with injuries to his head, wrote Alford. I could not believe what I was hearing.

Alfords plea for help was addressed to her local representatives and the members of Alabamas Joint Prison Oversight Committee. She detailed the difficulty of trying to find out how her son died, why his body was covered in bruises and stab wounds.

The prison system still hasnt given her any answers.

Her letter is one of several addressed to the committee and obtained by AL.com. All share stories of loved ones dying in Alabamas prison system, and all come from families demanding help and change.

I dont think its possible to say that anyone disputes that theres a crisis, said Charlotte Morrison, a senior attorney at the Equal Justice Initiative.

Alabamas prison system has been in the federal crosshairs for years, and as the latest lawsuit from the Department of Justice moves towards trial next spring, many are wondering why not much has changed and why Alabama hasnt adopted the easy fixes.

I think that what the DOJ has done has gotten the attention of every leader in the state. We got the legislatures attention, said Morrison. That means there is some money available. We now have the resources to be able to do something..Now what we need is the leadership to implement, to understand and implement the remedies.

It is possible, it is doable today to do that.

What can be done?

The state prisons are overcrowded and understaffed, while some of the buildings are falling apart. Too many inmates are raped and killed, drugs are readily available, and life expectancy falls at the entrance. And the federal government, under multiple presidents, said all of this makes Alabama prisons unconstitutional in their cruelty.

So what can be done? Whats affordable and doable and possible right now?

The Department of Justice, in its 2019 and 2020 investigation documents, laid out possible solutions. Among those were:

Stop blaming victims. Change how the prisons handle complaints about violence, drugs and threats to avoid subjecting victims to disciplinary actions

Figure out why people are dying. Develop a centralized system to house autopsies of all who die in ADOC custody

Install metal detectors

Investigate and document every allegation of sexual abuse

Fix broken locks

Provide running water and ensure at least 80% of toilets, sinks, and shower heads work

That was just some of what the federal government recommended. But, according to the lawsuit filed at the end of 2020, the government said the state hadnt taken their solutions seriously and that Alabama has not made this easy fix despite acknowledging the decrepit conditions for years.

In court records, the state disagreed that all of these represent problems or need fixing.

The state also denied many of the allegations. The states attorney wrote that Alabama lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth to some of the allegations, or lacks knowledge or information sufficient to admit or deny others.

New leadership

About a decade ago, after a separate federal investigation into Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women when too many women were getting pregnant in the lockup, the federal government opened another investigation into the system and offered yet more solutions.

That time, the state listened and made some easy fixes, like stopping guards from doing headcounts while the inmates were showering or adding doors to the bathroom stalls.

That started when EJI, the nonprofit based in Montgomery, investigated widespread claims of sexual abuse at Tutwiler, and in 2012 filed a complaint with the Justice Department. The next year, the federal government launched their own investigation. The feds found that Tutwiler has a history of unabated staff-on-prisoner sexual abuse and harassment, and spelled out changes the state could make to avoid a lawsuit.

In 2015, the state and the DOJ reached an agreement on reforms to be monitored by the judge. And late last year, both parties asked the court to end most of those provisions. Reports from court-appointed monitors show the prison has complied with almost all of the requirements at Tutwiler over the last six years.

Morrison at EJI didnt talk about the specifics of the Tutwiler case. But she recalled how after the consent decree, the corrections department brought on a new deputy commissioner whose job was solely to focus on that one prison.

Women who come to Tutwiler Prison pregnant can only spend 24 hours with their babies after they're born. They cherish the few photos they have with their babies, usually taken by a doula from the Alabama Prison Birth Project.

Shed like to see a similar change in leadership for the mens prisons.

We can bring on additional supervisors to be on the ground at the facilities to help staff understand, How do you manage this crisis? It does require bringing in independent supervision and leadership.

And thats what Alabama prison officials say is happening.

While the positions arent called deputy commissioners, like at Tutwiler, the department launched a nationwide search for administrators to oversee operations at the prisons. Each regional director will each manage three major facilities, and several have already been hired.

Currently, there are only two people handling that job for 21 facilities.

The department has also recently hired a Constituent Services Coordinator. That person will manage a team of liaisons stationed at each of the major prisons to work with families.

Both moves come after a bill passed last year creating the positions.

The ADOC is committed to providing timely and accurate information to the public, read a press release from the prison spokesperson announcing the new hires. The goal is to be transparent and helpful to victims and their families, offender families, legislative offices, community partners, and others.

As for leadership, Alison Mollman, legal director of the ACLU of Alabama, said the states merit system of promoting wardens within the system means that people with varied skillsets and backgrounds dont get a chance to change the system. She said prisons outside of Alabama have installed wardens with social work or mental health experience.

One of the problems that Alabama historically has had over the years, leadership has had to rise through the ranks but you really limit the backgrounds of people who can come in and lead these institutions, she said.

What wont solve it? Mega-prisons

New facilities alone wont fix the states corrections problem, federal investigators said.

Yet construction is ongoing for a mega-prison for men in Elmore County thats going to cost more than $1 billion. That new prison is slated to have just 4,000 beds, along with additional room for medical care, mental health care, and educational opportunities.

The new lockups wont add beds to the states total number when they open  theyre set to simply replace beds in the dilapidated facilities that will shut their doors. Theres plans for a second mega-prison in Escambia County, but the state is still looking for a way to pay for it and construction hasnt started.

The federal investigators said the expensive new buildings wont solve Alabamas issue, and the state might just wind up back in the same position its in now.

While new facilities might cure some of these physical plant issues, it is important to note that new facilities alone will not resolve the contributing factors to the overall unconstitutional condition of ADOC prisons, such as understaffing, culture, management deficiencies, corruption, policies, training, non-existent investigations, violence, illicit drugs, and sexual abuse, said the DOJ report. And new facilities would quickly fall into a state of disrepair if prisoners are unsupervised and largely left to their own devices, as is currently the case.

And Morrison, too, doesnt think the new prisons are a cure.

What we know is theres a cancer in the system that hasnt been treated, and then its going to be moved into this new system. I think its a real disservice to the officers to leave them without supervision, to give them these orders that (they) know (they) dont have the staff to be able to implement.

Get families involved

Morrison said Alabama needs to work to involve families.

Families should be brought in the moment a loved one enters the prison so that they can understand whats expected of their loved one, what opportunities theyll have for rehabilitation and reform, what programming is available, how the best thing they can do for their loved one, Morrison said.

Families often do not know which programs or classes are offered. A shared set of information about whats offered, and what the processes are, means families could help their loved one find something productive to do with their time.

She mentioned other prisons across the country where lockups have family movie nights or worship sessions as incentives for good behavior, and said Alabamas hostile reaction to family concerns is leading in the opposite direction of public safety.

Thats the mindset that is going to cost Alabama taxpayers so much money if we keep doing that, Morrison told AL.com. That is how we got into the mess at Tutwiler. Either no one believed the women there or they thought they deserved it.

She said involving families could reduce violence and disciplinary issues. And I think that would go a long way to increasing adherence to rules, to reducing misconduct.

This treating families as if theyre part of the problem is really jeopardizing the mission of the Department of Corrections to ensure public safety by decreasing the chances of recidivism.

Alford, the mother who wrote to lawmakers for help, asked for an investigation into St. Clair and help finding out why her son died. They treated my son, and by extension myself, as worthless. I cannot accept this please help me understand what happened to my son.

More cameras

In its 2019 investigation, the federal government said the prisons needed to put up a camera system within six months. The prisons, the government said, should keep all videos for at least 90 days and the wardens should review them monthly.

The installation of video cameras at Tutwiler was one thing advocates say improved the situation there, too. After the federal investigation into sexual abuse, the former commissioner of the prison system and then-Gov. Robert Bentley advocated for millions of dollars to cover the cost of camera equipment and installation.

I dont understand why we dont have live monitoring of video feeds at the prisons, Morrison said. If you dont have staff to put in a unit, contract with a live monitor and watch it, make sure those cameras are always functioning.

Prison officials said there are some cameras at the mens facilities, but theyre working to get more and to put each of the current ones they have onto a shared network for live viewing. And, they are working to get more employees to monitor a live feed.

The department has asked for over $1 million to spend on cameras.

Give prisoners training

Currently, the Alabama Department of Corrections offers career and technical programs from Ingram State Technical College at 10 facilities, or roughly half of the system.

Morrison said programming should be seen as a priority and not a privilege. Increasing the programming in a prison is one way to keep inmates occupied, and Morrison said its a huge part of security in a prison.

An idle population is a corrections nightmare, she added.

She said volunteer groups have traditionally welcomed opportunities to come into the facilities and teach, and family programming can be low-cost and high-yield in terms of security outcomes.

Current programs include automotive mechanics, cabinetmaking, carpentry, cosmetology, electrical technology, plumbing, utility tree trimming and more.

Mollman, legal director of the ACLU of Alabama, mentioned churches and groups who could come into the prisons at no cost to the department. Engagement like that has helped lockups across the country, she said, citing the infamous Angola prison in Louisiana and its improvements.

When incarcerated people have more positive ways to spend their time, you see that filter down in terms of disciplinaries and overall culture at the facility, said Mollman. Theres a direct relationship to programming and other rehabilitative programs  and the violence in the facilities.

Mollman also said the prison, like other facilities across the country, could teach a few, trusted inmates to then lead their own courses.

More guards needed

Staffing has been a major concern over the years.

In 2017, a federal judge said the mental health care for Alabama inmates was horrendously inadequate and said the shortage of mental health staff and correctional staff was an overarching factor. He ordered the state to hire an additional 2,000 correctional officers.

Data from the prisons show hiring is happening, and Morrison said staffing shortages do take time to resolve. But other states have used social workers and other criminal justice professionals as supervisors or wardens, and not just certified law enforcement officers.

In 2023, John Hamm, the prison commissioner, told lawmakers that 28% of its paid slots for security staff were vacant, and 18% of support staff slots were vacant.

Any suggestions you might have, were all ears, Hamm said. I think one of our court orders says we will hire X number of security staff. I dont know how were going to make them come to work.

Drug treatment

The state effectively sends people with drug addictions to prison, Morrison said. While there are addiction programs in prison, she added, the number of spots in the classes is minuscule compared to the problem.

And when those people get out of prison, Morrison said, there is virtually no re-entry support for people coming out having been raped, still having an ongoing addiction, dealing with this trauma Men are coming out broken by abuse and violence, by addiction, with nothing.

She said the department is putting the burden of re-entry on families.

Were putting it on poor families that have already spent thousands, every last penny they had, trying to keep their loved one alive in prison. And then they come home more injured, more broken than they ever have been.

Mollman praised the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles PREP Center, which is a 90-day residential center that offers job training, substance abuse help, education programs and re-entry services to some men before they are released on parole. The prison system could do something similar on a larger-scale, she said. But instead of looking at positive levels for reform, Mollman said over the phone, the Alabama Department of Corrections has chosen expensive litigation.

Inmates in a dormitory at Staton Correctional Facility Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, in Elmore, Ala. AL.COM

A starting point

But, Morrison remains hopeful.

I think we turned Tutwiler from the most notorious womens prison in the U.S. to a model within just a very short time. And I think we could do that. We could start with one prison I think we could do it system-wide, but why not even just start with one of the prisons?

The families who have flooded Montgomery with letters and calls for help for their incarcerated loved ones are trying to hang on to hope, too.

One woman, who found out that her cousin was slain behind bars, wrote: In this upcoming legislative session, please use the power you have to make Alabama prisons safer and ensure that family members of prisoners are treated like human beings, especially when they are in a crisis. We are counting on you.

And another  a mother who believes her son was stabbed to death at a north Alabama prison  asked for help in confirming how her son died and holding the prison system accountable.

When asked how she reacts to the argument that people in prison are dangerous and beyond reform, as Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall wrote in 2021, Morrison scoffed.

That, again, obscures the problem, she said.

What do you say about the kid who stole a 4-wheeler whos being put in there? she asked. The person with a dozen marijuana plants, or the man who forged checks, or the woman who had a pocket full of pills?

It is that indifference to a single human life that then expands to the indifference to thousands Thats the price. That is not a safe Alabama.
A 28-year-old woman was found shot to death early Saturday at storage unit business in Tuscaloosa

Police were dispatched about 5 a.m. to the business in the 3400 block of Greensboro Avenue.

Officers arrived to find Autum Monea Mack dead on the scene, said Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy.

Investigators determined a large group of people were having a gathering at one of the storage units.

During the gathering, a verbal altercation between Mack and the suspect escalated into the deadly gunfire, Kennedy said.

Investigators interviewed multiple witnesses, processed the scene for physical evidence and carried out multiple search warrants. That led to them identifying 28-year-old Shaquan Lavar Knight as a suspect and securing a murder warrant against him.

Knight was taken into custody Saturday evening by U.S. Marshals. He remains held without bond in the in the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
This is a guest opinion column

Regardless of our political differences, with Easter and the crucifixion of Jesus remembered today, I hope we can agree on the sanctity of life, the rule of law and that our justice system should be fair, constitutional, lawful and not based on race.

Unfortunately, thats not whats happening.

Alabama has 167 people on death row, 30 sentenced by a process called judicial override, where a judge overrode a jurys decision of life in prison without parole and ordered the person executed.

Secondly, Alabama has 115 people sentenced to death by non-unanimous juries. A third method of ordering death is by a unanimous jury recommendation.

In Ramos v. Louisiana, 140 S. Ct. 1390 (2020), the Supreme Court ruled that it takes a unanimous verdict to convict someone of a capital crime warranting death. The Court highlighted the racist underpinnings of non-unanimous verdicts, linking it to a Jim Crow practice dating from the 1870s. White folks back then apparently didnt have a problem with unanimous jury verdicts until freed slaves were made citizens and a single Black juror could prevent them from sentencing a Black man to death.

Even though the 2020 Supreme Court ruling didnt explicitly extend to the sentencing phase, all states ended the practice.

Except for one. Alabama.

Alabama has 115 people, 54 of whom are Black, all sentenced to death by this legal relic of Jim Crow.

On January 25th, 2024, Alabama executed Kenneth Eugene Smith who was sentenced to death not by a jury but by a judge who overrode his jury. His jury had voted 11 to 1 for life in prison.

On March 23rd of 2025, Governor Ivey acted courageously, showed mercy, and commuted the death sentence of Rocky Myers. His jury had voted 9 to 3 for life. He was on death row because his trial judge overrode the jury and ordered Rocky executed.Having been Alabamas Governor from 1999-2003, and having not granted commutation to those subsequently executed, I praise Governor Ivey for her courage, and wisdom. She stood on solid legal footing.

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616, ruled against judicial overrides. The Court in Hurst said a jury, not a judge, must find each fact necessary to impose death.

After Hurst, all states abandoned judicial overrides. Alabama was the last state to outlaw the practice.

In 2017, Governor Ivey signed legislation banning judicial overrides in Alabama.Alabamas Attorney General in response to Governor Iveys commutation of Rocky Myers (a Black man) stated he was astonishedand his teams deeply saddened

However, Governor Ivey was supported not only by the law but also by the facts.

Rocky Myers wasnt physically connected to the murder scene, was convicted based on the testimony of a witness who recanted his testimony and, perhaps more importantly, our Constitution gives us all the right to trial by jury. Rockys jury had voted 9 to 1 for life not death.But while Alabama has banned future death sentences by judicial overrides, 30 people remain on death row based on this outlawed and unconstitutional practice.

Judicial overrides ordering death are indefensible, not only because they are unconstitutional and unlawful, but also because, as applied, Blacks are disproportionately impacted.

Of the 30 people on Alabamas death row sentenced by judicial overrides, 19 or 63.33% are Blacktwice the rate of whites and nearly four times their presence in Alabamas population.

Even more disturbing, Alabamas Equal Justice Initiative found that while judicial overrides accounted for 7 percent of death sentences in one nonelection year, in the following year, when Alabama judges ran for election, judicial overrides rose to 30 percent.

Of the 19 Blacks currently on death row due to judicial override, all judges were either running for reelection or did run in the next election. All but one was a white judge.

Moreover, other statistics raise serious questions as to how death penalty laws are applied.

For example, national statistics implicate racism in prosecutorial discretion as to who is charged for capital murder. A report by the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), shows that since 1976, nationwide, one person on death row has been exonerated for every 8.3 executed. Thats an error rate of about 12%. The facts are more alarming. Exonerations, the DPIC found, are overwhelmingly the product of police or prosecutorial misconduct or the presentation of knowingly false testimony.

More astonishing is that of those exonerated for government misconduct 87% are Black.

Regardless of ones view on the death penalty, whether you are for it or not, we should all agree, the process should be moral and constitutional and not be based on racist relics like non-unanimous juries and judicial overrides.

Thats not the case in Alabama.

Don Siegelman served as Governor of Alabama from 1999 to 2003, as Lt. Governor from 1995 to 1999, as Attorney General from 1987 to 1991, and Secretary of State from 1979 to 1987.










English News Into the future: a glimpse of 6G in action in Nanjing

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 19 Avril 2025



"Leveraging 6G's ultra-high-speed connectivity and deterministic latency, industrial robots will achieve unprecedented agility and precision in executing intricate, high-skill operations. Future intelligent robots may even collaborate with other autonomous systems via 6G networks to accomplish complex missions," Huang elaborated.

By Yao Xueqing, People's Daily With a soft hum, a drone carrying a box of medicine lifted off from a pharmacy on Tianyuan West Road in Jiangning district, Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu province. Guided by its operator, it flew eight kilometers and landed smoothly at the east gate of the Purple Mountain Laboratories, a major scitech innovation platform focusing on basic and frontier research on the internet.



This rapid, sustained, and stable flight exemplifies the application of 6G technology in advancing smart city development and the burgeoning low-altitude economy.



6G, the sixth generation of mobile communication technology, distinguishes itself from predecessors most notably in speed. A widely cited analogy illustrates this progression: if 2G resembles an oxcart, 3G a bicycle, 4G a car, and 5G a high-speed train, 6G would equate to an airplane.



According to Huang Yongming, director of the Pervasive Communication Research Center at Purple Mountain Laboratories, the first generation of mobile communications relied on a "cellular" network architecture. In this system, base stations transmit signals to terminals within a designated coverage zones,- termed "cells" - which are typically hexagonal, giving rise to the concept of "cellular communication." While later generations improved performance, the foundational cellular structure persisted.



In 2018, when Purple Mountain Laboratories was founded, You Xiaohu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team embarked on a groundbreaking mission: developing cell-free radio access network technology.



"This innovation dismantles traditional cell boundaries by synchronizing and centrally processing all information. The outcome is enhanced signal strength and coverage extended over tenfold compared to conventional cellular networks," explained Wang Dongming, a professor at the Pervasive Communication Research Center.



For example, a delivery drone traveling eight kilometers under a 5G network would traverse nearly 20 distinct cells, requiring repeated signal handovers at each boundary. Such frequent transitions heighten disconnection risks, potentially forcing the drone to abort its mission. A cell-free network effectively resolves this challenge.



6G's advantages extend far beyond speed.



Above the vast waters of Taihu Lake near Xishan Island, a drone hovered in flight, conducting a 33-kilometer aerial inspection of fishery resources. Equipped with a high-definition night vision camera, infrared sensors, and custom-developed smart applications, the drone was operated autonomously - capable of taking off, landing, recharging, and 24/7 task execution - all powered by a single base station on the island.



Last year, Purple Mountain Laboratories partnered with China Unicom and the Taihu Fishery Management Committee Office to trial ultra-long-range cell-free communication at a lake-based fishery conservation area. "A single station provides ten times the coverage of 5G," explained Liu Dongjie, the project's technical lead.



By transcending the limitations of terrestrial base stations, 6G enables seamless integrated communication across land, sea, air, and space. It also unifies communication, sensing, computing, and artificial intelligence into a cohesive system.



In January this year, Purple Mountain Laboratories collaborated with China Railway Signal & Communication Co., Ltd to conduct a "One Tower, One City" low-altitude communication test in Nujiang Lisu autonomous prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan province.



By installing cell-free base stations on elevated infrastructure, they enabled drone-assisted forest fire monitoring, addressing persistent challenges such as exorbitant infrastructure costs and weak signal coverage in mountainous regions.



Meanwhile, along a road section between Mozhou East Road and Yougu Road in Jiangning district, three autonomous street-sweeping vehicles operated across a 21,000-square-meter area. Following predefined routes, these vehicles utilized high-definition cameras, LiDARs, and multi-sensor arrays to detect obstacles and pinpoint debris with precision.



"The cell-free network,transmits images from the sweepers to a control center, where data is processed and commands are issued - all within milliseconds," explained 6G engineer Jiang Tianxiang. The network's stable performance and deterministic latency ensure rapid, accurate responses from the vehicles.



Globally, 6G development is transitioning from theoretical research to overcoming core technical challenges. Priorities have expanded beyond isolated technological breakthroughs to establishing a cohesive industrial ecosystem.

Experts designate 2025 as the "inaugural year of 6G standardization," with standardization efforts projected to conclude by 2029 and preliminary commercial deployment anticipated around 2030.



"Looking ahead, 6G has great potential to revolutionize manufacturing," said Huang. Among the many use cases, embodied intelligence stands out as a particularly transformative use case.



"Leveraging 6G's ultra-high-speed connectivity and deterministic latency, industrial robots will achieve unprecedented agility and precision in executing intricate, high-skill operations. Future intelligent robots may even collaborate with other autonomous systems via 6G networks to accomplish complex missions," Huang elaborated.



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)
It seems clear to me that the broad scope and speed of the administrations actions have knocked the sense out of the media, the Democrats, and, alas, the judiciary. They cannot seem to process the swift and expansive range of change without making themselves look ridiculous.

The Press

I could describe many examples, but the easiest and most complete is that of the alleged gang-banging, wife-beating, human trafficking Salvadoran citizen who illegally crossed our borders and resided here. You know who I mean -- the thug the press describes as a Maryland Man.

So the nation is transfixed -- or at least Democrats and the news media -- by the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland Man who has suddenly topped Minnesota Man as the object of media obfuscation. He is the Salvadoran national the Trump Administration deported to El Salvador along with a bunch of Venezuelan gang members who curiously the left isnt even trying to defend, even as the Biden Administration didnt lift a finger against any of this gang. Its almost as though the left and the media are using Garcia to distract from the fact that Trump did something that a large majority of American approve. Admitting gang members at the border? Who, us???? There are a lot of tangled arguments about Garcias legal status, and the Trump Administrations handling of his deportation. Yet I recall a 1953 Supreme Court case, Shaughnessy v. US ex rel. Mezui (345 U.S. 206), which Walter Berns described in his fabulous first book, Freedom, Virtue, and the First Amendment: An alien resident of the United States for twenty-five years journeyed to Hungary to see his dying mother, leaving his wife in their home in Buffalo. After considerable difficulty he obtained a visa from the American Consul in Hungary and returned to the United States. He was refused permission to land for security reasons. The Attorney General refused to inform him of the evidence against him. England, France, and twelve South American countries refused to admit him; he could neither re-enter the United States nor go to any other country. He sought parole from Ellis Island by praying for a writ of habeas corpus. This was granted, but the government appealed to the Supreme Court, in a five-four decision, upheld the government. The man without a country returned to Ellis Island, perhaps for the rest of his like, without being told why he was a security risk. [Emphasis in original.] Its not an identical case, but similar enough for judicial work. It seems to me the risk involved in the present case of Maryland Man MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia is at least as good as a Hungarian who had been living with a spouse for 25 years in Buffalo, though I suppose 25 Buffalo winters may be the equivalent of a Salvadoran prison. And lets not forget that by the time of this 1953 decision, the Supreme Court was a completely New Deal Court, with all nine justices appointed by a Democratic president.

The Democrats

While the press ignored Garcias wifes two restraining orders against him for beating her up, they concocted a sob story of a longtime U.S. (illegal) resident who is being separated from a loving wife and three (only two of whom are, it turns out, his) children. She began a GoFundMe page, which is apparently the way families of criminals and alleged criminals are rewarded by left-wingers and idiots.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, who, as a Democrat, naturally picks the wrong side of the issue, raced down, he said, to obtain Garcias release from El Salvadors prison, and was photographed seated at a restaurant with Garcia and some margaritas. (Van Hollen claims the drinks were put there to embarrass him and he did not drink any, but he neednt, because he and his party seem drunk to ordinary Americans. I asked Xs Grok to scan the research, and it reported back that about 23% of adult Americans have some form of mental illness. By last count, about 21% of Americans identify as Democrats. Coincidence?)

At the meeting, Garcia appeared to have been fairly treated, which is not remarkable. If you recall, the only reason he had not been deported years earlier was because he claimed he feared hed be killed by rival gang members, and those members are now imprisoned. Indeed, he told ICE at the time of his deportation that he was not afraid to be deported there.

The Courts

Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered the administration to facilitate Garcias release from prison in El Salvador. The government admitted it erred in overlooking the hold on his deportation, a hold solely based on his demonstrated fear of inter-gang violence, which no longer exists. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the appeal. On April 10, the Supreme Court ordered the district court to clarify its order.

The rest of the District Courts order remains in effect but requires clarification on remand. The order properly requires the Government to facilitate Abrego Garcias release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador. The intended scope of the term effectuate in the District Courts order is, however, unclear, and may exceed the District Courts authority. The District Court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs. For its part, the Government should be prepared to share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps.

The judge does not appear to have done so. The Department of Justice says this is now a matter of international affairs, as to which the court lacks jurisdiction.

I agree with Bill Ackman, who tweeted:

A nation in which one administration can allow millions of unvetted illegal migrants into the country, but requires that a court vet each deportation decision in an individually adjudicated case will soon lose the values our democratic system was intended to preserve.  Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) April 19, 2025

Yet thats the direction District of Columbia Court Judge James Boasberg seems to be headed, and unless the Supreme Court acts to stop this nonsensical reading of the Constitution, making of it a suicide pact destroying nationhood, we will be heading into a constitutional crisis forcing the president to do his duty to protect our borders or comply voluntarily with an overreaching judiciary. (Voluntarily, because the courts lack any enforcement mechanism.)

The issue is clearest in a case involving Venezuelas Tren de Arugua gang members. Earlier, Judge Boasberg ordered the Administration to stop deporting illegal aliens who were members of Tren de Aragua. The Supreme Court said that Boasberg lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and that individuals affected must file habeas corpus petitions in the place where they were located. The plaintiffs, or at least some of them, were in Texas, so they filed there, and their petitions were denied. They simultaneously filed appeals in the Fifth Circuit and back in the District of Columbia before Judge Boasberg. Odd? You bet.

Shipwrecked crew summed up the extent of the governments obligations:

'AEA 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. Notice they are subject to removal. Within a reasonable time and in such manner as will allow them to seek habeas relief. In the hearing today before Judge Boasberg the Govt described the written notices being given advising the possible deportees they are subject to removal. The Govt attorney said many habeas actions have been filed. Seems like the Govt has met its obligations. Those who have filed for habeas review will not be removed until those matters are resolved. For those who have not filed -- they could have as is evidenced by the fact that others have -- adios.

Kurt Schlichter commented:

I dont think people who dont practice law fully appreciate how bizarre and weird and unusual. It is for a set of plaintiffs to be in front of one judge, not get what they want, and then go to another judge half a continent away, that the Supreme Court has already told doesnt https://t.co/MHAefSnZko  Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 18, 2025

... doesnt have jurisdiction, and ask for relief there.

The appellate court scotched Boasbergs efforts, and he indicated he couldnt give the plaintiffs the relief they requested. The plaintiffs were seeking an order requiring the government to provide 30 days notice for removal, among other things.

I certainly expected this fandango was over by now. Then, in the middle of Friday night, the Supreme Court issued a stay blocking the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to carry out mass deportations of illegal aliens who are gang members. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented.

Just last week, the Supreme Court said virtually nothing the administration does under the Alien Enemies Act is subject to judicial review, so its puzzling what they intend to review. Or, as some have suggested, with Trump having overcome the media and administrative states resistance efforts, has the judiciary decided to step into the breach?

Image: Michael Ramirez
In a speech delivered at the Endless Frontiers Retreat in Austin, Texas, Michael Kratsios, Trumps new director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and chief science adviser, painted a compelling portrait of Americas drift away from its once world-leading pace of innovation. Kratsios lamented an America burdened by bureaucracy and a regulatory regime opposed to innovation and development where stagnation [is] a choice.

Kratsioss speech was at times provocative. At one point, he commented on Americas perhaps unrealized technological capabilities, stating, Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow, and improve productivity. We are capable of doing so much more, he said.

Characteristically, President Trump delivered an equally provocative remark during an April 10 Oval Office press conference, hinting at Americas technological edge in weaponry. We have a weapon that no one has a clue what it is. And this is the most powerful weapon in the world, which is more powerful than anyones, its not even close, he said.

Kratsioss and Trumps remarks undeniably stir the imagination. Its reasonable to assume that DARPA and the Department of Defense are pursuing covert technological advancements that would astonish the uninitiated. Kratsios may also be alluding to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence  an accelerant for innovation across virtually every domain.

Though I dont claim insider knowledge of these cutting-edge technologies, I can speak to the broader policy framework Kratsios referenced. At its core is President Trumps renewed push to reignite Americas innovation engine, exemplified by his updated April 15 Presidential Memorandum, Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century  a continuation of efforts launched during his first term.

President Trumps reintroduced executive order on technology takes on new relevance. Framed as unleashing American innovation in the 21st century, the order represents an attempt to tackle the same sclerosis identified in Kratsioss speech: that the U.S. is overregulated, under-built, and structurally averse to progress.

Kratsios and Trump are not alone in their frustration. Their remarks echo a growing consensus within Americas resurgent industrial and tech nationalist movement  a coalition of policymakers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers such as Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Richard Hanania, and Mark Andreessen. This movement argues that Americas decline from its technological peak wasnt inevitable, but self-inflicted, driven by a preference for bureaucracy over boldness, debt over development, and regulatory restraint over technological risk-taking.

At the core of Kratsioss critique lies a striking paradox: Never before have we possessed such powerful tools, yet our collective ambition has diminished. We can collapse distance and scale productivity through digital means. And yet, in critical areas like energy, infrastructure, and transportation, the pace of physical progress has ground to a halt.

Kratsios traced todays stagnation back to the collapse of the postwar consensus that once defined American ambition. In 1972, the U.S. put men on the moon, flew at Mach 6.7, and embraced nuclear energy as the future. Fifty years later, we close nuclear plants faster than we build them, fly slower than we did in the jet age, and bury innovation under layers of red tape.

Kratsios argued that the regulatory architecture born in the 1970s  initially designed to protect public health and the environment  has calcified into a maze of chokepoints throttling American innovation. The chokepoints have become, said Kratsios, an ever-tightening ratchet, first hampering Americas ability to become a net-energy exporter and then making it harder and harder to build. Environmental regulations have produced decades of delays, stalling progress. Burned out by the process, innovators retreated.

Fortunately, Trump enters his second term more confident, having assembled a team that appears fully aligned with his agenda, unlike the internal resistance he faced during his first term. As part of his broader deregulatory push, his E.O. aims to streamline federal permitting, accelerate the rollout of critical infrastructure, and cut through the bureaucratic red tape that has turned even modest construction efforts into multi-year slogs. The core message is clear: Step aside, and let Americans build.

However, though Trump enjoys more support, Kratsios makes clear with his remarks that the scope of the problem is larger than fixing permitting or governmental bureaucracy. It is cultural, institutional, and geopolitical, and he believes that Americans must rise to the occasion.

To revive Americas innovation engine, Kratsios laid out a three-pronged strategy: promotion of innovation, protection of critical technologies, and proliferation of American values through technological leadership. Borrowing a Trumpian sentiment, he states we are here in the early light of the new Golden Age of America, with a monumental task: the renewal of our nation.

The Golden Age of America will require smart choices that lead with optimism, not fear. On the promotion side, the plan calls for a new wave of investment in R&D, not just in dollar amounts, but in how the government invests  through prizes, fast grants, and advance market commitments. It urges a comprehensive review of outdated rules and regulations that hold back fusion energy, supersonic travel, and biotech. Crucially, it positions the federal government as a key early adopter of American technology  a break from a procurement system that often favors the lowest bid over the highest impact.

Protection means more than cyber-security. It means re-shoring supply chains, fortifying research institutions, and keeping adversaries like China from harvesting American intellectual property and sensitive data under the guise of collaboration. As Kratsios puts it, we want peace between our countries, and that peace depends on keeping Americas bleeding-edge technology out of our competitors hands.

Geopolitically, Kratsios echoes Trumps recent push to re-shore industry with tariffs and other measures. Both are advocates for manufacturing independence and better control over our critical infrastructure.

Our infrastructure, supply chains, and those of our allies must be secured, too. Krastsios stated. We cannot afford to remain dependent, as we are in too many essential industries, on Chinese inputs and products, nor can we allow our closest partners to become points of insecurity by relying on Chinese-controlled critical infrastructure, whether in telecom, the grid, or AI. We must establish and secure trusted supply chains, implement public-private partnerships to enhance supply-chain resilience, and create investment incentives to re-shore more critical manufacturing. Finally, [a]fter thirty years of subsidizing Chinese growth, Kratsios continued, It is time for us to stop helping a rival catch up with us in this race. Strict and simple export controls and know your customer rules, with an unapologetic America-first attitude about enforcing them, are central to stopping China from continuing to build itself up at our expense. We want peace between our countries, and that peace depends on keeping Americas bleeding-edge technology out of our competitors hands.

Kratsios also reinforced Trumps dedication to the American way of life and the American worker. Achieving a Golden Age of technology, he argued, requires confronting an uncomfortable reality: that the world is profoundly shaped by politics and technology, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. Although the instinct may be to withdraw, Kratsios urged Americans to resist the pull. Instead, Kratsios believes that Americans must continue to rise to the occasion, to make full use of their talents, and to build.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
At the beginning of the war, the Western media were unified in its support of Ukraine as an underdog fighting for its freedom, land, and sovereignty as a potential European democracy with access to the E.U. and ultimately NATO.

After over three years of military fighting, there is no clear winner in sight despite the slight superiority of Ukraines drone warfare and Russias failing continuous meat grinder assaults. Modern trench warfare is no longer strategic assaults with heavy military equipment like tanks, which relatively cheap drones can easily destroy. The Russians gross incompetence with inferior military drones and equipment is barely keeping up, but they are trying as best as they can. Whether the the Russian economy crash and the leadership replace Putin is a big unknown, which can still radically alter the course of the war.

Misinformation has recently flooded the airways, making it hard to determine which side is telling the truth and which side, if not both, is lying to the public in a ruthless way. About half of Trump-supporters now may feel that Zelensky was responsible for the war and ought to pay back the USA for its military assistance. Trump is calling Russian ceasefire violations mistakes. Whether his wheeler-and-dealer businessman approach instead of standard diplomacy will work with a ruthless tyrant like Putin is up in the air. I hope Trump will change his mind and at least go back to selling defensive military hardware to Ukraine.

Russias major weakness is its oil refineries, which generate most of the income for the war machine and economy. The more they are put out of commission, the faster the Russian regime may change. Yet crude oil exports to India havent been stopped yet.

Russia is getting North Korean troops fighting on its side, and North Korea is supplying Russia with artillery shells. Even though China denies it, China is also providing technological support for Russia, especially drone parts. Include Irans Shahed drones, missiles, and rockets, and you have a three-pronged Axis of Evil trying to help Putin.

We have entered a great period of uncertainty in the Ukraine war. How it will all stabilize is anyones guess. If Trump gets out of the picture entirely, then it is really questionable whether Europe will be able to supply Ukraine with all that it needs for self-defense and beyond.

Image: The Presidential Administration of Ukraine via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
There was a peculiar story that made the news last week: A gay Ford executive attacked an older man in an airport because the man was watching Fox News and used a wheelchair when he got off the plane. The man, he said, should be grateful for DEI! Huh?

When you read a little further into this simultaneously abusive and self-righteous tweet, you discover that the executive was labeling as DEI the accommodations America has made for 35 years under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It turns out that the executive is not the only one trying to rebrand DEI, a discriminatory practice based upon race and LGBTQ+ sexual identity, as nothing more than compassion for pregnant women and handicapped people.

The ADAs purpose is twofold: (1) to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities and (2) to implement what could be called infrastructure changes to accommodate them. The latter includes wheelchair ramps everywhere (which also happen to be awesome for moms with strollers), beeping crosswalk signals for the visually impaired, braille at ATMs, a certain number of kneeling buses, etc.

These accommodations have been part of American society for so long that we really dont think about them much. And mostly, theyve fit in seamlessly, although theyve been subject to abuse, especially as the definition of what constitutes a disability keeps expanding. For example, two decades ago, I worked on a case where a man said that his claustrophobia amounted to a disability entitling him to one of the corner offices at a large firm. (He lost, but it was expensive.)

In addition to ADA, over the decades, both the federal government and various state legislatures have enacted specific laws to protect pregnant women. At the federal level, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (first proposed in 2012 and passed in 2022) requires businesses with 15 or more employees to make myriad accommodations for pregnant women. At the state level, most states have long had laws preventing employers from firing or refusing to hire pregnant women and, in general, making reasonable accommodations for their temporary condition.

And then theres DEI, which has been playing out over the past few years. Its obsessive focus has been on race, sexuality, and gender identity, without much regard for people in wheelchairs or with hearing aids, because those were taken care of a long time ago by the ADA. Nor has it been about pregnancy.

Instead, DEI has actually been corporate, government, and academic programs obsessively demeaning men and white people, attacking America, and pushing alternate sexualities. New Yorks Department of Education exemplifies racialist DEI:

A Freedom Center Investigates review found that the states Department of Educations DEI booklet is packed with racially discriminatory materials like the claim that for people of color, internalized oppression can involve believing in negative messages about oneself or ones racial group. For Whites, internalized privilege can involve feeling a sense of superiority and entitlement or holding negative beliefs about people of color. White people can only be privileged. Only minorities are oppressed. What message does that send to white students and teachers trapped in a systematically racist school system? The booklet even links to an article about students taking part in a weekly deconstructing whiteness program and a poster asking why do I have to feel guilty about being white?

Its against this backdrop that Barrett Evans, who is believed to be Fords Chief Learning Officer, dropped a smug tweet about abusing an old man, a tweet that includes the line Love to see you supporting DEI.

Many people patiently explained on X and in posts that DEI has nothing to do with ADA. But some wondered, as I did, why a Chief Learning Officerwhich means Evans works in Human Resources at the front line of all these initiativeswould make that mistake. The answer is that this is not a mistake. Given that Americans oppose pushing racial divisions and are done with the LGBTQ+ agenda, this is a deliberate attempt to redefine a malevolent, divisive, and often illegal practice into something anodyne and long accepted.

On Facebook, an LGBTQ+ activist organization called Equality Diversity Humanity, with 161,000 followers, made the same claim a month before Evans did, namely, that DEI is just caring for handicapped and pregnant people. I know about this because it suddenly showed up on the pages of all my leftist friends:

The purveyors of DEI have no intention of letting this go. This is a hill they are going to die on. And just as corporations and other institutions are sneakily re-naming their DEI departments and workers, their foot soldiers on the internet are trying to sell people on a new definition that has nothing to do with DEIs goal of balkanizing America.

The perfect DEI/ADA fusion, made using AI.
DOGE is remarkably transparent, including inviting suggestions from the public on how to save. Here are several:

Student Financial Aid. Cut off federal financial aid to students with a gender studies major. Federal aid should be directed towards STEM students, those in vocational studies (nursing, etc.) and trades (electricians, plumbers, etc.). No aid should be proffered for some of the soft, snowflake-type studies like sociology and whatnot. Not that we want to completely cease civics curricula, but thats partly what ChatGPT is for, or better yet, Musks A.I. instantiation known as Grok.

In addition to saving money, that would probably be less biased. It would also lessen the impact of loony leftist lecturers who intellectually abuse their immature wards. Why should federal financial aid support injudicious and imprudent students with little experience, who, upon graduation, dont do much for society other than foment social-activist strife?

Foreign Aid. Excepting acts of nature like typhoons and earthquakes, provide no recurring foreign aid to countries that harbor a trade surplus with us, put up barriers, and manipulate their currency.

Legal Aliens. At least theyre better than illegal aliens, but whats the deal with permanent legal residents (AKA Green Card holders)? Really, no one should be here permanently unless he becomes a citizen. Green Card applicants must demonstrate their ability to support themselves, and not rely on public assistance. One can extrapolate from this that citizenship is a concrete requirement for any public assistance.

If a legal alien has worked here long enough to become eligible for Social Security, he has also been here long enough to learn proper English (now our official language) and unrevised history. That is, even an ignoramus will have been here long enough to pass the citizenship test  no excuses (but we might be lenient for those who at least tried).

If, after all that time partaking of Americas bounty, they havent committed their sole allegiance to the United States (and renounced that of their place of birth), then no slurping at the public trough. Hasta la vista.

Tree Equity. DOGE is effectively eviscerating wasteful (in more ways than one) DIE programs, but lets not forget about other forms of contrived equity  tree and road.

Departments within the U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service that implement so-called tree equity (and anyone else involved) must be uprooted. We love trees, and forest-bathing can soothe the soul, but bureaucrats imposing their biased notions of tree equity on the environment is unnatural. If, for example, someone in the asphalt jungle is sweating too much, then show some initiative  instead of desecrating infrastructure with graffiti, plant some foliage.

Many cities offer tree-planting programs, including Seattle, Wash., where residents participate in nurturing leafy communities. The Forest Service should expunge tree equity from their collective consciousness; they should remain focused on forest management and fire control.

Road Equity. Under that weird Pete Buttigieg guy, the Department of Transportation issued the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), which emphasizes a Safe System approach. The DOTs strategy seeks a better understanding of the intersection of equity and roadway safety, and a comprehensive approach to incorporating equity into all of the Departments efforts to achieve zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Thats a dead-end street. Less convoluted equity; more safety, please.

Congressional Travel and Per Diem. Who is paying for the socialist comrades (Bernie and AOC) to foment class warfare across the nation?

AOC is a very ineffective congresswoman; her district resembles Third World disarray. Yet she has the unconscionable gall to travel the country while denouncing the oligarchy that heretofore helped Dems and leftist causes. The committees she pretends to serve on are unrelated to her socialist wanderlust. In the grand savings scheme, it may be a pittance, but the message will reverberate loud and clear: Forbid travel and per diem expenses to public servants that are unrelated to their public portfolios or outside their constituency.

Federal Judges. On a related matter, how about punishing federal judges whose decisions are overturned due to their activism? SCOTUS reverses plenty of lower-court decisions. Since the overturned judges may have no shame, shouldnt there be a price to pay in instances where their decision was blatantly political rather than judicial? Judicial reversal rates should be a factor in determining their pay scale pending their impeachment.

United Nations. The head of DOGE thinks the U.S. should withdraw from the U.N. That would potentially save us billions of dollars. Of course, well still remain the worlds leader, engaged wherever our national interests demand attention, but if anything, the U.N. not only is ineffective, but often undermines our interests.

In addition to tariffs, one of President Trumps frequent utterances is theyre ripping us off. Thats exactly what the U.N. is doing to America in some of the worlds most valuable real estate regions, including its proximity to Trump World Tower. After evicting the ungrateful U.N. ambassadors, and forbidding tyrants and terrorists from visiting, we could repurpose the U.N. headquarters for something thats actually useful.

Per President Trump, America wont be the worlds piggy bank anymore. Neither should it be the piggy bank for internal anti-American causes veiled in innocuous-sounding terms like equity that really impose leftist inequities on those who took initiative, often against the odds, and dared to succeed.

Image via Pxfuel.
Who needs elections when the leftist always wins?

In Oakland, Loren Taylor, a moderate Democrat, was on track to win the mayor's election by about five points on election night, after the last one, far-left Sheng Thao, was thrown out by recall following corruption charges. Seems the crime, the taxes, the losses of the major league ball team, the airport hotels, and the In-N-Out Burger, the homeless takeover, as well as the economic ruin in all-blue city was enough for even Oakland's residents.

But well, with extended counting, all of a sudden, we learn that actually, Oakland residents would like to keep things exactly the way they are.

According to CBS News:

Oakland mayoral candidate Barbara Lee was congratulated by Loren Taylor on Saturday after the latest election update showed her ahead by thousands of votes. "This morning I called Congresswoman Barbara Lee to congratulate her on becoming the next Mayor of Oakland," Taylor said in a statement. "Thanks to the heart, grit, and vision of our fearless team and supporters, we built a movement that resonated across Oakland, echoing the national dialogue about the waning relevance of a Democratic Party that puts old-guard politics over improving the lives of everyday people. I pray that Mayor-Elect Lee fulfills her commitment to unify Oakland by authentically engaging the 47% of Oaklanders who voted for me and who want pragmatic results-driven leadership." The Alameda County Registrar of Voters released the latest election numbers on Friday, and the update showed Lee was ahead of Taylor by almost 5,000 votes. District 7 Councilmember Ken Houston congratulated the former congresswoman on Friday after the update. "She's humble. She's like, 'Wait till it's over.' Which she should be. Me, I'm saying you can't catch up with 5,000 more votes, right, because the people spoke," Houston said.

Humble? No, the old lizard knew the fix was in.

You can hear the lingering bitterness in Taylor's congratulatory statement, jumping right in to plead with Lee not to forget the 47% of the voters who didn't vote for her. Lee won by 50.6%, getting just over the finish line, which is how they always happen.

And Taylor's got a lot to be bitter about. In the last mayoral election against Thao, he was ahead, too, until at the last minute, when Thao suddenly pulled ahead to win by ... 700 votes.

So again, just missed it. In a swing year, with so many failures of government, it seems passing strange that somehow, voters want the same old same old.

Lee outspent Taylor ten to one and had the media in her back pocket. Taylor had the endorsement of the pragmatic San Jose mayor who has kept his city from becoming another San Francisco. On election night, Taylor came out ahead by 5,000 votes, a sizable number, in line with the region, which generally swung moderate, and included San Francisco.

Then with mail votes, and in Oakland's case, ranked-choice votes which seems to have had the biggest impact on the outcome, the numbers flipped. Nope, they don't want change.

Part of the problem is that guys like Taylor and his supporters suspect incompetence, rigging and election fraud, but they are unwilling to 'go Trump' and call it that.

Timothy Dupuis, Oakland's registrar of voters, is an appointed character by the Board of Supervisors, who makes nearly a half a million in salary and bennies, so he's loyal to those writing his paycheck. which doesn't necessarily include voters. He's been accused of fraud and incompetence in the past, with the longest vote-counting period in California in the 2024 election. In 2022 he actually called a wrong result. Democrats on the short end of this have tried to get him thrown out, except that nobody wants to say the 'f' word because it might make them ... like Trump.

So in he stays, incompetent as ever or something worse.

Democratic groups "walk a delicate line," as the San Jose Mercury ever so delicately put it. They want to be nice people, they don't want to be like Trump, who understands well big city political shenanigans and knows how to respond to them -- loudly, directly, and relentlessly, because he has their number.

Trump had one election stolen from him and won well on election three. Taylor is going to have to eat another razor-thin loss after the numbers flipped on him

It's sad, really. In a swing year, to say that Oakland voters didn't want any change is really quite the gaslight. Now they've got an octogenarian dinosaur in office with the farthest of the far-left of positions, ready to hike taxes, let the criminals out, and make even more residents flee than those who already have.

What a sad story. Chicago, a city famous for its election stealings, "elected" a far leftist after a disastrous collapse by its previous leftist mayor and the result has not been good. Now Oakland goes down the same path, set to shrivel to even a smaller and more Detroit-like city than it already is with a radical leftist spewing the same old garbage.

It's not going to get better over there. Kiss it goodbye.

Image: Joe Parks, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed
Reporting on the invasion of illegals in America (1965 to present) varies depending on which news outlet is doing the reporting. If you follow mainstream media, this is a minor problem, offset by all the good things those sympathetic and wonderful people bring to America. The anti-illegal-immigration outcry is much ado about nothing, according to these news shapers. This DEMOVASION is a good thing.

Not all of us see the issue the way the mainstream media reports it. We see Democrat leaders doing all they can to draw illegals into America. We notice NGO organizations, funded with our tax dollars, playing Welcome Wagon to the illegals. We wonder about the impact of all this on our economy and the Deficit. When we raise our concerns, we are met with cries of xenophobia and racism.

The shaming of those opposing the DEMOVASION is showing diminishing returns. Donald Trump is in the White House a second time because of this demographic monster, designed by the late Senator Ted Kennedy and supported by former Presidents Carter, Clinton, Obama, and Biden, to guarantee Democrat electoral dominance in Congress and the White House. A recent AXIOS poll showed that 66% of voters want illegal aliens deported from this country.

YouTube screen grab.

President Trump needs to appoint a Special Counsel to investigate the DEMOVASION. This investigation needs to be nonpartisan and initiated immediately. The same investigation needs to look at the validity of Trumps response to the DEMOVASION because, while flooding our country with illegal aliens, the Democrats have been calling Trump Hitler and his supporters Nazis or fascists, all without apparent proof.

Elections have consequences, as Barack Hussein Obama once said. Thats why, before the next Congressional election, Trumps appointed Special Counsel should show the nation how the Democrats have tried to stack the electoral deck in their favor for the next hundred years. This is not a joking matter. The Democrats have tried to hijack our elections before, as the 2020 election showed the world.

Imagine with me that President Trump asks Governor DeSantis to take the Special Counsel assignment. I think Ron I can handle hurricanes DeSantis will use his administrative abilities and investigative prowess to expose Kennedys demographic weapon for what it isa brazen power grab aimed at ensuring long-term Democrat supremacy. Trump was elected because Americans do not like election cheating, and they do not want their nation transformed into something they cannot recognize.

Wouldnt it be lovely to watch Ron DeSantis investigate the target-rich scheme that is DEMOVASION?

Ned Cosby, a frequent contributor to American Thinker, is a former pastor, veteran Coast Guard officer, and retired English high school teacher. His novel OUTCRY is a love story exposing the refusal of Christian leaders to report and discipline clergy who sexually abuse our young people. This work of fiction addresses crimes that are all too real. Cosby has also written RECOLLECTIONS FROM MY FATHERS HOUSE, tracing his own odyssey from 1954 to the present. For more info, visit Ned Cosby.
That evil Trump and his demonic henchman Pete Hegseth! He ordered the military to rewrite history! He ordered the Air Force to erase all mention of the Tuskegee Airmen! And just like the evil Ron DeSantis, he issued a dont say gay order which has resulted in this outrage:

Graphic: X Screenshot

Its not actually an outrage any more than the bill DeSantis signed to ensure parental rights in education. That law said nothing whatever about speech relating to gays. Media and Democrat cracktivist attempts to misrepresent President Trumps orders to return our military to its constitutional role as a fighting force rather than a flamingly woke social experiment constitute malicious compliance. Thats a form of insubordination:

891. Art. 91. Insubordinate conduct toward warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer Any warrant officer or enlisted member who- (1) strikes or assaults a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer, while that officer is in the execution of his office; (2) willfully disobeys the lawful order of a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer; or (3) treats with contempt or is disrespectful in language or deportment toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer, while that officer is in the execution of his office; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

As I recently noted in Cleaning traitors out of the military, our armed services are rife with servicemembers who think theyre in charge. High-ranking officers believe they have the power to disrespect the Commander in Chief, to disobey his orders to root out wokeness/DEI and every other social pathology that has caused the military to be far more concerned with drag queens, pronouns and the tender sensibilities of trans than to deterring and killing Americas enemies.

Secretary of Defense Hegseth, acting on Trumps orders, has been substantially successful in removing woke lunacy, which has caused covert and overt military queers to engage in malicious compliance like this:

The Department of Defense (DoD) on Monday quietly restored a web page it had removed about Army Maj. Gen. Charles Rogers, a Black man who earned the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the Vietnam War. The removal of the 2021 article on Rogers stoked furious backlash on social mediaparticularly after critics realized the then-defunct URL had been changed to include DEI medal. This is blood-boiling, remarked writer Brandon Friedman in a viral Saturday post on Bluesky, who shared screenshots of the web pages removal. Charles Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam after being wounded three times leading the defense of a position.

And this

Graphic: X Screenshot

And this:

Graphic: X Screenshot

Military commanders have the full text of orders requiring them to eliminate every vestige of wokeness. They know very well that Trump is not ordering the rewriting of history, nor the removal of any mention of the legitimate accomplishments of military members. What military traitors are doing is giving the Democrat media ammunition to use against Trump, like this NPR article:

References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and the first women to pass Marine infantry training are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press. The database, which was confirmed by U.S. officials and published by AP, includes more than 26,000 images that have been flagged for removal across every military branch. But the eventual total could be much higher.

Any honest servicemember would know what theyre doing is insubordination. Neither Trump nor Hegseth ordered anyone to remove photographs or mentions of blacks, women, Navajo code talkers, or any other bit of military history. They certainly had no intention of removing mention of a Medal of Honor recipient. The Enola Gay, Col. Tibbetts B-29, was named for his mother. The name has nothing whatever to do with contemporary homosexuals and one would have to be a fool, or a woke discipleI know; one in the same--to say otherwise.

Malicious compliance isnt limited to the Military. Insubordinate employees throughout the federal government are engaging in that juvenile behavior to resist Trumps lawful, constitutional orders. That kind of obstruction is damaging to all Americans, but when done in the military its potentially deadly.

While its possible lower-ranking service members engaged in malicious compliance were unaware what they were doing was wrong--they were only following what they thought to be lawful orders--those giving those orders likely knew exactly what they were doing.

As with commanders engaged in overt insubordination, every service member who knowingly violated the UCMJ must be appropriately punished if our military is to again serve America rather than the woke agenda.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
The school choice news in Texas gets better. This is the story:

The Texas House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would create a $1 billion private school voucher program, crossing a historic milestone and bringing Gov. Greg Abbotts top legislative priority closer than ever to reaching his desk.

The lower chamber signed off on its voucher proposal, Senate Bill 2, on an 86-61 vote. Every present Democrat voted against the bill. They were joined by two Republicans  far short of the bipartisan coalitions that in previous legislative sessions consistently blocked proposals to let Texans use taxpayer money to pay for their childrens private schooling.

This is an extraordinary victory for the thousands of parents who have advocated for more choices when it comes to the education of their children, Abbott said in a statement, vowing that he would swiftly sign this bill into law when it reached his desk.

The initial vote came more than 10 hours after the chamber gave preliminary approval to its sweeping $7.7 billion school funding package, which would give local districts more money per student and raise teacher salaries. House Bill 2, which received final passage Thursday on a 142-5 vote, also aims to improve the quality of special education services by allocating funding based on the individual needs of children with disabilities.
Sunday is a clearing the spindle day, and one of the things on my spindle has been Nate Silvers prediction last week that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, aka AOC, is currently the most likely person to be the Democrat partys 2028 presidential candidate. Frankly, I think hes right. Shes telegenic, has name recognition, and manages to make the same politics that killed tens of millions of people in the 20th century seem user-friendly. Shes also Bernie Sanders anointed heir, and he missed the nomination in 2016 and 2020 only because the Democrat party panicked.

Last week, Nate Silver, while acknowledging that its early days yet, said he still thinks that its possible to make predictions about the probable 2028 Democrat nominee based on the available information. He and his show co-host concluded that AOC is the most likely person:

Polling guru Nate Silver on Thursday even predicted Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, will be the next Democratic nominee for the White House. I thought I was gonna surprise everyone by taking AOC first, Silver tweeted, referring to the fact that his colleague Galen Druke also placed Ocasio-Cortez on top of his own early 2028 list. That was going to be my  first pick, he added. Silver and Druke agreed Ocasio-Cortez has the charisma and popularity to make a huge splash in the still-embryonic Democratic White House race, citing her impressive polling and fundraising numbers. Theres a lot of points in her favor at this very moment, Druke said on the Silver Bulletin Substack podcast. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has broad appeal across the Democratic Party.

I think theyre right. AOC really does have a huge appeal to the Democrat base: Shes a very attractive, self-identified female (and biologically female, too) who is nominally Hispanic (although she was just Sandy from the suburbs) and has a cool, and instantly recognizable, moniker.

The fact that shes never held a real-world job other than working as a bartender is not seen as a strike against her in terms of running for the most demanding executive position in the world. Lack of real-life experience wasnt a problem for Americas two most recent Democrat presidents, either. The fact that shes as dumb as a rock is also not a problem, as Joe Bidens presidency demonstrates. In addition, shes actually not really that dumb. Instead, shes also crazy like a fox, saying what needs to be said, no matter how stupid it sounds, to achieve her political goals.

What matters, in addition to her superficial qualities (pretty, female, Hispanic), is the fact that AOC is a hardcore communist who hates America. Indeed, that last quality is part of her charm. Its why she is Bernie Sanders anointed heir, playing to vast stadiums of cheering leftists.

And no, it also doesnt matter that she and Bernie are flying first class and on private jets on their Fighting Oligarchy tour. The useful idiots understand the rules: People who make money providing valuable products and services are parasitical oligarchs. People who make money by seizing it from the taxpayers are revolutionaries.

What AOC really brings to the table is that she is the perfect fusion of identity politics and Bernies old-fashioned economic communism. Its an added bonus that shes also wildly anti-Israel, choosing instead to support those people who would torture to death or throw from buildings every one of the LGBTQ+ cohort she professes to love so much.

AOC is the pretty face of the Stalinesque and Maoist approach to governance, and the increasingly radicalized Democrat party loves her, not despite that, but because of that.

I know a lot of conservatives are cheering at the thought of AOC being the 2028 nominee, because they think shell be easy to beat. Id just like to remind them that a lot of Democrats thought the same about Trump in 2015/2016. And please dont assume that JD Vance will wipe the floor with her during debates. Well, yes, he will, but while AOC may be ignorant to the point of idiocy, shes verbally facile and Democrat institutions will prop her up.

We live in times that arent just interesting, but are far too interesting. In a world in which the lunatics have taken over the asylum, AOC may be the most lunatic of all, making her a winner.

Picture made using AI on public domain images.
One of the bees in my bonnet is Justice Gorsuchs decision in 2020s Bostock v. Clayton County. In that case, Gorsuch said that the word sex in the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which then meant only biological sex, must be understood in light of modern transgender activism to mean a persons self-chosen sexual identity.

By holding as he did, Gorsuch effectively greenlighted several recent district court opinions, two of which halted President Trumps efforts to remove from the military so-called transgender people (i.e., mentally ill people with life-long, extreme medical needs should they have gender affirming care), and the other blocking Trumps order requiring passports to recognize peoples sexual reality, not their perverse fantasies.

Gorsuchs approach is known as a textualist approach to interpreting statutes, and its become a very dangerous weapon. If the administration is to counter other judges, including Gorsuch himself, in the future, its necessary to understand a few rules of statutory construction, rules that apply to the Constitution, as well.

Image by Grok

The unspoken rule weve become accustomed to from the left is an activist or living approach. What this boils down to is that activist courts can interpret the Constitution and statutes to mean whatever they want in order to achieve a desired outcome. They can find emanations, penumbras, and whole romance novels in the Constitution if needed. These are not actual rules of statutory construction, of course. They are leftist politics wrapped in judges robes.

However, there are real rules of statutory construction, which go back centuries. Rule Number 1 is that, whenever possible, Courts should look to the plain meaning of the words as written:

[T]he plain, obvious, and rational meaning of a statute is always to be preferred to any curious, narrow, hidden sense that nothing but the exigency of a hard case and the ingenuity and study of an acute and powerful intellect would discover.

Lynch v. Alworth-Stephens Co., 267 U.S. 364, 370 (1925) (internal quotation marks omitted).

However, what happens if the meaning really isnt so plain? After all, you dont need to contort yourself when a statute says, Dog owners must clean up their dogs fecal matter from all locations other than their own property. But what about a poorly written statute that is inherently ambiguous? For example, a statute saying Dog waste must be removed doesnt put the onus on anyone. Will an innocent property owner who finds a strange Great Danes gift on his lawn be criminally liable if he doesnt remove it?

Well, theres a rule for that, too: Courts should construe laws in harmony with the legislative intent and seek to carry out legislative purpose. Foster v. United States, 303 U.S. 118, 120 (1938). And to give meaning to that determination, its apparent that the statutory language must be understood to mean what it meant at the time the statute was passed or the constitutional provision ratified.

The best way to understand this is to look at the First Amendment, with its provisions about a free press, and the Second Amendments right to bear arms. Back in the 18th century, the press quite literally used presses to print words on paper. However, we understand that the Founders meant the free exchange of news and ideas, so were not hung up on the medium used. Likewise, contrary to some gun-grabbers, we (and the Supreme Court) understand that the Founders did not mean to limit Americans to guns that had to be reloaded between each shot (e.g., muskets).

A textualist like Gorsuch, however, will override the reverse situation. Thus, the Constitution has old-fashioned words that apply to overarching principles that are still relevant today. However, there are situationsas with the word sexwhen the word is the same, but the meaning has changed. You cannot pretend that legislators in the past were thinking of the same overarching meaning ascribed to the word in modern times.

Concrete examples of this principle are useful. A spinster was originally an unmarried woman who spun thread, but the term eventually became a demeaning pejorative. Nice used to mean precise or subtle, and now it means merely pleasant.

Most significantly, the word happiness in the Declaration of Independence has nothing to do with following your bliss and feeling good about yourself and your sexual choices. Grok, when asked What did the word happiness mean 250 years ago in English-speaking countries? reveals that it had a significantly more profound meaning in the political and ideological context, and even in the most common usage, it wasnt talking about self-fulfillment, including the sexual kind:

250 years ago, around 1775, the word happiness in English-speaking countries carried a meaning that was broader and more nuanced than todays common association with personal joy or contentment. Rooted in philosophical and cultural contexts of the Enlightenment, it often encompassed ideas of well-being, virtue, and living a good life in alignment with moral and societal ideals.  Philosophical Context: Influenced by thinkers like John Locke and Aristotle (via classical revival), happiness was tied to eudaimonia  a state of flourishing achieved through virtue, reason, and fulfilling ones purpose. It was less about fleeting emotions and more about a sustained state of living well.  Moral and Social Dimension: Happiness was often linked to moral conduct and contributing to the common good. For example, in religious contexts, it could mean living in accordance with divine will, as seen in Puritan or Anglican teachings.  Political Usage: The term gained prominence in documents like the U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776), where the pursuit of happiness referred to the right to seek prosperity, self-governance, and personal fulfillment, often within a communal framework.  Everyday Usage: In common speech, happiness could still denote joy or satisfaction but was frequently tied to external conditions like health, family, and economic stability rather than purely internal feelings. For example, Samuel Johnsons Dictionary of the English Language (1755) defined happiness as 1. The state of being happy; felicity and 2. Good fortune; good luck, emphasizing both a state of well-being and favorable circumstances. In summary, happiness 250 years ago was a richer concept, blending personal contentment with moral virtue, societal contribution, and favorable conditions, reflecting Enlightenment values and classical influences.

All of this sounds rather abstruse (and theres a cool, 16th-century word), but its not. Given the pivotal issues going before the Supreme Court, the DOJ must ensure that the Court rigorously follows the rules of statutory interpretation. Thats because in a world in which values, words, and word definitions are changing at warp speed, keeping the Court honest may be the difference between keeping our liberty or falling victim to perpetual government servitude.

(Thanks to my friend Nodrog Snave for his help with this essay.)
Ive had sitting on my computer for a few days an essay by Rod Dreher, an American conservative who now lives in Hungary, the only country in Europe making a stand for traditional values and refusing to accept unlimited Islamic immigration. From his perch in Hungary, Dreher has written about his conversations with ordinary Europeans, who believe that civil war is imminent, a war that will see those who share European values arrayed against those who have embraced leftism and Islam.

Drehers essay opens by telling readers about a hugely popular podcast entitled The Coming British Civil War. On it, David Betz, a Kings College, London, professor who is an expert on civil wars, opines that the UK is on the verge of a civil war. Writes Dreher:

Betz argues that the United Kingdom now has all the traditional hallmarks of a society on the verge of violent civil conflict. He mentions the collapse of faith in British institutions, the two-tier justice system, Islamic radicalization, and the polarization wrought by official multiculturalism, among other factors.

The UK is not the only European nation that is being driven to the breaking point by the stresses that the ruling elites have placed upon their ancient cultures. The same is true in France, where the ruling class has conveniently decided to lock away Marine Le Pen, the one person who is currently standing athwart the French political system yelling Stop.

The Battle of Vienna by an unknown contemporaneous painter. Public domain.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the AfD party, which opposes unlimited Muslim immigration, is being blackballed, blacklisted, and sidelined. European elites, just like Americas Democrats, believe that democracy applies only to votes for their people and policies.

Dreher says that his private conversations reveal that ordinary people agree with Betz:

In a number of private conversations with ordinary French peoplethis was before the Le Pen verdictI brought up the Betz interview (none had heard about it), and asked them if they foresaw civil war coming to France. Nearly all of them said yes. They said so with an unnerving sense of calm, as if they accepted it as a matter of course.

Looking at the European landscape, Dreher analogizes the situation to what happened in Eastern Europe after the Soviet Unions collapse. These were not, he says, formal armed civil wars, with armies facing off against each other. (In other words, not like the American Civil War.) Instead,

These were often spontaneous, undirected spasms of orgiastic violenceexactly what Prof. Betz says civil war in the UK and in Europe would be like. He also says that given mass media, especially social media, a civil war sparking off in one country would likely trigger them almost instantly in others.

Dreher has a lot more to say on the subject (all wise, informed, and depressing), so you might want to check it out.

As for me, I dont think therell even be a scrambling guerrilla war in Europe. I say that for a few reasons:

1. The European masses have been enervated by socialism, which, unlike religion, is the true opiate of the people. They are so utterly dependent on the government that they cannot rebel against it. Indeed, if you look at the utter passivity / helplessness of ordinary Brits in the face of the mass Muslim rape of their children, you have a microcosm of what the once warlike Europeans have become.

2. Whats going on in Europe has lasted long enough that it is the young peoples normal. They have been brainwashed from the cradle to accept multiculturalism, sexual abnormalities, and open borders as good and inevitable things. While their parents may rebel, the last couple of generations, like good Nazi youth who turned their parents in to the Gestapo, think their parents are wrong and even dangerous. And keep in mind that, thanks to the war on families, the old European lineage is dying out anyway, as native-born women have stopped having children.

3. The Europeans are disarmed. Their government took their weapons away a long time ago. Theyre barely allowed to have sporks. And while immigrants havent felt constrained by those laws and have maintained access to weapons, the native Europeans smugly handed over their weapons of self-defense, secure in their moral superiority.

4. The civil war, such as it might have been, is already over, and the enemy is already in country. The civil war was fought at the ballot box when leftists became more and more extreme, and the population, hooked on that good socialist opium, kept voting for them. Their numbers are declining, and their values are already broken.

The last gasp was when Angela Merkel opened Europes doors to Islam. The ordinary people, cowed and bullied, acquiesced. Indeed, in Germany, they felt that letting in Jew killers was their punishment for killing Jews. (The Germans have always had a twist to the psyches, hence the Holocaust in the first place.)

5. The Barbarians are already in the gate. (Not at the gate, but inside the gate.) Nothing more clearly illustrates this than whats happened in Vienna. As European history buffs know, in 1683, forces from the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth beat back the seemingly unbeatable Ottoman Empire, which was besieging Vienna from the East. Europe was saved from becoming one more of the Muslim conquests that began when Mohameds forces burst out of the Arabian desert a thousand years before.

But beginning in the 1960s, Europeans started inviting in their former enemies. The British took in the Saudis and Pakistanis, the French invited in the Algerians and Moroccans, and the Germans opened their doors to the Turks. The same was true across Europe.

And of course, in 2015, Angela Merkel invited in everyone. Assimilation has not gone well because Muslims dont believe in assimilation; they have a religious mandate for conquest and, unlike Europeans, they have babies. Lots and lots of babies. By contrast, look at Spain, a one-time defender of Europe against Islam and a nation that had lots of babies, which has effectively stopped reproducing.

These factors led to an inevitable outcome in Vienna, once the stopping point for Islam:

For the first time, Muslim students are the largest religious group in Viennas schools, underlining the incredible demographic transformation taking place in the Austrian city. The Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) is now raising the alarm. Muslim students now account for 41.2 percent of all students, while Christian students fell to 34.5 percent. The trend is only growing, and is accompanied by rising problems, including violence in schools, anti-Semitism, and contempt for women.

Europe, the cradle of Western civilization, is gone. Worse, it didnt even die from apathy. It actively committed suicide. And no, there wont be a civil war that can save it. Enoch Powell may not have been politically correct when he gave his Rivers of Blood speech, but he was prescient:
The IRS is arguably the least popular governmental agency, though with mounting DOGE revelations, its becoming a hard run race to earn that dubious honor. Much has been made of the Bidens Handlers Administrations hiring of some 80,000 IRS agents. They promised all those new employees would never, ever audit Americans making less than $400,000 dollars a year, and if you believe that, have I mentioned Im a Nigerian prince in exile and if you give me your bank account numbers Ill deposit millions for safekeeping and you can keep 50%?

Democrat media outlets have consistently claimed those hirings never happened, yet the Trump Administration is working on firing some 25% of the IRS. Considering the waste, fraud, outright theft and general sloth DOGE is finding throughout the government, its likely reasonable to believe that kind of reduction wont in the least hurt the ability of the IRS to process taxes.

Graphic: Melanie Krause. Linked In.com

And now we learn Melanie Krause, the third IRS Commissioner this year, a woman in office for only about six weeks, is leaving:

Melanie Krause, the acting head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), will be resigning after barely six weeks on the job, in advance of the agency sharing taxpayer data with federal immigration authorities, according to The New York Times.



Krause has served as the acting agency commissioner for barely six weeks, as the third person to hold the job at the tax collection agency this year. Two current and one former IRS employees told CNN that Krause informed her staff on Tuesday that she was resigning. One source said the data-sharing agreement was one factor in Krauses decision to leave, and that the final agreement was different than the last draft Krause was involved in. The source said that other reasons Krause wanted to leave included the exodus of other senior executive career employees over the past few days as well as the direction the IRS is heading in.

Hmmm. Krause is leaving because the head of the federal government, Donald Trump, wants the IRS to work with immigration authorities to find and deport illegal immigrants. Arent the IRS and immigration agencies part of the Executive branch and isnt Donald Trump the sole executive as Article II of the Constitution provides and therefore Krauses boss?

Why else might Krause be leaving?

A Treasury Department spokesperson told USA Today, "Melanie Krause has been leading the IRS through a time of extraordinary change. 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. We believe these goals are critical to a more efficient government and safer country. We wish Melanie well on her next endeavor."

Might Krause also be leaving because shes among those in government who absolutely dont want DOGE to break down data silos that for too long have stood in the way of identifying waste, fraud, and abuse, nor does she want criminals to be brought to justice? Being as kind as possible to Ms. Krause we might believe her sudden departure is only due to bureaucratic infighting over the wording of drafts about IRS cooperation with our immigration agencies.

Most Americans are not in the mood to be particularly kind to federal bureaucrats, and particularly not IRS bureaucrats.

Thats because Normal Americans know when their boss gives them directions, they have two choices: follow those directions or quit. Normal Americans dont think theyre in charge of companies they didnt build, nor do they imagine they have the authority to override their bosses directions. They know life is not all about them, and they dont think they have unaccountable control over the lives of others.

It's reasonable to think Krause, like so many other federal bureaucrats, reacts to accountability like vampires react to sunlight. Its also reasonable to expect the Bondi DOJ to take a very careful look at whether bureaucrats that tried to obstruct DOGE, and failed quickly fled their agencies for less than honorable reasons. Perhaps some of them honestly thought they were protecting the public from the evil Trump. If so, they were also protecting the public from the Constitution. Notice too how none of them to date have apparently been able to produce evidence of their ethical probity and of Trumps evil.

Perhaps Ms. Krause is different. Perhaps she has the goods on Trump and Musk and Doge and on every Normal American who thinks the IRS works for them and government employees ought to put in an honest days work for their wages. Perhaps shell soon produce that evidence.

I wont be holding my breath.

On a different subject, if you are not already a subscriber, you may not know that weve implemented something new: A weekly newsletter with unique content from our editors for subscribers only. These essays alone are worth the cost of the subscription.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
If there's a more ridiculous member of the Senate than Maryland's leftist Chris Van Hollen, his name is yet to be known.

Last week, Van Hollen flew down to El Salvador in a bid to bring repatriated Salvadoran MS-13 member Kilmar Abrego Garcia "home" to Maryland. A few days ago, he waxed about the illegal immigrant's status as a devoted father, and his contributions to the U.S. as a union sheet metal worker, leaving off the part about how Abrego Garcia deprived some American of a "good-paying job" on that alone.

Then the boom was lowered, by both President Trump and President Nayyib Bukele of El Salvador, almost working as a tag team to do a number on the leftist fool.

Trump released police reports and other evidence showing that Abrego Garcia was an MS-13 member with quite a history of encounters with the cops. Trump held up photos of his MS-13-tattooed hands, for one, and various wife-beating reports indicating that he wasn't exactly a good father or husband appeared. The Trump team released reports of deportation judges, rejecting his claims for asylum. Another release showed that the Tennessee state cops stopped him on a highway as a suspected human trafficker, traveling with around with eight people who didn't have luggage bags in his vehicle. The cops detained him and asked the Biden DoJ what to do. The answer from those quarters was to let him go. And voila, no criminal record.

But nobody's idea of a sweet little daisy, either. Most people want that guy gone. Only crazy leftists want him back.

Meanwhile, down in San Salvador, President Bukele, seeing Van Hollen stand in front of the prison and carp about not being let in, decided to pull a little stunt on him:

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the death camps & torture, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador! pic.twitter.com/r6VWc6Fjtn  Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 18, 2025

He made sure lots of pictures were taken, as President Trump's DoJ was drip-drip-dripping out Abrego's police records.

LMFAO Van Hollen walked right into Bukeles trap.



A Democrat Senator from America literally shaking hands with a foreign gang member as if he accomplished a diplomatic mission meeting with a revered dignitary.



This is terrible optics for Democrats and fantastic for Bukele.



How https://t.co/tNgkxwxF2Y pic.twitter.com/bULtbgEDTv  VISH BURRA  (@VishBurra) April 18, 2025

Now Van Hollen's trying to salvage what little dignity he has left. He's sputtering in rage that the margaritas were fake and he didn't ask for them nor did he and Abrego Garcia drink them.

Of course they weren't. That was why it was fun. He got played for a fool, which is why they were delivered for the pictures and that mocking tweet from the president. Latin American leaders have long loathed leftist losers from the states, all full of piety and sanctimony, coming down to their countries and proclaiming them death squad regimes, human rights violators, torturers, and all that. They've seen this movie before, pioneered by bloated, debauched legislators such as Ted Kennedy, Chris Dodd, Jim McGovern, Greg Meeks, most of whom have (D-Mass.) after their name. I've been to Latin America, and know that the fake charges from them make these leaders puke. All this, while real death squad regimes, such as Marxist Venezuela, draw no condemnation whatsoever from them.

The troll accomplished, Van Hollen is still desperately trying to justify himself.

Here's his latest from the Sunday talks:

I am not defending the man. I'm defending the rights of this man to due process, Van Hollen told ABC News' This Week co-anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday. And the Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported. My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law, because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else.

The guy had more due process than just about anyone out there, filing appeal after appeal after appeal of his final deportation order. Now Van Hollen is trying to claim that a judicial stay of deportation issued at the last minute amounted to legal status in the states that surpassed all the final deportation orders, overruling all of those judges who found him a deportable alien.

All it means is they deported him to the wrong country, except that the wrong country is the country of his actual citizenship. And in any case, the point is moot, the gang Abrego Garcia was supposedly being protected from in El Salvador, Barrio 18, is long gone, while the same gang is very much alive and well and operating in the states. Sending Abrego Garcia back to his native El Salvador was actually doing him a favor, protecting him from the revenge attacks to whatever it was he did to upset Barrio 18 in the states.

But Van Hollen persists, shifting his argument from 'loving father' and 'good union man' to only caring about due process. This is ridiculous. Abrego Garcia had his day in court and was ordered back to his native country. But Van Hollen wants the foreign national with a skeevy background back here, and he's willing to twist in the wind to shift his argument to anything he thinks he can use to bring him back.

He's trying to save face. He's now a figure of fun. House leaders have rejected other Democrats' request to have Congress pay for their junkets, too, so he's thrashing, trying to do anything he can to avoid being a laughingstock. It's a little late for that, doofus.

Image: X screen shot
If you're looking for something to brighten up your timeline, this video of an orphaned baby beaver named Moose throwing a tantrum during mealtime will do it! Just like a toddler, Moose isn't very patient when it comes to eating or being cleaned up after he makes a mess.

You'll want to make sure your sound is on for River Bandit Wildlife Rescue's video so you can hear Moose's tantrum...it's seriously beyond adorable! Moose's caretaker is bottle feeding him, and you can tell he's enjoying it. But when she has to stop the feeding to clean up spilled milk, Moose's mood goes from content to angry in about one second!

I had no idea that baby beavers sounded so cute! Moose sounded like a newborn, squealing and making a ruckus. Honestly, it's the cutest tantrum I've ever seen and I'm jealous of his caretaker's job. I would love to hang out with Moose all day!

People got a kick out of River Bandit's adorable video and left more than 1,200 comments. @Katie hit the nail on the head when she asked, "Why is THIS tantrum cute, but my 3-year-old's tantrum is not?" @Nowolf swooned, "His little hands kneading the air!!!"

@Misa said what we were all thinking, "I never knew needed a baby beaver until now" and @Lauren Z wasn't wrong when she added, "All due respect, hes clearly in distress. You definitely need to bring him to live with me. LOL!"

Related: Baby Beaver Working Hard to Collect Tiny Branches for His First Dam Is Everything

More About Baby Beavers' Moose and Petunia

River Bandit rescued Moose and his sister Petunia after they were orphaned in the river when they were only days old. They were scared and needed help and were lucky to be found alive.

Another commenter shared, "Hearing what a baby beaver sounds like actually explains largely why people have reported babies crying at rivers." She went on to say, "We literally have bridges in my town called cry baby bridge cause at night they say you can hear children crying & its all make sense now!"

The babies will be cared for over the next two years, and will learn how to hunt, build a dam, groom themselves, and survive in the wild. In the spring of 2027, they'll be released back into the wild. Until then, I hope the rescue continues to share these adorable videos of both Moose and his sister; they're little but they're growing so fast!
Arsenal denied Liverpool the opportunity to be crowned Premier League champions on Easter Sunday with a 4-0 victory against 10-man Ipswich at Portman Road.

Leandro Trossard put Mikel Artetas side ahead after just 14 minutes and Gabriel Martinelli doubled their advantage shortly before the half-hour mark.

Ipswich were then forced to play for an hour with 10 players after Leif Davis was shown a straight red card for a late tackle on Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal's comfortable win at Ipswich means Wednesday is the earliest Liverpool can confirm the title#IPSARS pic.twitter.com/0YeyWJnGLo  Premier League (@premierleague) April 20, 2025

Trossard added his second on 69 minutes with substitute Ethan Nwaneri completing the rout two minutes from time.

A defeat for Arsenal would have allowed Liverpool the chance to claim the title with five matches remaining, but their wait will go on.

Ipswich avoid relegation for now, but their fate is likely to be sealed next weekend with West Ham only needing a draw at Brighton to send Kieran McKennas men straight back to the Championship.

Arsenals hopes of a first league title in two decades had long since faded, with their priority now on capturing their maiden Champions League crown.

Artetas side arrived at Portman Road hot off the back of their stunning 5-1 aggregate win against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals. They were brimming with confidence from the off, and were ahead inside a quarter of an hour.

Just as Ipswich had looked dangerous at the other end  with Julio Enciso holding off Declan Rice and driving into the Gunners penalty area  it was his misplaced pass which allowed the visitors to break.

Arsenals Leandro Trossard, number 19, opened the scoring at Portman Road (John Walton/PA)

Oleksandr Zinchenko found Martin Odegaard, who fed Saka and his pass was converted by Trossard. The Belgian fended off Sam Morsy before playing his shot through Dara OSheas legs and into the net.

Fourteen minutes later, and Arsenal had their second. It again came down their right-hand side, with Trossard finding Saka. The wingers pull-back was met with a cute flick by Mikel Merino, which provided Martinelli with the chance to slot into an empty net.

The visitors had their tails up, and Ipswich were dealt another hammer blow when referee Christopher Kavanagh dismissed Davis. The Ipswich left-back was late on Saka, and caught the Arsenal mans standing ankle. Saka went down in agony and Davis was shown a straight red card.

Ipswichs Leif Davis saw red (John Walton/PA)

A VAR check followed but there was no intervention, with Davis adjudged to have endangered Sakas safety.

Saka was back on his feet and had a hat-trick of chances to extend Arsenals advantage before the interval.

First, he cut back on his left foot only to see his trademark curling finish narrowly miss Alex Palmers far post. Then, he miscued Merinos cute through-ball with only Palmer left to beat.

Another opportunity fell to Saka from Trossards pass, but he missed the target  much to the amusement of the home support who were aggrieved with the Arsenal players role in Davis dismissal.

Arsenals Bukayo Saka was replaced Ethan Nwaneri (PA)

With one eye on Arsenals opening leg against Paris St Germain in nine days, Saka was replaced by Nwaneri just 10 minutes into the second period. Saka promptly had an ice-pack wrapped round his right ankle, which Arsenal supporters will hope is a precaution.

Ipswich spent much of the second half camped inside their own area, and Trossard broke their resistance from Rices corner when he was allowed time to turn and shoot in the box before firing underneath Palmer.

Odegaard struck the post with three minutes left before Nathan Butler-Oyedeji forced Palmer into a fingertip save.

From the ensuing corner, Nwaneris strike deflected in off Cameron Burgess as Arsenal moved seven points clear of third-placed Newcastle, with Ipswich 15 points adrift of safety following Wolves 1-0 win at Manchester United.
Socialist tract: John Simm and Maxine Peake in The Village - Stuart Wood/BBC

Recently, I had an interesting conversation with a Labour Party stalwart. He told me that our people, as he put it, were increasingly hostile to the BBC licence fee: not just because it took a chunk out of these voters disposable income, but because they rarely consumed the BBCs services at all.

The Corporations charter is due to be renewed in December 2027. Whether the Government will renew it on the same terms is unclear, which should trouble BBC executives profoundly. Dr Samir Shah, the present chairman of the BBC board, called last November for the renewal process to be ended, arguing for a permanent establishment in the manner of the Bank of England and the British Council. In that case, the BBC should be funded out of taxation and subject to intense parliamentary scrutiny. Such scrutiny would almost certainly result in a contraction of its functions, as ways were sought to cut costs: I suspect Dr Shah and BBC executives would not approve.

It has been apparent for years that the quality of the BBCs original content is sinking fast. A comparison between television dramas produced in the first quarter of this century in America and those produced here makes the point: we havent managed a Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Billions or Succession. Several of those gave a showcase to British acting talent, and their stories were both gripping and intelligently told.



Much of what one has seen on the BBC, by contrast, seeks to educate viewers about race, multiculturalism, gender, sexual orientation and much else on the woke agenda. No wonder fewer and fewer people watch the Corporations output. These are not the obsessions of the British public, but of a tiny minority who dominate senior roles at the BBC, talk mainly to each other and seek to impose their contemporary liberal-elite doctrines on others.

This is a primary reason for the BBCs failure with its original content: millions of us simply dont share such thinking, and dont want our televisions to pump it out. Indeed, such a patronising view of the preferences of the culture of the masses has helped to drive many Britons away from Labour and the Conservatives, and into the arms of the Reform Party.

Historical drama is a particular casualty. I first registered this in 2017 in the BBCs dramatisation of Howards End, in which two prominent characters, including Mrs Bast, were played by women of colour. Both were fine actresses, but this representation nonetheless distorted the social reality detailed in the book. (What is termed colour-blind casting, of course, does not cut both ways. By precisely the opposite logic, no one at the BBC today would cast a white actor as Othello.)

Worse yet, the BBC uses historical drama to right the wrongs of the past. I first saw that in The Hour, a 2011 BBC drama set in the BBC of the 1950s, during which the characters said all sorts of earnest things about the social iniquities of the time, in order to teach 21st-century viewers a lesson.

Historical accuracy was not a consideration; it rarely is. In 2013, the BBC launched a series called The Village, which was supposed to chart the life of a Midlands community from just before the Great War through the 20th century. I sensed it would not last long when men going off to war in 1914 were serenaded with Jerusalem, two years before it was, in fact, written. Happily, the series petered out in the 1920s, viewers presumably having tired of watching a factually incorrect, relentlessly socialist tract.



And while I havent watched Doctor Who since about 1970, I read recently that the ratings went off the proverbial cliff because of its woke storylines and obsession with diversity, with London apparently being rescued from disaster because the saviour was trans, and the Doctor himself realising that he had a tendresse for Sir Isaac Newton. Apparently, some people still let their children watch this manipulative garbage, and those of us still insane enough to buy a licence pay for it.



BBC television has ceased to be relevant to its customers. If the licence fee is abolished in 2027, it will not be a second too soon.
Chelsea gave themselves plenty of work to do at Stamford Bridge after substitute Claudia Pinas brace inspired holders Barcelona to a 4-1 victory in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in Spain.

Ewa Pajor opened the scoring for the hosts in the 35th minute at the Johan Cruyff Stadium after Blues keeper Hannah Hampton had saved a ninth-minute penalty.

Pina scored her first with 20 minutes remaining in the second half, then Sandy Baltimore clawed one back for Chelsea  and restored some optimism  four minutes later.

But the hosts were not finished, and handed Sonia Bompastors quadruple-chasing side their biggest defeat in 17 months with an 82nd-minute goal from Irene Paredes before Pina struck again on the stroke of full-time.

Sonia Bompastors side were well beaten in Spain (Bagu Blanco/AP)

Barcelona broke into Chelseas penalty area early on and a shot from Patricia Guijarro deflected dangerously off Nathalie Bjorn before Hampton was able to smother it.

Caroline Graham Hansen had a deflected effort roll wide before Hampton fumbled a save from Paredes attempt from the resulting corner  which VAR then revealed had caught the arm of Bjorn before it made its way to the Chelsea keeper.

A penalty was awarded and Alexia Putellas stepped up but was denied by Hampton, who read it correctly and dived to her left to make the stop.

The hosts maintained their considerable possession advantage by the halfway point in the first period, with Chelsea doing well to stave off pressure. Hampton comfortably saved Aitana Bonmatis low effort, then plucked a cross from the air.

But Barcelona top-scorer Pajor then got the hosts in front, facilitated by a reverse pass from Putellas to play through the Poland captain, who found the far corner with a composed finish.

Irene Paredes (second right) celebrates with Putellas after scoring Barcelonas third (Bagu Blanco/AP)

Graham Hansen watched an effort fly just past the top corner in first-half stoppage time, when Aggie Beever-Jones finally called Cata Coll into action and former Barcelona defender Lucy Bronze could not connect with the resulting corner from Sandy Baltimore.

Bompastor made her first changes as the hour mark approached, bringing on Guro Reiten and Catarina Macario for Beever-Jones and Wieke Kaptein.

Barcelona keeper Coll then came out to punch away Johanna Rytting Kaneryds cross before Putellas had an effort saved, and there were worrying scenes for Chelsea when Erin Cuthbert appeared to sustain a knee issue but carried on.

Pina registered her second in the 70th minute, four minutes after she was introduced, putting the finishing touch on Ona Batlles excellent delivery from the right.

Baltimores reply came less than four minutes later, Macario this time the one to provide her team-mate with a fine pass for the France international to direct into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

There was a good save by Hampton to deny Pina before Chelseas million-dollar defender Naomi Girma came on to make her Champions League debut.

Paredes restored Barcelonas two-goal advantage from an inswinging corner with eight minutes remaining, beating Bronze to the ball and nodding home.

Pina then made it four for Barcelona, latching onto a lovely back-heel from Putellas and bagging her brace with a deflected effort off Millie Bright.
A tangled clump of tree roots that inspired Vincent van Goghs final painting are at the centre of a heated legal battle between French villagers and their mayor.

Five years ago, art experts concluded that a system of exposed, gnarly roots along the side of a road in Auvers-sur-Oise on the outskirts of Paris, were those depicted in Tree Roots, the artists last work.

It is believed that he painted the piece just hours before he died in 1890, after shooting himself in the chest with a revolver.

News of the location shook the art world. The small village, located about an hour north of Paris where Van Gogh spent the last two months of his life, attracted international media in the summer of 2020 and a steady stream of eager pilgrims.

But the discovery has since become the subject of a pitched war between the town over whether the roots belong to the municipality or property owners Jean-Francois Serlinger and his wife Helene, who is also an artist who moved to the village to live where Van Gogh had worked.

Vincent van Gogh spent his final days in a gated courtyard in Auvers-sur-Oise, an hour away from Paris - Elliott Verdier/The New York Times

Last month, French courts sided with the Serlingers and ruled that the roots painted by Van Gogh are on their property, marking the second legal victory for the couple.

The embankment containing the tree roots painted by Vincent van Gogh does not constitute an accessory to the public highway, the Versailles Administrative Court of Appeal wrote in their decision.

But for Isabelle Mezieres, the mayor of Auvers-sur-Oise, the fight is far from over.

The roots belong to the people of Auvers! she wrote this month, adding that she plans to file another appeal.

Theres no way were going to surrender the public interest of the people of Auvers in the face of private interests. The question of ownership has not been settled.

The couple moved to the village in the mid-1990s and purchased an extra parcel of land in 2013, not knowing that they had also bought an important part of art history.

Since the discovery, the Serlingers have launched guided tours called The Mystery of van Goghs Roots in collaboration with the Van Gogh Europe Foundation.

Auvers will not abandon its roots

Tickets are 8 (7), and visitors are led on a 30-minute tour that traces the artists life and work throughout the town, including the tree roots on their property.

The tours offer an immersive experience of the area that is deeply linked to the artists final painting and last stretch of his life, according to the site.

Despite the municipality losing their case twice in a row, the town has vowed to try a third time.

We are considering a possible appeal, Michel Gentilhomme, the towns lawyer, told Le Parisien.

There is a desire for private individuals to appropriate this property, in the interest of the municipalitys residents. This issue must be resolved so that the municipality is not criticised for having abandoned its roots.

For their part, the Serlingers said they wanted to turn the page and put the legal battle behind them, while pursuing other ways to develop the site.

Theres no doubt about it, we own the land right down to the street, the couple told Le Parisien. Weve won a second time. Were within our rights.

The initial connection between the local roots and the painting was made in 2020, when Wouter van der Veen, a local Van Gogh expert, stumbled on an old black and white postcard in his collection that showed a man walking his bike along the villages Rue Daubigny.

The familiar ancient roots growing out of the road caught his eye and, in a eureka moment, he made the connection between the photo and the painting.

The new tourist season officially started on Saturday, which came with an air of tension in the village amid the ongoing row.

It created a deep sense of insecurity around a site that calls for calm and serenity, Mr. Serlinger told The New York Times. We have a feeling of insecurity with a mayor who is still in a war.
Chef Jackson Boxer at Dove in Ladbroke Grove, west London. Photograph: Sophia Evans/The Observer

Dove, 31 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU (020 7043 1400; dove.london). Starters 4-16; mains 12-33; wine from 35

I am a potentially dull person to eat with. However much I love and relish food, food is not my friend and I have a host of verbotens, ranging from garlic, onion and chives, which for me are headache-inducing, to butter, which I have always hated. Each meal in a new restaurant where Im not familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the menu begins, Do you have anything without garlic? My meal might end up seeming plain to an onlooker, but this plainness divulges so many nuanced flavours  a grilled chop floods my nervous system with relaxing endorphins. The pleasure of eating something that agrees with me is in itself a huge delight.

Offered the chance to be a restaurant critic for a day, my first thought was who would be the most fun to invite as my date. A sadly long-departed film producer friend called Hercules Bellville  Hercy  pronounced that the most important thing about a restaurant was the amount of space between the tables. In his book, food came about third on the list. I agree in part  for me the thing that matters most is the atmosphere.

But my number one priority is who I get to converse with, and how much they will enjoy all the things denied to me that I can vicariously experience. For the last 10 years I have been going for lunch with the brilliant fashion journalist Tim Blanks. He has taken me for birthday lunches at our local Japanese. We have discussed music, fashion and politics in great detail. He normally drinks the most fabulous-sounding concoctions while I benefit from the contact high.

Tim accepted my offer of lunch at chef-owner Jackson Boxers new restaurant Dove on Ladbroke Groves Kensington Park Road in London, which opened in early January; we were already fans of its previous incarnation, the seafood restaurant Orasay, which occupied the same spot and closed on New Years Eve 2024. Someone told me that Dove has this incredible burger on the menu made from 50-day dry-aged beef, with gorgonzola on top. They only make something like 15 portions per day and they sell out within minutes. We missed them, but there were other tantalising delicacies to deliberate over.

Tim and I usually dawdle for hours, analysing the most recent fashion gossip and the current switcheroo creative director merry-go-round. He had to rush off sooner than usual to get an exclusive phone scoop direct from Haider Ackermann on his Tom Ford debut, so we ordered fast. A few weeks earlier Tim tripped on a tiny kerb differential and somehow managed to break his arm in three places and smash a few ribs. He started the meal with a glass of Chateau Cantemerle, a Bordeaux that doesnt usually come by the glass and was one of the Weekly Specials Pours By Glass  so that was nice. I opted for a non-alcoholic drink called Jin Jin with lime and soda, which was slightly sweet and vinegary, which is something I adore and find delicious.

The menu at Dove is inventive with unusual combinations, which are tantalising even for me who is wary of too much artistry in cooking. Writing this a few hours later I wish I had ordered more dishes, but to start I opted for raw scallop, finger lime, chicken salt, potato cake.

Tim chose fried-potato pizzette, bonito, burrata, mortadella, but without the mortadella as he doesnt eat meat, and I dont like mortadella. Both of these starters were so light, with flavours that kept emerging and multiplying with every tiny bite. The potato bases of both were fried, but somehow cloudlike in their enhancing functions as a base. My morsels of scallops on top of the finger lime were so moreish and each taste was both exquisite and balanced, like an orchestral composition. What was relaxing, too, was the lack of annoyance or resistance we met with when asked to remove things like the mortadella from the potato pizzette, which was insanely good even without it: rich in taste and feather-light to consume.

For our main we went for grilled wild sea bream, confit garlic (which I didnt touch) and guindilla peppers for two. Looking around, I spied bowls of chunky-looking duck fat fries, so we ordered them, too, with a bitter leaf salad. The sea bream arrived, opened and flat with its head flattened like a hammerhead shark. The addition of a few elegant guindilla peppers scattered over it turned it into a scene from a meal in Breaking Bad. This fish was out of this world, so fresh and light it fell off under the fork, which was good for Tims left-hand manoeuvring. It was so tasty and flavoursome that we barely bothered with the chips (unheard of). The bitter leaf salad was as high class an arrangement of leaves as you could get, but again the fish Tim said the confit garlic didnt really add anything, but it was because the bream didnt need anything.

For pudding we both ordered Estate Dairy fior di latte soft serve, early harvest olive oil, oat cookies and a coffee cardamom caramel cream to share. The fior di latte ice-cream arrived like two Mr Whippys, with a light sheen of pale olive oil adorning its ripples like tiny rivulets. It almost didnt matter what it tasted like, it had so much charm  though it was daintily appetising and freezing, accompanied by warm, just-baked oatmeal cookies. The piece de resistance was the tiny little bomb of flavour that was the coffee cardamom caramel: sweet but not sweet, the texture like a memory from a 19th-century novel. It hit the heart and woke up your appetite all over again. It made you crazy with desire. That is a real art in cooking.

The food at Dove is amazing. The decor is simple and elegant; light floods in from the windows at the front, and further in there is a roof light that makes for soft, flattering, European-style ambience. The staff who work there are attentive, efficient, friendly and no one asked us whether we were enjoying our meal.
Mark Williams was forced to dredge up every ounce of his Crucible experience to sink rising Chinese star Wu Yize 10-8 and book his place in the last 16 of the World Snooker Championship for the 22nd time in his career.

Williams, who turned 50 last month, delivered two near-faultless final frames to hold off his opponent, who had missed a golden chance to seize a 9-7 advantage when he missed a frame-ball red with the rest.

The Welshmans win was all the more remarkable given his ongoing battle with failing eyesight. Williams said his eyes had completely gone after defeat to Ding Junhui in the Players Championship in March, and he is understood to be considering surgery.

VINTAGE MARK WILLIAMS!  The Welsh Potting Machine defeats Wu Yize 10-8 to secure a spot in the Last 16.#HaloWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/PuYKTFOdIt  WST (@WeAreWST) April 20, 2025

The 21-year-old Wu, one of the audacious stars of Chinas latest generation of cueists, had gripped onto Williams coat-tails after resuming 5-4 behind on Sunday, and when he nudged in front in the 15th frame the momentum appeared to have shifted in his favour.

Instead his lapse in concentration in the 16th frame cost him dear, Williams using all his guile to pull level before brilliantly-crafted breaks of 58 and 75 got him over the line.

Some of the balls he can pot is incredible and hes got the ability to win this tournament, no question, Williams said of Wu afterwards. But I got stronger towards the end and if I cant outscore or outpot him, I suppose I can outwit him.

Mark Allen carved a 5-4 advantage over Fan Zhengyi (Richard Sellers/PA)

Mark Allen also had to dig deep to chisel out a 5-4 overnight advantage against Chinas world number 46 Fan Zhengyi.

Qualifier Fan  who was beaten 10-5 by the Antrim man in the same round two years ago  made a blazing start, winning the first three frames including breaks of 89 and 103, before the eighth seed belatedly stirred.

A century of his own followed by two more breaks over 50 pulled Allen level, and after the pair split the two frames, Allen stepped up to nudge through a scrappy ninth and give him a slender advantage for when they return to play to a conclusion on Monday afternoon.

Xiao Guodong is leading a new generation of Chinese talent (Richard Sellers/PA)

Earlier, the Chinese surge had showed no sign of abating as Xiao Guodong and Zhao Xintong produced impressive displays on the second morning of tournament.

Xiao followed compatriot Lei Peifan  who stunned defending champion Kyren Wilson on Saturday night  into the last 16 after completing a 10-4 victory over qualifier Matt Selt.

Meanwhile Zhao, having battled through four qualifying rounds as he continues his comeback from a ban related to a betting scandal, built a 7-2 lead after the first session of his first-round clash with last years runner-up Jak Jones.

Jak Jones, left, was left trailing behind Chinese star Zhao Xintong (Richard Sellers/PA)

Xiao, returning to the Crucible after a seven-year absence, saw his 7-2 overnight lead over Selt cut to three frames before pulling away to secure a victory and a potential second-round clash against former champion John Higgins.

Zhao, meanwhile, was in devastating form against Jones, who will need a miracle if he is to keep alive his hopes of repeating his surprise run to last years final when they return to play to a conclusion on Monday.

The Welshman missed too many early opportunities, including a black off its spot, and was mercilessly punished by Zhao, who fired a 142 clearance in the fifth frame and five more breaks over 70 as he moved to the brink of the last 16.

Jones did manage to capitalise on a rare Zhao miss to clinch the last frame of the session with a break of 70, but it is unlikely to be enough to stop Zhao sealing a second-round clash with Wilsons conqueror Lei.

Xiao, at 36 one of the elder statesmen of the new generation of Chinese talent, said he was proud of their success, adding: To have 10 Chinese players at the Crucible is amazing. I see them coming to the UK and as an older player I try to help them. In the future there will be many more young talents.
The King, accompanied by the Queen, waves outside St Georges Chapel ahead of the Easter service - Kirsty Wigglesworth/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Duke of York joined the King and Queen at this years Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle.

The Kings walk to St Georges Chapel in Windsor marked a year since he made a return to public duty following a short period of medically advised lockdown when his cancer treatment began.

Prince Andrew arrived at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle, with the Princess Royal, his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, and Princess Annes husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Andrew quickly entered the chapel ahead of Anne as she spoke with the Dean of Windsor, the Right Rev Christopher Cocksworth outside.

On their way out, a member of the gathered crowd shouted Happy Easter, sir. The Duke glanced at them before walking away with the Duchess of York, who smiled and waved.

The Duke of York at the service - Samir Hussein/WireImage

The King surprised members of the public by undertaking a lengthy walkabout outside the church, shaking hands with more than 50 people and swapping small talk.

The Royal family were welcomed to the Easter Matins service by the Dean of Windsor as they arrived at the chapels Galilee Porch.

The hour-long service featured the hymns Te Deum Laudamus, Abbots Leigh and Maccabaeus as well as readings of the First and Second Lesson. The service concluded with The Blessing and a rousing rendition of the National Anthem.

As members of the Royal family departed, heading to the castle for lunch, they were wished a Happy Easter by members of the public who had gathered outside.

The King wished members of the crowd a very Happy Easter as he left St Georges Chapel via the Deanery on Sunday afternoon, having spent half an hour having tea with the Dean of Windsor.

Queen Camilla, wearing a pale blue embroidered dress and matching hat, was given a posy from a young girl and told her: Happy Easter, thank you so much!

She bent down to chat to the youngster and a young boy before the royal couple walked over to greet the crowd. The Queen, clutching the bouquet of flowers, shook several hands and said: How nice to see you, Happy Easter.

Several steps ahead of her, the King also greeted members of the public and, as he headed back to his waiting car, told them: Have a very Happy Easter. The couple then waved from their car before being driven off.

The Kings moment with the public was significantly shorter than it was last year, when he walked the length of the crowd.

This years version is a return to a more typical Easter outing for the Royal family where  unlike Christmas Day in Sandringham  a walkabout has not been a long-standing custom. The Royal family traditionally attends the service together before having lunch at the castle.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were joined by their son James, the Earl of Wessex. Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband, Daniel, also attended. The Duke and Duchess of York were the last to leave, and the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duchess of York were seen walking arm in arm as they left the service.

Sarah Ferguson waves as she attends the Easter Matins Service - Kirsty Wigglesworth/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Prince and Princess of Wales are spending Easter in Norfolk with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The family, who have a country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate, also missed the annual service last year. The Princess had undergone serious abdominal surgery and was coming to terms with a cancer diagnosis.

The King and Queen have spent some of this week in Scotland after returning from Italy, where they made a four-day state visit.

Last week, Queen Camilla paid tribute to the Kings sense of duty, saying he loves his work and wants to do more and more and more as he gets better.



Last month, the King experienced temporary side-effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.
Wes Streeting says artificial intelligence can be used to radically reform the NHS - Heathcliff O'Malley for the Telegraph

A former health secretary has warned that Wes Streeting cannot solely rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to fix the NHS.

Dame Patricia Hewitt, who preceded Mr Streeting in the role from 2005 to 2007, suggested more traditional methods of care could also keep elderly people healthy for longer.

Her successor is considering plans to use machine learning to offer personalised health MOTs to everyone approaching retirement.

In a letter to The Telegraph, Dame Patricia wrote: Personalised health checks for older people are vital. But truly radical reform of the NHS must not be all about genomic profiling and AI, as Wes Streeting appears to suggest.

The former Labour MP pointed to a scheme in Brazil where community health agents go from door to door. The Telegraph reported earlier this month that they provide health advice, education and links to health services.

Dame Patricia welcomed that a similar scheme has now been deployed by the NHS in London, Norfolk and other areas.

Health workers perform door-to-door checks in Brazil, in a scheme lauded by Dame Patricia Hewitt - Matheus Matarangas

She also lauded Australias health checks for all 75-year-old citizens, which look for signs of osteoporosis, skin cancer and depression.

These countries take an approach to healthy ageing that genuinely gets to the roots of the problem, and would achieve far better results at even lower cost than todays out-of-date programmes, Dame Patricia wrote.

Officials are examining the use of personalised technology, including AI and genomic profiling, as they draw up a 10-year plan for the NHS, to be published in June.

Mr Streeting said that the approach  inspired by advances in Japan  could prove a game-changer for the delivery of healthcare in Britain.

Earlier this month, he told The Telegraph: I think Japan is interesting on two fronts. Im particularly interested in the science and technology side, where youd expect Japan to be a leader, but also theyve got a very significant ageing society, so ... they support people to age.

Dame Patricia was health secretary under Tony Blair between 2005 and 2007 - David Jones/PA

Japan has developed the worlds fastest supercomputer, Fugaku, which is now being used to accelerate research in personalised medicine.

Mr Streeting hopes to take a similar approach, ultimately giving everyone personalised advice based on their genes, lifestyle and demographic group.

He said that by using genomics and AI people arent just getting a general MOT, but a personal one ... where were able to very early on, not only diagnose earlier and treat faster, but predict and prevent illness.

Mr Streeting added: That is a game-changer, and that is the kind of exciting revolution in medical technology and life sciences that is just going to completely change the way we think about, let alone deliver, health and care.

For me, against the sort of the backdrop of enormous challenges and sometimes quite a lot of pessimism, I see a lot of opportunity and hope.
Guy Falkenau, 80, and wife Lucille were slapped with parking fines twice in three months despite using a blue badge - NCJ Media

A car park firm has been accused of targetting elderly drivers who are less likely to fight back.

Guy Falkenau, 80, claimed Euro Car Parks discriminated against him by sending two penalty charges for the car park at the local theatre, The Glasshouse, in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Despite showing a blue badge on the cars dash, he was fined 200 because of a technical fault.

He said: My fear is that if this has happened to me, then broadly it will have happened to others  and potentially to others less able to appeal. Its potentially discriminatory.

Euro Car Parks, which manages more than 3,000 sites across the UK and Ireland, was investigated by the British Parking Association last month after drivers accused it of bullying with a faulty ticket machine in Leicestershire.

Potentially discriminatory

Last year, it fined a good Samaritan 155 after he stopped to help a pensioner who had fallen and broken her hip.

Mr Falkenau added: We have gone through the [parking] process as described  my wife has Parkinsons, she is partially sighted  and weve been penalised both times. The result is, from my point of view, that theres a concern that we cant access the disabled parking.

Mr Falkenau, from Forest Hall, near Newcastle upon Tyne, said The Glasshouse has a number of parking spaces where blue badge holders can park for free.

The process for using the free spaces, however, was potentially discriminatory against the disabled, he added.

Logically it requires a disabled person to be ambulant and have to walk a greater distance than an able-bodied person to fulfil the parking regulations; first, having to walk to a pay station with the blue badge, then return it to the car and then walk a third third time to the lift to gain access to Glasshouse, he told the Newcastle Chronicle.

A technical issue uncovered

Parking penalties at The Glasshouse are 100 each, reduced to 60 if paid within 14 days, its website says.

A spokesman for The Glasshouse claimed that Euro Car Parks, which operates the car park for the venue, had uncovered a technical issue after Mr Falkenau questioned his repeated penalties.

Firstly, were very sorry to hear that [the Falkenaus] recent experience of parking at The Glasshouse has caused them stress and frustration. We completely understand how important accessibility is, particularly for those with mobility challenges, said the spokesman.

While The Glasshouse does not operate the car park directly, we take feedback from our visitors seriously. Weve been in touch with Euro Car Parks (ECP), who manage the site, and theyve confirmed that their system follows DVLA guidance for Blue Badge use.

However, weve been advised by ECP today that theyve identified a technical issue affecting Blue Badge users when paying on entry. We understand that they are currently working on a fix, which they hope to implement shortly.

Euro Car Parks was contacted for comment.

A big source of frustration

Last year, the company demanded that Alistair Kelly pay 155 after he waited for two hours for an ambulance to arrive after a woman in her nineties fell and broke her hip.

Mr Kelly, who was on his lunch break in Cowes, Isle of Wight, when the incident happened last summer, said in November: Its a big source of frustration when you are being fined for doing a good deed. I just dont understand how I can be fined for this.

Although the former Conservative government tried to introduce a legally binding code of practice on private parking in 2022, it was withdrawn after a few months in the face of legal threats by the parking industry.

Drivers will now no longer be issued tickets for using privately owned car parks where a fixed camera monitors the entrance and exits, as long as they pay before they leave.

Two trade associations, the International Parking Association and the British Parking Association, have set up a self-regulation scheme.

Earlier this year it abolished the five minute rule for car parking, following the case of a woman who was threatened with 1,900 in parking charges after she repeatedly took more than five minutes to pay because of a poor phone signal.
The Who legend Pete Townshend gives Zak Starkey a hug - Posted by Zak on Instagram

The Who frontman Roger Daltrey abruptly stopped mid-song, tapped his earpiece and shook his head.

Ill sing it any key you want, but Ive got to be able to hear, he said as he shot an accusatory glare at drummer Zak Starkey.

To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I cant. All Ive got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I cant sing to that. Im sorry, guys.

The on-stage taunt was the opening jibe in a tumultuous three-week row that saw Starkey, the son of The Beatles legendary drummer Ringo Starr and The Whos drummer since 1996, fired and reinstated within days.

An out-of-key Daltrey struggled through The Song is Overs opening notes at a Royal Albert Hall charity concert at the end of March. The gig, performed to herald a future world tour, saw the band attempt a song they had not performed live before.

Zak in action with The Who - Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

After the performance, frontman Daltrey and drummer Starkey, 59, had a war of words in the dressing room, arguing over who was to blame for the technical failure, according to a well-placed source. The ensuing drama has echoed the great rock and roll spats of the 1960s and 1970s.

Although they appear to have reconciled, with Starkey publicly reinstated to The Who on Saturday, sources close to the band told The Telegraph how the lovers tiff threatened to derail one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century.

The band, which formed in London in 1964 and found huge success with songs such as Baba ORiley and Wont Get Fooled Again, performed two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in March to support Teenage Cancer Trust.

Daltrey and songwriter Pete Townshend, 79, who have been the only constant members throughout the bands history, viewed the shows as a time to experiment with their set list before a major tour of the US later this year, according to a well-placed source.

The tour, the dates of which have not been announced, is expected to be the bands last and may define its legacy.

The Who at the Teenage Cancer Trust show in Londons Royal Albert Hall - James Manning/PA

It wasnt a dress rehearsal for the tour but its a good time to experiment because youre not going to get bad reviews when youre doing it for charity, the source said. They are probably thinking, If it works we can do it on tour. Roger knows, deep down, this is the end of the road and he wants it to be perfect.

With licence to experiment, the band finished their second show on March 30 with The Song Is Over, a ballad from their 1971 album Whos Next that they had never before performed in concert.

The performance fell flat as Daltrey, who has suffered from hearing problems for years, struggled to hear the key through his earpiece.

It was a song they had never played live and it didnt work because he [Daltrey] couldnt hear what was going on, the source said. That was more to do with whoever was doing the mix.

If anyone should have copped for it, it should have been the drum technician or a sound guy. Its such a huge crew nothing should ever go wrong, but for whatever reason Roger threw his toys.

After coming off stage that night, Daltrey blamed his drummer for the botched performance while Starkey gave him lip back, the source revealed.

The Who was once notorious for its fallouts  Townshend fired drummer Doug Sandom after an argument in 1964 and fought on stage with Keith Moon, his replacement, in 1966  but the disputes have largely disappeared in recent years.

That was until last week, when Starkey referred to Daltrey as Toger in a rambling social media post on April 12. The post added: Heard today Daltrey was unhappy with Zak the drummers performance.

Three days later, he had left the band. The Whos spokesman suggested it was by mutual consent, while sources claimed he was forced out by Daltrey.

He told Rolling Stone at the time: Filling the shoes of my godfather, Uncle Keith has been the biggest honour and I remain their biggest fan. Theyve been like family to me.

After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, Im surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do? Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best.

Nevertheless, his absence was short-lived. With the US tour looming, the band did not have time to replace Starkey, who is understood to have been welcomed back to the fold by April 17 after Townshend intervened.

Townshend said in a statement on Saturday: Hes not being asked to step down from The Who. There have been some communication issues, personal and private on all sides, that needed to be dealt with, and these have been aired happily.

He revealed Starkey was asked to tighten up his latest evolved drumming style, adding, He has readily agreed.

I take responsibility for some of the confusion, he said, calling the Royal Albert Hall show a little tricky.

He added: Our TCT [Teenage Cancer Trust] shows at the Royal Albert Hall were a little tricky for me. I thought that four-and-a-half weeks would be enough time to recover completely from having a complete knee replacement. (Why did I ever think I could land on my knees?) Wrong.



Maybe we didnt put enough time into sound checks, giving us problems on stage. The sound in the centre of the stage is always the most difficult to work with. Roger did nothing wrong but fiddle with his in-ear monitors. Zak made a few mistakes and he has apologised. Albeit with a rubber duck drummer.



Starkey wrote on social media: V grateful to be a part of The Who family Thanks Roger and Pete xx.

Starkey first performed with Daltrey on his 1994 tour Daltrey Sings Townshend, and worked with The Who on their Quadrophenia tour in 1996.



Both Townshend and Daltrey stated that Starkey was the best match for the band since the death of celebrated drummer Moon.
A Russian Ilyushin Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft, left, intercepted by an RAF Typhoon over the Baltic Sea - Ministry of Defence

RAF fighter jets were scrambled twice in less than 48 hours to defend Nato airspace from Russian warplanes, The Telegraph can reveal.

British Typhoons were called into action on two separate occasions this week after Kremlin aircraft flew too close to Natos border, sparking an alert.

The interventions came as Donald Trump appeared to lose patience with Vladimir Putin and threatened to pull out of talks on a Ukraine peace deal.

They will be used by No 10 as further evidence of the growing Russian threat as it tries to persuade the US not to scale back its presence in Europe.

It is the first time that the RAF has been called into action under Operation Chessman, a new Nato mission to bolster Europes air defences.

Ministers said that the latest stand-off in the skies showed how Russia was growing increasingly aggressive in its testing of the Western military alliance.

On Tuesday, two Typhoons stationed at Malbork air base in Poland were scrambled to intercept a Russian spy plane over the Baltic Sea.

Less than 48 hours later, another pair were sent up to deter an unknown aircraft leaving the exclave of Kaliningrad, between Poland and Lithuania.

A Typhoon FGR4 takes off from Malbork air base in Poland to intercept a Russian spy plane - Ministry of Defence

Luke Pollard, the Armed Forces minister, told The Telegraph: The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to Nato.

With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our plan for change.

This mission shows our ability to operate side by side with Natos newest member Sweden and to defend the alliances airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad.

The planes, part of a six-strong fleet, were only posted to Poland three weeks ago as part of a joint defence operation with the Swedish air force.

They are usually stationed at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and have been accompanied on the mission by almost 200 British military personnel.

When the planes were deployed, Wg Cdr Christopher Jacob said that they would defend and deter, standing ready to protect against any threat.

Six RAF aircraft, including Typhoons, were posted to Poland three weeks ago as part of a joint defence operation with the Swedish air force - Ministry of Defence

Russia has become increasingly aggressive in its probing of Nato countries air defences since its invasion of Ukraine began three years ago.

Two jets from Lossiemouth had to be scrambled in November to intercept a Russian bomber over the North Sea that was approaching UK airspace.

Then in February, the Norwegian air force sent up F-35 jets to intercept two Kremlin bombers and their fighter escorts in the Arctic Circle.

European nations are scrambling to bolster their own air defence after Mr Trump signalled a weakening of US military support for the continent.

The latest Russian incursions come with the White House and the Kremlin still locked in talks over a potential ceasefire and Ukraine peace deal.

Mr Trump said earlier this week that he was considering pulling out of the negotiations, suggesting that he was losing patience with Moscows approach.

Last month, Putin rejected a US proposed ceasefire, which was accepted by Kyiv, and has since then continued to bomb Ukrainian civilians.

On Saturday, Putin announced that he had ordered Russian troops to respect a 30-hour pause in the fighting in Ukraine, dubbed an Easter truce.

Britain and other European and Western nations have formed a coalition of the willing to station peacekeepers to Ukraine should a deal be struck.

Under the agreement troops from the UK and fellow allies would be stationed in Ukraine to deter Russia from attempting to re-invade the country.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, is trying to persuade the US to provide a backstop to the plan, meaning that it would intervene in the event of a further Russian attack.
Reform UK would be on course to win most seats with no party close to an overall majority if an election were held imminently, a new poll suggests.

Labour could lose 246 MPs, including 10 Cabinet ministers, with major losses in the so-called red wall, Scotland and the Welsh Valleys, according to the More in Common survey.

Based on polling of more than 16,000 people, the data suggests a potential fracturing of the vote that could reshape the electoral map, with Labours support splintering left and right.

New @Moreincommon_ MRP in @thetimes from polling of over 16,000 people finds a highly fragmented and divided electorate. It estimates Reform UK as the largest party with 180 seats, followed by Labour & the Tories on 165 seats each, but hundreds of seats on a knife edge. pic.twitter.com/pIZZaTRUgM  Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) April 19, 2025

Reform would win 180 seats on an implied vote share of 23.7%, with the Tories and Labour tied on 165 seats each at 24.3% and 24.5% respectively, according to the modelling.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband are among those who could lose to candidates from Nigel Farages party, More in Common said.

The model also suggests an Independent gain in Health Secretary Wes Streetings London seat of Ilford North.

Surveys conducted years away from a general election are unlikely to represent anything close to its result because there is no way of predicting what the most important issues will be come polling day.

The next general election is expected to be held no later than August 2029.

But More in Common director Luke Tryl said the data suggests that the voter coalition behind Labours landslide victory last summer has disintegrated.

We are a long way from a general election and trying to predict the result is a fools errand, but what we can say for certain is that as of today British politics has fragmented to an unprecedented level, he said.

The coalition for change that elected Keir Starmers Government has splintered right and left.

Labour having secured a historic victory now find themselves on the wrong side of a disillusioned electorate frustrated at the slow pace of change and some of the Governments early missteps.

Mays local elections will show the extent to which Reforms opinion poll momentum translates into real support at the ballot box, though not everyone votes the same way in these contests as they would in general election.

A by-election in the North West seat of Runcorn and Helsby vacated by former MP Mike Amesbury will also be closely fought by Labour and Reform.

With an eye on drawing support from the ruling partys red wall heartlands, Mr Farage has recently called for British Steel to be nationalised and courted trade unions with a promise to reindustrialise Britain.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, the party leader said: If we are going to reindustrialise Britain, then we have to realise that the trade unions and relationships with them are a very important part of it.

Steelworkers unions have backed Government action to take control of British Steel to prevent its blast furnaces from shutting down after talks with its Chinese owners, Jingye, broke down.

The Labour administration has also said nationalisation is the likely outcome for the company but stressed the importance of finding a private sector partner because of the scale of capital required for steel transformation.
Thousands protested in London over the weekend in response to the Supreme Court ruling - Guy Bell/Shutterstock/Shutterstock

Sir Keir Starmer has refused to stop a plot by ministers to thwart last weeks Supreme Court ruling that trans women are not legally women.

Labour ministers and MPs will this week meet to discuss how to promote trans rights in the wake of the landmark judgment. They are understood to be planning to take their demands to the equalities minister.

The plot emerged in leaked WhatsApp messages from a group chat of Labour MPs, including ministers Sir Chris Bryant and Dame Angela Eagle.

Both railed against comments made by Baroness Falkner, the equality watchdog chief, who said the ruling meant trans women would be banned from womens single-sex spaces. They urged colleagues to meet them to discuss their concerns.

However, Downing Street refused to take any action against the two ministers, claiming they were not trying to undermine the judgment.

While the Government has said it welcomed Wednesdays ruling, Sir Keir has not made any statement about the ruling. Nor has he commented on Saturdays vandalism of a suffragist statue by trans activists during a mass rally.

Sir Keir Starmer has not yet made a statement about Wednesdays Supreme Court ruling - Elliott Franks

His stance will raise fears that Labour may introduce extra safeguards for trans people that will circumvent the ruling, which found that a woman was defined by biological sex, not gender identity.

The Prime Minister has been accused of flip-flopping on trans rights, saying previously that it was not right to say only a woman had a cervix, and that 99.9 per cent of women did not have a penis.

Critics accused him of cowardice by refusing to face down Left-wing trans activists within his own party.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, told The Telegraph: Labour is now badly split, and the Left vote poses a major problem for them. Starmer believes that cowardice will be his salvation. He is wrong.

Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, asked why Sir Keir was prepared to speak out about last summers riots but not about vandalism by trans rights activists.

He said: Why will Starmer condemn some politically motivated criminality but not others? His silence is telling. No wonder the public call him Two-Tier.

The Labour plot emerged after leaked WhatsApp messages, sent on Thursday evening, showed Dame Angela arranging a meeting this week with fellow Labour MPs to decide a way forwards and organise.

Their next step will be to seek a meeting with the relevant equality minister  likely to be either Bridget Phillipson or Jacqui Smith  to promote trans rights in the face of the judgment.

Dame Angela warned that official guidance that would follow the ruling could be catastrophic for transgender people and criticised Lady Falkner, who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which will publish the relevant guidance for how trans people should navigate single-sex facilities.

On Thursday, Lady Falkner had said the ruling clearly meant that trans women could not use single-sex female facilities or compete in womens sports.

Hailing it for bringing clarity, she told the BBC: Single-sex services like changing rooms must be based on biological sex. If a male person is allowed to use a women-only service or facility, it isnt any longer single-sex.

Writing on the WhatsApp group of LGBT+ Labour MPs, Dame Angela said: Lets meet about this when we get back from Easter recess to decide a way forwards. The ruling is not as catastrophic as it seems, but the EHRC guidance might be and there are already signs that some public bodies are overreacting.

She added that we have to get on with doing the stuff we said wed do in the manifesto, which included a trans-inclusive pledge to protect the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Sir Chris and Steve Race, another Labour MP, also used the chat to denounce Lady Falkner. When Mr Race, the Labour MP for Exeter, said her words were pretty appalling, Sir Chris wrote: Agreed.

After being contacted by The Telegraph, neither Mr Race nor Sir Chris would agree to reveal what they thought was pretty appalling.

Union leaders have also suggested they would back Labour rebels in any push to water down the Supreme Court ruling.

Speaking ahead of Saturdays trans rights protest in London, Paul Fleming, the general secretary of the Equity performing arts union, said: Equity will, and every trade union should, stand in solidarity with those affected by the judgment, but also defend them in their workplaces, as they seek work, and as they live full lives, visibly in our society.

Aslef, the train drivers union, wrote on X that it is clear, we stand with the trans community.

On Saturday, thousands of campaigners descended on central London to rally against the landmark ruling - David Rose for The Telegraph

The emergence of the plot has fuelled concerns that Sir Keir is failing to tackle the trans agenda within his own party. Angie McEvoy, of Labour Womens Declaration, a grassroots gender-critical group, urged him to do more to overcome organisational capture of Labour and the unions.

She said: Labour Womens Declaration supports and stands up for womens sex-based rights in the Labour Party and trade unions. We cannot pretend that this has been an easy task. However, we believe that the tide is now starting to turn in the party at least.

Women are also working within trade unions to take them back for women and to undo the organisational capture that has taken hold in many areas. We have stood by the Labour movement and our party  they now need to do the same for us.

Helen Joyce, of Sex Matters, a womens rights group, urged Sir Keir to stand up to those in his party who opposed the Supreme Court ruling, saying: The Prime Minister, and indeed all ministers, should welcome the clarity provided by last weeks Supreme Court judgment.

Referring to the Cass Review, which restricted access to puberty blockers for under-18s who believe they are trans, she added: Labour had the courage to unequivocally state that it supported the Cass Review and would implement its recommendations.

It now needs to show the same courage in the face of confusion and on occasion outright misinformation about what the Supreme Court ruled.

Mims Davies, the shadow minister for women and equalities, said: In public, Keir Starmer and his Cabinet pretended they supported the Supreme Court judgment. But in private we know Labour are seething, as these texts prove.

Like so many brave women, Baroness Falkner has suffered terrible abuse for standing up for the rights of women and girls. Now we know Labour will do all they can to undermine her work. The Prime Minister needs to come out and say he will support the EHRC guidance when it comes out. Anything less will be Labour betraying the rights of women once again.

Sir Keir is under growing pressure to break his silence over the landmark ruling which followed a years-long legal battle between campaign group For Women Scotland and the Scottish Government over the definition of a woman. He has been on holiday over Easter, but is due to return to work on Tuesday and is likely to be forced to address the issue.

Lee Anderson, the Reform UK MP, said: Its disgraceful that these brave women have been ignored by Starmer after securing a victory for common sense and womens rights. The Supreme Court ruling was clear and should now be accepted by all. Now Keir Starmer must commit to enforcing the ruling.

The Prime Minister failed to make a statement after trans activists daubed seven statues with graffiti, with f-- rights and a heart painted on the banner held by the suffragist Millicent Fawcett. Police are hunting for those responsible after sculptures of Nelson Mandela and Sir Robert Peel were also defaced.

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, condemned it, saying: Criminal damage like this, including to statues of men and women who fought for freedom and justice like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Millicent Fawcett is disgraceful. It is right that the police are investigating.

We are strengthening the law to better respect and protect important memorials. Freedom of speech and protest are important in our democracy, but this kind of criminal damage is completely unacceptable.

The demonstration in Parliament Square was organised by the University and College Union (UCU), along with a number of other unions.

After attending the rally, Jo Grady, the UCU general secretary of UCU wrote on X: Hate will never win. Her message was posted above a picture of a sign saying The only good TERF is a _ _ _ _ TERF with a picture of a gallows to represent the word dead.

A Terf is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, used as a term of abuse by trans rights activists for gender-critical women. Other placards seen at the rally included one that said Kill JK Rowling, referring to the gender-critical Harry Potter author, and another saying Bring back witch-burning.
Thomas Kerr, a Reform UK councillor, defected from the Scottish Conservatives - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

A cross-party summit called by John Swinney to counter the rise of the far-Right in Scotland has been attacked as a political stunt.

Thomas Kerr, a Reform UK councillor, said the First Minister had way overstepped his mark by convening the event. Mr Kerr accused Mr Swinney of democracy denial because Reform was not invited.

Speaking on BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show, Mr Swinney insisted the summit had been widely embraced by political, faith and civic-society groups in Scotland and would be an opportunity to discuss significant challenges to our democratic system.

The SNP leader said: It is important that we all recognise, and this is at the heart of the gathering on Wednesday, the steps that weve all got to take to protect the democratic systems that have served us so well over so many years.

And if were passive about this, then we run the risk that those democratic systems will be eroded by the challenges we face.

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, has said his party will boycott the summit which he claimed was designed to draw attention away from the SNPs lack of achievement in office - Jane Barlow/PA

Pressed on why Reform had not been invited and whether this was undemocratic, Mr Swinney said he had asked all the political parties represented in the Scottish Parliament. Reform UK has no MSPs.

He added: There are threats to that democratic system coming from a range of pressures which seek to undermine the central values of society, and part of that argument is the rhetoric of Reform  that is contributing to that.

Mr Swinney said Reforms attitude and approach to immigration was an enormous concern.

He also warned Scots against being tempted by the simple solutions offered by parties such as Reform and said he understood why many people in the country were disaffected after having gone through a really hard time over a number of years.

The First Minister recently said he was concerned there was a high likelihood that Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, would become prime minister.

Reform won 7 per cent of the vote in Scotland at the general election, and recent polling suggests this could rise to 17 per cent.

According to a poll published over the weekend by More in Common, the public thinks Mr Farage is as likely as Sir Keir Starmer to be Britains next prime minister. Reform is hoping to make significant breakthroughs in local elections on May 1.

Mr Kerr, the former Scottish Conservative group leader on Glasgow city council, who defected to Reform UK earlier this year, discussed the summit on The Sunday Show.

He rejected the First Ministers accusation that Reform was far-Right and said he deplored racism and far-Right rhetoric as much as anyone else.

Mr Kerr added: I think this is a political stunt, and I really worry when the First Minister of Scotland uses his platform to play politics.

This is taxpayers money being used on this summit, on this stunt by John Swinney to play politics against opponents he doesnt like. My message to John Swinney is beat us at the ballot box.

We are polling at 17 per cent, people are scunnered and fed-up, and having the political establishment sitting around a table talking about how they dont like us doesnt do anything but encourage people to think we are talking some sense.

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, is boycotting the summit, amid accusations that it is being staged to deflect from the SNPs dismal record.

The Scottish Government said that the summit would have four key themes: combating inequality and discrimination; tackling disinformation while ensuring a trusted media environment; enhancing trust in politics and boosting the accountability of political leaders and democratic institutions; strengthening vigilance to electoral interference and encouraging more active democratic participation.
As founder and CEO of Swiss Butter, Eddy Massaad has led the brands growth from a single location in Beirut.

When Eddy Massaads original Swiss Butter restaurant was destroyed by the Beirut blast tragedy in August 2020, resilience and a community rebuild saw the steakhouse open again 30 days later.

We're used to different challenges, especially when we're coming out from Lebanon, says Massaad. We got used to being pragmatic and problem solvers, going through any crisis and coming out positively.

Swiss Butter started its expansion in late 2021, opening 10 restaurants within a year, including its first London location and more expected in the UK. Now turning over a healthy eight figures, CEO and founder Massaad is aiming for 100 locations within five years of his viral restaurant brand and steak frites sauce dining experience.

Read More: 'People said it was impossible but our Holy Moly dips are now selling millions'

Massaad had turned to the industry out of necessity. Needing to pay for college tuition to study biochemistry, he began to learn about restaurant management, became a store manager and then started in services as a freelancer.

In 2010, he launched his own hospitality management services company. The first couple of years were very difficult just to prove myself at the market, he recalls. I landed contracts but there were always insecurities in the service business. If I lost one client, I had to scale down my team.

Thanks to influencers, Swiss Butter's stock has risen since global expansion.

Massaad drafted a three-pronged strategy  to expand to the Gulf area, find a master franchise for one of his clients and build his own brand. The first two failed, the third saw him set up Swiss Butter.

If I failed doing that, and this is what I'm supposed to be an expert in, then that would be the end of the road and I would lose credibility in the restaurant business, he admits today.

In 2017, Swiss Butter had launched in Beirut next door to where Massaad attended school. We imagined the customer experience and planned it backwards and reverse engineered the whole process," he says of the business plan.

With it came their "secret" sauce  which has 33 ingredients, including herbs, spices and butter paste  created by Massaads chef brother and has become the restaurants hallmark.

Dining habits show return to comfort food with premium execution - a reason steak frites is experiencing a revival, says its founder.

He had his personal challenge to crack that sauce that is over 100 years old. And once he achieved the result, we used to taste it together, tune and adjust it, says Massaad.

By 2015, Massaad took the recipe on instead of his brother selling and the pair later became restaurant holding partners.

I was on a mission to remodel one of my client's restaurant model to fit the UK market," adds Massaad, "and I learned a lot about what is required as part of the concept DNA to make it in a big city like London or New York.

Read More: 'My 20m juice business started in mum's kitchen with an eBay blender'

I did the planning in detail and this is where it hit me. I wanted the quick service restaurant efficiency. I planned Swiss Butter to combine both the highest efficiency with the full experience and the value of a full-service restaurant.

Swiss Butter has three mains as its menu: steak, chicken or salmon, with fries and its signature sauce, along with two dessert options. Its success so far highlights a growing consumer shift towards "single-item, high-quality concepts".

We removed all the anxiety that the customer might encounter during the experience and the journey, says Massaad. The big menu is one of the anxieties that anyone can get when walking into a restaurant. It's like watching Netflix (NFLX) and you took the same amount of time trying to find which movie to start.

Unlike typical restaurant chains, Swiss Butter is fully owned and operated across all locations.

The Lebanese entrepreneur says a no franchising, no shortcuts outlook has maintained the restaurant quality and brand experience, while consumer-generated content has been its best form of marketing, with the restaurant garnering high visibility across social media platforms.

Maintaining consistency, adds Massaad, is also a daily battle for Swiss Butter and admits entering new markets has also been challenging.

Read More: 'Studying chemistry helped me sell millions of oat milk bottles'

The UK start point wasn't easy. Setting up the business, that was the easy part. Finding a location was difficult as landlords will not accept a new brand coming in from outside.

By hook or by crook, Massaad has overcome the hurdles. Perhaps its down to a pragmatic analytical approach from his biochemistry days to maintain industry standards.

Swiss Butter currently has around 570 employees globally, with its Swiss Butter Academy for food safety standards and succession programme marking Massaads approach to longevity in the industry.

That's the big vision, he says. To spread our experience to every major city in the world.

Read more:

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Ola Al Hamwi with her mother, Soaad Al Shawa, before she and her husband fled Syria in 2015. Photograph: supplied

A Syrian refugee says the Home Office has broken her heart by trying to bar her mother, who has weeks to live, from coming to the UK to spend her final days with the grandchildren she has never met.

Ola Al Hamwi fled Syria with her husband, Mostafa Amonajid, in 2015. They had lost their baby after a bombing and were unable to take Al Hamwis mother, Soaad Al Shawa, with them.

The couple were granted refugee status in the UK and applied to bring Al Shawa, 57, to the UK under the refugee family reunion scheme, but were rejected.

They live in Glasgow with their three children aged seven, five and one. Al Shawa has never met her grandchildren and has been able to communicate with them only on video calls. Last year, she was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and in November was given about six months to live by doctors in Syria.

Another application for refugee family reunion was made after the terminal cancer diagnosis, which was rejected by the Home Office.

The family appealed and a judge in the first tier tribunal of the immigration court granted the appeal in April, citing article 8 of the European convention on human rights, which relates to the right to family life.

The family were overjoyed and relayed the news to Al Shawa, who began to make preparations to come to the UK. The plan was for Al Shawas neighbours to take her to neighbouring Jordan or Lebanon where Amonajid, 36, could meet her and bring her to the UK. Because Al Hamwi and Amonajid are refugees they cannot re-enter Syria to be with Al Shawa there.

My mum really perked up when she heard the news and started to eat more, said Al Hamwi, 35. All she wants to do before she dies is to see us and the kids.

But the family were devastated when on 10 April the Home Office requested permission to appeal to a higher court against the judges ruling. These appeals are taking an average of eight months to be heard.

As part of the Home Offices appeal it is citing a case quoted by judges in the case of a family from Gaza to whom they granted permission to come to the UK. The case caused a furore among politicians and sections of the media. The prime minister said he wanted to close a legal loophole relating to the case.

Al Hamwi said: There isnt much time. If we can get her here we will provide everything for her. When the Home Office asked for permission to appeal against the decision of the judge who said my mum could come here they didnt think about how they are breaking my heart.

My message to the Home Office is please help my mum to see us before she dies. We havent told my mum that Home Office has asked to appeal against the decision for her to come to the UK.

The familys solicitor, Usman Aslam of Mukhtar & Co Solicitors, said: We could feel the familys relief when they won the appeal, then their horror that the Home Office have sought permission to appeal. We immediately sought an expedition of their permission application.

I have written to the Home Office directly expressing my outrage. Whilst I fully respect their right to seek permission to appeal, it is regrettable they have chosen this case of a dying woman. We are hoping that the Home Office will show compassion and allow her to spend what little time she has left with her family.

A Home Office spokesperson said: It would be inappropriate to comment while legal proceedings are ongoing.
The analysis used data from 54 trusts in England. Photograph: PA

About 49,000 A&E visits last year resulted in patients waiting 24 hours or more for a hospital bed, with people aged 65 or over making up almost 70% of cases.

According to a freedom of information request by the Liberal Democrats, some patients went 10 days before getting a space on a ward.

The analysis, which used data from 54 trusts in England, showed that of the 48,830 trolley waits of 24 hours or longer in 2024, 33,413 were experienced by people aged 65 or over.

The term trolley wait refers to the time between a patient being transferred to a ward after a decision has been taken to admit them to hospital.

Related: Hospitals in England offered unlimited bonuses for taking patients off waiting lists

The Lib Dems said East Kents NHS trust had the highest number of day or longer trolley waits last year at 8,916, up from 30 in 2019  pre-pandemic  followed by Liverpool University hospitals trust with 4,315, up from 10 in 2019. However, the party estimated that the real number of 24-hour cases was likely to be far higher because only 54 out of 141 trusts had provided full data.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the figures only begin to scratch the surface of a crisis in corridor care  after reports of patients being seen in the corridors of hospitals due to a lack of beds. The RCN said the declining recruitment in nursing was adding to the problem.

The NHS and the UK government must begin to disclose the true scale of the problem if theyre serious about eradicating it, general secretary and chief executive of the RCN Prof Nicola Ranger said. A single patient waiting for more than 24 hours is unacceptable, tens of thousands waiting shows why corridor care must be eradicated. It is undignified and unsafe, and now a year-round crisis.

The Lib Dems want the government to make a new team of super-heads, composed of experienced NHS bosses who would go into struggling trusts and bring them up to standard.

The least patients deserve is the dignity to be treated in an appropriate area, Lib Dem health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan said. Not the ramshackle waiting rooms and corridors that far too many have to suffer through for hours.

That is why the government must ensure that this is the last winter crisis anyone will experience and end corridor care by the end of this parliament.

The Conservatives beyond-shameful neglect brought us to this point, but the Labour governments approach of sitting on its hands and hoping it all gets better has not survived contact with reality.

The current Labour government has made cutting NHS waiting lists one of its key missions.

We have taken action to protect A&E departments, introducing the new RSV vaccine, delivering more than 27m Covid and flu vaccines and ending the strikes so staff were on the frontline not the picket line for the first winter in three years, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said.

This work continues to ensure patients are treated quickly. We are fundamentally reforming the NHS as part of our Plan for Change, providing more care in the community, so fewer patients have to go to A&E, and those who do are treated faster and with dignity.

A spokesperson for East Kent hospitals trust said: We have seen increased attendances across our three main hospitals and we are sorry that patients are waiting longer than we would like in our emergency departments.

University Hospitals of Liverpool group has been contacted for comment.
A US border patrol uniform in Phoenix, Arizona, on 9 April. Photograph: Rebecca Noble/Reuters

Immigration officials detained a US citizen for nearly 10 days in Arizona, according to court records and press reports.

As the NPR affiliate Arizona Public Media, first reported, 19-year-old Jose Hermosillo, a New Mexico resident visiting Arizona, was detained by border patrol agents in Nogales, a city along the Mexico border about an hour south of Tucson.

According to a border patrol criminal complaint, on 8 April, a border patrol official found Hermosillo without the proper immigration documents and claimed that the young American had admitted entering the US illegally from Mexico. Two days later, the federal court document notes that Hermosillo continued to claim he was a US citizen. On 17 April, a federal judge dismissed his case.

Hermosillos wrongful arrest and prolonged detention comes amid escalating attacks by the Trump administration on immigrants in the US. Since Donald Trump took office, the administration has emboldened immigration officers to arrest and deport undocumented people, including foreign students whose visas have been revoked, leading to a series of errors.

Related: US supreme court orders temporary halt to deportations of Venezuelan men

Under the Trump administrations theory of the law, the government could have banished this U.S. citizen to a Salvadoran prison then refused to do anything to bring him back, Mark Joseph Stern, a legal analyst for Slate, wrote on Bluesky. This is why the Constitution guarantees due process to all. Could it be more obvious?

During his campaign for the presidency, the US president promised to carry out mass deportations. In the three months since he took office, several foreign tourists have been wrongfully detained, federal agents from other agencies have been deputized to engage in immigration enforcement and Trump has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, declaring that Venezuelan gang members are leading a foreign invasion of the United States to give himself the power to expel immigrants to a notorious Salvadorian prison.

According to AZPMs report, Hermosillo was visiting the Tucson area from Albuquerque, got lost without identification and was arrested by border patrol officials near its headquarters in Nogales. Hermosillos girlfriends family made numerous calls looking for him before they discovered he was being held at the Florence correctional center, a privately run Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) facility. After his arrest, the court docket shows, he was temporarily detained in the custody of the US marshals.

After the family tracked him down, they provided officials with his birth certificate and social security card.

He did say he was a US citizen, but they didnt believe him, Hermosillos girlfriends aunt told AZPM. I think they would have kept him. I think they would have, if they would have not got that information yesterday in the court, and gave that to Ice and the border patrol. He probably would have been deported already to Mexico.

Ice, Customs and Border Protection and Hermosillos attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

But a senior official with the Department of Homeland Security rejected the allegations.

The narrative being pushed about Jose Hermosillo is false, the official said via email. On April 8, Hermosillo approached Border Patrol in Tucson and stated he had entered the U.S. illegally through Nogales. He said he wanted to turn himself in and completed a sworn statement identifying as a Mexican citizen who had entered unlawfully.

He was processed and appeared in court on April 10. Afterward, he was held by the U.S. Marshals in Florence, AZ. A few days later, his family presented documents showing U.S. citizenship. The charges were dismissed, and he was released to his family.

This arrest was the direct result of Hermosillos own actions and statements.

Federal magistrate judge Maria S Aguilera dismissed the case on 17 April. Hermosillo was released later that evening.

Related: Denied, detained, deported: the most high-profile cases in Trumps immigration crackdown

Since Trump returned to office, there have been a rising number of US citizens detained by immigration officials around the country. But immigration officials detention of citizens is not new, and it has taken place across presidential administrations. In 2021, the Government Accountability Office found that from 2015 through 2020, Ice arrested 674 US citizens and deported 70 of them. And from 2007 through 2015, 818 US citizens were held in immigration detention, according to a 2016 analysis from NPR.

In recent months, the Trump administration has revoked the visas of hundreds of foreign students, many for taking part in Gaza solidarity protests the administration call antisemitic . Among those swept up in that crackdown is Aditya Wahyu Harsono, an Indonesian student in Minnesota, who is married to a US citizen, arrested at his hospital workplace this month after his visa was secretly revoked.
Videos created with the electronic music tag also grew by more than 100% between 2023 and 2024. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

It is another example of the parallel worlds in the music industry. The Gallagher brothers may be taking over the worlds stadiums this summer, but over on TikTok users are moving to a different beat.

Views of posts using electronic music as a soundtrack, including techno and house, outgrew those tagged for indie and alternative for the first time in 2024, according to the social media app.

There were more than 13bn views of videos tagged #ElectronicMusic worldwide last year, an increase of 45% on 2023, representing faster growth than the indie and alternative and rap and hip-hop genres. Videos created with the electronic music tag grew by more than 100% over the same period.

TikTok said creators were turning to electronic music in particular as a soundtrack for specific types of video clips, such as sport, fitness and fashion. It has also proved popular with travel content and summer holiday recaps.

TikToks head of music partnerships for the UK and Ireland, Toyin Mustapha, said the success of British artists such as Disclosure and Joel Corry had underlined electronic musics entry into the mainstream.

Dance music has become more accessible and big in the commercial sphere, he said. We are seeing the breaking down of boundaries for artists, and TikTok is part of that.

TikTok, which has more than 1 billion users worldwide, has become a major platform for breaking and supporting music artists. One of the biggest summer anthems of last year, Adam Ports Move, established its appeal on the app before becoming a streaming hit. It reached the top 10 in the UK and across Europe. Another hit on TikTok and streaming platforms last year was Pawsas Dirty Cash (Money Talks), which reached No 17 in the UK charts.

Fred Agains headlining sets at the Reading and Leeds festivals have underlined the ascent of electronic artists in major markets, but Mustapha also points to mainstream chart success. Jazzy become the first female Irish act to reach No 1 in Ireland in more than a decade in 2023.

Its not just reflected in festival bookings, you can see it in the official charts as well, he said.

Two British DJs have also taken off on TikTok in recent years. Hannah Laing, a former dental nurse from Dundee known as the queen of doof, has launched her own festival and label after building a steady music career on the app. Billy Gillies, a Belfast DJ whose hits include DNA (Loving You) has also built a strong following on the platform.

UK views of videos with the #ElectronicMusic hashtag grew 22%, while the number of videos created with the same hashtag rose by more than 50%.

TikTok users tend to tag the genres of music, especially genres like electronic music. It shows the community they are trying to build and are part of, and electronic music is very much a community-led thing, Mustapha said.

Spotify said streams of dance and electronic music increased by an average of 18% a year since 2020, while streams of drumnbass rose 94% since 2021.

Indie and alternative, as well as rap and hip-hop, remain bigger genres overall among TikTok users, with indie in particular likely to get a boost when Oasis return in the summer despite the electronic music surge. Last year, TikTok flagged a trend called Britishcore, which celebrated the more mundane aspects of UK life but also captured excitement over the Gallagher brothers reunion. The hashtag #OasisReunion received more than 100m video views in the fortnight after their comeback tour was announced.

As well as a boom in electronic music, British TikTok users also embraced the music industrys back catalogue last year. TikTokers set a new high for use of old tracks on British posts, with tunes more than five years old accounting for 19 out of the 50 top tracks in 2024. Popular back catalogue tunes included Sades Kiss of Life and Sophie Ellis-Bextors Murder on the Dancefloor.

As with electronic music, the trend was also global. Twenty of the top 50 tracks worldwide came from back catalogues, led by the 1980s hit Forever Young by the German synth-pop band Alphaville.

 This article was amended on 22 April 2025. An earlier version said that streams of dance and electronic music increased by 18% a year since 2000; however, this should have said 2020.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, announced the truce on Saturday afternoon - Vyacheslav Prokofyev/AFP

Credit: Kremlin

Follow the latest updates on Ukraine in our live blog.

Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of failing to uphold an Easter truce announced by Vladimir Putin.

Ukraines president said his forces would abide by the ceasefire if the Kremlin did the same, but said Russian artillery fire had not stopped and its attempt to seize territory continued.

Russian assault operations continue on several front-line sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided, Mr Zelensky wrote on social media an hour and a half after the truce was meant to begin.

Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow.

The temporary ceasefire, Putin said in a televised meeting with his commander-in-chief, would last from 6pm Moscow time (4pm BST) on Saturday until midnight (10pm BST) on Sunday. But Ukrainian politicians and soldiers said Russias president was not to be trusted, with Mr Zelensky saying that shelling had continued past the 6pm start time.

If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20, Mr Zelensky said. If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly  mirroring Russias actions, he added.

Putins proposal was seen by critics as a naked attempt to curry favour with Donald Trump, the US president, who threatened on Friday to walk out of peace talks unless a ceasefire agreement was reached soon. Mr Zelensky had earlier labelled the proposed truce as nothing more than Putin trying to play with human lives.

Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, said Ukraine had endured a long history of Putins deceptions and that the dictators words cannot be trusted.

He added that Kyiv stood by its original agreement with the US in March to abide by a 30-day cease fire.

Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions, Mr Sybiha said.

We know his words cannot be trusted and we will look at actions, not words. Russia can agree at any time to the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, which has been on the table since March.

I dont trust Russians

A senior Ukrainian military officer reportedly received orders to stop firing on Russian positions minutes after the truce was due to start, suggesting that Kyiv had given the order to observe it.

Captain Oleksandr Shyrshyn, battalion commander in the 47th Mechanized Brigade, told The Telegraph that Ukraine had encountered similar situations in the past when Russia made statements about a truce or a ceasefire.

Russians consistently disregarded the statements [and tried] to blame us. I dont trust Russians, and I believe they will fabricate scenarios, he added.

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at the Kyiv-based National Institute for Strategic Studies, said he saw the Russian presidents proposal as classic Putin who wants to manipulate Donald Trumps perception and drive a wedge between Ukraine and the US.

Ukraine should remind everyone about the comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire that Russia rejected, he added.

Saturday also saw 277 Ukrainian soldiers being returned from captivity in the largest exchange of PoWs in the conflicts history. Footage showed hundreds of the former prisoners hugging one another with the blue and yellow flag draped over their shoulders.

Russias Ministry of Defence said 246 of its service members were returned from territory controlled by Kyiv, and that as a gesture of goodwill 31 wounded Ukrainian PoWs were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers.

Vladimir Putin attends an Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow - Sputnik/Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/via Reuters

The Ministry said its troops had been instructed about the ceasefire and would adhere to it, provided it was mutually respected by Ukraine. Putin told Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of Russias General Staff, during the televised address to have his forces ready to repel possible violations of the truce.

Russia on Friday had abandoned a moratorium on striking Ukrainian energy targets after each side accused the other of breaking a supposed deal without any formal agreement in place.

The latest truce proposal will show how sincere is the Kyivs regimes readiness, its desire and ability to observe agreements and participate in a process of peace talks, Putin said.

Trump has failed to win concessions from Putin

Previous attempts at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in Jan 2023 collapsed after both sides failed to agree on them. The proposal comes after months of Mr Trump pushing both Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a truce. He has so far failed to extract any major concessions from the Kremlin.

Richard Kemp, a former British Army officer, said the truce would allow Putin to falsely paint Mr Zelensky to Mr Trump as the aggressor if the fighting continued. He said: He is likely attempting to seize the narrative to appease Trump and allow him to declare some kind of negotiating victory.

The Kremlins emphasis on bracing for Ukrainian provocations indicates his intent to seize on or manufacture any such incidents to proclaim that Zelensky is not serious about peace and parry the ball back into Kyivs court, so inciting further demands on Ukraine from the White House, he added.

Only a few kilometres from the front lines in the east, Ukrainian soldiers shared their leaders distrust of the proposed ceasefire.

Dmitry, a 40-year-old soldier, said: I think this man [Putin] is evil, a murderer, but he can do it. He might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity. But either way, of course, we dont trust. These 30 hours will lead to nothing. The killings of our people, and theirs, will 100 per cent continue.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same  not just a one-day pause. That will create space for talks on a just and lasting peace. We deplore the Kremlins bombing of Ukrainian cities. Now is the moment for Putin to show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion.

Cap Shyrshyn, of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, told The Telegraph: We have encountered similar situations in the past when Russia made statements about a truce or a ceasefire, yet they consistently disregarded the statements [and tried] to blame us.

I dont trust Russians, and I believe they will fabricate scenarios, similar to the numerous instances where they have publicly expressed their desire to end the war, only to claim that Ukrainian officials fail to adhere to their agreements and threaten to respond by attacking civilians.

11:41 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thanks for following our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. Well be back soon with more updates and analysis from the conflict.

11:14 PM BST

Russia one of the biggest threats to Christians, Zelensky says

On the eve of Easter, President Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russia one of the biggest threats to Christian churches and believers.

Ukrainians will go to church on Sunday under the shadow of a ceasefire announced by Vladimir Putin which both sides have accused each other of violating. Easter falls on the same day this year for Orthodox and Western sects of Christianity, which is a rare occurrence.

For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions of Ukrainians will go to church. Sadly, many will go to churches that are damaged or destroyed, Mr Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

Russia has destroyed over 600 religious sites in Ukraine throughout the three-year conflict and killed or tortured 67 priests, pastors and monks, Mr Zelensky said.

Mr Zelensky said: Just like were bringing back priests and pastors from Russian captivity, just like were doing everything to protect Ukrainian towns and villages and the lives of people there  we are also bringing back the chance to believe, to believe that evil and destruction will not win.

For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions of Ukrainians will go to church. Sadly, many will go to churches that are damaged or destroyed.



The Russian army is one of the biggest threats to Christian churches and believers. Over the pic.twitter.com/gIn8Appkeo  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

10:44 PM BST

Zelensky: Fighting continues in Kursk and Belgorod

The Ukrainian president in a further update said that fighting continues in the Kursk and Belgorod regions.

Mr Zelensky, citing a report from his commander-in-chief, suggests that Easter statements by Putin did not extend to this territory.

Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leaders promise of silence, he said but added that it has become quieter in some areas.

He said a proposal for a 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire remains on the table and that Ukraines actions are symmetrical to Russias.

A report by the Commander-in-Chief.



We are documenting the actual situation on all directions. The Kursk and Belgorod regions  Easter statements by Putin did not extend to this territory. Hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

10:15 PM BST

Moscow residents not optimistic ceasefire will bring peace

Residents of Moscow had a bleak outlook on the chances of peace after Putins announcement of an Easter ceasefire.

In the south of the Russian capital, people said it was unlikely the pause in fighting would provide a breakthrough that could end the three-year conflict because Ukraine could not be trusted.

The Easter truce will lead to nothing, because Ukraine will not honour these agreements, said Svetlana, 61, who did not give her surname.

Another resident, Maria Goranina, 85, told AFP that Ukraine will regroup after this truce and come at us again.

This is despite testimony by a Ukrainian soldier that Russia has already violated its own ceasefire with constant drone attacks and shelling.

Critics of the invasion face harsh punishment in Russia under its censorship rules instituted shortly after the outbreak of war, with many people sentenced to lengthy prison terms.

Svetlana also questioned Putins decision to halt fighting.

Three years have gone by, so many maimed, disabled, dead. And weve gone through some part of Ukraine, and thats it? she said.

I dont understand at all then, what its all for.

Other residents were more hawkish and backed a more aggressive campaign over the ceasefire.

I do not believe in Ukraine. There will be no such truce, there will be shelling and so on, Yevgeny Pavlov, 58, told AFP.

There is no need to give a respite. If we press, it means we should press to the end.

09:56 PM BST

Ukraine says it will reciprocate a genuine ceasefire

Ukraine said it would reciprocate any genuine ceasefire efforts from Russia, but was wary of Putins announcement of an Easter pause.

Putin has not offered details as to how the humanitarian ceasefire will be enforced and if it would only cover airstrikes or also ground battles.

Russia said the ceasefire was supposed to begin at 6pm Moscow time on Saturday and would end at midnight after Easter Sunday, despite accusations from Ukraine that Russia has already violated its own agreement.

Whether the ceasefire is upheld will reveal Russias true intentions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, proposing an extension of the truce beyond Easter.

If a full ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond Easter Day on April 20, Mr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

That will reveal Russias true intentions, as 30 hours are enough for headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures.

09:13 PM BST

Fighting ongoing despite ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian soldier says

Russia is constantly launching drones and shelling despite Putins announcement of an Easter ceasefire, a Ukrainian soldier told The Telegraph.

Maksym, a drone pilot fighting between Kharkiv and Russias Belgorod region, said: At the moment, they are constantly launching drones, not to mention shelling.

The truce is not sustainable or realistic  at least not for now, Maksym said, because Russia has violated other similar agreements.

These things arent arranged so quickly or easily. Besides, theyve already shown they dont stick to such agreements, he said.

It is not realistic to stop hostilities at one moment.

09:06 PM BST

Released Ukrainian soldiers reunite with families

Ukrainian soldiers released from captivity were shown reuniting with their families in new footage posted by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The soldiers, many of them draped in Ukrainian flags, hugged or called their family members as they wiped tears from their eyes.

Today. Our people are home, Mr Zelensky wrote on X.

Today. Our people are home. 







.  .  pic.twitter.com/rw3JWzI2so  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

08:46 PM BST

277 Ukrainian prisoners of war released from Russian captivity

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 277 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been released.

Our people are home  one of the best pieces of news that can be. Another 277 warriors have returned home from Russian captivity, Mr Zelensky wrote in a post on X.

I thank everyone who made this return of our people possible.

The release was part of the largest prisoner exchange in the three-year conflict, with over 500 troops on both sides involved.

Soldiers who fought in Mariupol are among those who have been freed, along with troops who were captured in Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk.

The United Arab Emirates mediated to secure the release of the soldiers, Mr Zelensky said.

A total of 4,552 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have been brought back from Russian captivity since Putins invasion began in Feb 2022.

Our people are homeone of the best pieces of news that can be. Another 277 warriors have returned home from Russian captivity.



The warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the border guards. They defended pic.twitter.com/bm4OF80o7o  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

08:31 PM BST

Zelensky proposes extending the ceasefire

President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged that Ukraine would abide by the ceasefire and suggested the truce be extended.

If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly - mirroring Russias actions, he wrote on X.

But at the same time, he said that Russia was continuing military action on several frontline sectors.

Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Ukraines southern Kherson region, said there had been eight Russian drone attacks, setting fire to a high-rise block as well as hitting two villages.

08:24 PM BST

Air-raid sirens sound in Kyiv

Air-raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Saturday evening, despite the start of Putins Easter truce.

An alert message told Kyiv residents to proceed to shelters.

AFP journalists heard sirens sound shortly before 10:00pm (local time) as the air force warned of a missile threat in the surrounding Kyiv region.

08:18 PM BST

Battalion commander: I dont trust Russians

Captain Oleksandr Shyrshyn, battalion commander in the 47th Mechanized Brigade, says he does not trust Russias Easter truce.

We have encountered similar situations in the past ... they consistently disregarded the statements made by them, trying to blame us.

I dont trust Russians, and I believe they will fabricate scenarios ... where they have publicly expressed their desire to end the war, only to have Ukrainian officials fail to adhere to their agreements and threaten to respond by attacking civilians.

07:26 PM BST

Putin wants to manipulate Donald Trump perception

Mykola Bielieskov, a senior analyst at the Kyiv-based National Institute for Strategic Studies said: I think its a classic Putin who wants to manipulate Donald Trump perception and drive a wedge between UA and US making Trump think thats RU open to dialogue while Ukraine shall be squeezed by US to make concessions.

Ukraine shall remind about comprehensive unconditional ceasefire in all domains of war Russia rejected.

06:37 PM BST

Russians continue heavy shelling, Ukraine claims

Andriy Kovalenko, an official on Ukraines national security and defence council, has claimed Russia is continuing its attacks.

The Russians keep firing on all fronts  just like before, he wrote on X.

The heaviest shelling is in the East. So much for Putins so-called ceasefire. He never meant to keep it.

06:36 PM BST

Ukrainian soldiers sceptical of truce declaration

Vladimir Putins announcement of an Easter ceasefire was greeted sceptically by Ukrainian soldiers.

They did not trust the Russian president to keep his word and were doubtful that a pause in the fighting would lead to a prolonged end to the hostilities.

Of course theres distrust, said 40-year-old soldier, Dmitry, told AFP in the city of Kramatorsk, around 20 kilometres from the front in the eastern Donetsk region.

I think this man (Putin) is evil, a murderer, but he can do it. He might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity. But either way, of course, we dont trust. These 30 hours will lead to nothing.

05:59 PM BST

Air raid sirens blared moments after Russian truce declared

A Kyiv-based MP says air raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital in the moments after Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce.

Drones were entering Kyiv, Lisa Yasko said before suggesting that the city witnessed a one hour attack.

A ceasefire for one day, even if it happens, is like a joke, she told the BBC.

Ms Yasko suggested that the surprise announcement could be a manoeuvre by the Russian president to appease the United States.

05:19 PM BST

Putins words cannot be trusted, says Ukraines foreign minister

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Kyiv had in March agreed unconditionally to the U.S. proposal of a full interim ceasefire for 30 days, which Russia rejected.

Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a ceasefire. 30 hours instead of 30 days, Mr Sybiha continued, writing on X.

Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions.

04:54 PM BST

Proposed truce came after threats from Trump to walk away from peace talks

Putins ceasefire announcement came after US President Donald Trump on Friday said negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head and insisted that neither side is playing him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.

Trump spoke shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the U.S. may move on from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress in the coming days, after months of efforts have failed to bring an end to the fighting.

04:37 PM BST

Previous Easter ceasefire attempts had collapsed

Previous attempts at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were not implemented after both sides failed to agree on them.

Ukraine last month agreed to Trumps proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, only for Putin to reject it.

04:27 PM BST

Russia snatches men from gyms in Putins new conscription drive

Putins administration has carried out lightning raids across Russia for several weeks in an overtly aggressive attempt to enlist more fledgling recruits for the war in Ukraine.

During an evening workout at Spirit Fitness in south-east Moscow, gym-goers were suddenly told to drop to the floor.

According to witnesses, police divide those at the gym into citizens and non-citizens. Russians are taken to enlistment offices, where their military records are checked.

Read more here from Kieran Kelly

04:11 PM BST

Comment: Putin should not get any applause for this stunt

The Telegraphs Associate Defence Editor Dom Nicholls gives his analysis below.

Hes made an announcement about military activity that may or may not happen, hoping to curry favour with Trump and try and make make Ukraine look bad to Trump if they continue fighting. Ukraine agreed to Trumps 30-day unconditional ceasefire over a month ago, Russia did not, strangely without consequences. Putin shouldnt get any applause now for this stunt.

03:57 PM BST

POW exchange between Russia and Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine on Saturday held a large prisoner of war exchange, with each side handing back more than 240 prisoners, the Russian defence ministry said.

On April 19... 246 Russian soldiers were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return 246 Ukrainian prisoners of war were handed over.

Also as a good will gesture, 31 wounded prisoners of war were handed over in exchange for 15 wounded Russian prisoners of war needing urgent medical help, the ministry said in a statement on social media.

03:51 PM BST

Putin is playing with human lives, says Zelenskyy

I have just received a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.



Today, our forces continued their activity on the territory of the Kursk region and are holding their positions. In the Belgorod region, our warriors have advanced and expanded our zone of control.



As for  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025

03:40 PM BST

Russias Ministry of Defence confirms ceasefire

The Russian Ministry of Defence has released a statement confirming that Russia will stop all military operations from 18:00 Moscow time (16:00 BST) today until midnight on 21 April (22:00 BST).

The ministry says all military actions have been ordered to stop, adding that the decision was guided by humanitarian considerations.

They say they expect the Ukrainian side to do the same.

President Vladimir Putin meets with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov in Moscow - AFP/Vyacheslav Prokofev

At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions, the ministry says in a statement that has been translated.

03:32 PM BST

Russia fired nearly 90 exploding drones overnight

Ukraines air force reported that Russia fired 87 exploding drones and decoys in the latest wave of attacks overnight into Saturday.

Anti-air measures managed to intercept 33 of them. Another 36 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.

Russian attacks damaged farms in the Odesa region and sparked fires in the Sumy region overnight, Ukraines State Emergency Service said Saturday. Fires were contained, and no casualties were reported.

03:28 PM BST

Russia drives back Ukrainian forces from foothold in Kursk

Russia has pushed Ukrainian forces from one of their last remaining footholds in Russias Kursk region, officials said Saturday.

According to Russias Defence Ministry, its forces took control of the village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine.

Units of the North military group have liberated the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region during active offensive operations, the ministry said in a statement.

There was was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian serviceman fires a Caesar self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops - REUTERS

According to Russian state news agency TASS, Russia is still fighting to push Ukrainian forces out of the village of Gornal, some seven miles (11 kilometers) south of Oleshnya.

The Russian military has yet to push the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of Gornal ... in order to completely liberate the Kursk region. Fierce fighting is underway in the settlement, the agency reported, citing Russia security agencies.

03:22 PM BST

Putin orders forces to stand ready for violations of the truce

Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to stand ready for any violations of the truce by Ukrainian forces.

He said: With humanitarian considerations, today from 6pm, from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares the Easter truce.

I order to stop all hostilities during this period. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example.

At the same time our troops must be ready to reflect possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy in any of its aggressive actions.

We know that the Kyiv regime has violated the agreement not to strike at the energy infrastructure more than a hundred times, as you reported to me.

Therefore, I ask you to be extremely attentive and focused to be ready for an immediate response in full.

Vladimir Putin made the announcement in a televised address - Vyacheslav Prokofyev

Our decision on the Easter truce will show how sincere is the readiness of the Kyiv regime and its desire and ability to comply with the agreements, to participate int eh peace talks aimed at eliminating the primary cause of the Ukrainian crisis.

03:11 PM BST

Truce from Good Friday to Sunday

Vladimir Putin, speaking to Russian chief of staff Valery Gerasimov, said: Today from 1800 (1500 GMT) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce.
Two men were injured in a shooting at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Saturday night.

The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m on a street that runs through the university campus, Norfolk police said. A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and another had non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said the shooting was still under active investigation and did not provide additional details.

It is unclear whether any students were involved or whether a suspect has been identified. A representative for the university did not immediately respond to a call for more information.

The shooting comes just days after a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee. A 20-year-old man is accused of opening fire at the FSU student union, killing two people and injuring several others.
Associated Humane Societies-Newark New Jersey police officers with the rescued dogs.

Three police officers in New Jersey each have a new, four-legged sidekick after helping rescue  and becoming immediately charmed by  a litter of abandoned puppies.

Back in December 2024, the three Clark Police Department officers responded to a call from a Good Samaritan about puppies who had been abandoned in a five-gallon bucket, according to a news release from the Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS).

When they arrived, they found eight puppies, all just a couple of weeks old, cuddled together for warmth amid the frigid winter temperatures.

The animals were rushed to Associated Human Society-Newark for emergency veterinary evaluation and treatment. They were "cold, starving, severely dehydrated and infested with fleas," according to the BFAS.

Associated Humane Societies-Newark One of the rescued dogs as a puppy.

Related: Days-Old Pit Bull Puppies Receiving 'Critical Care' After Being Abandoned in a Plastic Bin in Arizona

The puppies were then placed in foster care, which included around-the-clock feedings until they were able to eat on their own.

In the meantime, AHS-Newark staff members attempted to locate the dogs' family. They posted the story on social media, did news interviews and subsequently raised $40,000 to help cover the puppies' medical care.

We did receive a few tips, but all were unsuccessful, Danielle Mania, chief operating officer of AHS-Newark said, per the release.

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.

Once the puppies were stable and old enough, they were placed in different foster homes. But the three police officers could not stop thinking about the dogs and regularly checked in on them amid their recovery.

Associated Humane Societies-Newark One of the rescued dogs as a puppy.

Related: Dog Who Went Missing During a Hurricane 5 Years Ago Reappears at Frat House 300 Miles from Home

When three of the animals  now named Ozzy, Capri and Zeus  were ready for adoption, the officers immediately stepped up and each took one home. Now, the officers and their furry friends all share a special bond.

The Clark PD has an adorable group chat to keep in touch with all of the adopters, and they frequently have play dates with each other, Mania said. This situation was really a testament as to how we work together as a team across the entire organization to save lives and find pets homes.

The BFAS described the puppies' adoptions as a "full-circle moment," highlighting "the pet lifesaving work that police and animal control officers do in their communities."

The animal welfare organization also noted that it serves as a reminder of the importance of microchipping pets so that they can more quickly and easily be reunited with their owners should they ever become lost.



Read the original article on People
China's President Xi Jinping arrives for a meeting with Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man in Hanoi on April 14, 2025. Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned that protectionism "leads nowhere" and that a trade war would have "no winners", state media said, as he arrived in Vietnam on April 14 on the first leg of a Southeast Asia tour. (Photo by ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) (Photo by ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

China is reaching out to the world to make trade deals amid President Donald Trumps push to isolate the nation by dishing out massive tariffs.

So far, China has made inroads with Vietnam, Malaysia and Europe amid Trumps tariffs threatening to stifle the economy of the worlds second largest market. Trumps tariffs, which have now risen to a whopping total of 245% for some goods, aim to cripple China by cutting access to its largest export partner and cut off the nation from other trading partners, sources told the Wall Street Journal Tuesday.

This is the first time that anyone of any consequence has stood up and said, no more,' Stephen Yates, senior research Fellow for China and National Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. We are going to renegotiate the terms of our engagement in a way that is more fair to my countrys interests, and there are some priorities that youre going to have to address. (RELATED: Trump Weighs Tariffs As Tool To Break Chinas Stranglehold On Critical Minerals)

(L-R) U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick look on as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to sign executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on April 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Vietnam accounts for nearly 4% of all exports from China in 2023, totaling $135 billion worth in goods, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) data. Vietnam signed a trade deal with China during Xi Jinpings visit Monday, further strengthening the two communist countrys ties.

Vietnam is also a large U.S. trade partner, exporting over $136 billion of goods to the states in 2024, according to U.S. Census data.

Malaysia netted around 1.91% of all Chinese exports with a value of $65.5 billion in 2023. Xi Jinping stressed cooperation between the two nations Wednesday, with Malaysia also supplying the CCP with nearly 66% of its crude oil exports in 2023.

Beijing believes it has advantages in its neighboring region and Trumps volatile policy is harming Americas credibility and soft power in Asia, Zhao Minghao, professor of international studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the WSJ.

China has also shown an interest in partnering with Europe amid Trumps tariffs, with Beijing being the second largest trading partner with the EU behind the U.S. Recently, The EU considered dropping tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, instead setting minimum prices on the products.

Chinas economy was already in a precarious position before the onset of the trade war, in part due to an ongoing struggle to fix a dismal real estate market and a rapidly aging population. Moreover, China is struggling to find buyers for its large sums of cheap goods it once sent to the U.S. en masse.

Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to investigate the possibility and feasibility of new tariffs on critical minerals, which include cobalt, lithium, nickel and others frequently used to produce advanced goods.

China seems to think it can survive without the United States making substantial investments in China, Yates told the DCNF. It doesnt seem to believe that after tariffs, COVID, fentanyl and other activities, America and others just might be serious about re-balancing our supply chains. So they seem to be not in a panic, but somewhat arrogant, if you ask me.

The Department of Commerce did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office Christina Anne Adams

Christina Anne Adams stabbed her parents at their shared home in 2022 after they told her she had to leave the residence

The Florida woman's mother survived, but her father later died from his injuries

Adams has now received two life sentences for the murder of her father and the attempted murder of her mother

After stabbing her parents until she believed they were both dead, a Florida woman left the scene to shop. What she didn't know was that her father had a bit more time left  and her mother would make it out alive.

On Wednesday, April 16, Christina Anne Adams received two life sentences for the 2022 murder of her father, 74-year-old Richard Langer, and attempted murder of her mother, Sally Langer, per The Ccala StarBanner.

The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office announced the news of Adams sentencing in an April 17 press release, stating that jurors required only a brief deliberation before finding Adams, 33, guilty of premeditated murder in the first degree and attempted first degree murder with a deadly weapon.

The murder and attempted murder occurred in Ocala, Fla., on Sept. 16, 2022, when, after being told she would have to move out of their shared residence, Adams stabbed both of her parents, per the press release. The attack fatally injured her father, but the now-convicted murderer left the scene believing that both of her parents were dead.

Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office Christina Anne Adams' mug shot

The Marion County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) responded to the scene after Adams father called for help, ABC News reported at the time. He reported that he had been stabbed, and also identified his attacker as Adams, the outlet reported.

After deputies responded to the Ocala residence, they located both victims  later identified as Richard and Sally  with multiple stab wounds, according to the attorneys office. While receiving medical aid, Richard once again told authorities that his daughter had stabbed them. He later died.

Shortly after, authorities located Adams, who was driving in a vehicle with her wife nearby. Both women were detained and interviewed by detectives, officials said.

The spouse told authorities that she had just finished running some errands before meeting up with Adams at the grocery store, per the attorneys office. She also said Adams had not told her about any altercation, and she indicated she did not notice anything out of the ordinary.

Meanwhile, Adams denied involvement in the stabbing, but her series of events did not match up with that of her spouse, leading her to confess, officials said.

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Getty Police car (stock image)

Adams said that after she believed her parents to be dead, she attempted to destroy evidence and then left the location, the MCSO said in a statement at the time, per ABC News. She also told detectives that after the attack, she changed her clothing and went shopping.

"[Adams] later told detectives that she was angry over being asked to leave the home that she shared with the victims," the MCSO said. Adams stated she retrieved a large knife and then attacked both victims, stabbing them multiple times.

Following Adams confession, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods dubbed the stabbings senseless acts of violence, which he said were shocking to all of us," per ABC News.

I'm very proud of my deputies and detectives that worked so quickly to not only provide aid to the victims but also to capture such an evil person and ensure that our streets are safe, added the sheriff.

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CBS via Getty The cast of 'The Munsters': Beverley Owen, Al Lewis, Yvonne De Carlo, Fred Gwynne and Butch Patrick in 1964

The Munsters may have lasted only two seasons, but it still managed to become a 1960s TV classic.

Premiering in on CBS in 1964, the show was a campy mashup of classic Universal Pictures monsters with wholesome family-focused sitcoms. It centered on a family of ghouls and their normie niece living in an average American suburb.

Despite its brief run, The Munsters has spawned numerous spin-offs and reboots in the nearly 60 years since it originally aired. A 1966 film, Munster, Go Home!, quickly followed the shows cancelation, followed by a 1973 animated special, the Mini-Munsters, and a live-action 1981 reunion special, The Munsters Revenge. A syndicated revival series, The Munsters Today, aired from 1988. to 1991, followed by a CBS TV movie, Here Come the Munsters, in 1995.

The pilot for a planned reboot, Mockingbird Lane, aired as a Halloween special on NBC in 2012, and in 2022, director Rob Zombies The Munsters presented an origin story for the shows characters.

Here, find out what happened to the original denizens of 1313 Mockingbird Lane after The Munsters ended.

Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster

Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty; Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty Fred Gwynne in 'The Munsters' in 1965 and in 1984

At a towering 6' 5", Fred Gwynne was a perfect fit for Herman Munster, the hulking Frankensteins monster-esque patriarch of the Munster clan. Having already appeared in numerous TV series in the 1950s, Gwynne had his first starring role as Officer Francis Muldoon in NBCs cop sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? from 1961 to 1963. After starring in The Munsters from 1964 to 1966, he reprised the role of Herman in the 1966 movie Munster, Go Home!

In the decades that followed, Gwynne continued to make numerous appearances in series and TV movies  including 1981s The Munsters Revenge  while also appearing in films like Fatal Attraction (1987), Pet Sematary (1989) and My Cousin Vinny (1992).

Gwynne married first wife Jean Reynard in 1952. The couple had five children before divorcing in 1980. Gwynne married Deborah Flater in 1988.

The actor died in 1993 of complications from pancreatic cancer at the age of 66.

Yvonne De Carlo as Lily Munster

Silver Screen Collection/Getty; Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Yvonne De Carlo in 'The Munsters' in 1965 and in 1985

Prior to taking on the role of vampire bride/homemaker Lily Munster, Yvonne De Carlo appeared in more than 50 movies in the 1940s and 1950s, including starring opposite Charlton Heston as Moses wife in Cecil B. DeMilles The Ten Commandments (1956). But, as pop culture historian Geoffrey Mark told Womans World in 2024, De Carlo was often hired to smolder like a prop rather than [portray] a fully-developed character, and many of her films were popular in the moment, but nobody remembers them today.

With The Munsters, however, De Carlo reached a new level of campy cultural cache, reprising the role of Lily in 1966s Munster, Go Home! and in 1981s The Munsters Revenge.

Following the shows cancelation in 1966, she went on to appear in another 27 films, primarily B-movies and a few of them horror flicks playing on her Munsters notoriety. She also found success on the stage, most notably originating the role of Carlotta Campion in the 1971 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheims Follies, and made appearances in shows like Fantasy Island, Murder, She Wrote, Dream On and Tales from the Crypt throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.

De Carlo was married to stuntman Robert Morgan in 1955. Along with Morgans daughter from a previous marriage, the couple shared two sons. They divorced in 1973.

De Carlo died of heart failure in 2007 at the age of 84.

Al Lewis as Grandpa Munster

CBS via Getty; Dana Frank/Getty Al Lewis in 'The Munsters' in 1965 and circa 1995

Al Lewis zany Count Sam Dracula, a.k.a. Grandpa Munster, may have been hundreds of years old, but he actor himself was only 41 when he took on the role  notably, a year younger than on-screen daughter Yvonne De Carlo.

Prior to The Munsters, Lewis got his start performing in Vaudeville and on Broadway in the 1950s, before moving into television, most notably starring alongside Fred Gwynne in Car 54, Where Are You?. Along with most of the original cast, Lewis appeared as his Munsters character in 1966s Munster, Go Home! and 1981s The Munsters Revenge, and had a cameo in CBSs 1995 remake Here Come the Munsters. He also reprised the role in a 1991 episode of ABCs classic sitcom spoof Hi Honey, Im Home.

Lewiss notable film appearances included Sydney Pollacks They Shoot Horses, Dont They (1969) and Married to the Mob (1988). He also reprised his Car 54 role in the 1994 film based on the show. On TV, he guest-starred in shows like Lost in Space, Green Acres, Love American Style and Taxi.

A life-long left-wing activist, Lewis ran for New York governor as a member of the Green Party in 1998. His bid to be listed on the ballot as Grandpa Al Lewis failed, as did his campaign. He did however succeed in getting enough votes to secure a place for his party on the New York ballot for the next four years. In 2000, he campaigned for the Green Party nomination for one of New Yorks two U.S. Senate seats, coming in second.

Lewis was married to first wife Marge Domowitz from 1956 until their 1977 divorce. The couple had three sons. He married actress Karen Ingenthron in 1984. They remained married until his death in 2006 at the age of 82.

Butch Patrick as Eddie Munster

Silver Screen Collection/Getty; Bobby Bank/Getty Butch Patrick in 'The Munsters' in 1964 and in 2019

While the role of Eddie Munster was originally played by child actor Happy Derman in the unaired pilot for The Munsters, then-11-year-old Butch Patrick was ultimately cast as the pint-size werewolf in the series, co-starring in the show until its cancelation in 1966. Patrick reprised the role alongside Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo and Al Lewis in the 1966 film Munster, Go Home!, but did not appear in the 1981 TV reunion movie The Munsters Revenge.

After the series ended, Patrick continued to work in film and TV, with roles on shows like I Dream of Jeannie and The Monkees. In 1971, he starred in the short-lived Saturday morning kids show Lidsville from H.R. Pufnstuf creators Sid and Marty Krofft.

Patricks post-Munsters film credits include the starring role in Chuck Joness 1970 adaptation of The Phantom Tollbooth. He quit acting in 1975 to work for his father, but returned to the screen with a role in the 1991 horror flick Scary Movie. In 1995, he had a cameo in CBSs remake Here Come the Munsters and appeared in a cameo as himself in 2003s Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. Hes taken on a number of small roles in the years since, including providing the voice for the Tin Can Man in Rob Zombies 2022 film based on The Munsters.

Patrick married wife Leila Murray in 2016 at the age of 63.

Beverley Owen as Marilyn Munster

CBS via Getty Beverley Owen in 'The Munsters' in 1964

The first of the two original Marilyn Munsters, Beverley Owen came to the series with roles in shows like As the World Turns and Wagon Train, as well as the film Bullets for a Badman under her belt. As Marilyn, the daughter of Lily Munsters sister, she played the only normal member of the family  though her spooky relatives considered her odd. Owen left the series midway through its first season, after only 13 episodes.

That same year, she married writer, director and producer Jon Stone, who went on to become an original member of the Sesame Street team. The couple had two daughters before divorcing in 1974.

Owen briefly returned to the small screen in 1972, playing Dr. Paula McCrea on Another World. She went on to earn a masters degree in early American history.

Owen died in February 2019 at the age of 81, from ovarian cancer. Her Munsters costar Butch Patrick marked her passing in a Facebook post, writing: Beautiful Beverly Owen has left us. What a sweet soul. I had the biggest crush on her. RIP Bev and thanks for your 13 memorable Marilyn Munster episodes.

Pat Priest as Marilyn Munster

CBS via Getty; Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection/Alamy Pat Priest in 'The Munsters' in 1965 and in 2018

Hot on the heels of small guest roles in shows like Perry Mason and My Favorite Martian, Pat Priest was tapped to replace Beverley Owen as Marilyn midway through The Munsters first season. She continued to play the character until the shows 1966 cancelation.

Post-Munsters, Priest appeared in guest roles on The Lucy Show, Mannix, Bewitched and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and starred alongside Elvis Presley in 1967s Easy Come, Easy Go and with Bruce Dern in 1971s The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant. After retiring from acting in the 1980s, she returned for a cameo in CBSs 1995 TV movie Here Come the Munsters and provided the voice for an airline announcer in Rob Zombies 2022 movie The Munsters.

Priest was married to first husband Pierce Jensen Jr. from 1955 to 1967. In 1981, she married Frederick Hansing. She has two sons. According to Remind, at age 88, she still occasionally joins Munsters costar Butch Patrick at fan conventions.

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This was supposed to be an extraordinary year for TeslaElon Musk had insisted on it.

2025 was set to be the biggest year in Tesla history, Musk pronounced to investors at the end of January on the companys earnings call. He maintained that Tesla would launch its paid robotaxi service in Austin in June to compete against Waymo, and that the EV maker would be rolling out the service to other cities before this year is up. He set an internal target to build 10,000 Optimus humanoid robots. And executives projected they will have the first builds of Teslas semitruck design out before the end of this year.

And yetjust three months latereverything is spiraling.

The Trump administrations titanic 145% tariffs on Chinese imports are expected to hit a quarter of the vehicles Tesla manufactures in the U.S.and further tarnish Teslas position in one of its most important markets. Chinese EV rival BYD has continued to lap up market share in Asia with its more affordable vehicle, eroding Teslas leading position in the region. The national highway safety regulator, NHTSA, recalled nearly all of Teslas luxury trucks, the Cybertruck, in March. And Teslas vehicle sales dropped again this quarter, below the companys own projections.

Musks status as Trumps special government employee has not only pulled his attention away from Teslas gigafactories and into D.C.s bureaucracybut it has also intertwined Musks brand with Trumps. That has already led to vandalism of Tesla cars and protests outside U.S. showrooms; a damaged relationship with a big chunk of its customer base in Europe; and serious questions around the companys prospects in China, a critical market for the manufacturing and sale of its vehicles.

Its a different world than the last time we heard from Musk on the conference call, Dan Ives, one of Teslas longest-standing bullish analysts whose research notes on the company have become increasingly dire over the past month, said in an interview. Ives has estimated that Tesla has lost at least 10%but maybe even 20% or higherof its future customer base globally, because of self-created brand issues.

Tesla, in some ways, is diving into the tariff craze better positioned than its Detroit-based peers. General Motors and Ford have much more exposure to China than Tesla does. At the same time, Teslas stock pricewhich has soared above peers since its first profitable year in 2020is not so tied to fundamentals as it is to the grand vision Musk has presented around Teslas artificial intelligence and self-driving capabilities.

Analysts have opined that the stock performance doesnt directly correlate with the companys financial performance anymore. Tesla shares continue to strike us as having become completely divorced from the fundamentals, J.P. Morgan analyst Ryan Brinkman opined in a note earlier this year.

But with Musk distracted in the White House, and the White House tariff policy putting incredible pressure on his most important business, it will be critical for Tesla to adhere to the timelines it has publicly set. And with Tesla shareholders losing patience, Musk, more than ever, needs to regain trust and inspire confidencesomething he will have a chance to do for the first time since the tariffs during the companys quarterly earnings call on Tuesday. None of it will be easy.

Liberation Day

Uncertainty surrounding Trumps tariff scheme has roiled the markets, even after a 90-day pause was rolled out. But the tariffs on the auto industry are still alive and well: A duty of 25% was set, effective April 3, on all vehicles imported into the U.S. fully built. Other key tariffs, including a 25% one on global auto parts and a 125% to 245% tariff on Chinese imports of batteries or rare earths, could roil the industry.

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Trump and Elon Musk supporters confronted with anti Tesla protesters outside of a Tesla dealership at Stanford Shopping Center in Stanford, California, United States on April 12, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The tariffs have led S&P Global Mobility to reduce its annual U.S. automobile sales estimate by 700,000 cars, one of the largest single-month changes to its forecast ever. And they are already taking a toll on Tesla. After China levied its own retaliatory tariffs, charging 125% import duties on vehicles imported into the country, Tesla stopped taking orders from Chinese customers for its Model S and Model X. Tesla has also reportedly stopped shipping some parts for its Cybertrucks and Semi into the U.S., because the tariffs have gotten too high.

Overall, however, Tesla may be more immune to the tariffs than its competitors, as it manufactures most of its vehicles in the U.S. While the company imports materials like steel and aluminum, the vehicles are made in U.S. gigafactories.

Theyre the best house in a bad neighborhood, but still, 20% to 25% of U.S.-built Teslas have tariff exposure, Ives says.

Analysts are forecasting that Tesla will post $21.5 billion in revenue and $1.3 billion in net income on its earnings call this Tuesdaycompared with $21.3 billion in revenue and $1.1 billion in net income during the year-ago period. Tesla shares closed at $241.38 on Friday afternoon, down more than 36% from Januarybut still up more than 64% from this time last year.

We think TSLA sentiment can change rapidly once catalysts emerge, and the next few months are catalyst-rich, Alexander Potter, a research analyst at Piper Sandler, wrote earlier this month in a research note.

Why the robo launch is so critical

For some Tesla bulls, theres only one issue that really matters right now: autonomous driving.

The nearer-term innovation in focus is autonomyand if Tesla can win the race to develop self-driving car technology for the mass market, the thinking goes, none of the companys other troubles, or Musks antics, will matter so much.

Not surprisingly, Musk has talked up a big game. He has said that Tesla will start volume production of its robotaxiwhich will have no steering wheels or pedalsin 2026, and that Tesla will eventually be manufacturing 2 million of them a year. And he has promised that a paid robotaxi service of some kind will debut in Austin in June.

That right now is probably front and center, Ives says. It kicks off a big part of the future vision of Tesla. So I think its extremely important to also hit that date, too.

SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 15: Tesla electric vehicle drives on board a ro-ro ship for export at the Shanghai Nangang Port on April 15, 2025 in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Nangang Port is set to send off 3,499 Tesla vehicles produced by Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory to Australia, of which 3,015 units are the new Model Y. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Exactly where Tesla is in the process of rolling things out, however, is not clear. In late October, Musk said that Tesla was conducting test rides, with safety drivers, for employees in the Bay Area. According to emails from a Tesla engineer to the Austin Fire Department obtained by Fortune via a Freedom of Information Act request, however, as of November, Tesla seemingly still hadnt tested its autonomous function on public roads anywhere in the U.S.

We have not done any testing on public roadways with any autonomous vehicles, the Tesla engineer said in the email to the Austin Fire Department in November, when discussing details about the upcoming launch. Though Tesla did have its robotaxi driving around at its Austin gigafactory, these are prototype vehicles for developmental purposes only, and are not driving on public roadways at this time, she said.

All of Teslas testing on public roadways has involved so-called Level 2 systems, meaning that, while the system is controlling the driving and braking, humans are behind the steering wheel and remaining fully attentive at all times. By contrast, Waymo, which is Teslas main competitor, is already doing 200,000 paid rides every week at Level 4with no human drivers in the vehiclesacross various cities around the U.S. And given that Waymo opened its wait list for customers in Austin earlier this year, Tesla is already far behind its rival in the first city where it plans to launch.

If theres one secret weapon in Teslas arsenal that could help it catch up, however, its data.

Alex Kendall, the cofounder and CEO of Wayve, a London-based company building AI software for autonomous driving, says that data is a critical component in building effective self-driving software. Wayve is pursuing the idea of working with multiple carmakers and fleet operators and getting them to combine their data into a single platform to help level the data advantage that Tesla might have. Not only does Tesla almost certainly have more driving data gathered from its cars worldwide than any other automaker, says Kendall, but it also has more diverse data than its self-driving competitors. Earlier generations of self-driving companies, such as Waymo and now-defunct Cruise, deployed their cars in only a few tightly controlled driving environments. This matters because it is the amount and diversity of data that will allow a company to build AI self-driving systems that work well in a wide array of traffic and weather conditions.

The amount and diversity of data also matters for discovering edge casesuncommon or rare occurrences, such as a fire engine blocking a road, or a bicyclist who has fallen into the streetthat are the toughest challenges for self-driving software to successfully navigate. Having more diverse real-world driving data can help companies build better simulators, which in turn allow that company to generate lots more syntheticor computer-generateddata to further refine their self-driving software.

But all that said, Kendall says there is much more to creating a successful self-driving system than just the magnitude and diversity of data a company has. I wish it was as simple as data in and driving out, he said. But there are so many other aspects to it.

And when it comes to those other aspects, Tesla may have much less of an advantage. For instance, Kendall said that while larger and more diverse driving datasets will almost certainly contain more edge cases, identifying those edge cases in that sea of data is technically tricky. Building good simulators and deciding exactly what scenarios to simulate to augment the real-world data is also a key differentiator. Finally, building the best learning algorithm for an AI system to help it master driving is also critically important, and this depends on having brilliant AI researchers and engineers as well as access to enough computing power to train top-of-the-line AI models. Tesla, Kendall says, may have some of these components, but has not yet demonstrated that it can put them all together in the most effective way.

How Teslas self-driving systems ultimately stack up to competitorsand whether they do on time, especially with the promised Austin June launch approachingwill be critical as the company navigates whats been a very difficult year.

If June becomes August, and August becomes October, that would be a very, very bad thing, Ives says.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
President Trump is threatening to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Whether such a move is legal could soon be decided by the Supreme Court.

The president has asked the nations highest court in an emergency petition to endorse his decision to fire the board members of two other independent agencies  the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board.

It is a direct challenge to a 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent limiting the power of the president to dismiss independent agency board members except in cases of neglect or malfeasance. If that precedent falls, a Powell firing could be a lot easier to pull off at the Fed.

Trump has also delivered pink slips to leaders of other federal agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Election Commission, and those firings are also being challenged in lower courts.

"There is no legal difference between Jerome Powell and me," one FTC board member let go by Trump told Bloomberg. "If the president can legally remove me, he can legally remove Jerome Powell."

The president is now musing publicly about his wish to show Powell the door, saying last week in a post to Truth Social that his "termination cannot come fast enough" and telling reporters, "If I want him out, hell be out of there real fast, believe me."

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as his nominee for the chairman of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell takes to the podium during a press event in the Rose Garden at the White House, in 2017. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer via Getty Images)

Trump has held private talks with a potential replacement for Powell, former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, the Wall Street Journal reported, but some of Trumps economic aides have advised against removing Powell before his term is up in May 2026.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told a reporter Friday that Trump and his team were indeed studying whether to fire Powell.

Powell, for his part, has repeatedly stressed that his firing is not permitted by law  and did so again this past week.

He acknowledged he is following the case now before the Supreme Court testing Trumps ability to remove board members at other independent agencies, but Powell said, "I dont think thats a case that will apply to the Fed."

Nonetheless, the central bank is "monitoring it carefully."

The only language in law pertaining specifically to the removal of Fed board members can be found in Section 10 of the Federal Reserve Act. The law states that each member of the board shall hold office for 14 years "unless sooner removed for cause by the President."

The statute doesn't have any language that specifically addresses the chairman of the Board of Governors, nor does it detail what exactly constitutes "for cause." The term has been interpreted in legal rulings to mean inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance."

From FDR to Trump

Trumps legal authority to fire Powell and other agency chiefs is no sure thing, according to constitutional law experts who note that a complicated mix of legal, political, and financial risks makes it hard to handicap whether Trump would get his way.

Key to Trumps argument that he has the power to remove board members of independent agencies is Article II of the US Constitution. Article II vests "executive power" in the president to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed."

The Supreme Courts first major case to wrestle with the president's Article II removal power goes back to the 1920s in a case titled Myers v. United States.

There, the court rejected a 1876 law that empowered the Senate to protect US postmasters from being fired by the president, ruling that the law infringed on the presidents Article II power.

But a decade later, the Supreme Court clamped down on the president's power in a 1935 case titled Humphrey's Executor v. US that challenged President Franklin Roosevelts termination of the US Federal Trade Commissioner.

The court held that the presidents authority to terminate agency officials at will was limited to purely executive officers, and not those leading independent agencies that engage in regulation and adjudication.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States. (Photo by: Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Photo 12 via Getty Images)

The court distinguished between executive branch officers within agencies that carried out legislative and judicial functions  such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission  and those that did not.

Congress, the court said, had power to limit the president's removal power over those officials "for cause"  then describing that term to mean inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance.

That precedent was stable for five decades. President Carter even suggested the expansion of removal protections to protect the US attorney general from being terminated by the president at will, according to University of Michigan law professor Julian Davis Mortenson.

But in the 1980s, he said, things began to shift.

In a 1988 case titled Morrison v. Olson, the Supreme Court was asked to decide the presidents authority to terminate the independent counsel Alexia Morrison, who launched an investigation into President Reagans Assistant Attorney General Ted Olson.

Olson allegedly lied to Congress concerning a document provided to the Environmental Protection Agency.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2012. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS / Reuters)

The court upheld Congresss removal limitation under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, reasoning that Congress could protect the special counsel and the roles quasi-prosecutorial functions.

But that decision didnt sit well with ideologically conservative jurists, lawyers, and politicians. They focused instead on an argument made in a lone dissent from Justice Antonin Scalia, who argued the president has to be able to control all uses of the executive power.

Scalia reasoned that if the president cant fire someone, then the president cant control how that person implements laws.

There has been persistent debate ever since about whether Scalias theory can hold up.

"There's been a lot of embracing that's already happened of Scalias theory," said Mortenson, the professor at the University of Michigans School of Law.

Another decision in 2010, Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, confirmed the courts position that Congress could protect certain agency officials. But in 2020 the Supreme Court did give Trump the power during his first term to fire the head of the CFPB.

'No such thing as an independent agency'

Mortenson and Duke Laws Jeff Powell said only time will tell how todays Supreme Court would rule.

Some legal scholars, they said, are confident the court would shy away from handing the president enough power to disrupt the agency that controls the nations money supply.

Every time the modern court has been presented an opportunity to expand the presidents removal power, Mortenson said, it has carved out exceptions that suggest some reluctance by at least some of the justices to take the theory all the way to its completely logical conclusion.

Powell, the Duke professor, said he thinks theres an argument that the court might make another exception, this time for the Fed chair.

The Federal Reserve building in Washington. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo (Reuters / Reuters)

"The thinking is that under the Constitution, finances are the crucial point at which Congress controls the executive, because its Congress alone that can raise money, and it's Congress alone that can dispense money," Powell said.

"And the Fed is the central mechanism by which Congress regulates financial matters."

But he isnt convinced that the court would hold on to the exact reasoning that past justices relied upon to Congress over the president.

"Dont be fooled by talk of independent agencies," Powell said. "I'm quite sure that the modern Supreme Court majority would say there's really no such thing as an independent agency."

The Fed chair this past week was adamant that the independence of his agency was assured.

It is a "matter of law," he said, and something that is "very widely understood and supported in Washington and in Congress, where it really matters."

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed.

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The fine jewelry brand Foundrae has been around for ten years, but its only now that founder Beth Hutchens has decided to venture into one of jewelrys most traditional spaces: bridal. Only, Hutchens would never call it that.

Her new collection, titled United in Love, launched this week. It includes, for the first time, more traditional diamond solitaire rings with an unmistakable engagement ring vibe, alongside the pieces that have earned Foundrae a cult following, like enamel cigar band rings, engraved and diamond-flecked medallions, hefty chainlink necklaces, and diamond drop earrings.

Courtesy Foundrae



Hutchens never set out to avoid the bridal space; entering this realm now has everything to do with how shes watched her clients wearing her jewelry and following their lead. Customization has always been a key offering alongside Foundraes talismanic assortment of gemsengravers are on site at all of the brands stores. Being able to tell individualized story through jewelry has long been core to Foundrae; Hutchens has observed that her pieces have often been a part of big, celebratory life moments. Her bookend bands, for example, which are designed to flank existing jewelry, are often used to breathe new life into staid engagement rings and wedding bands.

Courtesy Foundrae

Those pieces, Hutchens says, are often the one piece in someones life that they feel is untouchable and staticso the reason I had done the bookends in the first place was to give people a way that they can use their existing pieces and then build on it. One couple bought matching emerald pendants to show their commitment to each other. It all crescendoed to a revelation: We just really found so much joy in being part of people's big moments when they're getting married or inviting someone to move in with them, Hutchens says. It just made me start to think about the whole idea of how people commit to each other, and I really wanted to put together a whole collection that was intended to be visual artifacts of the bond of love, whatever that meant for someone.

Key to this collection is an embrace and acknowledgment of the expansiveness of love, a message that feels urgent in a political climate of eroding rights. In the past there were barriers that prevented people from choosing who they could love, Hutchens says. This collection is a celebration of the fact that there are no barriers to who you love or how you love.

Courtesy Foundrae

So yes, there are traditional solitaire engagement rings and infinity diamond wedding bands, but there are also medallions that can be engraved and worn on chains, if thats how you want to do it, or bracelets. For the solitaire, Hutchens imbued it with symbolism. I have beads around it that are intended to be about Cupid's arrow and the idea that every moment of impact leaves this little bead of impression, she explains.

Courtesy Foundrae

Nothing is meant to be gendered. There are 26 pieces in total in the collection and the breadth is meant to provide options not just for the committed pair, but the community that supports them. There are quite a few people that are involved in making a relationship work, says Hutchens. It takes great intent and effort thats nurtured not just by the couple but by the many people that love themparents, friends, chosen family. And so I also wanted the collection to be about thathow supportive this group is when it comes to love.

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Trump administration border czar Tom Homan criticized Sen. Chris Van Hollens trip to El Salvador to visit deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia, accusing the Democrat of traveling "on the taxpayer dime to meet with an MS-13 gang member, public safety threat, [and] terrorist."

"What concerns me is Van Hollen never went to the border the last four years under Joe Biden, Homan said in a Friday interview with "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl that aired Sunday. What shocks me is he's remained silent on the travesty that happened on the southern border. Many people died, thousands of people died."

In a separate interview on "This Week," Van Hollen, D-Md., responded to Homans criticism, saying that he has long supported fighting gang violence.

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[Homan] is lying through his teeth on many places in that -- in that record. And I have been actually fighting MS-13, probably longer than Donald Trump ever uttered the name MS-13. For 20 years in this region, I helped stand up the anti -- you know, gang -- anti-gang task force. But the idea that you can't defend people's rights under the Constitution and fight MS-13 and gang violence is a very dangerous idea. That's the idea the president wants to put out. That's why they're spreading all these lies.

PHOTO: White House 'Border Czar' Tom Homan speaks with ABC News while appearing on 'This Week.' (ABC News)

Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who was residing in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador's notorious mega-prison in March. The White House alleges he is member of the MS-13 gang, which was designated as a "foreign terrorist organization" by the administration; his attorneys and family deny he's affiliated with the gang.

Abrego Garcia received a protective court order in 2019 barring him from being deported to El Salvador due to fear for his safety. In a court filing, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has acknowledged he should not have been sent to El Salvador, calling it an "administrative error." The Supreme Court has upheld an order saying the administration must "facilitate" his return to the U.S.

Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador last week and met with Abrego Garcia, whose wife is a U.S. citizen and constituent of Van Hollen's, on Thursday after initially being denied access to him.

Van Hollen stressed that for him, this case is about protecting constitutional rights, telling Karl, "I am not defending the man. I'm defending the rights of this man to due process."

But Homan defended the administration's actions so far, arguing that under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which the administration invoked to deport hundreds of Venezuelan migrants including Abrego Garcia, due process rights are more limited.

I stand by the fact I think we did the right thing here. We removed a public safety threat, a national security threat, a violent gang member from the United States, Homan said. "We have followed the Constitution. We have followed the law. I am confident that everything we've done is follow laws within the constitutional constructs, absolutely."

He continued, "The length of due process is not the same under the Alien Enemies Act. That's why the Alien Enemies Act was created. President Trump invoked the authorities he had under the Alien Enemies Act, an act written and passed by Congress and signed by a President. We're using the laws on the books."

Homans defense of the centuries-old law in his Friday interview came just hours before the Supreme Court temporarily halted its use to deport any Venezuelans being held at a facility in northern Texas.

Karl pressed Homan on the due process rights of the deported undocumented immigrants, citing the 1993 Flores v. Reno Supreme Court opinion authored by conservative Justice Antonin Scalia that noted, "It is well established that the Fifth Amendment entitles aliens to due process of law in deportation proceedings."

"Are you saying that by invoking the Alien Enemies Act that undocumented immigrants are not entitled to those due process rights under the Fifth Amendment?" Karl asked.

"We're following the rules of the Alien Enemies Act. Again, I think this administration has followed the law. They're using statutes enacted by Congress, signed by a president, to remove terrorists from this country. I'm not saying, you know -- I'm not saying, I'm not arguing right here that nobody should get due process. I'm just saying there's a different process under the Alien Enemies Act, and less of a process than you see through Title 8," Homan said, referring to the immigration statute typically used to deport undocumented immigrants.

Homan also denied that any migrant is being labeled a gang member solely because of tattoos. On Friday, Trump posted a photo on social media of what he says is Abrego Gracias hand. The MS-13 symbols appear to be superimposed and its not clear if the other tattoos have any link to the gang.

"Tattoos are one of many factors that's going to determine someones in a gang. That's not the only one," Homan said. "What I'm saying is you can't ignore a tattoo. That's, that's one more factor that leads you to believe maybe it's a gang member. It's just not based on tattoos. It's based on a lot of other things, but tattoos, one of many. But no one's removed just because of a tattoo."

Homan: Trump administration did the right thing deporting Abrego Garcia originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The American Civil Liberties Unions lead attorney described to ABC News the rapid pace of legal action that led to the extraordinary ruling from the Supreme Court early Saturday morning that blocks the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador.

Lee Gelernt said the ACLU began to learn Thursday night that the migrants could be moved from a detention center in Texas as early as that night, so they filed in the middle of the night.

We just kept pushing and ended up filing in multiple courts, and ultimately the Supreme Court, at 1 a.m. on Friday night, early Saturday morning, stopped the removals, Gelernt said in an interview with ABC News. But it was touch and go for a long time.

MORE: Van Hollen: 'I am not defending the man, I am defending the rights of this man to due process'

The ACLU says migrants held in the Texas detention center received a notice and were told theyd be removed in 12 to 24 hours.

ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt appears on ABC's 'World News Tonight' discussing the Supreme Court's overnight order that temporarily blocked the removal of any alleged Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador; April 19, 2025. (ABC News)

Under the Alien Enemies Act, you have been determined to be an alien enemy subject to apprehension, restraint and removal from the United States, the notice reads, which was filed in court by the ACLU.

The document is written in English and says migrants can make a phone call, although it does say the notice will be read to the individual in a language they understand. It did not include any method to contest the order.

The government is providing only 12 to 24 hours with a notice that was served in English that does not explain that people have the right to contest, nor tell them how to do it or how much time they have to do it, Gelernt said. There is no argument whatsoever that these notice procedures comply with the Supreme Court's directive.

The girlfriend of one of the migrants held in the detention center told ABC News he received a document that appeared to be the same one that the ACLU filed in court. She says he told her it was hard to understand.

She added that he said he and a group of detainees were taken to an airport near the facility on Friday and they were about to be deported. Then, he told her, once they arrived, an officer informed the group they were being sent back to the center and would not board the plane.

PHOTO: U.S. military personnel escort alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang recently deported by the U.S. government to be imprisoned in the CECOT prison, April 12, 2025. (Secom/via Reuters)

Gelernt said the stakes couldnt be any higher and that Kilmar Abrego Garcia -- the Salvadoran native living Maryland who was deported in March to a mega-prison in his home country -- isnt the only person who was erroneously sent to the notorious CECOT mega-prison in El Salvador.

They're unilaterally claiming that people are members of a gang, but not giving them the opportunity to go into court and show they're not. And we know that multiple, multiple people have been erroneously tagged as members of this gang, but once they get to the El Salvadoran prison, they may never get out for the rest of their life, Gelernt said.

It's critical that we give them hearings before we take such an extraordinary action," he added.

Inside the ACLU's race to stop Venezuelans' deportation to Salvadoran prison originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., called out President Donald Trump for not addressing Americans economic needs.

Well, this week, we'll be having a cost of living week of action, and we have to continue to talk to the American people about our plans," Jeffries told ABC News' This Week co-anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday. "We recognize that housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, utility costs are too high, child care costs are too high, insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. Now, Donald Trump is the president. And in terms of his approval as it relates to the economy, it was his biggest strength on January 20th. Now, it's his greatest weakness."

Jeffries also refuted recent Gallup poll findings that found Americans trust in Democratic leadership to fix economic issues is much lower than that of GOP leaders.

MORE: David Hogg-run group announces $20M initiative to support primary challengers to House Democrats

There are a variety of different polls that are out there, including most recently a Morning Consult poll, that showed that congressional Democrats were actually trusted more than congressional Republicans on the economy for the first time in four years," Jeffries said. "We're going to continue to press our case on the economy, continue to press our case on protecting and strengthening Social Security, which is what we are committed to do. Republicans are trying to detonate Social Security as we know it. And certainly, we're going to protect the healthcare of the American people.

PHOTO: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks with ABC News while appearing on 'This Week' April 20, 2025. (ABC News)

Here are more highlights from Jeffries interview:

On the future of the Democratic Party

Karl: I saw Senator [Bernie] Sanders had said in an interview this week that he was skeptical of Kamala Harris, and he mentioned Joe Biden as well -- and having a future in the national Democratic Party. He said, quote: "I think the future of the Democratic Party is not going to rest with the kind of leadership that we've had."

Is he right? Do you think Democrats are looking for new leaders?

Jeffries: I think what we've got in front of us in terms of politically is that we have to win the races that are up next. That's a governor's race in New Jersey and a governor's race in Virginia. Those two in November are going to be critically important, and we certainly have to win back control of the House of Representatives next year. Now, we're pushing back in the Congress. We're pushing back in the courts, and we're pushing back in the communities, including wherever there are special elections on the campaign trail. And, in fact, Democrats are winning special elections month after month after month, including most recently a decisive one in Wisconsin earlier this month for the state Supreme Court.

On David Hoggs challenging Democratic safe seats

Karl: David Hogg, who I know you know, a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, he's going to be joining us on the roundtable, and he is pursuing this effort to unseat some Democrats in safe seats through primary challenges. He's talked about a culture of seniority politics that is not working for the party. He said, quote: We need a better Democratic Party and need to get rid of the Democrats in safe seats who do not understand what is at stake now, who are asleep at the wheel not meeting the moment, and are a liability now into the future of our party. What's your response to this idea of targeting your Dem -- some of your Democratic incumbents?

Jeffries: Well, I look forward to standing behind every single Democratic incumbent, from the most progressive, to the most centrist, and all points in between. They're working hard in their communities, rising to the occasion this past week. We had, of course, Medicaid Matters Day of Action, a save Social Security Day of Action, and we have to continue to do all of the things -- rallies, town hall meetings in Democratic districts, town hall meetings in Republican districts, days of action, telephone town hall meetings, site visits, press conferences. We are in a more is more environment and more is going to continue to be required of all of us. Now, the House is the institution that is known to be -- was built to be the closest to the American people. That's why we have elections every two years. Primaries are a fact of life.

But here's the thing: I'm going to really focus on trying to defeat Republican incumbents so we can take back control of the House of Representatives and begin the process of ending this national nightmare that's being visited upon us by far-right extremism.

Jeffries: Trump's economic policy is 'his greatest weakness' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
If youre the type who daydreams about yelling Get off my lawn! at people youre going to love Keep Off the Grass Day. This holiday, observed annually on April 21, is celebrated to remind us of the importance of green spaces  both in terms of preserving them, and appreciating them.

There are a lot of people who likely have reason to celebrate this holiday  a 2005 NASA-sponsored study found that the entire area covered by lawns in the United States is about 49,000 square miles . Thats a lot of lush, green lawns to be guarded today!

The history of Keep Off the Grass Day

First established in 2013 by writer Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, Keep Off the Grass Day encourages people to  obviously  refrain from walking on lawns and grassy areas. The idea being, if we let our lawns flourish undisturbed, those health benefits will only be increased even if its just for a day.

And while this holiday might sound silly (actually, it is silly  thats sort of the point), a healthy lawn is about more than just curb appeal. Well-maintained lawns also contribute to a healthy environment; grass roots help prevent erosion, and grass also acts as a natural air purifier  trapping dust and making it easier to breathe. (At least until allergy season rolls around and ruins everything.)

Ways to celebrate Keep Off the Grass Day

To celebrate this day, youll need to stay off the lawn  so here are some ways to celebrate that wont mar the green.

Create a decorative sign. Heres a great idea for your kiddos  create and display a homemade Keep Off the Grass sign for your lawn to raise awareness about the days message. (And leave it out there, if you want!)

Throw a sidewalk or driveway party. Set up tables, chairs, and a Bluetooth speaker on the concrete  throw in a little sidewalk chalk  and enjoy the outdoors without stepping a single toe on the grass.

Host a lawn-care how-to session. Its starting to get warmer across the US, so its possible your lawn already needs a little maintenance  this holiday is the perfect chance to dedicate a day to aerating, mowing, weeding, or any other pre-summer task youve been itching to get done.

Hire a lawn-care professional. If your lawn has more brown spots than green, maybe today is the day to call in the experts. Lawn care services are a huge industry in the US, with everything from full-service offerings to subscription boxes . Your neighbors almost certainly will have a service they love (or hate) if you need a recommendation.

Incorporating any of these celebration ideas into your observance of Keep Off the Lawn Day is guaranteed to make your green feel a little greener.
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Credit: Debbie LaFleur

Almost five years after he went missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, a Yorkshire Terrier has been reunited with his family.

Kingston, who was six years old at the time, was found 300 miles away from his home in southwestern Louisiana at a frat house where hed been enjoying plenty of attention and probably a few of the best dog treats , too.

His mom, Debbie LaFleur, told USA Today about the time he went missing.

We had had Kingston for six years by this time. He was part of our lives. He was our baby. And so we went around the whole neighborhood. Everybody on Facebook was trying to help us locate him, but it was like, 'We're not gonna get him back.'

LaFleur had accepted that Kingston had gone until last month when GPS tracking service PetLink emailed her to tell her that her pup was found at a fraternity at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, almost 300 miles away.

A week later, LaFleur and her son drove over four hours to the Kappa Sigma house. We pulled up to the house and all the guys were outside," she said. "I was at the end of the walkway, and he was at the house, and I just said, 'Kingston, come to Mommy'. And he just took off running, which made my heart burst even more. It was wonderful, wonderful to see him."

Kingstons whereabouts for the past five years are unknown, but he spent almost a week as a member of the fraternity. President Neal Rachal found him outside the frat houses front door on March 30, and tried to find his family before giving him a home. Vice president John Christopher then took him to a vet, where he learned that he had a microchip.

Rachal said, "I walk in the house and John said, 'He's Kingston' and I was like, 'What are you talking about, dude?' And he was like 'No, Benji is Kingston. He's from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and he's been missing for five years.

They contacted LaFleur through PetLink to let her know that Kingston was safe and healthy, and he stayed with them until April 4, when LaFleur was able to travel over.

Debbie and son Jared are reunited with Kingston thanks to the Kappa Sigma fraternity house | Credit: Debbie LaFleur

Since returning home, Kingston has met his brother, three-year-old shih tzu Cooper, and has adjusted back to his old life.

LaFleur believes her late husband, Joseph, brought Kingston home  she described Kingston as his best friend. After Joseph died in an accident at work in 2022, she said that, with Kingstons return, she feels like she has a piece of her husband back.

She has also urged fellow pet parents to get their furry friends microchipped, explaining, Once you microchip them and register them, no matter where in the world they would be, they would locate you. So that's very important and just a matter of taking them to a vet.
Food & Wine / Kraft Heinz







Key Points

According to Kraft, boxes of its macaroni and cheese will last for roughly eight months in the pantry.

However, the FDA notes that many packaged foods are good well beyond their expiration dates, and dried pasta can last on a shelf for up to five years.

Look for signs of mold, odors, or changes in color to indicate if Kraft cheese powder has spoiled.







Over the past century, Kraft macaroni and cheese has cemented its role as an enduring pantry staple. And as the prospect of rising grocery prices continues to cause concern, it's likely many will keep this budget-friendly item in stock.

Kraft invented the boxed meal in 1937 during the Great Depression, marketing it to families as a way to whip up an easy dinner at a reasonable cost. At the time, the product known as "Kraft Dinner" came with the tagline "Make a meal for four in nine minutes" and was sold for just $0.19. Today that catchphrase has been changed to "Help yourself to a bowl of comfort," likely in nod to the nostalgia this food can invoke.

So, how long could Kraft macaroni and cheese last in pantries for those wishing to stock up? Here's what you need to know about the dinnertime staple's shelf life, along with a few other fun facts and chef-inspired tips to spice it up.



How long does Kraft Mac & Cheese last unopened?

According to Alyssa Galiardo, the associate brand manager for Kraft Mac & Cheese, "The recommended shelf life for Kraft Mac & Cheese Original Blue Box is about eight months." So at a bare minimum, you can buy as many boxes at once as you think you can eat in eight months.

However, that's just the official response. As the Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) explains, many foods are still safe to eat past the expiration dates printed on their labels. "The quality of perishable products may deteriorate after the date passes, but the products should still be wholesome if not exhibiting signs of spoilage," the FSIS explains.

Obvious signs of spoilage will include cheese powder that's off-color, smells strange, or has mold. And if you ever notice that dried pasta has mold on it or has changed in texture, don't eat it.

One Redditor sums up the way you should approach a slightly expired box perfectly, saying "If the cheese packet has [spoiled] it will turn a darker orange-yellow color. I'd open the package and make your decision based on that. If the cheese packet has changed color, it won't make you sick (probably), but it definitely won't taste right. If the expiration date is three weeks ago it is probably fine though."

In short, if the box expired recently it's likely still good to go. But if the cheese packet has changed in color, that's a sign that you shouldn't eat it.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration's Food Keeper resource states that dried pasta can remain safe to eat for up to five years if stored "in the pantry from the date of purchase." So while you may want to avoid the packet of cheese dust, you can still use that boxed pasta long after its best-by date.

How many flavors of Kraft Mac & Cheese are available?

Here's the good news: You don't have to stock up on just one flavor. As Galiardo shares with Food & Wine, the brand currently has three exciting new flavors on store shelves: the returning Jalapeno and Ranch, plus Smoky Barbecue, which they just announced this month. Smoky Barbecue marks the fourth new flavor Kraft Mac & Cheese has rolled out in less than nine months.

Galiardo notes that "Another four flavors are set to hit the market before the end of the year." That includes the return of its limited-edition Everything Bagel macaroni and cheese, which is coming back this summer at Walmart in snack-sized cups. "We just launched Jalapeno and Ranch in cup format, as our first-ever flavored cups," Galiardo adds.

But that's not even close to all of the variety available. According to the brand manager, "For our Deluxe product, we offer Rich & Creamy, Four Cheese, White Cheddar Garlic Herb, White Cheddar Bacon, White Cheddar Alfredo, White Cheddar Cracked Pepper, and Southern Homestyle."



As for just how many boxes people are scooping up, Galiardo reveals the company sells "more than one million boxes per day of the original Kraft Mac & Cheese."

How can you make Kraft Mac & Cheese even better?

"If you ask every person on the Kraft Mac & Cheese team, they'll give you a different 'mac hack' that's their favorite trick to take their mac to the next level," says Galiardo. "From a touch of dill to bacon bits, hot dog pieces, and more, the options are endless."

Plenty of other cooks and chefs have their own hacks too, including Grace Vallo, the founder and recipe creator of Tastefully Grace. "One thing macaroni and cheese should always be is creamy. Whole milk helps us get to that creamy finish, but adding some half and half adds a bit more indulgence than just whole milk alone," she says.

Shawna Clark from Healthy Foodie Girl tells us her number one Kraft Mac & Cheese hack is "hands down, chili crunch oil. Just a drizzle transforms the whole bowl into something next-level. It adds bold flavor, a little heat, and that crispy crunch that keeps you coming back bite after bite. So simple but seriously game-changing."

And Kyle Taylor, the founder and chef behind He Cooks, says he likes "to stir gochujang and pasta water into the cheese sauce and then top it with some sliced scallions. This adds an incredible amount of depth, a touch of heat, and enough funk without interfering with the nostalgic cheese flavor."

Related: 6 Ways to Upgrade Your Boxed Mac and Cheese, According to Professional Chefs

But if you really want to take things up a notch, you could always emulate chef Maricel Gentile, owner of Maricels Kitchen in New Jersey and the author of Maricels Simply Asian Cookbook.

"Although I spend my days teaching others how to cook bold, beautiful Asian dishes, Im also a mom  and let me tell you, raising two boys in America meant there was always a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese in our pantry," she says. "Even now that theyre grown, macaroni and cheese is still one of their favorite comfort foods. Over the years, I came up with a little Filipino-inspired twist just for them: adobo bacon bits."

She makes the topping by soaking thick-cut bacon in a splash of soy sauce, vinegar, lots of garlic, and cracked black pepper, "just like a traditional Filipino adobo marinade. Then I cook the bacon low and slow until crispy, chop it up into bits, and sprinkle it over the mac like a crunchy, salty, tangy topping. Its smoky, garlicky, and packed with umami, and it turns that blue box into something special."



But even without all these extra accoutrements, we love the simple taste of classic Kraft macaroni and cheese on its own. Just make sure to give it a quality check if you're opening that box after eight months.



Read the original article on Food & Wine
Polk County Sheriffs Office Wayne Volz

A man in Florida, who said he was "Jesus and God" during a domestic dispute with his parents, was shot and killed by police on Friday, April 18

Wayne Volz, 34, was killed in a shootout with police that began at his parents' house, when he attacked both of them and said that his mother was "the devil"

He then drove to a store with his father, where employees called police

A man who said he was "Jesus and God" during a domestic dispute with his parents was shot and killed by police.

According to a press release from the Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida, a 34-year-old man was killed on Friday, April 18, just before 5:30 p.m. local time after deputies and local police officers were called to a store in Bartow, located about 45 miles east of Tampa, for reports of a domestic dispute.

In a press conference held on April 18, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Bartow Police Chief Steve Walker said that the man, identified as Wayne Volz, had gotten into an argument with his parents at their home in nearby Fort Meade at around 11:30 a.m. that day.

According to the sheriff, Volz "pistol whipped" his mother in the altercation  meaning he struck her with a gun.

When Volz's father tried to step in and help the woman, Volz "knocked him down" and asked him, "Do you want to die today?" the sheriff said at the press conference.

"If you want to live, you better beg for your life," Volz allegedly added. Judd said that Volz then held his parents at the house all day against their will, taking their cell phones and ranting to his parents about being "Jesus and God" while calling his mother "the devil."

Polk County Sheriffs Office Wayne Volz's mugshot from a prior arrest.

Volz's father allegedly responded: "We are people of faith, you are not God."

Eventually, Volz's father told the 34-year-old that he needed to go to work, as he was employed at the Lowe's in Bartow. Volz decided to come with his father to work, allegedly telling him that he needed to "go to Bartow and kill a lot of people."

According to the sheriff, when the pair arrived, Volz's father went inside the home improvement store and told his coworkers what had happened. The employees there then hid him from his son and called 911.

Both Bartow police and the Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. The Sheriff's Office brought a drone to help the investigation, but Judd said at the press conference that deputies had little information going in.

Were all running blind, Judd recalled.

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Deputies eventually located Volz walking outside the building. The sheriff said they yelled for him to stop, but he continued running and eventually encountered several more deputies.

Volz allegedly shot at one Sheriff's Office car seven or eight times, and one bullet struck deputy Edwin Alexander, Judd added. Police officers began shooting back at Volz, and officer Mark Sills was struck in the chest.

Polk County Sheriffs Office Polk County Sheriff's Office vehicle

Volz was taken to a local hospital and later died from his injuries, according to Judd, who also alleged that he was known to be a "drug addict."

The injured officer and deputy were also taken to local hospitals for treatment, and both are expected to make a full recovery, Judd said during the press conference.

Per protocol, the local Officer Involved Deadly Incident (OIDI) Task Force and the PCSO Administrative Investigations Unit are set to investigate the shooting. The Polk County Medical Examiner is also in the process of conducting an autopsy.



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
A 19-year-old Venezuelan living in New York City was arrested by federal immigration authorities and deported to El Salvador despite officers realizing he was the wrong target, according to his family.

Bronx teenager Merwil Gutierrez was among more than 200 other Venezuelans deported from the U.S. to a Salvadoran prison under President Donald Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act, which labeled alleged Tren de Aragua gang members alien enemies who can be summarily removed from the country.

Gutierrez has no criminal history or gang ties, his family and attorney told Documented, an immigration-focused nonprofit news outlet in New York.

His father says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents acknowledged that his son was not the one when they arrested him just steps away from his apartment on February 24

The officers grabbed him and two other boys right at the entrance to our building. One said: No, hes not the one, like they were looking for someone else. But the other said: Take him anyway, the elder Gutierrez told Documented.

I feel like my son was kidnapped, he told the outlet.

A 19-year-old living in New York City was arrested by federal agents for deportation despite their realization he was the wrong target, his family says (REUTERS)

Immigration attorney William Parra with Inmigracin Al Dia told Documented that Merwil was detained for hanging out with friends and was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

ICE was not looking for him, nor is there any evidence whatsoever that Merwil was in any gang, he added.

The Independent has requested comment from ICE.

It is unconscionable that Trump is usurping due process  and our justice system entirely  to disappear people to the CECOT torture camp in El Salvador, New York Immigration Coalition president Murad Awawdeh told The Independent.

A New Yorker who was never charged with a crime was one of the people that Trump disappeared to CECOT, separating him from his loving family, he added. Merwil Gutierrez must be immediately released and returned to New York. At the federal, state and local level, all New York elected officials must stop turning a blind eye to this atrocity.

The family made the arduous journey from Venezuela to seek asylum in the United States in 2023.

The Gutierrez family entered the United States legally as asylum seekers from Venezuela, only to be subjected to the same type of authoritarian cruelty they fled from, New York state Senator Gustavo Rivera said in a statement.

Merwil Gutierrez has been disappeared by the American government to a prison in El Salvador, thousands of miles from anywhere close to home for him, he added. The blatant racial profiling, the disrespect for due process, and the daylight kidnapping of Merwil by ICE is appalling and intolerable, and should be a cause for alarm for all Americans. The administration must right their wrong.

The Trump administration has deported dozens of men to El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center (REUTERS)

The report of his arrest and removal from the country comes as the Trump administration faces intense legal scrutiny for the wrongful removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran father living in Maryland.

Abrego Garcia has spent more than a month inside the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center despite a court order that prevents his removal from the United States for humanitarian reasons. He fled the country as a teenager and was a sheet metal apprentice in Maryland, where he has been living with his wife and 5-year-old child, both U.S. citizens. The couple is also raising two other children from a previous relationship.

The White House and government attorneys have repeatedly admitted that his removal was due to an administrative error. But officials are refusing to seek his return and are fighting in court to continue his imprisonment as an alleged member of MS-13, which is designated a foreign terrorist organization. Administration officials argue that supersedes any court order against his removal.

Last week, the Supreme Court ordered the administration to facilitate his release from custody in El Salvador, noting that officials agreed sending him there was illegal.

On Thursday, a three-judge federal appeals court panel in Washington, D.C., said the government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order.
Were just three months into President Trumps second term, and already the Peace Corps is on the chopping block. While he touts solutions of tariffs and government efficiency, he shatters our alliances and our hard-won moral authority abroad.

By contrast, less than a month before winning his election in 1960, John F. Kennedy announced his vision for a Peace Corps at the University of Michigan. In the six and a half decades since, nearly 240,000 American volunteers have responded to Kennedys inspiring call, Ask not what your country can do for you  ask what you can do for your country.

The Peace Corps experience is now more relevant to the United States than ever.

In 1984, the Peace Corps sent me to a place I could hardly find on a map. I was assigned to Sierra Leone to teach farmers how to improve their rice yields in swamps. I lived in a peaceful rainforest village with 40 rice-farming families in mud-brick homes on the edge of the countrys diamond fields. During my early days there, the farmers taught me how to gather the necessities for living: food, water, medicine and mail. I developed habits and routines that firmly anchored me in the community and found meaningful and enduring connections in a society that generously welcomed me.

Until this immersive experience, I was naively oblivious to the bitter history that Sierra Leoneans themselves had shared their agricultural expertise with their enslavers, thus enabling them to cultivate rice in the swampy lowlands of the Carolinas and Georgia.

The U.S., with its growing disparities in health, education and wealth, and a government that is discounting many of its citizens needs, increasingly resembles some of the countries where Peace Corps volunteers serve. Americans, like so many abroad, are struggling with broken systems and are unable to respond to dislocated workers, childrens educational needs and inadequate healthcare. Peace Corps volunteers have lived in places where injustices such as these, sustained by corruption and disenfranchisement, have exploded into brutal and prolonged civil conflict. Four years after my departure, this happened in Sierra Leone. We cannot let it happen in the United States.

The Peace Corps is often portrayed as a rugged experience for privileged college graduates or as a community of change agents willing to endure hardships for a benevolent outcome. Yet, the enduring success of the Peace Corps consistently counters these stereotypes and offers a vision for America now. Volunteers have demonstrated that building and supporting collective agencies for good is the essential work of social cohesion in any nation. The Peace Corps expands this definition of volunteerism to create partnership-oriented cultural systems that foster mutual respect, one person and one community at a time, which bridges people and nations in a fraught and trembling world.

Energized Americans are once again answering President John F. Kennedys call: What can I do for my country? With Democratic traditions and government supports formerly taken for granted and under siege today, we are all the Peace Corps now.

According to the National Peace Corps Association, funding the Peace Corps costs each American a mere $1.26 annually  a bargain that extends hope and acknowledges our interdependence. By fostering a global culture of mutuality, we enhance the well-being of everyone. We create a safer and more harmonious world that addresses humanitys shared concerns.

We can ill afford to imperil this under-appreciated agency within the U.S. Department of State.

Betsy Small is the former executive director of Creating Friendships for Peace and is the author of the new book, Before Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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American and Iranian officials held their second round of indirect nuclear talks in Rome and made plans for more negotiations next Saturday as the Trump administration weighs diplomacy against military action.

There were useful indirect talks today between Iran and the United States conducted by Oman Foreign Minister in a constructive atmosphere, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted to X.

The two sides agreed to continue the indirect talks in few days at technical level to be followed by another round at their own level on coming Saturday.

Italys Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (R) shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi at the Italian Foreign Ministry in Rome before nuclear talks Iran. ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY/AFP via Getty Images

Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff is attempting to set up a framework for negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation with the Saturday talks, which come one week after Washington and Tehran kicked off their indirect discussions in Oman.

Last weeks discussions  which saw the US and Iran speaking from separate rooms through mediators  happened in Oman, which is friendly to both sides.

Saturdays talks are being held at the Omani ambassadors house in Romes diplomatic quarter.

Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff this week said the US seeks a full end to Irans nuclear program. REUTERS

The President has been clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon or enrichment program, a spokesman for Witkoff told the Wall Street Journal on Saturday. As we continue to talk, we expect to refine a framework and timetable for working towards a deal that achieves the Presidents objectives peacefully.

Araghchi spoke highly of the Saturday meeting between delegations.

We succeeded in reaching a better understanding on certain principles and goals, he told Irans Tasnim news agency. The negotiations were conducted in a constructive atmosphere and are progressing.

The Iranians aim to reach a comprehensive agreement based on nine principles: seriousness, guarantees, balance, lifting sanctions, not the Libya/UAE model, avoiding threats, speed, eliminating aggressive elements (such as Israel), and facilitating investment, Ali Shamkhani, a top aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Saturday on X.

Iran came for a balanced agreement, not surrender, he said, noting the Iranian team had full authority to enter into such an arrangement.

Last weeks discussions  which saw the US and Iran speaking from separate rooms through mediators  happened in Oman, which is friendly to both sides. Saturdays talks were held at the Omani ambassadors house in Romes diplomatic quarter.

Witkoff this week said the US seeks a full end to Irans nuclear program.

Trump is seeking a diplomatic end to Irans nuclear program after previously not ruling out military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Will Oliver/POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com

Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East  meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program, the envoy said Tuesday.

President Trump has previously said he would not rule out military strikes on Iran if diplomacy fails.
Puppeteers move cardboard animals in canoes at the Makoko Slum in Lagos Nigeria, Saturday, April 19, 2025, as part of "The Herds," a moving theatre performance that started its journey from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Arctic Circle in a bid to bring attention to the climate crisis. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

MAKOKO, Nigeria (AP)  Several canoes paddle toward Makoko, a vast floating slum built on stilts in the lagoon at one end of Nigerias economic hub of Lagos. Riding on the vessels are giant cardboard puppet animals along with their puppeteers dressed in black.

Once on the water, the animals  a gorilla, a leopard, an elephant, a wildebeest, a giraff and a donkey  all come alive. The gorilla hoots, the donkey brays and wags its tail as the leopard bends its neck toward the surface as if to drink but halts just before its face meets the water and then turns to look around.

It is Saturday, the second day of  The Herds theatrical tour stop in Nigeria on a journey 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles) from Africa's Congo Basin to the Arctic Circle with puppet animals. It's a journey organizers say is meant to bring attention to the climate crisis and renew our bond with the natural world.

The tour started last week in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, and will continue across the world with Dakar, the Senegalese capital, as the next stop.

The story goes that the animals will be forced out of their natural habitats due to global warming and displaced north, stopping in cities along the way and being joined by more animals.

The sprawling slum of Makoko  an old fishing village  was perfect to illustrate that because it has for many years shown resilience in the face of climate change, often finding ways to adapt to extreme weather, said Amir Nizar Zuabi, The Herds artistic director.

Dubbed the Venice of Africa, the Makoko slum is a low-lying community vulnerable to rising sea levels and flooding. Lagos itself is no stranger to the impacts of climate change, with roads and houses across the coastal city often engulfed during annual flooding.

We are on the edge of one of the greatest global crises, and ... I think the global south offers a lot of knowledge and a lot of resilience, Zuabi said, referring to developing countries in the Southern Hemisphere with lower incomes and higher poverty rates compared to the global north.

Spread out beneath the Third Mainland Bridge that connects much of Lagos, Makoko came alive as The Herds moved in. People poked their heads out of windows in awe of the exhibition. Children and women stood on the plank porches outside their rickety wood houses, watching as the animals paddled in through the narrow waterways. Some mimicked the animals while others applauded and waved at them.

It looked so real, Samuel Shemede, a 22-year-old resident of Makoko, said in awe of the puppets. I had never seen something like that before in my life. It is not real, but they made it look so real.

As the tour left Makoko and moved to the Yaba suburb, the city's notorious traffic stood still for the puppets as they towered over people and vehicles. The big animals had been joined by smaller primates like monkeys who hoot noisily, prance around, and even dance.

The tour was punctuated by dance and choreography performances from a local theater group whose performers, clothed in beige sack material and straw hats, intermittently charged toward the puppets as though they were about to attack them.

As they journeyed through the streets, spectators were treated to chants from the Hausa language song "Amfara," which loosely translates to We have started.

At a time when African nations are losing up to 5% of their gross domestic product every year as they bear a heavier burden than the rest of the world from climate change, The Herds organizers said it is important to break down climate change and its impacts in a way that many people can relate to.

A lot of climate debate is about science  and scientific words dont mean anything for most people, Zuabi, the artistic director, said. I wanted to create a piece of art that talks about nature, beauty and how animals are wild and majestic."

The animals invading cities is a metaphor for abnormal things now becoming normal as the world deals with climate change, he said. And hopefully this becomes a way to talk about what we are going to lose if we continue burning fossil fuels.
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Youre going to Disney? Again?

Disney fans are familiar with these words, especially those who visit the parks year after year.

I'll still get the comments of, Oh, you should go somewhere else. But I just can't help it, said Emily Corroy, who shares her affinity on social media as @enchantmentbyemily. I always go back.

The allure of Disney magic is real for fans, but its not just smoke and mirrors.

Heres why some travelers keep going back to Disney.

The Disney bubble

Emily Corroy enjoys feeling like a kid again when she visits Disney World.

Corroy's earliest Disney memories include visiting the Disney Store with her mom, back when the brick-and-mortar shops populated malls across America.

My first trip to the parks was when I was six, and just being immersed in that world, I fell in love, and I've just never fallen out of it, she said.

The 37-year-old visits Walt Disney World multiple times a year from Wisconsin.

I love that every time I go, it's different, she said. There's always something new to see, something new to experience that I haven't done before.

EPCOTs festivals are her favorite, particularly the International Festival of the Arts, where guests can meet Disney artists. Her family also enjoys staying on property as Disney Vacation Club members, which is like Disneys version of timeshares. When cast members greet them with Welcome home, she said, I'm not going to lie; it is a very nice thing to hear.

Many guests spend their entire vacation inside the Disney bubble  playing in the parks, staying at Disney hotels, dining at Disney restaurants, taking resort transportation and more.

Its a place to go back to your childhood and just relive all of the good things that come with being a kid ... to just kind of disconnect from the realities and everyday responsibilities of being an adult and just experience all of the imagination and creativity and magic, Corroy said. "Getting to experience that and all of the wonder with my own kids takes me back even more.

Sometimes she visits without them.

They get pretty jealous when I go without them, and they want to know when their next trip is coming," she said. Im definitely raising Disney kids that will likely be going back regularly as they get older.

Never too old

Leslie Shinault loves visiting Disney World with her granddaughter, whom she calls her best friend.

Annual passholder Leslie Shinault lives less than an hour from Disney World, on Floridas Space Coast, and visits about once a month, though shes been busy lately and hasnt been back for about six weeks.

Now I'm having withdrawals because I really want to go, the 63-year-old said with a chuckle.

She usually visits with her husband, sister, or 11-year-old granddaughter. She's my best friend, she said. We have all kinds of great adventures.

Her husband is a big fan of Star Wars, and Shinault loves how cast members always stay in character at Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. You buy something, they say that'll be 4.72 credits, not $4.72, she said. "They're completely immersed in making your experience feel like you're at Batuu in Galaxys Edge.

Sometimes theyll go to a park for just a few rides or a meal or to people watch.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a good time, she said. Everybody feels like they've got to have the balloon and the Mickey doll. My granddaughter and I, were to the point now where we like to go and find something that we've never done before.

Shinault recommends the KidCot Fun Stops at EPCOTs World Showcase, where kids can talk to cultural representatives and collect free activity cards. Theres also a Smellephants on Parade scavenger hunt in Magic Kingdoms Storybook Circus. Kids at heart can participate, too.

You're never too old to go to Disney, she said.

Disney adults

Jasmine Jennings has found a new appreciation for Disney as an adult.

Jasmine Jennings wasn't always sure of that.

Like many fans, she too grew up with Disney.

"It's just something that has always been a part of my life, the 31-year-old from Indiana said.

She loved films like A Goofy Movie and Aladdin. (Princess Jasmine is her favorite.) Every year, she visited Disney World with her family.

The last time I went with my family, I think I was maybe a senior in high school, and I remember thinking that would be like the last time that we would go, because all of us are grown up, and it's one of those places where you think it's mostly for families, she recalled.

She didnt expect to go back until she had kids of her own, but last year, Disney invited Jennings, who goes by @smoothjasmine on social media, back as part of their Power of Joy Creator Summit.

And since then, shes taken multiple Disney trips, both hosted and independent, with friends she met there.

I was able to create my own memories as a Disney adult, and I got to fall in love with it in a different way, with a new group of people, she said. We kind of formed our own little family ... and every time I post a video from those trips, people are like, I've never experienced Disney like this. I need to go with you guys!

Disney magic

For them and many other Disney fans, the magic is real, and oftentimes cast members are the ones who create it.

Corroy shared an example of how, from when her youngest was four.

He had gotten a Mushu Munchling for his birthday, and it was just his favorite thing, she said. That was the one gift that he got that year that beat everything else.

Unfortunately, he lost it one day, so his mom went on a mission to find a replacement on her next Disney trip. The trouble was the scented stuffed animals came in mystery boxes.

At one point, I was standing in World of Disney smelling Munchling boxes, she said. When a cast member asked what she was doing, Corroy explained the situation:

I told her this story and how upset my son was that he had lost it, and so I was just searching for the same Munchling. She worked her Disney magic and came back and had a box that was unopened, and she was certain it was Mushu.

She had me open it right there in the store, and sure enough, it was the correct one. And not only that, she brought me a letter from Mulan for my son. It was addressed to him:

Thank you so much for loving Mushu. Make sure you take care of him and make sure he stays with you.

And just having that extra note to bring to him from Disney, from Mulan, was amazing. I broke into tears. It was so special.

Thats the kind of magic many fans think of when they think of Disney, and what keeps them coming back.

This plaque near the entrance to Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. shows that the parks were always designed as getaways.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney again? Why fans keep going back to the Disney bubble.
Jacksonville Police Department Arkansas Facebook (2) Justin and Deja Rollins.

An Arkansas couple pleaded guilty to murder and will now spend decades in prison after their 2-year-old son died when he was left in a hot car along with three of their other children.

According to a statement from Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones, Deja Rollins, 28, and Justin Rollins, 30, both pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree domestic battery on Friday, April 18.

A Little Rock judge sentenced the couple to 70 years in prison, Jones said.

The couple was arrested in July 2024, after their 3-year-old was taken to Arkansas Childrens Hospital in Little Rock for "urgent medical treatment," and their other children  ages 2, 4, 7 and 10 were left locked in a car in the hospital parking lot. The youngest child, JayDien Rollins, died the next day.

According to local outlets KARK and KATV, the couple's domestic battery charge stems from the child abuse and neglect case that brought their 3-year-old to the hospital in the first place.

"This case is one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking our office has ever encountered," Jones wrote in a statement. "Protecting children is the top priority of this office. There is no greater responsibility, and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that those who harm a child are held fully accountable."

Google Maps A view of the Arkansas Children's Hospital, where the Rollins children were taken.

Police in Jacksonville, Ark., initially said in a press release that they responded to a report of child abuse on July 7, 2024, after the couple's 3-year-old was taken to the hospital. Hospital security staff had called 911 at 12:30 p.m. local time that day, after they discovered that the four other children had been left in the car.

Officials said that the husband and wife were "not cooperative in providing the location" of their children at the time, per Jacksonville police.

All four children were suffering from heat exhaustion when emergency personnel found them and removed them from the car, police added. The children were all hospitalized, and 2-year-old Jay'Dien died the following day.

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Investigators later searched the Rollins' home and allegedly found a malnourished dog there, police said. The dog was given to Jacksonville Animal Services, and the couple initially faced a charge of cruelty to animals, but the charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

In his statement, Jones thanked the Little Rock and Jacksonville police and doctors at the Arkansas Children's Hospital, among other officials.

"Thanks to the coordinated efforts of these dedicated professionals, we were able to secure a resolution that reflects the gravity of these crimes and ensures these children will not be forgotten," the attorney added.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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ROME  A convalescing Pope Francis appeared on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica to celebrate Easter services on Sunday, as a cheering and emotional crowd of thousands gathered at the Vaticans St. Peters Square.

The crowd erupted when the pontiff, 88, appeared in his wheelchair, looking out over a square awash in daffodils and tulips.

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter, he said, waving and giving his blessing.

In the days leading up to Easter, the Vatican had not confirmed whether the pope would be able to attend the Mass, saying it would depend on his health. This underscored Francis continued fragility and the urgency with which many Catholic faithful hoped to see him in his waning years.

Pope Francis waves from the balcony of St. Peters Basilica during the Urbi et Orbi message on Easter Sunday.

On Sunday morning, Francis held a brief private meeting with Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic. The meeting lasted a few minutes, the Vatican said, long enough for them to exchange Easter wishes.

Last week, Francis publicly rebuked the Trump administration for its immigration crackdown and for slashing international aid, and in February, he wrote an unusual open letter to U.S. Catholic bishops saying a major crisis was taking place in the United States, referring to the initiation of a program of mass deportations.

The pontiff did not lead the Easter Mass, with Cardinal Angelo Comastri, a retired archpriest of St. Peters Basilica, taking his place and delivering the homily that Francis has prepared.

But after the Mass ended, the pope appeared to rapturous applause as a military band kicked off a round of the Holy See and Italian anthems. Diego Ravelli, master of ceremonies, then delivered the Urbi et Orbi papal address.

During the address, Francis made a strong appeal for peace around the world, particularly in Gaza, where he said terrible conflict continues to cause death and destruction, and called for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages.

Vice President JD Vance and his family arrive at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls to attend Easter Mass in Rome.

The pontiff offered prayer to Christian communities in Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria, and mentioned the ongoing conflict and suffering in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Sudan, South Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas, the statement said. For all of us are children of God!

After the service, Francis took to his open-topped popemobile to greet crowds in the square, blessing babies and children during the drive.

The Easter week is the most important on the Catholic calendar, but this year it has also been a test of Pope Francis health after he spent more than five weeks in Romes Gemelli Hospital for treatment for pneumonia in both lungs, the most serious health crisis of his 12-year tenure.

Pope Francis weaves through the crowd at St Peters Square.

According to his doctors, his life was in danger twice during that period, and they considered ending treatment. We had to choose whether to stop and let him go, or push forward and try everything, one of his doctors, Sergio Alfieri, said shortly after the pope was released from the hospital.

Since then, Francis had made only brief public appearances, but they have provided reassuring signs of his recovery. He greeted a crowd in St Peters Square on Palm Sunday last weekend, and on Holy Thursday he visited a Roman prison. He also met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the Vatican earlier in the month.

The 88-year-old Francis is entering his fifth week of convalescence, during which doctors have advised him to avoid crowds.

After Francis was discharged from the hospital in March, the head of his medical team said he would require a further two months of rest, and his doctors said it would take a lot of time for his aging body to fully heal.

Throughout his illness, the Vatican maintained that Francis continued to fulfill his duties despite staying out of the public eye.

Notably, he missed the Catholic Churchs jubilee celebration, a significant tradition held every 50 years for the remission of sins, known as the Holy Year.

The popes declining health sparked speculation over whether he would retire just as his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, did in 2013.

But despite his ongoing health struggles, there has been no indication from the Vatican that the pope intends to resign.
A large number of people gathered near the White House on Saturday to protest President Donald Trumps agenda, building on a widespread effort by anti-Trump organizers to galvanize voters concerned with the administrations policies and significant use of executive authority.

Attendees of the protest, which took place at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C., told NBC News that the treatment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Trump administration says was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, was among the issues that led them to participate in the demonstration.

Everyone should have due process. No one should be just taken away and locked up. I dont care if he is a murderer, he still should get due process, protester Susie Stern of Ohio said. Thats what this country is based on. Laws.

The White House alleges that Abrego Garcia is a gang member, and the administration has said that if he re-enters the country he will be deported again. Court records indicate that Abrego Garcia has never been criminally charged in the U.S. or El Salvador, and his wife and lawyers deny he is a gang member.

Other protesters took issue with what they described as the administrations disregard for federal court rulings, including a ruling upheld by the Supreme Court ordering Trump to facilitate Abrego Garcias return to the United States.

Whats happening is very concerning as far as due process of law and how democracy is supposed to work, first-time protester Samantha Echols of Silver Spring, Maryland, told NBC News. You shouldnt just be able to decide what the laws are, to disappear people, to punish people for disagreeing with you. Thats things that dictators do, and I dont want to see our country to slide in that direction.

Concerns over Abrego Garcia's case were at the center of a similar protest in midtown New York, where thousands of people gathered in front of the New York Public Library to protest Trump's immigration policies, according to NBC New York. One protester said the policies are creating a chilling effect throughout the city.

People are scared to go to church. People are scared to go to work. People are scared to take their kids to school," said Amanda Harvey, a resident of Brooklyn.

Two different demonstrations in Georgia, including a protest in front of the State Capitol in Atlanta on Saturday, drew scores of protesters, according to NBC affiliate WXIA of Atlanta. Attendees listed a litany of reasons for the demonstrations, including efforts by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Trump to reshape the government.

Theyre attacking DEI, doing this witch hunt. Theyre firing many federal workers and trying to gut all the social programs that we need, like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, a protester at the Capitol told WXIA. Every day its something new.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the demonstrations.

The nationwide protests are a part of an effort that began earlier this month with a series of Hands Off demonstrations across the country.

The events are coordinated by 50501. Organizers describe the movement as a diverse group of Americans who stand for democracy, and who stand against the authoritarian actions of the Trump Administration.

The name 50501 refers to the groups goal of 50 states, 50 protests, 1 movement.

According to a list published online by the group, Saturdays day of action saw nearly 700 events nationwide, from a Potluck & Protest event in Kanab, Utah, to a Tesla Takedown protest in Woodstock, Virginia, to a Take America Back rally in Paw Paw, Michigan.

The nationwide protests come as Democrats work to more aggressively counter Trumps agenda, a top demand for the partys voters, according to recent polling.

An NBC News poll conducted in March found that nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters said they want congressional Democrats to stick to their positions even if it leads to gridlock, while one-third wanted their leaders to compromise with Trump.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have held a series of Fighting Oligarchy Tour stops across the country, including an event last week in Los Angeles that drew more than 30,000 people, according to the senators office.

Congressional Democrats in recent months have held dozens of smaller town hall events in a bid to capitalize on the political backlash to Trumps major cuts to the federal workforce and tariff policy plan.

Regarding Saturdays protests, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, I believe that public sentiment is everything. And public sentiment is growing against Donald Trump as more Americans face rising costs and less freedom under Donald Trumps chaotic failed leadership.
US President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. US President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. militarys defense capabilities have been neglected for far too long  and President Donald Trumps record $1 trillion defense budget proposal will help reverse course, a former Pentagon official told the Daily Caller.

Opponents, however, argue the dramatic spending increase is unnecessary and wasteful.

Trump announced the proposal during an event with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in April.

We also essentially approved a budget  $1 trillion, Trump said. And nobodys seen anything like it. We have to build our military, and were very cost conscious, but the military is something that we have to build, and we have to be strong, because you got a lot of bad forces out there now.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reiterated Trumps sentiment, stating the budget will fund lethality and readiness. (RELATED: Top Hegseth Adviser Placed On Leave Amid Pentagon Intelligence Leak Probe)

The budget increase is needed to ensure the military possesses the capabilities necessary for defending the U.S., the former Pentagon official told the Caller.

Too much of the defense budget goes toward non-lethal defense spending, he added.

He pointed to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDDA) which Congress passes annually to fund the U.S. military.

Politicians know that is where  theyre going to bring pork to their constituents back home, he said. They ladle it into the [NDAA], and then it gets appropriated.

As a result, the defense budget contains programs that do not pertain to national security.

Trump has also pressed National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members to increase defense spending and become less reliant on the United States.

Advocates also say the U.S. relies too much on adversaries for critical components.

China exports antimony, a crucial mineral for the production of military equipment like bullets and munitions, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Its a very dangerous place to be, and were going to have to make a lot of investments to fix that, and its had so many years of neglect that its going to take some substantial budget increases to make it happen, the former Pentagon official told the Caller. (RELATED: Pete Hegseth Warns Terrorists It Will Only Get Worse For Them Unless They Stop Shooting At Our Ships)

However, others have cautioned against increased defense spending.

We can provide a robust defense of the United States and its allies for far less than $1 trillion per year, Bill Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft (QI), told the Caller.

The key is to adopt a more realistic strategy that doesnt involve being able to go anywhere on the planet to fight a war, and that relies on allies to do more in their own defense. Throwing more money at the Pentagon when it cant even spend its current budget well is a recipe for waste and fraud. The Pentagon needs more spending discipline, not more spending, Hartung said in a statement.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listens as President Donald J Trump meets with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House on Monday, April 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Notably, the Pentagon has failed seven consecutive audits, including the most recent audit in November 2024.

Critics of increased defense spending have also pointed to the steep cost of military interventionism.

Brown Universitys Cost of Wars project found that the wars launched after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks  including in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria  cost around $8 trillion.

The president signed an executive order in April mandating a review of defense acquisition programs.

Hegseth has within 90 days to review and consider potentially cancelling major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) 15% or more over cost or behind schedule, according to the order.

But the QI pushed back Monday, arguing the directive will not hold the Pentagon accountable.

Read the fine print: theyll only be considered for potential cancellation,' the QI posted Monday. Once again: ZERO accountability for the Pentagon.

Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has zeroed in on wasteful government programs.

I dont think raising spending for the department is antithetical to what DOGE is doing, the former Pentagon official told the Caller. And I think DOGE is essential  the department needs to be able to pass an audit. Theyve got  to find out where the money is being wasted.

The DOD directed the Caller to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for questions about the proposal, but pointed the Caller to Hegseths comments on tackling wasteful spending.

In April, Hegseth signed a memo ordering $5.1 billion in cuts of wasteful spending discovered by DOGE. (RELATED: Pentagon Spox: Trump Admin Has Obligation To Hold Accountable Officials Involved In Afghanistan Withdrawal)

[DOGE is] here, and theyre going to be incorporated into what were doing at DOD to find fraud, waste and abuse in the largest discretionary budget in the federal government, Hegseth previously stated in February.

The Caller reached out to OMB but has not heard back at the time of publication.
US flags flutter at the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, in February. - Tierney Cross/Reuters

The Trump administration is looking at closing nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates as it eyes significant changes to its diplomatic presence abroad, according to an internal State Department document obtained by CNN.

The document also recommends reducing the footprint at the US diplomatic missions in Somalia and Iraq  two countries that have been key to US counterterrorism efforts  and resizing other diplomatic outposts.

The proposed changes come amid a broader expected overhaul of the US diplomatic agency as the Trump administration, spurred by the Elon Musk-backed Department of Government Efficiency makes dramatic efforts to shrink the federal government. It is unclear whether Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed off on the proposed closures.

The document recommends closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates. Many of the posts are in Europe and Africa, though they also include ones in Asia and the Caribbean. They include embassies in Malta, Luxembourg, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan. The list also includes five consulates in France, two in Germany, two in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one in the United Kingdom, one in South Africa and one in South Korea.

The document proposes that the closed embassies duties be covered by outposts in neighboring countries.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce would not comment on the internal document or plans to drastically cut the State Department.

I would suggest that you check with the White House and the President of the US as they continue to work on their budget plan and what they submit to congress, Bruce said. The kinds of numbers and what we tend to see is reporting that is early or wrong, based on leaked documents from somewhere unknown.

The administration has announced ambassadorial nominees for only two of the embassies recommended for closure  Malta and Luxembourg.

CNN reported in March that the State Department was moving to close some of the consulates listed on the internal document.

Embassies and consulates serve as important outposts for the State Department. They provide services like visa processing and assistance for American citizens in need. The posts also collect information to send back to Washington, DC, and officials say they are an important diplomatic tool as the US looks to counter nations like China. Most consulates do not have a large workforce.

The document, which says it is the State Departments undersecretary for managements recommendations for closure, notes that posts were evaluated based on feedback from regional bureaus and the interagency, consular workload, cost per USDH (US direct hire) billet, condition of facilities, and security ratings.

For the recommended resizing, the document notes that the US missions in Japan and Canada could serve as a model large mission by consolidating consulate support into a specialized unit in larger posts.

It proposes FLEX-style light footprint posts with limited focus and staffing in a number of countries, as well as dual-hatted leadership in multi-mission posts, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and UNESCO in Paris.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.

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Bachir Atallah, right, with his wife, Jessica. - Courtesy: Bachir Atallah

An American citizen says he and his wife were detained for hours by US border agents when they returned to the United States after a short trip to Canada.

Bachir Atallah told CNN he and his wife, Jessica, were driving back into the US Sunday evening after visiting family in Canada for the weekend when U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents stopped them for a secondary inspection at the Highgate Springs checkpoint in Vermont.

Atallah, who is originally from Lebanon, said he was told to park his Range Rover and hand over his keys. When he asked the officer why, the officer placed his hand on his gun and told him to exit his vehicle, Atallah said. He said he was then handcuffed and led into a cell, where his belongings were confiscated. He said his wife was put into a cell across from his.

Seeing my wifes mascara running because she was crying, it was heartbreaking, Atallah said. It wasnt humane.

While detained, Atallah said he gave CBP agents the passcode to his phone after they asked for it. Despite his pleadings, agents never told him why he and his wife were being detained, he said. He said he was never read his rights.

The travelers accusations are blatantly false and sensationalized, CBP officials said in a statement to CNN affiliate WMUR. CBP officers acted in accordance with established protocols. Upon arrival at the port of entry, the traveler was appropriately referred to secondary inspection  a routine, lawful process that occurs daily and can apply for any traveler.

A mass deportation campaign by the White House has sparked fear as it aims to slow arrivals at the border and remove undocumented immigrants. President Donald Trump has also threatened to send certain US citizens to offshore prisons, a notion experts say has no legal basis.

I feared for my life, Atallah said.

Without answers as to what was going on, Atallah said he started to have chest pains and felt dizzy, and told CBP to call an ambulance. A record reviewed by CNN shows Emergency Medical Services evaluated Atallah around 8 p.m. Sunday night.

Atallah said he was told by CBP if he went to the emergency room, an officer would accompany him and then return him to the cell to start the entire process from the beginning. He said he chose to stay, to not to leave his wife.

Atallah said after he was first handcuffed, he told officers to call his lawyer, his sister Celine Atallah, who works as an immigration attorney.

A person identifying himself as an officer at US Customs and Border Patrol left a voicemail message on Celines phone close to 9 p.m., informing her Atallah and his wife were at Highgate Springs CBP, they were safe and they would be here for a little while, the message said.

He wanted my help, not to know that hes fine, Celine Atallah said in an interview.

Bachir and Jessica left around 11 p.m. Sunday, he said.

Thank God were safe, they said in Arabic once they got into their car to drive home.

When reached by phone on Friday, Atallah said he was in Lebanon visiting family. He told CNN after his and wifes treatment last week, hes worried about returning to the US.

I hope they dont retaliate because Im speaking out, Atallah said.

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Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said Sunday that his recent trip to El Salvador was not about defending Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported despite a court order, but about defending the Constitution.

I am not defending the man. I'm defending the rights of this man to due process, Van Hollen told ABC News' This Week co-anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday. And the Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported. My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law, because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else.

Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador last week to seek answers about the detention and safety of Abrego Garcia, who was deported in March to the countrys notorious CECOT prison, despite a 2019 court order prohibiting his removal due to safety fears. The Trump administration alleged he was affiliated with the MS-13 gang -- an accusation his attorneys and his family firmly deny.

MORE: Timeline: Wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador

Abrego Garcia, who fled from gang threats in El Salvador in 2011, is married to a U.S. citizen and is the father of a 5-year-old son with autism. He was apprehended by ICE in Maryland on March 12, transferred to a Texas detention center, and then deported -- something the administration later called an administrative error. He remains under a final order of removal.

PHOTO: Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks with ABC News while appearing on 'This Week' April 20, 2025. (ABC News)

I think, at some point, the president of El Salvador realized it was looking really bad to have this person who had been absconded from the streets of Maryland in one of their prisons and not able to communicate, Van Hollen said. So I ended up getting a call saying, 'We will bring him to your hotel,' and that's how we met.Initially denied access to CECOT, Van Hollen had been preparing to leave the country when he was notified that Abrego Garcia would be brought to him.

Karl asked the senator what Abrego Garcia shared during their meeting.

He told me about the trauma he had been experiencing, both in terms of the abduction and the fact that he was originally sent to CECOT, which is this notorious prison, Van Hollen said. He specifically mentioned his 5-year-old boy who has autism, because that boy had been in the car with him when U.S. agents had stopped them and handcuffed him and then taken him away.

Van Hollen also criticized the role of El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele, saying his government was complicit in this illegal scheme with the Trump administration, and called it a violation of international law to prevent any communication with a prisoner.

The family hadnt heard from him. Nobody had any contact for weeks, Van Hollen said. This is a guy whos just abducted off the streets of Maryland, put in a couple airplanes, didnt know he was going to El Salvador, and ends up in the most notorious prison.

The senator also addressed questions about optics after Salvadoran authorities reportedly tried to stage the meeting at a hotel pool.

They actually wanted to have the meeting by the hotel pool, Van Hollen said. They wanted to put me right overlooking the pool. Youre absolutely right that the Salvadoran authorities tried to deceive people. They tried to make it look like he was in paradise.

Karl asked if Van Hollen had walked into a trap.

It wasnt a trap. My goal was to meet with him and make sure I could tell his wife and family he was OK. That was my goal, and I achieved that goal, the senator said.

Van Hollen also weighed in on broader implications for presidential power.

This is a person who the United States courts have determined was illegally taken from the United States, he said. And my whole purpose here is to make sure that we observe the rule of law, the Constitution, due process, rights.It just goes to show the lengths that Bukele and Trump will go to try to deceive people about what this case is all about, and simply complying with the Supreme Court order to facilitate his return and make sure he gets due process.

Of the Trump administration, Van Hollen said: "Heres where they should put their facts: They should put it before the court. They should put up or shut up in court, because the district court judge in this case said, and I quote, They put no evidence linking Abrego Garcia to MS-13 or to any other terrorist activity.

On criticism from Republicans that Democrats are defending a gang member, Van Hollen pushed back forcefully.

"The idea that you can't defend people's rights under the Constitution and fight MS-13 and gang violence is a very dangerous idea. That's the idea the president wants to put out. That's why they're spreading all these lies." Van Hollen said. I would say that anyone thats not prepared to defend the constitutional rights of one man when they threaten the constitutional rights of all doesnt deserve to lead.

Van Hollen: 'I am not defending the man, I am defending the rights of this man to due process' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A smattering of high-stakes elections so far in 2025 has reignited election fever. Yet the years banner race is still to come.

Voters in Virginia will head to the polls this November to pick a new governor. Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, and Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, a Republican, have each already locked down their parties nominations.

The Commonwealth is heralded as a national bellwether, like clockwork every four years. Held in the odd year after the presidential election since 1869, Virginias gubernatorial race is a cyclical scorecard for voters moods and the issues at the forefront of the national consciousness.

This year, though, feels different, political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University Alex Keena told USA TODAY.

A woman fills out her ballot at a polling station on Election Day in Falls Church, Virginia, U.S., November 7, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Theres so much uncertainty, Keena said, adding, The Democrats nationally have this identity crisis. And Republicans too are kind of at a crossroads. The candidates reflect these conflicts.

Erin Restel, a 42-year-old former teacher, was Spanberger's congressional constituent for six years and said Spanberger was the first Democrat she ever voted for. Amid turbulence in both parties, Restel told USA TODAY her former congresswoman offers her some optimism.

Right now, the Republicans seem to be running on, Lets just make Virginia like America and go crazy. And then you have some Democrats who are ready to like, Lets tear it all down because were so angry,'" Restel said. "(Spanberger) is going to cut through the noise and get stuff done for Virginia.

Democrats expect President Donald Trump and his decisions next door in Washington, including slashes to the federal workforce and economy-threatening tariffs, to cast a shadow on the states contest, already in full swing.

Karl Nichols, 61, voted for Trump in 2024 and for Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021. During Youngkin's campaign four years ago, Nichols, a Republican in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said his wife met Earle-Sears  now they "just love her."

"She's got the same mind as the governor," he told USA TODAY.

Primaries not needed

Spanberger and Earle-Sears can both skip competing in a primary and will instead head straight into the general face-off.

Spanberger announced her campaign for governor back in November 2023 and was named her partys official nominee earlier in April after no other candidates filed to run against her in the June Democratic primary.

Jan 3, 2019; Washington, D.C., USA; Representative Abigail Spanberger (D, VA) waits for her ceremonial swearing in as a member of the 116th U.S. Congress on January 3, 2019. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Gaber-USA TODAY

A former CIA officer, Spanberger served three terms in Congress as a representative for the states 7th Congressional District, spanning parts of central and northern Virginia. She was the first Democrat to represent the district, redrawn after her second term, since 1970, and while in the House, she honed her reputation as a centrist.

She faces Earle-Sears, currently second in the gubernatorial line of succession, who announced her campaign last September. Earle-Sears was elected lieutenant governor in 2021, alongside Youngkin.

Two GOP contenders had mounted campaigns to challenge Earle-Sears for the nomination, but both fell short of getting the required number of signatures to make the ballot.

Why isnt Glenn Youngkin running again?

Simply put, he cant. At least not this year.

Virginia law bars any governor from serving back-to-back terms, and it is the only state with such a rule.

Youngkin, about to wrap up his first four years in the governors mansion, would be able to come back and run for a second term in 2029, if he wanted.

Seven months to Election Day. A year and half to midterms.

Election Day in Virginia is Nov. 4, 2025. And with both parties primaries rendered unnecessary, the state is gearing up for a prolonged general.

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA - MARCH 30: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears attend the Drivers Meeting prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2025 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

Tons of commercials, tons of flyers and spending, Keena said, and people will probably get tired of it by the time we get to November.

Even before nominations were officially set, Earle-Sears appeared locked in on Spanberger, penning a steady stream of social media posts calling out the Democrat by name.

The stakes in this race couldnt be higher, Earle-Sears said in a statement. Weve delivered important progress over the past four years, and we still have so much more to do.

Nationally, Republicans hope to build on their momentum coming out of a successful 2024, while Democrats in need of good news will be watching Spanberger expectantly. Historically, the party that loses the presidential race tends to fare better the following year in Virginia.

The outcome between the two candidates in the Commonwealth is not the only thing of national interest, though. Virginias elections have also served as a barometer for the hot-button issues shaping swing voters decisions.

In September 2021, a flashpoint in Youngkins race against former Gov. Terry McAuliffe came when the Democratic nominee answered, I dont think parents should be telling schools what they should teach. Youngkin made that moment and critical race theory, or the teaching of diversity, equity and inclusion, focal points in the final sprint of his campaign.

A year later, those same social issues were potent in the 2022 midterm elections.

Trump's shadow over Virginia race

Already looming are moves by the president to shrink the federal government  a major employer in Virginia  and escalating trade war that is raising concerns about a recession.

National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory local 3907 president Tricia Paff, center, shouts with others while marching in a circle during a rally by The American Federation of Government Employees outside of the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building in downtown Detroit on Friday, April 4, 2025, to protest attacks on the federal workforce.

Spearheaded by the presidents billionaire ally Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration has laid off tens of thousands of federal workers from various agencies and departments since the start of his second term, in a purported effort to curb government spending.

The cuts stand to have an outsized impact in Virginia, neighbor to the nations capital and home to over 140,000 federal employees at the end of 2024.

Spanbergers campaign said she has been hearing from voters on the campaign trail about the issue, along with Trumps tariff-incited global trade war.

Virginia families are struggling to keep up with high prices, and imposing hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariffs will not lower costs, Spanberger said in a statement. Virginians deserve certainty, not chaos.

Democrats in the state have banked on anti-Trump sentiment before, crediting the presidential backlash for Democratic Gov. Ralph Northams win in 2017.

However, Keena said that strategy may not be as effective this time around.

People are kind of getting tired of that, he said. They want an alternative that isnt just about fear of Trump.

History made in 2025

Regardless of which partys nominee wins in November, Virginia will have its first female governor. If Earle-Sears win, the country will have its first Black female governor.

Yet neither candidate is calling much attention to that fact.

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Winsome Earle-Sears speaks on the day Republican presidential nominee and now U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a campaign rally at Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia, U.S. November 2, 2024.

To me thats a sign of incredible progress, that its kind of just a normal thing, Keena said.

But I also think theres strategic reasons why none of them really want to make that the focus of the race, he added. Spanberger doesnt really have an advantage in that particular aspect, and I think Sears probably wouldnt want to have the race be too much about her race.

Four years ago, Earle-Sears became Virginias first female lieutenant governor, as well as the first woman of color elected to statewide office in the Commonwealth.

As the state and race garners national attention for a variety of reasons, Earle-Sears said she is staying focused on the ground game.

"In the Marines we learned to stay laser focused on our mission, and so I'm not going to be distracted by political punditry," the lieutenant governor said in a statement to USA TODAY. "The energy and attention I'm focused on is from the overwhelming number of Virginia families, businesses, and workers who want to keep our Commonwealth moving in the right direction."

Fundraising records surpassed on both sides

Both campaigns have boasted record-breaking fundraising, and each are touting what it means for their grassroots support.

Spanbergers campaign has raked in $6.7 million since the start of the year, the largest haul of any statewide candidate in Virginia in the first quarter of an election year, according to the campaign.

More than 90% of those contributions were amounts of $100 or less, the campaign said.

Also in April, Earle-Sears announced a $3.1 million dollar intake in 2025. Her campaign said the amount is a fundraising record, excluding self-funding, for any GOP gubernatorial candidate in Virginia.

Youngkin in 2021 raised $2.2 million in contributions, but the millionaire investor bolstered his war chest with $5.5million of his own money, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

U.S. President Joe Biden poses with U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) as he departs after delivering the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 7, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

What are polls already saying?

A handful of early statewide polls show Spanberger holding a slight advantage over Earle-Sears.

Spanberger was ahead by 5 points in Christopher Newport University poll in January. At the time, 16% of those polled said they were undecided.

In another survey, by Roanoke College in February, Spanberger's lead was even greater, 15 points above Earle-Sears. However, a third of registered voters said they had not settled on a candidate yet.

The tilt towards Spanberger may be a product of greater name recognition, Keena said, and with several months to go, the door is open for either candidate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Virginia's high-stakes governor race is set for 2025
Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Nathan Carman after being rescued at sea in 2016

Nathan Carman died by suicide in his jail cell in 2023 as the prime suspect in his mothers mysterious 2016 drowning death at sea  and in the 2013 shooting death of his wealthy grandfather.

The Vermont resident maintained his innocence until his death at age 29, in spite of damning allegations from his three maternal aunts, as well as police and prosecutors.

They claimed Nathan shot and killed his grandfather, John Chakalos, 87, at his Windsor, Conn., home, and murdered his mother, Linda Carman, 54, by purposefully sinking their fishing boat off the coast of Block Island, R.I., all to gain access to a hefty slice of the familys nearly $50 million trust.

Nathan was never charged with his grandfathers killing. But in 2022 he was charged with fraud and first-degree murder in connection to his mothers death and died in jail awaiting trial.

Now, New York Times bestselling true crime author Casey Sherman has unearthed shocking revelations in his new book, Blood in the Water: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy. Out April 8, the book sheds new light on a case Sherman likens to a Shakespearean tragedy.

Sherman, whose 2009 bestseller The Finest Hours became a 2016 feature film, says he went into this project with an open mind. Finding evidence that points to both Nathan's innocence and guilt, Sherman tells PEOPLE, If I were on the jury, I would vote to acquit."



Nathan, he says, only loved two people, his grandfather and his mother. He was accused of murdering both, allegedly to get his hands on this $50 million family fortune which he was going to be getting a big chunk of anyway.

After Chakalos murder, Nathans three maternal aunts immediately pointed the finger in his direction, Sherman says. I think they hated him because John doted on him. Whereas they were vying for Johns love, attention and his money, Nathan was showered with affection and love and wealth by John, who didn't treat him as someone on the Autism Spectrum."

"He overlooked any mental challenges that Nathan may have had and treated Nathan as an equal, Sherman says.

He adds that of the four daughters and eight grandchildren, "Nathan was the golden child."

Did Nathan Die a Murderer?

One of the bombshells in the book, says Sherman, comes from his three-hour interview with Joy Washburn, the longtime caretaker of Chakalos 88-acre New Hampshire estate.

Washburn had a front row seat to the goings on between John and his brood  an incredibly complex and volatile family worth $50 million that was almost Shakespearean to me, says Sherman. It was almost King Lear-esque the way he pitted them against each other.

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.

Washburn, a longtime hunter, told Sherman that in 2013, an associate of the family"  who was not Nathan  "contacted her and said, Well, the entire family hates John. Can you take John out to the woods, shoot him, kill him, make it look like a hunting accident and we'll pay you $10,000?"

Sherman says that Joy dismissed it as somebody just venting."

But two weeks later, Chakalos was killed in his bed.

Wanting to confirm Washburn's account, Sherman reached out to FBI and Coast Guard investigators, who said she told them the same story. They deemed her incredibly credible, he says. That story elevated itself to a 302 report in the FBI, which meant it would've been brought up in this criminal trial.

Another piece of evidence that may have made it to trial is a text one of Nathans attorneys, Martin Minnella, claimed that he and his team had discovered from Linda to another family member threatening to blow her fathers f---ng head off, Sherman writes in the book.

Noting that no one took Lindas threat seriously, Minnella continued, Before John was killed, he made his family all sign promissory notes to pay back at least $30 million dollars they had taken out of family trusts.

Shermans gripping book details more evidence he found, which makes him question why authorities focused their attention solely on Nathan.

Stressing that there are no easy answers, he says, "This is going to be a mystery that endures."

Blood in the Water: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy is available now wherever books are sold.



Read the original article on People
Being your own boss sounds dreamy, but it takes a certain moxie to launch a successful business.

Lori Rosenkopf, vice dean of entrepreneurship at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, leans into the touchstones in her new book, Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value through Innovation.

I asked Rosenkopf to walk me through some of the facets she finds critical to starting and building a business venture.

Below are excerpts of our conversation, edited for length and clarity.

Kerry Hannon: Its not just 20-somethings launching startups these days. Lots of folks who have lost jobs or taken an early retirement are eyeing the allure of being their own boss. What does it take to succeed as an entrepreneur?

Lori Rosenkopf: An entrepreneur is anybody who is creating value by innovating. Its a broad definition and allows all of us to see that we're already doing things that are innovative and are creating value. It might not be of financial value. It might be social value or emotional value, but all of us are doing things in new ways.

Whether it's new ideas for products, services, processes, business models, a little tweak in our home routine  these all allow us to see we have the capacity to be entrepreneurial.

Obviously the founder who disrupts an industry is quite celebrated as the stereotype of an entrepreneur. But some entrepreneurs acquire small companies and build them up. Some are "intrapreneurs," who are doing entrepreneurial things within the organization that employs them.

Whats the most important mindset quality for an entrepreneur?

Resilience. When youre doing something new, you're going to get hard feedback, negative feedback that you need to respond to. There are going to be all sorts of challenges. So its the ability to take all of these and be able to adapt and find a new way to solve the problem that can make the difference in whether you succeed or not.

There are other qualities such as reason, knowing your motivation  or why behind the founding of a business. Another one is your ability to build relationships with those who provide guidance, support, financial backing, and introductions to key people and markets.

You write that some people are really passionate about the idea of building a business, not necessarily the product itself or the service itself. Can you explain?

Many entrepreneurs are looking for ways to solve a big problem. But about half of the people say, "I just want to be an entrepreneur." These are the ones who, as kids, got in trouble for reselling their Halloween candy. These are the ones who were the best paper boy or girl on their route. They're the people who look to find the space in which they're going to have an opportunity to make it happen. Both of those approaches work and that's what gives all of us so much room to do something entrepreneurial.

We often think of entrepreneurship as starting a business that may turn out to be the next Apple or Uber, but really, these are often microbusinesses or side hustles. Can you elaborate?

Most ventures are sole proprietorships. These are side hustles or a person who's self-employed. Many enterprises start very small and many remain small. When you talk about Apple and Uber, these big disruptive sorts of businesses are a tiny percentage. The image of the disruptive business is the one that captivates our interest, but it does a real disservice because those are so few and far between.

Over 80% of start-up businesses are bootstrapped and don't take any equity financing, or for that matter, debt. People are building their businesses based on selling their own time or finding a way to do small funding for their efforts from their own resources.

You write about the importance of thinking broadly about our strengths. Why is that so critical?

The most interesting and successful innovative ideas are the ones that mix and match things that we already know with something a little bit unique and different. That little bit of novelty can really make a difference. And so it's up to all of us to take stock of our experiences over time.

We've had a whole bunch of different jobs. If you've been in the workforce for a while you may have lived in different locations, perhaps even different countries. You may pursue a hobby that feels a little bit different. Those resources and experiences tend to be the places where people can discover a unique mix and come up with something and see an opportunity that others don't.

For younger people, please don't be cookie-cutter. In undergraduate education, everybody follows the same path to get the same finance or consulting job. Take that history class or that cinema studies class. Take a minor in one of the other schools of the university, spend the summer abroad and study a foreign culture and language. That's going to give you so much more fodder to find an idea to launch your own business one day.

"Many entrepreneurs are looking for ways to solve a big problem. But about half of the people say, "I just want to be an entrepreneur," according to author Lori Rosenkopf. (Photo courtesy of Rosenkopf) (Picasa)

What does the entrepreneurial scene look like for people in midlife, sometimes called senior entrepreneurs?

Studies have shown that the cream of the crop performers tend to be companies founded by people over 40 and often in their 50s and 60s. That stereotype that we celebrate of the college dropout who becomes a successful founder is very rare. We're going to see even more of that because there has been so much job dislocation recently. There are a lot of people in that 50-plus demographic who are moving toward self-employment and saying, "I've still got things to do. I dont want to go back into the standard corporate workforce. I'd like to be able to sell some of my time and expertise, or I'm identifying a problem where I think I have some good solutions that I'd like to bring to market."

Why is self-awareness so important for entrepreneurs?

Learning what you are good at versus where you are just okay is something entrepreneurs need to recognize. Some people call it the zone of genius. Some call it the superpower. The point is that successful entrepreneurs know that there are some things that theyre fantastic at  and the more that they can spend their time on those things, the more effective they are.

They might also say, "I could do that but that doesnt give me joy." And so entrepreneurship can be a very lonely pursuit unless you access other people and talent and not operate in a bubble.

Older entrepreneurs, in particular, can bring more of their relationships to the party to gain advice and mentoring for things theyre not very good at yet.

What is the biggest takeaway from the book?

Anyone can be an entrepreneur. Anyone can be more entrepreneurial. Anyone can develop an entrepreneurial mindset. You frequently see the question: Are entrepreneurs born or made?

I believe that they are made in most cases. That's what I do working with student and alumni entrepreneurs at Penn and at Wharton, and the book is about offering role models because role models matter. Research shows that women who were exposed to female entrepreneurial role models start thinking of more ideas and feel more confident that they're going to be successful in doing it. So I offer a variety of role models, a variety of paths that can really push anyone to say, "I'm already being innovative. I can take the next step and the step after that."

Have a question about retirement? Personal finances? Anything career-related? Click here to drop Kerry Hannon a note.

How can someone feel like an entrepreneur within their current role if they arent quite ready to take the leap out?

You can be an entrepreneur by pursuing a new business idea in your company. It's intrapreneurship and its sometimes better than going out on your own because it gives you access to company resources. You're not personally on the hook in the same way as if you were taking on investors. You're able to exercise some new skills, and the good news is, people who take this path report more job satisfaction.

Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including the forthcoming "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work" and "Never Too Old to Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky.

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Sen. John Kennedy called Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation "a screw-up" by President Donald Trump's administration  but also described it as a one-off error.

"Look, this was a screw-up in my opinion," the Louisiana Republican said during an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker on April 20. "The administration won't admit it. But this was a screw-up."

"And I understand why the administration has bowed up and won't admit it's a mistake," he added. "Because if they do, they'll have their throats torn out. But it was a screw-up."

The was 29-year-old Salvadoran national living in Maryland was expelled from the U.S. in March, in what the White House has acknowledged was "an administrative error." The Supreme Court told Trump administration officials to facilitate his return, but officials have argued they do not have the authority to retrieve Abrego Garcia from another country's prison.

Trump officials have also released documents alleging that Abrego Garcia is an abusive spouse and member of the MS-13 gang.

"There is no Maryland father," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an April 16 briefing. "Let me reiterate, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member and foreign terrorist who was deported back to his home country."

Abrego Garcia's family has denied he was a gang member. He hasn't been charged or convicted of any crimes.

Abrego Garcias wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, told USA TODAY last week in a statement that she had acted out of caution after a disagreement in filing a temporary protective order against her husband, which was closed a month after she filed it, according to Prince Georges County records.

No 'pattern here'

Democrats in Congress have widely called for Abrego Garcia's return. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, from Abrego Garcia's home state of Maryland, traveled to El Salvador to meet with him on April 17 and pressed for days before they were allowed to speak face to face. Van Hollen has called Abrego Garcia's deportation an illegal abduction.

"Chris is my friend, and I respect him. And he's certainly entitled to his opinion," Kennedy said of Van Hollen during the NBC interview. "But in my judgment, he is utterly and gloriously wrong. I mean, most of this glossy rhetoric is just rage bait."

Nov 28, 2023; Washington, DC, USA; Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) at the Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing on gun violence in Washington. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Kennedy also defended top Trump officials, saying that he does not believe the wrongful deportation reflects his administration's overall record.

"I don't see any pattern here," Kennedy said. "I've been listening to my Democratic friends say for, I don't know, since God was a child, that Trump is a threat to democracy. I don't see any pattern here. I see a screw-up."

'Home-grown criminals'

Trump, who has adamantly defended the decision to keep Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, also suggested during an April 14 meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele that the United States could send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prisons abroad.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 14, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

"Homegrown criminals are next," Trump told Bukele. "I said homegrowns are next, the homegrowns. You've got to build about five more places."

"Yeah, we've got space," Bukele said in response.

Asked Sunday about the president's suggestion, Kennedy rejected the notion of sending convicted U.S. citizens to El Salvador or elsewhere, telling NBC, "We have our own laws. ... We shouldn't send prisoners to foreign countries."

"I love the rule of law," Kennedy said in the interview. "I love it like the devil loves sin."

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP senator calls Abrego Garcia's wrongful deportation a 'screw up'
In a city where space is scarce and hotel prices continue to soar, a new hospitality concept has found its home on New Yorks oldest street. Now Now NoHo, a sleeper cabin hotel, opened its doors on April 1, 2025. The micro hotel brings an innovative accommodation option to downtown Manhattan.

We like to say you sleep small, and you dream big, explains James Bryant, the hotels general manager. Weve got amazing comfort for you inside of the confines of your room. But we expect you to spend six or seven hours there while youre sleeping and then go out to explore the city afterwards.

Located at 338 Bowery in a historic property originally built as a lodging house in 1917, Now Now NoHo features 177 rooms. These rooms measure just 30 to 40 square feet each. Despite their compact size, these sleeper cabins are designed to offer comfort and practicality for solo and budget-conscious travelers, starting at $125 per night.

A Micro Hotel With A Thoughtful Design

The hotels design draws inspiration from European train cars and Japanese capsule hotels, creating a unique aesthetic envisioned by New York-based Islyn Studio. Each cabin has high-quality amenities, including a custom Wright mattress, Garnier-Thiebaut linens, a Brooklinen robe, a sound machine, and branded items such as eye masks, earplugs, and slippers.

For guests seeking something special, an additional $30 per night grants access to one of ten Now or Never sleeper cabins, which are slightly larger and feature in-room art murals by local artists, including Alyss Odle, Daniela Araya, and Ella Barnes. Beyond offering a place to sleep, Now Now NoHo embraces technology and community. The hotel features a pre-arrival self-check-in system through a mobile app and lobby kiosks. Communal spaces include a Guest Lounge with gradient rainbow-colored wallpaper and vending machines stocked with wellness products and snacks.

Safety considerations havent been overlooked, with the hotel offering a dedicated Women+ floor specifically for women and non-binary guests. Shared bathrooms are private and clean, addressing common concerns for travelers staying in budget accommodations. The hotels location on the Bowery provides easy access to multiple neighborhoods.

NoHo is literally walking distance to five or six different diverse neighborhoods, whether its Chinatown or Little Italy or Soho or even a little bit further away, notes Bryant.







The post New Yorks Latest Micro Hotel Brings Cozy Innovation To The Bowery appeared first on Travel Noire.
People walk through the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday. - Sophie Park/Getty Images

Harvard University has been in an escalating battle with the Trump administration heightened last week by a letter it received from the administration that outlined a slew of demands tied to federal funding  like reforming its curriculum and admissions programs, discontinuing DEI practices and additional policy demands.

But the letter should not have been sent and was unauthorized, The New York Times reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Harvard, which has emerged as a symbol of the Trump resistance, strongly rejected the demands in the April 11 letter, with President Alan M. Garber saying in a statement that the University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.

There were differing accounts inside the Trump administration on how the letter had been mishandled, with some at the White House believing it had been sent prematurely and others thinking it wasnt meant to be sent at all, the Times reported.

A White House official did not comment to CNN on whether the letter was sent in error but confirmed its authenticity on Saturday, telling CNN that the White House stands by the letter.

Meanwhile, Harvard told CNN it didnt question the letters authenticity and noted that the Trump administration has already frozen billions in federal funding to the prestigious university, among other actions.

Even assuming the Administration now wishes to take back its litany of breathtakingly intrusive demands, it appears to have doubled down on those demands through its deeds in recent days. Actions speak louder than words, a statement from a Harvard spokesperson reads in part.

The spokesperson noted the letter was signed by three federal officials, placed on official letterhead, was sent from the e-mail inbox of a senior federal official, and was sent on April 11 as promised.

The letter marked the latest in several battles across the country between prestigious universities and the Trump administration. The White House has also demanded other elite US colleges make key policy changes as it threatened federal funds critical to research in medicine and other scientific fields.

Last month, apparently conceding to administration demands, Columbia University made policy changes in a dispute over federal funding, including restrictions on demonstrations, new disciplinary procedures and immediately reviewing its Middle East curriculum, on the heels President Donald Trumps revocation of $400 million in federal funding over campus protests.

Heres how we got here

Harvard emerged as the first elite US university to publicly rebuke the White Houses demands, which Trump officials have said aim to combat antisemitism following contentious campus protests in response to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Among the demands in the letter were the banning of masks at campus protests, reforms to merit-based hiring and admissions, and reducing the power held by faculty and administrators more committed to activism than scholarship.

The university president has said the demands go beyond the power of the federal government, and the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the intellectual conditions at Harvard rather than combating antisemitism.

In the days that followed, the administration threatened Harvard Universitys funding from multiple angles.

On Monday, the Trump administration announced it would freeze $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value after Harvard said it would not follow policy demands from the administration.

Then on Wednesday, CNN reported that the Internal Revenue Service is making plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of the University, according to two sources familiar with the matter. That same day, the administration also threatened Harvards ability to enroll foreign students.

The April 11 letter from the federal task force outlined policy demands as the basis for an agreement in principle that will maintain Harvards financial relationship with the federal government.

The letter was signed by Josh Gruenbaum, a top official at the General Services Administration; Thomas Wheeler, the acting general counsel for the Department of Education; and Sean Keveney, acting general counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services.

After Harvard received the letter and rejected its demands, Gruenbaum called a Harvard lawyer initially saying that the letter wasnt authorized to be sent, according to two people with knowledge of the calls, the New York Times reports.

Gruenbaum then changed his story, the Times reported, saying that the letter was always going to be sent, but not on Friday as parties from both sides were still in constructive talks.

The statement from the Harvard spokesperson Saturday said the letter was sent on April 11 as promised.

Recipients of such correspondence from the U.S. governmenteven when it contains sweeping demands that are astonishing in their overreachdo not question its authenticity or seriousness, the statement continued.

Harvard will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. It remains unclear to us exactly what, among the governments recent words and deeds, were mistakes or what the government actually meant to do and say, the statement added. But even if the letter was a mistake, the actions the government took this week have real-life consequences on students, patients, employees, and the standing of American higher education in the world.

The White House says is still leaving the door open to negotiation with the university.

The White House remains open to dialogue, but serious changes are needed at Harvard. The letter underscores President Trumps commitment to these reforms, the White House official told CNN Saturday.

Instead of grandstanding, Harvard should focus on rebuilding confidence among all students, particularly Jewish students, by prioritizing their safety, holding radical activists accountable, and ending discrimination on campus, the official said.

A spokesperson released a statement on behalf of the task force Gruenbaum, Keveney and Wheeler are part of in response to CNNs request for comment Saturday, saying, the entire Trump administration, is in lockstep on ensuring that entities who receive taxpayer dollars are following all civil rights laws.

The spokesperson would not confirm whether the letter was sent in error.

CNNs Rebekah Riess, Jeff Winter and Taylor Romine contributed to this report.

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20 April 2025 21:00 (UTC+04:00)

Akbar Novruz Read more

France, once proud of its democratic ideals and civil liberties, is now facing a deep internal crisisone not caused by foreign interference but by years of mismanagement, hypocrisy, and a government that is increasingly out of touch with its people.

While President Emmanuel Macron and his administration have kept busy interfering in the affairs of other nationsfrom pushing defense deals in Armenia to lecturing others on democracyFrance is now erupting from within. The streets are restless, prisons are on fire, and the governments first response is not introspection, but accusation.

Over the past week, French prisons have become the epicenter of protests, violent unrest, and even armed attacks. At least 12 prison-related incidents have occurred since Sunday, with cars set ablaze and shots fired near correctional facilities. In the chaos, a new group calling itself Droits des Prisonniers Francais (Rights of French Prisoners) has emerged, accusing the French justice system of degrading treatment and calling for basic human rights. Whether this group is real or a smokescreen remains unclear, but the government is already pointing fingersat Russia and Algeria.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retayo declared a war against what he calls narco-racaille, gangs of drug traffickers who he claims are behind the unrest. But rather than deal with the root causessocial inequality, poor prison conditions, alienationauthorities are again looking outside their borders. Retayos claims echo the kind of rhetoric that turns every domestic issue into a foreign plot. Russia is being blamed for alleged psychological operations and graffiti campaignsjust as it was after antisemitic incidents linked to Hamas attacks in 2023. Algeria, meanwhile, is accused of stoking unrest in retaliation for diplomatic slights.

But heres the irony: the diplomatic breakdown with Algeria was provoked by Paris itself. In the summer of 2024, France publicly backed Morocco on the Western Sahara issue, a red line for Algiers. The Algerian government responded by recalling its ambassador and, more recently, expelling 12 French diplomats. According to German outlet "Deutsche Welle", tensions have been mounting ever since, with Macrons administration unableor unwillingto repair the damage. Instead, France escalates, offering accusations rather than apologies.

Frances colonial history with Algeria remains an open wound. The Algerian state and people have demanded accountability for Frances brutal colonial rule, including accusations of genocide and mass killings. But instead of confronting that past, Macron has pursued symbolic gestures and selective memoryfailing to offer a full apology or reconciliation. As a result, relations have turned toxic. Algeria has maintained a calculated and diplomatic posture; France, on the other hand, seems to be reacting from a place of insecurity and confusion.

In the background of all this, Macrons France is facing a legitimacy crisis. Those who take to the streets to voice economic and social grievances are met with police violencemounted charges, tear gas, mass arrests. The state accuses others of repression abroad while silencing its own people. The rhetoric of foreign interference serves a purpose: it hides the absence of a real strategy.

Meanwhile, Paris' accusations sound increasingly hollow. If theres anyone interfering in Frances stability, it may not be Algeria or Russiabut the Macron government itself, which has ignored domestic grievances and undermined international relationships through arrogance and neglect.

At the center of it all is a France that seems unable to admit that its crisis is self-made. In blaming others, it seeks an escape from accountabilitybut as the streets burn and alliances crumble, that illusion is becoming harder to maintain.
20 April 2025 15:00 (UTC+04:00)

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Environmental protection expenditures in Azerbaijan's state budget reached 87% implementation in the first quarter of 2025

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20 April 2025 21:30 (UTC+04:00)

The Azerbaijan House in Salzburg has become a dynamic hub for intercultural dialogue, serving not only Azerbaijanis living in Austria but also attracting growing interest from local Austrian residents, Azernews reports via AZERTAG.

The center recently welcomed Austrian citizen Bernhard Kirchsteiger as a special guest. Deeply interested in Azerbaijani culture, Bernhard shared his plans to visit Azerbaijan in May. During his visit to the Azerbaijan House, he explored the country's cultural heritage and national traditions.

Farid Azizov, head of the Azerbaijan House, introduced the guest to Azerbaijans rich tourism potential, historical regions, and cultural landmarks. Bernhard, particularly fascinated by traditional Azerbaijani attire, took commemorative photos and received detailed information about the countrys travel opportunities. His visit was further supported with an ASAN Visa issuance, making his upcoming trip easier to realize.

He was also presented with a selection of brochures and publications that showcase various Azerbaijani regions and their attractions.

Expressing his sincere appreciation to the Azerbaijan House team, Bernhard said he was delighted to discover Azerbaijans cultural richness and looked forward to seeing it in person.

The Azerbaijan House in Salzburg continues to play a vital role in promoting Azerbaijans culture across Europe through such outreach and engagement initiatives.
20 April 2025 19:30 (UTC+04:00)

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional peace efforts, Azernews reports, citing the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

During the talks, the sides explored opportunities for expanding Armenia-OSCE collaboration, including the implementation of specific programs.

A key focus of the meeting was the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both officials emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement on the text governing peace and interstate relations between the two countries.

Mirzoyan also outlined Armenias position on the OSCE Minsk Group and presented Yerevans proposals related to other aspects of the peace process.

In addition, the two diplomats exchanged views on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkiye, a process that continues to evolve amid broader regional dynamics.
20 April 2025 09:40 (UTC+04:00)

Azernews presents the post: I sincerely congratulate the entire Christian community of Azerbaijan on the holy occasion of Easter!

The First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, has extended her congratulations to Azerbaijan's Christian community on the occasion of Easter.

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20 April 2025 11:02 (UTC+04:00)

The 2025 publication of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) has praised Azerbaijans innovative approaches in financing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recommending that other member states consider adopting similar models, Azernews reports.

According to the report, Azerbaijan utilized tools such as the Integrated National Financing Framework and the SDG Investor Map to address financial gaps by mobilizing domestic resources. These efforts enabled the country to align 82.3% of its 2022 consolidated budget expenditures with national SDG targetsequivalent to approximately 23% of that years GDP.

The UN publication also highlighted Azerbaijans strategic use of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework for key sectors like agriculture, education, and the environment, as well as the promotion of green finance through the adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.

Azerbaijan stands out globally for its commitment to SDG transparency and reporting. It is one of only five countries worldwideand the sole nation in the region and among the CIS statesto have submitted four Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to the UN High-Level Political Forum, in the years 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2024.

The full publication by UNDESA on the preparation of Voluntary National Reports can be accessed here: https://mdgs.un.org/sdgs/files/
20 April 2025 11:30 (UTC+04:00)

Orthodox Christians across Azerbaijan gathered to celebrate Easter, one of the most sacred holidays in Christianity, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Azernews reports.

Festive services were held at the St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Orthodox Church in Khachmaz from Saturday night into Sunday. Christian residents from the northern regions of the country came together for prayers, hymns, candle lighting, and to take part in one of the most spiritually significant events in the Orthodox calendar.

Hieromonk Georgy Budagov, the head priest of the church, noted that Easter is celebrated at a high level every year by the Christian community in the region.

This year, Holy Easter Day fell on April 20. In keeping with Orthodox tradition, believers baked Easter cakes on Thursday, prepared festive dishes by evening, and brought them to the church on Saturday. The traditional Cross procession held on the night of Saturday to Sunday marked the official start of the Easter celebration.

On this holy day, families gathered around richly set Easter tables, offering one another traditional Easter cakes and kulich, engaging in egg fights, and exchanging joyful greetings with the words: Jesus is Risen!
20 April 2025 17:00 (UTC+04:00)

Pope Francis has urged Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a long-awaited peace agreement "as soon as possible," expressing hope for reconciliation and stability in the region, Azernews reports, citing Vatican News.

Delivering his Easter message, the pontiff emphasized that peace cannot be achieved without disarmament, warning against the danger of a global arms race. It is important to prevent this from turning into a global arms race, recognizing the need for each people to ensure its own defense, he stated.

The Pope also extended his prayers to regions facing conflict and hardship, including the Holy Land, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as to those suffering from the Russia-Ukraine war.

I express my closeness to the suffering Christians in Palestine and Israel, as well as to the entire Israeli and Palestinian people, he said.

This years message carried special significance, as Orthodox and Catholic Easter coincided for the first time in 11 years, symbolizing a rare moment of unity among Christian denominations.
20 April 2025 12:30 (UTC+04:00)

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In the first quarter of 2025, Azerbaijan exported 500 thousand tons of crude oil and oil products obtained from bituminous rocks to Germany

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20 April 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

Pakistan and Qatar have agreed to adopt a joint strategy for enhanced cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, marking a key development following ongoing discussions under the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) framework, Azernews reports, citing Tribune.

The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting at the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) headquarters in Islamabad, where a delegation from Qatars General Directorate of Drugs received a comprehensive briefing on Pakistans counter-narcotics efforts, Express News reported.

Both sides held detailed talks on mutual areas of interest, reiterating their shared commitment to tackling drug-related crime through intelligence sharing and operational collaboration.

The Qatari delegation also visited Islamabad International Airport as part of a broader assessment of Pakistans technical infrastructure.

Qatari officials expressed readiness to support Pakistan in enhancing its operational capabilities.

The engagement is part of Pakistans broader effort to forge long-term regional partnerships aimed at stemming the flow of narcotics.

Officials described the dialogue as a constructive step towards institutionalising cooperation across borders.

The ANF said the talks reflect a mutual understanding that regional threats require coordinated responses, especially in the face of evolving smuggling networks.

Further engagements are expected in the months ahead.
20 April 2025 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

The Turkish Embassy in Cairo has hosted an event discussing Egypt-NATO relations and the upcoming NATO Contact Point role that Turkiye and Italy will share, Azernews reports, citing Yeni Safak.

The event, held on Friday at the embassy residence and titled NATO's Mission: Its Past, Present, and Partnership with Egypt, provided an overview of NATO's history, current operations, and cooperation with Egypt, including potential future projects and partnerships.

Turkiye's Ambassador to Cairo Salih Mutlu Sen, and Italy's Ambassador to Cairo Michele Quaroni spoke at the event, with the NATO Secretariat also participating remotely via video conference from Brussels.

During the event, attendees discussed the NATO Southern Neighbourhood Action Plan, which was adopted at the 2024 NATO Washington Summit.

Ambassador Sen emphasized Turkiye's role in strengthening ties between NATO and Egypt, particularly as the country prepares to jointly assume the NATO Contact Point Embassy responsibility with Italy in 2025 and 2026.

Speaking to Anadolu, Sen said the move also coincides with the centennial anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Egypt.

Egypt is currently a NATO partner and engages in political and scientific dialogue with the alliance, Sen noted, adding that they aim to contribute to increasing public awareness of this relationship.

"Our contribution to developing more fruitful and effective relations between NATO, where Turkiye is a key member, and Egypt will naturally support our bilateral relations as well.

We are a long-standing and founding member of NATO. We are aligned with NATO's strategic vision and objectives in the areas of peace and security. Therefore, including Egypt's contribution within NATO's vision is important for regional security and stability.

"Egypt is a country that plays a significant role in the security and stability of the Middle East. In fact, we can say that Egypt's security and stability ensure the security and stability of both the Middle East and Africa," he said.

Among the two countries sharing the Contact Point responsibility, Turkiye will serve as the lead nation in 2025, followed by Italy in 2026.
20 April 2025 18:30 (UTC+04:00)

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In the first quarter of this year, China significantly reduced its oil imports from Russia significantly

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20 April 2025 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

Despite claims of a ceasefire, Russia continues to carry out assaults along the front line, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on his Telegram channel, Azernews reports.

"From 18:00 yesterday to 00:00 today, the Russian army opened fire 387 times and attacked 19 times. The Russians used drones 290 times," Zelensky said, citing updated frontline data.

He emphasized that Russia is attempting to create the illusion of a general ceasefire while simultaneously advancing and inflicting losses on Ukraine.

Referring to a report by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, Zelensky said Russian forces had already carried out 59 shelling incidents and five attacks in different directions on the front line.

Artillery strikes and drone usage were also reported in the Kursk region.

"Ukraine is responding adequately to these actions," Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine will continue to act transparently and inform the public. If we summarize the initial results, there is no complete ceasefire on the front yet, he concluded.
20 April 2025 22:00 (UTC+04:00)

Member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Mohammad Mehdi Shahriari, alleged on Sunday that the United States agreed to all Iranian demands during the latest round of indirect negotiations on a nuclear deal held in Rome on Saturday, Azernews reports.

"Our negotiating team said whatever we asked for, the Americans accepted," Iranian media reported Shahriari as saying. According to Iran International, he added that Tehran has been negotiating with US President Donald Trump's team over the last two years, during Trump's presidential campaign. "During these meetings, the other side only raised the nuclear issue," Shahriari claimed.
20 April 2025 23:00 (UTC+04:00)

The Easter ceasefire announced earlier by the Russian leadership will officially end at midnight today, April 21, with no extension planned, Azernews reports.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS that President Vladimir Putin has not issued any new orders to prolong the ceasefire.

It should be recalled that Putin had earlier agreed to a temporary truce during the Easter period, following a briefing by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on the situation along the combat contact line. The Russian side had committed to halting combat operations from 18:00 on April 19 until 00:00 on April 21 (Moscow time).
Sean O'Reilly during the Republican Network for Unity Easter commemoration at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast today (Photo by Kevin Scott)

A dissident republican who survived a murder bid in west Belfast two months ago has been spotted in public for the first time since the attack.

Sean OReilly  who was shot while sitting in his car  was seen today at a republican Easter commemoration event in Milltown Cemetery.

Images from the event, organised by the Republican Network for Unity group, show OReilly watching on, with his left arm supported by a black sling.

Cork ard chomhairle member Roger Tuohy, who addressed the rally paid, tribute to him.

He said: We admire the strength and courage of our comrades who have been personally attacked by criminal elements, especially our comrade Sean OReilly, who has faced down the enemy directly and remains a committed republican stalwart within our community.

To applause, he added: We are here by your side, comrade.

OReilly was shot while sitting in his car outside the taxi firm where he works in the Bell Steel Manor area of Poleglass on February 23.

Sean O'Reilly during the Republican Network for Unity Easter commemoration at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast today (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Republican Network for Unity easter commemoration

Police said he was approached by two masked men. Five shots were fired at him, hitting him once in the shoulder.

Following the shooting OReilly was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and had surgery there to remove a bullet which had lodged in his collarbone.

OReilly was due to undergo a second surgery for nerve damage in Scotland.

However, his lawyer later confirmed he had to travel to Dublin for that procedure, after being denied permission on anti-terrorism grounds to travel to Scotland.

OReilly is a member of Republican Network for Unity and a former republican prisoner.

The west Belfast man had reportedly been threatened two weeks prior to the shooting in a garage forecourt.

It sparked fears of a violent retaliation amid an escalating feud between members of the dissident gang Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH).

The RNU event heard claims part of Ireland continues to live under the shadow of British occupation.

Tuohy added: We continue to bear the brunt of decisions made in that foreign parliament in Westminster, subjective to brutal cuts which have effectively crippled necessary services and put every family in the six counties under immense pressure.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Tanaiste and Taoiseach will face questions over the decision (Gareth Chaney/PA)

Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald has accused the Taoiseach of having his head in the sand on Irish unity.

She claimed we are living in the end days of partition and called for preparations for unity referendums this decade as she addressed an Easter commemoration in Co Tyrone.

However, at a separate commemoration in Dublin, another senior Sinn Fein figure said Irish unity was not inevitable. North Belfast MP John Finucane said more work would be needed.

Speaking in Carrickmore at an event to mark the 1916 Easter Rising, Ms McDonald connected the commemoration to current political objectives, saying: Now, we write the next chapter of our nations story - the reunification of Ireland.

This is a time of great change. We are living in the end days of partition as a new generation looks to the possibilities of unity with fresh hearts.

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald. Photo: PA

Watch: Sam McBride discusses a united Ireland, tariffs and shared island future with Taoiseach Micheal Martin

She criticised the Taoiseach Micheal Martin over his recent comments on a border poll.

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph earlier this month, Mr Martin dismissed Sinn Feins call for a referendum in the near future, saying were not planning for a border poll in 2030.

But today Ms McDonald said we must prepare for unity referendums this decade.

Building a new and united Ireland is the most important task for a generation, she added.

Its not good enough for Taoiseach Micheal Martin to stick his head in the sand and stand against the momentum for unity.

To the Irish and the British governments, we say - the days of treading water are over. It's time to plan and prepare for constitutional change and for reunification.

She called for the establishment of a citizens assembly on the issue.

She added: Our message to unionists is clear - the united Ireland we seek belongs every bit as much to the families of Dungannon as it does to the families of Carrickmore, every bit as much to the families of Tyrone as the families of Dublin, Cork and Galway.

A united Ireland is about everyone.

Sam McBride in conversation with Taoiseach Micheal Martin in Dublin Castle on 10 April 2025. Photo: Hannah Daygo

The Dublin Central TD spoke of the revolutionary heritage of Tyrone and said: The Irish nation has lived and breathed through the resilience of the people of Tyrone.

Paying tribute to First Minister Michelle ONeill, she said it was meant to be that the first nationalist to lead the Executive is a woman from Tyrone.

Bridie Brown, the wife of Sean Brown, with daughters Claire Loughran (left) and Siobhan Brown (right) outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast (Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)

Ms McDonald repeated her partys calls for a public inquiry into the death of murdered GAA club chairman Sean Brown.

Mr Brown (61) was murdered after being abducted from outside a GAA club in Bellaghy, Co Londonderry.

Intelligence material has linked state agents to his death.

Ms McDonald added: We see that same resilience and strength today in the families of Sean Brown and Pat Finucane, in their courageous fight for the truth.

Justice delayed is justice denied. The British Government must accept the unequivocal ruling of the High Court and grant a full public inquiry into the murder of Sean Brown.

She also called for advances in Irish language rights and said: Let me be clear. Casement Park must be built. Casement Park will be built.

The speech also reiterated Ms McDonalds commitment to Irish military neutrality. Calling for an end to the war in Gaza, she said Irelands struggle for nationhood is the dream of the Palestinians too.

Separately, in Dublin, John Finucane said it is time to begin planning for a unity referendum.

The reunification of Ireland is not inevitable  we must work for it, we must build it and we must win it, he said.

The conversations are already happening. Across every county, every community, in living rooms, workplaces, universities and sports clubs  people are talking about Irish unity.

The onus is now on the Irish government to lead preparations for referenda  creating the space which enables us to build a new Ireland that truly belongs to everyone who lives here.
A group of men carry scythes during a parade in Belfast to mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising (Mark Marlow/PA)

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has reiterated a call for Irish unification as senior members of her party attended events to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.

Ms McDonald addressed the annual commemoration in Carrickmore in Co Tyrone on Sunday.

She told those gathered that building a new and united Ireland is the most important task for a generation and that the party was intent to finish the business of 1916.

Ms McDonald said: Here we stand for the day when we will commemorate our patriots in a United and free Ireland.

So, lets work day and night to fulfil the dream of Connolly and Pearse, of Hurson and Farrell, of McGuinness and OHare.

John Donnelly and his Irish Wolfhounds on the Falls Road (Mark Marlow/PA)

She added: Hold tightly to your hopes, to your beliefs, to your determination.

Never, ever give up.

We will see the rising of the moon.

We will unite Ireland, we will build a society where workers and families come first, and together we will achieve the Republic of 1916.

Elsewhere, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty and former party leader Gerry Adams were among those participating in events in Belfast.

Crowds gather on the Falls Road (Mark Marlow/PA)

A large crowd gathered for a parade along the Falls Road.

Some observers placed wreaths while others carried portraits of some of those involved in the Rising.

A flute band played as part of the procession.

In Dublin, Sinn Fein vice president and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill attended the annual ceremony outside the GPO, having also attended a commemoration in Coalisland, Co Tyrone on Saturday.
Emmanuel Macron will be granted a state visit before Donald Trumps expected trip in September as Britain seeks closer ties with Europe, according to a report.

The French President is said to have received an invitation from the King to travel to the UK at the end of May, eight years after taking office.

Few Government and royal officials know the details of the engagement, which would be Mr Macrons first state visit to Britain, according to the Sunday Times.

It comes after the US leader suggested Buckingham Palace was setting a date for September for him to meet Charles when asked about reports that he was expecting to fly to the UK at the end of summer.

US President Donald Trump suggested a date for September was being set for his visit to the UK (Niall Carson/PA)

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said: Theyre going to do a second, as you know, a second fest  thats what it is: a fest, and its beautiful, and its the first time its ever happened to one person.

And the reason is we have two separate terms, and its an honour  Im a friend of Charles, I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William, we have really just a great respect for the family.

Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer handed Mr Trump what he described at the time as a truly historic personal invitation from the King for a second state visit when he visited the White House in February.

However, reports suggest that the venue for the trip is now expected to be Windsor Castle, rather than Balmoral or Dumfries House, as previously thought.

Mr Macrons visit is also expected to take place at Windsor due to a refurbishment of Buckingham Palace.

Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly insisted he does not need to choose between pursuing a closer relationship with Europe and strengthening US-UK trade.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will travel to Washington next week for meetings of the International Monetary Fund and is expected to speak with counterparts about the prospect of a wider economic agreement to mitigate the impact of Mr Trumps sweeping 10% tariffs on all goods entering America.

However, ministers have also said Britain must look at co-ordinating better across Europe to protect its economy.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir and Mr Macron have been cooperating closely on defence, with plans for an Anglo-French-led coalition of the willing to defend any potential peace deal in Ukraine.

Downing Street declined to comment.

The palace has been contacted for comment.
Protesters rally at the state capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Zach Gleiter/The Patriot-News via AP)

Opponents of US President Donald Trumps administration took to the streets of communities large and small across the country on Saturday, decrying what they see as threats to the nations democratic ideals.

The disparate events ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration of the shot heard round the world on April 19, 1775, marking the start of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago.

Thomas Bassford was among the demonstrators at the reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord outside Boston.

The 80-year-old retired mason from Maine said he believes Americans are under attack from their own government and need to stand up against it.

This is a very perilous time in America for liberty, said Mr Bassford, who was with his partner, daughter and two grandsons.

I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.

Protesters rally at the state capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Zach Gleiter/The Patriot-News via AP)

In Denver, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Colorado State Capitol with banners expressing solidarity with immigrants and telling the Trump administration: Hands Off!

People waved US flags, some of them held upside down to signal distress.

Thousands of people also marched through downtown Portland, Oregon, while in San Francisco, hundreds spelled out the words Impeach & Remove on a sandy beach along the Pacific Ocean, also with an inverted US flag.

Elsewhere protests were planned outside Tesla car dealerships against billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his role in downsizing the federal government.

Others organised more community service-oriented events such as food drives, teach-ins and volunteering at local shelters.

The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide demonstrations.

Organisers say they oppose what they call Mr Trumps civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shuttering entire agencies.

Some of the events drew on the spirit of the Revolutionary War, calling for no kings and resistance to tyranny.

Boston resident George Bryant, who was among those at the Concord protest, said he is concerned that the president is creating a police state.

He held a sign saying: Trump fascist regime must go now!

Hes defying the courts. Hes kidnapping students. Hes eviscerating the checks and balances, Mr Bryant said. This is fascism.

In Washington, Bob Fasick, a 76-year-old retired federal employee from Springfield, Virginia, said he came out to the rally near the White House out of concern over threats to constitutionally protected due process rights, Social Security and other federal safety-net programmes.

The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programmes and scale back protections for transgender people.

I cannot sit still knowing that if I dont do anything and everybody doesnt do something to change this, that the world that we collectively are leaving for the little children, for our neighbours is simply not one that I would want to live, Mr Fasick said.

Demonstrations included a march through midtown Manhattan (Joseph Frederick/AP)

In Columbia, South Carolina, several hundred people protested at the statehouse holding signs with slogans such as Fight Fiercely, Harvard, Fight.

And in Manhattan, protesters rallied against continued deportations of immigrants as they marched from the New York Public Library north toward Central Park and past Trump Tower.

No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state, they chanted to a steady drumbeat, referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Marshall Green said he is most concerned that Mr Trump invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by claiming the country is at war with Venezuelan gangs linked to the South American nations government, even though a recent US intelligence assessment found no co-ordination between them.

Congress should be stepping up and saying no, we are not at war. You cannot use that, said the 61-year-old from Morristown, New Jersey.

You cannot deport people without due process, and everyone in this country has the right to due process no matter what.

Meanwhile Melinda Charles, of Connecticut, said she worries about executive overreach, citing clashes with the federal courts, Harvard University and other elite colleges.

Were supposed to have three equal branches of government, she said, and to have the executive branch become so strong, I mean its just unbelievable.
A ruined building in Kostyantynivka, the site of heavy battles with Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraines 93rd Mechanised Brigade/AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honouring an Easter ceasefire.

He said Moscow continued to launch attacks overnight after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce in Ukraine.

As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said in a post on X.

Despite Mr Putins declaration of an Easter ceasefire on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units across various areas along the front line, as well as dozens of drone strikes.

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In later updates, Mr Zelensky said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues.

He said, however, that it was a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens.

He noted that some Ukrainian troops were killed in a Russian ambush on Sunday in the Donetsk region, and said the Russian soldiers responsible would be eliminated.

Russias Defence Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire.

It said Ukraine had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were dead and wounded among the civilian population, without giving details.

It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the truce.

Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson also said Ukrainian forces had launched attacks.

Mr Zelensky said Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraines offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting on Sunday at midnight.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow had not responded to Kyivs proposal.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin attend the Orthodox Easter service at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow (Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/AP)

Just hours after the Russian president announced the ceasefire, he attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Mr Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Mr Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

His ceasefire announcement came after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head and that neither side is playing him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.
A Ukrainian soldier hugs his comrade after returning from captivity in a POW exchange in Ukraine (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

Ukraine said it would reciprocate any genuine ceasefire by Moscow but voiced scepticism after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter truce in Ukraine starting on Saturday.

The announcement from Kyiv came as Russia and Ukraine conducted their largest prisoner exchange since Moscows full-scale invasion started over three years ago.

Mr Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine starting on Saturday, citing humanitarian reasons.

According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will last from 6pm Moscow time on Saturday to midnight following Easter Sunday.

Mr Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said if Russia is genuinely ready to observe a full and unconditional ceasefire, Ukraine will mirror that approach and strike only in defence.

He said such a gesture, particularly over the Easter weekend, could reveal Moscows true intentions.

Ukrainian servicemen ride in a bus after returning from captivity in a POW exchange in Ukraine (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)

If a full ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond Easter Day on April 20, Mr Zelensky said on Telegram.

That will reveal Russias true intentions, as 30 hours are enough for headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures.

Mr Zelensky added that, according to military reports, Russian assaults and artillery fire continued along parts of the 600-mile long front line.

In response to the ceasefire announcement, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that Kyiv had in March agreed unconditionally to the US proposal of a full interim ceasefire for 30 days, which Russia rejected.

A Ukrainian marine hugs his cousin after returning from captivity in the POW exchange (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a ceasefire. 30 hours instead of 30 days, Mr Sybiha continued, writing on X.

Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions.

Mr Putins ceasefire announcement came after US President Donald Trump on Friday said negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head and insisted that neither side is playing him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.

The two sides, meanwhile, exchanged hundreds of POWs on Saturday. Russias ministry of defence said that 246 Russian service members were returned from Ukraine, and 31 wounded Ukrainian POWs were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers in need of urgent medical care.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Mr Zelensky said that 277 Ukrainian warriors have returned home from Russian captivity.

Both sides thanked the United Arab Emirates for their mediation.

Most of the Ukrainians freed in the latest prisoner exchange are young people born after 2000, Ukraines co-ordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war said on Friday.

Outside a hospital in Ukraines Northern Chernihiv region, where recently freed POWs were brought after the exchange at the border, dozens of relatives stood waiting.

Thousands of POWs remain in captivity. The exchange is the fourth this year and the 63rd since the start of Russias full-scale invasion.

On the battlefield, Russias defence ministry said on Saturday that its forces pushed Ukrainian troops from the village of Oleshnya, one of their last remaining footholds in Russias Kursk region, where the Ukrainians staged a surprise incursion last year.

The Associated Press was unable to verify the claim immediately from Russia.
US vice president JD Vance met Pope Francis briefly on Sunday to exchange Easter greetings, after they got into a long-distance tangle over the Trump administrations migrant deportation plans.

Francis, who is recovering from a near-fatal bout of pneumonia, received Mr Vance in one of the reception rooms of the Vatican hotel where he lives.

The 88-year-old pope offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Mr Vances three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

The motorcade of US vice president JD Vance en route to the Vatican on Sunday (Kenny Holston/Pool/AP)

I know you have not been feeling great but its good to see you in better health, Mr Vance told the pope. Thank you for seeing me.

Mr Vances motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St Peters Square.

Francis had delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

The Vatican said they met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta to exchange Easter greetings.

Mr Vances office said the vice president expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.

I pray for you every day, Mr Vance said as he bid Francis farewell. God bless you.

In all, Mr Vances motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes.

Mr Vance and the pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

Just days before he was admitted to hospital in February, Francis criticised the Trump administrations deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity.

In a letter to US bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Mr Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Mr Vance has acknowledged Francis criticism but has said he will continue to defend his views.

In February at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Mr Vance did not address the issue specifically but called himself a baby Catholic and acknowledged there are things about the faith that I dont know.

Mr Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, on Saturday.

Mr Vances office said he and Cardinal Parolin discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace.

The Vatican, for its part, said there was an exchange of opinions including over migrants and refugees and current conflicts.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality.

It has expressed alarm over the administrations crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Lax sentencing drives up support among public for paedophile hunter groups

Police and courts need to up their game if they want vigilantes to disappear

The Supreme Court ruled "the interests of children have priority".

Suzanne Breen Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 08:14

A popular priest appearing in court at Easter charged with attempted sexual communication with a child. Headlines dont come much worse for the Catholic Church.
exclusive | Armagh All-Ireland GAA star accused of Miami sex attack

Former Armagh captain due in court over alleged incident on team trip

Aidan Nugent

Christopher Woodhouse Sun 20 Apr 2025 at 08:04

This is the Armagh GAA star due in court accused of committing a sex attack while on a trip to the US with the team to celebrate their All-Ireland win.
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Most Christians believe that children are a blessing from God and that they play a significant role in Gods plan. Even so, American Christians are having fewer children today than they did just two generations ago for various reasons, including declining fertility rates. However, historically members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have had larger families than members of other Christian denominations and this continues to hold true today. So why do Latter-day Saints, on average, choose to have larger families?

Latter-day Saints and Family

The family is the basic unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the Church believe that we lived with God before we were born. We were spirits there and to gain our bodies and to have experiences necessary for our eternal salvation, we need to come to earth. They believe the mortal experience is a necessary part of their progression in trying to become like God and Christand in their efforts to gain salvation. They hold that Christs atoning sacrifice pays the price for sins, but that mortality also offers experiences that mold the soul into a potentially more holy and Christian personsomething imperative if we hope to dwell with God for eternity. Therefore, many Mormon parents regard it as their responsibility to have children in order to create physical bodies to come to earth in order to fulfill Gods plan.

The Church strongly encourages integrity, loyalty, purity, and fidelity, and the children should grow up being taught these values. For much of the 19th century Mormons practiced polygamy (or plural marriage). However, the practice ended in 1890, when then President Wilford Woodruff, issued the Manifesto, and announced to the Church that they would submit to newly established U.S. laws forbidding plural marriage. Still, some fringe break-offs, not affiliated with mainstream Mormonism, choose to practice polygamy.

Latter-day Saints and Their Kids

The Doctrine of the Latter-day Saints states that Latter-day Saints have a spiritual responsibility to bring forth children into the earth. They believe that we are all eternal beings, and theres a point in which we lived with God as His spirit children. So, to become like God the Father, you must become mortal by being born and living with earthly parents. With them as your earthly guides, they will show you love and give you a home.

Latter-day Saints and Birth Control

Some Latter-day Saints choose to use birth control while others choose not to. Its a private decision among couples and not a debate in the Church. Although they can practice family planning, one action that the Church strongly forbids is abortion. Even though Latter-day Saints tend to have slightly bigger families, it doesnt imply that they must have kids. This idea is misleading since every believer has the right to have a family they can afford to provide for and maintain.

Are Latter-day Saints Obligated to Have Large Families?

Latter-day Saints believe the choice to bear and rear children is a sacred and personal one. There is no doctrine of the Church that prescribes the number of children a couple should have. Agency, or the ability to choose (and the accountability for our choices) is a critical tenet of their faith. There are many Latter-day Saint couples as well as single individuals who desperately long for children and family. Others consider personal circumstances like the health of the mother or financial restrictions that may influence family planning decisions.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a family-centered religion, perhaps the most family-centered in the world, since they believe that the family can be united in the eternities. Because they are encouraged to notice the blessings family life brings, Latter-day Saints are more likely to enjoy a houseful of children and all the fun chaos that goes with it.
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Statistics show that more and more marriages are failing, and many people are not even attempting marriage at all for fear of failure. While we may be tempted to think that Christians are outside of these realities, the sad truth is that even Christians have been impacted by the changing culture of marriage in today's world.

Some of this is a result of our ignorance about marriage and our belief in certain myths about Christian marriage. A true understanding of these common mistakes can prevent our marriages from becoming just another statistic.

Myth #1: "If we love each other, marriage will be easy."

The world continually depicts romantic and sensual love through movies, books, and social media. It can be easy to be lured by the idea that "true love" lasts forever on its own. This is similar to saying that our bodies can continue to function well if we love them. Most of us recognize that loving our bodies means feeding them well, exercising them, and taking some hard work and precautions to stay healthy.

The same is true for marriage. Emotional love can only take you so far. You need to be prepared to feed your marriage with loving actions, intentional conversations, and godly wisdom. You need to practice loving one another intentionally, and you need to set up safeguards to prevent temptations or bitterness from entering the marriage. This all requires work.

You will need to talk, pray, read the Bible or strong biblical books on marriage, and seek counsel and mentors to aid you in your marriage. Being realistic about these requirements does not diminish the emotional love you have for one another; rather, it proves it. Be proactive in your relationship and watch your love flourish.

Myth #2: "Disagreements mean we have a bad marriage."

The world uses compatibility tests and "matching" with the help of computer intelligence to prove that couples will have successful relationships. Believing that getting along and agreeing on all things equals a healthy marriage will leave you confused when disagreements arise. You may be tempted to believe that something has gone wrong or that you are with the wrong person. Scripture tells of the conflict that will arise between married couples back in Genesis. When two sinners join their lives together, there is bound to be trouble.

Accepting and preparing for this reality will better equip you to handle conflict when it comes. Then, like a refining fire, your marriage will grow stronger as you handle disagreements biblically when they come. Working through hardships will ultimately unite you rather than divide you if you see them as opportunities for growth and for the gospel to be applied in your lives.

Myth #3: "Marriage will fulfill us."

One of the reasons that so many marriages today are failing is that people enter them with a self-seeking attitude. They are looking for someone to make them happy, and they see marriage as an accomplishment, a sign that they have made it. There is so much emphasis on marriage making them happy that they are devastated when it doesn't and when they aren't completely content. They then conclude that it is the marriage's fault, their spouse's fault, or that marriage is pointless. The issue is that they missed the point.

Marriage is not designed for our fulfillment but as a tool for glorifying God, spreading the gospel, and sanctifying us. Believing that marriage will fulfill us is ultimately holding marriage up as an idol. The only thing that can fulfill us is Christ. Once we realize that, we can take the pressure off of our marriage and our spouse. Our expectations will be more biblical, and the marriage will be better.

Myth #4: "We can live together separately."

So many people today are married on paper but are not truly living as one. Separate jobs, hobbies, friend groups, and activities continually pull them apart. A desire for self-fulfillment or being "their own person" keeps the couples separated in too many areas, which ultimately drives them apart.

Marriage was designed as a union and is described as two becoming one. This is wisdom. The more united your lives are, the less distance there will be, the more similarity of thought will be developed, and the fewer opportunities for temptation will arise. Couples should always be moving toward Christ together. As they do so, their bond will deepen, their ideas will align, and even their interests may collide. This may involve participating in an activity that your spouse loves, but that is not your favorite. The joy comes from knowing that your spouse is happy. Committing to marriage means committing to a life lived together.

Myth #5: "Intimacy is just a bonus."

The world says that intimacy can happen between anyone. Some Christians fall into that lie, and others stick to saving themselves for marriage and looking at intimacy as a fun perk they will get to enjoy once they are married. When viewed as a bonus, intimacy won't be approached through a biblical lens. This can lead to disappointing sex, unmet expectations, and even temptation in marriage. A biblical understanding of God's good plan for sex is necessary. Otherwise, one or both people in the relationship may feel that their needs are not being met.

While God did create intimacy to be pleasurable, He is wise enough and good enough to infuse it with more meaning than merely physical enjoyment. Sex can be a place of connection, sacrifice, encouragement, and health for married couples. Searching the scriptures to understand God's vision for intimacy will enhance these times of closeness and allow them to benefit the marriage in many ways.

What we believe about our marriages deeply impacts them. If we hold on to myths and worldly ideas, we will quickly find ourselves discouraged, frustrated, or misled. But when we filter our expectations and experiences through the truth of God's Word, we can build marriages that are resilient, joyful, and Christ-honoring.

God designed marriage with purpose, and when we approach it with humility, intention, and a gospel-centered mindset, it becomes more than just a relationshipit becomes a ministry. Let's be committed to doing the work, learning the truth, and loving our spouse as Christ loves us. That kind of marriage won't just surviveit will thrive.

Jenny Nanninga is a Christian writer, wife and mom to five daughters living on the Central Coast of California. Jenny loves encouraging women to grow in grace as they learn to know and follow Jesus and to find their worth in Him. You can read her Patheos.com column "She Believes" here.
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If you've recently received a suspicious phone call or text message claiming to be from Berkshire Bank, it might be a part of a scam aimed at gaining access to your bank account.

On Friday, the bank warned its customers of a recent wave of phone calls and texts impersonating the bank, which direct customers to a bogus online banking site.

Entering your username and password on this site gives scammers access to your bank account.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recognizes the techniques involved in this scam as vishing and smishing. Both are derived from phishing, which is a "type of scam that uses fake emails, texts, phone calls or other types of communication to trick victims into revealing sensitive information," Experian says. Smishing scams occur over text, while vishing happens over the phone and voice calls.

Increasingly, scammers are utilizing generative artificial intelligence to enhance phishing scams, according to Experian.

Earlier this year, state residents were met with myriad smishing texts impersonating EZDriveMA, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authoritys electronic tolling program, often seeking a fee of $6.99. The best way to handle any form of a phishing scam is to not engage with it.

Berkshire Bank says that it will never ask customers to log in or provide their username and password through an unsolicited call or text and reminds customers to always navigate directly to berkshirebank.com from their web browser.

Those who clicked on a fraudulent link or entered there login credentials on a suspicious site should contact the bank immediately at 833.BERKBNK to secure their account.

Residents can also report any form of phishing to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Editor's note: The turnout numbers in this article have been updated.

PITTSFIELD  On April 19, 250 years ago, a shot heard around the world ignited the battles of Lexington and Concord, as well as a war that resulted in American independence from Great Britain.

On Saturday, the anniversary of those battles and the freedoms won in that war and thereafter were top of mind for protesters in Pittsfield, where about half of the county's nine "Stand Up! Stand Out! For Freedom" rallies against actions taken by the Trump administration took place.

One fundamental right was in the spotlight: Due process, which many in attendance saw as under threat after recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests.

"If you can send off a noncitizen to a prison in a foreign country, then who's to say you can't send citizens off next?" Wendy Penner of Greylock Together said, referencing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador by ICE.

The Supreme Court has ordered that the Trump administration must facilitate his return, but it's unclear if  and when  it will comply. On April 14, the president of El Salvador declined to return Garcia.

"It's terrifying what's going on in the United States," said one protester, who wished not to be named for fear of retribution. "One man has a sign that says 'I am [Kilmar] Abrego Garcia' and it's so true, because if it can happen to him, it could happen to me."

Like the April 5 "Hands Off!" rallies, Saturday's events were held in conjunction with hundreds of protests held nationally by a coalition of groups including 50501 and Indivisible as part of a national "Day of Action." While some focused on individual issues, most of the Berkshire events united myriad concerns about the Trump administration.

"If you look at all the signs, there's so many different things that people are afraid of and angry about," organizer Brian Whitman said. "We all have a place here. It's a big umbrella for everybody."

Saturday's events garnered lower turnout than the crowds that came out on April 5. Over 600 people attended the "Stand Up!" rallies, compared to the thousands that showed up for the latter. But that didn't deter those in attendance.

"I'm really happy to see that the energy is still in Pittsfield," Ash Moors of Lanesborough said.

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

At about 11 a.m., more than 40 people congregated along South Street along the four corners of its intersection with East and West Housatonic streets in Pittsfield. They were greeted by a downpour of rain.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m., the rain let up and the crowd swelled to about 80 people, drenched but still determined. By the rally's conclusion, over 200 people had joined in the protest, cheered by waves of car horns from vehicles passing by.

It was the culmination of weeks of work by organizers like Robin O'Herin, who wanted to capture and extend the energy generated from April 5.

"I believe the only way to get our country back is by the power of the people," she said. "Getting people in the streets."

O'Herin helped plan the local April 5 rallies and was the lead organizer for Saturday's events. For her, it's personal.

"I was living in total fear," she said of actions taken by the Trump administration. She's watching closely any possible changes to Social Security, which she relies on.

"If I lose it, I'm going to lose my house," she said.

She finds hope in the myriad demonstrations that have taken place in the country since Trump's inauguration. She started phone banking, before organizing rallies of her own.

"I realized that action is the antidote to fear. And it's what we need to do to get our democracy back," O'Herin said.

Her next task? Organizing rallies tentatively set for May 4.

"We're like a tidal wave," she said. "We're a groundswell that's growing. And nothing is going to stop us."
EGREMONT  The owners of The Egremont Barn live music venue and adjacent Egremont Village Inn are now under contract with a restaurant and hotel entrepreneur who is buying the entire property.

That buyer is Doug Grabe, owner of the Little Pub chain of restaurants throughout Connecticut, as well as The Surfside Hotel in Stratford, Conn.

Grabe said he is still in the inspection and licensing phase of the purchase, and that all that is going smoothly. The final purchase price is pending the completion of the inspection, he said.

But his plan to buy and operate both The Barn and the inn is solid, Grabe said. The Barns co-founder and co-owner, Jenny Rubin, will continue to book musical and other acts, as well as manage the bar and staff.

The Barn will reopen on May 14 with an open mic night, and has more lineups scheduled on the calendar, including The Wanda Houston Project on May 15.

Opening night will be almost a barn raising, if you will, Grabe said. Well make it a nice community event to celebrate the return of the place.

Also returning are the same staff and same vibe, that make the venue shine, Rubin said.

The announcement, which was first reported by the website, Music in the Berkshires, follows the shutdown of The Barn in January due to operating expense struggles in the last few years, and a search since last year for a buyer of the whole property.

Rubin and her husband Nick Keene opened The Barn in 2016, re-envisioning what was once the Robbie Burns Pub until the mid-1980s. Keenes family had long-owned the property and operated the inn.

I am just really looking forward to the next chapter, Rubin said, and I think everyone is really happy in the community too.

Grabe owns six Little Pub restaurants in Connecticut, including in Greenwich and Stratford. Little Pubs website calls its menu Bold, Flavorful Pub Fare, where Chef Tim Passaro reinvents classic comfort food with bold flavors and fresh ingredients.

While The Barn will continue to serve food, Grabe said he is unsure exactly what that menu will look like. To eventually model the offerings on those at Little Pub, The Barn would need a larger kitchen and other equipment, he said. He suggested he might also redevelop the kitchen at the inn for a restaurant.

Grabe says he and his team are experienced in hotel management, and will be phasing in upgrades to the Inns mechanicals, putting in air conditioning and renovating some bathrooms.

The inn needs a little work near term, he said, and a little bit more work longer term.

It will still be a charming New England Inn, but with some more modern amenities, he said. It's a beautiful space.

Grabe said he plans wellness programs and retreats, and will book it out for celebrations and other events, as well as for typical shorter vacation stays.

Im blessed that I have a great team, Grabe said. Weve done this and this is what we do.

Overall, Grabe says some of his plans for a place with so much potential will evolve with time and with community input.

We want to turn it into a cool destination, he said, that people will be proud of.
ARCHIVE - An Israeli drone flies over the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon. Photo: Hussein Malla/AP/dpa/Arcvhibild Keystone

According to the authorities, two people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon. One person was killed in an attack on a vehicle in Kautharijat al-Sijad, around 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, according to the Ministry of Health. Another person was killed in another attack in Hula, not far from the border. The Israeli military claimed to have killed two Hezbollah commanders.

Keystone-SDA SDA

A ceasefire has actually been in place between Hezbollah and Israel since the end of November. This also includes Hezbollah withdrawing behind the Litani River about 30 kilometers north of the Israeli-Lebanese border in accordance with UN Resolution 1701.

The Lebanese army is to monitor compliance with the agreement and also ensure that Hezbollah is disarmed. According to the Lebanese government, further progress is being made. However, according to Lebanon's President Joseph Khalil Aoun, Hezbollah can only be disarmed through dialog, not through military pressure. Israel accuses Hezbollah of continuing to smuggle weapons into southern Lebanon and preparing attacks.
President Michael D Higgins has laid a wreath during the annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.

It marks the last time Mr Higgins will lead the event as the sitting president.

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Mr Higgins laid a wreath to commemorate those who died in the Rising, for the 109th anniversary of the armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

It is the last time Michael D Higgins will lead the event as the sitting president. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

Proceedings began before midday as a large crowd gathered on Dublins OConnell Street, as the parade began to form from 11am.

The Tricolour above the General Post Office (GPO) was lowered to half-mast at noon for the ceremony before a prayer service, the laying of the wreath by Mr Higgins and a minutes silence.

Defence Forces personnel, including a brass band, a pipe band and representatives of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service participated in the ceremony.

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The GPO is the most famous location associated with the Rising having been designated the headquarters of the Provisional Government. Sundays commemoration also included a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic by Captain Conor Gibbins from Barna, Go Galway.

Former president Mary Robinson was among the attendees. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

Ireland Conor McGregor would be widely rejected in presi... Read More

The proceedings ended with a return of the flag to full-mast, the national anthem and a flypast conducted by the Air Corps.

The event was also attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Simon Harris and outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy.

The North's First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill, former president Mary Robinson, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain and some members of Cabinet were also among attendees.
A search is underway for a man reported as falling overboard from a yacht off the Waterford coast.

The Coast Guard rescue helicopter 116 based out of Dublin has now joined the search operation for the man.

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The rescue began when an alert was raised at about 10.40pm on Saturday by another individual who was still onboard the UK registered vessel.

The UK Coast Guard was also contacted after the person said they believed the vessel was off the coast of Swansea in Wales.

However, the Irish Coast Guard situated the vessel off the coast of Ceann Heilbhic in Co Waterford.

The yacht was travelling from Brighton to Swansea via Falmouth.

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It is understood that a person has since been taken safely to shore by search and rescue teams.

Waterford-based Coast Guard rescue helicopter 117 carried out searches on Saturday night, assisted by a fixed wing aircraft from the UK, and the RNLI lifeboats from Dunmore East in Waterford and Ballycotton, Co Cork.

A spokesperson for the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) confirmed that the Coast Guard was coordinating a search for a missing man believed to have gone overboard from a UK registered yacht 16nm South of Dunmore East in the Irish Sea.

A 999 call was received last night by the Coast Guard Coordination centre in Dublin from the yacht requesting assistance.

"Weather conditions are calm on scene at present and MRCC Dublin continues to coordinate rescue resources in the area with Coast Guard helicopters R117, R116, a UK Coast Guard fixed wing, Dunmore Lifeboat, Kilmore Quay and Ballycotton Lifeboats involved in the search.
Laura Angela Collins' connection to the Magdalene laundries could not run deeper.

Her grandmother, Angelina Collins, later renamed Angela, endured 27 years of forced labour under the Sisters of Charity.

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Despite being recommended for a hysterectomy years before she died, it was never performed, and she continued working while unwell until she eventually died of ovarian cancer.

She was buried in a mass grave owned by the religious order, who, Laura says, still refuse to take responsibility for her death.

Laura's mother, Mary Teresa Collins, is a survivor of the industrial school run by the Sisters of Mercy, where her hair was roughly cut short, she was renamed Number 5, and suffered terrible abuse as a child.

Mary Teresa Collins (Laura's mother) in Rushbrook Industrial school

Laura's aunt was placed in the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home before being fostered and later adopted.

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Both have lived with the trauma of these institutions, Laura said, while her other aunt, who was placed in the Sundays Well Magdalene Laundry at just 14 years old, later took her own life after "carrying the weight of the abuse she endured."

Now, Laura and her mother are fighting to get permission to remove her grandmothers remains from the mass grave  an act of justice which she says is "long overdue."

She said the council presented terms, and they met all but one: permission from the religious order who owns it. To this day, their pleas for permission remain unanswered.

"My nan, she was put into a Magdalene Laundry for 27 years of her life where, over 10 years before she died, she was recommended a hysterectomy and she was not given this treatment," she said.

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"She was left to continue to work until she died of ovarian cancer and was put into a mass grave. So my mum, after being gagged during the Ryan Report (Child Abuse Inquiry), wanted to fight for her mum.

"She wanted to fight for the stuff that she had seen from the age of seven."

Brutal abuse

Laura explained that her mother would visit her grandmother in the Magdalene Laundry.

"Basically, while my nan was in the Magdalene Laundry for five years, she was refusing to sign adoption papers for her youngest daughter, called Bridget.

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"It was only when they basically said, Look, weve got Mary in the industrial schoolif you sign these papersbecause Bridget at the time was being held in a foster placement and they wanted to adopt heryou'll get to start having arranged visits from Mary from the industrial school.

"That's when, from the age of seven, my mum started going into the Magdalene Laundry, where she saw her mum really withdrawn.

"Obviously she has her own experiences from within the industrial school. They were abusing her based on who her mother was, her identity, and where she came from.

"So after experiencing that and going to see your mum like that, she would associate it with pain.

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"They would brutally abuse my mumtheyd call her all sorts of names and beat her. Terrible stuff that they inflicted upon children.

"So anyway, my mum went through this process and she was gagged, but she wanted to speak on the Magdalene Laundries, the Mother and Baby Homes, the County Homes."

For too long, Laura said, the religious orders that ran Irelands Mother and Baby Homes, County Homes, Magdalene Laundries and industrial schools have been allowed to escape accountability.

Last week, a report found only two of eight religious bodies linked to mother and baby homes offered to contribute to a survivor redress scheme.

Five bodies  the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd; the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; the Sisters of Mercy; the Legion of Mary; and the Church of Ireland  made no offer at all.

The negotiation was part of a bid to secure contributions from religious bodies toward the cost of the Government-established Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.

Minister for Children Norma Foley expressed disappointment at the approach adopted by the majority of religious bodies to the redress scheme.

Laura detailed how disappointed she and her family were at how the Government responded to the findings of a Commission of Investigation set up in 2015.

The Commission examined homes run by the State and religious organisations where tens of thousands of unmarried women were sent to have their babies.

The Commission found that almost 170,000 women and children passed through the institutions from 1922 until the last one closed in 1998.

The investigation exposed the often harsh conditions and unforgiving regimes many women and children experienced.

Laura said: When the Magdalene apology came, my mum was sat in the Dail, and she was heartbroken.

"Absolutely heartbroken, because not only could they exclude acknowledging these women in the mass grave, they also excluded acknowledging circumstances like her being a visitorthe two hands of the mother-and-child abuse that always accompanied each other, especially in her case and many other cases that were present within Magdalene circumstances."

The women buried in these gravesincluding Laura's grandmotherwere excluded from the States 2013 apology for the Magdalene Laundries.

Laura and her two brothers beside her grandmother's mass grave

In 2013, then Taoiseach Enda Kenny apologised to the women who spent time in the Magdalene Laundries.

At the time, he said: "I, as Taoiseach, on behalf of this State, the Government and our citizens, deeply regret and apologise unreservedly to all those women for the hurt that was done to them, for any stigma they suffered as a result of the time they spent in the Magdalene Laundry."

However, Laura pointed out that no apology was offered for the dead women present in mass graves.

They excluded the dead women from the apology. My mum, she was heartbroken. She didn't know what to do," she said.

"There was no justiceno justice for her mum. There was no acknowledgement.

"What she ended up doing is she applied to Cork City Council to have her mother's remains exhumed from the mass grave.

"My mum, my family, met every conditionexcept the permission of the religious order."

To this day, Laura's family have still not received permission from the religious order to exhume her grandmothers remains from the mass grave.

"There's no justice, and when there's no justice, there really is no peace. Because my mum hasn't got peace."
Opponents of US President Donald Trumps administration took to the streets of communities large and small across the country on Saturday, decrying what they see as threats to the nations democratic ideals.

The disparate events ranged from a march through midtown Manhattan and a rally in front of the White House to a demonstration at a Massachusetts commemoration of the shot heard round the world on April 19, 1775, marking the start of the Revolutionary War 250 years ago.

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Thomas Bassford was among the demonstrators at the reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord outside Boston.

The 80-year-old retired mason from Maine said he believes Americans are under attack from their own government and need to stand up against it.

This is a very perilous time in America for liberty, said Mr Bassford, who was with his partner, daughter and two grandsons.

I wanted the boys to learn about the origins of this country and that sometimes we have to fight for freedom.

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Protesters rally at the state capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Zach Gleiter/The Patriot-News via AP)

In Denver, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Colorado State Capitol with banners expressing solidarity with immigrants and telling the Trump administration: Hands Off!

People waved US flags, some of them held upside down to signal distress.

Thousands of people also marched through downtown Portland, Oregon, while in San Francisco, hundreds spelled out the words Impeach & Remove on a sandy beach along the Pacific Ocean, also with an inverted US flag.

Elsewhere protests were planned outside Tesla car dealerships against billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk and his role in downsizing the federal government.

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Others organised more community service-oriented events such as food drives, teach-ins and volunteering at local shelters.

The protests come just two weeks after similar nationwide demonstrations.

Organisers say they oppose what they call Mr Trumps civil rights violations and constitutional violations, including efforts to deport scores of immigrants and to scale back the federal government by firing thousands of government workers and effectively shuttering entire agencies.

Some of the events drew on the spirit of the Revolutionary War, calling for no kings and resistance to tyranny.

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Boston resident George Bryant, who was among those at the Concord protest, said he is concerned that the president is creating a police state.

He held a sign saying: Trump fascist regime must go now!

Hes defying the courts. Hes kidnapping students. Hes eviscerating the checks and balances, Mr Bryant said. This is fascism.

In Washington, Bob Fasick, a 76-year-old retired federal employee from Springfield, Virginia, said he came out to the rally near the White House out of concern over threats to constitutionally protected due process rights, Social Security and other federal safety-net programmes.

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The Trump administration, among other things, has moved to shutter Social Security Administration field offices, cut funding for government health programmes and scale back protections for transgender people.

I cannot sit still knowing that if I dont do anything and everybody doesnt do something to change this, that the world that we collectively are leaving for the little children, for our neighbours is simply not one that I would want to live, Mr Fasick said.



Demonstrations included a march through midtown Manhattan (Joseph Frederick/AP)

In Columbia, South Carolina, several hundred people protested at the statehouse holding signs with slogans such as Fight Fiercely, Harvard, Fight.

And in Manhattan, protesters rallied against continued deportations of immigrants as they marched from the New York Public Library north toward Central Park and past Trump Tower.

No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state, they chanted to a steady drumbeat, referring to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Marshall Green said he is most concerned that Mr Trump invoked the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 by claiming the country is at war with Venezuelan gangs linked to the South American nations government, even though a recent US intelligence assessment found no co-ordination between them.

Congress should be stepping up and saying no, we are not at war. You cannot use that, said the 61-year-old from Morristown, New Jersey.

You cannot deport people without due process, and everyone in this country has the right to due process no matter what.

Meanwhile Melinda Charles, of Connecticut, said she worries about executive overreach, citing clashes with the federal courts, Harvard University and other elite colleges.

Were supposed to have three equal branches of government, she said, and to have the executive branch become so strong, I mean its just unbelievable.
US vice president JD Vance will embark on a four-day visit to India on Monday as the two countries seek to unlock economic opportunities and negotiate a bilateral trade deal.

Mr Vance will meet prime minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for talks on the economy, trade and geopolitical ties.

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Mr Vances visit is seen as an important diplomatic mission by president Donald Trumps administration, and it coincides with a rapidly intensifying trade war between Washington and Beijing, which is New Delhis main rival in the region.

A trade deal between India and the US could significantly enhance economic ties between the two countries and potentially strengthen diplomatic ties.

The US is also Indias largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at 190 billion dollars (142 billion) until recently.

Indias foreign ministry has said the visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the progress in bilateral relations and two leaders will exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

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Mr Vances arrival in India comes weeks after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was in India for a geopolitical conference and two months after Mr Modi met Mr Trump in Washington.



FILE  JD Vance with his wife Usha and children Ewan, Vivek and Mirabe (Matthias Schrader/AP, File)

Mr Modi was among the first leaders to visit the US and hold talks with Mr Trump after he returned to the White House. During his visit, Mr Modi hailed a mega partnership with the US and kickstarted a negotiation process to minimise the possible fallout of Mr Trumps tariffs after it had already cut tariffs on a range of US goods.

Regardless, Mr Trump targeted India with a 26% levy as part of his now-paused tariff programme, which has provided temporary relief for Indian exporters.

During his visit, Mr Modi sought to soften impending trade barriers by saying he was open to reducing more tariffs on US goods, repatriating undocumented Indian nationals and buying military gear. The two countries also agreed to start talks towards clinching the bilateral trade agreement.

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Mr Modi on Friday said he spoke with Elon Musk and said he and the SpaceX chief discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation, saying India remains committed to advancing our partnerships with the US in these domains.

India is a close partner of the US for bilateral trade, foreign direct investments, defence cooperation, and an important strategic ally in combating the rising influence of China in the Indo-Pacific region.

It is also part of the Quad, which is made up of the United States plus India, Japan and Australia and seen as a counter-balance to Chinas expansion in the region.

Leading US companies such as Apple Inc and Google have expanded operations in India in recent years. Last month, Mr Musks Starlink entered into agreements with two of Indias top telecom operators to provide satellite-based internet services.

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To further boost trade ties, the US and India have set an ambitious target of more than doubling their bilateral trade to 500 billion dollars (375 billion) by 2030 under the expected trade deal agreement.

The negotiations are especially urgent for New Delhi as it could be hit hard by Mr Trumps reciprocal tariffs, particularly in sectors of agriculture, processed food, auto components, high-end machinery, medical equipment and jewellery. This poses a significant challenge for the Modi government as it hopes to spruce up the countrys economy and generate jobs with an export-led recovery.



India Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Thailands Foreign Affairs Ministry via AP)

Mr Modi established a good working relationship with Mr Trump during his first term in office.

It now appears that the two leaders are likely to further boost cooperation between their countries, particularly in trade as Chinese President Xi Jinping is aiming to position Beijing as a reliable trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region amid rising tensions with Washington.

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India has also already taken a number of steps to win over Mr Trump. It will purchase more oil, energy and defence equipment, including the fifth-generation stealth fighter jets, from the US.

The US, however, wants greater market access for its agricultural and dairy products in India, but New Delhi has been reluctant so far as the farm sector employs bulk of the countrys workforce.

Mr Vances visit to India marks his first official trip to the country, which has added significance for the second family. His wife Usha Vance  a practicing Hindu  is the daughter of immigrants from South India.

In his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, Mr Vance described his wife a supersmart daughter of Indian immigrants whom he met at Yale Law School. Ushas parents moved to the US in the late 1970s.

Mr Vance will be accompanied by Usha, their children and other senior members of the US administration, and the couple will visit the Indian cities of Jaipur and Agra and participate in engagements at cultural sites, a readout from the White House said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honouring an Easter ceasefire.

He said Moscow continued to launch attacks overnight after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce in Ukraine.

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As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine, Mr Zelensky said in a post on X.

Despite Mr Putins declaration of an Easter ceasefire on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units across various areas along the front line, as well as dozens of drone strikes.

In later updates, Mr Zelensky said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues.

He said, however, that it was a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens.

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He noted that some Ukrainian troops were killed in a Russian ambush on Sunday in the Donetsk region, and said the Russian soldiers responsible would be eliminated.

Russias Defence Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire.

It said Ukraine had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were dead and wounded among the civilian population, without giving details.

It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the truce.

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Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson also said Ukrainian forces had launched attacks.

Mr Zelensky said Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraines offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting on Sunday at midnight.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Moscow had not responded to Kyivs proposal.



Russian President Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin attend the Orthodox Easter service at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow (Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/AP)

Just hours after the Russian president announced the ceasefire, he attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Mr Putin and the war in Ukraine.

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Mr Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

His ceasefire announcement came after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are coming to a head and that neither side is playing him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.
Barrio 18 demanded Cesar join their gang, at which point the family sent Cesar to America. Then Barrio 18 demanded the same of Kilmar, and Kilmar, at age 16, was sent to America, too. This was around 2011. A 16-year-old fleeing the only home hes known, afraid for his life. Loading Abrego Garcias life in the US seems to have been not an easy one. He lived in Maryland. He worked in construction. He met a woman. Her name is Jennifer, a US citizen. She had two children from a past relationship  one had epilepsy, the other autism. In 2019, they had a child together. That child, now five, is deaf in one ear and also has autism. Jennifer was pregnant in 2019 on the day Abrego Garcia dropped off one kid at school, dropped off another with the babysitter and drove to Home Depot to find construction work. He was arrested for loitering. Asked if he was a gang member.

He said no. He was put into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention. About four hours after Abrego Garcia was picked up  and that appears to be the first contact he had with local police  a detective produced an allegation, citing a confidential informant, that Abrego Garcia was a gang member. Abrego Garcia has no criminal record  not in the US, not in El Salvador. He was accused of being part of a gang that operates in New York, a state he never lived in. Whoever produced the allegation was never cross-examined. When Abrego Garcias lawyer later tried to get more information, he was told the detective behind the accusation had been suspended.

Abrego Garcias partner, Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, said she was shocked when the government said he should stay detained because Kilmar is an MS-13 gang member. Kilmar is not and has never been a gang member. Im certain of that. In June 2019, while Abrego Garcia was still detained, he and Jennifer got married. Later that year, a judge ruled Abrego Garcia could not be deported back to El Salvador because he might be murdered by Barrio 18  that his fear was credible. Abrego Garcia was then set free. Each year since then, he has checked in with immigration authorities. He has been employed as a sheet metal apprentice. He is a member of a union. He was studying for a vocational licence at the University of Maryland. His last check-in with immigration authorities was on January 2. There has been no evidence, anywhere, offered by anyone, that suggests Abrego Garcia poses a threat to anyone in the US. But on March 12, Abrego Garcia was pulled over while driving, his five-year-old in the back seat. He was told his immigration status had changed. On March 15 , Abrego Garcia was flown to El Salvador and imprisoned at CECOT as a terrorist. In a photo provided by the US District Court for Maryland, a man identified as Kilmar Abrego Garcia is led through the Terrorism Confinement Centre in Tecoluca, El Salvador. Credit: US District Court for the District of Maryland via AP

The Trump administration, in its own legal filings, has said this was an administrative error. It admits it should not have done this, that it was a mistake. The first sentence of an editorial from The National Review, probably the countrys leading conservative magazine, reads: No one denies that the government violated the law in deporting him. Loading This case has made its way to the Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court ordered that the administration facilitate Abrego Garcias release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador. I feel I do not have the proper words to describe this next part  how grotesque it all is.

The Trump administration does not deny that it deported Abrego Garcia unlawfully. What it denies is that it has the authority to bring him back. That authority, it says, lies with Bukele. But Bukele says he cannot send him back. That Oval Office meeting between Trump and Bukele was a moment when the mask fully slipped off. I thought satirist Jon Stewart pinpointed part of its horror when he said that the thing that came through so clearly was how much Trump and Bukele were enjoying themselves, each of them declaring that there was nothing they could do for Abrego Garcia  no way to allow him his day in court, no way to allow the American legal system to do its job and assess whether he is a danger. No way to follow the clear order of the Supreme Court. And from their perspective, maybe theyre right. Because heres the scary thing that I think sits at least partially beneath their calculus: Politically, they cannot let Abrego Garcia out, nor any of the other people they sent to CECOT without due process. Because what if he was released? What if he returned to the United States? What if he could tell his own story? What if  as seems likely  he has been brutalised and tortured by Trumps Salvadoran henchmen? Well, he cant be allowed to tell the American people that. To the Trump administration, Abrego Garcia is not a mistake. He is a liability, and he is a test. A test of its power to do this to anyone. A test of whether the loophole it believes it has found  that if it can get you on a plane, it can hustle you beyond US laws and leave you in the grips of the kind of gulags it wishes it had in the US.

The administration is not ashamed of this. It is not denying its desire to do it to more people. This is how dictatorships work. Trump has always been clear about who he is and the kind of power he wants. Now he is using that power. If Trump decides that you are to rot in a foreign prison, then that is his right. And you? You have no rights. We are not even 100 days into this administration, and we are already faced with this horror. And I can feel the desire to look away from it, even within myself. What all of this demands is too inconvenient, too disruptive. But Trump has said it all plainly and publicly: He intends to send those he hates to foreign prisons beyond the reach of US law. He does not care  he will not even seek to discover  if those he sends into these foreign hells are guilty of what he claims. Because this is not about their guilt  it is about his power.
Registered sex offenders could have their identities revealed to parents or guardians under a Coalition proposal to crack down on predators in the community.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is to pledge $750 million on Monday for crime-fighting measures including a national taskforce to combat illicit drugs, and a sex offender register inspired by a British model in which parents could raise their suspicions about anyone who interacts with their children in any way, including the partners of relatives.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has pledged to crack down on crime. Credit: James Brickwood

The proposal will reignite a debate on which major party is better at tackling crime, as the Coalition seeks to rebrand itself to voters after polls show Labor could win a majority at the May 3 election.

Crime and anti-social behaviour is one of the top issues for voters, according to the latest Resolve Political Monitor. Seven per cent say it is their most important issue, with only healthcare and cost of living rating higher.
Trump 2.0 is testing us all in unexpected ways. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has discovered what it is to be ghosted  after calling Albanese a very fine man, Trump is now refusing to take his calls.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is suffering from allegations that he is too simpatico with the US president, to the extent where he was compelled to tell voters this week, near-pleadingly: I dont know the president. I have never met him  I dont know Donald Trump.

The all-female occupants of Blue Origins flight (clockwise from top left): Katy Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Kerianne Flynn, Lauren Sanchez and Amanda Nguyen. Credit: NYT

Some have been tested by being sent, apparently unlawfully, to a notorious El Salvadorean prison, and others have been publicly humiliated at the White House while on a break from defending their country from aggressive authoritarian rule.

Meanwhile, most women I know would have happily spent the week minding their own business.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has reiterated a call for Irish unification as senior members of her party attended events to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising.

Ms McDonald addressed the annual commemoration in Carrickmore in Co Tyrone on Sunday.

She told those gathered that building a new and united Ireland is the most important task for a generation and that the party was intent to finish the business of 1916.

Ms McDonald said: Here we stand for the day when we will commemorate our patriots in a United and free Ireland.

So, lets work day and night to fulfil the dream of Connolly and Pearse, of Hurson and Farrell, of McGuinness and OHare.

John Donnelly and his Irish Wolfhounds on the Falls Road (Mark Marlow/PA)

She added: Hold tightly to your hopes, to your beliefs, to your determination.

Never, ever give up.

We will see the rising of the moon.

We will unite Ireland, we will build a society where workers and families come first, and together we will achieve the Republic of 1916.

Elsewhere, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty and former party leader Gerry Adams were among those participating in events in Belfast.

Crowds gather on the Falls Road (Mark Marlow/PA)

A large crowd gathered for a parade along the Falls Road.

Some observers placed wreaths while others carried portraits of some of those involved in the Rising.

A flute band played as part of the procession.

In Dublin, Sinn Fein vice president and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill attended the annual ceremony outside the GPO, having also attended a commemoration in Coalisland, Co Tyrone on Saturday.
Sean McCarthaigh

Ireland intensified its enforcement of immigration legislation at the fastest rate of any EU member state last year with the number of non-EU nationals returned to another country after being issued with an order to leave increasing almost fourfold.

New figures published by the European Commission reveal that the rate of increase by Ireland in unsuccessful international protection applicants being returned outside EU borders in 2024 was 265 per cent compared to the EU average of 17 per cent.

The latest figures show that 1,040 asylum seekers were returned from the Republic to somewhere outside the EU last year compared to 285 in 2023.

A majority of the 27 EU member states  a total of 14 countries  including Denmark, the Netherlands, Greece and Austria  recorded a decrease in the number of international protection applicants being removed from their respective countries after being issued with an order to leave.

The figures also highlight how enforcement activity by the Irish authorities of immigration rules has increased dramatically in the past two years as the numbers returned after being issued with orders to leave were 150 in 2021 and 190 in 2022.

The country of origin for most returns from Ireland in 2024 was Georgia with 200 followed by Brazil (160), Jordan (155), South Africa (85), Nigeria (45) and Albania (40).

A total of 135 cases were classified as assisted forced returns while the remainder were a combination of assisted and non-assisted voluntary returns.

The latest figures also show that Ireland recorded the second fastest rate among EU member states in issuing orders to leave to non-EU nationals last year.

The number of such orders issued by the Irish authorities more than trebled during 2024.

The figures show that 3,234 non-EU citizens were issued with orders to leave the Republic. compared to 1,060 the previous year  an annual increase of 206 per cent compared to the EU average of just over 4 per cent.

The number of such orders was just 160 in 2021 and 600 in 2022.

Only Spain had a higher rate of increase  issuing over 51,000 orders to asylum seekers to leave last year compared to around 10,600 in 2023.

Again, a majority of the 27 EU member states  a total of 15 countries  including France, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands  recorded a decrease in numbers of asylum seekers being ordered to leave in 2024.

The latest figures also show that the number of non-EU citizens instructed to leave Ireland during 2024 increased as the year progressed going from 380 in the first quarter to 1,225 between last October and December.

Citizens from Georgia were the largest single group issued with orders to leave, accounting for 915  more than a quarter of the total.

Other countries were Brazil (340), Algeria (300), Nigeria (180), South Africa (170), Jordan (165), Albania (160) and Pakistan (135).

Several of the countries have been designated as safe since 2022 including Albania, Algeria, Georgia and South Africa, while more including Brazil, India and Egypt were classified as safe during 2024.

The designation of a country as safe means asylum seekers from such nations will have their international protection applications dealt with within three months.

Safe countries of origin are those where it can be shown that there is generally and consistently no persecution, no torture or inhuman or degrading treatment, and no threat by reason of indiscriminate violence.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said it was a priority for Minister Jim OCallaghan that Irelands immigration laws are robust, fair, efficient and enforced.

The removal of persons who have been refused permission to remain is an essential requirement for the immigration system to work effectively and to ensure that the public has confidence in the application of our laws in this area, the spokesperson said.

The Department of Justice noted that the Government had acted to significantly improve immigration enforcement measures and increase the removal of persons who had been refused permission to remain.

The spokesperson pointed out that a chartered flight to Georgia in February 2025 which removed 35 individuals who were subject to deportation orders was the first of further similar operations which will be carried out.

He added: Enforced deportation operations are complex and costly. They often involve investigations, detection, detentions in custody, legal challenges, flight costs and confirmation with the return country that the person is their citizen.

The Department of Justice said it was the preferred option to return people voluntarily and there was a programme in place to assist people to leave Ireland before a deportation order was issued.

It observed that a much larger number of people will have left the State without being escorted than official figures on deportations.

The spokesperson said a total of 480 individuals had already been removed from the jurisdiction since the start of 2025, including 68 who were deported.

In February, the Minister for Justice, Jim OCallaghan, claimed that too many people were seeking international protection who are not entitled to it.

Mr OCallaghan noted that 80 per cent of applications in January 2025 were rejected in the first instance.

The minister acknowledged that Ireland needed an efficient and effective system for dealing with international protection applicants with 32,000 individuals already being provided with accommodation while their case was being processed.
Before there was Warner Park, there was 1895s Olympia Park near the same site  1254 McCallie Avenue - - with its race tracks, electric railway access, a theater and multiple attractions. The driving force promoting parks for Chattanoogas expanding citizenry and budding tourists was Joseph Henry Warner, later Chattanoogas first Commissioner of Public Utilities.

Warner, like so many Civil War veterans, first saw Chattanooga as a young soldier. Born on 5 September, 1843 near Nashville in a rural community of neighboring Sumner County, he had enlisted in Co. A, 19th Tennessee Regiment, CSA Infantry. Warner often explained that military service and love of the colonies and later the nation was ingrained in his familys experience. His direct lineal ancestor, Augustin Warner of Virginia, had been the great-grandfather of George Washington.

While serving with his company at the Battle of Missionary Ridge in November 1863, Warner was captured and transported to Union POW Camp Rock Island, Illinois where he remained until several weeks after Generals Robert E. Lee and Joseph Johnstons surrender to Union forces in 1865. He came home to Tennessee, returned to Chattanooga and became one of the citys emerging entrepreneurs, initially focused on the hardware business. The city rewarded his efforts with success and, by 1879, Major Warner joined with a few close colleagues to form the Third National Bank, serving first as vice-president and later as president.

Three years later, he envisioned and set to work creating the Chattanooga Street Railway Company. As president, he purchased all the street railway property then existing in the city and began business with one small horse-car line. City leaders applauded his innovation and credited him as the father of urban transportation in Tennessees most progressive city. While he stepped away from the city railway business for a time to pursue other business interests, when the lines neared financial collapse at the beginning of the 20th century, Warner gained control again. With renewed energy and innovative ideas about expanding lines into the newest sections of the city, Warner perfected the system, selling it years later to the Chattanooga Railway and Light Company.

After helping found the Third National Bank, in 1889, Warner again led a group of investors including G. M. Lee, J. I. Divine, W. T. Green and others to form the Fourth National Bank, agreeing to serve as founding president. At almost the same time, he helped create the Tennessee Slate Corporation, located in Blount County, increasing his holdings in coal, iron and natural resources. He was obviously a man who could multi-task.

Warner shied away from practical politics, preferring to spend his time in the actual betterment of his community, according to a Chattanooga Daily News story from that era. And, while he would have preferred to lead from the sidelines, he would eventually be persuaded that his adopted city needed him and he stepped forward. As his closest friend and fellow Chattanoogan Captain A. J. Gahagan, USA recalled in his eulogy at Warners funeral, Major Warner possessed many rare and noble traits that were especially attractive he was a lovely character well versed in the history of his country, a great reader I never heard him use a word that would give offense modest and genteel deception had no place in his make-up. He went on to say, As a public-spirited citizen, he played his part well; he discharged his duties in a way that elicited approval of those he served.

Gahagan recalled their first meeting in an emotional moment. Major Warner and I came to Chattanooga in early 1866 he from the Confederate and I from the Union army. We soon formed a close and lasting friendship for more than fifty years, my estimate of his high character has strengthened. Major Warner, in my opinion, has typified a gentleman more than any man who has lived or died here in the last quarter of a century.

Dr. J. W. Bachman presided at Major Warners funeral with great feeling, recalling some of the incidents that had brought them together over the decades of service to Chattanooga. His pallbearers, who had also served alongside him as their city prospered and progressed as the dynamo of the South, were T. N. VanDyke, C. A. Noone, Filmore Gibson, Jo Anderson, James A. Cash, L. G. Walker, George McGee and George Fort Milton. Among the out-of-town family who attended the funeral were Percy Warner, Nashville, Bradden Barker, Atlanta and his sister, Mrs. B. M. Hord.

How had Warner gained his citys admiration as a Chattanooga Commissioner and a public servant?

Thats a story for next week as we examine the history of Olympia Park?

-----

Linda Moss Mines, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Historian, serves as Chairman of the Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors Commission.
Not so long ago, there was a pitch from a collection of school principals regarding the issue concerning students of illegal aliens. This collective was/is not in favor of declining the same education as citizens, and those whose parents are in the country legally. There are those outside their circle that support this: fair enough, as what are children who are here by way of the actions of their parents supposed to do?

However, for anyone keeping up with the outcomes of education not only within Hamilton County but the United States in general, this debate may simply be a zero-sum game. The strive for intelligence, the virtue of citizenship and knowing our history as a nation, including its ethos, along with the necessity of assimilation seem to be unimportant maxims. Thus, if the aforementioned collective cannot even do what they are paid to do, why add to their count of failings?

Meanwhile, there is another issue that not only has sunk its claws into the schools but the minds of our kids as well. That being, approved pornography in the school libraries and classrooms. Should any parent or concerned citizen be curious about this problem, the information is easy to come by.

As such, postulations from a collective claiming to have a moral authority correlated with the education of students, both legal and undocumented, need not be taken seriously. They have done enough harm to our own kidswhy compound the damage?

Joshua Card




Home News Belief in the afterlife is on the rise, even among religious nones

Belief in the afterlife is rising among Americans, notably even among those who identify as religious nones, or individuals with no formal religious affiliation. An analysis of recent data indicates a marked increase in belief in an afterlife among non-religious Americans, climbing from roughly 50% in the 1970s to around 60% today.

This finding emerges from an analysis by Ryan Burge, associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, who publishes articles and his analyses at "Graphs About Religion" on Substack.

Burge analyzed nearly five decades of data collected through the General Social Survey, conducted regularly since 1973. The survey posed a straightforward question: Do you believe there is a life after death? and respondents could answer simply yes or no. The stability and gradual rise of afterlife belief over the decades is notable, increasing modestly from 76% in 1973 to around 82% in 2022.

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Particularly striking is the growing belief among religiously unaffiliated individuals, a group commonly known as the nones.

In the early 1970s, the nones were evenly split on the afterlife question. However, their belief significantly increased, surpassing 60% by the year 2000, and it has remained consistently high since then.

The increase coincided with the demographic expansion of religiously unaffiliated Americans during the 1990s, largely driven by heightened political polarization, which resulted in many people who identified as spiritual but rejected formal religion, according to Burge.

Interestingly, the survey data reveals minimal correlation between education levels and belief in an afterlife.

Across various educational categories  from those without more than a high school diploma to individuals with postgraduate education  belief remains consistently strong, ranging between 79% and 81%.

Historical data further shows that education levels have had little influence over these beliefs since records began, with the belief gap across education categories rarely exceeding five percentage points.

Generational analysis provides additional insights into shifting beliefs about the afterlife.

Data grouped by five-year birth cohorts from the 1940s onward reveals nuanced trends. Those born between 1950 and 1959 saw significant increases in their belief in life after death as they aged, rising from roughly 70% in youth to about 80%-90% in recent years.

Conversely, individuals born in the 1960s experienced noticeable fluctuations without establishing a clear pattern. Among younger cohorts, including those born from the 1970s through the 1980s, belief remains relatively stable, with about 83% consistently affirming belief in an afterlife.

Gender and political affiliation also show distinct influences on afterlife beliefs. Statistical analysis indicates that men are more likely than women to reject the notion of life after death.

Political orientation similarly affects belief, with self-identified liberals being more skeptical compared to conservatives and moderates.

However, the single most significant predictor of disbelief remains religious affiliation, or the lack thereof.

Surprisingly, controlling for other variables such as income and race  which showed minimal statistical significance  higher education emerged as slightly predictive of increased belief in life after death. This finding counters common expectations, as education is typically associated with increased secularization or skepticism toward religious beliefs, Burge notes.

A separate study published in the peer-reviewed journal Socius found that growing numbers of Americans are moving away from organized religion in favor of individualized spiritual beliefs that often draw from multiple traditions.
Home News Man killed, pastor hospitalized in freak accident after leaving Bible study

A man was killed and a pastor critically injured when a tree crushed their vehicle in a freak accident after leaving Bible study in Toledo, Ohio.

Richard Miller, 35, died instantly at the scene, while Pastor Andrew Edwards III, who was driving, was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries.

The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Thursday when a tree and power lines fell onto the pastor's truck, WTOL11 reported.

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Pastor Edwards, from Northwest Baptist Church located on West Alexis Road, had just dropped off another churchgoer and was driving Miller home.

Toledo Fire and Rescue officials described the event as a freak accident involving the simultaneous collapse of a tree and power lines, according to WTVG.

Emergency responders pronounced Miller dead at the scene, while Edwards was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

According to a statement posted by Northwest Baptist Church, Edwards remains in critical care but is stable and responsive. Medical personnel reported that he suffered fractures to his clavicle, sternum and a vertebra in his back, and his condition is complicated by a minor brain bleed, which doctors continue to monitor.

The fallen tree also damaged two additional vehicles traveling nearby, though police confirmed that no one in those vehicles sustained injuries.

Northwest Baptist issued a statement on social media requesting prayers for Pastor Edwards recovery and comfort for the Miller family. The churchs Facebook post read: As hard as this is to believe and share, Bro Richard was taken home to be with the Lord. Pastor Edwards is in critical care  but he is stable and responsive and has movement in all extremities.

Councilman Melden was quoted as saying that the tree that fell originated from private property, and no prior complaints regarding the tree had been recorded in Toledos public reporting system, Engage Toledo.

Heritage Baptist Church in Toledo also acknowledged the accident on social media.

Officials continue investigating the precise circumstances surrounding the sudden collapse of the tree and associated power lines.

Miller was known among congregants for his active participation and warmth.

Northwest Baptist has urged financial help for the two families. All funds will be given to the family to help them with the expenses and any needs that they have during this time. Thank you to those who have already been so generous, the church wrote on Facebook.
Home News This week in Christian history: Samuel Ferguson elected bishop, UMC labels homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching

Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance.

Each week marks anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births, and notable deaths.

Some of the events, drawn from over 2,000 years of history, might be familiar, while others might be unknown to many.

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The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week in Christian history. They include Samuel Ferguson being elected bishop, Girolamo Savonarola becoming a friar, and the United Methodist Church labeling homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching.
Home Opinion Christ's resurrection brings hope

Some modern Americans claim to not fear death. On November 15 last year, boxer Mike Tyson told a 14-year-old girl interviewing him that he has no fear of what happens after he dies.

When he was asked about his legacy after his death, Tyson told her: It means absolutely nothing to me. I'm just passing through. I'm gonna die and it's gonna be over. Who cares about legacy after that?

So, death ends it all, and after that theres nothing more? Such a view, widely held by some today, contrasts greatly with a biblical worldview, the view that helped undergird much of the settling and founding of America.

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The oldest city in North America is St. Augustine, Florida, founded in 1565. About half a century before, it was discovered by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon.

He came to the shores of what is today Florida on Easter Sunday, 1513. In his native Spain, the cathedrals were filled with flowers to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. What the Spanish explorer saw were resplendent flowers in this new land. So, he called it the land of the flower  La Florida. The name stuck (without the La, of course).

Easter commemorates the time when Jesus Christ walked out of His own tomb. By His resurrection, He changed everything.

Even the day of the week He arose was changed. Sunday is the Lords Day. It is the day that hundreds of millions of people around the world worship Him in honor of His resurrection on that first Easter Sunday.

Even the Constitution talks about the length of days (Sundays excepted) congressional bills are under consideration to be signed by the president. Sundays excepted shows the founders honored the Lords Day, the Christian Sabbath.

Through the centuries, many Americans also honor Jesuss resurrection and His conquering death.

For example, one of the most visited houses in America is Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, the father of America.

He is buried on the grounds there, and behind the stone coffins that bear his and Marthas remains is a stone plaque that bears witness to Christ conquering the grave.

The plaque contains the Saviors words from John 11:25-26: I am the Resurrection and the Life, sayeth the Lord. He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

George Washington was a regular reader of the Bible (KJV) and the Book of Common Prayer (1662), which draws heavily from the KJV.

In 1755, the 23-year-old future president survived a military battle that was a massacre for the British and the American troops together by the French and some Indians, in the greater Pittsburgh area. This was during the French and Indian War.

Washington was the only officer to survive that battle, and apparently there was no chaplain on hand, so George Washington led the funeral service by torchlight for the slain British commander, General Edward Braddock.

The young Virginian used the Book of Common Prayer funeral service that night by torchlight.

The service begins with the declaration of Jesus written above, from John 11, now found behind Washingtons sarcophagus.

Here are some of the other Scripture-based prayers he read that fateful night: We meekly beseech thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness; that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general Resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee  Grant this, we beseech thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

The Christian view is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came into this world for the purpose of redeeming lost humanity. He was fully divine and fully human. He was the only person who ever lived that was sinless.

But on the cross on Good Friday, He became sin for fallen humanity. He was punished for our transgressions. Then He was buried and sealed in a stone-cold tomb with a contingent of Roman guards outside His grave. But on Easter Sunday, Jesus walked out of His tomb and changed all history in the process. It took many appearances to convince His disciples that He was really alive.

But they spread the message, despite great personal cost (including in many cases their own lives). This message of hope and the forgiveness it brings has now spread throughout the world, and it continues to spread. It is a message of hope for all who believe. It is relevant for all, including boxers, explorers, and presidents.
Home Opinion Resurrection deja vu: Skeptics cant beat the truth

It wasnt long ago that, every Easter and Christmas, an onslaught of articles and TV specials would appear in places like Time, National Geographic, The New York Times, Newsweek, CNN, and others, doubting the reliability of the Bible, the historicity of Christ, and the development of Christianity.



Among the claims made were that Jesus never existed, that the Gospels are later fabrications, and that the Resurrection accounts are knock-offs from pagan mythology. Thankfully, the sheer volume of such pieces declined much like the New Atheists.

However, a recent article in the New Yorker resurrected such claims. In Were Still Not Done with Jesus, Adam Gopnik reviewed a new book by Elaine Pagels about the life of Christ. The well-written piece covers much of the scholarship and literature surrounding the accounts of Jesus of Nazareth. On one hand, if one were unfamiliar with the academic terrain, its a nice survey. On the other hand, though Pagels ideas are presented as the latest in critical scholarship, theyre the same tired claims that have been trotted out since the 19th century, if not earlier. Even worse, the author fails to mention that the arguments against biblical accuracy and the historicity of Jesus have been repudiated time and again, by multiple generations of biblical scholars, investigative journalists, and even Lutheran pastors on YouTube.

One factor behind the recurring skepticism, according to Colson Center Senior Fellow Dr. Glenn Sunshine, is that conservative biblical scholars and theologians study what liberal academics produce, but liberal scholars are shockingly unfamiliar with anything that conservatives write. In the New Yorker piece, its assumed that the Gospels were written long after the fact, that whoever did write them were not eyewitnesses, and that Jesus and the disciples did not speak Greek. Though each of these points is easily contestable, the scholars who repeat them seem unable to take seriously any scholar who thinks the Scriptures should be taken seriously. Contrary claims are ignored, and many are unaware that counterarguments exist.

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For example, the idea that Jesus did not exist is absurd. Non-Christian historians of the first few centuries talked about him, and the records of His life are far better than nearly any other ancient figure. Even skeptical scholar Bart Ehrman has said, Of the thousands of early Christianity scholars who do teach at such schools, none of them, to my knowledge, has any doubts that Jesus existed.

Also, the assumption that the Gospels and the Book of Acts are works of fan fiction written much, much later are also unfounded. The priority of the teachings of Christ and the Apostles is far removed from the controversies of later centuries when skeptics claim they were written. Plus, the Gospels are filled with little details that only make sense if written in the first-century Middle East. And the many embarrassing details included about the apostles are unlikely if the intent was to establish the pedigree of an emerging powerful religion.

Finally, many of these skeptical pieces assume that resurrections do not happen. So those who made this one up borrowed from pagan myths to establish themselves among the faithful. But pagan myths arent about bodily resurrections attested to by witnesses, and no one refuted the apostles made up the resurrection lie better than Chuck Colson:

I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weret true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world  and they couldnt keep a lie for three weeks. Youre telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.

Also, unlike pagan myths, resurrection is central to Christianity, not some point of embellishment. As theologian N.T. Wright recently described:

Without Jesus being raised from the dead, there is no Christianity. I mean, St. Paul said, if Christ is not raised, your faith is futile. Youre wasting your time, because, it doesnt signify anything if Jesus is not raised from the dead. Then, hes just another failed first-century freedom fighter, of which there were many.

Unfortunately, the many former skeptics who carefully investigated Christianity, such as Lee Strobel, Josh McDowell, and J. Warner Wallace, are not typically consulted in these annual publications, but their many books and articles are widely available, as are a series of videos responding to these claims in the What Would You Say? series.



What Scripture reports turns out to be the literal Gospel truth. Truth is on our side.

Originally published at BreakPoint.
Home News Vandals spray-painted lewd images, anti-Christian message on church ahead of Easter Police investigating incident as 'hate crime'

Lewd images and obscene phrases were spray-painted onto the walls and gravestones of a church in northwest England on Good Friday, prompting police to investigate the incident as a hate crime. The targeted attack at St. James Church in Leyland, Lancashire County, occurred just days before Easter Sunday services.

The vandalism, discovered early Friday morning by the Rev. Marc Wolverson, involved sexually graphic graffiti and offensive statements, including explicit blasphemy, The Telegraph reported.

At least 40 gravestones in the churchyard were defaced, alongside the church building itself, according to the BBC. One of the graffiti messages explicitly stated, God is a lie.

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Lancashire Police told the media that the incident was being treated as a hate crime due to the offensive and targeted nature of the graffiti.

Detective Sergeant Lee Jamieson of South CID described the vandalism as a disgraceful act with a complete lack of respect toward the church and its parishioners.

Police are urging members of the community who might have information to contact authorities urgently.

The Rev. Wolverson insisted on proceeding with the Good Friday services. A wedding scheduled for Saturday also went ahead as planned.

The church attempted to conceal some of the graffiti temporarily by strategically placing conifer plants around the building.

Wolverson, who has served as a vicar for 28 years, expressed shock and sadness at the incident, describing it as the most distressing experience in his long tenure.

The vicar also mentioned previous minor incidents of vandalism at St. James Church, such as campfires or littering by intoxicated individuals, stating that nothing had previously reached the severity of this incident.

Paul Wharton-Hardman, deputy mayor for South Ribble Borough Council, condemned the vandalism on a Facebook post where he shared images of the damage.

He categorized the act as revolting, hate-filled graffiti, noting that the vandalism was a deliberate and calculated act of malice, intended to harm the community emotionally and spiritually.

Residents expressed solidarity and offered support to the church.

Wolverson said the church is a Grade II-listed building, requiring careful consultation with insurers and heritage experts regarding appropriate cleaning methods.

Anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe had reached 2,444 incidents in 2023, according to a report that compiled data from police and civil society sources across 35 European countries. The statistics included 232 personal attacks on Christians, ranging from harassment and threats to physical violence.

At least 1,230 anti-Christian hate crimes were allegedly committed by 10 of the European governments in 2023, an increase from 1,029 in 2022, said the report, titled Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe Report 2024, by OIDAC Europe, a watchdog organization.

These incidents took place in countries including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, which experienced some of the highest numbers of recorded incidents, according to the report.
Home News Travel: Italys Trento 5 centuries after the Counter-Reformation

Trento, or Trent in English, could be mistaken for somewhere in the Austrian or Swiss Alps.

Thats because this smallish Italian city within the shadow of Dolomite peaks was from 1027 until 1801 a prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire  a Germanic confederation that was, according to Voltaire, neither holy nor Roman nor an empire  until the temporal power of the bishopric was abolished during the Napoleonic Wars. Austria had possession of the region after Napoleons defeat until the Habsburg dynasty collapsed after World War I.

While firmly part of Italy for more than a century, influences from that rich and complicated past can be seen in the architecture and tasted in the food and wine. Trento also serves as a dividing line with Italys German-speaking minority dominating the population farther north of here.

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Readers of this column might know Trento for its pivotal role in a chapter of religious history: the Counter-Reformation Council of Trent.

Convened by the Roman Catholic Church, the council consisted of 25 sessions between 1545 and 1563. It was Romes response to Martin Luther and the other Reformers whose theology in the 16th century split the Western church and, over time, contributed to the rise of the current Protestant denominations.

One of the greatest legacies of the council was the standardization of the Latin liturgy. The Tridentine mass  its name is Latin for Trento  existed for the ensuing four centuries as the primary rite for Roman Catholic worship. That status only changed in the 1960s with the Second Vatican Council, when Rome somewhat ironically embraced the Protestant view that worship should be in the vernacular.

Beyond liturgy, the council also had an impact on the church of Rome in other key areas, including which books make up scriptural canon; the requirement that bishops reside in their diocese; mandating seminaries for the training of clergy, who Reformers had complained were poorly educated; and doctrine, sacraments and teaching, including the seven sacraments, transubstantiation and a rejection of justification by faith alone. In short, much of what defines and separates Roman Catholicism from other denominations or traditions was decided at Trent.

Its easy to retrace the steps of the cardinals, archbishops, bishops and the retinue accompanying the prelates as remarkably much of the city they would have known remains today.

Now as then, Trento is anchored by the landmark Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of St. Vigilius or, as Italians call it, the duomo. The dedication is to Vigilius, a bishop and the citys patron saint who was martyred by pagans in 405. The architecture is predominantly Romanesque.

The square (piazza) around the duomo and 39-foot-high Neptune Fountain is a popular all-day spot from cappuccinos in the morning (and never after!) to dinner with a glass or two of trentodoc, as the classic method sparkling wine from the surrounding appellation is called. Many of the buildings facing the piazza feature facades embellished by original Renaissance-era frescoes.

A short walk away is the Church of St. Mary Major (Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore). Depicted in paintings of the council, this is where some of the sessions took place. Entering through the Renaissance west facade, the interior though recognizable from depictions has changed. It was updated to baroque when fashions changed.

Tours can sometimes be hit-or-miss, but my walking tour from Barbara Gilli, an extremely knowledgeable guide with fluent English, helped me discover Trentos postcard-perfect streets. And without her, I wouldnt have known about Simon, the citys other saint.

Simon was venerated for centuries by the local faithful as a supposed martyr. As the story goes, the 20-month-old child went missing on Maundy Thursday in 1475, only to be found on Easter Sunday. Local Jews were accused of his murder  a blood libel, which was regretfully common in medieval Europe.

While Simons sainthood was repudiated by the Roman Catholic Church in 1965, you can still see where he lived and a couple of antisemitic depictions of the now-false martyrdom. Yes, this may be uncomfortable, but its important to remember the tragic mistakes of the past as antisemitism is once again on the rise.

Trento is also home to two excellent museums: the Tridentine Diocesan Museum, which, as its name suggests, is the archdiocesan museum, and Buonconsiglio Castle, where the prince-bishops lived from the 13th century onwards. Both have extensive collections of art, artifacts and other objects. Some of the items on exhibit in both collections had English translations.

If you go

I flew into Venices airport, where I rented a car from Hertz and drove nearly three hours along a scenic route that took me over hills, in tunnels and through quaint towns and villages in northern Italy. A route with tolls reduces the drive time to an hour-and-a-half. Alternatively, fly into Verona, depending on airfares, rental car rates and whether the itinerary includes other places within Italy or the broader Alps.

Book a room at the four-star Grand Hotel Trento, which has the charm of an old-school hotel and the amenities of a modern hotel, including a dedicated underground parking garage.

For restaurants, Scrigno del Duomo at the duomo piazza was my favorite. Its one of those places where the food and people watching compete against each other. Meanwhile, Osteria Il Cappello is both refined and approachable. Some tables have views of the kitchen. Another upscale option is the elegant dining room at the Grand Hotels Clesio Restaurant, which defies the bland stereotype of hotel restaurants everywhere.

Trentodoc is an entirely made-up word to market sparkling wine from Trento DOC. Apparently, Trento sparkling wine doesnt roll off the tongue in the same way as cava, champagne and prosecco. Currently, there are 69 producers in the appellation, according to the Trento DOC Institute. Ferrari, the biggest and most acclaimed producer, has a tasting room a short distance from Trentos historical city center. It also owns Villa Margon, a 16th century stately home renowned for its Renaissance-era frescoes.

Trentos tourism office has full trip-planning resources. Guided tours can be booked directly with the Association of Tourist Guides and Escorts of Trentino or through the tourism office.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christ
Lana Montalban bangs on a pot during a protest against the Trump administration, Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Miami. Protesters also gathered Saturday in Cleveland, Akron and Columbus as part of nationwide demonstrations. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) AP

Hundreds of Northeast Ohio protesters joined those across the country on Saturday to demonstrate against President Donald Trumps policies, according to WKYC.

In Cleveland, protesters gathered at Public Square at a demonstration organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. They carried signs and chanted.

We are marching, rallying against all the different policies coming out of the Trump administration, Saber Rattling, with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, told WKYC. That includes attacks against immigrants and people in Gaza.

The protests on Saturday were the latest in a series of demonstrations since Trump was sworn in for a second term as president. He has signed dozens of orders, including those targeting immigrants, dismantling the Department of Education and instituting tariffs that have spurred market chaos.

On Saturday, protesters gathered in Akron and Columbus as well as sites across the country. Demonstrations included marches through midtown Manhattan and a rally outside the White House, according to the Associated Press. While some were traditional protests, others organized food drives and other volunteer efforts.

Earlier this month, protesters rallied in Market Square Park and other sites throughout Northeast Ohio in the Hands Off! demonstrations, carrying signs that included America is not for sale and The White House is not a Tesla Dealership.

The causes those demonstrations have supported vary widely, but they generally unify around Trumps policies.

At the Womens Day march and a Presidents Day protest at West Side Market, attendees demonstrated about preserving abortion rights and jeered billionaire Elon Musk, head of Trumps controversial government efficiency initiative.

While some gatherings have drawn thousands, others have been smaller. Regular demonstrations outside the downtown Cleveland office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno -- a Westlake Republican and avid Trump supporter -- usually attract a few dozen people.
American generosity through the relief of Belgium during Easter in 1915 saved many lives and helped establish our humanitarian tradition. (Advance Local illustration by JoAnne Coughlin Walsh / Hoover Institute Archive) Advance Local illustration by JoAnne Coughlin Walsh / Hoover Institute Archive

Before Easter in 1915, there were distressing reports reaching America about the suffering in Belgium. World War I had started in Europe, and Belgium was under siege from the combatants  and from the inevitable hunger that always comes with fighting. Hunger was so extreme that Belgian mothers go groping through rubbish heaps in search of empty condensed milk cans in hope that some few traces of the contents may remain, Belgium relief director Lulie Henning said, as quoted in the Louisville Courier-Journal.

So, for that Easter in 1915, Americans were less interested in chocolate candy and egg rolls and instead wanted to send food to rescue Belgiums starving children.

The Easter Argosy ship project was started to collect donations to feed Belgium. The ship would also carry Easter greetings from Americas children to kids in Belgium, including the 7-year-old Princess Marie-Jose, who would spend much of World War I in England. A Plain Dealer article read, And so this is the little lady through whom is given the chance for our American children to send their affectionate and generous Argosy gifts to the children of brave Belgium.

Mrs. Jeanette Lee, a history professor at Smith College, wrote, If peace on earth is to come, it must begin in the hearts of children, going out to each other in kindness and understanding and good will.The Easter Argosy ship brought food and hope to Belgium, including precious milk for Belgian babies. American generosity through the relief of Belgium saved many lives and helped establish our humanitarian tradition.But this Easter, we sadly are seeing the diminishing of American aid with the closing of the U.S. Agency of International Development and decreased funding for global hunger relief. Charities are struggling more than ever because of all the funding cuts and chaotic shutdown of foreign aid systems.

That is not what America is about. America has always been the country that responds to the cries of hunger from abroad.

This Easter offers Americans an opportunity to reconnect spiritually with who we are and what we represent. We need to recapture the spirit of the Easter Argosy ship so we can save children from starvation in war-torn countries and regions today, like Sudan, Congo, Gaza, Haiti, Yemen, Syria and so many others that need our help.

Funding is extremely low right now for relief in these countries. The World Food Program and partners cannot keep up with the many hunger emergencies.

The WFP is experiencing a steep decline in funding across its major donors. The severity of these cuts, combined with record levels of people in need, have led to an unprecedented crisis for tens of millions across the globe reliant on food aid, WFP warned in a recent press release.

Around 58 million people could lose life-saving assistance if funding is not provided. The World Food Program USA started an emergency fundraiser in response, to gain public support. The nonprofit Edesia is also holding a fundraiser so it can continue to produce life-saving Plumpynut for severely malnourished children.

William Lambers is a Cincinnati author who writes frequently on world hunger.

At Easter, everyone can remind their elected officials about Americas humanitarian tradition. We should be increasing funding for global food aid to keep up with the hunger crisis. Food aid is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to armaments and other big expenditures. We should be able to do more against hunger.This Easter, we need the spirit of the Argosy ship to remind us that we can save lives and change the world through kindness and generosity.

William Lambers is a Cincinnati author who writes frequently on food-aid needs for at-risk children in conflict zones. In 2009, he partnered with the U.N. World Food Program on the book, Ending World Hunger: School Lunches for Kids around the World.

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White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, left, speaks with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as President Donald Trump meets with France's President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. The breach of military secrecy in discussing a planned Yemen attack in a group chat on a nonapproved messaging APP has put U.S. intelligence and military personnel at risk, guest columnist Dave Lange, a Vietnam veteran and member of Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, writes today. (Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP) AP

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- As a military veteran whose very life depended on confidentiality regarding classified missions in Vietnam 56 years ago, its hard to fathom the trumped-up denials following last months reckless discussion of American military strikes on Yemen.

If anyone had revealed the destinations, the timing and the provisions of our three-man team back then, there would have been serious consequences, potentially demotion, discharge or even imprisonment.

My fellow veterans should know better. Among them, however, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard are also guilty in this breach of national security.

Waltz, a former U.S. Army Green Beret who was deployed to the Iraq War, has become the center of the controversy due to his incomprehensible inclusion of a journalist in what should have been a highly secret meeting. It is due to Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldbergs inclusion in the Signal chat group, however, that American citizens now know about the Trump administrations national-security ineptitude and disregard for the lives of those engaged in our military and intelligence missions.

Waltzs text via the unsecure messaging app about the location of a targeted Houthi missile coordinator as he was walking into his girlfriends building in Yemen may have exposed the source of that critical intelligence.

Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran, should have become cognizant of military secrecy during his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet he used the Signal app to detail the timing, targets and methods of this military operation against Houthi militants. He endangered American pilots and crews, including those on an aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, where shipping has been under Houthi attacks.

Vance, a former Marine Corps military journalist, and Gabbard, who served with the Army National Guard, both spent time in Iraq, where they should have learned about the importance of proper handling of classified information. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent also were among the 19 participants in this irresponsible chat.

It must be pointed out that it was the later fabrications elicited by the likes of Hegseth and Waltz and the attacks on Goldberg that prompted the Atlantic to expose the full transcript that revealed the extent of these officials actual disregard for national security.

Hegseth claimed that his statements regarding the timing and targets of warplanes and drones were not war plans. He denied that they amounted to classified information and said, We will continue to do our job, while the media does what it does best: peddle hoaxes. In his words, truths are hoaxes.

Waltz took responsibility for including Goldberg in the Signal chat but denied personally knowing him. I know him by his horrible reputation, he said. And I know him in the sense that he hates the president .

Testifying before the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, Gabbard inaccurately claimed that, there were no sources, methods, locations or war plans that were shared.

But the ultimate responsibility lies with the commander in chief. That happens to be President Donald J. Trump.

Dave Lange, a retired editor who holds a masters degree in political science, is a member of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame and author of the memoir Virginity Lost in Vietnam. He writes from Lakewood. Tony Lange

Its the commander in chief who should be in charge of classified meetings in advance of significant military actions. Its the commander in chief who should be sure that his appointments to such positions as directors of defense, national intelligence and the CIA and national security adviser are qualified, experienced and competent.

Then again, when questioned nine days after the fiasco, Trump responded to reporters, Youre telling me about this for the first time. Having to do with what? What were they talking about?

Dave Lange, a retired editor and Vietnam veteran, is a member of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

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Many U.S. companies have expressed concern, or even anger, about the wide-ranging tariffs recently announced by President Donald Trump, which economists say threaten to increase their companies' costs and result in higher prices for consumers.

The tariffs, and the back-and-forth nature of their rollout, has spurred "panic-buying" of a wide range of products that could face price surges in the coming months, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday that cited U.S. Commerce Department data.

The CEO of Back Market, an online marketplace for used and refurbished tech devices, says he's witnessed the sales jump firsthand. Back Market saw its sales triple over a single week in the wake of Trump's tariffs announcements, says Thibaud Hug de Larauze.

"Maybe some people rushed into [replacing their smartphones or computers] earlier, because they were afraid it's going to cost so much more weeks from now," Hug de Larauze, who also co-founded the company, says.

Most smartphones and computers are manufactured in China, which currently faces a 145% total tariff rate on goods imported to the United States. Trump issued a temporary exemption for those products on April 11, but subsequently announced plans to introduce specific tariffs targeting electronics that could take effect as soon as May.

Hug de Larauze's takeaway from Back Market's boom week: More Americans could start opting for used or refurbished devices, if Trump's tariffs raise prices on new electronics for the foreseeable future. "This is a big opportunity to change the way American people consume this stuff, because the incentive has never been as high to avoid those tariffs," he says.

Some analysts agree with Hug de Larauze's observation. Prolonged tariffs could cause a "huge uptick" in short-term sales of used and refurbished devices, especially smartphones, says Dan Ives, Wedbush Securities global head of technology research.

Companies like Apple might need to increase their prices by hundreds of dollars per product  if not more  depending on the eventual electronics-specific tariffs, other analysts estimate.

Currently, enough Americans prioritize replacing their devices with brand-new ones that Back Market only sells about one-third of its stock in the U.S., says Hug de Larauze.

That ratio could flip once tariffs are implemented, he says: "What I'm expecting with the tariffs is that this is going to change [to] two-thirds being sold to U.S. customers, because there's incentives, definitely, to save money when you already need a product."

Of course, the timeline is unpredictable. Trump's impending electronics tariffs could last for days, weeks or months  or never take effect at all.

Long-term, Ives suspects that the typical American consumer might settle for a used or refurbished device for now, but return to buying new tech once their wallets allow it.

"We believe 80% to 90% of consumers like buying a new smartphone [and] buying behavior is hard to change," Ives says.

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Bernstein is looking at Chinese internet tech stocks like it's the downtrodden days of Covid-19. "For all the justified consternation around geopolitics and trade headwinds, we think the mantra of 'fade sentiment extremes' still applies," Bernstein China internet analyst Robin Zhu and a team said in an April 14 report. "Several of the other conditions that marked prior bottoms in the China internet sector now apply again," they said, pointing out that valuation multiples have mostly fallen back to the lows seen in the 2021 to 2023 period. Tighter government regulation on Chinese internet businesses and the Shanghai lockdown in 2022 had weighed heavily on investor sentiment. But as Beijing ramped up its stimulus announcements in recent months and signaled more private sector support  especially with the advent of DeepSeek's artificial intelligence breakthrough  Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index broke a four-year losing streak in 2024 and kicked off 2025 with a strong start. "Looking across global markets, we can't help but feel the rate of regulatory change Stateside feels mildly reminiscent of China in 2021," the Bernstein analysts said, noting China's current policy stance now appears more predictable in contrast. "Within our [China internet] coverage, video gaming feels like the sector most insulated from trade and macro headwinds, while digital ads might even be benefitting from merchants pivoting to selling domestically," the Bernstein report said, highlighting two sweet spots for social media and gaming giant Tencent . U.S.-China trade tensions escalated into an essential standoff over the last two weeks, while uncertainty has grown over whether major Chinese companies will need to delist from U.S. exchanges. The Hang Seng curtailed its earlier 2025 gains and is up nearly 7% this year as of Thursday's close. The market was closed Friday for a holiday. Tencent, the largest Hong Kong-listed company by market cap, remains Bernstein's top pick in the China Internet sector. The tech company trades at 13.5 times estimated 2026 earnings, which the analysts pointed out is not far from the bottom of a recent range, before investors started buying the stock on expectations it can benefit from generative AI. The firm rates Tencent overweight with a 640 Hong Kong dollar price target  for expected upside of nearly 40% from Thursday's close. Bernstein also rates Chinese gaming company NetEase overweight, with a $125 price target, or nearly 27% upside from Thursday's close. The stock is listed in both the U.S. and Hong Kong. China approved 362 new games in the first quarter, almost recovering to 2020 levels, Bernstein analysis showed. Beijing had temporarily halted new game approvals in the interim while trying to restrict minors from playing games for too many hours each week. Major Chinese companies' digital ads revenue has been growing by at least 10% year on year in recent quarters, the Bernstein analysts said. For Tencent in particular, they expect the company can benefit from Chinese merchants needing to compete more in the domestic market due to high U.S. tariffs. "Our channel checks with advertisers have pointed to improvements in AI and ad tech driving clear upside in ad [return on investment] across Tencent's properties," the Bernstein analysts said, pointing to the Chinese company's Miaosi ad creation platform and increased ads on short videos hosted within Tencent's ubiquitous WeChat social media and messaging app. Part of the Chinese government's efforts to support local exporters is to assist them with selling products once destined for the U.S. to Chinese market instead. China reported first-quarter gross domestic product growth last week of 5.4% , above expectations. Economists meanwhile have started cutting targets  with UBS down to a forecast of just 3.4% for the year, versus China's official target of around 5%. "While pressure from US-China trade issues poses clear risks for the Chinese economy, the 100-200bps of top-down slowdown most analysis we've read do not point to some kind of economic apocalypse," the Bernstein analysts said. "On the local services front, Meituan's forward guidance remained robust, pointing to mid-20% [gross transaction value] growth (higher than Q4 levels), and slightly lower growth in revenues," the Bernstein analysts said of the food-delivery giant, which is listed in Hong Kong. The firm rates the stock overweight and has a price target of 200 HKD, or 46.5% upside from Thursday's close. Bernstein also has overweight ratings on Alibaba and JD.com , which have shares listed in both the U.S. and Hong Kong. Their only China internet stock pick that doesn't have a Hong Kong listing yet is Temu's parent PDD. Chinese companies listed in the U.S. have started offering shares in Hong Kong in the last several years as worries increased about a potential forced delisting from New York exchanges. The concerns picked up again after the White House in late February said it would review U.S. investments in Chinese companies. And when asked by Fox Business on April 9 about a potential delisting, U.S. Treasury Scott Bessent said, " Everything's on the table ." The Bernstein analysts pointed out that investors have recently preferred Hong Kong stocks that are also accessible from mainland China via the "Southbound" stock connect, and avoided U.S.-listed Chinese companies that may find it difficult to list in Hong Kong. They expect PDD may already be seeking a deal of some kind to mitigate the business impact of any increased U.S. restrictions.  CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
Traffic moves along midtown Manhattan on February 19, 2025 in New York City. Earlier in the day, the Trump administration terminated approval of New York City congestion pricing.

New York City's $9 congestion toll on drivers in Manhattan's busiest areas will remain in effect, despite the federal government's Sunday deadline to scrap the program.

In a statement on the deadline, a spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said, "The program is working. Traffic is down, business is up and the cameras are staying on."

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday said it expected New York to comply with the Sunday deadline to "terminate this program," in a statement to NBC New York.

"USDOT will continue to fight for working class Americans whose tax dollars have already funded and paid for these roads," the department said.

But MTA officials told NBC New York it was unlikely anything would change Sunday, given the fact that a federal judge has so far sided with New York that the toll is legal, and court filings suggest it will likely take until the Fall for the case to be fully resolved.

Plus, both Hochul and the MTA have said that unless directed otherwise by a court, the cameras, and therefore the tolls, will stay on.

The plan has already faced a number of deadlines from the federal government, followed by just as many pushbacks.

Congestion pricing went into effect on Jan. 5, and has goals to lessen traffic in the overcrowded city and pump funds into the ailing subway system.

The plan charges most cars entering Manhattan's central business district  which stretches from 60th Street all the way down to the southern tip of the Financial District  a peak fee of $9 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

The Trump administration sought to kill the program on Feb. 19, with the president declaring himself "king" in a social media post that celebrated the potential end of congestion pricing.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a letter to Hochul, said that the federal government has jurisdiction over highways leading to Manhattan, making the newly imposed toll an unfair burden for drivers outside of New York City.

Hochul fought back, declaring: "The cameras are staying on."

The next week, the Trump administration gave New York until March 21 to end congestion pricing. On March 20, Duffy pushed back the deadline another 30 days, according to the Associated Press.

The USDOT on April 8 said it was not backing down on Sunday's deadline. It remains to be seen whether congestion pricing will be stopped by the Trump administration.
(L-R) US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025.

The Trump administration could soon roll out sweeping changes to the U.S. State Department, according to a draft executive order obtained by CNBC that lays out what it calls a "disciplined reorganization" of the nation's diplomatic service.

The 16-page draft order, which is not dated but appears to be prepared for President Donald Trump's signature, would dramatically upend the department if it is enacted  shuttering American embassies across Southern Africa and eliminating bureaus that work on issues like democracy and human rights, as well as international organizations like the United Nations.

The order also details an overhaul to the process for selecting and training U.S. diplomats.

According to the order, the changes are intended to "streamline mission delivery, project American strength abroad, cut waste, fraud, abuse and align the Department with an American First Strategic Doctrine reflecting the priorities of the Executive Branch."

The draft executive order proposes the elimination of all "non-essential embassies and consulates in Sub-Saharan Africa" and the consolidation of regional bureaus around the world.

Current regional bureaus, per the order, would be consolidated under four "regional corps":

Eurasia, including Europe, Russia and Central Asia;

Mid-East, including Arab nations, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan;

Latin America, including Central America, South America and the Caribbean; and

Indo-Pacific, including East and Southeast Asia, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

America's diplomatic presence in Canada would be drastically cut under the order. Going forward, State Department operations in Canada would "fall under a significantly reduced team delegated as the North American Affairs Office" within Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office.

The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the draft order.

The New York Times first reported on the document. Rubio, in response to the article, wrote on X: "This is fake news."

The draft order also calls for the termination of offices and positions within the department focused on climate, women's issues, democracy, human rights, migration and criminal justice.

In addition to the consolidation of embassies and consulates, the order would make fundamental changes to the hiring practices at the department.

The longstanding Foreign Service Officer Test would be scrapped in favor of an evaluation based in part on whether candidates show "alignment with the president's foreign policy vision."

The draft order says that the "full structural reorganization and transition" should be completed by Oct. 1.

It also says that any current foreign services officers or civil service personnel who do not want to take part in the new regional organization structure or "serve the interests of the administration may elect to voluntarily separate from the department through a one-time buyout and transition program" until Sept. 30.
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are considering investing in a massive natural gas project in Alaska in an attempt to reach trade deals that would both satisfy demands from President Donald Trump and avoid high U.S. tariffs on their exports.

Alaska has long sought to build an 800-mile pipeline crossing the state from the North Slope in the Arctic Circle to the Cook Inlet in the south, where gas would be cooled into liquid for export to Asia. The project, with a staggering price tag topping $40 billion, has been stuck on the drawing board for years.

Alaska LNG, as the project is known, is showing new signs of life  with Trump touting the project as a national priority. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said earlier this month that the liquified natural gas (LNG) project could play an important role in trade negotiations with South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

"We are thinking about a big LNG project in Alaska that South Korea, Japan [and] Taiwan are interested in financing and taking a substantial portion of the offtake," Bessent told reporters on April 9, saying such an agreement would help meet Trump's goal of reducing the U.S. trade deficit.

Taiwan's state oil and gas company CPC Corp. signed a letter of intent in March to purchase six million metric tons of gas from Alaska LNG, said Brendan Duval, CEO and founder of Glenfarne Group, the project's lead developer.

"You can imagine the geopolitical enhancements whether it's for tariff or military reasons  Taiwan is really, really focused on getting that signed up," Duval told CNBC in an interview. CPC has also offered to invest directly in Alaska LNG and supply equipment, Duval said.

March trade mission

Duval and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy traveled to South Korea and Japan on a trade mission in March, meeting with high-ranking officials in government and industry. Japanese and South Korean companies have asked whether their development banks can help finance Alaska LNG, Duval said.

"Lately, there has been quite a lot of inquiries from India, so there's a fourth horse that's entered the race," Duval said. Thailand and other Asian countries have also shown interest, he said.

The Alaska LNG project has three major pieces: The pipeline, a gas processing plant on the North Slope and a plant to liquify the gas for export at Nikiski, Alaska. These facilities are estimated to cost roughly $12 billion, $10 billion, and $20 billion respectively, Dunleavy said at an energy conference in Houston in March.

The permits for Alaska LNG are already in place, the CEO said. Glenfarne expects to reach a final investment decision in the next six to 12 months on the first phase of the project, a pipeline from the North Slope to Anchorage that will supply gas for domestic consumption in Alaska, Duval said.

Construction on the LNG plant is expected to begin in late 2026, the CEO said. The goal is to complete construction on the entire Alaska LNG project in four and a half years with full commercial operations starting in 2031, he said.

Alaska LNG plans to produce 20 million metric tons of LNG per year, equal to about 23% of the 87 million tons of LNG that the U.S. exported last year, according to data from Kpler, a commodity researcher.

Unleashing Alaskan resources

Alaska plays a central role in Trump's goal to boost production and exports of U.S. oil and gas, part of the White House's agenda for U.S. "energy dominance." The president issued an executive order on his first day in office seeking to tap Alaska's "extraordinary resource potential," prioritizing the development of LNG in the state.

"We'll have that framed on our walls in Alaska for decades," Gov. Dunleavy said at the Houston conference last month, referring to the executive order.

Once a net importer, the U.S. has rapidly become the largest exporter of LNG in the world, playing an increasingly vital role in fueling power plants in Asia and Europe for allies with limited domestic energy resources. Japan and South Korea, for example, each took about 8% of U.S. LNG exports last year, according to Kpler data.

The Trump administration views Alaska LNG as "an important strategic project," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at the Houston energy conference. LNG exports from Alaska would reach Japan in about eight days rather than having to pass through the congested Panama Canal from terminals on the Gulf Coast, Dunleavy said at the same conference.

"They can have the opportunity to get delivered to them the most efficient LNG from an allied partner," while avoiding chokepoints, Duval said. "This is the only LNG the U.S. can supply that has a direct route, and they are very cognizant about that in today's environment."

North Pacific talks

Trump told reporters during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in February that the two countries were discussing the pipeline and the possibility of a joint venture to exploit Alaska oil and gas. Trump said he discussed the "large scale purchase of U.S. LNG" in an April 8 phone call with South Korea's acting President Han Duck-Soo, and Korea's participation in a "joint venture in an Alaska pipeline."

Japan wants to maintain its security agreement with the U.S. against a rising China and avoid tariffs, officials at the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority told the Alaska Senate finance committee during a February presentation. "We are now in a completely 'transactional' trade world," the executives said. Tokyo must invest more in the U.S., buy more LNG and enter a joint venture linked to Alaska oil and gas, they said.

The project would likely be a structured as a loose joint venture, with Asian partners signing contracts for large volumes of LNG, Duval said, and won't necessarily translate into Japan, Taiwan and South Korea holding direct equity stakes in Alaska LNG, though Glenfarne is open to the possibility, he said.

Glenfarne's goal is to be the long-term owner and operator of Alaska LNG with partners, Duval said. Glenfarne is a privately-held developer, owner and operator of energy infrastructure based in New York City and Houston. The company assumed a 75% stake in Alaska LNG from the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation in March, with AGDC keeping 25%.

Roadblocks and commercial viability

The Trump administration is clearly pressuring Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to invest in Alaska LNG, said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy and former energy advisor to President George W. Bush. Although Japan wants to both placate Trump and diversify its LNG supplies, Tokyo may yet hesitate to invest in Alaska LNG due to the project's cost, complexity and risk, McNally said.

Another roadblock is that Democrats could return to power in 2028 and try to stop the project from advancing, citing environmental effects, McNally said. President Joe Biden, after all, paused permits for new LNG exports to countries including Japan that don't have free trade agreements with the U.S. But Trump reversed Biden's suspension as part of a torrent of executive orders tied to energy on his first day in office in January.

In addition to political risk, Alaska LNG "doesn't have a clear cut commercial logic," said Alex Munton, head of global gas and LNG research at Rapidan. "If it did, it would have had a lot more support than it has thus far, and this project has been on the planning board for literally decades," Munton said. There are more attractive, existing LNG options for Asian customers on the Gulf Coast, he said.

The project is expensive even by the standards of an LNG industry that builds some of the costliest infrastructure in the energy sector, Munton said. The price tag of more than $40 billion likely needs to be revised upwards given that it is two years old, the analyst said.

"You have to assume that the costs are going to be much higher than the publicly quoted figures," Munton said. Alaska LNG will likely need "public policy or a public commitment of funds to bring it to life," the analyst said.

Duval said Alaska LNG will be competitive with no government subsidy. "It is a naturally competitive source of LNG, independent of the geopolitical benefits, independent of the tariff discussions," he said.

"We have the support of the president of the United States," Dunleavy said in Houston. "We have Asian allies that need gas. Geopolitical alliances are changing. Tariff questions are coming up. When we really look at it in that context, it's a very viable project."
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) speaks to the media during a visit to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia in San Salvador, El Salvador, April 16, 2025.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Sunday that his trip to El Salvador to meet with Kilmar Abrego Garcia was about "defending the rights of this man to due process," and not about "defending the man."

"The Trump administration has admitted in court that he was wrongfully detained and wrongfully deported," the Maryland senator said on ABC News' "This Week."

"My mission and my purpose is to make sure that we uphold the rule of law, because if we take it away from him, we do jeopardize it for everybody else," he added.

Van Hollen also warned on CNN's "State of the Union," that denying "the constitutional rights of this one man, ... threatens the constitutional rights of everybody in America."

On NBC's "Meet the Press," the senator said the Trump administration is "flouting the courts as we speak."

When asked whether the U.S. is in a constitutional crisis, the Maryland senator said: "Yes, we are."

Van Hollen's Sunday show media blitz comes after he traveled to El Salvador this week to meet with Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported from Maryland.

In recounting his meeting with Abrego Garcia, Van Hollen described him as having "experienced trauma" from his imprisonment.

"He told me about the trauma he had been experiencing, both in terms of the abduction and the fact that he was originally sent to CECOT, which is this notorious prison," Van Hollen said on "This Week."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honoring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks overnight after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce in Ukraine.

"As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

Despite Putin's declaration of an Easter ceasefire on Saturday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units across various areas along the front line, as well as "dozens" of drone strikes.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraine's offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting Sunday midnight.

He said the proposal "remains on the table" and that "we will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground."

Late on Saturday, Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson said Ukrainian forces continued their attacks.

"Ukrainian troops continue to strike peaceful cities in the Kherson region, violating the Easter truce," Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo wrote on his Telegram channel.

Just hours after the Russian president announced the ceasefire, he attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Putin announced the temporary ceasefire, citing humanitarian reasons. According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday to midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.

Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

His ceasefire announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are "coming to a head" and insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.
The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police has submitted a request to the Interpol seeking a red notice against 12 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, according to a media report.Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 last year, when she fled Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that toppled her Awami Leagues (AL) 16-year regime.The NCB processes such requests based on appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies, The Daily Star said, quoting Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media).Confirming the development, Sagor said at the Police Headquarters: These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings.A red notice is used by Interpol to help locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or similar legal action. Interpol assists in tracking the whereabouts of fugitives living abroad, and once confirmed, the information is shared with relevant authorities, the newspaper said.Weeks after Muhammad Yunus took over as the Chief Adviser of the Interim government on August 8, Bangladeshs International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for crimes against humanity and genocide.In November last year, the Chief Prosecutors Office of the ICT formally asked the Police Headquarters to seek Interpols help in arresting Hasina and others identified as fugitives.On January 21, Bangladeshs interim government said it will continue its efforts to bring deposed Hasina back from India and will seek international intervention if necessary.
I was once a member of the Labour Party  but not any more. I left in 2021, the day that David Lammy dismissed womens rights campaigners like me as dinosaurs... hoarding their rights. For good measure, he claimed that men can grow a cervix.

I could see then that, on the issue of trans rights, my party had lost the plot. It had veered so wildly from what I felt was right  and frankly what the vast majority of the public feels is right  that I could no longer support it.

The Supreme Court ruling should have been a wake-up call for Labour but the party has shown itself to be hopelessly out of touch once again.

The silence from the PM on such a socially transformative ruling is tin-eared enough. But now the likes of Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle are plotting to thwart the judgment in a cowardly WhatsApp group of Labour MPs.

Comments like hers that some public bodies are overreacting to the ruling are dangerous, particularly for organisations having to implement the courts findings.

Has the British Transport Police, in announcing it would amend its strip-search guidelines, overreacted? Of course not, and to say so is deliberately misleading, but it shows how deep the rot has set in.

On and on this WhatsApp group goes, its members burying their heads deeper and deeper in the sand. The Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Baroness Falkner, is branded appalling after she welcomed the rulings clarity in a radio interview.

I left in 2021, the day that David Lammy dismissed womens rights campaigners like me as dinosaurs... hoarding their rights, writes Professor Jo Phoenix

The Supreme Court ruling should have been a wake-up call for Labour but the party has shown itself to be hopelessly out of touch once again.

Now the likes of Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle (pictured) are plotting to thwart the judgment in a cowardly WhatsApp group of Labour MPs

Are these politicians saying that they are going to ignore what the law says? You either act according to the law or you break the law.

Even after the ruling, Health Minister Karin Smyth struggled to answer when asked whether trans women should be able to use female-only changing rooms.

Womens Minister Bridget Phillipson may have said that the ruling brings clarity and confidence, but her disingenuous comment that Labour has always supported the protection of single-sex spaces based on biological sex is nothing short of gaslighting.

Labour peer Harriet Harman, herself one of the architects of the Equality Act, high-handedly declared the verdict correctly interprets current legislation  as if to say that the ruling was what Labour had always meant.

This is the party that pledged at the election to halve violence against women, but how  if it cannot still define what a woman is?

Its insulting to those, like me, who have spent years caught up in this Kafkaesque debate  and suffered for it. As an academic accused of transphobia and hounded out of my job with the Open University, I have suffered death threats and online harassment.

Last year, I successfully sued my former employers but not before Id been driven to breaking point.

The Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Baroness Falkner (pictured), is branded appalling after she welcomed the rulings clarity in a radio interview.

Even after the ruling, Health Minister Karin Smyth (pictured) struggled to answer when asked whether trans women should be able to use female-only changing rooms

Womens Minister Bridget Phillipson may have said that the ruling brings clarity and confidence, but her disingenuous comment that Labour has always supported the protection of single-sex spaces based on biological sex is nothing short of gaslighting

So to be in the public gallery at the Supreme Court last week was utterly electrifying.

The ruling was simple: that women are a category of people who deserve respect and dignity, and trans people are a category who deserve respect and dignity. But Labour didnt get the memo.

One day, if and when the party gets itself out of this mess, I may rejoin. But, by failing to keep up with the law, they are the ones in danger of being branded dinosaurs.

Jo Phoenix is a professor of criminology and co-founder of Open Universitys Gender Critical Research Network.
Like millions of Britons of a certain age, my childhood was made more joyous by Johnny Morris, the presenter of the TV programme Animal Magic.

A farm manager with an extraordinary gift for storytelling and mimicry, Morriss talent was spotted by a BBC producer (in a pub, apparently). And in 1962, the corporation found the perfect formula, in which Morris played the role of a keeper in Bristol Zoo who vocalised what the animals were saying, while brilliantly making the words synchronise with the filmed facial movements of the creatures.

It was all glorious nonsense, though it somehow seemed completely real to me, as it must have done to countless other children of the era.

But after 21 years, the BBC dropped the series, in part because this sort of anthropomorphism became frowned upon, as, indeed, did the idea of animals in captivity. In a sense, David Attenborough replaced Johnny Morris.

I have been thinking about this part of my childhood because last week Google DeepMind announced that it was putting its phenomenal computing power and AI programmes behind a project  DolphinGemma  to enable humans to understand and even share the language of those marine mammals, with their signature whistles, squawks and buzzes.

Google DeepMind says it will decode these patterns in order to establish a shared vocabulary with the dolphins for interactive communication.

The founder of DeepMind, Sir Demis Hassabis  born and bred in London  tweeted: In the future soon, we will be able to communicate with many intelligent animal species . . . cant wait to better understand what my dog is saying!

I know Demis quite well and have learned that when he puts his resources behind something, it has astonishing results. For example, when in 2020 his AI team created AlphaFold, which cracked the fiendishly difficult problem of predicting how proteins would fold into 3D shapes, I emailed him to suggest this might one day win a Nobel Prize. Last year, Demis was, indeed, awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (and that richly deserved knighthood).

Johnny Morris, the presenter of the TV programme Animal Magic, could talk to the animals to the joy of countless children in the 1960s

DeepMind, founded by Sir Demis Hassabis, announced it is putting its AI programmes behind a project called DolphinGemma to enable humans to understand the marine mammals

An uncomprehending machine will be able to talk dolphinese to dolphins, and the dolphins will be able to talk back

All the same, I also appreciated the humour of the person who responded to Demiss tweet, with a cartoon from Gary Larson (creator of The Far Side).

This showed a white-coated boffin with a weird device over his head and ears and the explanatory words: Donning his new canine decoder Professor Schwartzmann becomes the first human being on Earth to hear what barking dogs are actually saying.

All the voice bubbles from every single barking dog, across the neighbourhood, are saying the same single word: Hi! At least Hi is a word we can all understand. But philosophers have a more fundamental issue with the idea of establishing a common language with animals.

This was put in characteristically gnomic form by the Austrian-born British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein in his posthumously published work Philosophical Investigations: If a lion could speak, we could not understand him.

What Wittgenstein meant was that language  how we humans communicate with each other  is based on shared concerns, experiences and culture.

And, he suggested, a lions world is so radically different from ours, that  even if we could translate its words  we would be completely unable to understand what it was trying to say.

Or, to use Wittgensteins own phrase, there would be no real communication because lions do not have any conceivable share in our world.

It is significant, I suppose, that this brilliant man, who still exercises a mesmerising power in his field, chose a wild animal.

Demiss reference to his pet dog will resonate with many, because we do, after all, seem to have pretty good communication with mans best friend. Although I did not feel that there was much of a meeting of minds with our dog Luna when, last night, I and my daughter repeatedly failed to get her to come back indoors after her evening stroll, even when offering all manner of treats.

Since Wittgenstein (1889-1951) is not around, I raised what Demis and Google DeepMind have claimed with some of our leading philosophers who work in this field.

Professor Edward Harcourt of Oxford University pronounced himself sceptical about the dolphin project, after noting that people do already talk to animals and they understand, as most obviously with dogs.

But, as for the presumed ability of Googles Large Language Models to decipher the whistles and clicks of dolphins, he said: Where does that get us? An uncomprehending machine will be able to talk dolphinese to dolphins, and the dolphins will be able to talk back, but does that further our understanding of what is going on? I dont see why it would.

And who better to contact than Professor Constantine Sandis, author of Wittgenstein On Other Minds. He sent me the following: It is tempting to think that animals talk to themselves in their own languages and that if only we could decode them, we could come to communicate with them in a Doctor Dolittle kind of way.

And if such communication is possible, then surely AI can help us achieve it. If AI can offer up translations of spoken human languages, then why should it not also be used to decode those of animals?

But Professor Sandis then pours cold water: While AI is vital in helping us to understand animal behaviour and the reasons for it, if only because of the sheer speed with which it can organise huge volumes of data to better detect patterns between animals sounds and movements in their interactions with us, youd be barking mad to think that AI can translate pet sounds into human languages.

However, farmers (as Animal Magics Johnny Morris had been) will surely hope that Google DeepMind does not start to turn its attention to ruminants and the like.

Few passages of literature can have been more powerful in converting readers to vegetarianism than that in Douglas Adams science fiction comic novel The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, where Arthur Dent is taken by his extraterrestrial mates to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

There, they meet the meat. A large cow approaches the table, sits back on its haunches and says: Good evening. I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in the parts of my body?

Arthur is appalled: Thats absolutely horrible . . . the most revolting thing Ive ever heard.

And when Arthur tells Zaphod Beeblebrox, I just dont want to eat an animal thats standing there inviting me to, he gets the unanswerable retort from his companion: Better than eating an animal that doesnt want to be eaten.

Obviously, this is fiction, and Adams invented animal-speak was as misleadingly anthropomorphic as Johnny Morriss on Animal Magic.

In a sense, those who portray animals as exactly like us are as unimaginatively human-centric as those who cruelly suppose that only we have feelings and that therefore creatures can be treated like inanimate objects.

On the other hand, I cant think that there will ever be a future in which humans learn to speak dolphinese  or, if we did, that the dolphins would see any porpoise to it.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has long made sanctimony an art form. But increasingly hes excelling at hypocrisy, too.

He told ITVs Good Morning Britain last week that he backed Post Office campaigner Sir Alan Bates, who is calling for postmasters to sue the Government over unpaid compensation relating to the Horizon IT scandal.

I think Alan Bates is right to take legal action, said Davey. The sub-postmasters deserved compensation years ago. The last government dragged its feet and now the current government is dragging its feet.

This is the same Davey who, as Postal Affairs Minister in 2010, initially refused to meet Bates when the scandal began to break; and who trousered 275,000 for his consultancy work with law firm Herbert Smith Freehills between 2015 and 2022  the very company hired by the Post Office to crush the likes of Bates in court.

Does he have no shame?

It was good to see Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner release their tax returns for the year 2023-24 last week. If only their paperwork hadnt exposed them as financially feckless. They both put down their base salary as an MP as 76,955, when  as of April 1, 2023  it has been 86,584.

Money talks... for a price

Speaking of the Chancellor, remember when she said her tenure at the Treasury would be all about growth?

Well, theres no sign of that thanks to her disastrous tax-raising Budget in October.

But that hasnt stopped Labour launching a new series of growth and innovation events, with the first in June to feature talks with Reeves, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Science Secretary Peter Kyle.

But, before you rush to buy tickets, be aware that itll set you back 5,000 (plus VAT) to hear the not-so-bon mots of these financial wizards who tanked the economy.

Cool beans, Maggie!

Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebless funeral paid tribute to his greatest interviews. But less of a high point was when, in 1977, he tried to catch out Margaret Thatcher by asking about the price of baked beans. Were not mad on beans, she said. But cod was 80p a pound ten days ago.

Former Labour big beast Harriet Harman says she is enjoying the calmer House of Lords. Its post-ambition politics, she tells Sky News. People are not stabbing you in the back because youre not an obstacle to their rise up the ranks.

She recalled one group who were particularly courteous and friendly, adding: I discovered to my horror they were 14 members of Thatchers Cabinet sitting on the front row of the House of Lords.

Fabricant's holy plea

If it wasnt humiliating enough to be voted out first from Celebrity Big Brother, ex-Tory MP Sir Michael Fabricant has now come up with another fools errand.

The 74-year-old is planning a naked charity bike ride through his former constituency of Lichfield in Staffordshire. And clearly hes hoping for some divine guidance.

Calling on Jan McFarlane, dean of the citys cathedral, to join him, he rather sacrilegiously announces: Jan, you can do it! You can hide your modesty with your cross.

Take the next left: The new adviser to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is former Daily Mirror political editor Jason Beattie. An intriguing choice for the centrist Kendall, as Beatties so Left-wing hes nicknamed Stalin. Is she hoping to burnish her standing with Labours Trots?
Before flying off on holiday to southern Europe last week, Sir Keir Starmer made a point of saying that he would remain in charge throughout his Easter break.

He would not be handing over the prime ministerial reins to anyone: not his deputy Angela Rayner, or any other Cabinet minister.

And so you might have thought that when the Supreme Court delivered what is likely to prove to be one of the most important legal decisions of the decade, this former human-rights lawyer would have been primed to react.

But when the news came through last Wednesday that the judges had unanimously ruled the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex, his silence was deafening. And we havent heard a peep out of him on the subject since.

Starmer released an Easter message on Thursday and No 10 spin doctors trumpeted the fact that he had interrupted his sunshine break to hold productive talks with US President Donald Trump on Friday.

But the man who was once so desperate to appease the trans lobby that he said 99.9 per cent of women havent got a penis couldnt spare a moment to comment on a matter that has been finally settled after a gruelling legal fight.

Sir Keir Starmer is yet to comment on the Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman should be based on biological sex

Activists celebrate outside the court after hearing the outcome of the ruling on Wednesday

The courts decision cries out for leadership. Rarely has a ruling demanded more the calm, steadying hand of the nations prime minister.

Although trans people make up only a tiny percentage of the population, last weeks seismic court decision has direct implications for them and for every woman in Britain.

But instead of stepping in with a few measured words of guidance and common sense  including, perhaps, urging British men to show greater respect and tolerance towards trans women so they might feel less inclined to invade female spaces  Starmer has simply outsourced the issue to women.

Why should we be the ones expected to surrender our hard-won safe spaces  our refuges, changing rooms, hospital wards and toilets  to accommodate transgender women?

What Starmer should have done  immediately  is set out sensible, respectful boundaries.

Hospitals should have female wards and wards open to all (i.e. men, trans women and women). In the same way, in sport, there should be women-only competitions and open categories that would cater for everyone else.

Meanwhile, in prisons and police stations, only biological women should be tasked with performing body searches on women. This isnt complex. And the Supreme Courts decision wasnt exactly a bolt from the blue. But Starmer is nowhere to be seen.

As a result, much of the parliamentary party is in open revolt. As The Mail on Sunday revealed, some of Starmers ministerial team responded to the ruling with a sort of performative adolescent outrage.

And as the Mail reports today, two frontbenchers are plotting to defy the courts judgment but are not being disciplined.

The ministers claim they are not trying to undermine the ruling, despite one of them calling on fellow Labour MPs to meet this week to decide a way forwards and organise.

In such a context, a decisive intervention by the PM is more necessary than ever.

As a woman in my 20s, I find his timidity particularly galling. Many of my generation feel rudderless on the trans issue. Plenty of my friends are desperate to appear progressive, while also fiercely identifying as feminists. Starmer should be saying: you can be both.

But in staying silent, hes leaving my generation without leadership  and, worse, betraying the older women who spent decades fighting to establish the rights we now take for granted.

This display of political cowardice is frankly appalling and it confirms what many of us suspected of this Prime Minister: he is as weak as water.
Hours after announcing a unilateral Easter ceasefire in his war of aggression against Ukraine on Saturday, Russias president Vladimir Putin attended a service in Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Dressed in a dark suit and tie and holding a lit red candle, the Russian leader ostentatiously crossed himself whenever the celebrant announced: Christ is risen.

But even as Putin attended to his devotions, the ceasefire  designed to last for a mere 30 hours  was over before it had properly begun.

During the first six hours of the supposed truce, Kyiv reported that Russia launched 19 separate assaults on its forces and fired almost 300 drones.

Naturally, the Kremlin Press machine retorted that Ukraine was the aggressor, because it had fired three times as many drones during the pause  an unverifiable claim and widely believed to be a blatant lie.

During the first six hours of the supposed truce, Kyiv reported that Russia fired 300 drones

Russian president Vladimir Putin attends a service in Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Russia has been increasing its forced conscription drive, as footage emerged from a Moscow gym showing police rounding up men

But why announce a ceasefire if  from the outset  you have no intention of honouring it? The answer is obvious to anyone  like me  well-versed in Putins disingenuous brand of diplomatic manoeuvres.

For five years, I trained to become a Russian diplomat at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO)  a Hogwarts for the foreign policy elite. There, I was drilled in the Kremlins long-standing worldview, a pitiless realpolitik in which might is right and truth is whatever you want it to be.

We learned how all Russias international negotiations had a single goal: to increase the mother countrys power. This meant pursuing wars that were advantageous, while insisting to the outside world that we sought peace in the face of violence and treachery. But be in no doubt: Putin believes it totally. He is convinced the West despises Russia, and that nothing Europe or the US say can ever be trusted.

He is also a master of making one message suit different audiences.

To ordinary Russians, his Easter charade is reassuring. Despite the horrendous losses incurred by the special military operation, now three years in and with close to one million dead, the Russian people want to believe Putin is not a warmonger.

His announcement of a ceasefire over the sacred Easter weekend was calculated to dupe them into seeing him as a humanitarian, to give him the moral high ground over an enemy he depicts as ruthless and untrustworthy.

When it comes to the West, the cessation of hostilities was designed to create headlines and sow confusion. Over in Washington, President Trump is only too keen to lay the blame for the fighting with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he has accused of starting a war against his larger neighbour and demanding American support.

Many in Europe will be left scratching their heads, while in Ukraine Putins latest cynical gambit will be seen as yet further proof of Russians endless capacity for cruelty.

Every one of these reactions is a win for Putin, according to his own twisted diplomatic rationale.

With my MGIMO training, I can see beyond the truce-that-never-was to the shadowy reshaping of the Kremlins negotiating machine.

At the peace deal talks in Saudi Arabia between Russia and the US last month, Putins delegation was headed for the first time not by a diplomat but by a former spy chief: General Sergey Beseda, once head of the FSB intelligence network.

It was an intriguing choice, suggesting that talks with the US over how to divide the spoils in Ukraine will no longer be handled by highly trained political operatives but by people who wield real power in the Kremlin.

Might is right, after all. And, amid all the lies, thats an incontrovertible fact.
For most, their early twenties are a blur - a balancing act between work, long nights at the pub and finding the time to sleep.

But the question Gen Z have on their mind is this: why waste time drinking with friends when you can invest in your future?

One couple has taken this sentiment to the extreme, collecting luxury kitchenware and storing it in their parents attic - hoping one day they'll be able to deck out their future home.

Isaac Griffiths, 20, and Caitlan Gregory, 19, have racked up a collection of over 200 items from Le Creuset - an exclusive brand charging up to 550 for a casserole dish.

'Alcohol is so expensive nowadays and the mugs at the warehouse sale were cheaper than a pint,' Ms Gregory explained. 'So would I rather have a cocktail or a new mug? I'd rather have a new mug.'

Mr Griffiths added: 'Me and Caitlan are not crazy clubbing people we just like saving money.'

The homeware company specialises in cast-iron pans and colourful crockery and is typically found in the home of professional chefs and the likes of the Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle.

However, the premium French homeware brand has started marketing to Gen Z.

Isaac Griffiths, 20, and Caitlan Gregory, 19, have racked up a collection of over 200 items from Le Creuset

Le Creuset are encouraging young people to ditch the pint glass and buy a stoneware cappuccino mug instead

With a trending hashtag - #LeCreuSlay- and a following of over 300k people on TikTok, Le Creuset are encouraging young people to ditch the pint glass and buy a stoneware cappuccino mug instead.

Ms Gregory, a student, told MailOnline: 'A lot of people's grandparents or parents have one or two items from Le Creuset and its a prized possession.'

Yet the couple view collecting their 'priceless' cookery stash as a standard hobby among their friends.

Ms Gregory said: All my friends love it, a lot of them have started to think they should collect stuff for their home.'

Mr Griffiths added: 'Theres a massive TikTok presence as well, there is a lot of engagement with that content on social media.'

The only catch is that roughly 75 per cent of Gen Z aren't homeowners, including Ms Gregory and Mr Griffiths.

The couple individually live with their parents and rarely use their extortionate pots and pans.

'We use parts of it day to day but the majority of it is stored away until we get a house and it will all come out then,' explained Ms Gregory.

The couple's sole focus is buying a house, and they dream of having a picture-perfect dinner party, where they can serve food using all their French homeware

While their collection would be the envy of most professional chefs, their cast-iron pans occupy a space in the attics of their individual family homes

Mr Griffiths explained that there is a massive community on social media dedicated to Le Creuset

'Probably in five years we want to be married. We want to have a house, hopefully in three years and be engaged around then.

'We have a joint bank account and we buy stuff off that.

'When we buy a house its going to be expensive so if we have nice stuff already we'll save the money for then.'

For now, the couple will continue to grow their collection and hunt for the best discounts at car boot sales, charity shops and warehouse events run by the brand.

If they break up they've claimed the collection would be split equally.

'But it's not going to happen,' Mr Griffiths exclaimed.
To many, John Hookings has played the hero. The celebrity bodyguard, from Essex, worked as a protection officer to some of the UK's biggest stars.

While by day, he escorted the likes of Simon Cowell and Johnny Depp, behind closed doors, he subjected his girlfriend Stevie-Sara Russell to a torrent of abuse.

Stevie, now 43, met John in 2017 through their teenage children. Months later, they moved in together and after not long, Stevie fell pregnant.

But on the same day Stevie told him she was expecting their first child together, John hit her because she refused to sleep with him.

Throughout her pregnancy, he insisted that they bathed together every night.

If she did not sleep with him every day, he would lose his temper and he threatened to slit her throat.

Bravely waiving her anonymity to speak exclusively to Femail, Stevie said: 'John asked me on a date, but I was happy single, I had three kids, and I was busy working as a hairdresser and beautician.

'He kept persuading me, sending lovely text messages, he ordered flowers and an Easter egg to my work, he bought me a teddy bear.

Stevie-Sara Russell, 43, from Chelmsford, Essex, was showered with gifts and compliments by close-protection officer John Hookings, who claimed he was employed by a string of celebrities, including Simon Cowell , Johnny Depp , and the casts of TOWIE and Strictly (pictured)

On the same day Stevie announced she was expecting their first child together, Hookings hit her because she refused to sleep with him

'He worked as a close-protection officer and invited me to meet the cast of TOWIE.

'He said he'd worked with Kim Kardashian's ex, Johnny Depp and a string of reality TV personalities.

'He was so persistent, and all my friends and colleagues were urging me to give him a chance.'

The couple began dating in April 2017 but that July, Hookings announced his work was drying up and he would have to give up his rented home.

'It was too soon for us to live together but again, he talked me into it, saying it wouldn't be for long, and how much it would help me out.'

But living together his behaviour changed.

'Before, when I saw my friends, he'd be all for it.

'The next time, he insisted he'd pick me up at the end of the night.

Hookings, 48, was convicted of criminal damage, assault by beating and six counts of breaching a non-molestation order (pictured recently)

It was only when they moved into together than John's behaviour changed (pictured with Jon Clark from TOWIE)

'The third time, he criticised my outfit and reminded me I wasn't as young as I used to be.

'The fourth time, he just stopped me from going out completely.

'It was clever; a gradual chipping away at my confidence.

'He'd tell me I didn't suit blonde hair, or that I was too fat for a dress, or that I was mutton dressed as lamb.

'He didn't like me going anywhere and I became alienated from my friends and family.

'Very soon, it was just me and him.'

In November, Stevie fell pregnant with the couple's first child together as they were heading to Venice for the weekend.

'The timing felt perfect.

'But I was sick in the hotel and when I refused to have sex, John slapped me across the face.

'He was filled with remorse afterwards and blamed trauma from his own childhood and I felt I had to give him a chance.'

Mother of four Stevie, said: 'I am so glad it is over. John wore me down with false promises until we had moved in together and I was pregnant, and then his true colours emerged'

Their daughter was born in July 2018, but Hookings did not allow Stevie to breastfeed in public because he did not want other men to see her body. On their daughter's first birthday and christening, he hit Stevie across the face with a mobile phone (pictured with James Locke from TOWIE)

But at home, the relationship deteriorated further.

Stevie said: 'I was the only one working but John insisted on coming to my clients' homes to keep an eye on me, which was very awkward. He didn't let me out of his sight.

'I had bad morning sickness, I could only eat Polos, but he expected sex every night, or he'd be in a terrible mood.

'He insisted we bath together every night, which had started off as a romantic element in our relationship but now it became a chore, and I hated it.'

Their daughter was born in July 2018, but Hookings did not allow Stevie to breastfeed in public because he did not want other men to see her body.

On their daughter's first birthday and christening, he hit Stevie across the face with a mobile phone.

She says: 'He would belittle me, telling me previous partners had never really loved me, and he picked fault with my appearance all the time.

'I felt worthless.'

At the start of 2020, she ended the relationship, but the couple had contact for the sake of their daughter.

(pictured with Liam Blackwell, otherwise know as 'Gatsby' from TOWIE)

Last week, at Chelmsford Crown, John was handed 19 months in prison, suspended for two years and handed a 10-year restraining order (pictured Chris Clark, the brother of Jon Clark from the cast of TOWIE)

Stevie pictured with Ercan Ramadan from TOWIE

'When I picked my daughter up one day, John hit the roof because I'd been out with my older children and their dad, which was purely platonic,' she said.

'He hit me across the head with a bath seat, smashed my head against the car and ripped out my false nails.

'He was trying to pull my clothes off so I could show myself off to other men.'

Stevie was granted a non-molestation order, but Hookings continued to wear her down.

She said: 'If I didn't pick the phone up, he'd text: 'Pull your knickers back up and reply.' It was a barrage of disgusting abuse.

'I tried to maintain a relationship for the sake of our daughter, but it was impossible.

'He smashed an outside light, he smashed my bathroom taps and a chandelier light fitting. Every time I saw him, he'd destroy something else.'

In March 2021, Stevie spoke to the police and Hookings was arrested.

Hookings, 48, was convicted of criminal damage, assault by beating and six counts of breaching a non-molestation order.

Last week, at Chelmsford Crown, he was handed 19 months in prison, suspended for two years and handed a 10-year restraining order.

'In arguments, John always laughed at me and said I was such a victim. I feel I've had the last laugh now and I've shown I'm a survivor too,' she said.

'I am so glad it is over. John wore me down with false promises until we had moved in together and I was pregnant, and then his true colours emerged.

'The violence was horrible, but the mental abuse was worse; he would tell me I was too old to wear a short skirt, too fat to wear a low-cut top, and gradually, my confidence was destroyed.

'It took a great deal of strength to see this through the court, but I want others to know that you can do it  and you will feel free when it's over. Domestic abuse is appalling but there is a way out, and it could save your life.'
While it may seem like everyone is going crazy for Hermes Birkin bags and Fendi Baugettes, it's actually a different designer that's taking the reign as the most popular luxury brand, according to new data.

Vestiaire Collective, a global platform for buying and selling pre-owned luxury and designer fashion, recently launched their inaugural Vestiaire Value Ranking.

The ranking put together a formula that looks at a multitude of data, including five-year resale value growth, items sold, likes, searches, and price offers on over 400 brands in order to help users make the best financial and fashion-forward decisions.

The information couldn't have come at a better time, too, as many buyers are looking to secondhand items as as Donald Trump's tariffs loom.

According to the guide, the most popular luxury brand is Chanel, which had the highest number of product views per person.

Louis Vuitton came in second as the most popular luxury brand, surprisingly followed by Hermes at number three.

Number four on the list was Gucci, followed by Dior, Prada, Saint Laurent, Celine, and Bottega Veneta.

Balenciaga came in last at number 10.

While it may seem like everyone is going crazy for Hermes Birkin bags and Fendi Baugettes, it's actually a different designer that's taking the reign as the most popular luxury brand

According to new data from Vestiaire Collective, the most popular luxury brand is Chanel, which had the highest number of product views per person

Louis Vuitton came in second as the most popular luxury brand, surprisingly followed by Hermes at number three

Vestiaire noted that it seems like French and Italian fashion houses like Gucci and Chanel will be a 'wise investment' for many years to come.

In the value ranking, the resale platform also gathered data on the top 10 designer brands.

Vestiaire ranked Moncler at number one, followed by The Row and Brunello Cucinelli.

The company also gave insight into which designer brand was growing the fastest in value - and it's Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's The Row.

The Row had an 'impressive' five-year resale value of 27 percent, according to its data.

They noted that this growth was due to the boom in 'quiet luxury' style over the past few years, something popularized by stars like Sofia Richie Grainge and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Not only do these statistics give you a good idea of what luxury items you should be investing in, but they can also inform you of the brands you should be selling if you're planning to get rid of any designer items in your closet.

The data comes just one year after Chanel dramatically raised its prices in March 2024.

In the value ranking, the resale platform also gathered data on the top 10 designer brands

The Row had an 'impressive' five-year resale value of 27 percent, according to the data

It noted that this growth was due to the boom in 'quiet luxury' style over the past few years, something popularized by stars like Sofia Richie Grainge and Gwyneth Paltrow

The price of a medium flap bag nearly tripled - meaning that, with the price increase, the purse will now set you back a shocking $10,800 as of 2024.

That's already up six percent from $10,200 a year prior, per data collected by Sotheby's - a whopping $7,950 increase from just over 10 years ago.

The brand's cult-favorite Boy Bag style has had an increase of over four percent, while the Chanel 19 Large Bag saw a whopping 7.4 percent increase, going from $6,800 to $7,300 in just one year, per Purse Blog.

Just last month, consumer prices in the United States rose 3.5 percent.

That means Americans need an extra $11,400 a year to afford the same quality of life they were enjoying years prior - but a Chanel bag and other designers goods now cost more than that.
A Perth mum was on the receiving of a few raised eyebrows when she took her nine-year-old daughter to get her makeup professionally done at a cosmetics counter recently.

But, Rosie Madaschi told FEMAIL that there was a heartbreaking 'bigger picture reason' that explains why she allowed her young daughter to have a makeover  and reminds others not to be so 'quick to judge' without knowing the full story.

Rosie, 39, explained that like many young girls today, her daughter Lily had recently become fascinated with beauty products and cosmetics.

Rosie was already a regular shopper at Australian beauty store Mecca, and as a loyal customer, she was intermittently offered free in-store makeup application sessions.

When her daughter's birthday was approaching, Rosie thought the experience of having her make-up done by a professional would be the perfect gift - and it was.

But ahead of the appointment, Rosie admits she felt apprehensive about the possibility of 'a few funny looks coming our way'.

Sure enough, during the session Rosie says she received some shocked glances while her young daughter sat in the makeup chair.

'I'd expected that - but it didn't take away from the experience. Lily loved it and she was on cloud nine afterwards,' she said

Perth mother Rosie Madaschi, 39, (left) felt judged for taking her daughter to have her makeup done at a cosmetics counter. She hit back in an online post, sharing this picture of Lily, 9, (right) along with an explanation for the heartbreaking health reason behind her decision

Later, Rosie decided to share her experience in a MECCA Facebook group. It was there that she explained the devastating reason about why she'd persisted with taking her young daughter to have her makeup professionally done.

'The bigger picture is that I have incurable cancer and don't know if I'll have the opportunity to teach her about skincare and makeup,' Rosie said.

'It was bittersweet to share this experience with her now,' she continued, before profusely thanking the in-store staff who'd made the experience truly 'special'.

Rosie elaborated that her decision to take Lily to have her makeup done was driven by wanting to enjoy the special mother-daughter bonding moment with her while she could.

'It had been playing on my mind a bit because my mum never taught me about makeup and skincare. I learnt all of that on my own well into my 20s,' she explained.

'And I knew that my daughter was interested, and I knew that one day I would teach her about it all. But that realistic part of me also thought about that that may not happen.'

As for writing about her experience online afterwards, Rosie said she hoped it served as a reminder to others to not be so quick to judge someone's actions without knowing the full story.

'You never know what someone's going through,' Rosie said.

The post quickly went viral within the Facebook group, with the mum-of-two saying it was 'beautiful and overwhelming' to receive so many kind messages of support.

'Lily and I read through [the messages] together. It was very emotional,' the doting mum added.

Rosie was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2024 at the age of 38 after years of unexplained health issues.

Over the past decade, Rosie had been on the front foot with her health after learning she was a carrier of the BRCA gene, which predisposes women to breast and ovarian cancer.

As a precaution, Rosie had already undergone a preventative double mastectomy in 2017, and had planned to also have her ovaries removed before the age of 40.

But she never got around to doing it before receiving a cancer diagnosis.

'I've had several medical staff say to me that I would have to be one of the unluckiest patients they've ever come across, because I had the BRCA gene mutation, which put me at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. But instead, I got cervical cancer,' she said.

In the five years leading up to her diagnosis, a frustrated Rosie became convinced that her doctors were missing something, particularly when she started to experience worrying symptoms like 'heavy bleeding and huge blood clots'.

Rosie (right) arranged an in store make-up session for her daughter Lily (left) as a gift for her 9th birthday. They are pictured with Rosie's eldest son, Sebastian, 13

Despite being proactive and insisting on tests and check-ups, Rosie said the potential existence of cervical cancer was overlooked by her doctors - most likely because they were hyper focused on the possibility of her having breast or ovarian cancer.

'I even had transvaginal ultrasounds to check my ovaries, which always looked fine. But no further investigating was ever done,' Rosie said.

She laments that if the doctors had looked only slightly further afield they would have discovered the growth on her cervix and she 'could have been diagnosed a lot earlier'.

In February 2024, Rosie wound up in hospital emergency after an episode of extreme blood loss. It was only then when the hospital conducted a broader scan followed by a biopsy that they confirmed that Rosie had a 7cm tumour in her cervix - and she was classified as having stage 3C cancer.

'When I was finally diagnosed, there was obviously anger and frustration with feeling let down by the medical system. But there was a sense of relief and confirmation because I knew there was something wrong with me,' Rosie said.

While there's never a good time to receive a cancer diagnosis, it came at a point for Rosie when her life was soaring.

At the time, she'd been successfully running cake decorating business Sugar & Salt Cookies, which had a huge social media following. In 2021 she even published her own cookbook, Baking Happiness.

Rosie credits her children and family for providing her with huge support as she underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatment for cervical cancer

Meanwhile, she'd also found new love in her current partner, Davide.

But after Rosie's diagnosis, she immediately stepped back from the business and refocused all her energy on her health.

After breaking the news of her cancer diagnosis to her loved ones, Rosie says she was blown away by how 'resilient' her kids were - and at the way Davide pledged to 'support' her, despite the relationship being fairly new.

From then, Rosie underwent chemotherapy and radiation.

'The chemotherapy made me very sick, I was vomiting for two months straight,' she recalled.

Momentarily, it seemed like the swift course of action had done the trick and Rosie very briefly went into remission.

But soon afterwards in September 2024, she received another blow when a follow-up scan confirmed that the cancer had not only returned, but had 'spread past the initial site' and had now reached the point where it would be classified as 'incurable'.

'When it came back, it was on a lymph node outside of the pelvic region and it was a 4cm tumor. It remained a stage 3C cancer but technically now it was considered incurable.'

Mother-of-two Rosie (left) underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cervical cancer, sharing updates of her treatment on her social media account

The mother says she initially incorrectly assumed that incurable also meant 'terminal'.

'But it's not an immediate death sentence,' she explained. 'People can live a very long time with incurable cancer.'

Nevertheless, a defeated Rosie said getting the cancer diagnosis news for a second time was 'a massive, massive shock to the system'.

What followed were more intensive rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, this time resulting in Rosie losing her hair.

After enduring 'as much chemotherapy as I could', Rosie said her cancer battle is now at a holding stage. She continues to undergo 'maintenance immunotherapy for another year and a half' while her doctors continue to monitor for any changes via regular quarterly scans.

'I live my life three months at a time because they determine if the cancer is being controlled or if it's spread or popped up in new place'.

'It is not a nice way to live.'

Despite her current reality, Rosie says it's prompted a huge shift in her mentality and approach to life.

Staying on top of her health for the sake of her children Sebastian (right) and Lily (left) is top priority for Lily as she looks towards her future

'The biggest silver lining that comes from having cancer is that the bond and relationships with my loved ones have strengthened,' she said.

'I'm not sweating the small stuff anymore and I'm also saying yes to more things,' Rosie added. 'I'm going out. I'm going to concerts. I've got holidays booked. It's not all doom and gloom.'

Nowadays, Rosie says she continues to do everything in her power to stay well for her family.

'There are some days where I think I cannot do this anymore, but the kids are always at the forefront of my mind - and it just snaps me right back out of it.'

'The thought of leaving them without their mum - it's just not going to happen,' she added.

'That gives me the strength to keep going on these really hard days.'

The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation ambassador adds that the other thing that drives her is the hope that sharing her story will encourage other women to advocate for themselves when it comes to gynaecological cancers  particularly if, like Rosie, they feel their symptoms are being 'dismissed'.

'To any woman who is reading my story, just know that if you feel in your gut that something's not right, never stop advocating for your own health and keep pushing for answers.'
A fiancee was left fighting for survival in an intensive care unit (ICU) during what should have been among the happiest weeks of her life.

Ariana and Chandler Sleen were just two weeks out from their special day when the bride-to-be, who is pregnant, began experiencing severe back pain.

She was rushed to a health center in Duluth, Minnesota, where medical staff informed her fiance that she had severe pneumonia and had gone into septic shock.

Ariana was put on a ventilator, and doctors began preparations for an emergency C-section.

She also had a kidney infection and a serious lung infection that prevented her from breathing on her own.

'I was definitely very terrified,' Chandler told local Fox affiliate KBJR News.

'I mean, these are the two most important people in my life right here and they were both struggling. It was very scary.'

Miraculously, Ariana showed signs of improvement, and doctors didn't need to perform the emergency C-section.

Ariana and Chandler Sleen's wedding plans were upended when Ariana suffered a severe medical emergency and was hospitalized in the ICU

Doctors told Chandler that Ariana had severe pneumonia and was suffering septic shock. She was put on a ventilator due to a lung infection, and doctors prepared for an emergency C-section

Miraculously, Ariana recovered, and doctors didn't need to perform the C-section. She was taken off her ventilator the day before her wedding date, and decided to go through with the ceremony

She also began breathing on her own, and doctors removed her ventilator the day before her wedding date.

Although the couple couldn't have the wedding they were planning, Ariana's hospital staff helped them make her day special.

Ariana and Chandler decided to get married in the hospital, and her nursing staff decorated her suite for the big day.

Ariana told KBJR that the medical staff gave her the 'Taylor Swift Suite' and helped decorate her hospital room for the ceremony.

Deanna Anderson, one of Ariana's nurses at Essentia Health, told KBJR that she wanted to make room for a wedding cake.

Another nurse, Madeline Vogel, admitted that the staff 'had to get creative' when decorating the hospital for the wedding.

'This might top the list for the happiest things I've seen at work,' Vogel added.

Ariana said that the nurses who helped her recovery were 'the kindest, sweetest people,' and she was grateful that the medical staff went the extra mile to make her wedding day special.

Ariana was pregnant at the time of her hospitalization, and Chandler feared for his fiancee and unborn child

The medical staff gave the couple the 'Taylor Swift Suite' so they could have a makeshift ceremony on their wedding day

Ariana said in an update on the couple's GoFundMe that she is recovering and is filled with gratitude for those who stood by her while she was in the ICU

Since their big day, Ariana has been recovering as the couple plans to welcome their son Sebastian into the world. The baby's due date is June 29.

Ariana said that she is suffering some memory loss and had to learn how to walk and drink water after she was released from the hospital.

'If there is one major take away from this whole thing is please take the chance and opportunity to know Gods love for you,' she wrote on a GoFundMe page.

Ariana went on to say that she was grateful to her husband for staying by her side in the hospital and for the support her loved ones showed her during her hospitalization.

She told KBJR that she plans to invite the medical staff to her reception and is excited to return to the hospital for a happier reason when their child is delivered.
Meghan beamed as she posed for a monochrome selfie with Jake Rosenberg

After the first run of her As Ever products sold out swiftly, Meghan Markle has been pictured prepping for her next launch with her lifestyle brand.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was seen posing for a selfie with New York-based fashion cameraman Jake Rosenberg, as the pair shot new content to promote the brand.

The image, which Rosenberg shared with his fans, sees the ex royal placing both her hands on her friend's shoulder for the cosy embrace.

Meghan donned a casual shirt with rolled up sleeves and natural makeup as she beamed into the lens for the black and white image.

Jake gushed: 'Always a beautiful day shooting with @Meghan @AsEverOfficial,' hinting that the pair are whipping up more creative shots to promote her company, which she described as 'more than a brand, but a love language'.

Meghan sold out of her sought-after lifestyle range, which has been in the works for more than a year, in under an hour when it went live at the start of April.

Her first set of products to go up on the website included crepe mix, flower sprinkles, raspberry spread and 'limited edition' wildflower honey, ranging from $9 to $28.

Jake has known the Sussexes for years and is thought to have been there at the start of Harry and Meghan's love story, as he knew the Duchess from her time filming Suits in Toronto.

The snapper also attended their London wedding and was photographed entering St George's Chapel, Windsor, with Oprah Winfrey in May 2018.

The Duchess of Sussex , 43, was seen posing for a selfie with New York-based fashion cameraman Jake Rosenberg, placing both hands on his shoulder on Saturday

Meghan sold out of her sought-after lifestyle range, which has been in the works for more than a year, in under an hour when it went live at the start of April

He also took Meghan's monochrome Instagram profile picture, which features her wearing a near-1,000 white cotton dress from New York Luxury brand Khaite and a 12,500 diamond necklace from Santa Monica jewellery designer Logan Hollowell while laughing on a beach.

When the mother-of-two launched her Instagram account at the start of 2025, Jake used the photo in a post to 'welcome back' Meghan to Instagram after a six-year hiatus.

He said at the time: 'Always love capturing these moments together - What a way to start the year!'.

Jake flew to California from New York to capture the moment but he has not said when it was taken.

In recent months, he also visited Harry and Meghan's mansion in Montecito for a photoshoot to coincide with the launch of her lifestyle and cookery brand, taking a series of pictures of Meghan on her own and her with the children.

Meghan also released a picture of her and Lilibet, three, walking hand-in-hand across a freshly mowed green lawn, basking in the Californian sunshine - however, it is unclear whether Jake was involved in the promotional image.

The Duchess' latest photoshoot comes as she, Harry and their children went on a spring trip to celebrate her new business success with her As Ever range and Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, which has been renewed for a second series.

According to People Magazine, the family has enjoyed a 'sunsoaked getaway' with Archie, five, and Lilibet, three - though the exact destination was not confirmed.

Jake, originally from Toronto, Canada, where Suits was filmed, follows Oprah into St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan and Harry took their children, Lilibet and Archie, on a spring holiday to celebrate the Duchess' new business success

According to People magazine, Harry and Meghan enjoyed a 'sunsoaked' holiday but the exact location has not been confirmed

Insiders also told the outlet that the couple's two children are the 'centre of their happy bubble' back at home in Montecito in California.

'The kids are adorable. Theyre incredibly smart, articulate, and fun,' the source said.

Elsewhere in the magazine cover, which hits shelves on April 28, insiders close to Prince Harry said his rift with the Royal Family is deepening  claiming he was left in the dark about his father King Charles's cancer battle.

The Duke of Sussex's calls to family members including his elder brother Prince William are also ignored, the reports suggested.

People magazine in the US quotes sources close to Harry as describing the ongoing 'strained' relationship with his father five years after the Duke and his wife Meghan Markle quit frontline royal duties and moved to California.

The Pro-Sussex magazine has increasingly been given access to the couple over recent months, with Meghan even giving an interview ahead of the launch of With Love, Meghan in March - where she declared she wasn't 'an influencer'.

Palace insiders were also quoted on the estrangement since so-called 'Megxit' in 2020  with the last face-to-face encounter between Charles and Harry being a 30-minute meeting in February last year.

Sources close to the Duke have told of his calls and letters to relatives being left unanswered.

And he is said to have only known his father the King was recently admitted to hospital on March 27 through media reports rather than being told directly.

Harry spent some time in the UK last week, attending a hearing at London 's High Court in his continuing battle over financing personal protection officers.

His legal team is arguing that he, Meghan and their two children are not safe to come to Britain.
While Prince Andrew ducked quietly into the Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor this morning, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson basked in the knowledge that she's very much back in The Firm.

The Duchess of York, 65, appeared visibly delighted to be stepping out with her former family by marriage.

Sarah Ferguson, who is known widely by the nickname Fergie 'joined' her daughters, Princess Eugenie, 35, and Princess Beatrice, 36, for the traditional Easter Matins service in the 15th century Windsor chapel in Berkshire on Sunday.

The mother-of-two beamed as she stepped out in a chic monochrome ensemble, consisting of a 600 Veronica Beard Darla jacket, 2,950 Celine Teen Garance bag with 830 Celine Alma Triomphe slingback heels for the occasion.

She accessorised her look with a black headband, gloves and simple pearl earrings, opting to wear her wavy auburn hair down.

The former royal arrived with Princess Anne, 74, and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 70, and was filmed beaming and waving to crowds before entering the church.

Later, Fergie and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, who also married into the royal family, were snapped walking with their arms around each other - a public display of fondness that show's how Fergie is clearly still seen as a core member of the institution.

Despite separating from Andrew 33 years ago and officially divorcing four years after that, Fergie has been welcomed back into the fold in recent years; she joined the family's famous Christmas Day walkabout in 2023 for the first time since 1992.

Body Language expert Judi James told MailOnline today that Fergie appeared to enjoy 'high-profile' engagement with the public, which she was well known for during her marriage with Andrew.

Body Language expert Judi James told FEMAIL that Fergie brought back the 'high-profile' engagement with the public that she was known so well for during her marriage with Andrew

On Sunday, Fergie and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, who both married into the family, were snapped walking with their arms around each other

She also said that her passionate expression displayed her enthusiasm to be back as part of the royal fold, however, she was soon put in her place during an awkward interaction with a clergyman.

'Fergie appeared with the kind of high-profile body language signals she was famous for during her marriage, stopping to wave to the crowds after she emerged from her car,' said Judi.

'Her expression looked severe at first as she stopped to chat with Anne's husband Tim before breaking out into laughter and moving off with the kind of animated enthusiasm that suggested a self-appointed-looking acceptance of being back in the fold.'

But although Fergie tried her best to fit in with those still in the Firm, she was still viewed as second best to the Princess Royal.

Judi said: 'She appeared to be rather put in her place by the clergyman who was greeting the royals and who was already chatting with Anne.

'Fergie went to greet him in right royal style and then chatted but after a few moments the clergyman appeared to walk past her to resume his conversation with Princess Anne, leaving Fergie standing alone and looking rather awkward.'

Fergie - who still lives in the Royal Lodge with Andrew - has been a solid rock to her ex-husband throughout his controversies.

In December, it was revealed that a 'close confidant' of the Duke was an alleged Chinese spy who had been banned from entering the UK after an investigation by MI5, with King Charles said to be 'furious'.

Fergie and Prince Andrew - who still live together at the Windsor Royal Lodge - are seen walking together on Easter Sunday

Fergie was seen laughing hysterically while standing next to her daughter Princess Eugenie

Judi James said that she was viewed as second best to Princess Anne during the service on Sunday

Prince Andrew shakes hands with the Dean of Windsor Christopher Cocksworth on Sunday

Disgraced Prince Andrew, 65, also attended the Easter service on Sunday, after he was reportedly urged to uninvite himself from Christmas celebrations at Sandringham last year

Speaking to the Sunday times prior to the latest allegations, Fergie professed her undying support for her ex-husband, revealing that she is currently looking after him and 'won't let him down'.

In the joint interview given with her sister Jane, she confessed: 'When Jane left for Australia, I became a carer for Dad. I was left to look after a sad man, which is sort of what Im doing now.'

Disgraced Prince Andrew, 65, also attended the Easter service on Sunday, after he was reportedly urged to uninvite himself from Christmas celebrations at Sandringham last year.

The Duke of York was seen smiling as he arrived at the church in Berkshire and shook hands with the Dean of Windsor.

This comes as it was revealed that the Prince and Princess of Wales will not be at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk.

The service, which runs for one hour from 10.45am until 11.45am, has been a key date in the royal family's calendar for centuries.

On Friday, a source had said the couple are choosing to spend time together as a family before Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis go back to school, The Mirror reported.

Fergie stepped out of the car with a serious expression before she broke into laughter while chatting to members of the Firm

The mother-of-two looked ecstatic as she stepped out in a chic monochrome ensemble, consisting of a 600 Veronica Beard Darla jacket, 2,950 Celine Teen Garance bag with 830 Celine Alma Triomphe slingback heels for the occasion

The Waleses, who have a country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate, missed the annual service last year after Kate, who is now in remission, was diagnosed with cancer.

Last year saw the King mark his return to public life following treatment for cancer at the traditional Easter service.

Last week, the Queen paid tribute to the King's sense of duty saying he 'loves his work' and wants to do 'more and more and more' as he gets better. Camilla said Charles, 76, who is receiving ongoing treatment for cancer, was 'driven' by helping others and indicated his cancer journey was one of 'recovery'.

Last month, the King experienced temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.

Charles's Easter Sunday appearance last year was his first major public one following his cancer diagnosis.

He was applauded by the crowds as he greeted well-wishers who urged him to 'keep going strong'.
Press Release

April 20, 2025 STATEMENT OF SENATOR CYNTHIA VILLAR

Chairperson,Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Climate Change On the Capsizing of the MV Hong Hai 16 off Occidental Mindoro I am saddened by the lives lost in the capsizing of MV Hong Hai 16 off Occidental Mindoro. My condolences go out to the families of the four crew members who perished. Nakakabahala na nangyari ito kahit walang masamang panahon. Dapat masusing tanungin ang kondisyon ng barko, kaligtasan ng operasyon, at ang kalidad ng pagbabantay sa mga dredging activities at sa ating karagatan. We must also pay close attention to the potential environmental consequences of this incident. Any oil spill poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems, fish stocks, and the livelihoods of our coastal communities. Occidental Mindoro and its surrounding waters are vital fishing grounds that must be protected. This incident reminds us not only of the 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill, which severely damaged marine ecosystems and disrupted livelihoods across several provinces, but also of the back-to-back capsizing of M/T Terra Nova and MTKR Jason Bradley in Bataan last year. Both incidents resulted in oil spills that polluted coastal waters, harmed coral reefs and marine species, and threatened local fish supplies. In the case of Terra Nova, the situation raised serious allegations of "paihi" or illegal fuel operations. To this day, no conclusion has been reached on the investigation. We cannot allow this pattern of negligence and weak enforcement to continue. These repeated accidents are setting back our efforts to protect marine biodiversity and ensure food security for millions of Filipinos. Kailangan ng mas mahigpit na regulasyon, seryosong pagbabantay, at tunay na pananagutan.
Millions of Brits will be scoffing the remainders of their chocolate eggs this weekend after a visit from the Easter Bunny yesterday.

But those opting for the 'small' option of a Creme Egg may be shocked to discover the monstrous amount of sugar inside.

The standard-sized 40g chocolate, often enjoyed as a mini treat by both children and adults alike, contains a whopping 26g of sugar, meaning over half of the egg itself is made of the ingredient.

Despite the Creme Egg being relatively small in calories - only 173 per egg - it's gooey, fondant filling and crispy chocolate shell take up nearly all of your daily recommended sugar intake.

According to the NHS, adults should eat no more than 30g of 'free sugars' a day, however the famous egg packs in 26g, which is equivalent to a whopping six teaspoons.

The National Healthcare Service defines free sugars as 'any sugars added to food or drinks. These include sugars in biscuits, chocolate, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals and fizzy drinks.

'These sugars may be added at home, or by a chef or other food manufacturer'.

It further explained that sugars found in honey, syrups, nectars and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices also count as free sugars, despite naturally occuring.

The British Cadbury Creme egg has been an Easter staple perhaps since its inception in the sixties, but its sugar content might shock you (Stock image)

It then warned that free sugars should not make up more than 5 per cent of the calories we get from food and drink each day.

However, Cadbury itself lists the Creme Egg as containing a whopping 28.9 per cent of an adult's recommended daily sugar intake on their website.

The daily sugar allowance is even more restricted for children, as those aged seven to 10 are advised to have no more than 24g of free sugars a day.

Meanwhile the NHS says much younger children aged four to six should ingest no more than 19g of free sugars a day.

This then means that one Cadbury Creme egg accounts for a child's entire daily sugar intake and then some - in one sitting.

One UK mother has put the mind-blowing fact into context by sharing a photo of 25 grams of sugar next to the popular treat.

The concerned mum took to social media in 2018, where she shared an image of a massive pile of sugar alongside a 40g Cadbury Creme egg.

She warned the image may 'upset' Creme Egg lovers, before writing: 'This amount of sugar in ONE cream egg?? Surely not......crikey!'

The Cadbury Creme egg contains nearly all of an adult's daily recommended sugar intake - which is 30g (Stock image)

The iconic Easter treat is loved for its gooey, fondant filling and crispy chocolate shell, despite it packing in an astounding amount of sugar (Stock image)

The sugar is also pictured alongside a British two pence coin, which appears to be several times smaller than the pile.

Many consumers commented on the concerned mother's photo, claiming they weren't surprised by her findings, though they defiantly vowed to continue eating the eggs.

According to Cadbury, the Creme Egg is made of milk, glucose syrup, cocoa butter, invert sugar syrup, whey powder (from milk) and cocoa mass.

It says it also contains vegetable fats (palm, shea), emulsifier (E442), dried EGG white, flavourings and colour (paprika extract).

Still, for many the iconic chocolate is so good, they're worth stealing - literally.

One UK mother put the mind-blowing fact into context by sharing a photo of 25 grams of sugar next to a Cadbury Creme egg

Last month, a shoplifter was caught with 70 - yes 70 - Creme Eggs hidden in his coat.

A video shows a police officer unpack box after box of the chocolate eggs from the shoplifter's Superdry jacket.

In total the shoplifter had 14 five packs of the sweet treats in his coat.

Dozens of other boxes were then found nearby in a discarded duffle bag nearby.

PC Guy Cunningham said: 'Christ! What have you got in there?' as he unloaded them from the crook's coat.

De Groot entered Tesco Express in Welland Road, Dogsthorpe, Cambridgeshire, at about 11.40am on March 22 and was seen to pack the chocolate eggs into a duffle bag.

He then walked out of the shop without paying.

A member of staff flagged down officers in a passing police car who followed De Groot and found he had stuffed the Creme Egg multipacks inside his coat.

He had dropped the duffle bag nearby which was also found stuffed full of boxes of Creme Eggs.

In total De Groot made off with more than 300 of the eggs.

De Groot appeared at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on Tuesday March 25 where he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for a year.

He was also banned from entering Cambridgeshire for the next three months, after admitting theft from a shop.

PC Cunningham, who made the arrest, said: 'Thanks to the quick reaction by staff who flagged us down, we were able to catch De Groot red-handed and return the stolen items to the store'.
Queen Camilla oversaw proceedings at the Easter Matins service which brought together much of the royal family today, according to a body language expert.

Despite the notable absence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sunday's Easter service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, was a joyful occasion for the royals.

Camilla, 77, appeared 'quietly in charge of leading the choreography rather than being led' by King Charles, said expert Judi James.

The Queen, who chose a powder blue, embroidered dress for the occasion, 'performed a little circular walk, reminding her husband that they were to greet the public before going into the chapel', James added.

Camilla's subtle gesture to encourage Charles, 76, to uphold the tradition of meeting royal well-wishers reflected her raised profile in the aftermath of her husband's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Yet, remaining faithful to royal protocol, Camilla 'immediately took a lower profile role' once Charles had joined her.

According to James, this change reflects her profound 'understanding that he is the one the crowds want to cheer on following his illness.'

'Charles held his hand up in a solid wave as his face wreathed in a smile, but Camilla kept her own head lowered slightly and her sweeter wave included some finger-waggling that made it less regal and less high-profile,' James added.

Queen Camilla (pictured) quietly took charge of today's Easter Matins service, according to body language expert Judi James

Once Charles was by her side, however, Camilla, 77, took a lower profile, understanding that he was the one fans had come to see

This behaviour suggests that while Camilla is mindful of her role to 'protect, steer and support' Charles, she is also eager for the world to accept that he is 'still very much the head of the firm'.

Moreover, Camilla's instinct to step back in this way indicates her own awareness that it is Charles that 'fans come to see.'

Charles and Camilla were joined by a grinning Prince Andrew, along with other members of the royal family, at the Easter Sunday service.

The disgraced Duke seemed in high spirits as he joined his brother Charles at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales are not attending today as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk, it is understood.

A source said the couple are choosing to spend time together as a family before Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis go back to school, The Mirror reported.

The Waleses, who have a country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate, missed the annual service last year after Kate, who is now in remission, was diagnosed with cancer.

Disgraced Prince Andrew joined Charles and Camilla today at the traditional Easter Matins service in the 15th century chapel in Berkshire.

Prince Andrew was in attendance at the Easter Sunday service today alongside other members of the Royal Family

King Charles attends the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Easter Sunday

Queen Camilla attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service on Sunday

Last week, the Queen paid tribute to the King's sense of duty saying he 'loves his work' and wants to do 'more and more and more' as he gets better.

Camilla said Charles, 76, who is receiving ongoing treatment for cancer, was 'driven' by helping others and indicated his cancer journey was one of 'recovery'.

Last month, the King experienced temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.

Charles's Easter Sunday appearance last year was his first major public one following his cancer diagnosis.

He was applauded by the crowds as he greeted well-wishers who urged him to 'keep going strong'.

Sarah, Duchess of Edinburgh, wears a stunning plum-coloured coat for the occasion

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, wears a white jacket and black skirt for Easter Sunday

Members of the Royal Family today at the traditional Easter Matins service

The Prince and Princess of Wales will not be at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk

Prince Andrew appeared sombre during his morning ride around Windsor last month after it was confirmed he would not join the rest of the royals for the Commonwealth Service that day.

The Duke of York, 65, donned a long brown coat, riding boots, and a helmet for a trot around the Berkshire estate on the same day Charles, Camilla and the rest of the Royal Family marked Commonwealth Day in the UK.

Andrew seemed downcast as he was photographed in his car and on horseback on March 10 after it was confirmed he would not join senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, for the annual service at Westminster Abbey in London.
Meghan Markle couldn't hide her surprise as she witnessed a flock of ducks emerge from woodland and swiftly cross the road while she was out in Montecito on Easter Sunday.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted a short clip on her Instagram page showing a duck and its seven ducklings waddling in close succession to the safety of the pavement.

Since recently hatched ducklings, like chicks and bunnies, are symbolic of spring and new life - and, therefore, strongly associated with Easter - Meghan's sighting was particularly pertinent today.

She captioned the post, 'An Easter weekend surprise', and added the message, 'Wishing you a Happy Easter full of love.and surprises!'

Wearing a white sleeveless midi dress with prominent buttons and a waist belt, Prince Harry's wife appears both shocked and thrilled in the clip.

As she observes the duck waiting for its ducklings in the centre of the road, Meghan watches on with her hand covering her mouth in a surprised and expectant gesture.

And, as the ducklings emerge from the woodland and quickly make their way towards their mother, Meghan struggles to contain her excitement.

She opens her mouth in awe and brings her hands to her head, revealing her utter amazement at the sweet - and fitting - display before her.

Meghan Markle (pictured) looks visibly surprised as she witnesses a duck and her ducklings crossing a road on Easter Sunday

The Duchess couldn't contain her excitement as she saw the flock walk in quick succession

The post was captioned: 'An Easter weekend surprise'

The soundtrack to the post is 'Choo Choo ChBoogie' by American saxophonist Louis Jordan, presumably chosen to draw attention to the train like motion of the duck and her flock.

The post comes after Meghan launched her As Ever products, with the first run selling out swiftly.

She has since been pictured prepping for her next launch with her lifestyle brand.

The Duchess of Sussex was seen posing for a selfie with New York-based fashion cameraman Jake Rosenberg, as the pair shot new content to promote the brand.

The image, which Rosenberg shared with his fans, sees the ex royal placing both her hands on her friend's shoulder for the cosy embrace.

Meghan donned a casual shirt with rolled up sleeves and natural makeup as she beamed into the lens for the black and white image.

Jake gushed: 'Always a beautiful day shooting with @Meghan @AsEverOfficial,' hinting that the pair are whipping up more creative shots to promote her company, which she described as 'more than a brand, but a love language'.

Meghan sold out of her sought-after lifestyle range, which has been in the works for more than a year, in under an hour when it went live at the start of April.

Meghan was wearing a white sleeveless midi dress on the spring day

She wore a wide smile across her face as she followed the ducks, trying hard not to frighten them

Her first set of products to go up on the website included crepe mix, flower sprinkles, raspberry spread and 'limited edition' wildflower honey, ranging from $9 to $28.

Jake has known the Sussexes for years and is thought to have been there at the start of Harry and Meghan's love story, as he knew the Duchess from her time filming Suits in Toronto.

The snapper also attended their London wedding and was photographed entering St George's Chapel, Windsor, with Oprah Winfrey in May 2018.

The Duchess of Sussex , 43, was seen posing for a selfie with New York-based fashion cameraman Jake Rosenberg, placing both hands on his shoulder on Saturday

Meghan sold out of her sought-after lifestyle range, which has been in the works for more than a year, in under an hour when it went live at the start of April

He also took Meghan's monochrome Instagram profile picture, which features her wearing a near-1,000 white cotton dress from New York Luxury brand Khaite and a 12,500 diamond necklace from Santa Monica jewellery designer Logan Hollowell while laughing on a beach.

When the mother-of-two launched her Instagram account at the start of 2025, Jake used the photo in a post to 'welcome back' Meghan to Instagram after a six-year hiatus.

He said at the time: 'Always love capturing these moments together - What a way to start the year!'.

Jake flew to California from New York to capture the moment but he has not said when it was taken.

In recent months, he also visited Harry and Meghan's mansion in Montecito for a photoshoot to coincide with the launch of her lifestyle and cookery brand, taking a series of pictures of Meghan on her own and her with the children.

Meghan also released a picture of her and Lilibet, three, walking hand-in-hand across a freshly mowed green lawn, basking in the Californian sunshine - however, it is unclear whether Jake was involved in the promotional image.

The Duchess' latest photoshoot comes as she, Harry and their children went on a spring trip to celebrate her new business success with her As Ever range and Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, which has been renewed for a second series.

According to People Magazine, the family has enjoyed a 'sunsoaked getaway' with Archie, five, and Lilibet, three - though the exact destination was not confirmed.

Jake, originally from Toronto, Canada, where Suits was filmed, follows Oprah into St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan and Harry took their children, Lilibet and Archie, on a spring holiday to celebrate the Duchess' new business success

According to People magazine, Harry and Meghan enjoyed a 'sunsoaked' holiday but the exact location has not been confirmed

Insiders also told the outlet that the couple's two children are the 'centre of their happy bubble' back at home in Montecito in California.

'The kids are adorable. Theyre incredibly smart, articulate, and fun,' the source said.

Elsewhere in the magazine cover, which hits shelves on April 28, insiders close to Prince Harry said his rift with the Royal Family is deepening  claiming he was left in the dark about his father King Charles's cancer battle.

The Duke of Sussex's calls to family members including his elder brother Prince William are also ignored, the reports suggested.

People magazine in the US quotes sources close to Harry as describing the ongoing 'strained' relationship with his father five years after the Duke and his wife Meghan Markle quit frontline royal duties and moved to California.

The Pro-Sussex magazine has increasingly been given access to the couple over recent months, with Meghan even giving an interview ahead of the launch of With Love, Meghan in March - where she declared she wasn't 'an influencer'.

Palace insiders were also quoted on the estrangement since so-called 'Megxit' in 2020  with the last face-to-face encounter between Charles and Harry being a 30-minute meeting in February last year.

Sources close to the Duke have told of his calls and letters to relatives being left unanswered.

And he is said to have only known his father the King was recently admitted to hospital on March 27 through media reports rather than being told directly.

Harry spent some time in the UK last week, attending a hearing at London 's High Court in his continuing battle over financing personal protection officers.

His legal team is arguing that he, Meghan and their two children are not safe to come to Britain.
Vanessa Abraham had spent her entire career helping people find their voices. So she felt it was a cruel twist of fate when she contracted a rare neurological disease that took away her ability to speak and left her paralyzed.

Mrs Abraham, 45 from California, had spent over 15 years helping children overcome speech obstacles and teaching them how to talk, but in March 2019, her life came to a standstill after she began to experience a severe case of the flu.

She suffered from extreme exhaustion, body aches, nausea and vomiting, and soon, her voice began to wane.

She was quickly taken to her local emergency room but within two days had to be moved to the intensive care unit after facing respiratory failure and progressive paralysis.

Mrs Abraham wasn't a stranger to the ICU, having treated patients in the hospital rooms during her career. But now, she was the patient.

The mom-of-one told DailyMail.com: 'In the ICU, I was unable to move my arm or hold my head up. The neck muscles were so weak that my neck basically fell to the side, and I had to use a neck brace to hold it up. My condition was grave to say the least.

'I was a speech-language pathologist unable to communicate verbally.'

Vanessa Abraham, a 45-year-old mother, had spent over 15 years helping children overcome speech obstacles and teaching them how to talk when one day, she lost her own voice

While some believed she was suffering from the central nervous system disorder multiple sclerosis, others thought she had neuromyelitis optica (a rare autoimmune disorder that also affects the CNS).

However, she would go a year without a diagnosis.

But that didn't stop her from healing. She told DailyMail.com she fought as hard as she could for her four-year-old daughter, scared she would never be able to speak to the little girl again.

She said: 'I was unable to move myself in bed, unable to use the restroom, was tube fed via g-tube and intubated.

'I was a speech-language pathologist unable to communicate verbally... so I had to rely on things like eye gaze and movements, letters on an alphabet board or paper to type on and text to speech app on my phone.'

Eventually, she required a tracheostomy, which creates an opening in the windpipe to insert a tube to help oxygen reach the lungs.

Because of this, she also required a passy muir valve (PMV) for communication.

A PMV is a speaking valve designed to facilitate communication for people with tracheostomies or those on ventilators.

It redirects airflow through the vocal cords, mouth, and nose, enabling speech and improving communication.

As her condition worsened, experts continued to look for answers, but came up empty. Despite this, Mrs Abraham began intensive 'natural' rehabilitation.

She told the website: 'For my recovery, I took the most natural approaches I could find. I did acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, chiropractic treatments, endermologie [massage with a device that promotes blood circulation], stretch therapy and lasers.

'I completely avoided any prescription medications to address pain. However, I did do monthly infusions of IVIG [antibodies] per my neurologists recommendation as there was no way possible I would experience any medical complications or side effects from this form of medication.'

She also worked with another speech pathologist in the ICU, as well as during rehab to regain her voice

As months went by, she started to slowly relearn how to swallow, speak and move and was eventually sent home - still without a diagnosis - and was told to see a neurologist in hopes of finding answers.

'I was unable to move myself in bed, unable to use the restroom, was tube fed via g-tube and intubated. Eventually I required a tracheostomy and utilized a passy muir valve (PMV) for communication,' she told DailyMail.com

She claims that her greatest motivation was her then-four-year-old daughter whom she feared she would never speak to again

Then by June 2019, Mrs Abraham visited a new neurologist at the University of California in San Diego who recognized her symptoms.

She said: 'It was not until a few months after exiting the hospital environment that they finally diagnosed me. It was only because I saw a new neurologist.

'That neurologist was able to diagnose me in a few minutes based off what I was presenting with [cervical, brachial, pharyngeal paralysis]. She said she had seen this before in her career and was very confident I had the PCB-Variant of GB.'

Mrs Abraham was diagnosed with pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) variant, a rare form of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).

GBS is a rare neurological disorder in which the patient's immune system mistakenly attacks part of their peripheral nerves, responsible for sending information from the brain to different body parts and back.

The condition typically starts to spread from the feet and legs and travels to the arms and face. However in Mrs Abraham's case, it began in her face and then went down her body - making it difficult for doctors to diagnose her.

She told DailyMail.com: 'In the ICU they tested me for GBS but quickly dismissed it because my variant took a different course to paralysis. Typical variants ascend from the feet up, and mine took the opposite - it went top down (head to feet).'

The PCB variant of GBS causes rapid weakness in muscles of the mouth and throat, cervical spine in the neck and nerves in the shoulder.

It also causes a complete absence of reflexes in the upper limbs and arms.

Significant weakness in the mouth and throat can make it difficult to talk, swallow, chew and breathe. It can also cause a person to slur their speech, drool out of the mouth and lead to facial paralysis.

Weakness in the neck and shoulder make it hard to hold the head up and nerve problems - all symptoms Mrs Abraham was experiencing.

As months went by, she started to slowly relearn how to swallow, speak and move

Mrs Abraham pictured here with her husband as she spent time in rehab

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According to BMJ Journals, most neurologists are unfamiliar with the PCB variant and often misdiagnose it as brainstem stroke, myasthenia gravis (a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease causing muscle weakness and fatigue) or botulism (fatal poisoning and paralysis caused by a bacteria).

The causes of both GBS and its variants remain unknown, though they are believed to be triggered by an immune system response to an infection. GBS has also been linked to the Covid vaccine.

GBS is diagnosed in about one in 78,000 people each year around the world. About one in 100,000 people are affected in the US.

While there is no known cure for GBS or any of its variants, therapies such as plasma exchange and immunoglobulin injections (proteins that your immune system naturally makes to attack invading organisms) can help alleviate symptoms and reduce recovery time if started within two weeks of developing GBS.

Most people eventually recover from even the most severe cases of GBS and healthcare professionals tend to transfer patients to rehabilitation settings to improve.

However, six years on from her life-changing diagnosis, Mrs Abraham, who is now able to speak clearly and walk, said: 'Recovery was awful, long and required a lot of mental health services to address severe depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

'I was unable to drive for nine months and eat for six. I didn't work for a year. I had a lot of pain and discomfort and exhaustion. I napped daily and spent a lot of time in outpatient rehab, at the gym, resting, and in therapy for depression.'

She also revealed how she managed to interacte with people while re-learning how to speak: 'I communicated with a passy muir valve that is a device that is used with a tracheostomy. It was the most exhausting, scary and difficult procedure I have ever been through in my entire life.

'Due to the nature of my disease, it made talking again hard. I had an extremely high level of secretions that would require a lot of suctioning in order to use the PMV and talk again. It was physically exhausting. The first time I used the PMV I was able to only use it for less than a minute because it was so hard.

'Before the PMV I used every other modality as an SLP I could think of to talk. I pointed to pictures, typed on the letter board and when severe and unable to move anything in my body I used eye gaze.'

Six years on from her life-changing diagnosis, Mrs Abraham is now able to speak clearly

Despite her recovery, Mrs Abraham told DailyMail.com that her illness forever changed her life.

She said: 'I lost myself. I lost who I once was and had to say goodbye to many dreams for my future. I was profoundly depressed and missed myself and wanted to be the mom I envisioned I would be.

'I am not as active as I once was. I was once able to run, hike mountains for miles and ride bikes and participate in yoga classes. I have had to stop doing all of that because I am simply not strong enough and cannot perform these tasks safely.

'Being tube fed was depressing and isolating. I was no longer able to sit at the table and eat with my family. That is isolating. I was no longer able to work. I lost my identify as not only a mom and wife but also a SLP/working mom.

'I no longer felt I fit into the world I once was an active participant in.

As for life now, she told DailyMail.com she still struggles - both physically and mentally.

She said: 'I am six years out and still participate in weekly ICU support groups for PICS [post intensive care syndrome]. I am unable to sleep through the night without anxiety attacks - I have insomnia.'

Still, she is trying to move forward and raising her daughter, running a neurological rehab business called A Neu Healing where she helps patients recovery from neurological impairments.

In the end, Mrs Abrahams said: 'Surround yourself with people that "get it" and with that I mean that people you can connect with, that understand what you are going through.

'People that understand the grief, loss, depression and anxiety you are feeling through difficult times. For me, I found that through ICU support groups for Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) and through the support of prayer warriors around the United States that experienced tragedy like mine.'
Like many doctors across the country, Dr. Richard Frye watched in disbelief as new health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. vowed to uncover the true causes of autism in a bombshell speech this week.

RFK Jr. promised to pinpoint the environmental triggers behind the condition - suggesting everything from pesticides and food additives to mold, medications and even ultrasounds - and pledged to deliver answers by September.

Dr. Frye, a leading autism expert from Arizona, had mixed feelings.

He told the Daily Mail that some of Kennedy's claims - particularly the need to investigate common drugs including acetaminophen and antibiotics - were 'spot on.'

But he blasted other factors floated by Kennedy - like ultrasounds - as 'misguided' and 'theoretical,' saying there's no solid evidence they're dangerous.

Instead of chasing fringe theories, Dr. Frye says the conversation should be about simple, evidence-based changes that could make a real difference - like addressing maternal obesity or age, issues that he says are easier to fix and backed by better science.

'A lot of these things that RFK Jr is talking about are not things that have really conclusive science behind them,' Dr. Frye, a pediatric neurologist at Rossignol Medical Center, told the Mail.

For worried parents, he doesn't recommend wholesale changes. Instead, small lifestyle tweaks such as drinking filtered water and eating organic food could help stack the odds in their childs favor.

Dr Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist at Rossignol Medical Center in Arizona, is a leading autism expert who told Daily Mail RFK Jr's approach to finding the cause of America's autism 'epidemic' is 'misguided'

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'It is unfortunate that he concentrates on the wrong things, as it will slow down the emerging science and make things controversial,' the doctor continued, adding that his rhetoric is hindering any productive conversation around prevention.

Dr. Frye knows what it's like to challenge the medical mainstream.

He is one of a small group of doctors prescribing leucovorin, a low-cost folic acid-based drug, to autistic children struggling with speech. The results have been dramatic, he says.

According to Mayo Clinic, the drug is typically used to treat or prevent anemia, or as an antidote to the harmful side effects cause by certain cancer medicine.

Dr. Frye has been criticized for using the medication in this application without enough research to support it.

Families with children taking the drug have previously told the Daily Mail that, within a few weeks, their kids went from speaking two or three words at a time to full sentences.

Still, Dr. Frye is interested in other research that may offer hope to the growing number of kids with autism.

Robert F Kennedy is pictured here during his Wednesday address, where he promised to look into five environmental factors he thinks could be causing America's autism 'epidemic'

Pictured is Ryan Baldridge Jr., an eight-year-old boy with autism and patient of Dr. Frye. Ryan has gone from having limited speech to speaking full sentences while taking leucovorin under Dr. Frye's care

The CDC's newest report shows one in 31 US children have autism, up from one in 36 in 2020 and one in 56 in 2016.

By comparison, early studies from the 1960s and '70s estimated autism rates to be as low as 1 in 5,000.

Many researchers have suggested the rise is primarily due to better screening methods and diagnostic changes.

The authors of the CDC report, for example, stated that the uptick 'might be due to differences in availability of services for early detection and evaluation and diagnostic practices.'

Kennedy, however, claimed diagnostic improvements only account for about 10 to 20 percent of cases, blaming the rest on environmental toxins.

One of the more fringe theories floated by RFK Jr. was the use of ultrasound scans.

The routine test, used since the 1970s to monitor pregnancies, is widely considered safe.

While a few recent studies have raised questions about whether multiple scans could slightly raise the risk of autism, results never stood up to scrutiny in larger trials, including one by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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A 2018 study published in JAMA Pediatrics, for example, of 420 children found that those with autism were exposed to higher amounts of high-frequency ultrasounds, which take more detailed images than a standard ultrasound.

However, the authors emphasized that the findings just show an association, not a direct cause.

This type of imaging is used in high-frequency ultrasound, which creates more detailed images than standard ultrasound.

Tens of thousands are performed in the US every year to look at a fetus during pregnancy, as well as to look at vital organs in non-pregnant people. For example, a patient might receive a higher-frequency scan to get a more detailed view of what's inside, or if they have more belly tissue.

A 2023 CDC study analyzing 1,500 pregnancies found 'no evidence that prenatal ultrasound use increases ASD risk.'

Dr. Frye said the link between ultrasounds and autism 'is more of a theoretical thing.'

'It's not one of the things we have strong evidence on,' he added.

Several recent studies have provided evidence supporting Kennedy's claims about food additives and pesticides, however.

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An Australian study published earlier this year, for example, found boys exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) in the womb were six times more likely to be diagnosed with autism before age 11 than those without exposure.

That team suggested BPA - which lines plastic and metal food packaging, an ever growing pollutant in the modern world - was linked to neurological and behavioral changes associated with autism.

Watchdog Environmental Working Group estimates BPA is found in 16,000 foods including canned soups and baby formula.

Another study from the University of California, Los Angeles suggested children exposed to pesticides in utero and as infants had a 10 percent increased risk of developing autism.

However, Dr. Frye suggested Kennedy's researchers focus more on maternal health and medications taken during pregnancy than environmental toxins, as measures like removing pesticides from the environment and cleaning up water take several years and millions of dollars of federal funding.

For example, he pointed to a growing body of research on the effects of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy. Antibiotics have also been linked to an increased risk.

It's thought that these medications may disrupt the gut microbiome, which produces 90 percent of the body's mood-regulating hormone serotonin.

However, Dr. Frye cautioned this could be due to overuse rather than taking the medication as needed.

'What's important is that medicines are not evil, but sometimes we use them without thinking about it these days,' he said.

'It may be that a little bit of these things are okay, but the fact that we use them reflexively, without thinking about it, is something that we could kind of think about.'

Dr. Frye also pointed to maternal age and conditions like diabetes as possible risk factors.

Research from the University of California, Davis, for example, found the risk of autism in children increased by 18 percent for every five-year increase in a mother's age.

A, NIH meta-analysis also found mothers older than 35 had a 'significantly' higher risk of having an autistic child than those between 25 and 29 years old.

The latest CDC research shows that the amount of women having their first babies at or after 40 has increased by 127 percent.

Experts believe women are waiting longer to have children due to economic struggles, focusing on their careers and because they are getting married later.

Research suggests older mothers may be at a greater risk of passing on genetic mutations that increase the risk of autism, and that obesity may cause brain-damaging inflammation in a fetus.

A 2021 study in Scientific Reports found that gestational diabetes was linked to a 42 percent increased risk of autism.

Maternal obesity, a leading risk factor in gestational diabetes, has also increased by about 11 percent throughout the US in the past several years.

Dr. Frye also explained that while studies on environmental toxins are still emerging, parents can implement small changes to lower their child's risk of being exposed to potential toxins.

'You can get a good water filter. You can get a filter to clean the air in your house. You can eat organic, where less pesticides are used,' he said.

'There's easier solutions to this than things people might think are radical.'
Being beheaded or hung drawn or quartered are two of the most famous examples of torture in history.

But historians have identified one specific execution that they say stands out from the crowd for its sheer barbarity.

The death of Gyorgy Dozsa has been cited as a top contender for the worst or 'cruellest' death in history.

Dozsa was a professional solider from Transylvania who led a peasants' revolt in Hungary against the ruling nobility in 1514 earning him the title the 'peasant king'.

The rebellion failed and a captured Dozsa, 44 at the time, was subjected to a particularly gruesome end.

The nobles Dozsa had planned to overthrow held a mock coronation for the so-called 'peasant king', only instead of a normal seat they placed him on an iron throne.

They then heated the metal seat until it was red hot and placed a similarly heated iron crown and sceptre on his head and in his hand.

After an hour of his torture the still alive and partially roasted Dozsa was removed from the throne for the next horrific chapter of his ordeal.

The death of Gyorgy Dozsa has been cited as as a top contender for the worst or 'cruellest' death in history

The execution of Dozsa has inspired numerous pieces of art including the 1970 film 'Judgement'

Another is the 'Throne of Fire' a sculpture at the Hungarian National Gallery

First his brother Gergely was brutally executed in front of him.

Then Dozsa was led to a group of his captured followers who had been starved for 10 days - and they were forced to eat parts of his flesh.

Any who refused to take part in the cannibalism were immediately executed.

Finally, Dozsa was killed with his remains cut into four pieces and sent to different cities to serve as an example.

Professor Paul Freedman, a historian at Yale University in the US, has said Dozsa's death was 'so stunningly barbarous that across Europe, contemporaries took notice.'

Various commentators have declared Dozsa's demise to be the worst or cruellest death in history.

YouTube page Dark History described it as 'probably the cruellest death in the history of mankind'.

One viewer said: 'That's horrible. Bunch of animals in the olden days'.

The execution of Dozsa has inspired numerous pieces of art including the 1970 film 'Judgement' and the sculpture 'Throne of Fire' at the Hungarian National Gallery.
When I began my career as an NHS psychiatrist more than 30 years ago, I was taught about a rare condition where children had such severe hyperactive behaviour that they had to take powerful medication simply to get through school.

The families and teachers of these children were often at their wits end, unable to get them to sit still or stay silent.

These children were classed as suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and, for many decades, the treatment had been the same: stimulant drugs, like amphetamine tablets.

These pills, the same used by Second World War pilots and long-distance truckers to keep them awake during long nights, had a marked effect on children with ADHD.

Those given the stimulant tablets were more able to sit still through school and focus on their work. The drugs also had the added benefit of keeping them quiet. They didnt necessarily need to take the tablets at weekends or during the holidays  the aim was to improve their work.

The drugs were also viewed as a temporary fix. The children might take them for a few months or a couple of years, but as they aged and their behaviour improved, they would stop taking them  usually by the age of 18.

However, today this has all changed. The number of children diagnosed with ADHD has surged, with diagnoses for boys doubling since 2000, and tripling for girls over the same period.

There has also been a sea change in how the condition is understood. No longer is it viewed as a temporary behaviour issue, but as a lifelong condition which requires constant, often daily, medical treatment for years, if not for life.

Joanna Moncrieff began her career as an NHS psychiatrist more than 30 years ago, and says she has grown more concerned about the number of children on stimulant pills

Studies now show that ADHD stimulants do not help children perform better in school

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Last year, nearly 250,000 people in England received ADHD prescriptions on the NHS  a more than threefold rise from 81,000 in 2015. Of those, more than 60,000 are children.

I am not a child psychiatrist, but I have spent my career doing research into drug treatments for all sorts of mental health problems. And over the years I have grown increasingly concerned about the number of children on these stimulant pills.

One of the main problems is that children do not like taking them.

A US study, which asked children on stimulants how the pills made them feel, found they regularly described the drugs making them feel numb or sad.

Some described how, while on stimulants, they dont smile or feel like myself.

Then there are the physical consequences to consider.

Another US study found that children on stimulants were, on average, 1.5in (4cm) shorter than their peers who also had ADHD but were not taking the drugs.

Despite these side-effects, many psychiatrists who prescribe the tablets  both on the NHS and privately  say those consequences are a necessary evil. This is because, they argue, the pills help children perform better in school and, ultimately, have brighter futures as a result.

However, growing research has thrown this justification into question. Studies now show that ADHD stimulants do not help children perform better in school.

This is why I, and an increasing number of my colleagues, believe we need to think again about the rising use of these drugs.

So how did we get here?

The NHS defines ADHD as a condition where the brain works differently to most people. Children diagnosed with it are often those who have trouble concentrating or sitting still.

What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. It affects around five per cent of children in the US. Some 3.6 per cent of boys and 0.85 per cent of girls suffer in the UK. Symptoms typically appear at an early age and become more noticeable as a child grows. These can also include: Constant fidgeting

Poor concentration

Excessive movement or talking

Acting without thinking

Inability to deal with stress

Little or no sense of danger

Careless mistakes

Mood swings

Forgetfulness

Difficulty organising tasks

Continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones

Inability to listen or carry out instructions Most cases are diagnosed between six and 12 years old. Adults can also suffer, but there is less research into this. ADHD's exact cause is unclear but is thought to involve genetic mutations that affect a person's brain function and structure. Premature babies and those with epilepsy or brain damage are more at risk. ADHD is also linked to anxiety, depression, insomnia, Tourette's and epilepsy. There is no cure. A combination of medication and therapy is usually recommended to relieve symptoms and make day-to-day life easier. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Other common symptoms, according to the Health Service, include being easily distracted, making impulsive decisions and finding it hard to listen to what people are saying or to follow instructions.

This definition of ADHD has long been contested. Many, like myself, point out that you would be hard-pressed to find a child who didnt show several of these symptoms at one time or another.

There is no blood test or scan you can take to get an ADHD diagnosis. So its left completely up to the judgment of the doctor to decide whether a patient has it.

Recent research also shows that symptoms fluctuate, meaning children show them at some times and not others. This flies in the face of the idea that ADHD is a lifelong condition originating in a different sort of brain.

But another contentious issue is the drugs that are used to treat it, which have remained largely the same for nearly 100 years.

The first research into treating ADHD dates back to 1937, when an American psychiatrist experimented with giving children with behavioural issues a daily dose of the stimulant drug amphetamine (then known as benzedrine).

At the time the drug was used by factory workers to help them get through long shifts filled with repetitive tasks. Today, the same substance is taken by recreational drug-takers and is better known by its street name, speed.

But the study, which earlier this month was highlighted in The New York Times, concluded that benzedrine had a spectacular effect on problem children. According to their teachers, many children showed remarkably improved school performance and, overnight, became placid and easygoing.

It is this research which has paved the way for millions of prescriptions of these stimulant drugs to be given to children.

The most popular stimulant to be prescribed to children with ADHD is methylphenidate, also known by its brand name Ritalin.

However, in recent years, studies have called into question the benefits of stimulants.

One such study, published in 2022, involved children aged seven to 12 attending a two-month summer camp in the US. Half their time was spent doing classroom learning. Researchers randomly split the children into two groups. Half received a daily dose of Ritalin, while the other half were given a placebo.

While in the classroom, the children taking Ritalin appeared to work faster and were better behaved than those on the placebo. However, at the end of the teaching periods, the two groups underwent tests and the results showed that the children on

Ritalin hadnt learnt any more than their non-drugged campmates. The drugs dont improve the brain function of ADHD patients, they simply change behaviour temporarily.

Teachers and parents see hard-working, quiet children. The children may feel they are doing better too, but as the research shows, the drugs do not improve their performance.

There are also the long-term consequences of these pills to consider. We already know that they can stunt growth, and even delay puberty in boys. There are also worries that, in rare cases, stimulants can damage the heart.

But I am also concerned that stimulants might negatively affect childrens personality development. Children who act out need to learn to be responsible for their actions. If they are told they are sick and can only be normal with the help of medication, they may never learn how to control their own behaviour.

Of course, its true that many children do have attention problems and struggle in school. The number getting mobile phones has probably only made this issue worse. Some children find a large institution like school difficult. They find the work boring and dont feel they fit in.

Often, when children diagnosed with ADHD leave school and find something that interests and motivates them, they do really well. This suggests its the environment thats the problem, not the child.

I wouldnt like to say that no child should ever be prescribed stimulants, but it seems wrong that we are having to give children drugs to enable them to fit into modern-day life.

I hated how these drugs made me feel - but I'd have failed my exams without their help

Comment by Ethan Ennals

It was the summer of 2014, I was deep into A-level revision and my mornings all began the same way.

After breakfast I would take two small, white pills. By the time I had showered, my heart would be beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

But Id ignore this and sit at my desk, where Id often stay for four or five hours at a time, not even getting up to go to the toilet or eat.

The pills were Ritalin, a stimulant ADHD medication I had been prescribed two years previously. As a child Id been quiet and well-behaved. However, at 14 things changed drastically when my parents divorce threw home life into chaos.

I would skip school, argue with teachers and disrupt lessons. When I could be convinced to sit still, my mind wandered and Id spend more time doodling than doing any work.

Six months before my GCSEs (pictured left), I was on course to fail them all. In desperation, my parents took me to see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin.

The idea was to take them every day, but I quickly found that was impossible. When I took them at school, my concentration on tasks would improve, but I also found it challenging to talk or write essays. It was as though the pills dulled my creativity.

They also made me anxious, and anti-social, and took away my appetite. But I discovered the best way to use them: revision.

Previously, revising for exams was so boring that I couldnt manage it. But on Ritalin it became the most fascinating and important task in the world, and I managed to gain decent grades in my exams.

At A-level, being able to pick my subjects meant Id begun to enjoy school  particularly English. However, feeling the pressure to get the grades I needed for my university of choice, Edinburgh, I turned again to Ritalin.

These revision days passed in a haze, where I was unable to talk or eat very much at all. However, the tactic paid off. I got top marks and gained a university place.

That was the last time I took Ritalin. It had helped me, but I hated the way it made me feel. The experience also made me realise that it was within my own abilities to sit down and revise. So I decided to go drug-free at university.

More than a decade on, I often forget that I was once labelled with ADHD. I work long hours and find my job incredibly engaging.

While Im thankful that the drugs helped get me through exams, I firmly believe my behaviour problems were a temporary issue triggered by what was going on at home.

And, eventually, I simply outgrew that behaviour.
Thousands of families are unknowingly drinking tap water laced with lead putting them at risk of long-term health damage, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Once widely used in both domestic plumbing and public water mains, lead piping was banned in 1970 after mounting evidence showed the toxic metal could leach into drinking water. By then, studies had already linked lead exposure to developmental delays, behavioural issues and reduced IQ in children  as well as high blood pressure, kidney damage and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke in adults.

Since then, safer alternatives such as copper and plastic have become standard  but millions of homes may still have hidden lead pipes, silently putting residents in danger.

Around six million properties built before the 1970 ban still have internal lead piping. Meanwhile, water companies are replacing ageing mains at such a slow pace that it could take more than 1,000 years to remove all piping with the toxic metal, a Government report has said.

Experts warn this represents a serious threat to public health. Late last year the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) reported a worrying rise in children being admitted to hospital with lead poisoning. Concerned doctors at the time said the likely cause in many cases was lead-contaminated drinking water.

In response, this newspaper launched an investigation to uncover just how many families are being exposed to dangerous levels of lead.

Environmental Information Requests to 16 of the UKs water companies revealed a shocking 2,500 properties over the past three years had levels that posed a risk to human health.

These reports are generated when concerned homeowners ask firms to test their tap water.

Mother-of-one Deborah White, 58, sought the test after finding lead piping in her home. She suffers from persistent headaches, digestive problems and muscle pain

Our analysis has shown that there are lead contamination hotspots in cities such as Leeds, Brighton and Southampton

For most breaches, the lead concentration was found to be ten times the legal limit  and in some cases far more. Health damage can occur after consuming water with much lower levels.

These incidents have, until now, not been made public.

We can also reveal that UKHSA has issued 160 do not drink tap water orders due to lead contamination over the past three years.

This occurs when water company mains testing  which must be carried out as a legal obligation  finds an issue.

Our analysis has shown that there are lead contamination hotspots in cities such as Leeds, Brighton and Southampton.

We contacted a number of those affected across the UK.

One woman from Fife discovered she had lead levels in her blood at twice the safety limit, after tests at her GP.

Deborah White, 58, sought the test after finding lead piping in her home. She suffers from persistent headaches, digestive problems and muscle pain  symptoms that can be linked to lead exposure.

A mother-of-one in Hertfordshire said she believes tap water in her 1960s home, which tested positive for high lead levels, led to her three-year-old daughter suffering learning difficulties. The lead mains were discovered during renovations and she sought testing from the local water company, which confirmed contamination.

Blood tests showed her then-newborn had elevated lead levels. Three years on, she believes they are starting to see the consequences.

We have seen development issues with her, doctors have said she likely has ADHD, which we believe is down to the lead, she said. It has also been really challenging in terms of her education. She just isnt picking things up as quickly as others. The mother fears that drinking tap water while she was pregnant impacted her daughter while still in the womb.

Brighton-based Shalim Ahmed, 45, says he fears for his childrens health after finding lead pipes in his home. It meant they had been drinking contaminated water for a decade.

You hear about this in other parts of the world but you dont think that it is still an issue here, says the father of three. I was shocked when I found out and I am scared about the impact it may have had.

Others have paid thousands to remove lead piping  and those who could not afford to do so rely on bottled water. The 2,500 cases uncovered by this newspaper may be just the tip of the iceberg, as they only represent instances where homeowners have actively requested lead testing.

Water contaminated by lead looks, smells and tastes no different from ordinary tap water, and experts claim thousands more families may be drinking water with dangerously high lead levels.

Dr Wayne Carter, head of the Clinical Toxicology Research Group at the University of Nottingham, said: The bottom line is that lead is toxic and there is no safe level of exposure.

So, the fact the tests show that water in peoples homes is still above the legal limit is real concern. More than 200 children were admitted to hospital in 2023 while suffering from lead poisoning, according to the UKHSA.

The condition occurs when the metal begins to build up in the brain and other organs. The report stated that 6 per cent of these cases were because of lead pipes.

Despite this, doctors do not routinely test for lead in the blood and a screening programme for children aged one to five was rejected in 2018. The UK National Screening Committee explained the decision by stating the prevalence of elevated levels of lead was low.

Professor Alan Emond, a specialist in childrens health at the University of Bristol, believes this was a missed opportunity.

Any exposure to lead in children will have an impact, he said. We know that lead exposure early in childhood can have an effect on development as it can get stored in bones and leaches out over time, affecting the brain. Lead exposure has an impact on cognition, behaviour and can impact a childs results at school.

A review of more than 2,500 studies published this month in the journal Ecotoxicology And Environmental Safety found exposure to lead, even at low levels, was linked to behavioural and developmental issues.

Professor Emond said: The issue in the UK at the moment is we simply do not know how big a problem this is across the country.

Professor Alastair Hay, a toxicology expert at the University of Leeds, explained: For every microgram of lead in the blood, theres a measurable drop in a childs IQ. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, as lead crosses the placenta and can affect the developing foetus.

Low-level lead exposure is not only an issue for children. A 2018 study of 14,000 adults in the US published in the Lancet found that 18 per cent of all deaths, 28 per cent of cardiovascular disease deaths and 37 per cent of heart disease cases could be attributed to high lead levels.

The UK may be falling behind other countries on the issue.

The recommended maximum allowable amount of lead in British water is ten micrograms per litre, which has been the World Health Organisations guidance since 1993. The US lowered its limit to zero as it believes there is no safe amount of lead for humans.

Last year, then US president Joe Biden announced a 2 billion plan to replace all lead pipes in the next decade. Meanwhile, the EU has halved its legal lead limit to five micrograms per litre.

We need to be looking to drive the level down to zero, said Professor Hay. Following the EU in halving the level would halve the level in the blood which would minimise the impact on children. The issue is that in the UK these things get pushed back and overlooked. Dealing with the problem is not simple in Britain because the pipework that supplies clean water is shared between water companies and property owners.

Despite replacements now being carried out, research has suggested that a quarter of pipes (three million) are still lead.

The UKs Drinking Water Inspectorate has found that, unless the pace increases, it will take until the year 3273 for the countrys drinking water to be lead-free.

Given the known health problems associated with lead, there is no justification for having lead pipes, says Professor Emond.

As well as mains inside the home, any piping in the property boundary  which transports water from the street to the house  is the homeowners responsibility. And in many cases, these are lead.

If your home was constructed before 1970 there is a really good chance that you have lead pipes somewhere on your property, says Dr Jeremy Auerbach, an expert in urban geography at University College Dublin. Yet we dont discuss it, young parents arent aware and it can have disastrous consequences  it is a silent public health crisis.

Water companies try to mitigate the risk by treating the supply with orthophosphate, a lead antidote. However, this doesnt eliminate lead in the water.

Particularly with ageing pipework, which is more likely to crack, treating the water is not enough to prevent lead in tap water. The pipes need to be replaced, adds Dr Auerbach.

Homes across the country are still at risk of contaminated tap water despite the water regulator Ofwat allowing firms to raise 186 million by hiking bills to tackle the issue. Some companies, such as United Utilities in the North West, have schemes to help homeowners replace the pipes they own.

But the likes of Madeleine Marsh, 42, have had to spend vast sums removing lead piping.

The accountant moved into her three-bed house in Southampton in 2019 and found she had lead pipes. Southern Water said it was not its responsibility.

When my partner said he wanted to get the water tested, I said dont be ridiculous, recalled Madeleine. We have kids now so feel fortunate that we spotted it when we did, but it cost 4,000, which was a lot of money to have to spend.

Dr Carter said: This is not about drinking one glass of contaminated water, but the effect that long-term, low-level lead exposure can have, and water companies need to be testing more pro-actively to ensure regulations are met.

Campaigner Tim Pye, from the Lead Exposure and Poisoning Prevention Alliance, said: Its a shocking situation  in some homes, levels have been found to be over 100 times too high, and one 230 times too high.

The group is calling for a change in the law to ensure landlords are responsible for removing internal lead pipes.

It has also been calling for a national screening programme for lead exposure in children. A pilot scheme was launched last September in Yorkshire, with the UKHSA to present its findings next year.

A Drinking Water Inspectorate spokesman said: Drinking water in England is among the most-tightly regulated and best quality in the world. Water companies consistently meet the stringent regulatory standards for drinking water, with 99.97 per cent of samples complying with the regulatory standards in 2023.

Lead plumbing in public buildings and domestic premises remains a measurable risk to public health, and more work is needed to address the legacy issues of lead in pipework and plumbing. The presence of lead as demonstrated by compliance must be addressed in future planning, and action is needed.
Personalised health MOTs could be a 'game changer' for the UK's ageing population, Wes Streeting has said.

Such checks would involve combining genetic studies and AI to create unique medical plans for patients.

The Health Secretary claimed the technology  currently used in Japan  could revolutionise how healthcare is delivered, with a ten-year plan for the NHS set to be published this year.

Mr Streeting told the Daily Telegraph: 'If we can start to think about that sort of health MOT approach, but combining it with things like genomics and AI machine learning, so people aren't just getting a general MOT, but a personal one, and... not only diagnose earlier and treat faster, but predict and prevent illness, that is a game-changer.'

NHS England has said that frail patients aged over 65 would be given checks in A&E units. The tests will be offered ten hours a day, seven days a week, and will check heart health and mobility.

It is also hoped that AI can be used to identify 'hard-to-spot' fractures, with scanning technology expected to be rolled out soon.

The health services spending watchdog has given the green light to four AI programs designed to reduce the number of bone breaks that go undiagnosed in A&E.

Missed fractures are one of the most common errors in emergency departments, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), amid chronic shortages of radiologists and radiographers.

Personalised health MOTs could be a 'game changer' for the UK's ageing population, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said

NHS England has said that frail patients aged over 65 would be given checks in A&E units. The tests will be offered ten hours a day, seven days a week, and will check heart health and mobility

It is also hoped that AI can be used to identify 'hard-to-spot' fractures, with scanning technology expected to be rolled out soon

The NHS estimates more than 1 million a year is spent on compensation for patients who have had their fracture missed.

The four technologies  TechCare Alert, Rayvolve, BoneView and RBfracture  are hoped to increase the accuracy of detecting breaks by about 15 per cent.

Doctors will still assess scans for signs of fractures, but in the participating hospitals the AI will also look for smaller breaks.

Experts believe that, by catching fractures early, the programs could stop patients from further injuries while accelerating their recovery time.

Around 200,000 people every year are admitted to hospital with a fracture. The most common are hip, ankle and hand fractures.

Those with the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis are also more likely to suffer breaks.

The AI scanning technology is developed by uploading thousands of bone-scan images until the software learns to recognise signs of fractures.

Similar programs are being used to catch early signs of cancer.
GPs are refusing to offer tens of thousands of eligible patients a twice-a-year injection that could slash their risk of heart disease and dementia, experts claim.

The jab has been shown to reduce by half the levels of so-called bad cholesterol  a fatty substance known as LDL that can build up in the blood vessels and drastically increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke by blocking the flow of blood.

But just 7 per cent of the 300,000 NHS patients who stand to benefit from it have received it since it was approved in 2021, as arguments raged over its long-term safety and the level of patient monitoring that GPs are required to carry out.

And now a landmark study has concluded that high LDL levels also raise the risk of dementia, and that lowering it to a healthy level reduces the risk of the degenerative brain disease by 26 per cent.

The results of the South Korean research, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, now suggests that cholesterol-lowering drugs may be crucial in the fight against the UKs two most deadly diseases  heart disease and dementia, which together kill more than 200,000 people every year.

The low take-up of the drug, inclisiran, also known under its brand name Leqvio, is due to a long-running stand-off between the NHS and both the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British Medical Association (BMA) which are refusing to allow GPs to prescribe it.

The organisations  two of the UKs largest bodies representing doctors  argue that their members dont have enough time to offer the drug as patients on it must be carefully monitored for long-term side effects, and also claim that theres not enough proof of its effectiveness and safety.

It means that most inclisiran prescriptions are written by a specialist, forcing some patients to travel hundreds of miles to see a relevant doctor or wait as long as a year for an appointment.

In 2022, Mariella Frostrup revealed she had heart disease and was on medication you inject twice a year saying it was a life-saver as statins didnt work for me

Ordinarily, GPs and cardiologists prescribe statins to anyone with high cholesterol and deemed to have more than a 10 per cent risk of having a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, over the next decade.

The cheap daily tablets are taken by up to 8 million Britons. But research has shown half of those taking them fail to reach healthy cholesterol levels after two years.

Some simply stop taking the medication, while others are unable to take a high enough dose to make it effective  often blaming side effects such as muscle aches. Inclisiran is designed to be taken with statins or other cholesterol-lowering medication to sufficiently reduce levels swiftly.

In 2022, broadcaster and menopause campaigner Mariella Frostrup revealed she had heart disease and was on medication you inject twice a year saying it was a life-saver as statins didnt work for me. Although she didnt name the drug, she said it dramatically affected my cholesterol.

Inclisiran was approved for high-risk patients by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) after trials showed it could cut LDL levels by almost half. The NHS regulator also highlighted a need for more cholesterol-lowering medicines to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes the NHS tackles  which account for about 100,000 hospital admissions a year.

However, the RCGP and BMA argue it is still unclear how much inclisiran reduces heart attack and stroke numbers and its long-term side effects. According to Dr Michael Mulholland, RCGP honorary secretary, there are also insufficient resources for GPs to prescribe inclisiran and monitor patients for potential side effects.

As a result, both groups say it should be offered only by hospital specialists and not GPs. They also do not intend to change their position until long-term data is published, which is due in 2026.

However, other experts say it is crucial that GPs prescribe the jab.

GPs are refusing to offer tens of thousands of eligible patients a twice-a-year injection that could slash their risk of heart disease and dementia, experts claim

More than half of adults in the UK have unhealthy cholesterol levels, according to research. Advertisement

I offer my cardiovascular disease patients inclisiran, but they have to be referred to my hospital clinic in order to see me, says Professor Kausik Ray, a consultant cardiologist at Imperial College London and lead investigator on a major inclisiran trial.

GPs have an important role to play in preventing serious disease in the community. This includes helping patients manage their cholesterol with a range of treatments, such as inclisiran.

However, in many cases, eligible patients are not told about inclisiran until it is too late.One patient who believes he should have been offered the jab is Nick Stewart, a 56-year-old electronics worker from Hampshire. He was given statins after a blood test revealed he had elevated LDL levels.

However, he developed severe muscle aches after starting on the daily tablets  an uncommon but well-documented side effect. So Nick came off them, but his GP did not offer an alternative treatment.

Then, in 2023, Nick suffered a heart attack. Following his recovery from surgery, he sought out a private heart specialist to help him in his recovery and reduce the risk of another attack.

It was only then that Nick found out about inclisiran.

He says: I definitely should have done more to lower my cholesterol before the heart attack but until then I didnt know there were any options other than statins.

My most recent blood test shows that my LDL levels have halved since I started on inclisiran. Hopefully this will prevent any future heart issues.

Now experts are calling on GPs to offer it to eligible patients.

High cholesterol levels are a risk factor for both diseases of the heart and brain, and we have effective drugs to lower cholesterol we could be giving patients today, says Prof Ray. Nowhere near enough patients in the country are being offered inclisiran.
The Death Of Stalin by Sheila Fitzpatrick (Old Street Publications 12.99, 128pp)

The Death of Stalin is available now from the Mail Bookshop

An old man of 74 lies helpless on the floor. He is partly paralysed from a massive stroke, and has wet himself.

The man is Joseph Stalin, responsible for the deaths of millions of people  perhaps as many as 20 million.

In The Death Of Stalin, perhaps the worlds foremost historian of the Soviet era, Sheila Fitzpatrick, gives us the full darkly comic but grisly details of Stalins last days.

She factually covers the same ground as Armando Iannuccis hilarious but not accurate film, also called The Death Of Stalin.

The first absurdity was that initially, when Stalin failed to appear that day, no one dared to enter his room to see if he was all right.

They were all too terrified of him. So the hours ticked by on March 1, 1953, while his household and senior members of the Soviet government, including the dreaded head of Stalins secret police, Lavrentiy Beria, waited around.

They might have sent in his doctor, except that Stalin had recently sent him to prison!

Eventually, at around 6pm, they saw a light come on in the Great Leaders room, and sent the housekeeper in to see if he was all right. With no doctor available they did their best to haul him back on to the sofa and left him apparently sleeping. When doctors finally came the next day they confirmed he had had a stroke. Since Stalin had been warned for years about the risks of his drinking and smoking, it cant have surprised any of them.

There was more chaos surrounding who was to succeed him. The problem was, Stalin had killed off his best and brightest colleagues in his paranoia, and the rest mistrusted and hated each other. For a time, the favourite seemed to be Beria, but finally the mantle of successor fell on the somewhat more moderate Nikita Khrushchev.

Stalin died on March 5, at his country villa. Immediately the Soviet propaganda machine swung into action, telling the Russian people that he had actually died in Moscow, in the Kremlin.

Lying in state: Stalins body was brought to lie in the Hall of Monuments

Stalins body was brought quietly to Moscow and lay in state in the Hall of Monuments, with thousands filing past to pay their final respects. Some of them had been drilled at school to chant, Thank you, comrade Stalin, for our happy childhood!. Stalin was then buried with full honours beside Lenin.

Russias former allies from the Second World War sent condolences, with France declaring three days of official mourning. Pope Pius XII was somewhat sterner, Stalin had arrived at the end of his arid life and must account to the Almighty for his actions.

Not long after Khrushchevs coming to power, and with greater openness about the past, the public mood began to turn. One incredible statistic showed people just how murderous Stalin had been even to his own: 70 per cent of the Central Communist Committee elected in 1934 had been taken out and shot by 1939.

Finally his body was dug up from beside Lenin and reburied near the Kremlin walls. And a mountain in Central Asia named Mount Stalin was renamed Mount Communism.

In Ukraine he is still regarded as the epitome of evil  his engineered famine there in the 1930s, the terrible Holodomor, killed as many as six million people. But in Russia his reputation is rising rapidly once more. In the 1990s only 26 per cent of Russians viewed Stalin favourably, but today this is well over 50 per cent.

How can this be? Well, as Fitzpatrick shrewdly concludes in this fascinating little study, Status in the world is something that Russians cherish and feel they have lost. Superpower status in a bipolar world was a once-in-a-millennium highlight of Russian history, and Stalin was the man at the top when it happened.
The Accidental Soldier by Owain Mulligan (Hodder & Stoughton 22, 320pp)

The Accidental Soldier is available now from the Mail Bookshop

It is not unusual to hear the livelier kind of school classroom described as a war zone  generally by people with no experience of war zones.

But for history teacher Owain Mulligan, spending weekends with the Territorial Army (TA) on Salisbury Plain was a welcome relief from trying to convince a class of 12-year-olds that Henry VIII was more interesting than nailing your neighbours hand to his desk with a compass.

The moment of decision came on a December day in 2005. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, several members of Owains TA regiment had recently returned from Iraq with impressive suntans and a repertoire of exotic anecdotes.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, a small boy had just smashed his violin over his classmates head. That afternoon, Owain volunteered for Iraq.

By early January 2006, he was set to join the Queens Royal Hussars at Sennelager in Germany. Probably, he thought, they would find him a role in keeping with his limited military experience. It was a shock to learn that he was to lead Third Troop  12 professional soldiers  on an operational tour to Basra.

In these circumstances an experienced troop sergeant can make or break a young officer, and Owain struck lucky with Sergeant Mason, Six foot one with the torso of Goliaths harder brother, hair shaved to the skull, and a voice like aggregate being crushed.

Pre-deployment training took place in Tin City  a snow-covered facility set up to resemble a 1970s Northern Irish border town. Owain briefly wondered how useful this would prove on a summer tour of Iraq. He had yet to realise that it was an ideal introduction to the glorious (and often inglorious) illogicality of Army life.

Band of Brothers: Owain, centre, with two fellow soldiers in Iraq

Training completed and the troop bonded (they now called him Boss rather than Sir  a good sign), it was off to Shaibah Logistics Base, a few miles south-west of Basra.

Here the facilities included a Pizza Hut and a Subway, but the accommodation was in tents  something that concentrated their minds quite sharply when they were mortared. None of the rounds was on target, but it was a reminder that there were people out there who meant them serious harm.

Before long the mortars began landing closer, and for Owain it felt personal. Some of his men had endured childhoods so grim that they were used to the idea of someone wanting to hurt them. But I have spent 20 years being told what a special little flower I am It doesnt feel like this is supposed to happen to someone like me. (He is, in fact, the brother of the actress Carey Mulligan, whom he sweetly describes as a much better sister than I deserve.)

Third Troops duties ranged from refurbishing schools (they were stoned with chunks of breeze block) to patrolling the Iran-Iraq border (the Iranians jammed their radio with Chris de Burghs The Lady In Red on a loop).

Escorting a convoy, they handed over to some Italian troops. It was a congenial encounter  the Italians rations included a very acceptable Chianti, and their mesmerisingly glamorous medic looked like a young Sophia Loren, with fingernails varnished cherry red.

Brotherly Love: Owain his sister, actress Carey Mulligan

Half an hour later they heard over the radio that the Italians had been hit by an IED, with one dead and multiple casualties.

Thinking of those cherry-red fingernails scrabbling for a field dressing in the dark, Owain was close to tears.

Soldiers are good at finding the comedy in chaos and horror, and Basra provided outstanding opportunities for black humour, from the explosive incident with the honeysucker (a small tanker that emptied the portable loos), to Third Troops irrepressible talent for winding up the regimental sergeant major  who nearly blew a ventricle when one solider turned up in a hot pink cropped top with the word PIMP picked out in gold sequins.

As the end of the tour approached, a couple of incidents made Owain question what the British forces were doing in Iraq. He was on patrol when a woman hopped into the back of his Land Rover.

Her name was Leila, and she explained in fluent English that she wanted the Army to kill a local militia commander who was trying to recruit her son. Life under Saddam was difficult, but at least we had a life, she said bitterly.

Two days before Third Troop were due to fly home, they were sent on a last operation.

An official report recorded what happened: one soldier wounded, one Iraqi male dead and an Iraqi female wounded, later declared dead.

What wasnt described, Owain writes, was what really happened: the Iraqi male, a bomb maker, wielding an AK-47, killed before he hit the ground; the female, his mother, accidentally shot by her dying son; the Army medic who tried to treat her looking up and shaking his head. With that, the tour was over.

Smiling through hardship: Owain, centre, with Army colleagues

Owain said goodbye to Third Troop and never saw them again  though a photograph of them was on the wall of his study as he wrote this book. Its vivid humour and deep humanity (not to mention its virtuoso use of the F-word) will secure it a place among the classics of military memoir.

Now 40, a management consultant with a wife and small children, living in a quiet suburb at the end of the Northern Line, he looks back in anger at the ineptitude, and the let-downs, and the sheer waste of what happened in Iraq.

But his overwhelming feeling, he writes, is still of gratitude, for having been in that place, at that time. For having seen the canopy of stars on the Iran-Iraq border; for watching the reed warblers wake as the sun rose over the Central Marshes.

And most of all, for his troop. He was very young  just 23  when he volunteered to serve in Iraq, and they were even younger. But they were the best men I would ever know.
The new boss of Unilever hopes to win over investors this week by laying out a closely watched financial update.

The consumer giant  whose brands include Magnum, Ben & Jerry's and Hellmann's  hired ex-finance chief Fernando Fernandez in place of outgoing Hein Schumacher in March.

The 58-year-old will present his first set of quarterly numbers on Thursday and will have to address the threat posed by US President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports into the US.

Matt Britzman, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Unilever's approach to addressing tariff risks and their impact on the supply chain will be closely watched.'

There are hopes that Fernandez can turn the firm around more quickly than his predecessor  Schumacher left the role after less than two years at the helm.

The group is also in the process of spinning off its ice-cream business and snubbed London for an Amsterdam listing earlier this year.

Frozen out: Unilever is in the process of spinning off its ice-cream business - which includes Ben & Jerry's

It is looking to save 700m by cutting 7,500 jobs as well as focusing on a select few 'power brands', too.

Unilever has been under pressure from investors  including US activist Nelson Peltz, who sits on the board and is one of its largest shareholders through his firm Trian Partners.

Analysts are expecting sales of 13billion, just 0.8 per cent higher than the first quarter of 2024.
The Serious Fraud Office plans to offer deals to businesses that self-report suspicions of financial crime.

Britain's top anti-graft agency will announce this week that firms can discuss deferring prosecutions if they are honest by coming forward with potential issues. The new rules will apply in all but exceptional scenarios.

'The criminal penalties will be significantly bigger if you try to bury your skeletons,' SFO boss Nick Ephgrave  a former Met Police assistant commissioner  will warn.

He will also tell businesses tempted to 'ignore issues in the hope they go away' that 'this gamble has never been riskier'.

Own up: The Serious Fraud Office will announce that firms can discuss deferring prosecutions if they are honest by coming forward

Under a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), firms are able to avoid prosecution but still face big fines. There have been 12 deals since they were introduced in the UK in 2014, raising 1.7billion for public coffers, the Sunday Times reports.
Nobody truly knows how they'll face their final seconds - whether with fear, defiance, or quiet resignation. But in our age of ever-present camera phones, even those fleeting, fragile moments are no longer lost to time.

Chilling photographs, often taken mere moments before disaster, have become an eerie testament to our most universal fear - death.

From carefree selfies that unwittingly frame an oncoming tragedy, to candid snapshots before fatal accidents, these images offer a disturbing glimpse into the split-second before everything changes.

A pregnant teen model's haunting final photograph was captured just moments before she was crushed by an oncoming freight train in 2017.

Tragedy struck when 18-year-old Merlin Septiana was swept off a cliff by a rogue wave while posing for photos at a beach in Indonesia - her headphones masking the deadly roar of the sea.

And sickening video footage captured the moment a mother-of-two fell to her death from a 27th-floor balcony while taking a selfie. She had just arrived in Panama to start a teaching job when strong winds and a tragic misstep ended her life.

With the power to preserve our lives in an instant comes a sobering new reality - that our last breath might not just be felt, but recorded. And in this digital era, even our final moments may have an audience.

Aspiring teen model's final photo before train crash

Fredzania Thompson (pictured) was killed by a freight train after she became stuck between two railroad tracks in Navasota, Texas

Thompson was also engaged to her then-25-year-old boyfriend Darnell Chatman (pictured)

Fredzania Thompson, a 19-year-old aspiring model, was killed by a freight train after she became stuck between two railroad tracks in Navasota, Texas, while posing for a photo in March 2017.

The pregnant teen had been standing between the two sets of tracks in high heels and a glamorous black outfit when a train approached.

She moved out of the way, stepping onto another track, but Thompson was not aware there was a second train approaching in the opposite direction.

The teen ended up trapped before being killed by the approaching train.

Thompson's mother, Hakamie Stevenson told The Eagle newspaper that Fredzania, who went by 'Zanie' and was a student at Blinn College in Bryan, wanted to put her education on hold to pursue modelling.

Zanie was a 2015 graduate of Navasota High School where she had scholarships for being a star volleyball player.

Stevenson said her daughter was known as a role model and a leader to her younger siblings and her friends knew her as a hair and makeup wiz.

Thompson was also engaged to her then-25-year-old boyfriend Darnell Chatman.

Chatman said the couple had just recently found out they were expecting a child together and was four weeks pregnant at the time of the tragedy.

Lion tamer's daring selfie for his girlfriend

F. Iriskulov, 44, seemingly recorded the video to send to his girlfriend, flipping the camera to show his face as he is surrounded by the lions

The keeper pets one of the animals as it gets disconcertingly close to him during the video

A shocking video shows the moment a zookeeper was fatally attacked and eaten alive by lions after going inside their cage to 'impress his girlfriend'.

The guard, named as F. Iriskulov, 44, unknowingly caught his final moments on camera as he filmed himself entering the lions' cage before being mauled.

The footage shows him unlocking a padlock to the enclosure where he worked at a private zoo in Parkent, Uzbekistan at 5am on December 17 last year during a night shift.

The three beasts appear passive at first, sitting calmly in the far corner of the enclosure.

Suddenly, the predators spring up and the man steps back in evident surprise before the animals approach him slowly.

He repeatedly calls the name of one of the lions: 'Simba,' before telling the animal: 'Simba, be quiet.'

The three lions, clearly agitated, are all on their feet pacing around the enclosure and sniffing the man.

The lions begin stalking around the keeper, who seems unaware of the danger they pose to him

The three beasts appear passive at first, sitting calmly in the far corner of the enclosure

The camera flashed to the doomed Iriskulov's face for just a moment, before returning to the lions.

Finally, after two minutes, one of the lions can be seen clamping down on the man's arm, and he shrieks out in agony.

He drops his phone to the ground, but his bloodcurdling screams can be heard alongside the lion's growl as it tucks into its prey.

The man continues to shout: 'Be quiet, be quiet', but the lions can not be tamed.

The footage then eerily cuts out, but the three lions reportedly killed the man and devoured him.

Photos from the aftermath - too graphic to publish - show the man's body parts severely mutilated.

Young woman posed on rocks by choppy sea before being swept in

Merlin Septiana (pictured) had arrived with her friends to take photos at Semeti Beach in Central Lombok Regency in December last year

Frantic locals trying to rescue Merlin, seen in the video desperately clinging onto a boulder as the churning waters battered her

This is the tragic moment a teenager was washed away to her death while posing for a photo on a rocky beach, as locals desperately tried to save her life.

Merlin Septiana, 18, had arrived with her friends to take photos at Semeti Beach in Central Lombok Regency on December 19 last year.

She was seen in one picture taken seconds before being struck wearing headphones that may have blocked the noise of the waves.

The excited schoolgirls took turns posing on a rocky cliff but a rogue wave knocked Merlin off her craggy perch.

Footage shows frantic locals trying to rescue Merlin, seen in the video desperately clinging onto a boulder as the churning waters battered her. But she soon slipped and disappeared under the foamy white torrent.

Lalu Wahyu Efendi, head of the Mataram Search and Rescue Office, said: 'Efforts by her friends to help using makeshift tools such as wood and fishing rods were unsuccessful. Local residents immediately reported to the police.'

Rescue teams and policemen were dispatched to search along the shores. They found Merlin's limp corpse being thrashed against rocks.

Ridwan Mak'ruf, chief executive of the Central Lombok Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said: 'The girl's body was collected by the search and rescue team, the BPBD, and the police. However, she was already dead.'

Merlin's body was later returned to her family in Tanak Awu village.

Father shows off with beer in the cockpit as son flies plane before plane crash

Garon Maia (pictured) filmed himself drinking a beer from the copilot seat while his son was flying the aircraft

Francisco Maia (pictured) was recorded by his dad, Garon Maia, flying a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58

A disturbing video shows the moment a father let his 11-year-old son pilot his private plane - while he swigged beer - shortly before the two were killed in a crash.

Garon Maia, 42, a Brazilian rancher and his son Francisco Maia, 11, died after the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58, priced at 900,000, crashed in a forest located between the states of Rondonia and Mato Grosso in July 2023.

He can be seen sitting in the copilot seat and instructing Francisco on how to operate the plane as it sped down the dirt runway.

'Wait, everything ready? Nothing in front, ok. Come on, 600 horses, you can push. 600 Kikao, go,' he says. 'Good lady. Hand on the lever, hand on the lever. Keep your hand there and look at the speed.'

Moments later, Maia is seen drinking a beer as he asks his son: 'The passenger can have one, right Kiko?'

The elder Maia flew out of a family farm in the Rondonia city of Nova Conquista and then stopped at an airport in Vilhena to refuel, a farm employee told Brazilian outlet G1 at the time.

He was planning to fly his son back to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, where he lives with his mother and attends school.

The aircraft took off at 5:50 pm, crashed eight minutes later and then disappeared from the radar, according to authorities.

'The plane crashed very close to the plowed land, he didn't have time to land,' the worker said.

His wife, Ana Pridonik, 27, was found in the couple's bedroom after she allegedly shot herself following the burial. She was rushed to a local hospital where she died.

According to Brazilian law, a person has to be over the age of 18 to fly an airplane, must have graduated from high school and been registered with the National Civil Aviation Agency.

Selfie-taking mother plunges 27 floors to death from Panama building

The woman (pictured) leans on the railings before attempting to take a selfie and falling

The Portuguese woman plummeted 27 floors and was pronounced dead on arrival of medics

Sandra Manuela Da Costa Macedo, 27, had just recently arrived to Panama where she had a job as a teacher, according to the Portuguese newspaper O Minho.

The mother-of-two was filmed from afar as she tragically fell to her death from the 27th floor of a high-rise block while losing her balance taking a selfie.

She went over a balcony railing she was leaning against as she took the snap.

Sickening video footage showed her still holding the selfie stick as she plunged to the ground below.

An onlooker filming the tragedy shouted: 'She's mad, there she goes, look at her, look at her, she's fallen.'

Paramedics rushed to the scene, a building called the Luxor Tower in a popular neighbourhood of Panama City called El Cangrejo after the alarm was raised.

The woman, initially identified as a Portuguese holidaymaker who had just arrived in Panama.

But a woman describing herself as a friend later took to social media to say she was a mother-of-two who had gone to the country to work as a teacher, was already dead when they arrived.

Construction workers on a neighbouring tower block are said to have yelled at her to get down from the railing she was half-sat on before her death plunge, but strong winds blowing at the time meant she couldn't hear their warning cries.

Panama's Fire Service published a warning on its official Twitter site after the tragedy which said: 'Don't risk your life for a selfie. It's more important to lose a minute in life than your life in a minute.'

Tourist mauled to death after climbing into tiger enclosure

The man tries to sit up as the tiger sinks its teeth into upper body and he is floored by the beast as another tiger lurks behind

Visitors and security staff were unable to help the man and could only watch as the tiger bit and mauled him

In 2017, a young Chinese man was killed by a tiger in front of his horrified wife and child after getting dragged into its zoo enclosure.

The incident occurred at the Youngor Wildlife Park in the city of Ningbo, about 125 miles south of Shanghai.

An onlooker recorded the tiger dragging the man under some trees and sinking its teeth into his neck as two other big cats lurked behind.

Zoo visitors raised the alarm soon after he was attacked by the predator but it took staff about an hour to grapple the man from the tiger's firm grip, according to reports from the time.

The tigers were eventually driven away by firecrackers and a water cannon, said a report in the Beijing Youth Daily, which added that the man was rushed to hospital but later died.

One tiger in the enclosure was shot dead by local forestry bureau staff.

A horrified witness said the tiger wouldn't allow the man escape: 'I saw the tiger mauling the person, whose face was covered with blood. Every time he sat up, the tiger pushed him down again.'

The reports said it was not clear how or why the man, whose wife and child had come to the park with him, had gotten into the tiger enclosure.

Hiker couple take last picture on summit before girlfriend plunges 160ft down ravine to her death in Italy

Just hours before the tragedy occurred, Maurizio Filini and Laura Barbieri were smiling at the top of the snowy summit

Maurizio Filini and Laura Barbieri were hiking Mount Guglielmo, in northern Italy, when Barbieri fell off the side of a particularly exposed point on the trail.

Just hours before the tragedy occurred, the couple were smiling at the top of the snowy summit.

With their arms linked and the Monument to the Redeemer - a statue built on top of the summit of Mount Guglielmo - in the background the pair are a picture of happiness hauntingly unaware this would be their last photo together.

Il Dolomiti - an Italian publication - reported that after the couple left the summit, Barbieri lost her balance at an altitude of 1,700 metres and fell down a ravine in front of Fillini.

Fillini immediately raised the alarm and the emergencies services - which included paramedics and a rescue helicopter - rushed to the scene.

However, once they located Barbieri she was sadly confirmed dead.

According to Corriere Della Sera Barbieri likely slipped due to the ice on the mountain despite having crampons attached to her boots.

Taking to social media following her death, Fillini shared their final photo together with the caption: 'This was our last photo, I will love you forever my Laurina, have a good trip.'

Haunting last photo of woman before she had her head gnawed off by a wild animal

A video shows CCTV footage of Anastasia Bulgakova's final walk through the snowy streets, wearing a white down coat, before she disappeared

A woman was ripped apart in a vicious bear attack which saw her entire body devoured, except for her head.

Anastasia Bulgakova's haunting last moments were captured on CCTV as she walked along a snowy road in Serov, central-western Russia in March this year.

The 44-year-old was seen strolling in the dead on night, wrapped n a white down coat. The street is deserted other than for the lone woman.

But this was the last time Bulgakova was ever seen.

A search was launched for the woman after she was reported missing, and locals eventually made the macabre discovery of her severed head in a forest.

The decapitated head had 'bite marks from a large animal', reported SHOT news outlet, citing local sources.

Traces of bears were seen in the area where wolves are also known to roam.

Russian state investigators did not rule out that the woman may have been brutally murdered - and then mauled by the bears.

Haunting Last Smile Of Man Swept To His Death By River

This is the haunting last smile of a swimming pool engineer who jumped into a river to cool off after work but was swept to his death by powerful currents

This is the haunting last smile of a swimming pool engineer who jumped into a river to cool off after work but was swept to his death by powerful currents.

Happy-go-lucky dad-of-one Wellington Arthur Amario, 30, was filmed by pals as he relaxed beside the fast-flowing Caldas River in Bonfinopolis, in the state of Goias, Brazil, last month.

In his last moments alive, Wellington seems to be woken by his pals who urge him to take a dip in the river as they film the scene.

But as he leaps into the water he disappears under the surface and is never seen again.

One friend jumps into the water and swims after him but cannot even see him by the time the clip closes.

Wellington's body was found by firefighters five days later after the incident on April 4, after it had washed up a mile downstream.

It is believed he was dragged down to the bottom by a powerful undertow current and drowned when he could not break free to get to the surface.

His grieving mother Luzia Arthur Amario Trindade told local media he once said to her: 'Mum, I want to give my wife and son a good life. He will be so proud of me.'
For more than two decades, the Claremont serial killings cast a long, uneasy shadow over Perth.

It wasn't just the brutality of the crimes - it was the maddening silence that followed. Three young women vanished from one of the city's most affluent neighbourhoods. Two were found in bushland. One was never found at all.

For years, despite the largest and most expensive police investigation in Australian history, the killer remained unidentified.

And even when answers came, they brought with them a grim postscript: that justice had been delayed by years of misdirected suspicion, links to previous assaults overlooked, and opportunities lost.

The arrest and conviction of Bradley Robert Edwards, a former Telstra technician, brought long-awaited relief to a city that had feared the worst for years.

But the story of how he evaded capture for so long is just as important  and almost as disturbing  as the crimes he committed.

In the mid-1990s, fear seeped into the bones of a city that once considered itself safe. Between 1996 and 1997, three women  Sarah Spiers, 18, Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27  vanished after nights out in Claremont, in Perth's western suburbs.

I remember it vividly. As a young journalist living in Perth, I felt the tension settle over the city like a second skin. We were heartbroken. We were scared.

The arrest and conviction of Bradley Robert Edwards (pictured), a former Telstra technician, brought long-awaited relief to a city that had feared the worst for year

Those poor, beautiful young women. What happened to them could have happened to any of us.

So many Perth people had a connection to the murders; my friend's ex-boyfriend once dated one of the victims. And the father of my family friend had worked with a victim's father. She told of the unspeakable horror of the girl's parents when police broke the news that their beloved daughter's body had been discovered.

My friends and I had walked home from the Claremont pub (then called the Continental) more times than I can count. Sometimes we foolishly hitchhiked. We thought nothing of it. But never again.

Women stopped going out alone. The fact that all three women had told friends they were getting a taxi home became a key focus for police.

Taxis quickly became objects of suspicion. The phrase 'Don't catch a taxi' was whispered across Perth's social circles and splashed across headlines.

But, in hindsight, it was a distraction. The man responsible, Bradley Edwards, was never a taxi driver. He was a Telstra technician, hiding in plain sight.

Let's look at the multiple blunders of the WA Police 'Macro Taskforce' which meant a monster was left roaming the suburbs for two decades.

And then we'll expose how the killer is 'coping' with his life behind bars.

Footage showing Jane Rimmer (pictured) with a 'mystery man' was released 12 years after her disappearance

An investigation in freefall

Bret Christian is the Managing Editor of the Post Newspapers and author of the bestselling book Stalking Claremont: Inside The Hunt for a Serial Killer by HarperCollins.

He has covered the case from the very beginning and was the first to publicly link the Claremont murders with a violent rape of a 17-year-old girl in 1995 at Karrakatta Cemetery  at a time when police had not told the public the two cases were connected. His front-page investigation in 2015 forced a turning point in the stalled inquiry.

'The biggest blunder of the Macro Taskforce was focusing on the wrong suspects early on,' Christian says.

'There were over 100 detectives working the case, and while some had other leads, they were treated as the "B team". The "A team" had tunnel vision on the people they'd already identified.

'Another key mistake was dismissing the Karrakatta rape case because the DNA of the suspects the police were focusing on  who were all innocent  didn't match the DNA found on the Karrakatta victim.

'So they excluded that case as being connected, but it turned out to be crucial. That rape was later seen as part of Edwards' "apprenticeship".

'Another major mistake was not DNA testing the sample taken from Ciara Glennon's thumbnail  for 11 years. That was a massive oversight.'

Why, in a case that consumed the city and engaged more than a hundred detectives, did it take 11 years to test DNA from beneath a murder victim's fingernail?

DNA found under Ciara Glennon's (pictured) thumbnail wasn't tested for 11 years

'In 2004, they finally did what British police usually do after a month in a stalled major case: they brought in a fresh team from another police district to look at the evidence with fresh eyes. That only happened after pressure from the ABC. They brought in an international team, who put together a plan for reinvestigating the killings,' Christian says.

'Once they realised the cold case team's map hadn't been followed properly, they decided to start from the beginning. Over time, things had been muddled  exhibit numbers changed, duplicated, swapped  so they re-examined every single item.'

Part of that process included a large colour enlargement of Ciara's left thumb. According to Christian, one of the detectives noted damage on the nail and said, 'There's something here.' So they went looking for the original sample; the one that should have been taken at the morgue.

They found a jar in the back of the fridge, labelled as Ciara's thumbnail, with her DNA. This critical evidence had just been left there and forgotten. And that's what eventually led to the match with Edwards' DNA.

'Ciara really fought for her life. Edwards took her life, but she took something from him that would eventually take his,' Christian says.

It was 2008 when it was confirmed that the DNA from Ciara's thumbnail matched the DNA from the Karrakatta victim. But the police kept it secret  for seven years.

'I found out about this in 2015 and published it on the front page of our paper. I hadn't anticipated the storm it caused. The victims' families and the public turned to police and said, "What have you been doing all this time? Why haven't you solved this?"

'As a result, the police immediately created two new squads to reinvestigate the case properly. And a year after our story ran, they finally identified Edwards.'

Forensic teams also discovered blue polyester fibres on the bodies of Jane and Ciara. These matched the seat covers used in Telstra vans in the 1990s, leading police to a list of technicians who drove those vehicles. One of them was Bradley Edwards.

The remains of 18-year-old Sarah Spiers (pictured), who vanished in 1996, were never found

Key police blunders

Tunnel vision on taxi drivers:

Police focused intensely on taxi drivers early on, requesting DNA from more than 5,000 and placing one innocent man under 24/7 surveillance for years.

This narrow approach ignored other potential suspects and set the investigation on the wrong path.

Dismissal of the Karrakatta rape:

A year before the first murder, a 17-year-old was abducted and raped at Karrakatta Cemetery. The case was dismissed as unrelated when suspects' DNA didn't match, despite striking similarities.

Unforgivable forensic delay:

DNA found under Ciara Glennon's thumbnail from when she tried to fight off her killer wasn't tested for 11 years. That sample eventually identified Edwards, but the delay cost valuable time and may have allowed him to strike again.

Poor evidence handling:

Evidence from the case was mislabelled, duplicated or lost. Investigators had to go back and re-examine everything from scratch, wasting years and undermining the integrity of the investigation.

Flood of false leads:

A self-proclaimed FBI profiler encouraged the public to report vague behaviour, leading to thousands of calls about neighbours and ex-partners. The volume of irrelevant tips overwhelmed investigators.

Withheld DNA breakthrough:

When police linked the Claremont DNA to the Karrakatta rape in 2008, they kept it secret for seven years. It took Bret Christian's front-page story in 2015 to pressure police into reopening the case properly.

Delayed release of CCTV footage:

Footage showing Jane Rimmer with a 'mystery man' was released 12 years after her disappearance  far too late to jog the public's memory or help identify him in time.

More than a decade after the murders, police released CCTV footage, taken outside the Claremont pub, where Jane Rimmer (pictured) was seen talking to a man

The 'mystery man'

More than a decade after the murders, police released CCTV footage, taken outside the Claremont pub, where Jane Rimmer was seen talking to a man, clearly known to her. Contrary to some media reports, the man is the video was not Edwards.

'All you could make out was that the man had broad shoulders and lightish hair, whereas Edwards had dark hair. At that stage, they didn't even know about Edwards,' Christian says.

'When the first edition of my book Stalking Claremont was released, a friend phoned me and said, "I know who the mystery man is. It's me."

'When I spoke to "mystery man" he said he had no idea police had been looking for him for 12 years. He said that after the public release of the video he didn't come forward because he'd had a previous bad experience with WA Police when he was a witness in a serious case. He knew that if he came forward, he'd be treated as a suspect, as the last person seen to speak to Jane.

'He told me, "They'd absolutely do me over. I know how they operate." I ran that past a detective who worked on the case, and he said, "We sure would have."'

Delays and secrets

During the years the Claremont killer remained at large, police also missed disturbing, potentially vital information from members of the public.

According to Christian, one young woman phoned to report that she had been at Rowe Park  the same location where the 17-year-old Karrakatta rape victim was abducted  when a man in a Telstra van pulled up and offered her a lift.

Fortunately, she wasn't alone. Her boyfriend, who the driver hadn't seen at first, was nearby. But despite the obvious connection, police never followed up with her at the time. It wasn't until Edwards was arrested that she received a call from officers asking for details she had reported years earlier.

'I said to the cops, "It's only taken you 20 years to get around to taking statements from us,"' the boyfriend said.

Another piece of missed evidence was that the 17-year-old rape victim had been tied up around the legs and wrists, with what at first appeared to be long Telstra cables.

A photo of the cables was introduced during Edwards' trial. He pleaded guilty to the rape as well as an earlier home invasion and assault, but 'not guilty' to the murders.

An image tendered as evidence at Bradley Edwards' trial of a work car he drove between 1994 and 1996

A journalist's brush with Taskforce Macro

Journalist Ros Thomas was working as a reporter for the Seven Network's Today Tonight at the time of the killings when she was invited to spend a night with Taskforce Macro.

'All of a sudden, one of the cops turned to me and said, "You'd be the killer's perfect victim. You're a size 12, fair-haired and curvy",' Thomas said.

(Another WA journalist told me, when I repeated what Thomas had said: 'That's something only a Perth cop would say.')

'It was a strange night following the taskforce around. They'd sit in cars, waiting outside the Claremont pub and making sure any women leaving would be safely getting in cars with friends. But most people stayed well away from Claremont. Of course nobody dared to catch a taxi,' Thomas says.

The first suspect in the killings was a taxi driver, because Jane, Ciara and Sarah had let friends know they were catching a taxi home. The phrase, 'Don't get a taxi!' was thrown at anybody going out for a drink in Claremont.

Police wasted countless hours on 24/7 surveillance of an innocent taxi driver who said it ruined his life. The police also ruined the life of a former Claremont mayor who became a suspect but was completely innocent. He tells his story here.

Ros Thomas says there were so many theories and stories swirling around as people were living in fear.

A year before the first murder, a 17-year-old was abducted and raped in Karrakatta Cemetery (pictured are scratch marks made by the victim as she was dragged along the ground)

'I heard stories that a man was driving around Claremont with an axe, masking tape and black plastic. Stories that a 13-year-old girl who was murdered years ago was his first victim,' Thomas says.

'The cops told me that most serial killers practise a lot before they get their "perfect murder" and there was a string of crimes that had similarities to the Claremont killings. Then the killer got good at what he was doing and that the three Claremont murders were finally his "perfect murders".

'On a personal note: the photograph the police used of Jane Rimmer showed her in a dress that was identical to a dress I'd recently worn to a friend's wedding. That always freaked me out  that Jane and I had the same dress, and that dress was all over the news.'

A creepy return

One of the most disturbing details about Bradley Edwards didn't even make it into the courtroom.

Years after Ciara Glennon's murder, Edwards reportedly returned to her grave and left a pair of her underwear there. It was an act so unsettling, so ritualistic, that even seasoned investigators were shaken.

'That detail didn't come up at trial  only indirectly, when DNA was introduced. I picked up immediately on what they were talking about. The prosecution shut down the questioning quickly, but they'd said enough to confirm what I already knew,' Christian says.

'It was particularly creepy. Some serial killers do that  revisit the graves of their victims.'

It was a final, grotesque gesture that hinted at a darker obsession - a need to return to the scene of the crime, to exert control long after death.

Bradley Edwards is now serving a life sentence  but by all accounts, it's far from harsh

Life behind bars

Bradley Edwards is now serving a life sentence  but by all accounts, it's far from harsh. Inside prison, he's reportedly doing just fine.

'From what I've been told, he's having a lovely time,' Christian says.

'He's very much enjoying himself and is quite content playing video games all day.

'He's got protection, and three good meals a day. He's definitely not in danger of being bashed or anything. He thinks of himself as a celebrity so he's quite happy.'

The contrast between his comfortable existence and the suffering he inflicted is hard to stomach  for victims' families, and for the city that lived under his shadow.

Christian says Edwards did show signs of strain before the trial began: 'He drove a pencil into his ear in a bid to kill himself, but he didn't succeed.'

Still, for a man who evaded justice for decades, his day-to-day now seems remarkably easy, living out his sentence in quiet satisfaction as Perth continues to carry the trauma he left behind and the Spiers family still hopes for closure.
Last month, the US executed its first prisoner by firing squad in 15 years.

Double murderer Brad Sigmon, 67, died in a hail of bullets just after 6pm on Friday, March 7.

It was only the fourth time the firing squad had been used since the death penalty resumed 49 years ago. But it's unlikely to be the last.

Because, while the eighth amendment states that prisoners should not be subjected to 'cruel and unusual punishment', botched executions continue to happen with gut-wrenching regularity.

Reports include prisoners writhing in agony, taking up to an hour to die, and even blood 'squirting' everywhere when a doctor accidently cut an artery in an inmate's groin.

A new book examines the ongoing controversy - told through the lens of one death row inmate who begged the authorities to end his life - and explains why the black market in lethal drugs has led many states to revert to ancient, but more reliable modes of killing their most dangerous criminals.

'An Alabama man, John Louis Evans, endured three jolts of electricity over 14 minutes,' writes Gianna Toboni in The Volunteer: The Failure of the Death Penalty in America and One Inmate's Quest to Die with Dignity.

'Only after his body caught fire and witnesses smelled burning flesh did his heart stop.'

A terrifying botched execution scene on the electric chair, from the Tom Hanks movie The Green Mile

Brad Sigmon's (left) execution by firing squad was only the fourth time the method had been used since the death penalty resumed 49 years ago. His victims David and Gladys Larke (right)

That was back in 1983. Then, in 1994, with the electric chair proving unreliable, David Lawson became the first person in 30 years to die by lethal gas.

Writes Toboni: '[He] screamed and thrashed as 'cyanide gas rose about him' in North Carolina's death chamber, pleading with witnesses, 'I'm human! I'm human! Don't kill me!'

So when death by injection was signed into law in 1977, it was quickly adopted by most states as their preferred method of execution.

It was supposed to be quick and clean: a three-drug protocol that begins by inducing anesthesia and rendering the person unconscious, the second freezes the muscles, and the third causes cardiac arrest.

However, it didn't prove to be as clean as corrections departments hoped. There was at least one botched execution every year for the next eight years; four in 1990; and in 2022, there were a reported seven deaths that didn't go according to plan, leading to it being dubbed the 'year of the botched execution'.

In fact, of all methods of execution, lethal injection still has the highest rate of things going wrong.

As recently as February 2024, killer Thomas Creech - the longest-serving prisoner on Idaho's death row - had his execution called off after doctors tried for more than an hour to find a usable vein.

Creech's case was raised by mass murder suspect Bryan Kohberger's attorneys in November, as a reason he should not face the death penalty.

Trouble finding a vein is actually a fairly common occurrence, but in April 2014, it led to what one observer described as a scene straight out of a horror movie.

As prisoner Clayton Lockett was strapped to a gurney in Oklahoma's death chamber, a phlebotomist attempted to find a vein, but without success.

'The doctor then tried to set the line into Lockett's groin,' writes Toboni. 'Instantly blood 'squirted' from Lockett's body, according to a witness.

Gianna Toboni's book examines the ongoing controversy surrounding the death penalty

While electrocution, hanging, the firing squad, and the gas chamber may sound more brutal than lethal injection, the data demonstrates the opposite may be true

Arizona's refurbished gas chamber, where inmates will be killed using hydrogen cyanide, the same deadly gas used at Auschwitz

'A paramedic said to the doctor setting the IV: 'You've got the artery. We've got blood everywhere.'

After this distressing initial setback, the execution went ahead. But, as the final two drugs were administered, Lockett regained consciousness.

One witness described what she saw: 'He starts moving and he was literally raising his head up, trying to get off the gurney and turning his head from side to side and talking.'

As Lockett violently thrashed around, wardens lowered the curtain to shield witnesses from the unfolding nightmare and waited it out.

It took Lockett a full 43 minutes to die.

Toboni writes what many others may be thinking: 'Right as I started to feel my sympathy swell for this man, I read up on his crime. Lockett drove a mentally disabled teenage girl to a rural area, raped her friend, shot the teenage girl, and buried her alive. My sympathy began to deflate.'

She adds: 'I had to remind myself, though, that the Eighth Amendment was not designed to discriminate; it was designed to protect all people from cruel and unusual punishment at the hands of the state, no matter how despicable their crimes.'

A shortage of the drugs required to perform executions has added to the complications, causing some states to resort to what can only be described as underhand tactics to get their hands on them, according to Toboni.

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Clayton Lockett's botched execution was described as like a scene out of a horror movie

Just as Toboni started to feel sympathy for Lockett, she thought of his victim - 19-year-old Stephanie Neiman

'I was calling all around the world, to the back streets of the Indian subcontinent,' Oklahoma's Department of Corrections director Joe Allbaugh said in a 2018 press conference, adding that his quest led him to deal with several 'seedy individuals.'

From unregulated basement pharma labs to past-their-use-by-date drugs, an underground supply system has quietly propped up death rows across the nation for years.

And in 2012, the Idaho Department of Corrections was accused of buying their drugs with a suitcase full of cash in a Walmart parking lot.

'States,' writes Toboni, 'struggling to acquire drugs and having to deal with legal challenges, have decided to return to those methods of the past: the electric chairs, gas chambers, and firing squads that had felt too archaic for modern-day America.

She adds: 'While electrocution, hanging, the firing squad, and the gas chamber may sound more brutal than lethal injection, the data demonstrates the opposite may be true.

'More than 7 percent of executions by lethal injection are botched, by far the highest of any method. But when it comes to the firing squad, that number is effectively zero.'

Former Utah state representative Paul Ray argued - and succeeded - in bringing back the firing squad in his state, and he's convinced it makes logical sense.

Responding to criticisms that the method is too brutal, he tells Toboni: 'See what they did to their victims and then let's talk about being brutal.

'The fact is these guys are monsters. They're not here because they sing too loud in the choir on Sunday. They're here because they brutalized people.

'The whole situation of taking a life is not pretty. If you have the death penalty, you gotta find a way to pull it off and understand that you can't window-dress it, which is what they've tried to do with lethal injections, or you get rid of it.'

Another expert Toboni interviewed, Joel Zivot, a prominent anesthesiologist at Emory University, told her: 'If you want to kill people, shoot them, do whatever you want. But nothing in science or medicine can be appropriated for killing.

'Medicine doesn't kill. that's what bullets are made for.'

The author concludes: 'The fact is, the firing squad is a bullet in the heart. And you don't need a doctor or expensive and hard-to-access drugs. You need a cowboy and a bullet. Both are easy to come by in this country.'

The Volunteer: The Failure of the Death Penalty in America and One Inmate's Quest to Die with Dignity by Gianna Toboni is published by Atria Books
A former CIA agent claims there is a growing body of evidence showing Adolf Hitler faked his own death in Germany and actually escaped to Argentina, where followers tried to reboot his fallen Nazi empire.

Bob Baer, who spent his 21-year career in espionage, says the official version of history - with Hitler dying by suicide in 1945 - might need rethinking once anticipated bombshell evidence is released.

He expects a forthcoming set of documents out of Argentina to reveal possible entanglements between the fascist dictator and the South American government that may have been hiding him.

Baer, 72, believes the archives on Nazis who fled to Argentina after the war may spotlight efforts to build a Fourth Reich in South America, and implicate Argentinian officials in the support of Nazis, money laundering schemes and more.

He's anticipating a paper or money trail pointing to both Argentinian government involvement in the construction of a possible Nazi hideout in the Misiones province (which was uncovered in a 2015 archaeological dig), and President Juan Peron's backing of a 1950s nuclear fusion lab headed by a Nazi scientist on a remote island.

We don't yet know when Argentinian officials plan to release the findings, but we do know this idea of Hitler's escape has been examined for decades.

Even the Eisenhower administration took the toppled fuhrer's possible survival seriously, Baer says.

In the 2015 History Channel show Hunting Hitler, Baer and others floated theories about Hitler's escape and of Nazi stragglers regrouping with the help of sympathetic South American leaders.

Did newlyweds Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun kill themselves in the underground bunker? Ex-spy Bob Baer says'we'll never get a complete answer'

University of Buenos Aires archaeologists unearthed the remains of what they called a hideout for top Nazi officers in 2015

The remains of the three building Nazi hideout is in Teyu Cuare Park near San Ignacio in the northeastern province of Misione

Archaeologists found this German coin from 1938 in the remains of a house built inside Teyu Cuare Park

He pointed to the Misiones discovery as 'the most interesting find' related to the story so far.

'Lots of money was spent on a compound with plumbing and electricity in the middle of nowhere,' Baer told the Daily Mail, adding Nazi memorabilia - including German World War II-era coins - was found in the area.

'If you were going to hide Hitler, that's where you'd do it.'

Historians broadly agree that newlyweds Hitler and Eva Braun died by suicide in the leader's underground Fuhrerbunker in April 1945 as Soviet forces advanced on Berlin.

Their bodies were partially burned and buried in a shallow bomb crater. Once exhumed, Soviet officials identified both Hitler and Braun through dental records.

Both of their remains were held in East Germany before the Soviet Union's Committee for State Security (KGB) destroyed Hitler's in 1970. They saved only a jawbone and skull, which were taken to Moscow.

Meanwhile, thousands of Nazi war criminals and collaborators - including Holocaust planner Adolf Eichman and 'Angel of death' Josef Mengele - fled to South America along 'ratlines' (escape routes).

Shortly after Hitler's death, theories emerged that the he had actually escaped instead - perhaps through a tunnel, a flight to the Canary Islands and then aboard a submarine to South America.

While the theories were initially largely dismissed, they were taken more seriously in 2009, when DNA tests showed the skull fragment that was thought to have belonged to Hitler, and was preserved in Moscow for decades, actually belonged to a woman between 20 and 40 years old.

Baer calls this confusion 'one of those great mysteries in history that we'll never get a complete answer for.'

Ex-spy Bob Baer says the official narrative of Hitler's death in Berlin has been called into question

The home of Nazi war criminal, Adolf Eichmann, in San Fernando, a suburb of Buenos Aires, around the time of his capture in 1960

Israeli spies captured Eichman in Argentina and took him for his trial and ultimately execution in Israel

This statue was among the finds in a house near Buenos Aries, where police discovered in 2017 the biggest collection of Nazi artifacts in the country's history

They also found these busts of Hitler in the cache in a secret room behind a bookcase

Separately, in early April, CIA files that were declassified in 2017 resurfaced.

One shows how, in 1955, the agency was sent a photo of a Hitler lookalike taken in Columbia. It suggested Hitler may have been living in South America under an assumed identity a decade after the fall of Nazi Germany.

A second file, titled 'Hitler hideout in Argentina' from 1945, describes a spa hotel in La Falda, Argentina, owned by friends and supporters of Hitler, where he could have fled had he survived the war.

Still, the CIA has also released an autopsy that confirms Hitler's death by suicide in the bunker.

While skeptical agents in 1955 said they could spend 'enormous efforts' probing the Colombia sighting with only 'remote possibilities of establishing anything concrete,' Baer thinks the fact that it was even probed at all suggests his survival was, at the very least, considered possible by officials in Washington.

'The CIA is not run by the curiosity of officers in the field,' Baer said.

'If 10 years after the end of the war the CIA is considering these reports, whether people believe them or not, it shows there was a belief in the executive branch of the US government that Hitler may have gotten away.'

Baer hopes there will be more questions answered by the upcoming archive release.

One document stated that officials were convinced Hitler would seek refuge in Argentina if he ever left Germany

A photo secretly stolen by US agents revealed a man who former Nazis claimed was Hitler still alive in 1954 in Colombia

US intelligence agents followed this trail for 10 years, despite evidence that Hitler allegedly killed himself and had his body burned in 1945

Argentine president Javier Milei said he would release the Nazi archives after meeting with officials from the Simon Wiesenthal Center officials and others in Buenos Aires, in February

President Javier Milei authorized the documents' declassification after a February meeting with officials at the Simon Wiesenthal Center who want records on the ratlines used by some 10,000 fleeing Nazis and other fascist war criminals.

Many are known to have escaped through Germany into Spain and Italy before crossing the Atlantic to the Americas.

In some cases, US spies plucked Nazi scientists from the ratlines to join their military research programs in the Cold War.

Baer also hopes to see information on a nuclear lab on Huemul Island, near Bariloche, where Nazi scientists tried to harness fusion energy for Peron.

The ex-CIA agent thinks it's possible there were legitimate attempts at a Fourth Reich with plans including a nuclear weapon strike on Manhattan.

Dr. John Cencich, a former UN war crimes investigator who worked with Baer on the TV series, is more cautious.

Dr. Cencich said he doubts the relocated Nazis ever got close to resurrecting their Reich.

'Many of them were still marching to the tune of Hitler, and maybe didn't believe that Hitler was dead,' he told the Daily Mail.

'But these were just demoralized former Nazis who were living in the past and who'd fled there for safety from criminal prosecution.'
Suzanne Timms was reading an old newspaper article about a woman's remains being found in a remote forest in Oregon when something stopped her in her tracks.

'Two hunters from Milton-Freewater, Ron Swiger and Lee Parr, found the grave on a brushy, wooded hill about 200 yards from Finley Cow Camp, a roadside hunters' campsite,' read the piece in the Oregon Observer, dated August 29, 1978.

Timms couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lee Parr was, after all, the name of her husband Gary's grandfather. She read the article again - and again - to be sure.

'I was laying in bed with my husband and I turned to him and said "Did your grandpa ever mention finding a body in 1978?"' Timms tells DailyMail.com.

Gary read the article too and realized it would be near-on impossible there could be two Lee Parrs in the same small, tight-knit town.

By then, it was 2021 and his grandfather Lee had passed away. So Timms picked up the phone and called Rob, Gary's father and her father-in-law, to see if he knew anything about what had taken place four decades earlier.

His answer stunned her even further: Rob told her he was just eight-years-old and was with his dad when they made the tragic discovery in the woods.

'I said, "wait, Rob, are you serious?"' Timms says, before she told him something that would change their family dynamics forever.

'I think you found my mother's body.'

Suzanne Timms and her husband Gary on their wedding day in 2010. They had been married for 11 years before they discovered his family had a link to her missing mom

Suzanne Timms as a baby with her mom Patty Otto, who vanished one night back in 1978

Suzanne Timms at the site where the remains of the Finley Creek Jane Doe were found in 1978

One dark night two years before her future father-in-law stumbled across the skeletal remains of the so-called 'Finley Creek Jane Doe', three-year-old Timms had witnessed an argument between her mom and dad turn physical inside their home in Lewiston, Idaho.

That was the last time she saw her mom Patty Otto alive.

What followed next was decades of lies about her missing mom, her dad's conviction for hiring a hitman to kill a cop investigating her disappearance, and a chance sighting of a composite sketch on Facebook that seemed destined to finally give a daughter the answers she had waited her whole life for.

But now, 49 years on from her mom's disappearance, Timms is still fighting for the truth following what she says are a series of mistakes from a mix-up of dental records to destroyed DNA and lost evidence.

The wild connection between Timms and her husband marks just one of a growing number of twists and turns in the case that first began one night back in 1976.

Despite being just three years old, Timms remembers that night vividly.

It was September 1, 1976, and 24-year-old mom-of-two Patty had picked up Timms and her four-year-old sister Natalie from their grandparents' house on her way home from school that evening.

'She put us to bed downstairs, which was not normal because our bedroom was next to their bedroom and [my mom and dad] proceeded to have a verbal argument,' she recalls.

Suzanne Timms was reading an old newspaper article (pictured) about a woman's remains being found in a remote forest in Oregon when she recognized the name in the story

Her father-in-law Rob back at the grave site more than 40 years after he found the human remains as a young child

'I was a very curious three-year old child and, also concerned, I went back upstairs to go find out what was happening, and I saw my dad hit my mom.

'I saw my mom hit him back and then I saw him wrap his hands around her neck and push her up against the wall. And then he dragged her out of my sight.'

Terrified, Timms remembers running back upstairs to her sister.

The next morning, the two little girls found their mom gone.

Suzanne's father takes drastic steps

Their father Ralph Otto claimed Patty had walked out on her family, telling their daughters 'our mom didn't want to be a mother anymore and that she wasn't coming home'.

But Patty's disappearance instantly set off alarm bells among her family who insisted she would never have left her daughters - especially alone with their father - and reported her missing.

Three-year-old Timms later confided in her family - and then the police - about the violence she had seen that night.

Very quickly, Ralph became the only person of interest in his wife's disappearance.

Ralph Otto with his two daughters Suzanne and Natalie. Suzanne recalls seeing her dad grabbing her mom by the neck on the night she was last seen alive

A newspaper clipping from an article about Patty Otto's 1976 disappearance

With police hot on his tail, he took extreme steps to avoid jail.

While drinking in a local bar two months after his wife went missing, Ralph tried to recruit a hitman to take out the police officers investigating the case.

A sting operation was set up, culminating in Ralph paying an undercover officer $250 to kill Lewiston Police Captain Duane Ailor - with the promise of another $750 when the job was done.

He was arrested and charged with attempted murder. He was found guilty at trial, but his conviction was later overturned on appeal.

In 1983, Ralph died while in police custody on unrelated charges.

In a police interview not long before his death, Ralph told a detective: 'I'm doing time here because I murdered my wife.'

He was also confronted about a shovel and a newly-washed tarp seen in his yard in the days after Patty's disappearance.

But when asked outright if he had killed the mother of his children, Ralph stopped short of a confession.

The Otto family home in Lewiston, Idaho. Throughout their childhoods, Suzanne and Natalie were told their mom abandoned them

'There might have been times that I wanted to kill her,' he said, according to the police interview transcript.

Ralph went to his grave without ever confessing to Patty's murder - or revealing the whereabouts of her body.

Break in the case

Two years after Patty's disappearance, there appeared to be a possible break in the case when the remains of a woman were found in woods near Elgin, Oregon, on August 27, 1978.

The victim was wearing red pants and a white shirt - matching the description of the clothing Patty was dressed in when she vanished.

What appeared to be a radio antenna cable was found next to her in the shallow grave.

Timms' grandparents flew out to Oregon to identify her.

Due to the state of the remains - and the lack of DNA technology at the time - it all hinged on dental X-ray records. The results came back: Oregon authorities said they didn't match.

While police and Patty's family were all convinced that Ralph was responsible for Patty's disappearance, Timms says she and her sister spent their childhoods believing that their mom had abandoned them.

Pictured: newspaper clippings about Ralph Otto's case. In a bizarre twist, he was convicted of trying to hire a hitman to kill the police captain investigating his wife's disappearance

The two girls were adopted by their dad's sister and husband and she says both sides of the family kept up the pretense that Patty left of her own accord.

'My entire childhood I was raised to believe that she left us and that was her choice to walk away from us,' Timms says.

She and Natalie always thought that one day their mom might walk back through the door.

'Maybe she needed to get a good job before she could bring us home. Maybe she'll just show up when my sister graduates from high school,' she says they thought.

The story began to unravel in their teens when the two sisters stumbled across a file hidden in the bathroom of their home. In it was a trove of newspaper clippings about both their mom's disappearance and their dad's arrest.

When they turned 18, the two young women went down to the police department and obtained the files on both their mom and dad's cases.

'It was at that time, between the ages of 18 and 21, that I started really questioning the narrative,' Timms says.

'Why would everybody lie to me?'

Pictured: The Finley Creek Jane Doe was found wearing red pants - matching those Patty Otto was last seen alive in

The Finley Creek Jane Doe Facebook page shares images of shoes found at the burial site

Searching for the truth

She adds: 'I'm thinking everyone who ever loved me has lied to me this whole time. They all knew he was responsible. Everybody knew he was responsible. Not one person ever said that to me.'

Before their deaths, she says both her adoptive parents admitted the truth.

'[My aunt] just blurted out one day to me: "You know your mom would have never left you." And I'm like "yeah, I don't think she would have either,"' she recalls.

Her adoptive father also confided that he sat down with her dad one day and gave him the chance to tell him the truth and pray together. But he never got a straight answer.

'My dad's answer was "I don't really know what happened that night. I don't think I killed her." But he didn't deny it,' she says.

Together, Timms and Natalie set to work digging to find out the truth about what happened to their mother - until tragedy struck the family once again.

Natalie, her husband, their child and another child were boating in 2006 when they all died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

After that, 'I wanted nothing to do with' the case, Timms says.

Suzanne Timms was scrolling Facebook when she saw a sketch (pictured) that looked like her

'I just did not have the mental capacity to deal with a missing person's case on top of losing my everything,' she says.

'So that police file just sat untouched it just sat in storage from 2006 all the way to 2021.'

It was only because of a random, chance encounter that Timms was prompted to pick up her mom's case again 15 years later.

Shocking Facebook discovery

One day in 2021, she had been mindlessly scrolling through Facebook when an image popped up.

It was a drawing of a woman with blonde hair and big eyes.

For Timms, it was like looking in a mirror.

At first, she was certain the woman staring back at her was herself.

'I felt like it was a joke - that there's just no way that somebody would randomly draw a picture of an unidentified person and it just happens to look like me,' she recalls.

Patty Otto (left), a composite sketch of the Finley Creek Jane Doe (top right) and Suzanne Timms (bottom right)

'This is me. Like somebody found a picture of me and they recreated it thinking that this is going to be funny - and it's not funny at all.'

Thinking it was some sort of bizarre prank, she clicked on the link and began reading it.

It wasn't a sketch of her after all. It was a rendering of the Finley Creek Jane Doe found back in August 1978, the woman who Timms' grandparents had flown out to identify decades earlier.

The woman was aged 17 to 25 years old, was around 5 foot 1 to 5 foot 3 tall, weighed around 115 to 125 pounds, and had sandy brown/blonde hair.

She was also believed to be pregnant.

And she was dressed in red pants and a white shirt.

A 'flood of emotions' swept over Timms as each nugget of information matched everything she knew about her missing mother.

Patty was 24, was 5 foot 3 tall, weighed around 135 pounds, had blonde hair and was wearing red pants and a white shirt when she vanished.

Suzanne Timms is now convinced that the Finley Creek Jane Doe is her missing mom. Pictured: Patty Otto

Patty Otto dressed in red pants (like the ones she was wearing when she disappeared) and holding her eldest daughter Natalie

'I thought "you've got to be kidding me." She never left. I wasn't abandoned. All of that was not real,' she says.

She reached out to the Finley Creek Jane Doe Facebook page and they swapped information about her mom's case and the case of the Finley Creek Jane Doe.

Among the documents shared by the Doe volunteer group was that 1978 newspaper article which revealed to her that it was her own husband's family members who had found the woman's remains.

Revisiting where mom Patty was found

Following that shocking revelation, Timms visited the burial site with her father-in-law who was able to pinpoint exactly where he found the remains from memory.

One of the first things Rob said when they got there was how much the forest had changed, saying it used to be covered in ferns.

In the months after her mom's disappearance, her family members said they kept finding dry ferns around Ralph and Patty's home.

'That gave me chills,' Timms says.

Finally the truth seemed within touching distance.

Suzanne Timms and her father-in-law returned to the spot (pictured) where he discovered the remains

Pictured: The spot where the Finley Creek Jane Doe was found buried in the woods in Elgin, Oregon

'I've never felt so close in my entire life,' she says.

But her search for the truth was about to get even knottier.

Major mix-up

Through accessing police and autopsy records in the case, Timms believes there was a major mix-up that meant her mom was mistakenly ruled out as the Finley Creek Jane Doe in 1978.

Around a month before the Finley Creek Jane Doe was found, another woman's remains had also been found in Oregon.

That woman was later identified using her dental records as Annette Willis.

Timms says that the dental records for both Willis - previously dubbed Portland Jane Doe - and the Finley Creek Jane Doe are identical, both with 11 fillings.

'That's impossible to have two bodies found within a month of each other and have the same 11 fillings,' Timms says.

Timm believes her mom's 1975 dental x-ray - which shows she has wisdom teeth - was compared to the x-ray of the wrong body.

Cadaver dogs search the area where the Finley Creek Jane Doe was found decades earlier

Timms has sent cadaver dogs to the area three times in the hopes they can find one of the Finley Creek Jane Doe's missing bones - so DNA can then be compared to her own

She has since approached the Oregon Medical Examiner to get the correct x-ray of the Finley Creek Jane Doe's teeth, only to be told that no such x-ray was ever taken, she says.

'All these pieces got missed which is extremely frustrating,' Timms says.

In the absence of those dental x-rays, a simple DNA test - one that was of course not available back in 1978 - could surely confirm once and for all if the Finley Creek Jane Doe was indeed her biological mother.

But Timms then also learned there was no DNA.

With the Finley Creek Jane Doe case long cold, Oregon State Police sent the remains to the Walla Walla Coroner's Office in Washington to be cremated in 1990.

And so the DNA was destroyed.

These cremains are now sitting on a shelf, with no name. The Walla Walla Coroner's Office confirmed to DailyMail.com that it has a set of unidentified cremains which predated the current coroner who took office in 2011.

And the Finley Creek Jane Doe's clothing is also missing, Timms says.

Suzanne and Natalie together. Suzanne says the two sisters started digging into their mom's case when they became teens

Pictured: Natalie and Suzanne together. Now, without DNA, the fight to solve their mom's case has hit something of a wall

'It feels like a betrayal of justice - that the victim's voice was just silenced,' Timms says of the lost evidence.

'My dad took her voice away that night and then Oregon took her voice away two years later. And if she was pregnant at the time, it means that he took away my sibling and Oregon took away my chance to ever even know that I had a sibling.'

DailyMail.com has contacted Oregon State Police and the Oregon State Medical Examiner for comment.

Without DNA, Timms' fight to solve her mom's case has hit something of a wall.

'I'm kind of stuck in this place where I believe I found my mother only to be told I will never bring her home,' she says.

She has twice paid for specialized testing of the cremains but the technology is not advanced enough yet to yield a DNA profile.

But Timms says she refuses to give up.

Never giving up

When the Finley Creek Jane Doe's remains were found, some of her bones were missing including her hands, an arm and a pelvic bone.

With the help of her father-in-law, Timms has been sending cadaver dogs to search the area close to the gravesite to try to find the missing bones.

Pictured: Patty Otto. Suzanne Timms fears she may never get proof about what really happened to her mom

If one is found, it can be tested for DNA and compared with her own.

'I want definitive closure. I don't just want this assumption and all these crazy coincidences leading me to believe that my mother led me to her remains,' she says.

That's why she is urging officials to use what evidence is still available to give her answers - and let her bring her mom home.

She believes the Oregon medical examiner's office does not want to admit a mistake was made all those years ago - a mistake that may have allowed a killer to evade justice.

There's also the implications this could have on other missing persons cases.

'Every family who has a missing person or missing family member is going to say, if they were wrong on that, are they wrong on mine too? Does every single case have to be reevaluated?' Timms says.

Now, Timms says she is hopeful that a new medical examiner taking the helm in Oregon can bring fresh eyes to her mom's case.

For Timms, the wild connection between her mom's case and her husband's family has cemented her belief that the Finley Creek Jane Doe is her missing mom.

Rob retracing his steps in the woods in Elgin, Oregon, where he found the remains of the Finley Creek Jane Doe

For Timms, the wild connection between her mom's case and her husband's family has cemented her belief that the Finley Creek Jane Doe is her missing mom. Pictured right to left: Timms, her husband Gary and Gary's dad, mom and brother

'She's trying to direct me to the truth it just seems astronomically impossible. My mom is trying to lead me to her she's literally leading me right to the truth,' she says.

'All I can think is that she's working from the other side to undo the wrong that was done to her.'

It's also given her a different outlook on her happy marriage of 15 years to her husband.

'It feels like destiny,' she says.

'I feel that she has something to do with it, like "hey, look over here!"  It's hard to put it into words when you're trying to think about it.

'Did destiny bring [us] together because somehow we ended up in the right place at the right time? And we're still together all these years later.'
A notorious dictator's Australian daughter and her husband have admitted drinking alcohol smuggled onto a Jetstar flight, after initially denying they did anything wrong.

Analisa Corr and her husband Jimmy Corr were hauled off a plane travelling from Hobart to Sydney just after Christmas for allegedly creating a mid-air disturbance.

Ms Corr is the daughter of the late Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos and her mother is a one-time Playboy model from Sydney.

The 53-year-old's half-brother Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr - the current president of the Philippines - has declined in the past to acknowledge they have the same father.

Ms Corr has been married for a decade to 46-year-old former soldier Jimmy Corr, with whom she has recently been pictured on social media sailing a yacht around South-East Asia.

The couple was allegedly intoxicated when they were caught drinking alcohol they had brought onto flight JQ720 on December 28.

During the journey, Ms Corr allegedly grabbed and shook another passenger while leaving a toilet.

The couple were escorted off the plane by Australian Federal Police and taken to Mascot police station near Sydney airport.

Analisa Corr and her husband Jimmy Corr (both pictured) were hauled off a plane travelling from Hobart to Sydney after allegedly creating a mid-air disturbance just after Christmas

Ms Corr was raised in luxury in Sydney's eastern suburbs and describes herself as an interior designer with a sideline in 'boudoir' photography. She is pictured with daughter Tahni

They were subsequently charged with one count each of failing to comply with cabin crew's safety instructions and consuming alcohol not provided by airline staff.

Ms Corr was also charged with one count of common assault.

The pair initially pleaded not guilty to all charges but on March 31 both admitted to drinking their own alcohol and the charge against Mr Corr was withdrawn.

Both are listed for sentence next month but it remains unclear what will happen with the remaining allegations against Ms Corr.

The pair sought the return of their passports on January 10 so Ms Corr could fly to Indonesia where she was due to undertake a 'project' until the end of March.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the request and it was approved by Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Antrum.

Ms Corr agreed to deposit $20,000 as part of her new bail arrangement and her husband agreed to forfeit the same amount of money if he breached his conditions.

Neither was permitted to consume alcohol at any domestic or international departure point, or on an aircraft.

Analisa and Jimmy Corr (above) initially pleaded not guilty to all charges but on March 31 both admitted to drinking their own alcohol and a second charge against Mr Corr was withdrawn

Mr Antrum accepted the allegations against Mr Corr were not of 'top-end' criminality and would only result in fines if he were to be convicted.

The couple held hands as they left the court and Ms Corr smiled broadly as she ignored questions from the media about what happened on flight JQ720.

Ms Corr, who was raised in luxury in Sydney's eastern suburbs, promotes herself as running two businesses - Analisa Corr Design and Analisa Corr Photography.

The second operation allows Ms Corr to pursue her passion for bridal, maternity and boudoir portraits of 'everyday' women.

Ms Corr has also advertised her services on the Naughty Ads website under the 'escort photography' category with a price guide starting at $650.

Naughty Ads offers a platform for male, female and transgender prostitutes to engage with potential clients, alongside others workers engaged in the adult industry.

Ms Corr's middle name, Josefa, is the first name of Ferdinand Marcos Sr's mother.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr was president of the Philippines from 1965 until he was deposed in 1986, and from 1972 to 1981 ruled the nation under martial law.

Ms Corr has been married for a decade to former soldier Jimmy Corr, with whom she has recently been pictured on social media sailing around Indonesia on a yacht

Analisa and Jimmy Corr sought the return of their passports on January 10 so Ms Corr could fly to Indonesia where she was due to undertake a 'project' until the end of March

Ms Corr's mother Evelin Hegyesi reportedly met Marcos Sr - then married to shoe-obsessed Imelda - when she was working as a model in Paris in 1970.

Having given birth to Analisa in Sydney in 1971, Ms Hegyesi and her daughter lived in a Point Piper mansion apparently bought by Marcos Sr, who died in 1989 aged 72.

Ms Corr's mother now lives in a three-bedroom apartment with harbour views at Point Piper which was last offered for sale in October 2021 for $3.85million.

Marcos Jr neither confirmed nor denied Ms Corr's parentage when asked about his half-sister in April 2011.

'We have been hearing those rumours for more than 20 years now,' the then senator said at the time.

His comment came a month after Ms Corr claimed she had been removed from the short-lived Australian reality television show The Renovators after revealing the identity of her father.

Ms Corr's mother, who was born in Germany, was just two when her Hungarian parents Anton and Theresa brought to her Australia in 1949.

Ms Hegyesi was once photographed posing in a mink bikini and appeared in a 1969 Playboy spread called 'Girls of Australia'.

A July 2004 newspaper report stated Ms Hegyesi avoided the spotlight but described her curvaceous daughter as 'exotic', 'vivacious' and 'flamboyant'.

Ms Corr was previously in a relationship with Dean Fleming, heir to the supermarket empire and father to her daughter Tahni Hegyesi Fleming, who is now aged about 21.
Donald Trump's crackdown on liberal universities and campus activism should be replicated in the UK, ministers have been told.

The US President's moves to exert more influence over American colleges by slashing financial support has sparked calls for the Labour government to ensure British institutions do not engage in 'ideological overreach'.

Trump has singled out seven major universities for funding cuts of up to $12billion overall, including freezing $2.3billion in federal cash to the prestigious Harvard university on Monday.

The Ivy League school decided to push back on the White House's demands to crack down on alleged anti-Semitism and civil rights violations on campus.

One such request from the Trump administration was to shut down any diversity, equity and inclusion (EDI) programs.

Earlier this month it emerged that any UK universities receiving funding from the United States are being asked by the White House to confirm that any projects do not contain EDI elements.

Ministers have now faced calls to embrace Trump's ideological war on liberal campuses in the UK.

Proponents say it would save taxpayer money currently spent on EDI projects as well as ensuring universities are politically neutral, rather than 'indoctrinating' students.

Trump has singled out seven major universities for funding cuts of up to $12billion overall, including freezing $2.3billion in federal cash to the prestigious Harvard university

The Ivy League school decided to push back on the White House 's demands to crack down on alleged anti-Semitism and civil rights violations on campus

Demonstrators rally on Cambridge Common in a protest organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist interference at the university by the federal government

Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance, told MailOnline: 'Taxpayers will be looking overseas with envy.

'While American universities are being told to clamp down on costly and ineffective EDI personnel, British universities are still pouring millions into these virtue-signalling roles that do nothing to improve education.

'Britain could learn a few lessons from Trump's hardline approach to cutting waste and focusing on real education rather than pointless non-jobs.'

Reem Ibrahim from the Institute of Economic Affairs added: 'American taxpayers should not be forced to fund universities that treat people differently based on immutable characteristics.

'Schemes that prioritise ethnic minorities over white people are simply racist. Neither should governments dictate what private universities can teach, which students they admit, and which staff they hire.

'The solution is market-based reforms in higher education funding, promoting competition, individual choice, and reduced state involvement altogether.

'The UK Government should ensure that such discriminatory schemes are rooted out too.'

In February it emerged that the cost of EDI salaries at British universities has doubled in three years and is now costing the sector 28 million per year.

Each university employed an average of 6.9 staff in EDI roles, suggesting there were more than 1,000 employed in the university sector as a whole.

The University of Oxford was the worst offender, with 59 roles in 2023/24 costing 2.5million.

In February it emerged that the cost of EDI salaries at British universities has doubled in three years and is now costing the sector 28 million per year

The University of Oxford was the worst offender, with 59 roles in 2023/24 costing 2.5million

A memo from the US Education Department sent to state officials nationwide earlier this month asked them to confirm they are complying with the administration's anti-EDI policies.

They were asked to verify that they are following the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits schools that receive federal funds from discrimination based on race, gender, and other protected identities.

The department's Office of Civil Rights has previously said that 45 universities violated the Act by partnering with a nonprofit organisation that helps students from underrepresented groups earn doctoral degrees in business.

The Trump administration has also said it will withhold funding if they find universities have failed to prevent anti-Semitism amid 18 months of campus protests since the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Officials said Columbia University's failure to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests was the primary reason it cancelled $400million in federal grants.

Cornell, Northwestern, Princeton and Brown have also had their funding slashed in recent weeks. They were among 60 colleges put on notice by the Department of Education last month for failing to combat anti-Semitism effectively.

'The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite US campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,' Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.

'U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws.'

The Trump administration has also said it will withhold funding if they find universities have failed to prevent anti-Semitism amid 18 months of campus protests since the Israel-Gaza conflict

Officials said Columbia University's failure to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests was the primary reason it cancelled $400million in federal grants

But Trump's battle with elite universities in the US has deeper roots, with conservative circles viewing higher education as a bastion of liberalism.

Criticisms that have been raised consistently by Republicans in recent years include the continuation of affirmative action policies, which are designed to increase representation of underrepresented groups, and accusations that professors are too left-wing, on average.

One successful Republican college transformation is the restructuring of the New College in Florida.

Previously known as a liberal arts school, a 2023 takeover by Florida state governor Ron DeSantis saw his allies dominate the current board of trustees.

Right-wing figures in the UK are now hoping to push back on what they say is 'ideological overreach' from higher education institutions.

Last year Tory Party leader Kemi Badenoch claimed university lecturers are marking down Conservative students, who are being 'attacked' for their views.

She told the party conference: 'Young Conservativestell me they are afraid to share their politics with other students because they will be attacked.

'[They say] they are marked down by lecturers because of their beliefs. We have let young Conservatives down.'

In the UK, data from the Times Higher Education Survey - which asked academics to list their voting intentions - suggested 82 per cent of higher education staff voted for the Labour, Liberal Democrat or Green Parties in 2015-16, far higher than the 42 per cent figure for the general public.

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon

McMahon said: 'The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite US campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year'

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson told MailOnline: 'We don't exist to mimic the United States, but we would be wise to take note of the growing resistance to ideological overreach in their universities.

'The spread of woke ideology, unchecked DEI mandates, and the inclusion of anti-British sentiment in curricula are all causes for concern here at home.

'British students deserve to be proud of their countrya nation known for its generosity, its resilience, and its enduring success.

'Our classrooms should be places of genuine learning, not political indoctrination. A level playing field means protecting students from the personal ideologies of those hired to teach them.'

However, senior industry figures have warned against mimicking Trump's war on liberalism.

Tim Soutphommasane, the chief diversity officer at the University of Oxford, said in February that universities must not 'be sucked into a vortex of culture war politics'.

He added: 'The UK is not the US. That is a critical starting point for any approach we have.

Reform UK MP Lee Anderson told MailOnline: 'We don't exist to mimic the United States, but we would be wise to take note of the growing resistance to ideological overreach in their universities'

'And we should be very mindful of allowing culture war excesses from the US contaminating the public culture here.'

They have also claimed that some universities 'might see opportunities' to recruit students and staff from the US due to Trump's manoeuvres.

Susan Lapworth, Chief Executive of the Office for Students, told PoliticsHome that institutions could now 'recruit students who might otherwise have studied in the US, but for whatever reason now, are choosing not to, or indeed to recruit staff.'

A spokesperson for Universities UK, which represents 141 universities, told MailOnline: 'Universities already have legal obligations to protect free speech. These will be strengthened by the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech Act).

'Cutting funding to a sector which delivers a quarter of a trillion pounds in value to the UK economy when there are already legal safeguards in place would be nonsensical.'

A Government spokesperson said: 'The conditions set by the US government on its grant funding are entirely its prerogative. Universities in the UK are independent.
For those who have listened to the tales of the 'Redcar Mafia', even the prospect of snapping up a flat in the faded resort for a mere 20,000 pounds may not appeal.

So it is surprising how unthreatening a stroll through the town centre feels - and even more surprising to hear American accents among some of the visitors.

Like many resorts without the backbone of a Golden Mile, Redcar is looking a little rough around the edges these days.

But over the years, there have been racier stories - of drugs, car parks being frequented by prostitutes, and dogging in the sand dunes and popular local beauty spot The Gare.

The town also suered 3,000 job losses when Redcar Steelworks shut down in 2015 leading to widespread unemployment and wage cuts.

House and flat prices, having reached rock bottom, have now started to rise - leading to a recent influx of people desperate to get a foot on the property ladder.

Coatham Road, just a short stroll from the sea front, is one street where three flats have recently changed hands - for 20k, 29,950, and one with a guide price of just 15k.

Estate agents say many of the local sales have been converted to upmarket Airbnbs on the seafront.

Despite tales of the 'Redcar Mafia', it is surprising how unthreatening a stroll through the town centre feels - and even more surprising to hear American accents among some of the visitors

Like many resorts without the backbone of a Golden Mile, Redcar is looking a little rough around the edges these days

Estate agents say many of the local sales have been converted to upmarket Airbnbs on the seafront

Some locals now hope Redcar's reputation as a buyers' heaven may prompt a tourist revival with a 200 million investment already on the cards for the town.

The jewel in the crown would be the planned 5,000 seat Coatham Arena on the site of the former historic music venue site of Coatham Bowl, expected to open in 2028.

However, locals are divided over whether the cheap housing will attract families who will improve the resort, or absentee landlords more interested in lining their pockets.

Residents complain there has already been an explosion of Houses in Multiple Occupation in the area, including close to the town centre.

The shared houses are blamed for attracting drug addicts and alcoholics who even break the windows of local charity shops for amusement.

One of the newest residents is Nina Done, 51, originally from Cambridge, who has gone from living in a caravan to finally buying her first home.

One of the newest residents is Nina Done (above), 51, originally from Cambridge, who has gone from living in a caravan to finally buying her first home

Some locals now hope Redcar's reputation as a buyers' heaven may prompt a tourist revival with a 200 million investment already on the cards for the town

Coatham Road (above) is one street where three flats have recently changed hands - for 20k, 29,950, and one with a guide price of just 15k

Residents complain there has already been an explosion of Houses in Multiple Occupation in the area, including close to the town centre

But buyers have to be selective, she warned, adding: 'Some of the flats are really run down and would take would need a lot of work.

'You can get a three bedroom house around here for 60,000. There are bad areas like anywhere else.

'I think prices will start going up now because people are interested and they are putting some money into the area.

'We were staying in a caravan because my husband works all over the place.

'So we just got a flat ourselves for 45,000. It should put the place back on the map for tourists. Things are picking up around here and there are quite a few houses for sale.'

On the other hand, lifelong resident Sue Young, 64, cannot wait to move out - as soon as she scrapes the cash.

The town suered 3,000 job losses when Redcar Steelworks shut down in 2015 leading to widespread unemployment and wage cuts

House and flat prices, having reached rock bottom, have now started to rise - leading to a recent influx of people desperate to get a foot on the property ladder

Lifelong resident Sue Young said there was 'nothing in Redcar apart from druggies'

She said: 'I think it is awful around here. Nothing gets better in Redcar. Everything is going downhill.

'There's nothing in Redcar apart from druggies. Whatever the prices of the houses are, it will not bring nicer people into the area.

'It will just bring the same sort of people. I have lived here all my life and can't wait to get out. I want to move to Saltburn  but it's too expensive.'

Another incomer Andrew Kirkham, 67, a retired graphic artist, said: 'I got my place for about 45,000 five years ago.

'I do like the area. It costs a fortune to live somewhere like Saltburn and you would not want to live anywhere like Middlesborough.

'So all in all it's nice around here. There's quite a few shops opened. So the High Street is not doing too badly.'

Andrew Kirkham (above), 67, a retired graphic artist bought his place in Redcar for around 45,000 five years ago

Mr Kirkham said the High Street (above) is 'not doing too badly' and said he would rather live in Redcar than the nearby Middlesborough

Over the years, there have been racier stories - of drugs, car parks being frequented by prostitutes, and dogging in the sand dunes and popular local beauty spot The Gare

But born and bred in Redcar Ella Thompson, 17, said: 'Some houses may be going cheap.

'But the nice houses around here are still quite expensive. So I will be moving away. There are more options for young people elsewhere.

'If you continue to live here, you have to commute to Middlesborough or Stockton upon teas to find jobs point There's not much for people my age around here.'

Staring at the boarded up town centre shops, Simon Laverick, 53, said: 'It's a dump. What sort of residents are moving into these cheap places?

'There are HMOs all over the place, including just around the corner. It is a ghost town. I was born here and back then we had a high street. Now it's disgusting.

'You have got boarded up shops and people even through bricks through the charity shop windows.'

Simon Laverick (above), 53, said the once bustling high street of Redcar had become 'disgusting' and resembled a 'ghost town'

Shared houses are blamed for attracting drug addicts and alcoholics who even break the windows of local charity shops for amusement

Local traders, however, underlined that the cheap lodgings in the town provided the base to explore surrounding areas such as Whitby and Scarborough.

They said Redcar was already attracting a lot of visitors from other parts of the country, Scotland and overseas from America, using as a base more established resorts.

'It is much cheaper to stay here than it is in Whitby. But it could become popular and it's own right with a bit of luck,' one snacks stall holder added.

Pensioner Sandra Underwood said: 'I do like to come here and look at the sea even though the shops are a bit crap. But things are looking up.

'Even though some shops I liked such as Miss Lily's Gift shop have shut down recently, there are things going on.

'They are building an arcade to link the high street with a promenade so that should be interesting.

Pensioner Sandra Underwood (above) said she likes to visit Redcar to look at the sea, but admitted she was not a fan of the closure of high street stores

Local traders said Redcar was attracting a lot of visitors from other parts of the country, Scotland and overseas from America, using as a base more established resorts

The seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast has a population of around 36,000

'My grandson loves the cinema here too. But we do have some odd people here. A lot of them are on drugs I think.'

Thomas Carter, 76, a retired labourer, said: 'I do come here every day for something to drink and something to eat.

'But the town is getting quieter and quieter. People do not seem to bother much with the place.

'You do not see the sands full of people anymore like you used to do. So I can't see the visitors ever coming back and the only reason I come here is to go to the pub. '

Natalie and Lee West were also skeptical that cheap house prices would attract people back to the area.

Natalie said: 'I'm from Redcar originally but I left to get married because my husband said he wouldn't move here. So we have ended up living in Skelton.

Retired labourer Thomas Carter (above), 76, said the town is 'getting quieter and quieter'

Natalie (right) and Lee West (left) were also skeptical that cheap house prices would attract people back to the area

'I don't think that cheap houses alone are going to do much for the local economy and crime is a lot worse now than when I grew up here.'

Nodding in agreement, Mr West added: 'Everyone wants to get their foot on the housing ladder so it is nice there is that opportunity here.

'But with all the drugs and crime around here, I can't see it being enough to regenerate the tourist economy. I think the decline has gone too far.'

Stephanie Flavin said 'it is good that the housing market is still keeping going. I have been here 10 years and can say the biggest problem we have is HMOs.

'There is no law against being an absentee landlor but they are buying up these properties and letting them to druggies and alcoholics.

'Ordinary, decent families do not get a look-in when they can charge a collection of those sort of tenants 800 to 900 pounds a week per house.'

On positive note, up to 200 million could be in the pipeline under the Redcar Town Deal development expected to create 750 jobs.
A baby sucking blood rather than milk from its mother; a human leg found in a worker's locker; children ending up stooped and hairy.

These are scenes that would be at home in the fertile mind of a horror fiction writer.

But, more than 80 years ago, amidst the beautiful architecture and majestic culture of Russia's second city, this was the reality.

The 900-day Siege of Leningrad, imposed by the invading forces of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany from September 1941, left an estimated 1.5million soldiers and civilians dead.

New book Saint Petersburg: Sacrifice and Redemption in the City that Defied Hitler, by historian Sinclair McKay, highlights the full horror of human suffering.

The first winter of the siege, in which temperatures dropped to minus 43C, was the worst - a time when starvation was a universal affliction and death was just around the corner.

Many of the siege's survivors, who included the mother of Vladimir Putin, were left with mental and physical scars that would last the rest of their lives.

The horror began on September 8, 1941, when German forces encircled the city - 11 weeks after starting their invasion of Russia.

Two women collect the remains of a dead horse for food during the Siege of Leningrad

Bodies strewn across a street in Leningrad in the winter of 1941, when hundreds of thousands of people starved to death

All supply routes were cut off, and the food warehouses that were stocked were bombed from the air by the Luftwaffe.

With the Russian army unable to provide any relief, Leningrad - now with only enough food to last for a month - was on its own.

Bread became the city's most valuable commodity, more coveted than money. The official daily ration sank to as little as 125 grams.

And as conventional food grew scarce, city dwellers turned to whatever they could find that might contain calories.

Even wallpaper paste - usually a mixture of flour, water and glue - was consumed.

The youngest children could do nothing but wait for their parents to find them something to eat.

McKay writes: 'There were infants who  by some ancient foraging instinct  were scrabbling with tiny fingers in the gaps between floorboards for individual grains of rice or millet that might have been dropped.'

Mothers with babies were so malnourished that many could not produce breast milk.

Pictured: Vladimir Putin as a toddler on the lap of his mother Maria Shelomovam and his grandmother

Vladimir Putin, right, poses for a photograph with his parents Maria and Vladimir Putin in 1985

Families seen wrapped up warm in freezing temperatures during the Siege of Leningrad

A man stands over the bodies of fallen citizens in Leningrad, 1941

One became so desperate that she 'drove a blade into her arm and let her baby suck blood from the wound'.

That story, although horrifying, does not compare to the examples of real cannibalism - which nearly 2,000 people in the city would be jailed for - that emerged.

In one case, the suspicious colleagues of a machine operator at a factory found the remains of a human leg in his locker.

Caught bang to rights, the man then led his supervisors to where he had hidden two more legs in the grounds of the factory.

McKay adds: 'There was a plumber at a packing plant who murdered his wife and then told his son and nephews that the meat he was giving them had come from the body of a dog.

'In a shadowed corner near an apartment block was found a bag containing not only bones but also the remnants of a cooked human head.'

In another even more horrendous case, a mother suffocated her toddler daughter and then fed her body to her three older children.

And given that the starving were prepared to eat each other, it is no surprise that beloved pets were killed for food as desperation increased.

Russian soldiers lead German prisoners of war through Leningrad after the failure of the siege

One young boy, Valerii Sukhov, wrote in early December 1941: 'Yesterday we caught and killed the cat. Today we ate it grilled. Very tasty'.

Elsewhere, a mother killed the family cat and then made soup with the meat, but told her daughter that the flesh was that of a rabbit.

Teenage girl Lena Mukhina wrote in her diary in early January, 1942, that her family's 'dear puss' had fed them for ten days.

Ration cards became highly prized. One 18-year-old killed his younger brothers for their cards.

One chilling physical effect of starvation was that it made young children produce large amounts of facial hair, due to hormone imbalances.

McKay tells how the lack of food made children appear arthritic and old, to the point where there were 'some small children walking around like miniature elderly adults'.

'Time had accelerated hideously for them, their bodies now apparently carrying the weight of decades,' he adds.

By contrast, older children who should have been going through puberty did not have the nutrients they needed to develop, and so their physical development froze.

Leningrad workers volunteer for the Red Army, July 3, 1941

Women help dig defences in Leningrad amid the German advance, October 1941

German soldiers advancing on Leningrad, September 1941

Saint Petersburg: Sacrifice and Redemption in the City that Defied Hitler, by Sinclair McKay, is published by Penguin

As for adults, one woman in her 30s noted how she became 'just bones and wrinkled skin'.

Resident Ivan Savinkov recorded in his diary in January 1942 how it had become impossible to distinguish between men and women in the communal bath houses.

He wrote: 'Only skeletons, not people. What will become of us?'

However, McKay points out that, despite the immense deprivation and monstrosities that resulted in the struggle for survival, some semblances of civilisation continued.

Concerts continued to be performed at Leningrad's famous Philharmonic Hall, including a recital of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

Amidst the extremely cold temperatures, the musicians had to play whilst wrapped in layers of clothes.

As for the actors who made up the Leningrad Theatre of Miniatures, they continued to stage dramas.

In the summer of 1942, the Philharmonic orchestra's rendition of Dmitri Shostakovich's specially composed Seventh Symphony was broadcast around the world.

Even German troops enforcing the blockade around the city heard the tones of defiance.

By then, the change in the weather had eased the food situation, as locals could grow vegetables. And the Red Army had restored some supply lines.

And although the siege would continue until late January 1944, the worst had been and gone.

Saint Petersburg: Sacrifice and Redemption in the City that Defied Hitler, by Sinclair McKay, is published by Penguin.
Have you ever wondered how many people share your name?

For Dr. Elizabeth Stein, a pediatrician in Colorado, the thought had never crossed her mind - until one day in 2007, when a curious email landed in her inbox.

The message, addressed simply to 'Elizabeth Stein,' referred to an unfamiliar 'editing project.'

At the time, Dr. Stein had just graduated from medical school and was on a break to care for her infant daughter. Editing was not exactly on her radar.

The sender, non-fiction author Ted Anton, was seeking help copy-editing a manuscript on 'longevity gene research.'

Intrigued by the subject matter - and by the serendipitous nature of the mistake -Elizabeth decided to respond, letting Anton know he had reached the wrong person.

Still, she saw an opportunity.

Considering her extensive science background and open availability to work she replied: 'If the other Elizabeth Stein isn't interested, I'd love the chance to work with you.'

For Dr. Elizabeth Stein, a physician, the thought had never crossed her mind - until one day in 2009, when a curious email landed in her inbox

Over the years, her inbox filled with other people's messages - flight itineraries, Hebrew school updates, midwifery newsletters, condo notices, even bank statements, Dr. Stein told the DailyMail.com

She then attached her CV and waited.

Just hours later, Anton replied with an enthusiastic yes.

'What a funny mistaken email address' he mused, before sending over the 120-page manuscript.

Without meaning to, Dr. Elizabeth Stein had landed her first freelance editing gig - thanks to an email meant for someone else.

That one wrong message would be the first of many.

'I was an early email adopter, which won me the unexpected job of playing secretary to several Elizabeth Steins,' she later told the DailyMail.com.

Over the years, her inbox filled with other people's messages - flight itineraries, Hebrew school updates, midwifery newsletters, condo notices, even bank statements. Most were mundane and easily deleted.

But in 2015, another misdirected message would lead to something far more meaningful.

This time, the email came from a representative for actor and comedian Darrell Hammond, referencing feedback on a 'session' related to an upcoming project.

Once again, it had been meant for a different Elizabeth Stein - this one, Liz Stein, a former editor turned writer and book collaborator.

Dr. Stein quickly responded, letting the sender know they had the wrong person.

Soon after, she heard directly from Liz herself.

What began as a brief, amused exchange turned into a regular correspondence.

The two Elizabeths began emailing like old-fashioned pen pals, bonding over the bizarre way their paths had crossed.

They eventually met in person during a visit to New Jersey, where Liz was living at the time.

'I got away from my in-laws for a much-needed, fun night,' Dr. Stein recalled. 'We went to dinner, and my husband and I even stayed over at her house. She's lovely.'

Their friendship blossomed over the years, strengthened by shared stories, accidentally sent messages and even small favors.

'Once, Liz edited my stepdad's memoir, which he just recently self-published. She was really helpful,' Dr. Stein said.

Other mix-ups have continued to pop up along the way.

In 2010, Dr. Stein received an invitation from Nancy Jarecki - wife of acclaimed film director Andrew Jarecki - inviting 'dearest friends' to the New York premiere of All Good Things, starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst.

Dr. Stein had just graduated from medical school and was on a break to care for her infant daughter when the peculiar email landed in her inbox. Pictured: Dr. Stein with her infant daughter circa 2009

For Dr. Elizabeth Stein, sharing a name with others turned out to be more than just an occasional email inconvenience, it brought her unexpected work, a front-row seat to unique moments, and most importantly - a friendship, born from a digital case of mistaken identity

The email contained private details about the exclusive New York City event and as tempting as it was, this sender wasn't as forgiving, and Dr. Stein respectfully stayed home.

Then in 2013, she was once again confused for editor Liz Stein when someone from the Savannah College of Art and Design inquired about professional editing services.

This time, Dr. Stein passed the opportunity along to the rightful recipient - her now friend and go-to editor.

For Dr. Elizabeth Stein, sharing a name with others turned out to be more than just an occasional email inconvenience.

It brought her unexpected work, a front-row seat to unique moments, and most importantly - a meaningful friendship, born from a digital case of mistaken identity.
While the number of Brits interested in moving to Dubai is at an all-time high, some expats have warned that the warm climate, tax-free income and luxury standard of living isn't quite the paradise it sounds.

Fears over job insecurity, poor work-life balance, oppressive heat and lack of culture are just some of the downsides that have made Brits consider their decision to relocate.

However, Kelly Lundberg, who has lived in Dubai for 22 years after falling in love with the city when she started working as an air hostess for Emirates, says that those who can't hack life in the UAE are approaching it the wrong way.

After moving to Dubai, she launched a personal styling business, working with celebrities and royalty and has collaborated with the world's biggest brands, from Chanel to HSBC, but insists that there's more to the emirate than just being a 'glitzy playground'.

'Having grown up in Edinburgh, and lived in Dubai for 22 years, Ive been lucky enough to experience the best of both worlds,' she told MailOnline.

'So I can say with absolute certainty that those who see Dubai as little more than a glitzy sun-drenched playground for the ultra-rich arent looking hard enough at what this beautiful emirate has to offer.

'And as for the influencers announcing their departure, calling the city "soulless", while bemoaning how they thought theyd be better off, Id beg to differ. Perhaps they didnt look beyond the brunches and the Burj.

'For those who are open-minded, Dubai offers opportunities that are hard to match anywhere else in the world right now. And Im not alone in this thinking.

Kelly Lundberg has lived in Dubai for 22 years after falling in love with the city when she started working as an air hostess for Emirates when she was 21,

Kelly said that for those who are open-minded, Dubai offers opportunities that are hard to match anywhere else in the world right now

Sinead Clifford shared on TikTok a video about departing the UAE city

'There are an estimated 240,000 UK expats now calling the city home, the interest from Brits has surged by more than 400 per cent in the past five years.

'While it might be the attraction of tax-free salaries, sun-drenched skyscrapers and sipping mocktails in a rooftop pool that lures them here, its the better way of life that makes them stay.

'For those whod suggest otherwise, Id strongly argue that theyre doing Dubai wrong! Heres why...

No culture is just lazy commentary

This one makes me chuckle. Culture isnt missing from Dubai. With around 200 nationalities its brimming with culture. No, of course, you wont find little cobbled streets or cosy Sunday roasts at a local pub. But you will discover Emirati heritage tours, art exhibitions at Alserkal Avenue, poetry nights, African drumming workshops, and cuisine from every corner of the world.

Dubai is a young city, but because its cultural expression isnt steeped in history like a traditional European culture, it gets dismissed. Emirates Literature festival attracts the biggest authors from all over the world and Art Dubai has been a staple on the calendar for nearly 20 years.

Culture here is layered, you just need to lean in and explore it. And if you still crave that Sunday roast? There are plenty of places thatll help you to tick that box.

Kelly has become a leading brand expert, working with names such as Chanel and HSBC

Kelly moved to Dubai after she began working as an air hostess for Emirates (pictured in 2003)

Job insecurity? Thats everywhere

Lets not pretend the UK job market is a beacon of stability right now. The reality is that job insecurity is a global issue - whether you're in the UK, the US or Dubai. Yes, Dubais market moves fast and expects results - so if youre not up for a challenge, it might not be the place for you. But it also rewards initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship in ways I rarely see elsewhere. In my 22 years of coming in and out of the city, Ive watched cabin crew become CEOs, mums launch six-figure businesses, and people reinvent themselves entirely. Its a city that encourages business - offering significant tax advantages and a business-friendly environment compared to the UK.

Work-life balance is a choice, not a location

I run my own business and my health is a priority because without it, I dont have a business. Work-life balance exists in Dubai. But, just like anywhere in the world, you need to be intentional about setting boundaries.

With a tax-free income, you get to keep more of your salary, to spend as you like on travel, passions or hobbies. Many companies are embracing flexible working hours, and there is no shortage of gyms, yoga studios, outdoor parks, along with beaches. And, I havent touched on it yet, but the weather - that sunshine really makes all the difference.

Ive done my fair share of treks to the gym battling against the freezing Scottish rain, and lets just say I much prefer to wake up to guaranteed hot or warm weather. It means you really can make the most of your free time. Dubais transport network is world-class (no more wrong sort of leaves on the line causing delays). And when it comes to families, theres a wealth of activities from theme parks to museums.

Kelly said that those who think Dubai lacks culture are not looking in the right places

Extremely high standard of living

You really cant fault Dubai when it comes to the standard of living. And it can be a shock to return to the UK and see the alternative. The city has beautifully luxurious amenities, world-class healthcare, excellent schools, and a huge variety of leisure activities.

Dining out? Each and every eatery takes pride in its food - Ive never once had to complain in a restaurant or send something back. Something thats a regular occurrence in the UK! And its more affordable too.

Then there are the beaches, the hotels, the spas - and the proximity to other incredible destinations. I just got back from a weekend break to the Maldives with friends - the flight cost the same as flying from Edinburgh to Spain. And it has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Healthcare isnt free - but its fast and premium

Lets talk about the NHS elephant in the room. No, Dubai doesnt offer free healthcare - but neither do lots of countries. Expats need to pay medical insurance - which is around 1,300 a year. While the system isnt perfect, it is much more efficient than in the UK. Appointments are easy to get, including with specialists, and Ive heard of surgeries being carried out with just a wait of a few days, rather than months in the UK.

Yes, there are reports that the quality of care can vary, but with top-notch medical technology and highly qualified specialists in Dubai, I know which waiting room Id rather be in. Its a different system. Plan for it and youll be fine.

Yes, its expensive  but so is London

Theres no denying the cost of living in Dubai is high. The difference? No income tax. But - and this is key - rent or school fees are often paid in one or two big cheques a year, which can be a shock if youre not prepared. Its not about how much you spend, its about how you plan. And yes, alcohol is heavily taxed but if you dont drink or go out much, youre already winning.

Sure, some people live beyond their means here - just like anywhere. Others save, invest and build wealth. Its all down to personal choices.

Transient friendships? Yes and no

People say Dubai friendships are fleeting. But I met one of my best friends the week I arrived and shes still here. Another close friend left a decade ago, and we still meet up all over the world. Making friends as an adult is tough everywhere - its not about the location, its all about effort.

Expats are always looking to connect, so friendships can form quickly. People are always up for coffee, brunch, a walk or a get-together. And while some say Dubai is superficial, I can only speak from my own circle - hardworking, impact-driven business owners. If thats superficial, Ill take it.

My biggest grumble? The traffic!

Lets not sugar-coat it - traffic in Dubai can be a real nightmare. But so is driving in any other major city. The RTA is actively working on improvements from more public transport and dedicated bus/taxi lanes to promoting flexible work hours. Progress is happening - maybe not quite as fast as Id like, but its happening.

So after spending 22 years in both Dubai and Scotland, its safe to say that I love them both. Theres a comfort in home that no other place can have - whether thats thanks to nostalgia or family. But would I give up Dubai to return to my roots? Not a chance.

So no, Dubai isnt perfect - but where is? Every city has its quirks. But to call it worse than the UK? Thats not just short-sighted, its missing the point entirely.

Because if you came here expecting a carbon copy of home, youre bound to be disappointed. Dubai doesnt hand you the dream - it hands you the tools and the ideal environment. The rest is up to you to make it work.

So if you left thinking it was all style and no substance, Id argue you werent really paying attention.

Dubai isnt for everyone. But for those who get it - it can be everything.

Firmly in the opposite camp is 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.

Luton-based YouTuber Sarika Dubey opted for the UK in contrast to her Dubai-based sister

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 from 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.
A trail cam video on the Trailcampro YouTube channel offers a gripping and rarely-seen look into the raw realities of predator-prey interactions, capturing the chilling moment a black bear hunts down a newborn whitetail fawn.

The footage begins gently, showing a whitetail doe tenderly grooming her newborn fawn, still unsteady on its legs.

However, tranquility is short-lived.

Just 12 seconds into the video, the doe suddenly grows alert, ears perked forward, as a young black bear emerges from the woods.

Instantly protective, she stomps and snorts at the intruder, positioning herself between the predator and her offspring.

Responding instinctively to danger, the fawn drops to the ground and plays dead.

But the doe, overwhelmed by the threat, flees after another anxious snort.

Moments later, the bear swiftly moves in, biting the fawn's back and violently shaking it, prompting heartbreaking bleats from the young deer.

A trail cam video recently shared on the Trailcampro YouTube channel provides an intense and seldom-witnessed glimpse into predator-prey dynamics, capturing the moment a black bear encounters and kills a newborn whitetail fawn

Just 12 seconds into the video, the doe suddenly grows alert, ears perked forward, as a young black bear emerges from the woods

The doe's anxious snorts can still be heard from off-camera.

Though primarily omnivorous and largely plant-focused, black bears are opportunistic predators.

Newborn fawns, vulnerable and easy to overpower, make ideal prey under the right circumstances.

'Bears don't really actively hunt fawns. They're so consumed with just getting whatever food they can,' Myron Means, former large carnivore program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, told Outdoor Life.

'Of course, they'd pounce a deer fawn if they had an opportunity.'

The footage, timestamped May 23, 2024, was released publicly on Thursday.

This comes shortly after another noteworthy bear sighting: an enormous grizzly caught on camera prowling through snow near West Yellowstone, Montana, marking the beginning of the 2025 grizzly season.

Professional wildlife photographer Trent Sizemore, who placed the trail cam, shared the video online where it quickly went viral.

Responding instinctively to danger, the fawn drops to the ground and plays dead

Moments later, the bear swiftly moves in, biting the fawn's back and violently shaking it, prompting heartbreaking bleats from the young deer

'Looks like he wintered well!' commented one viewer.

Sizemore suspects this bear is the same large male grizzly he has tracked for three consecutive years, consistently one of the first to emerge from hibernation.

Grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem usually begin waking in early-to-mid March, with large males surfacing first and females with cubs often remaining dormant until May.
A rural California community has been 'torn apart' after hundreds of beloved wild donkeys were rounded up and transported over 1,000 miles away.

The drama began in December when the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health contracted Texas-based nonprofit Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue to capture and relocate wild burros from Reche Canyon, a rural area tucked into the hills north of Moreno Valley in California's Inland Empire, as reported by SF Gate.

The dispute involves about 1,000 burros that roam Reche Canyon and neighboring San Timoteo Canyon - believed to be the largest population of wild donkeys in the state.

Each animal is a descendant of donkeys released by ranchers back in the 1950s.

Mark Meyers, executive director of Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, was set to do a routine operation but it quickly turned into a feud that has created a war in the neighborhood.

The dispute has even led to death threats, conspiracy theories about secret housing developments, and a petition demanding the donkeys be driven back home to California.

'I'd never received a death threat until I started rescuing donkeys,' Meyers told the outlet.

Within two months, the planned three-year contract was abruptly terminated after furious backlash from local residents who view the burros as symbols of their rural California lifestyle.

About 1,000 burros that roam Reche Canyon and neighboring San Timoteo Canyon (pictured) - believed to be the largest population of wild donkeys in the state.

A rural California community has been 'torn apart' after hundreds of beloved wild donkeys were rounded up and transported over 1,000 miles away

The dispute involves about 1,000 burros that roam Reche Canyon and neighboring San Timoteo Canyon - believed to be the largest population of wild donkeys in the state

Wild burros are pictured Reche Canyon, California

Reche Canyon resident Mandy Miller, who with her husband launched a petition that gathered more than 13,000 signatures opposing the removal,

'It's burro country  close to the city, but you feel like you're going on vacation when you get home.'

Miller has lived in the canyon for over 15 years and led the charge to stop what she saw as the unjust removal of the area's wild donkeys.

County officials claim the overwhelming number of donkeys near busy roadways and a major freight train corridor created serious safety hazards.

In 2021, six donkeys were killed when a train hit them in San Timoteo Canyon.

San Bernardino County Supervisor Dawn Rowe defended the decision to remove the animals at a December board meeting.

'Countless burros are suffering and dying after wandering onto roadways and railroad tracks, after being injured themselves and encountering manmade objects such as fences. Burros in Reche Canyon and San Timeoteo Road endanger not only their own lives but the lives of the people that travel those roadways,'

Within two months, the planned three-year contract was abruptly terminated after furious backlash from local residents who view the burros as symbols of their rural California lifestyle

But Miller argues that reducing the burro population won't address broader safety concerns.

'It's easier to blame the donkeys than fix the road,' she said.

Before the contract was terminated, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue captured 256 donkeys over just three weeks.

Meyers claims the animals 'were in horrible shape', with plastic and metal objects stuck in their hooves and plastic in their manure.

But the backlash was intense.

Social media exploded with emotional posts, including one written from the perspective of a donkey that read: 'HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS ARE MISSING! MY WHOLE FAMILY IS GONE! I live in San Timoteo Canyon California and my entire family was trapped and loaded into trailers with Texas license plates!'

Wild conspiracy theories spread so rapidly that the county was forced to create an FAQ section on its website denying that the donkeys were being removed to make way for housing developments or being shipped out of the country for slaughter.

'The ignorance is exponential, ,' Meyers said. 'And I mean this in the nicest way, but these people did not know what they were talking about. They just were coaxing each other into a frenzy, and nothing they were posting was remotely true.

On April 1, San Bernardino County entered a new agreement with Riverside County-based DonkeyLand to manage the remaining burros.

Despite the compromise, some residents are still outraged about the 256 donkeys already shipped to Texas

The local organization will rescue sick or injured animals and castrate 100 burros within the next year at a cost of $400 per animal to control the population.

But despite the compromise, some residents are still outraged about the 256 donkeys already shipped to Texas.

A new petition now is demanding Peaceful Valley return all the removed burros to California, and organizers are threatening to drive to Texas themselves to retrieve the animals.

'We will come and pick them up so you don't have to do anything except to say yes,' states the petition.

The petition says the donkeys would be brought to DonkeyLand and also claims one young burro nicknamed 'Tiny Red' was orphaned when Peaceful Valley picked up his mother, 'Big Red,' which the county denies.

Meyers remains adamant that not a single donkey will be returned.

'Peaceful Valley will not be returning any donkeys to San Bernardino County and we consider this issue closed,' a January statement reads.

He has refused to disclose exactly where the 256 burros ended up, due to concerns about threats against his staff or upset Inland Empire residents attempting to take the donkeys.

'Those donkeys won't be anywhere near Southern California,' he said.
Labour ministers are secretly plotting to defy the landmark court ruling that men who change gender are not legally women, leaked WhatsApp messages obtained by The Mail on Sunday have revealed.

The Government claimed to welcome the Supreme Court judgment  but the exchanges reveal the private fury on Sir Keir Starmers frontbench, with ministers planning to hold a meeting this week to decide a way forwards and organise.

In the messages, sent on Thursday evening, Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant joined an attack on Baroness Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), who earlier that day had said that the ruling  that a woman is defined by biological sex  clearly meant trans women could not use single-sex female facilities or compete in womens sports.

When an MP said that Lady Falkners words were pretty appalling, Mr Bryant wrote: Agreeed [sic].

Last night, with the Government in turmoil, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote to the Cabinet Secretary calling for an investigation into a statement by Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson, who reacted to the judgment by saying: We have always supported the protection of single sex spaces based on biological sex.

In her letter to Sir Chris Wormald, who is also the Head of the Civil Service, Ms Badenoch argued that it could constitute a false public statement  because last June Ms Phillipson declared that trans women with penises should be able to use single-sex spaces.

Writing on the WhatsApp group of LGBT+ Labour MPs, Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle (pictured) said: The ruling is not as catastrophic as it seems but the EHRC guidance might be and there are already signs that some public bodies are overreacting

In the messages, sent on Thursday evening, Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant (pictured) joined an attack on Baroness Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

Writing on the WhatsApp group of LGBT+ Labour MPs, Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: The ruling is not as catastrophic as it seems but the EHRC guidance might be and there are already signs that some public bodies are overreacting  a possible reference to the British Transport Polices interim announcement that strip searches of trans women would now be done by male officers, not female.

Dame Angela added that we have to get on with doing the stuff we said wed do in the manifesto, which included a pledge to protect the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Another MP on the WhatsApp group wrote that it was sad to see some institutions choose to ignore the Supreme Courts very strong line that trans people are protected by the Equality Act too. Dame Angela replied: They wont be feeling that way now and we need to remember that and organise.

MPs agreed with her suggestion that they should seek a meeting ASAP with [the] relevant Equality Minister after the Commons returns from Easter recess this week.

News of the WhatsApp messages came as thousands of trans rights campaigners descended on central London yesterday to rally against the landmark ruling.

The emergency demonstration ended with at least two statues in Parliament Square daubed with graffiti, with fag rights and a heart painted on the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett. Trans rights are human rights was also sprayed on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.

Yesterday, other bodies vowed to challenge the ruling, with teachers voting at a conference in Liverpool to stop schools making knee-jerk changes to their trans policies until the government issues further guidance.

The NASUWT union claimed the judgment could lead schools to make rules which put transgender teachers at risk of harm.

Labour has come under fire over its response to last Wednesdays unanimous verdict. Health Minister Karin Smyth failed four times to clarify which changing room trans women should now use.

In contrast, Lady Falkner  who hailed the ruling for bringing clarity  told the BBC: Single-sex services like changing rooms must be based on biological sex.

If a male person is allowed to use a women-only service or facility, it isnt any longer single-sex.

She also agreed that the enormously consequential court decision also meant trans women could not take part in female sports.

Lady Falkner, whose watchdog is working on an updated code of conduct for public services, said the NHS would now be pursued if it did not follow new guidelines on single-sex spaces.

Current guidance says trans people should be accommodated according to how they identify.

In 2023, Lady Falkner survived attempts to oust her from her job because of her staunch defence of womens rights after the Mail exposed claims of an ideologically motivated witch-hunt against her.

Interviewing her on the BBCs Today programme last week, Nick Robinson said her position has brought you extraordinary levels of personal grief  including once being described as a Nazi who wants to dehumanise trans people.

Last night, with the Government in turmoil, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch wrote to the Cabinet Secretary calling for an investigation into a statement by Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson

Mims Davies, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, said: In public Keir Starmer and his Cabinet pretended they supported the Supreme Court judgment. But in private we know Labour are seething, as these texts prove.

Like so many brave women, Baroness Faulkner has suffered terrible abuse for standing up for the rights of women and girls. Now we know Labour will do all they can to undermine her work.

The Prime Minister needs to come out and say he will support the EHRC guidance when it comes out. Anything less will be Labour betraying the rights of women once again.

Pressed on the issue last year, Ms Phillipson said: If you were someone that had gone through that formal process of recognition you are, to all intents and purposes, for legal purposes, regarded as being in a different gender regardless of the sex into which you were born... I would think that in those cases people would be using female toilets.

In her letter to Sir Chris about Ms Phillipsons apparent new stance, Ms Badenoch said: If ministers or advisers are found to have instructed civil servants to issue misleading material, then there is a clear route to resolve through resignation.

Sir Chris and Dame Angela declined to comment.
A decision by Gavin Newsom to pardon 16 criminals and grant nine commutations of sentences has ignited fierce fury.

The California governor signed off on a selection of 25 criminals who have a range of astonishing crimes.

Among the convicts, four men were found guilty of murder. Others had been sentenced for possessing or dealing illicit drugs.

Newsom's commutations do not mean these inmates are immediately let out of prison. They'll still have to argue why they should be released in front of the state's Board of Parole Hearings.

One of those selected is Jose Santos who shot dead a rival gang member at a party in Fontana in 2003, and injured someone else in the process, according to Newsom's commutation order.

In 2006, Santos was sentenced to 42 years to life by the San Bernardino Superior Court. Santos was 22 years old at the time of the crime and is now 43.

Now with just half of his minimum sentence under his belt, he has been deemed 'eligible for immediate parole consideration,' thanks to the governor.

Newsom also vouched for Santos, saying he has demonstrated positive conduct in prison and has rededicated his life to 'rehabilitation and self-improvement.'

Newsom was a bit more cautious with Allan Krenitsky, who in 1988 fatally shot a man in his home before robbing him, and George Lucev, who paid a 17-year-old boy in 1983 to stab the husband of his lover.

Governor Gavin Newsom pardoned and commuted the sentences of 25 felons on Friday, including offenders who have been convicted of murder

Corey Fernandez (left), convicted for attempted murder in 2010, is now eligible for parole thanks to Newsom's intervention. Sithy Bin, an illegal Cambodian migrant, received a full pardon for his role in a gang-related shooting in 2008

Both Krenitsky and Lucev for sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Both men, in the decades they've spent in prison, have committed to improving themselves, Newsom said in his orders.

But he stopped short of recommending them for immediate parole consideration, nor did he advocate for them as vigorously as he did for Santos.

Newsom wrote extensively about Santos' accomplishments while behind bars, which including earning an associate's degree and being praised by prison staff for his integrity, work ethic and dependability.

When Krenitsky and Lucev do come in front of the parole board, their life sentences could be restored if their petition is denied.

Newsom also commuted the sentence of Corey Fernandez, who in 2010 fought with two of his friends. He shot Donnie Smith in the stomach and also beat Arthur Vickers with the stock-end of his rifle.

Smith actually testified in court trying to get Fernandez a lighter sentence, telling a Yuba County Superior Court judge, 'I don't think he was trying to shoot me...I don't think he should have to do much time, if that helps anyone.'

Fernandez, 48 at the time of his crimes, was sentenced to 34 years to life for attempted murder. Newsom has determined that the 63-year-old is eligible for immediate parole consideration after serving 14 years of his sentence.

Newsom also wiped the slate clean fully for some offenders with his pardon power as governor. Sithy Bin, a former member of the Crips with Attitude gang, was one of 25 felons who got a pardon.

Sithy Bin (center) is pictured with his family after he was released from prison in May 2020

Bin was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison after being convicted for opening fire during a barbecue at a rival gang member's house. He spent 15 years in prison before being moved to an ICE detention facility in Mesa Verde (pictured). That's where he was released from

Bin, an illegal migrant from Cambodia, came to the US as a toddler and has been in the country ever since, according to the ACLU. His family settled in southern California, but Bin fell into crime as a young man.

In August 2008, he was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison after being convicted for opening fire during a barbecue at a rival gang member's house, injuring one person, according to the Los Angeles Times.

He was 24 years old when he committed the crime but spent his time in prison dedicating himself to Christianity, eventually becoming a minister.

'While in prison, Mr. Bin was never disciplined for misconduct. He engaged in extensive self-help programming, maintained an excellent work history and received numerous commendations from correctional staff for his positive transformation,' Newsom wrote in his pardon order.

In January 2020, Bin was granted parole on the basis that he was no longer a danger to society. Once the COVID-19 pandemic began, however, he was released into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Due to overcrowding and unsafe conditions at the Mesa Verde processing center, he was released in May 2020.

Enforcement of the laws against illegal immigration have since ramped up under President Donald Trump, and now Bin is being ordered to self-deport by June.

Newsom offered a commutation to another former gang member named Edwin Celis (pictured), who shot an injured someone in a rival criminal organization in 2012

Newsom commuted the sentence another former gang member named Edwin Celis, who shot an injured someone in a rival criminal organization in 2012.

In 2014, the 22-year-old was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison for that crime and another shooting he was connected to.

His mother, Xochitl Celis, made a Change.Org petition in 2018 asking the governor, who at that time was still Jerry Brown, to reduced her son's sentence.

In 2012, Edwin participated in a shooting for which he conveys the utmost contrition and sincere regret,' Xochitl wrote.

'He is saddened that his actions led to someone being injured. As errant and unfortunate as the act was, though, the facts of his case reveal that the victim was only superficially wounded and that their life was never in danger,' she continued.

Celis' sentence was commuted to 15 years to life, which means he'll be eligible for parole in a little less than three years.

Another notable commutation went to Refugio Castillo. In 1986, he and his accomplices kidnapped two North Hollywood men who owed them money and spent several days beating them.

Castillo, now 78, was 40 years old at the time of the kidnapping and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Now having served 38 years, Newsom downgraded his sentence to 38 years to life, which will give him the opportunity to make his case for an early release.
An American ballerina who was left languishing in a Russian prison until President Donald Trump negotiated her release in a prisoner swap deal has returned home to Los Angeles.

In a moving clip, Ksenia Karelina was seen being embraced in the arms of her fiance, professional boxer Chris van Heerden, who tirelessly campaigned for her to be freed.

It was the second time the pair were united after he met her as she disembarked the plane at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland nine days ago upon traveling from the swap point in Abu Dhabi.

Karelina's safe return followed months of imprisonment in Russia, after her shocking arrest during a visit to her family in Yekaterinburg in February 2024. Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony in January 2024 for making a $51 donation to Ukraine.

After relishing in an emotional moment together, van Heerden spoke of his frustration of making no progress to get his fiancee home under Biden. Instead, he turned to Trump, believing that he would be the best chance at securing Karelina's freedom.

'The old administration didn't do nothing for her. We're very thankful for President Trump and the new administration,' van Heerden told TMZ.

He said there were 'a handful of people in the old administration that were amazing,' but he swiftly realized it would not be enough to bring his partner home.

'About eight months in we knew we were going to struggle with the Biden administration,' he said.

Ksenia Karelina was seen being embraced in the arms of her fiance, boxer Chris van Heerden, at LAX after previously reuniting in Maryland nine days earlier

Karelina was detained after the FSB security service found a $51 donation to the Ukrainian aid group Razom on her phone and accused her of supporting the Ukrainian army

'I had faith and belief that President Trump would bring her back and we had to wait,' he said.

Karelina herself also praised Trump for his efforts, adding that she was not yet ready to speak publicly about her ordeal.

'I'm just really grateful to President Trump and the government for bringing me back and it just really feels good to be home,' she said.

Trump was sworn in for a second term as POTUS in January, and his administration set to work negotiating the terms of Karelina's release in the months since.

'This young ballerina is out, and we appreciate that,' Trump said during a Cabinet meeting immediately following the revelation she'd made it home.

The 33-year-old ballerina was seen embracing van Heerden and her loved ones when she arrived in Maryland last week - her first time on US soil in more than a year.

She was detained after the FSB security service found a $51 donation to the Ukrainian aid group Razom on her phone and accused her of supporting the Ukrainian army.

Karelina was overjoyed as she finally was held by her fiance as she arrived on Thursday April 10 in Maryland

Karelina (seen hopping off the plane as she stepped onto the US soil for the first time in more than one year) was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony in January 2024 for making a $51 donation to Ukraine

'About eight months in we knew we were going to struggle with the Biden administration,' Karelina's partner said

The prisoner exchange, which took place on the tarmac of an airport in Abu Dhabi, marks significant behind-the-scenes communication between the two nations, with Trump emphasizing the importance of the deal.

Karelina was freed in exchange for Russian national German Arthur Petrov, arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 on US charges of smuggling sensitive microelectronics to Russia.

Petrov was extradited to the US and later released in Abu Dhabi.

The CIA underscored that the exchange highlights the critical need for continued communication with Russia despite ongoing tensions, while US and Russian diplomats also met in Istanbul for talks aimed at stabilizing diplomatic relations.

Karelina's release marks the second prisoner swap between the US and Russia since Trump took office in January.

Russia in February freed Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher and former employee of the US embassy in Moscow.

Karelina's release marks the second prisoner swap between the US and Russia since Donald Trump took office in January

Russian-American dual citizen Ksenia Karelina boards a private jet after her release at an airport in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, April 10

Fogel had served three and a half years of a 14-year sentence for drug smuggling after being caught in possession of a small amount of marijuana.

In exchange, Washington released Alexander Vinnik, a convicted Russian cybercriminal who had pleaded guilty in a US court to conspiring to launder money.

At least 10 other Americans remain behind bars in Russia on various charges, hoping their government can secure their release.
A grieving mother searching for answers believes her son was murdered in Spain and has made the heartbreaking journey to where he died.

Sandra Adams has spent the past week in Mojacar on the Costa Almeria where her 35-year-old son Brett Dryden was found dead with a four-inch wound to his head last July.

The mother attempted to speak to police and locals in a bid to piece together Brett's death in a trip she described as 'soul destroying'.

Last Friday would have been his 36th birthday and Sandra along with 20 others took part in a memorial walk in the village wearing t-shirts calling for justice as well as laying flowers outside his villa he was found dead.

She travelled to Spain with her husband Robert, Brett's stepfather, from their home in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham and had planned to hold a protest outside Mojacar town hall.

However, they had to cancel the protest after police told them it would be illegal without applying for a license 40 days prior.

She told the Mirror: 'People stopped us and asked us what had happened and there were still quite a lot of people who didn't know.

'One of Brett's neighbours pulled us and said 'it's disgusting. They're clearly trying to cover something up'.

Brett Dryden was found dead by friends in Mojacar on the Costa Almeria with a four-inch wound to his head last July

Sandra Adams (pictured left) has spent the past week in the village where her 35-year-old son was found dead

Sandra fears police are covering up Brett's death to protect tourism and says that officer have been blanking her calls since late August

Sandra fears police are covering up Brett's death to protect tourism and says that officers have been blanking her calls since late August.

But Spanish pathologists says the father-of-one, formerly a Nissan factory worker, died of a blood clot on his lungs, known as a pulmonary embolism.

Speaking to the Northern Echo, Sandra said: 'All I know is somebody hurt my boy and if it's the last thing I do in my life I will get justice.

'It's terrible to not have any answers all this time later. I try not to imagine what happened because I would just crumble.

'I just want to know what's happened to my boy and then maybe I can move on with my life.'

Brett had lived in Mojacar for five years and set up a legal cannabis club called The Dawg House.

He was found dead by friends on July 22 last year when he didn't return from a siesta and officers initially told them 'there's been a violent murder' and that he had been hit with an axe.

His cash savings, designer Gucci glasses and phone were later discovered to be missing.

The village of Mojacar in in southern Spain where Brett had live for the past five year

Brett had been living there since 2019 and set up a legal cannabis club called The Dawg House.

Brett (pictured left) was found dead by friends on July 22 last year when he didn't return from a siesta

Spanish pathologists says the father-of-one, formerly a Nissan factory worker, died of a blood clot on his lungs, known as a pulmonary embolism

Sandra says that after Brett had died she received a silent call from his number and believes it had been stolen.

After tracking his phone Sandra said it was being turned on and off while moving to different areas of Spain.

CCTV footage also shows three men running away from Brett's home on the night he died, his neighbours told his stepfather Robert.

Luke Hood, a family friend, told the Olive Press that the Spanish police have been hesitant to cooperate with the family.

He said: 'The police tried to make it as difficult as possible for us to collect [the autopsy] and seemed angry and offended that we were so persistent in trying to get it.

'The attitude and body language of the woman on the desk reflected this.'

Sandra is now planning on returning to Mojacar on the anniversary of his death in July to hold a protest saying that she 'won't rest until I get justice'.

Spanish police have declined to comment. A court spokesman previously said: 'The investigation hasn't been suspended or closed. It is still open and this incident remains under investigation.

'The court is waiting for the Civil Guard to complete their full report and present their conclusions. For the time being there's nothing more we can say.'
A group of female frontline nurses in a legal battle to stop a trans colleague using their changing room have called for immediate action following the Supreme Court ruling.

The eight Darlington nurses objected to the man, who self-identifies as a woman called Rose, from sharing their hospital changing room.

Last night the women, who are going to court in October claiming sexual harassment and discrimination, urged Health Secretary Wes Streeting to implement the landmark judgment immediately.

Nurse Bethany Hutchison, one of the claimants suing the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Wes Streeting's silence is deafening.

'He did say that he would do something about this, so come on, Wes, pull your finger out and sort this out.'

Last night Mr Streeting would not comment, but a spokesman said that he would be making a statement 'in due course'.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care added: 'We are clear that this is the law and we expect all public service bodies, including hospitals like Darlington Memorial Hospital, to comply.'

The eight Darlington nurses objected to the man, who self-identifies as a woman called Rose, from sharing their hospital changing room

Last night the women, who are going to court in October claiming sexual harassment and discrimination, urged Health Secretary Wes Streeting to implement the landmark judgment immediately

Last night Mr Streeting (pictured) would not comment, but a spokesman said that he would be making a statement 'in due course'

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said the court ruling would be 'carefully considered when reviewing our policies'.

The nurses, who have now started their own union, were previously told by NHS bosses they needed to 'be more inclusive', 'compromise' and get 're-educated' after they raised concerns when Rose started using their changing room.

One nurse, who was sexually abused as a child, said she suffered panic attacks after Rose repeatedly asked her: 'Are you getting changed yet?' Another expressed concerns Rose seemed to 'linger' in the changing rooms.

Andrea Williams, of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the nurses, said: 'Wes Streeting has told the nurses to their faces that he stands with them. Hopefully he will have the courage to put into practice the promise he made.'
RAF fighter jets were scrambled twice in 48 hours to ward off Russian plane's from NATO's airspace, it has been revealed.

British Typhoons were mobilised in two separate instances last week after Kremlin planes flew too close to the border, The Telegraph reported.

On Tuesday, two British fighter jets station at Malbork Air Base in Poland were scrambled to intercept a Russian spy plane flying over the Baltic Sea.

Less than 48 hours later, another two jets had to be sent up to scare off an unknown aircraft leaving the Russian city of Kaliningrad, which is sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

It is the first time that the RAF has been called into action under NATO mission Operation Chessman, aimed at strengthening Europe's air defence.

Ministers have said that the latest exchange in the skies showed how Vladimir Putin has grown increasingly aggressive when it comes to testing the West.

NATO last month had to scramble warplanes over Poland amid a huge Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine's gas and energy facilities.

Luke Pollard, armed forces minister, told the Telegraph that Britain was 'unshakeable' in its commitment to NATO.

RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled twice this week after Russian warplanes flew too close to NATO's airspace

It is the first time that the RAF has been called into action under NATO mission Operation Chessman in an attempt to strengthen Europe's air defence. Pictured: Russian Ilyusin Il-20

It comes as Putin announced an Easter truce in the conflict in Ukraine

'This mission shows our ability to operate side by side with Nato's newest member Sweden, and to defence the alliance's airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad,' he said.

The jets had only been sent to Poland three weeks ago as part of a joint operation with the Swedish air force, normally being stationed in Lossiemouth, Scotland.

Vladimir Putin had sent up his Tu-95MS strategic bombers from an Arctic airfield to launch devastating strikes impacting civilian Ukrainians.

It comes as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday his forces would observe a surprise Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin set to last until midnight on Sunday, even as air-raid sirens sounded in Kyiv.

The truce would be the most significant pause in the fighting throughout the three-year conflict.

But just hours after the order was meant to have come into effect, air-raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital and Zelensky accused Russia of having maintained its artillery fire and assaults on the frontline.

Also on Saturday, Russia and Ukraine held a large exchange of prisoners, each side saying they had handed back more than 240 captured fighters.

The order to halt all combat over the Easter weekend came after months of efforts by US President Donald Trump to get Moscow and Kyiv to agree a truce.

On Friday, Washington even threatened to withdraw from talks if no progress was made.

'Today from 1800 (1500 GMT) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce,' Putin said earlier Saturday in televised comments during a meeting with the Russian chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.

An elderly woman reacts in front of makeshift memorial for the fallen Ukrainian and foreign fighters, at the Independence Square in Kyiv on April 19, 2025

A couple walks by flags and portraits of fallen servicemen at a makeshift memorial for the fallen Ukrainian and foreign fighters, at the Independence Square in Kyiv on April 19, 2025

Ukrainian prisoners of war pose for a group photo after being released in exchange for Russian captives

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire following an attack in Mykolaiv, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine on April 17

A view of the aftermath of a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on April 18, 2025. According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov, Russia launched three Iskander cluster missiles at around 5 a.m., striking a densely populated area. One man was killed and more than 30 others were wounded after one of the missiles exploded in midair

Zelensky responded by saying Ukraine would follow suit, and proposed extending the truce beyond Sunday.

But the Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of having already broken its promises.

Air-raid sirens sounded in Kyiv and several other regions Saturday evening.

'Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided,' Zelensky said.

Putin had said the truce for the Easter holiday celebrated on Sunday was motivated by 'humanitarian reasons'.

While he expected Ukraine to comply, he said that Russian troops 'must be ready to resist possible breaches of the truce and provocations by the enemy'.

Zelensky in a social media post wrote: 'If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly - mirroring Russia's actions.'

He added: 'If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20.'

A woman hugs her son after he was freed in a Ukrainian-Russian prisoner exchange earlier on Saturday

A Russian Orthodox Church's Priest blesses believers, eggs and Easter cakes during the celebration of the Easter at the Triniity Church, April 19, 2024, in Moscow, Russia

A Russian Orthodox Church's Priest blesses believers, eggs and Easter cakes during the celebration of the Easter at the Triniity Church, April 19, 2024, in Moscow, Russia

He proposed that '30 days could give peace a chance', while pointing out that Putin had earlier rejected a proposed 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire.

The fighting is ongoing, and Russian attacks continue,' Ukraine's military command, the Chief of Staff, reported Saturday evening.

'In some areas on the frontline, Russian artillery continues to be heard, despite the promise of silence from the Russian leader. Russian drones are being used. It is quieter in some areas.'

Soldiers in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk close to the front line earlier greeted the truce announcement with scepticism.

Putin 'might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity,' said Dmitry, a 40-year-old soldier. 'But either way, of course, we don't trust (Russia).

Putin said the latest truce proposal would show 'how sincere is the Kyiv's regime's readiness, its desire and ability to observe agreements and participate in a process of peace talks'.

Previous attempts at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were not implemented after both sides failed to agree on them.
A man was stabbed to death in Melbourne's inner south-east on Easter Sunday.

The man, aged in his 20s, was stabbed during an altercation on Chapel Street at Prahran at 1.30am.

The man was rushed to hospital by paramedics before he died from his injuries.

No arrests have been made and Victoria Police has launched an investigation.

Police discovered a gun at the scene and promptly put it into a brown paper bag as evidence.

It remains unclear if the firearm is connected to the stabbing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

more to come
Labour has been accused of total hypocrisy after hatching plans to send failed asylum seekers to return hubs overseas.

Conservatives responded with fury to reports that ministers could pay countries in the Balkans to take Britains failed asylum seekers  comparing it to the Rwanda scheme which Sir Keir Starmer scrapped.

The United Nations refugee agency has endorsed the return hubs after discussing the plans in a meeting with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The UNHCR has set out how returns hubs could work while meeting its legal standards in a document published this week.

A government source told the Times that the UNHCRs support gave ministers a big boost in pressing ahead with the plans.

Shadow Home Office minister Matt Vickers said: Labours latest shift towards return hubs shows theyve realised the mess they created by cancelling the Rwanda deterrent the Conservatives had in place. Its total hypocrisy.

But while Labour play catch-up, illegal crossings continue to soar to its highest levels ultimately burdening the British taxpayer.

A total of 9,099 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year. More than 700 migrants crossed on Tuesday, in the highest number of arrivals on a single day this year.

The United Nations  refugee agency has endorsed the return hubs after discussing the plans in a meeting with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper

A total of 9,099 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year. More than 700 migrants crossed on Tuesday, in the highest number of arrivals on a single day this year (file image)

Mr Vickers (pictured) said: The UNHCRs involvement in return hubs shows Labour are now scrambling to find solutions they shouldve implemented months ago'

The Rwanda scheme was first developed under Boris Johnsons premiership and then progressed by Rishi Sunak. It aimed to see illegal migrants and asylum seekers sent to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.

Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly attacked the Rwanda scheme during the election campaign, and cancelled it as one of his first acts in office. He pledged to smash the gangs smuggling people across borders instead.

Mr Vickers said: The UNHCRs involvement in return hubs shows Labour are now scrambling to find solutions they shouldve implemented months ago.

Labour must stop dithering and urgently reinstate the Rwanda removals scheme to secure our borders.

A Tory source added: How is it that Labour could say Rwanda was awful but this is fine?

The Home Secretary seems to have gone on a journey. We just got there first.

The UNHCR said returns hubs could appropriately be explored and could play a role in supporting countries to use them as long as it does not conflict with its mandate to protect refugees.

The agency recommended monitoring to make sure human rights standards are reliably met. The hosting country would have to make sure there are adequate accommodation and reception arrangements.
Fanatics never give up. They are so convinced that they are right and good, and that everyone else is wrong and bad, that a mere Supreme Court ruling against them barely gives them pause.

This is so with the transgender rights enthusiasts who are still numerous and influential in the upper levels of the Labour Party and the radical movement it supports.

As The Mail on Sunday reports today, actual ministers are openly organising a hostile response to the court decision that a woman must be defined by objective biology, not by a subjective judgment.

It is women, including many radical and Left-wing women, who have been the fiercest opponents of the trans campaign. One of the militants main targets is the commendably rational Baroness Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Lady Falkner is hardly a crusted reactionary from Tory Clubland.

She is a former Liberal Democrat with impeccably radical credentials. But transgender rights militants were appalled by her swift, sensible acceptance that the court ruling means trans women may not use single-sex female facilities or compete in womens sports.

The transgender rights enthusiasts are still numerous and influential in the upper levels of the Labour Party and the radical movement it supports. Pictured: Thousands of transgender people and their supporters stage a protest march in Westminster yesterday

actual ministers are openly organising a hostile response to the court decision that a woman must be defined by objective biology, not by a subjective judgment. Pictured: Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle (left) and Sir Chris Bryant (right)

One of the militants main targets is the commendably rational Baroness Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Lady Falkner is hardly a crusted reactionary from Tory Clubland

There are parts of the Labour manifesto which might be read to suggest that the court had gone too far. But few of Labours actual voters can actually think so. The general delight with which the judgment was received reflected a growing public exasperation with the transgender rights cause.

This movement is incomprehensible to millions, and disliked by most of those who do understand it. What sort of world do these zealots live in, where it is necessary to deny the blazingly obvious, and to fight against what is reasonable? They should recognise that they have been fairly defeated, and find a better cause to fight for.

Chinese spies are barking up wrong tree

If the Chinese really are bugging the benches of St Jamess Park in London, they may struggle to find a place to plant their microphones.

The German Kaisers spies were probably installing primitive Teutonic listening devices in the Parks gas lamps before the First World War.

Did Soviet technicians leave their crude Communist wiring to rot once the Cold War ended, or have Putins men been back since to modernise it?

The very trees and litter bins are probably thick with directional bugs. For who has not watched spy films in which bowler-hatted civil servants, umbrellas swinging, have shared secrets with each other as they stroll to lunch at the Athenaeum Club through that most political of parks.

If the Chinese really are bugging the benches of St Jamess Park in London, they may struggle to find a place to plant their microphones. Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping

After all, it is no distance from the Foreign Office, the Wellington Barracks and Downing Street itself.

It is ideally placed as a seemingly innocent rendezvous for a secret document passed on in a brief brush of hands, or an indiscreet conversation between high officials. But that is why the spies of Beijing will be wasting their time.

The park is so obvious a spot for such things that the really well-informed official will no longer go there.

The KGB used dreary Barons Court Underground Station to hand over cash to their British Communist stooges over many years, and they were never caught. Real spy work can be pretty unglamorous.
Nigel Farage is as likely as Sir Keir Starmer to become the new prime minister after the next election, according to a new poll.

The survey, by More in Common, reveals that the Reform UK leader is in joint poll position to make it to Downing Street in four years time.

It comes ahead of local elections on May 1, at which Mr Farage's party is looking to make notable breakthroughs.

After consistently polling at over 20 per cent of the national vote all year, Reform has pushed the Conservatives into third place.

Voters were asked who they thought would be the prime minister after the next election and 13 per cent of said Mr Farage.

This was the same as the percentage of people who think Sir Keir will still be prime minister in four years.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch only received 5 per cent of the vote while Some 10 per cent backed a different Tory leader to become prime minister.

Around 40 per cent admitted they did not know who would be the country's next leader.

Farage said the Reform-run councils would introduce 'a British equivalent of DOGE in every single council'

A new poll suggests the Reform leader is on an even footing with Sir Keir Starmer in the future race fofr No 10

Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has attacked what she sees as the civil service's reluctance to tackle 'difficult' issues

Luke Tryl, the executive director of More in Common UK told the Telegraph: 'Only 13 per cent of Britons are confident Keir Starmer will remain in post after the next election, while a striking 41 per cent say they simply don't know what the next elected government will look like.

'In fact, the public rate Nigel Farage's chances of becoming prime minister as highly as those of the current PM, with Reform voters particularly convinced their man will be walking into Downing Street.

'It's yet another sign of the Reform leader's ability to cast a political shadow far larger than his party's presence in Westminster.'

Earlier this week, Mr Farage warned Labour that Reform was 'parking our tanks on the Red Wall lawn' as he fired the starting gun on his party's local elections campaign.

In a major speech in Durham, the Reform leader insisted Labour had just as much to fear from his insurgent party as the Tories in its traditional working-class heartlands.

He even joked of a 'Nige-mare on Downing Street' as he taunted Sir Keir Starmer over the prospect of winning the next general election, with the populist party continuing to ride high in the polls.

But the Tories accused him of 'cosying up to the far-Left' in a cynical bid to win more votes after he used the speech to talk of the need for a 'good partnership' with militant trade union bosses.

Nigel Farage launched the Reform party's local election campaign in Durham earlier this week

Farage joked of a 'Nige-mare on Downing Street' as he taunted Sir Keir Starmer over the prospect of winning the next general election

Striking a similar tone to Sir Keir in some of his speeches, Mr Farage added that 'a pragmatic, sensible relationship' was 'vital' when dealing with hard-Left barons.

Mr Farage added, however, that in the wake of the Birmingham bin strikes, he would take a 'firm but fair' approach with the unions if he were negotiating with them.

It comes after Reform led the crusade for nationalising British Steel and after Richard Tice, the party's deputy leader and MP for Skegness, wore a trade union Save Our Steel badge in the Commons chamber during a crunch debate last Saturday.

Asked if Reform may propose nationalising further industries in the future, Mr Farage did not rule it out and said it was the party's aim to 're-industrialise' Britain.

Speaking on whether he really believed he could turn 'the Red Wall'  the label given to Labour heartlands in the Midlands and North  into 'the Reform Wall', he said: 'Yeah, you know what, I think voting has become much more transitory than it's ever been before.

'And while Labour did win back the heartlands [in last year's general election], it was a loveless win in many of those seats, actually with fewer votes than they got under Jeremy Corbyn in 2019.'

The local elections on May 1, when 1,641 seats across 24 councils will be up for grabs, are the first Reform will stand in after winning five parliamentary seats in last year's election.

Asked what a Reform-run council would look like, Mr Farage said the party would introduce 'a British equivalent of DOGE in every single council'.

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This was a reference to US President Donald Trump's bureaucracy-slashing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Tesla tycoon Elon Musk.

He added: 'We've got to see the long-term contracts that many of these county or unitary authorities have signed up to.

'We will look at the sums spent on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives). A massive change of culture, that's what we're going to bring to these county councils.'

He also admitted that women have been more 'cautious' about voting Reform than men but insisted that new polling shows the split is now '50:50'.

It came after polling by Survation across Red Wall seats found Reform's support since the last election has soared from 18 to 30 per cent.

At the same time, Sir Keir's net rating in the North and Midlands was -26 per cent, based on 27 per cent approving of him and 53 per cent disapproving.

By contrast, the polling agency had Mr Farage on -4 and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch on -8.

A Tory spokesman said: 'He's cosying up to the far-Left and will always side with vested interests, rather than the national interest.'

The Reform leader also called for a 'good partnership' with militant trade union bosses

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Labour has been mobilising in a bid to head off a Reform surge on May 1, with the premier turning his fire on Mr Farage.

The party's approach of ignoring the newcomers appears to have been abandoned, with strategists convinced Reform will be a bigger threat than the Tories by 2029.

The prime minister has been focusing on Mr Farage's NHS views, close ties to Donald Trump, and claims he has a soft stance on Russia.

Tony Blair's spin chief Alastair Campbell is said to have warned at a recent pep talk for Labour special advisers that they need to treat Reform as a more serious electoral threat.

He apparently suggested setting up a hit squad of backbench Labour MPs to attack Reform's policy positions.

Mr Farage's outfit has often been seen as eating into the Tory vote.

But the party came second in 98 seats at last year's general election - and 89 of them were won by Labour.
Whether you speak Cockney slang, have a Scouse lilt or are full-on Geordie, there are no shortage of accents across the UK.

Now a study suggests children as young as five start to link them to social stereotypes.

Researchers have found youngsters associate people with middle-class accents as being more intelligent than others.

And it represents a vital step in understanding the development of language attitudes throughout childhood.

A team from the University of Essex recruited 27 five-year-olds and combined two research methods to see if they were biased towards certain accents when it comes to cleverness.

The three accents included in the study were Standard Southern British English (SSBE)  a contemporary version of Received Pronunciation  Yorkshire and Essex.

The linguistic experts collated the childrens brain activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) caps alongside measuring the speed of their answers to indicate how embedded their attitudes towards accents were.

Across all measures, the children associated someone with the SSBE accent - typically described as middle class - as being clever, while they linked the Yorkshire accent to a lack of intelligence.

Researchers have found youngsters associate people with middle-class accents as being more intelligent than others. (file image)

Previous studies have shown that, while the Yorkshire (pictured) accent has been negatively evaluated on scales of prestige, it has also been linked to attributes such as sincerity, reliability and friendliness

Although the Essex accent is usually stigmatised, the children appeared to have less negative bias towards it than expected  perceiving their home accent as being clever on one of the brain measures.

The finding could be attributed to their familiarity with the accent - and studies have shown that in later life these Essex schoolchildren will grow to feel negatively towards it.

Dr Ella Jeffries, from Essexs Department of Language and Linguistics, who led the research said: This study is a vital first step towards understanding the development of language attitudes throughout childhood.

This work has important consequences for educational policy and practice in order to eradicate the harmful stereotyping of accents and promote the celebration of accent diversity at pivotal stages of childhood.

The study, which also involved academics from the University of California, Davis, found that children who were exposed to a range of accents at home were more positive towards different accents.

Dr Jeffries said: Our findings will add weight to calls for a better range of accents on childrens TV and films to help address this bias.

Given that stereotypes are prevalent in the media relating to certain accents, it is not surprising young children have picked up on accent differences.

Ideally. it would be good to see a better representation of a range of accents across the media, which do not play into these biases and which avoid always associating certain accents with certain characteristics.

The researchers now hope to follow-up by investigating a larger pool of children across a bigger age range (file image)

The researchers now hope to follow-up by investigating a larger pool of children across a bigger age range to focus on a wider range of accents to develop a broader picture of how and when this accent bias first develops.

Previous studies have shown that, while the Yorkshire accent has been negatively evaluated on scales of prestige, it has also been linked to attributes such as sincerity, reliability and friendliness.

A 2021 study found the Essex accent is associated with being unintelligent.

The findings were published in the Journal of Child Language.
Chinese spies are eavesdropping on British political figures by bugging park benches and buildings in Whitehall, security sources believe.

Amid mounting fears about the level of Beijings intelligence activity in the UK, officials holding sensitive positions in Westminster have been warned about hotspots to avoid in Londons SW1 area.

These include the historic Red Lion pub  its full of Chinese agents, one source claimed  five star hotels, including the Corinthia by Trafalgar Square and the new Raffles on Whitehall, and St Jamess Park, which is beside Downing Street, the Foreign Office and the Treasury.

We have been told the Chinese literally have the park bugged, with devices in the bushes and under park benches, one source said.

That is because the park is a popular meeting spot for researchers and civil servants enjoying a sandwich over lunch.

Beijing sees the hundreds of people who work in Westminster, including the junior staff working for MPs, as targets.

A source said: Commons researchers are regarded by the Chinese, and other spies including the Russians and Iranians, as the soft underbelly of Whitehall.

Amid mounting fears about the level of Beijings intelligence activity in the UK, officials holding sensitive positions in Westminster have been warned about hotspots to avoid in Londons SW1 area. These include the historic Red Lion Pub (pictured)

Officials have also been warned to avoid the Corinthia Hotel in London, near Trafalgar Square (pictured)

One source said that they 'have been told the Chinese literally have (St James' Park) bugged, with devices in the bushes and under park benches' (pictured: St James' Park)

Parliament is already a daily target for cyber attacks by hostile actors. MPs who have been critical of China experience high numbers of hacking attempts, and parliamentarians are given regular security briefings on how to handle the threat.

Away from Westminster, doctors treating British soldiers are being targeted by Chinese hackers attempting to steal their patient data. Some have been advised to take additional precautions, including not taking their mobile phones into appointments with their patients and keeping paper records, to avoid hostile actors stealing data.

One doctor who has patients in the military and spoke on the condition of anonymity said: I have a real problem with the Chinese trying to get my communications. A senior source said: We need to wake the world up to just how serious the situation is.

Weve got too many people looking to make ties with China. They need a wake-up call.

Writing on this page, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp says: We know China is building a spying and repression network right here in the UK.

Mr Philp adds that failing to put China in an Enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme means the Government has lost a resource that would have helped keep tabs on those working in the interests of the Chinese state on British soil.

The new Raffles hotel on Whitehall has also been labelled as a 'hotspot' to avoid

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: We know China is building a spying and repression network right here in the UK'

It comes after news that Britain shares the GP records of half a million NHS patients with Chinese researchers.

Anonymised patient information is being uploaded to the central database of the UK Biobank, and analysis has suggested one in five successful applications for access come from China.

It prompted warnings from MPs that the information could be harvested by Beijing to develop bioweapons.

And last week the MoS revealed that plans for a new Chinese super-embassy could include spy dungeons and interrogation cells in the heart of London.
The devastated father of a 14-year-old boy who was crushed to death in a horrific farming accident has revealed that he likely died instantly.

Harry Moss, from Birmingham, was fatally injured by machinery on a farm in Malvern, Worcestershire, on Thursday morning.

A man was also hurt and taken to hospital, though his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Harry's heartbroken father, Lewis Moss, 39, told how he rushed to the farm where his son worked to find paramedics trying to revive Harry.

'The lad who owned the farm phoned me and he just said, 'You need to get down the farm. It's Harry. It's really bad,' he said.

'When I got down there, they were still trying to work on him but he was gone. The only solace I've got is when I went to see him yesterday in the morgue, I asked the lady and she said by the extent of his injuries, it was instant.'

West Mercia Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the tragic accident.

Mr Moss said police have asked him not to disclose exactly how Harry died and what task he was doing at the time of the horror accident.

Mr Moss has described his son as the best thing in the world' in a touching tribute.

'All Harry ever wanted to be was a farmer. He loved everything about the countryside and everything about farming,' he said.

'At a very early age he set his sights on being a farmer when he left school.

Teenager Harry Moss, from Birmingham , was fatally injured by machinery on a farm in Malvern, Worcestershire

Harry's devastated father, Lewis Moss, 39 (pictured left) described his son as 'the best thing in the world' in a touching tribute

'He was such a lovely lad. He was polite, hard-working and he was never any trouble to me.

'I never had a single worry about him. He would have been 15 in a month and I cannot believe he has gone. He was my world.'

Mr Moss also revealed Harry had been saving up for a tractor before his untimely death.

'He got an opportunity to work on this farm and was so happy to get that job. It would have been his 15th birthday next month and he was saving up for a tractor', he said.

The teen had been working at the farm since before Christmas, his father said, noting that he had a passion for the countryside.

'I did a spot of game keeping a few years back and it never left him, the countryside stuff'.

He added that his son's jobs at the farm included lambing and getting firewood logs.

Harry was the oldest of five children - he had three brothers and a sister.

Harry's mum, Hollie Mcmurray, 35, said her 'world has fallen apart' in a devastating Facebook tribute.

She wrote: 'My boy forever loved. My first born. My world has fallen apart. Fly high my homing pigeon.

Harry you did me so proud but boy you was 14 working too hard! Farmer forever. I love you so much.'

Harry was the oldest of five children - he had three brothers and a sister

Harry's heartbroken mother, Hollie Mcmurray, 35, said her 'world has fallen apart' following her son's death

Police at the scene of the incident on Blackmore Park Road, Great Malvern, Worcestershire

Harry was described as an 'amazing teenager and big brother who lived his life 'like a homing pigeon'

Family friend Maggie Murrihy launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of his funeral.

She wrote: 'As everyone is aware Harry passed away under tragic circumstances. Harry Moss was the most amazing teenager who had his whole life ahead of him.

'It was tragically taken at just the young age of 14, him being the eldest sibling of the family.

'He was an amazing big brother and son and lived his life like a little homing pigeon - if he left home it was either to do what he loved, farming or fishing.

'No parent should have to go through this unimaginable pain or receive this kind of news, and I know nothing can help with the pain. I'm hoping this will ease any financial burdens regarding his passing and funeral costs.

'Any help will be much appreciated.

'Harry Moss was the best and will be given the best send off. Let's as a community make this happen!'

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: 'We were called to an incident at an address off Blackmore Park Road in Malvern, Worcestershire at 8.50am.

'We sent two ambulances, three paramedic officers, a BASICS emergency doctor and the Midlands Air Ambulances from Cosford and Strensham to the scene.

'On arrival, crews found a teenage boy in a critical condition and immediately began administering advanced life support.

'Sadly, despite best efforts, nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased at the scene.

'A man was also treated by crews for serious injuries and conveyed under emergency driving conditions to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.'

A spokesperson for the HSE added: 'We have visited the site and are working with West Mercia Police with their investigation.'
Britain  beware. We must be alert to the threat posed by China, and fast. On our infrastructure, our economy and national security, we must be realistic about the dangers we face.

We know China is building a spying and repression network here in the UK. It has set up secret police stations here to watch and intimidate Chinese citizens. Last week, The Mail on Sunday uncovered plans for a dungeon in the basement of the new Chinese mega-embassy  a project keenly cheered on by Labour ministers.

And now comes the revelation in this newspaper that China may be spying on our politicians from park benches in Westminster.

Meanwhile, China is stealing our technology and using espionage, infiltration and acquisitions that show little regard for financial losses.

Let's be clear  China's objective is to make countries like the UK economically dependent on it.

Our national security is at risk. But, judging by this Labour Government's lazy embrace of China, you wouldn't be able to tell. In their desperation for economic links with China to offset the mess created by their disastrous budget last October, Labour will do pretty much whatever China wants.

This includes failing to place China in the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, a move that would have kept tabs on those working in the interests of the Chinese state.

We know China is building a spying and repression network here in the UK. It has set up secret police stations here to watch and intimidate Chinese citizens. Now comes the revelation in this newspaper that China may be spying on our politicians from park benches in Westminster

Just recently, China jailed scores of pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong. And a few months ago it put bounties on the heads of dissident Hong Kongers living in the UK. Starmer did nothing about these outrages

Just recently, China jailed scores of pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong. And a few months ago it put bounties on the heads of dissident Hong Kongers living in the UK.

Starmer did nothing about these outrages. When the human rights lawyer leading us is too weak to stand up for the human rights of people fighting for democracy, you know there's a problem.

All you get from our Government is kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party. The Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor and the Energy Secretary have all bent the knee before China.

Even the Home Secretary has transformed into a cheerleader for a new Chinese super-embassy.

As Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has said, this can't go on. But instead, Britain is rushing headfirst into the jaws of the dragon, with Labour's Net Zero zealots cheering it on

Even the Home Secretary (pictured) has transformed into a cheerleader for a new Chinese super-embassy

China is exploiting this and undermining British businesses by unfairly using state subsidies, stolen technology, slave labour and polluting fossil fuels.

Red Ed's Net Zero mania is decimating British industry by increasing energy prices and doing nothing to address climate change. It's madness and will leave us highly dependent on Chinese imports.

As Kemi Badenoch has said, this can't go on. But instead, Britain is rushing headfirst into the jaws of the dragon, with Labour's Net Zero zealots cheering it on.

We need to take a tougher stance towards China. If Keir Starmer meant it when he said he would put country before party, he would change course. He needs to wake up and smell the coffee.
The Trump administration fired back at a Supreme Court decision barring it from deporting alleged Tren de Aragua (TdA) members by releasing the Venezuelan nationals' rap sheets.

The men were set to be deported from the US under the controversial Alien Enemies Act from 1798, which would have allowed the White House to deport them from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Texas.

Trump has insisted that the process for removing suspected TdA members must be expedited to bypass due process out of urgency, arguing that the gang has taken a terrifying foothold in the United States that must be crushed as quickly as possible.

But in a bombshell ruling in the early hours of Saturday, the Supreme Court defied Trump as it temporarily blocked him from deporting the men.

Two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, dissented on the court's ruling.

The high court acted in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which argued that the Trump administration was violating a SCOTUS ruling earlier this month that said deportations could proceed only if those about to be removed were given due process.

In protest at being blocked from deporting the alleged TdA members, the Trump administration shared their rap sheets and pictures with Fox News hours after the ruling.

Here, we take a look at some of the alleged gang members the Supreme Court ruled must remain in the United States.

In a major setback for the Trump administration, the Supreme Court blocked all deportations of alleged Venezuelan gang members under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798

A meme shared by a conservative on X shows Obama-appointed Judge James Boasberg with MS-13 gang tattoos. He has been sympathetic to lawyers for cartel thugs who argue that Trump cannot use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport their clients. The act is used in times of war to deport enemies of the US

Inmates look on inside a jail during a media tour at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, in Tecoluca, El Salvador April 4

Henry Jose Romero-Gonzalez

Among the most shocking images released of the men allegedly show Romero-Gonzalez posing with firearms and showing off stacks of cash.

One image allegedly shows Romero-Gonzalez brandishing a handgun while wearing a reflective work vest, and another appears to show him with a large amount of 100-dollar bills.

According to officials who spoke with Fox News, he has pending criminal charges for three counts of assault, crimes against a person and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Alleged TdA member Henry Jose Romero-Gonzalez was allegedly seen in some of the most shocking images released by the White House

One image allegedly shows Romero-Gonzalez brandishing a handgun while wearing a reflective work vest, and another appears to show him with a large amount of 100-dollar bills

According to officials, he has pending criminal charges for three counts of assault, crimes against a person and unlawful possession of a weapon

Ronny Javier Rodriguez-Tovar

Rodriguez-Tovar owns one of the longest rap sheets of any of the men the White House is seeking to deport from the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Texas, officials said.

He reportedly has been convicted on numerous charges including hit-and-run, battery, possession of stolen property, driving under the influence and shoplifting.

The Venezuelan national also has pending charges for resisting an officer, simple assault, battery and driving under the influence.

In images released by the White House, an electronic device said to be owned by Rodriguez-Tovar appear to have 'T.D.A' and 'Venezuela' written on it.

Rodriguez-Tovar owns one of the longest rap sheets of any of the men the White House is seeking to deport, including convictions for hit-and-run, battery, possession of stolen property, driving under the influence and shoplifting

In images released by the White House, an electronic device said to be owned by Rodriguez-Tovar appear to have 'T.D.A' and 'Venezuela' written on it

Alessandro Benedikt Parades-Worwa

The Trump administration claims Parades-Worwa is facing a number of criminal charges in the United States.

These include charges for pointing and presenting guns at a person, and aggravated assault with a weapon, officials said.

The White House also showed a number of his tattoos, including a cross surrounded by roses and a clock face.

Alessandro Benedikt Parades-Worwa is facing a number of criminal charges in the United States pointing and presenting guns at a person, and aggravated assault with a weapon, the White House says

The White House also showed a number of his tattoos, including a cross surrounded by roses and a clock face

Cristian Andres Andrade-Vargas

Another of the men in Texas' Bluebonnet Detention Center, Cristian Andres Andrade-Vargas, is seen in the new images with various tattoos.

These include a crown over his left eyebrow, and roses on his chest and shoulders.

According to the Trump administration, Andrade-Vargas is facing criminal charges for larceny and dangerous drugs.

Another of the men in Texas' Bluebonnet Detention Center, Cristian Andres Andrade-Vargas, facing criminal charges for larceny and dangerous drugs, the White House says

Norge Yunaifer Rosales-Ceballos

Rosales-Ceballos is among the men Trump is seeking to deport who already owns convictions in the United States.

He was previously convicted of criminal flight to avoid prosecution, and is also facing charges of alien smuggling and resisting an officer.

In an image of the suspect's neck, a tattoo appears to show a cross above a script reading A-K-4-7.

Rosales-Ceballos is among the men Trump is seeking to deport who already owns convictions in the United States, as he was previously convicted of criminal flight to avoid prosecution, and is also facing charges of alien smuggling and resisting an officer

In an image of the suspect's neck, a tattoo appears to show a cross above a script reading A-K-4-7

Felix Josue Rendon-Garcia

Rosales-Ceballos is facing several charges, including drug possession and possession of dangerous drugs, the White House told Fox News.

The White House shared an image of his bicep, appearing to show Arabic script with a date below it.

Rosales-Ceballos is facing several charges, including drug possession and possession of dangerous drugs, officials said

The White House shared an image of his bicep, appearing to show Arabic script with a date below it

Darrin Moises Daza-Segura

Officials shared images of Daza-Segura's tattoos, which they claim are associated with the Tren de Aragua gang.

These include the word 'VIDA' on his knuckles, and a skull on his arm emblazoned with the words 'Dead Men.'

He has a conviction of criminal burglary and larceny, officials said.

Darrin Moises Daza-Segura has a conviction of criminal burglary and larceny, officials said

Officials shared images of Daza-Segura's tattoos, which they claim are associated with the Tren de Aragua gang, including the word 'VIDA' on his knuckles, and a skull on his arm emblazoned with the words 'Dead Men'

Howard Emis Omana

Omana is facing criminal charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, the Trump administration says.

In an image of Omana released Saturday that officials said were posted to social media, he was seen throwing up alleged gang signs, Fox News reported.

Howard Emis Omana is facing criminal charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, the Trump administration says

In an image of Omana released Saturday that officials said were posted to social media, he was seen throwing up alleged gang signs

Angel Ignacio Cardenas-Bravo

The suspect is facing one of the longest set of criminal charges of any of the men on the list.

The Trump administration listed his charges as aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, child neglect with great bodily harm, resisting an officer with violence, domestic violence battery, carrying a concealed gun and possession of a gun during the commission of a felony.
Serial killer had been in palliative care after cancer diagnosis

A notorious serial killer who preyed on vulnerable women has died after being transferred from his prison cell to a Sydney hospital.

Rodney Francis Cameron, dubbed 'The Lonely Hearts Killer' after he met a woman on a radio matchmaking contest before luring her to her death was pronounced dead in Prince of Wales Hospital, in Sydney's east, about 11.30 on Saturday night.

It is understood he had been in a palliative care ward at the Randwick hospital after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The 72-year-old had been serving a life sentence at Lithgow maximum security prison for the June 1990 murder of Maria Goellner.

Cameron, who also went by the alias of Rodney Mallard, met the 44-year-old through a Melbourne radio show dating competition.

He then invited her for a romantic stay at the Sky Rider Motor Inn at Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, before bashing her and strangling her to death in their room.

The brutal slaying came just seven months after Cameron was released from prison for two murdered he had committed within weeks of each other in 1974.

He was convicted of raping and murdering a former colleague, Florence Edith Jackson, 49, in January 1974, in Katoomba.

Serial killer Rodney Francis Cameron has died in hospital while serving a life sentence for murder

Cameron killer Maria Goellner (left) after meeting her through a radio show dating contest in 1990 before later confessed to killing war widow Sarah McKenzie at her Milsons Point home in 1974

Cameron had turned to Ms Jackson for support after losing his job as a trainee nurse, only to kill her.

After fleeing the Blue Mountains and cross the border into Victoria, Cameron picked up a 19-year-old hitchhiker Francesco Ciliberto before murdering her too.

He served nine years in prison in NSW for Ms Jackson's murder, before being extradited to Victoria where he was locked up for a further seven years for killing Ms Ciliberto.

He was released from prison in November 1989 before going on to murder Ms Goellner the following.

While behind bars for Ms Goellners murder, Cameron confessed to a third murdering a fourth woman, elderly war widow Sarah McKenzie at Milsons Point.

Mrs McKenzie had been found dead inside her home suffering from more than 30 stab wounds in 1974, but he was never tried for her murder.
A highly respected election commentator who's set to retire after 40 years in the business has revealed Anthony Albanese is likely to win the federal election.

Antony Green, 65, made the admission to Sydney Morning Herald columnist and author Peter FitzSimons on Saturday in one of his last interviews as the ABC's chief election analyst.

Green joined the ABC in 1989, after previously working for a polling company, and will anchor his last election on May 3 when Australians take to the voting booths.

FitzSimons said it appeared 'Anthony Albanese will form a government of some kind' with Green noting how the tide had significantly turned for the Prime Minister.

'A lot of people are saying that halfway through the election campaign who weren't saying that three weeks ago, which shows how quickly things can change,' he said.

The latest Redbridge Group poll, which was released on Saturday, revealed Labor had pulled ahead of the Coalition just two weeks out from the election date.

It marks a significant comeback for Mr Albanese who was trailing behind Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in January.

Green argued the shift could be credited to Mr Albanese taking on 'a lot of media training over the summer'.

Antony Green (pictured) will retire after the 2025 federal election, set to be held on May 3

Green pointed to Anthony Albanese (pictured on Channel Nine's NRL Footy Show on Sunday) as the winner of the election, noting he seemingly had 'a lot of media training over the summer'

'He's sticking much closer to being "on message", getting his lines right and has looked activated and interested,' he said.

However, in comparison to Labor's clean-cut campaign, Liberal leader Peter Dutton has been left looking 'amateurish'.

'(The Coalition) doesn't look as well organised as the Labor campaign,' Green said.

'Where are the announcements? Where's the detail? And the measure I always use is, who's got the most interesting pictures?

'They are the pictures that so much of the population is influenced by, those people who don't follow the politics closely.

'And at the moment, Anthony Albanese looks happy and engaged every day in the stories, meeting interesting people, while Peter Dutton doesn't seem nearly as engaged.

'The Coalition campaign looks a little lifeless, as though preparing for something else.'

Green also touched on how the political climate in America has affected Aussies' view of right-wing parties, like Mr Dutton's.

Green claimed the Coalition's campaign seemed unpolished in comparison to Labor's (pictured, Mr Albanese and Peter Dutton during the second leaders' debate)

In particular, Green noted a severe lack of engaging photos from the Coalition and Peter Dutton (pictured on Sunday)

'The other thing that's going on is what's happening in America, with all the upheaval and change and flip-flops going on over there,' Green said.

'The Coalition's tide has gone out with Trump. Do people want to start flip-flopping and changing government here? The mob does not want that.'

Although many voters still remember Mr Albanese's failed referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, several polls have favoured him as the next PM.

Green highlighted a recent poll by Resolve, published by SMH.

'They've now picked up something which is occurring in every opinion poll - there's been a real change of mood,' he said.

'Perhaps the Labor Party has finally escaped the whole follow-up from the Voice referendum, which dogged them all through last year.

'I don't think anyone wants to talk about it any more, and so everyone's just moved on.'

As for the veteran election reporter's 'gut feeling' on the May result, Green believed the Coalition's turnaround could be too little, too late.

Green's 'gut feeling' was that Labor would win the election, believing it was too late for the Coalition to redeem itself

'The Coalition is going to struggle to make up enough seats to get ahead of Labor,' he said.

'If the Labor Party's vote holds up in Victoria, it's nearly impossible for the Coalition to get more seats than Labor.

'The ALP will lose seats in Victoria, mainly in the eastern suburbs, but the question is whether the swing gets beyond those marginal seats that have been fought over the last couple of years and goes deeper, which currently looks unlikely.

'The problem for the Coalition is there are school holidays and public holidays for the next two weeks. So how do they get their message across when people are concentrating on other things?'

The 2025 federal election will be held on Saturday, May 3.

Early voting, for those unable to attend their local polling place on election day, will open on Tuesday, April 22.

It is compulsory for all eligible Australian citizens to participate in the election.
The grieving father of a teenage boy killed at a track meet was ambushed by January 6 rioters who demanded he take part in a 'Protect White People' press conference.

Jeff Metcalf's 17-year-old son Austin was tragically stabbed in the chest while attending a track meet at his Texas high school on April 2.

Teenager Karmelo Anthony was last week granted bond as he awaits his next court appearance on a charge of murder.

The case has become a lightning rod for political debates, with a fundraiser for Karmelo topping $480,000 as supporters rally behind him and say he's been treated unfairly due to his race.

In an extraordinary video, Jake Lang - who was part of the January 6 riot before his case was commuted by President Trump - launched a vile attack against Metcalf after realizing he didn't share his opinion on the influence of race in his son's death.

'Would you be willing to stand by me... and talk about this issue that is larger than Austin at this point,' Lang asked Metcalf over the phone, surrounded by supporters.

'God rest the beautiful young man's soul that would've been one of our strongest voices if he were alive today.'

Metcalf listened politely as Lang spoke, before dismantling his arguments and demanding his son's name, picture and memory are not associated with his cause.

Jeff Metcalf's 17-year-old son Austin was tragically stabbed in the chest while attending a track meet at his Texas high school on April 2

In an extraordinary video, Jake Lang - who was part of the January 6 insurrection before his case was commuted by President Trump - launched a vile attack against Metcalf after realizing he didn't share his opinion on the influence of race in his son's death

Incredible moment in Frisco: Austin Metcalfs dad apparently calling organizers of the Protect White People rally to say theyre part of the fucking problem and to stop using photos of his kid. They responded by blaming his white guilt for thousands more Austin Metcalfs pic.twitter.com/vVu2ZLdfEm  Robert Downen (@RobertDownen_) April 19, 2025

'Are you done?' he asked. 'My turn to speak. You are part of the f**king problem, my friend.

'You're trying to create more race divide than bridging the gap. I do not condone anything you do. You do not have any-'

Lang interrupted, telling Metcalf he is suffering from 'white guilt.'

'Let me finish, you had your time,' Metcalf said. 'You take my son's face off your website. I do not associate with you.'

Lang went on to sensationally tell the grieving father, who had to bury his son a week ago, that his 'weakness' will 'create more Austin Metcalfs.'

'Condemn your son's killer and the culture that caused it,' Lang demanded.

Lang describes himself as a 'January 6 political prisoner' and attempted to organize a militia from within his DC jail.

He is now running to become a US senator and vows to deliver a '100 per cent Trump America agenda.'

Metcalf listened politely as Lang spoke, before dismantling his arguments and demanding his son's name, picture and memory are not associated with his cause

Lang went on to sensationally tell the grieving father, who had to bury his son a week ago, that his 'weakness' will 'create more Austin Metcalfs.'

He said: 'The Jan Sixers have risen out and emerged out of these prisons and these gulags, these lions' dens, and we're going to slay the giant now, just as David has.

'This is almost a real life, living biblical story, not just mine, but really all the Jan Sixers are  a long journey from degradation, from persecution, to the very halls of government leadership that can ensure for future generations that this never happens again.'

Austin was stabbed in the heart at an interschool track meet on April 2 and died in his twin brother's arms.

Local cops allege a confrontation between the pair broke out during a high school track meet because Karmelo, who did not attend the same school as Austin, was sitting under his team's tent.

Austin demanded Karmelo leave and the argument escalated when Karmelo allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the junior from Memorial High School in the chest.

Karmelo has claimed he acted in self defense. He was freed from prison on $250,000 bond last week.

But his family say they've been inundated with racist and violent vitriol, and that some of the funds raised in the fundraiser will be used to hire security.

Not satisfied with his initial attack on Jeff, Lang doubled down on X afterwards, writing: 'White Weakness & Submission is WHY AUSTIN DIED.

Teenager Karmelo Anthony was last week granted bond as he awaits his next court appearance on a charge of murder

Lang describes himself as a 'January 6 political prisoner' and attempted to organize a militia from within his DC jail.

'Jeff Metcalf IS THE PROBLEM. Austin Metcalf's father is more outraged at ME - for STANDING UP against the violent abusive black culture that KILLED HIS SON, Then he is at the actual degenerate MURDERER.

'Next up he'll hand his daughter over to be raped in front of the world by the same monsters that killed his son.'

Even among his followers, Lang's post garnered little support, with most expressing horror that he would target a man who just lost his son.

'You are so far out of line for this,' one critic wrote.

'This is wrong, and it is certainly not your place,' another added.

A third added: 'You are an absolute disgrace. Leave this man alone and let him grieve. You called him on camera as a publicity stunt he told you to leave him alone and stop talking about his son. Only a true POS would not only ignore the wishes of a grieving parent, but then REPEATEDLY attack him on social media.

Another critic weighed in, adding that Lang had jeopardized any potential support he may have got from the Metcalf family.

'Has he even buried his son yet? Maybe if you let his grief breathe for a minute he would be more open to a conversation, but this just squashed any chance of that for him to be involved in your movement.'

The Metcalf family have been under immense pressure since the death of their son, watching as Austin's accused killer racks up hundreds of thousands of dollars to mount his legal defense and having to fend of false rumors spreading rampantly online

Austin was stabbed in the heart at an interschool track meet on April 2 and died in his twin brother's arms

The Metcalf family have been under immense pressure since the death of their son, watching as Austin's accused killer racks up hundreds of thousands of dollars to mount his legal defense and having to fend of false rumors spreading rampantly online.

Karmelo's attorney previously dismissed rumors that Austin bullied him, insisting the day of the altercation was the first time the duo had met.

And just two days ago officers responded to a fabricated report of shooting at an address that turned out to be Metcalf's home.

Police also said individuals swatted the home of Meghan Metcalf, Austin Metcalf's mother, on the night of April 8.

Earlier that day, he crashed a press conference where Karmelo's family and friends doubled down on the claim that he may have acted in self-defense.

After refusing to leave, cops tossed Jeff out of the event in Dallas, with Minister Dominique Alexander, who has been described as Karmelo's fixer, calling the grieving father's behavior 'inappropriate,' and 'a disrespect to the dignity of his son.'
A fisherman has died after being swept off the rocks in front of a 14-year-old boy in Sydney's south.

The pair had been fishing off rocks at Wattamolla when they were swept into the water at 11am on Sunday.

Emergency services were called to the scene and managed to winch the pair from the water.

The man was unable to be revived while the 14-year-old boy was rushed to the Children's Hospital at Randwick.

NSW Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

The incident marks the sixth drowning to rock the Easter long weekend.

Emergency services were called to City Rock Road in Green Cape on the southern coast of NSW, at about 3pm on Friday, following reports of a person in the water.

The pair had been fishing off rocks at Wattamolla when they were swept into the water at 11am on Sunday

Australians on the NSW coast have been warned by the Bureau of Meteorology to stay away from hazardous swells over the Easter weekend (stock image)

Police were told a man was seen fishing before being washed off the rocks.

A short time later a body was located in the water, a NSW Police spokesperson said.

The body is yet to be identified and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Emergency services were also called to Middle Head Point, Mosman NSW, earlier on Friday at about 10.20am after reports of a concern for the welfare of a man in the water.

Police, assisted by Surf Life Saving NSW, Marine Rescue, paramedics and Marine Area Command, found a body in the water a short time later.

While they are yet to be formally identified, the body is believed to be that of the man, NSW Police said.

Initial inquiries suggested he was on rocks when he fell into the water. Investigations are underway and any witnesses have been urged to come forward.

A report will be prepared by police for the coroner.

The tragic Easter incident comes after a fisherman also drowned after being swept out to sea at Wollongong Harbour early on the same day.

Officers had responded to reports of a man pulled from the water unconscious. The 58-year-old fisherman could not be revived and died at the scene.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident and a separate report will be prepared for the coroner.
Chaos unfolded on a small island in Georgia as Spring Breakers descended onto its once serene beaches to binge drink and leave mountains of trash in their wake.

The long-standing Orange Crush festival on Tybee Island, just outside the city of Savannah, was just as rowdy as its always been, with college students from nearby HBCUs and other universities letting loose.

The music started on Saturday around 3pm, four hours behind schedule, and by around 4pm, attendees were flowing in. The festival was in full swing, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted.

Police were stationed outside the event this year - a lesson the area learned the hard way in 2023 when the festival devolved into 'complete mayhem,' in the words of Tybee Island's mayor, Brian West.

Still, the boys in blue did nothing to prevent unruly students from getting into organized brawls as crowds gleefully surrounded to watch.

Even two women were seen wrestling with one another as a mob of people cheered and recorded every blow and takedown.

The energy appeared to be contagious, mostly since one girl, still in her bikini, was arrested and seen getting hauled away in cuffs for allegedly beating another girl with her purse.

With number of attendees thought to be as many as 50,000, cops simply couldn't regulate everything. Festival participants were freely able to spark up joints and toss their empty liquor bottles into the sand.

Two women at this year's Orange Crush festival on Tybee Island, Georgia, are seen wrestling with one another on Saturday afternoon

Two men also got in on the action, fighting each other as beachgoers encircle them and cheer them on

Georgia State University students, ranging from age 21 to 22, happily twerk for the camera

Attendance for the annual event, which had a permit with the city to last until 8pm on Saturday, was thought to be as many as 50,000

Binge drinking was practically a required for admission into the off-the-wall festival

Festival participants were also freely able to spark up joints on the normally serene beach

Pictured: An anonymous Spring Breaker rolls a marijuana joint on the beach

Pictured: All the beach brawls may have inspired this woman, who was arrested by police for allegedly beating another woman with her purse

If you think Saturday's all-day party on Tybee Island was out of control, 2023's bash was on another level entirely.

An estimated 111,000 visitors - more than double the number of people at this year's festival - made the entire island a war zone.

A police officer was hit in the head with a bottle, two attendees were beaten and robbed on the beach and several young women ran to cops fearing that they would be sexually assaulted by the drunken hordes of college-aged men.

Mayor Brian West said that wasn't all, however, as the mania spilled into the parking lot of the beach.

'Parking area basically became disaster areas because we had people who were either shooting off fireworks that sounded like guns, or they were actually shooting guns, and people were running and stampeding... it was riotous. It was really bad,' West told Fox 5.

'Our whole region of southeast Georgia has nothing but bad memories about this event [in recent years],' Mayor West told Fox. 'It got out of control whenever people got involved who weren't really college students. They were coming just to try and make money or whatever.'

Just like every year, partiers left Tybee Island's beach covered in trash on Saturday, be it empty bottles or discarded food containers.

Dutiful volunteers had to be the ones to clean up the debris left over from an entire day's worth of debauchery.

Though, once night fell, they at least had the help of state Department of Natural Resources officers, who shone their headlights on the messiest parts of the sand.

Three girls look on as one of their friends lean over and twerks in their direction

Some areas of the beach during the festival were shoulder-to-shoulder

One Spring Breaker was seen being carried out on a stretcher after suffering an apparent medical emergency

State Department of Natural Resources officers are pictured on ATVs. They'd later help dozens of volunteers pick up trash by shining their headlights on the messiest areas of the sand

As usual, Spring Breakers left mounds of garbage all over the island's beaches

City officials were surprisingly okay with Spring Breakers coming and trashing their island, just as long as more serious criminality was kept at bay.

On Wednesday, the island's City Manager Bret Bell said at a press conference that 'Tybee has always been one of the great host communities of the South, and this weekend will be no different.

'Troublemakers are never welcome on Tybee Island, and this is no exception to that. But if you're here to have a good time on one of the most beautiful spots on Earth, we welcome you with open arms.'

The bash was previously held over the entire weekend, Friday. Saturday and Sunday, but this year it only took place on Saturday, as per the agreement with officials, and had a strict ending time of 8pm.

Some attendees were actually pleased with the more rigid controls on the festival, which included a larger police presence than in years past.

'Everybody's heard the stories, but this isn't that,' recent college graduate Nyia Kempr told the Journal-Constitution. 'This is spring break.'

Even with a greater number of cops, the festival was bound to have some mishaps. A crash on Bull River Bridge on Saturday afternoon led to an epic traffic jam as people desperately rushed to get to the beach.

One Spring Breaker was seen being carried out on a stretcher after suffering an apparent medical emergency.

There was also reports of a shots fired on Tybee Island just before 8pm. One person was injured and taken to the hospital, but officials stressed that their belief that the shooting wasn't connected to the festival.
A massive brawl involving 40 people broke out in Sydney with cops forced to use capsicum spray to bring the crowd under control.

NSW Police used the drastic measure after fighting erupted in a park on Pirrama Road in Pyrmont, central Sydney, about 10.30pm on Saturday.

Police alleged the group disembarked from a charter vessel shortly before the brawl broke out.

Three people were arrested at the scene - two men aged 24 and one man aged 21.

One of the 24-year-old men and a 31-year-old man were taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and St Vincent's Hospitals respectively.

The 24-year-old man was charged in hospital with affray.

The second 24-year-old man was also charged with affray at Day Street Police Station.

Both men have been granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 14 May 2025.

Police allege 40 people were involved in a violent brawl in inner-Sydney on Saturday night

Officers arrested three men at the scene after deploying capsicum spray to control the crowd

The 21-year-old man was later released from police custody without charge.

It's understood no one involved suffered life-threatening injuries.

A crime scene was established that was later examined by specialist police.

As investigations continue police are urged anyone with information about the brawl, or who may have any available dashcam/mobile phone footage, to contact Sydney City Police Station or Crime Stoppers.
Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz have revealed the name of their seven-week-old baby.

Sharaz shared the name of the couple's son, Frederick Leon Sharaz, in a heartwarming post on Sunday.

'The best kind of Easter egg we've ever received,' the new dad captioned a series of family photos.

'Baby Frederick Leon Sharaz's first Easter.'

The boy's middle name appears to be a touching tribute to Ms Higgins' personal lawyer, Leon Zwier.

The former political staffer and her ex-journalist husband were flooded with high-profile messages of support after announcing the birth of their son on March 2.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Marie Claire editor Georgie McCourt, The Block judge Shayna Blaze and Olympic swimmer Leisel Jones were among the well-wishers.

The heartfelt messages were well-earned, following what Higgins in October described as an 'acutely stressful' pregnancy.

Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz have shared the name of their seven-week-old baby, Frederick Leon Sharaz

Frederick Leon Sharaz was born on March 3

Mr Sharaz shared a touching post with several family photos for Easter

At the time, Higgins shared the results of a second trimester blood test which, she said, revealed a 'high possibility of a genetic disorder'.

Higgins said the genetic disorder itself wouldn't have concerned the couple, but meant the baby might be 'incompatible' with life beyond the pregnancy.

Compounding the stress were an ongoing defamation trial brought against Higgins by her former boss, Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds, and the death of her grandmother.

After moving into a French chateau in late 2023, the couple were forced to list the property for sale to cover the costs of the defamation suit.

In January, the couple lowered the listing price for their French chateau to 367,500 (AUD $620,000) from an initial listing price of 420,000 (AUD $722,000).

Higgins and Sharaz bought the three-bedroom estate after settling a suit against the federal government for $2.4million.

Higgins said she held onto about $1.9million after fees and taxes.

The couple now reportedly plan to live in Melbourne's east after marrying last year on the Gold Coast.

The couple had a stressful pregnancy

The couple were flooded with messages of support after announcing the birth of their son on March 2

The payout came after the rape trial of her former colleague and fellow ex-political staffer Bruce Lehrmann was thrown out in response to juror misconduct in 2022.

The charges were later withdrawn altogether following concerns relating to Higgins' mental health.

Last year, Lehrmann lost a multimillion-dollar defamation suit against presenter Lisa Wilkinson and the Ten Network over a 2021 interview with Higgins.

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee dismissed the case after finding that Lehrmann had, on the balance of probabilities, raped Higgins.

As a result, the 29-year-old was ordered to pay $2million in costs to the Ten Network.

Earlier this month, within days of the birth of Higgins' child, Lehrmann filed submissions with the Federal Court in which his lawyer laid out the grounds of his appeal of Justice Lee's decision.

Lehrmann has since been committed to stand trial in a Queensland rape case surrounding an incident alleged to have taken place in Brisbane's west in 2021.

He has always maintained his innocence in both matters.
Prince Andrew grinned as he appeared at an Easter Sunday service with other members of the Royal Family including King Charles and Queen Camilla today.

The disgraced Duke seemed in high spirits as he joined his brother Charles at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales are not attending today as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk, it is understood.

A source said the couple are choosing to spend time together as a family before Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis go back to school, The Mirror reported.

The Waleses, who have a country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham estate, missed the annual service last year after Kate, who is now in remission, was diagnosed with cancer.

Disgraced Prince Andrew joined Charles and Camilla today at the traditional Easter Matins service in the 15th century chapel in Berkshire.

Prince Andrew was in attendance at the Easter Sunday service today alongside other members of the Royal Family

King Charles attends the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on Easter Sunday

Queen Camilla attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service on Sunday

Last week, the Queen paid tribute to the King's sense of duty saying he 'loves his work' and wants to do 'more and more and more' as he gets better.

Camilla said Charles, 76, who is receiving ongoing treatment for cancer, was 'driven' by helping others and indicated his cancer journey was one of 'recovery'.

Last month, the King experienced temporary side effects following treatment at the London Clinic, which required a short period of hospital observation that day.

Charles's Easter Sunday appearance last year was his first major public one following his cancer diagnosis.

He was applauded by the crowds as he greeted well-wishers who urged him to 'keep going strong'.

Sarah, Duchess of Edinburgh, wears a stunning plum-coloured coat for the occasion

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, wears a white jacket and black skirt for Easter Sunday

Members of the Royal Family today at the traditional Easter Matins service

The Prince and Princess of Wales will not be at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, as they are spending the weekend with their children in Norfolk

Prince Andrew appeared sombre during his morning ride around Windsor last month after it was confirmed he would not join the rest of the royals for the Commonwealth Service that day.

The Duke of York, 65, donned a long brown coat, riding boots, and a helmet for a trot around the Berkshire estate on the same day Charles, Camilla and the rest of the Royal Family marked Commonwealth Day in the UK.

Andrew seemed downcast as he was photographed in his car and on horseback on March 10 after it was confirmed he would not join senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, for the annual service at Westminster Abbey in London.
Thai authorities said they have arrested a Chinese executive at a company that was building a Bangkok skyscraper which collapsed in a major earthquake, leaving dozens dead.

The 30-storey tower was reduced to an immense pile of rubble when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck neighbouring Myanmar last month, killing 47 people at the construction site and leaving another 47 missing.

Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong told a news conference Saturday that a Thai court had issued arrest warrants for four individuals, including three Thai nationals, at China Railway No.10 for breaching the Foreign Business Act.

The Department of Special Investigation, which is under the justice ministry, said in a statement Saturday that one of the four had been arrested -- a Chinese "company representative" who they named as Zhang.

China Railway No.10 was part of a joint venture with an Italian-Thai firm to build the State Audit Office tower before its collapse.

Zhang is listed as a 49-percent shareholder in the firm, while the three Thai citizens have a 51-percent stake in the company.

But Tawee told journalists that "we have evidence... that the three Thais were holding shares for other foreign independents".

The Foreign Business Act says that foreigners may hold no more than 49 percent of shares in a company.

Separately, Tawee said several investigations related to the collapse were ongoing, including over the possibility of bid rigging and the use of fake signatures of engineers in construction supervisor contracts.

Earlier this month Thai safety officials said testing of steel rebars -- struts used to reinforce concrete -- from the site has found that some of the metal used was substandard.

The skyscraper was the only major building in the capital to fall in the catastrophic March 28 earthquake that has killed more than 3,700 people in Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar.
Two women were filmed in a heated verbal altercation on a train crowded with families on their way back from Sydney's Royal Easter Show.

Video appeared to show the women in a shouting match, tussling and pointing at each other on the packed train returning from Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.

Several other commuters and staff on the train tried putting an end to the ugly scenes before one man finally managed to make those involved sit down and 'shut up'.

The scene was captured by a bystander, Ronnie, who filmed the incident and later uploaded it to TikTok.

'Heading back from the Easter Show with sore feet, full hands, and even this,' Ronnie wrote in the caption.

'Sydney Olympic Park, you were a blast!'

In the footage the women can be seen initially pointing fingers at each other and shouting before the black-haired woman's partner appeared to become furious at the brunette woman.

'Touch my daughter. You take your own advice lady because if you touch my daughter again youre going to know about it,' the man shouted.

Two women and a man got into a heated confrontation aboard a train leaving from Sydney's Royal Easter Show on Saturday

'You're picking on an autistic five-year-old, grow up,' his partner added.

The brunette told the couple they should never have had children.

'I shouldn't have kids? Why? What's your reasoning,' the black-haired woman shouted.

'This is why we don't like immigrants in our country,' she added.

The brunette woman went on to call the other woman another slur before a member of the train's staff told both to calm down.

'Stop everyone, were trying to get home safely. Everyone be quiet, relax,' they said.

The situation did not resolve however until a large man wearing a Bulldogs shirt cut in at the end.

'There are women and children in this train so just sit down and shut up,' he said.

The packed train had just departed the festival (pictured) when the women began tussling and arguing while other commuters tried to calm them down

Aussies were quick to condemn the behaviour.

'The immigrant card was so uncalled for,' one said.

'If the mum's standing up for her kid then fair enough but what she should've done is removed herself from the situation and moved the kid away, not stay and make it worse,' another said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Transport for comment.
Revellers across the UK have been making most of the four-day Easter Weekend as they were spotted pairing their pints with fancy dress last night.

The party animals were seen boozing in Nottingham and Leeds - where they had been taking part in the famous 17-stop Otley Run pub crawl.

And after they had ensured that enough wine, beer and spirits had flowed through the nearby pubs and clubs, the streets soon became a who's who of celebrities and pop culture stars.

In some cases, the partygoers indulged in a little too much alcohol and could be seen lying on the pavements after being left unable to stand up into the early hours of the morning.

One woman, who reportedly suffered a fall after spending the night in a pub, was taken to hospital in an ambulance as emergency services remained on standby.

Some outfits on show included attempts at Donald Trump, Lou and Andy from Little Britain, Minnie Mouse, and Mrs Incredible.

Meanwhile, others opted for skimpy outfits despite temperatures reaching lows of around six degrees.

However, the most popular fancy dress choice on the night was the Easter Bunny.

The party animals were seen boozing in Nottingham and Leeds - where they had been taking part in the famous 17-stop Otley Run pub crawl

Some outfits on show included attempts at Donald Trump, Minnie Mouse, and Mrs Incredible

One woman, who reportedly suffered a fall after spending the night in a pub, was taken to hospital in an ambulance as emergency services remained on standby

For most of the Easter Saturday enjoyers, the main attraction was to participate in the historic Leeds Otley Run.

The pub crawl, thought to have started in the 1960s, starts at Woodies pub in Far Headingley and finishes at The Dry Dock on the edge of the city centre.

The challenge is to have a drink in each of the 17 pubs along the way and has long been popular with students.

But over the years, the tradition has divided locals who have raised concerns over the youngsters urinating and leaving mounds of litter in the streets.

Last night, however, pubs and clubs in the area were packed as the party was in full force.

For most of the Easter Saturday enjoyers, the main attraction was to participate in the historic Leeds Otley Run

The pub crawl, thought to have started in the 1960s, starts at Woodies pub in Far Headingley and finishes at The Dry Dock on the edge of the city centre

The Otley Run challenge, popular with students, is to have a drink in each of the 17 pubs along the way

Some partygoers last night indulged in a little too much alcohol and could be seen lying on the pavements after being left unable to stand up into the early hours of the morning

This group attempted outfits as Lou and Andy from Little Britain

Others opted for skimpy outfits despite temperatures reaching lows of around six degrees

Some youngsters last night also chose to enjoy the occasion as a team of bride and bridesmaids while others opted to party in disco outfits.

Luckily the rain held off for those who opted for more revealing attires, but they may have felt the breeze as winds approached 20mph.

After some unsettled weather over the weekend - including a rainy Good Friday - those looking to visit pubs this evening will be greeted with warmer temperatures across the country.

In Leeds and Nottingham, where partygoers visited last night, there will be highs of 16C through the afternoon.

Luckily the rain held off for those who opted for more revealing attire, but they may have felt the breeze as winds approached 20mph

Last night, pubs and clubs in the area were packed as the party was in full force

Over the years, the tradition has divided locals who have raised concerns over the youngsters urinating and leaving mounds of litter in the streets

Youngsters hit pubs for a second day of Easter Weekend drinking

Some youngsters last night also chose to enjoy the occasion as a team of bride and bridesmaids while others opted to party in disco outfits

One partygoer dressed up as WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin (right)

The team of bridesmaids joined forces with a group of men in multicoloured suits

At the end of the evening in Nottingham, one woman was seen comforting her friend beside a bin as they tucked into a Burger King

The group of men in their colourful suits enjoyed pints in the sun as they participated in the Otley Run

Youngsters took to 17 establishments in the historic pub crawl and could be seen enjoying themselves at the end of the night

These woman paid homage to Married at First Sight with their choice of outfits

For others, it was safety first with their crash helmets on

This group paired their safety helmets with sparkly jackets and boots in Leeds

Many enjoyed themselves into the early hours of the morning in Nottingham

The highs of 16C are also forecast in central and southern parts of England and 14C in the north west of England.

And while expected to be slightly cooler, Monday is set to be mostly fine with the best conditions set to be in and around the London area.

In Scotland, the best sunshine will be in the north with highs of 13C and there is little chance of rain across the country.

There is however, a small chance that rainfall could be seen across central England on Monday.

Some of the revellers were all smiles as they enjoyed the Easter celebrations

While some dressed up as bridesmaids, this group took to Nottingham to enjoy their hen do

It was a wet evening in Leeds on Friday, but the weather cleared up last night and is expected to continue as dry

Vape and phone in hand, these two enjoyed their night out in Leeds last night

A group of cheerleaders, a team of Easter Bunnies and a lone Donald Trump all joined forces in Leeds for a party

However, the good weather spells potential frustration for road users over the remainder of the Easter Weekend.

The AA estimated that more than 18 million people took to the roads on Saturday, with a similar number expected to make journeys today and tomorrow.

The worst blackspots were on the M6 in Birmingham and further north near Blackpool; the south and western M25; the M5 around the Bristol area; and the A303 in Wiltshire.

Train passengers also faced a challenging day as Network Rail worked to complete a programme of more than 300 engineering projects across Britain this weekend which had forced the closure of a number of railway lines.
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Putin's surprise Easter truce is nonsense as Russian forces continue their shelling and assaults along the front line on Sunday.

The 30-hour truce starting Saturday evening would be the most significant pause in the fighting throughout the three-year conflict.

But on Sunday Zelensky accused Russia of having maintained its attacks on the front line after the truce started at 3pm Saturday.

'Across various frontline directions, there have already been 59 cases of Russian shelling and five assaults by Russian units,' Zelensky said on social media, citing a report as of 6:00am from Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky.

He said that in the six hours up to midnight Saturday, there were '387 instances of shelling and 19 assaults by Russian forces,' with drones 'used by Russians 290 times'.

Ukraine's air force on Sunday morning did not report any drone or missile attacks, however.

'Overall, as of Easter morning, we can state that the Russian army is attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire, while in some areas still continuing isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine,' Zelensky's post said.

Ukraine will respond 'symmetrically' to any attacks, Zelensky said.

Volodymyr Zelensky challenged the Kremlin warmonger to continue the 30-hour ceasefire for 30 days, as Donald Trump had earlier demanded

Vladimir Putin attended a late night Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour along with Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin

Footage showed an apartment block ablaze in the Dnipro district of Kherson - after a brutal strike on civilians minutes before the Putin truce came into effect

Officials in Russian-held areas of east Ukraine in turn accused Kyiv's troops of violating the ceasefire with shelling of an occupied village and town.

A reporter for RIA Novosti state news agency in the Russian-held city of Donetsk reported hearing explosions and seeing a fire on Sunday morning.

It comes after Zelensky challenged the Kremlin warmonger to continue the 30-hour ceasefire for 30 days, as US President Donald Trump had earlier demanded.

Few experts expect Putin - who attended a late night Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour along with Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin - to agree since he is advancing in many areas along the frontline.

The lull - which Zelensky ordered Ukrainian forces to respect - followed weeks of Putin pounding civilians, killing innocent people including children.

Despite this, pictures show how a Russian drone targeted a civilian car more than an hour into Putin's truce at Urozhayne, in Kherson region.

An hour later, another drone attacked the settlement.

Footage showed an apartment block ablaze in the Dnipro district of Kherson - after a brutal strike on civilians minutes before the Putin truce came into effect.

A Kherson civilian man, born in 1967, died from strikes ahead of the lull.

'If complete silence really reigns, Ukraine proposes to extend it beyond Easter [Sunday] on April 20,' said the Ukrainian president.

'This will show Russia's true intentions, because 30 hours are enough for headlines, but not for real confidence-building measures. Thirty days can give peace a chance.'

Zelensky said: 'In general, as of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.

Pictures show how a Russian drone targeted a civilian car more than an hour into Putin's truce at Urozhayne, in Kherson region

Vladimir Putin attends an Easter service in Moscow with the city's mayor Sergey Sobyanin

Zelensky released Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi's report by 6am on Eastern Sunday which showed Putin's forces had cynically flouted their own limited ceasefire

Russia in its Kursk region also continued to press Ukrainians holding a limited area of Putin's territory

'Russia must fully comply with the conditions of silence.

'The Ukrainian proposal to implement and extend the silence for 30 days after 24:00 today remains valid.

'We will act in accordance with the real situation.'

He stressed: 'Our soldiers are responding everywhere as the enemy deserves in specific combat circumstances. Ukraine will continue to act in a mirror manner.'

Despite this, Putin did not use his powerful missiles or heavy drones to destroy civilian facilities as he has done in recent days and weeks.

Russian military channels admitted the Easter truce was announced to impress Trump - and is being used to rotate troops.

Rybar Telegram channel said a 30-hour ceasefire 'will not give the enemy a significant military advantage, but will become an important element strengthening Russia's diplomatic position'.

It stated: 'Being the first to announce a ceasefire and demonstrating readiness for a peace initiative is, first and foremost, work for an external audience.

'Especially against the backdrop of ongoing consultations with foreign countries.'

Military channel Two Majors said Russian forces should 'strictly observe the ceasefire objectives' adding: 'It is you who determine Russia's political agenda in the international arena today.'

Wear proponent Boris Rozhin boasted: 'Even a temporary truce for a day without drone strikes and without intensive shelling will allow for the desired rotation to be carried out in certain areas, which in normal frontline conditions is either difficult or simply impossible.'
A British tourist journeyed across the one of the most dangerous borders in the world to spend his holiday with the Taliban and had a gay holiday fling with a terrorist.

After falling in love with 'extreme travel' two years ago, Toyosi Osideinde, 30, from Bath, has visited 69 countries so far - with an upcoming trip to Ukraine.

After deciding his trips to Iraq, Syria and Belarus were 'not enough', he prepared for his ultimate 'dangerous and thrill-seeking' experience - Afghanistan.

His 11 day trip saw the financial adviser fly into Islamabad in Pakistan and drive to Peshawar, on the border of Afghanistan.

There he entered the embassy to be interviewed by members of the Taliban decked with heavy machine guns, he says.

He spent his trip visiting tiny villages and sprawling markets, eating biryani and even had a fling with a member of the Taliban, he said.

A member of the Taliban acted as a security guard in Toyosi's hotel - and they ended up hooking up.

'I ordered some takeaway and he brought it up to my room,' Toyosi said. 'I noticed that he kept coming back every five minutes to see how I was.

Toyosi Osideinde, 30, from Bath, had a gay fling with a member of the Taliban while on a trip to Afghanistan

A member of the Taliban acted as a security guard in Toyosi's hotel - and they ended up hooking up

In every country Toyosi had been to, he had used Grindr to find men to date. Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan were the only two countries where he didn't

'At a certain point, I just asked if he wanted to come in and watch a movie.. We shared some food and kept on talking. Stuff happened after that and we kept seeing each other every day.

'The Arabs love to flirt with men. They love me - I was obsessed.'

In every country Toyosi had been to, he had used Grindr to find men to date. Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan were the only two countries where he didn't.

He said: 'I was trying to be discreet - you have to be careful. I felt safer with my security guard. We didn't talk much because he didn't speak English and I didn't speak Farsi.

'In the evenings we would watch Gossip Girl. He would love showing me his guns.

'We have spoken since I came back but after some time I had to let it go. The moment I left it just didn't feel right - It was just a fling.

He says his Taliban lover 'was passionate' and 'used it well'.

'They are very touchy-feely and like to kiss - it's romantic in a way. They will make you feel like you've known them for years. It definitely doesn't feel like a hook-up in the Western world.

'I try to have sex everywhere I go. Especially if someone tells me not to do anything there because they are racist and homophobic, I am like "Do you know what, I'm going to do it."'

Toyosi said: 'The trip was such an eye-opening experience.

'One of the things that astonished me the most was when I was in a bank, I saw a woman working and wearing makeup.

He says his Taliban lover 'was passionate' and 'used it well'

'I then started seeing more and more women in the streets and in the markets who weren't covering their faces.

'It turns out that whilst some things about Afghani women are true, like having to draw out of education at a certain age, women are still allowed to do things they were doing before the Taliban takeover.

'You're kind of like a celebrity - the locals will follow you for miles. I would have people following me for two hours just to get a photo with me. Some kids wanted me in their YouTube video. Even in the bank I'd get to skip the queue.

'I was a celebrity, I did not want to leave.'

His trip in November last year saw him spent six days in Kabul and five in Pakistan. The trip cost him nearly 4,000 in total.

Speaking of his entry interview, while crossing into Afghanistan, he said: 'I was sat there thinking, 'this is the end - what have I done?'

Eventually, he was allowed to cross what he described as 'the most dangerous border in the world' by foot.

Toyosi visited three provinces in Afghanistan, Kabul, Nangarhar, and Bamyan.

'I felt like I'd be transported to a third world. I can't even describe it,' he said.

'There was so much going on - machine guns everywhere, you could see the Taliban. There were so many people trying to cross from Pakistan into Afghanistan.'

'You could see people begging on the streets, people pulling each other and others trying to rip each other off.'

Once he reached Afghanistan, he travelled six hours to the capital, Kabul, and checked into his hotel.

'Everywhere you go there's Taliban. You can't take a step without the Taliban knowing exactly where you are at every single point in time.

Toyosi visited three provinces in Afghanistan, Kabul, Nangarhar, and Bamyan

'I was used to this already because it was the same in Syria but this was at a new level. At least in Syria, there is protection - in Afghanistan, there is no Embassy. If something happens to me, I am on my own, there is nobody to protect me.'

Toyosi was told his tour guide it was illegal to take videos of women and believes that is the reason Western countries do not see Afghani women in the media.

He also claims that there is very little crime in Islamic countries due to severe punishments.

During his trip, Toyosi said he did not experience any racial or homophobic crime.

However on his way home, Toyosi had his passport taken off him at the border and was not allowed to cross as he hadn't printed off his visa - it was on his phone.

He said: 'I had machine guns pointed at my head, and was interrogated 24/7.

'When you try to leave the country, you are put on a list - you are seen as a 'terrorist'. There are questions are to why you are in the country, and why you want to leave it.'

After he eventually left Afghanistan, he had another two days in Pakistan.

'Four officers with heavy machinery followed me every single step and followed me round. I would walk down the street to get some pomegranate juice and they would have to come with me,' he said.

'There were so many points during the trip where I was like: This is it - you made your bed, this was stupid and now it's time to die.'

Toyosi manages to fund his trips as a self-employed financial adviser based in Italy. Most of his meetings take place on zoom or teams, allowing him to travel during the afternoon after a morning of work.

He said: 'I believe in utilising my time - working smart and working hard. That has paid for my travel, which can be really expensive.

'I would bring my suit with me and during my meetings I would wear my suit on the top and shorts on the bottom.'

In two weeks, Toyosi will be getting on a 26-hour bus from Latvia to Ukraine, despite the ongoing war with Russia.

'I have a feeling that if I don't go now, I might not get the chance to go again.'

He also has plans to move to Georgia next month.
More than 10million has been handed out in payouts to prison guards in the past five years, new figures show.

Around 202 injured officers have received payouts from the Ministry of Justice since 2019/20, averaging 51,000 per person.

It comes in the wake of Hashem Abedi's brutal attack on three prison guards at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Mark Fairhurst of the Prison Officers' Association told The Mirror: 'These payments highlight the dangers brave prison officers face on a daily basis.

'It is now time to reset the entire service, so staff regain control from violent criminals intent on destroying people's lives.

'If we stopped appeasing prisoners the public purse would not have to compensate staff who are receiving life-changing injuries. We need control, not chaos.'

Guards have been compensated after a spate of high-profile attacks in the past ten years, a staff member at HMP Bedford was given 600,000 after being attacked by Plenty of Fish dating site murderer Carl Langdell.

Senior prison officer Iain Fleming was awarded 35,000 in 2014 after he was assaulted in the segregation unit of Swaleside jail in Kent.

Hashem Abdedi - smirking before he attacked prison guards at HMP Belmarsh in 2020

Abedi 'attacked three prison officers with cooking oil and makeshift weapons', according to the Prison Officers' Association (POA).

Keith Nyberg, 54, was punched, kicked and bitten at Wetherby Young Offenders' Institute in 2017.

Rob Preece, Communications Manager at the Howard League for Penal Reform, blamed a lack of mental and physical stimulation available to lags.

He said it was 'no surprise' that there was tension when prisoners were stuck in cramped cells for 22 hours a day with 'nothing to do'.

Two prison officers sustained life-threatening injuries after they were attacked by Abedi at HMP Frankland.

Abedi had hoarded sachets of butter before and then melted them down to scald a female prison officer.

Two male guards were also stabbed with makeshift knives after they were ambushed in the kitchen of a separation unit.

Abedi had made the two 30cm knives out of cooking trays and wrapped kitchen towels around them for handles.

A female warder, in her 30s, was discharged from hospital the same day.

This picture shows police interviewing Hashem following the horrific 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack

Salman Abedi, left, with his brothers Hashem (centre) and Ismail

Her two male colleagues, one in his 30s, the other aged around 60, suffered life-threatening injuries.

The older guard was stabbed in the neck once and the other officer was stabbed five times in the back and suffered a punctured lung.

A source told The Sun Abedi was completely silent and grinning as he carried out the attack.

He was later moved to the high security prison at Belmarsh in south London.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'This is another sign of the problems we are facing in our prisons, with prisons that are overcrowded and violent.

'This Government is gripping the crisis we inherited. We are building 14,000 new prison places and we will reform sentencing. We will ensure our prisons encourage offenders to turn their backs on crime - and we will make them safer for our hardworking staff.'

Abedi was jailed for life in August 2020 and had been serving his sentence at the category A HMP Frankland.
A grandmother on death row in Bali for drug smuggling has hugged her grandchildren for the first time in years after they visited the hellhole prison where she is incarcerated.

Lindsay Sandiford, 67, has spent 12 years awaiting execution by firing squad at the notorious Kerobokan Prison, having been found attempting to smuggle 1.6 million of cocaine into the Indonesian island in the lining of her suitcase.

The Brit, from Yorkshire, who has no previous convictions, claimed she was forced by a UK-based drugs syndicate to smuggle cocaine from Thailand to Bali by threats to the life of one of her two sons in Britain.

She received a death sentence despite cooperating with police in a sting to arrest people higher up in the syndicate, sparking an outcry from human rights lawyers and former UK Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald, who said she had been treated with 'quite extraordinary severity'.

But a recent change in Indonesian law has given fresh hope to Sandiford and her supporters that she could soon be released, with her sentence commuted to life in prison after spending ten years behind bars with good behaviour.

It is understood Sandiford's family were recently allowed to visit her in prison, allowing her to have 'cuddles and kisses' for the first time in years.

A prison source told the Mirror: 'She was happy and all went well.

'Normally these visits are held away from the normal meeting area but still have walls and iron bars with one door.

Lindsay Sandiford, 67, has spent 12 years awaiting execution by firing squad at the notorious Kerobokan Prison in Indonesia

The Brit, from Yorkshire, who has no previous convictions, claimed she was forced by a UK-based drugs syndicate to smuggle cocaine from Thailand to Bali

'There's always one or more guards who are stationed within earshot. But she was allowed to hold her family and have cuddles and kisses'.

It comes a decade after Sandiford had a visit from a granddaughter she had never met, who was born some seven months after her arrest in May 2012.

At the time of the visit she had been told she was due to be executed within eight days - but this decision was later reversed.

After she was caught by authorities, Sandiford cooperated with police and assisted in the apprehension of several individuals higher up the drug syndicate.

The syndicate's alleged ringleader Julian Ponder, 50, from Brighton, was freed from Kerobokan prison in late 2017 following rumours more than 1 million in bribes were paid to drop trafficking charges against Ponder, his former partner Rachel Dougall, and fellow Brit Paul Beales.

Dougall served one year and Beales four years for involvement in the conspiracy.

Now grey-haired and suffering arthritis, Sandiford spends days at a time knitting in the cramped five metres-by-five-metres cell prison she shares with four other women prisoners, most of them poorly-educated local women convicted of drug offences.

The prison houses 1,300 inmates  four times the amount of people the prison was built for in 1979 - and has previously been described by inmates as a 'hellhole' with frequent 'murders, rapes, drug overdoses and bashings'.

After she was caught by authorities, Sandiford cooperated with police and assisted in the apprehension of several individuals higher up the drug syndicate

Now grey-haired and suffering arthritis, Sandiford spends days at a time knitting in the cramped five metres-by-five-metres cell prison

Sandiford is jailed at the notorious Kerobokan Prison, having been found attempting to smuggle 1.6 million of cocaine into the Indonesian island in the lining of her suitcase

One Indonesian woman imprisoned for corruption said last March that Sandiford was seen as the jail's 'queen'.

But recent law changes are said to have given Sandiford hope she would soon be released, leading to her giving away many of her clothes and possessions to other inmates.

It follows the release of five members of the Bali Nine, who were permitted to return to their homes in Australia in December, after being convicted of trying to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin into the country in 2005.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'We are supporting a British woman detained in Bali and are in contact with the Indonesian authorities.'
A man who was stabbed to death outside a Melbourne nightclub early on Easter Sunday morning has been identified as a 'loving, gentle' father-of-six.

Ruka Carlson, 30, died after he was found bleeding heavily with multiple stab wounds outside Love Machine nightclubin Prahran, south Melbourne, at 1.30am on Sunday.

Chilling video taken by a bystander appeared to show Mr Carlson being swarmed by multiple attackers in the middle of the road.

Mr Carlson was later rushed to hospital in a critical condition but ultimately died from his injuries.

Police are investigating whether Mr Carlson might have been attacked with a broken bottle that was found at the scene.

Detectives also found a gun dumped in a nearby bin later in the day after the area had been shut down and a crime scene established.

Officers are still searching for Mr Carlson's killers, who remain on the run.

Detective Acting Inspector Chris Ellway said investigators are currently on the lookout for up to six men who they believe were involved in the death.

Ruka Carlson, 30, was found with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on Chapel Street, in Prahran, south Melbourne, at 1.30am on Sunday

Witnesses claimed Mr Carlson had been involved in a fight with up to six other men who detectives are currently trying to locate

A witness, Abz Al, who found Mr Carlson in the middle of the street said he did all he could to help the father.

'I just walked in and the other guys ran off and I tried to help [Mr Carlson], I put pressure on his wounds,' Mr Al told 7News.

He said he hoped Mr Carlson was all right before a reporter at the scene told him that he had died.

'He's dead? Is he dead? He was bleeding so much, I saw him. That's bad,' Mr Al responded.

Detective Ellway said Mr Carlson was known to police and that investigators are trying to figure out if the attack was targeted.

'[There are] no arrests as yet, we are looking at about five or six people involved and we would love for anyone to come forward,' he said.

'I dont think it was a random attack  but were still trying to work out what the circumstances are.'

Mr Carlson's fiancee, Monique, said he sent her a loving text just before he died.

Mr Carlson's fiancee, Monique, said he was a loving father to their six children who are aged between less than one year and nine years old

Detectives found a broken glass bottle at the scene and a discarded gun in a bin nearby which were both taken away as evidence

'I'm just eating now and Im coming home baby, I love you,' the text read.

She said her fiance was 'the most loving, caring, gentle father' to their children who are aged between less than a year and nine years old.

'Our six kids and I are suffering immensely without him,' she told the Herald Sun.

Mr Carlson was due to appear in Heidelberg Magistrates' Court in May, according to court records obtained by The Age.

Detective Ellway said his team is investigating whether or not Mr Carlson had any affiliations with organised crime or gangs. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest he was involved in any criminality.

Homicide detectives were seen inspecting the area and dusting surfaces for fingerprints throughout the day on Sunday.

A white Mitsubishi with a broken door mirror and a white Mercedes sedan found nearby on Carlton Street were towed away by police and a section of Little Chapel Street remains cordoned off as investigations continue.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A HS2 executive earning more than 235,000 a year claimed 5.40 in Tube fares on expenses in order to attend a meeting.

Chief Railway Officer Emma Head submitted three small claims for London Underground journeys in October and November last year.

That is despite her being one of the government's highest paid officials, with a salary between 235,000 and 240,000 in 2022.

New data released last week shows several of HS2's most senior executives submitting small expense claims under 10, the Telegraph reports.

This included Ms Head's three separate claims for 'travel on TFL to attend external meetings'.

Two of the claims were at a value of 5.40, while the third amounted to 8.50.

It comes amid heavy criticism for the rising costs of HS2, with the latest estimate suggesting it will cost 66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham.

The last Conservative government controversially scrapped the rest of the project, which would have connected London with Manchester and Leeds.

Chief Railway Officer Emma Head submitted three small claims for London Underground journeys in October and November last year

When first mooted by the Gordon Brown government, costs for the entire project were predicted to be 37.5 billion.

Ms Head, who is responsible for technical oversight of HS2, is far from the only executive to have submitted such small expenses.

In 2024 HS2's Stations Delivery Director Huw Edwards, who earns at least 170,000, claimed just 4.36 for a dinner 'while staying overnight in Birmingham on HS2 business'.

Iain Smith, responsible for Systems and Route Wide Delivery, also expensed a 5.60 journey and a 5.40 journey.

Tory MP Greg Hands, whose Buckinghamshire constituency has been affected by HS2, called for the company to be more careful about how it spends its money.

He said: 'Whilst HS2 spends billions trashing my constituency, my constituents will expect tight cost control from their executives and officials, which doesn't seem to be the case.

'HS2 is a project that we can't afford as a country, but this Government is ploughing on with regardless. Every day that goes by, the cost goes up by millions, if not billions.'

It comes after it was revealed last month that HS2 had spent 20,000 on a model station made out of Lego.

In 2024 HS2's Stations Delivery Director Huw Edwards, who earns at least 170,000, claimed just 4.36 for a dinner 'while staying overnight in Birmingham on HS2 business'

It comes amid heavy criticism for the rising costs of HS2, with the latest estimate suggesting it will cost 66 billion for the high speed line between London and Birmingham

And in November, it emerged that HS2 is blowing more than 100 million on a steel mesh 'shed' to protect bats from being hit by the high speed trains.

Its executive chairman chairman Sir Jon Thompson told a rail industry conference the structure in Buckinghamshire is needed to appease Natural England because bats are legally protected in the UK.

The original completion date for phase one of the project was December next year, but it has been pushed back to 2033.

A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: 'We adhere to guidance set out by the Treasury for managing public money.

'HS2 Ltd employees are reimbursed for legitimate additional costs incurred through their role.'
Transgender activists have been proudly showing themselves in female toilets despite the Supreme Court ruling.

The landmark hearing on Wednesday ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, meaning transgender women are no longer considered women in the eyes of the law.

This week's ruling means trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) could potentially be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'.

However, several trans activists have already defied the new rules, with one photographing themselves in a women-only space.

Joss Prior took a selfie in what looks like a women's toilets yesterday, posting it on X alongside the caption: 'Using women's spaces as you do.'

Meanwhile, Ashley Johnson threatened to 'p*** on the floor' if she is stopped from using the ladies toilets.

'Back to anxiety I had about using public toilets when I first transitioned. Thinking I'll still use the ladies and if any establishment stops me, I'll p*** on the floor in their public area,' she wrote on Facebook.

Joss Prior took a selfie in what looks like a women's toilets yesterday, posting it on X alongside the caption: 'Using women's spaces as you do'

Ashley Johnson threatened to 'p*** on the floor' if she is stopped from using the ladies toilets

A trans activist posted on social media vowing to keep using female only spaces

The ruling has caused much controversy among various groups, with transgender activists left furious.

Thousands of outraged campaigners took to the streets of London yesterday to protest - waving flags and chanting throughout the afternoon.

Protestors targeted a number of statues in the capital. Notably, a statue of the suffragette Millicent Fawcett was defaced with a banner reading 'F** rights'.

The Metropolitan Police said they were investigating the incidents as criminal damage after the statues were daubed with graffiti.

Activists demanded 'trans liberation' and 'trans rights now', with some waving flags and holding banners.

At least two statues in Parliament Square were vandalized during the rally, with 'trans rights are human rights' spray-painted on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.

Among the groups supporting the London protest are Trans Kids Deserve Better, Pride in Labour, the Front for the Liberation of Intersex Non-binary and Transgender people (Flint) and TransActual.
Matt Hancock's TV firm has just 1 in its accounts - a year after he quit as an MP.

The former health secretary's new venture remains a dormant company, despite it being set up in January 2023, accounts show.

As a dormant company, it has just 1 to its name and no revenue, profit or transactions.

It comes some four years after the ex-MP, 46, was forced to quit as Health Secretary during the pandemic following revelations he had broken Covid office rules.

Mr Hancock was caught in a steamy kiss with colleague Gina Colangelo, who it emerged he had been having an affair with behind his wife's back.

Once discovered, WhatsApp messages leaked by journalist Isabel Oakeshott revealed Mr Hancock told Prime Minister Boris Johnson before he had even told his wife.

After quitting as a minister, Mr Hancock remained an MP until the last election, having declared his intention to stand down.

He had been sitting as an independent MP since November 2022, when he announced he would be appearing as a contestant on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

Matt Hancock's TV firm has just 1 in its accounts - a year after he quit as an MP

Matt Hancock (right) came third on IITV's I'm a Celeb - he had the whip suspended by the Conservatives after he announced he was going on the show

Mr Hancock was caught in a steamy kiss while Health Secretary with colleague Gina Colangelo (right), who it emerged he had been having an affair with behind his wife's back

The politician was paid a reported 320,000 for his appearance on the series, in which he came third.

Shortly after his success on the show, Mr Hancock set up his own TV firm Greenhazel Ltd, but it has remained dormant ever since.

This didn't stop Mr Hancock also appearing on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2023.

He said at the time he had plans to make serious documentaries, on topics including dyslexia and assisted dying.

The former politician was recently slammed by Labour MP Richard Burgon, who accused him of 'disgraceful' behaviour and of 'chasing celebrity money'.

It comes after the High Court this week dismissed Mr Hancock's attempt to have a libel case against him dismissed before trial.

The case is being brought by former Tory MP and vaccine sceptic Andrew Bridgen.

He is suing the former Health Secretary over a Twitter post from January 2023 in a dispute about the safety of the covid vaccine.

Mr Bridgen wrote: 'As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust.'

Mr Hancock posted a video responding to him hours later, and said: 'The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society.'
The Trump administration has issued a directive instructing immigration judges to swiftly dismiss asylum claims deemed "legally deficient," even without holding full hearings, a move that legal experts and advocates say undermines due process and could lead to deportations without applicants ever appearing before a judge.

The policy, outlined in an April 11 memo from Sirce Owen, Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), encourages judges to "immediately resolve cases" that lack viable legal pathways for relief.

Under the new guidance, judges may deny asylum requests based solely on paperwork, bypassing what are known as "merits hearings" where applicants would normally testify and submit evidence in person. The EOIR maintains that hearings are only required when there are factual disputesnot when an application is legally inadequate on its face.

"It is clear from the almost 4 million pending cases on EOIR's docket that has not been happening," Owen wrote, according to The New York Times.

Immigration law scholars consulted by NYT argue that the directive contravenes legal norms. "Immigration judges must use independent judgment," said Lenni Benson, a professor at New York Law School. "They must allow a person to submit, supplement, and testify to the facts supporting their request for asylum." Mary Giovagnoli, an immigration lawyer and former government official, warned that the policy "is flipping the notion of due process on its head."

Critics also say the policy jeopardizes asylum seekers without legal representation, an estimated half of all applicants, who may not fully understand or articulate the grounds for their claims on initial forms. "The outcome for an asylum seeker can literally make the difference between life or death," said immigration attorney Careen Shannon.

The policy comes amid mass terminations at the EOIR. Back in February 2025, thirteen immigration judges appointed under the Biden administration were fired in what the Department of Justice characterized as a budgetary measure.

The judges, who had not yet completed training, have since filed a class action lawsuit alleging unlawful dismissal and violations of civil service protections. The plaintiffs argue the firings reflect a political effort to reshape the immigration bench.

With only about 735 immigration judges now serving nearly 4 million pending casesroughly 6,000 cases per judgeadvocates fear that the combination of judicial attrition and expedited procedures will lead to rushed decisions with life-altering consequences.

Originally published on Latin Times
Peter Dutton is seen as the stronger leader when it comes to defending Australia or growing the country's economy, a new poll shows.

But Labor's primary vote this week also rose to 34 per cent, its highest point in more than a year, according to the Newspoll conducted for The Australian.

That figure is 1.4 per cent above Labor's last election result and its highest primary vote poll result since January 2024.

The Coalition remained at last weeks primary vote of 35 per cent. That means just one point separates the two parties on first preference.

In all, Labor's primary vote is now three points higher than it was at the start of the year, while the Coalition's has dropped four points in the same timeframe.

There was no change in the two-party-preferred vote, which remained at 52-48 per cent with Labor leading.

With the Greens remaining unchanged on 12 per cent, the poll suggested a hung parliament after the federal election on May 3 could be a likely outcome.

Mr Dutton was placed ahead of Mr Albanese by a margin of 35 per cent to 23 per cent when voters were asked who would be the better leader to protect Australia's defences. It came after the two leaders traded blows this week about Russia's strategic interests in Indonesia.

Labour 's primary vote this week also rose to 34 per cent, its highest point in more than a year, according to the Newspoll conducted for The Australian

Mr Dutton was placed ahead of Mr Albanese by a margin of 35 per cent to 23 per cent when voters were asked who would be the better leader to protect Australia's defences

He was also considered a superior leader to Mr Albanese for growing Australias economy, with a margin of 34 per cent to 29 per cent.

Meanwhile, Mr Albanese held a lead over Dutton when it came to the issue of improving healthcare, 42 per cent to 22 per cent.

He was also slightly ahead on the issue of helping with the cost of living, 31 per cent to 28 per cent.

Male voters thought Mr Dutton was the better leader to deal with the cost of living, while female voters backed Mr Albanese.

The prime minister was also seen as the superior leader for lowering taxes, 33 per cent to 26 per cent.

The prime minister appeared to have won on both the tax and housing issues after both parties unveiled their policies this week, with 29 per cent of voters also nominating him as better for helping Australians to buy their first home, compared with Mr Dutton's 24 per cent.

And on the question of who was the stronger leader to guide Australia through the turbulent times arising from Donald Trump's US presidency, Mr Albanese also had the upper-hand, with a margin of 39 per cent to 32 per cent.

Women were much more likely to back Mr Albanese in handling Trump than male voters.
Pope Francis thrilled St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday as he greeted Catholic faithful who had gathered to see him during his pneumonia recovery.

The 88-year-old pontiff delivered his 'Urbi et Orbi' benediction from a balcony overlooking the square following mass to mark the holiday.

Images showed Francis in traditional white robes on the central lodge of St Peter's Basilica as he waved to the eager crowds.

Masses of faithful gathered Sunday under hazy skies in the sprawling plaza decorated with brightly-coloured tulips, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jesuit pope as it had not been confirmed he would be making an appearance.

Marie Manda, 59, from Cameroon, was one of those thinking positive.

'Of course we hope to see the pope but if he's not here and he's still suffering we'll see his representative,' she said. 'But we want to see the pope, even sick we want to see him!'

Indian tourist Rajesh Kumar, 40, however, said he had no idea it was Easter when he booked his holiday with his wife.

'After coming here we realised there is a festival going on, the pope is going to give a speech, so we just entered and we are ready for it,' he said.

Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica during the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025

Francis wore traditional white robes on the central lodge of St Peter's Basilica as he waved to the eager crowds

Pope Francis tours St. Peter's Square on the Pope mobile, as faithful react

Masses of faithful gathered Sunday under hazy skies in the sprawling plaza

In the last week, Francis has appeared in public twice without the nasal cannula through which he has been receiving oxygen

Masses of faithful gathered Sunday under hazy skies in the sprawling plaza decorated with brightly-coloured tulips, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jesuit pope as it had not been confirmed he would be making an appearance

Francis was released from hospital on March 23, after five weeks of treatment for pneumonia, from which he nearly died.

In February, the world held its breath as the Vatican announced the Argentine Pope  who last part of his lung as a child - was struggling to breathe and needed oxygen.

Professor Sergio Alfieri, who was on the Gemelli hospital team treating the Pontiff, told Corriere Della Sera: 'The worst was the night of February 28. He whispered: "it's bad". Those who were next to him had tears in their eyes.

For the first time I saw tears in the eyes of some of the people around him. People who, I understood during this period of hospitalization, sincerely love him, like a father.

We were all aware that the situation had worsened further and there was a risk that he wouldnt make it.

His voice remains weak, despite improvements in his breathing.

In the last week, Francis has appeared in public twice without the nasal cannula through which he has been receiving oxygen.

He could delegate the reading of his Easter text - usually a reflection on conflicts and crises around the world - to someone else.

For the first time since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has missed the majority of Holy Week events, such as Friday's Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum and Saturday's Easter vigil at Saint Peter's Basilica, where he delegated his duties to cardinals.

Faithful react as Pope Francis travels on the Pope mobile

Pope Francis appears at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Sunday, March 23, 2025

People watch Pope Francis appearing from a window of Gemelli Hospital during his first public appearance in five weeks, on a big screen in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, March 23, 2025

The first picture of the Pope after his February 14 hospitalisation

Millions across the world prayed for the good health of Pope Francis during the health battle which saw him in 'critical condition'

He did, however, make a brief appearance inside the basilica Saturday, where he prayed and gave candies to some children among the visitors.

Some 300 cardinals, bishops and priests will be present at Sunday's Easter mass.

Organisers expect even bigger crowds than usual due to the Jubilee, a 'Holy Year' in the Catholic Church which comes around once every quarter of a century and attracts thousands of pilgrims to the Eternal City.

The weekend was also noteworthy for the presence of US Vice President JD Vance in Rome.

He held talks on Saturday with the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's secretary for relations with states.

That came just two months after a spat between Francis and the administration of US President Donald Trump over its anti-migrant policies.

Neither the Vatican nor the vice president's office have commented on any possible meeting between Francis and Vance, and it was unknown whether the vice president planned to attend Sunday mass.

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the college of cardinals, presided over Saturday night's solemn Easter vigil in place of Francis.

Francis performed one official engagement this Holy Week, visiting a jail in Rome, but he did not perform the traditional foot-washing ritual, which seeks to imitate Jesus Christ's washing of his disciples' feet.

Asked by a journalist after his visit what he felt about this Easter week in his current condition, the pope replied: 'I am living it as best I can.'

This year's Easter is unusual as it falls on the same weekend in both the Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity, which follow the Gregorian calendar, and the Orthodox branch, which uses the Julian calendar.
The father of the slain Texas teen has broken his silence after he was kicked out of his son's alleged killer's press conference.

Austin Metcalf's father Jeff Metcalf attended the event Thursday that was organized by supporters of his Karmelo Anthony - the 17-year-old accused of stabbing his son to death at a track meet on April 2.

The grieving dad, who had been standing with the press at the time, was soon escorted out of the venue after police were called to the Next Generation Action Network's headquarters in Dallas.

Now, days after the incident, Jeff said he felt 'disrespected' and felt that the entire situation could have been handled differently.

'They should have pulled me up [to the front] and said, "We are so sorry. Our condolences," The only thing I would have said was, "Okay, can we pray together and show the world were united",' he told the New York Post.

He went on to say that his attendance at the press conference was meant to be a way for him to 'represent Austin' in response to the swirling rumors of his late son since his tragic death.

Jeff said his phone was blowing up with texts during the event telling him to leave.

'I get a text. My phones blowing up. Its the f***ing DA. He said, "Jeff, leave! Leave! Leave!"

Austin Metcalf's father Jeff Metcalf said he felt 'disrespected' after being booted out of Karmelo Anthony's press conference Thursday

He went on to say that his attendance at the press conference (pictured) was meant to be a way for him to 'represent Austin' in response to the swirling rumors of his late son since his tragic death unfolded

'My ex wife texts me: "Leave, leave, leave!" Theyll call the cops if I dont get the f*** out of there,' he continued.

Minister Dominique Alexander delayed the event until Jeff, who refused to leave on his own when asked, was forced out of the room by security.

Alexander then slammed him for showing up uninvited, calling his behavior 'inappropriate,' and 'a disrespect to the dignity of his son.'

In response to Alexander's comments, Jeff said the minister 'tried to assassinate my character.'

'After I leave, that Dominique  just gaslights to sh** out of me. Says Im disrespecting, Im so disrespectful, Im disrespecting the dignity of my son by showing up  and Im just like whatever, dude.

'My characters been assassinated. Or theyve tried to assassinate my character,' he told the outlet.

At the end of the day, Jeff said he and Karmelo's parents are 'both victims.'

'This is my point: Were both victims. My sons dead. Their son will be in prison. But its [sic] the end of the day, [Karmelo] needs to be accountable for his actions,' Jeff added.

Karmelo walked free from jail (pictured) after a controversial decision by a judge to lower his bond for charges that he stabbed and killed Austin, who died in his twin brother's arms

Karmelo walked free from jail after a controversial decision by a judge to lower his bond for charges that he stabbed and killed Austin.

The horrific killing at a track meet in Frisco has divided the community and nation at large, with Karmelo's family claiming they have been left too afraid to leave their home over racist attacks.

Karmelo admitted to the stabbing, per police, but his lawyer has indicated he will claim that he acted in self-defense.

During the press conference, Karmelo's parents insisted they 'haven't received a dime' of the hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to their son's legal fund.

His mother Kala Hayes said the family had only just received notice that they can access the $500,000 of donations, but that it will still take a few days before any money is received.

'We have not received a single dime from the GiveSendGo fundraiser,' she said through sobs.

'We were just notified yesterday that we could begin to withdraw funds and it still takes several days to receive those funds once the request is made.'

She added that her family had been subjected to harassment and death threats.

'I don't know why we've been targeted and discriminated against,' Hayes said.

Local cops say a confrontation between Austin (pictured) and Karmelo broke out during a high school track meet when Austin called out Karmelo, who did not attend the same school as him, for sitting under his team's tent

Alexander, the president and CEO of the Next Generation Action Network, echoed Hayes' statement, and denied that the family used the money to 'splurge' on a new home and said that his organization had provided a security detail.

DailyMail.com recently revealed that Karmelo and his family are holed up in a $900,000 house in a gated community in Frisco which the family is renting for an estimated price tag of $3,500 a month, according to Zillow.

The detail emerged after Karmelo's father, Andrew Anthony, told a court that he could not use the donations for his son's original $1 million bond because it was to be used for his legal defense, as well as relocation and security costs.

A notice on the fundraiser also states that the money will be used for a, 'range of urgent and necessary needs that have emerged as a result of this situation, including  but not limited to  the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being, as well as basic living costs, transportation, counseling, and other security measures.'

Alexander also blasted 'misinformation' around the case and revealed that Frisco ISD is moving to expel Karmelo, who was set to graduate with a 3.7 GPA.

'The Anthony family has been subject to an unimaginable amount of hate, racism and threats to their safety,' he said.

But Karmelo's family aren't the only ones dealing with harassment, as Jeff was swatted by vicious pranksters the same day he was booted out of the conference.

Officers responded to a fabricated report of a shooting at an address that turned out to be Jeff's home.

Karmelo admitted to the stabbing, per police, but his lawyer has indicated he will claim that he acted in self-defense

Austin demanded Karmelo leave and the argument escalated when Karlmelo pulled out a knife and stabbed the junior from Memorial High School in the chest, leaving him to bleed out in his twin brother Hunter's arms. (Pictured: Austin and Hunter)

He told WFAA that no one was at home when police arrived. He got to the scene five minutes later.

Swatting involves people calling in fake threats to the authorities just to scare their victim by having police bust down their doors. There have been two reported cases of people dying as a result of swatting incidents.

Police also said individuals swatted the home of Meghan Metcalf, Austin's mother, on the night of April 8.

Local cops say a confrontation between Austin and Karmelo broke out during a high school track meet when Austin called out Karmelo, who did not attend the same school as him, for sitting under his team's tent.

Austin demanded Karmelo leave and the argument escalated when Karlmelo pulled out a knife and stabbed the junior from Memorial High School in the chest, leaving him to bleed out in his twin brother Hunter's arms.

Since the senseless stabbing, false rumors have spread online that Austin bullied Karmelo, but a spokesperson for Karmelo later confirmed that the two boys had never met before the stabbing.

As part of the terms of his release, Karmelo is under house arrest and must wear an ankle monitor.
Daniel Andrews' draconian Covid lockdowns were not guided by medical advice, new documents have revealed.

The letters outlining the former premier's decision-making process were released following a four-and-a-half year legal battle which concluded this week.

Victorians were forced to stay in their homes with a curfew from 8pm to 5am for two months in 2020 as part of the state's extensive lockdown measures.

At the time Mr Andrews would not disclose who conceived the idea for the lockdowns but had conceded that 'these are decisions ultimately made by me'.

A Freedom of Information battle waged by Opposition upper house leader David Davis since September 2020 revealed the lockdowns were not proposed by health experts but instead had been 'a decision taken by Cabinet', according to documents obtained by The Herald Sun.

Former chief health officer Brett Sutton and then-public health commander Finn Romanes discussed in an email exchange at the time that medical experts ultimately supported the mandates even though they had not proposed them.

Victoria's current premier, Jacinta Allan, was part of a seven-member crisis cabinet that signed off on the lockdown and she is its only member still serving in parliament.

Mr Davis said Mr Andrews had acted as a 'Lone Ranger' during the lockdown despite what the public had been told during the pandemic.

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews did not rely on medical advice before he implemented a six-week statewide lockdown in August 2020

New documents unsealed by a Freedom of Information lawsuit brought about by Opposition upper house leader David Davis revealed the government acted alone at the time

The Opposition upper house leader hoped the release of this information would lead to an explanation from the government.

'It is not just (for) the former Premier Daniel Andrews to explain but also Jacinta Allan, as his hand chosen successor,' he said.

'She can't hide under a rock given the damage that was done to Victorians by decisions she was intimately involved in.'

Mr Andrews declared a state of disaster after Covid cases began rising in Victoria on August 2, 2020.

This order gave then-Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville broad powers to make sure people were complying with the six-week curfew.

'These are tough choices but they are the decisions I've taken because they're the decisions that will keep us safe,' Mr Andrews said at the time.

Later that day Dr Romanes, who was a public health commander, sent a letter to Professor Sutton asking if he would like the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a public health direction in line with the new lockdowns.

'I note that I have been advised by (Department of Justice and Community Safety secretary) Kate Houghton and others that the action of a curfew is a clear action within the State of Disaster and there is a clear desire within government to mirror that within the State of Emergency, however note that the idea of a curfew has not arisen from public health advice in the first instance,' he wrote.

Mr Davis said he hoped the new revelations would put pressure on the current premier, Jacinta Allan, to provide answers for why the government did what it did

Ms Allan was part of a seven-member crisis cabinet that signed off on the lockdown and she is its only member still serving in parliament

Dr Romanes clarified in the letter that his department's action in issuing a curfew 'is not occurring on public health advice but is a decision taken by cabinet'.

Professor Sutton sent back a confirmation 30 minutes later telling Dr Romanes that his assessment was 'correct as I understand it'.

In September 2020, Professor Sutton said it had not been his idea to implement a curfew and Mr Andrews said he was unable to say 'exactly which person at what moment' had come up with the plan.

In March a government spokeswoman recently defended Mr Andrews' actions as 'necessary to protect all Victorians and save lives'.
Author and activist JK Rowling has hit out at British journalist Laurie Penny in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of women, accusing them of 'peak narcissism and lacking self awareness'.

Penny wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that they 'will never accept that biology is destiny' and that 'as a Gryffindor, I've always tried to stand up for what I believe is right'.

It comes after the Supreme Court ruled that in the 2010 Equality Act, the definition of the term 'women' relates only to biological women.

Despite judge Lord Hodge explicitly warning against taking the ruling as a 'triumph' for either side, gender critics were quick to jump on it as a 'victory' - with JK Rowling herself posting pictures of herself celebrating on board her $150 million superyacht with champagne and cigars.

JK Rowling has been among several prominent 'women's rights' campaigners to have commented at length on the verdict on social media, getting into online spats with activists advocating for trans people's rights.

Reposting an article written by Janice Turner in the Times, Penny wrote on X: 'Turner doesn't speak for all women, and certainly not for all feminists.

'TERFs seem to think this ruling legislates trans people out of existence. It does not. Trans people will continue to exist. They will continue to deserve dignity and human rights. How is this 'over'?'

JK Rowling then retweeted their post and wrote a lengthy response in which she openly mocked Penny's non-binary status and compared them to a 'creep'.

JK Rowling posted pictures of herself celebrating on social media following the landmark Supreme Court ruling

Author and anti-trans activist JK Rowling has hit out at British journalist Laurie Penny in the wake of the Supreme Court 's ruling on the definition of women, accusing them of 'peak narcissism and lacking self awareness'

Thousands of trans activists gathered in Parliament Square on Saturday in an emergency protest against the court's ruling

'Janice isn't claiming to speak for all women, but given that you aren't one ('the category of 'woman' does not fully describe my lived experience') it's hard to see why you should be speaking for any women at all,' she wrote.

The author continued: 'Literally nobody thinks the Supreme Court ruling 'legislates trans people out of existence.'

'Trans people have exactly the same rights and protections they had before the ruling, and unless they've mass combusted while I wasn't paying attention, I'm fairly sure they continue to exist.

'If some trans-identified people in the UK are currently experiencing rage and disappointment because the Supreme Court clarified that they don't have rights they believed they had, the responsibility lies firmly with activist groups and sections of the media who've persistently argued, falsely, that gender transition turned a person into the opposite sex for all practical purposes in the eyes of the law.

'You can personally take some responsibility for that state of affairs, of course, because you've spent the last few years enthusiastically championing the removal of single-sex spaces for women and girls.

'Indeed, you went so far as to tell the mother of a fifteen-year-old who asked how her daughter was supposed to feel on discovering a penised stranger in the girls' changing rooms, 'I'd tell her it's rude to stare at other people's genitals.'

'That anti-woman, anti-safeguarding quip puts you right up there with every male creep who's spent recent years insisting women and girls have no right to privacy, dignity or safety.

'You'll undoubtedly continue to offer your contributions to the debate, but don't be too surprised if a lot of old-school women (the boring kind who've been deprived of the fascinating experiences that make you non-binary and genderqueer) find it supremely easy to disregard anything you've got to say on the subject.'

Yesterday thousands of people gathered in Parliament Square and in Edinburgh for 'emergency protests' advocating for trans rights

It comes after the UK Supreme Court was asked to rule against in a case the Scottish government brought by feminist group For Women Scotland over legislation relating to gender parity targets on company boards (Pictured: Protesters in London)

Penny replied to Rowling, writing: 'I've never claimed to speak for all women. However, as a feminist, I will never accept that biology is destiny.

'And as a Gryffindor, I've always tried to stand up for what I believe is right. Even in the face of powerful opposition.'

Rowling retorted: 'You think a person's reached peak narcissism and lack of self awareness, then they self identify into a category of people who do what's right rather than easy, to the person who invented the category.

''Stand up for what's right' doesn't mean 'right for my personal brand'.'

It comes after the UK Supreme Court was asked to rule against in a case the Scottish government brought by feminist group For Women Scotland over legislation relating to gender parity targets on company boards.

In its ruling, the court said the term 'women' when used in the 2010 Equality Act meant biological women, and not transgender women - even if they have undergone sex reassignment surgery.

The need to protect single-sex spaces including gym changing rooms and rape crisis centres is one of the issues long-used by women's rights activists to argue that biological sex matters more than a person's gender identity.

This week's ruling means trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) could potentially be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'.

This week JK Rowling shared a photo of what appeared to be two glasses of prosecco under a sunny canopy, as she toasted the decision with her husband Neil Murray

For Women Scotland directors Susan Smith (left) and Marion Calder (right) celebrate the landmark ruling on Wednesday

EHRC chair Baroness Kishwer Falkner claimed trans women will now be barred from female bathrooms and sport, while lawyers have suggested they could be asked to use disabled bathrooms at work.

It provoked a furious reaction from trans influencers, with Married at First Sight star Ella Morgan declaring, 'I still see myself as a woman, whether I am on paper or not'.

'I hate to say this, but for the first time since I have had that title and role I actually do feel nervous and scared not only for myself but for the community because it's the unknown,' she told Good Morning Britain.

Ant Lexa, who plays Abbi Montgomery in Netflix series Sex Education, described feeling 'heartbroken', while former Labour MSP candidate Heather Herbert claimed trans people are now 'under attack'.

Yesterday thousands of people gathered in Parliament Square and in Edinburgh for 'emergency protests' advocating for trans rights.

During the London event, two statues were daubed with graffiti - 'f** rights' and a heart were painted on the banner held by suffragette Millicent Fawcett, and 'trans rights are human rights' was sprayed on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader and statesman Jan Christian Smuts.
A tornado has ripped through southern Oklahoma wrecking buildings and injuring several people.

Severe thunderstorms began battering the city of Ada on Saturday, with the high winds spawning the tornado overnight.

It was the second time the area has been devastated by a tornado in just a matter of weeks.

This time, emergency operators in Pontotoc County were left without electricity after gales of up to 70mph downed power lines.

More than 1,200 people remain without electricity as of Sunday morning, according to OGE.

A local mall was gutted by the winds, which carried debris eight miles through the air.

Dramatic photos show how the windows of the North Hills Shopping Center were blown in by the gales.

Elsewhere around 30 guests were forced to flee the Quality Inn after the hotel had to be evacuated in the dead of night.

A tornado ripped through Ada, Oklahoma for the second time in a matter of weeks

The tornado brought winds up of to 70mph which caused damage to buildings including the Quality Inn (pictured) which had to be evacuated

More than 1,200 people remain without electricity as of Sunday morning, according to OGE.

One person was injured, although no information was available on their condition, News9 reports. So far no fatalities have been reported.

The gusts were accompanied by heavy downpours which saw four inches of rain fall in a matter of hours in some areas.

A woman and a 12-year-old child were killed in Moore, 75 miles northwest of Ada, after their vehicle got swept away by floodwaters.

Police said that they managed to rescue the occupants of another car.

'One of them left the roadway and was swept under the bridge,' officers said in a statement.

'At the time of the incident all but two occupants were rescued.

'This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city.'

Locals in flood-prone areas were urged to retreat to higher ground and avoid driving through flooded roadways.

Flash flooding occurred across the region and elsewhere in the state including in Moore where a woman and a 12-year-old child died after their vehicle became stranded in floodwater

Flood warnings remain in place on Sunday which extend all the way up into north Oklahoma, northern Texas and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi

Flood warnings remain in place on Sunday which extend all the way up into north Oklahoma, northern Texas and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi.

'Additional heavy rainfall is expected to affect the area of concern into the afternoon bringing a threat of flash, urban and small stream flooding,' the National Weather Service said.

The sodden conditions have already resulted in a least two car accidents after vehicles hydroplaned on the slick roads, The Ada News reports.

Parts of the city were still recovering from the previous tornado which blitzed through Ada on March 4.

Homes and businesses were levelled after gusts of up to 90mph barreled through the area, knocking down trees and power lines.
A fleet of 75 firefighters were sent to tackle an inferno engulfing multiple factories in Birmingham this morning.

West Midlands Fire Service initially sent eight fire engines to the scene on Warwick Road, Sparkhill, at 7.15am, but quickly increased the level of support upon realising the scale of the blaze.

Shortly after 10am, the service confirmed they had sent 75 firefighters, 15 fire engines, three hydraulic platforms and a high volume pump in an attempt to control the fire.

It is believed that the premises involved is Midland Linen Services and several other businesses within the same building - which can be seen fully alight in footage from the scene.

There have been no confirmed casualties as a result of the blaze, which is currently listed as 'ongoing' on the fire service's website.

The service also confirmed that around 400 nearby houses are now suffering from power cuts due to the knock-on effect of the fire on a nearby substation.

They said: 'A substation affected by the fire at Warwick Road, Sparkhill, has been isolated remotely by National Grid, impacting approx 380 homes.

'National Grid expect all power to be restored to all homes by 6.30pm.'

A fleet of 75 firefighters were sent to tackle an inferno engulfing multiple factories in Birmingham this morning

West Midlands Fire Service initially sent eight fire engines to the scene on Warwick Road, Sparkhill, at 7.15am, but quickly increased the level of support upon realising the scale of the blaze

Shortly after 10am, the service confirmed they had sent 75 firefighters, 15 fire engines, three hydraulic platforms and a high volume pump in an attempt to control the fire

Severn Trent Water were also called to increase water flow in the area as initial attempts to extinguish the fire were being hampered by low water pressure.

Meanwhile Birmingham Police confirmed that they had been called in to assist at around 11am, and they are believed to still be there.

A statement from West Midlands Ambulance Service urged locals to keep their windows and doors closed over fears of damage caused by smoke inhalation.

It read: 'Our fire colleagues are currently dealing with a large fire in Birmingham. There are no casualties. Please avoid the area.

'Locals are advised to close windows and doors to avoid smoke inhalation. More updates will be available via West Midlands Fire Service.'

It is believed that the premises involved is Midland Linen Services and several other businesses within the same building - which can be seen fully alight in footage from the scene

There have been no confirmed casualties as a result of the blaze, which is currently listed as 'ongoing' on the fire service's website

The service also confirmed that around 400 nearby houses are now suffering from power cuts due to the knock-on effect of the fire on a nearby substation

A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service said: 'Shortly after 7am this morning (Sunday 20 April), crews responded to an incident on Warwick Road in Sparkhill.

'40 percent of a single storey multi use industrial unit has been reported to be affected by fire.

'At its height, there were 15 fire engines and a total of 75 personnel in attendance.

'Firefighters are using three hydraulic platforms and main jets to extinguish the blaze and are working closely with Cadent, Severn Trent and West Midlands Ambulance Service.

'There are no casualties and no persons reported.'
A number of trans activists were seen holding violent and threatening signs at yesterday's protest against the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman, as demonstrators defaced seven statues in Parliament Square.

The landmark hearing on Wednesday ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, meaning transgender women are no longer considered women in the eyes of the law.

This week's ruling means trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) could potentially be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'.

While most held up signs fighting for trans rights, some activists were seen threatening violence with disturbing images of stabbed and hanged TERFs.

One sign at the protest in London's Parliament Square showed an illustration of hangman alongside the slogan 'The only good TERF is a [hanged] TERF.'

Meanwhile, another sign showed an image of a man with a bloodied knife stuck in his eye, alongside the caption: 'Are you a... transphobe? Why not try a... D.I.Y. LOBOTOMY.'

A third graphic sign read: 'Trans women are women. Trans men are men. If you don't like that, go s*** somewhere else.' Examples on the sign of where to do that included 'on a pile of Harry Potter books' or 'on the head of another TERF'.

One sign at the protest in London's Parliament Square showed an illustration of hangman alongside the slogan 'The only good TERF is a [hanged] TERF'

Another sign showed an image of a man with a bloodied knife stuck in his eye, alongside the caption: 'Are you a... transphobe? Why not try a... D.I.Y. LOBOTOMY'

A third graphic sign read: 'Trans women are women. Trans men are men. If you don't like that, go s*** somewhere else.' Examples of where to do that on the sign included 'on a pile of Harry Potter books' or 'on the head of another TERF'

Another sign at yesterday's protest read: 'I will make you listen'

The ruling has caused much controversy among various groups, with transgender activists left furious.

Thousands of outraged campaigners took to the streets of London yesterday to protest - waving flags and chanting throughout the afternoon.

Protestors targeted a number of statues in the capital. Notably, a statue of the suffragette Millicent Fawcett was defaced with a banner reading 'F** rights'.

The Metropolitan Police said they were investigating the incidents as criminal damage after the statues were daubed with graffiti. MailOnline has contacted the force for an update.

Activists demanded 'trans liberation' and 'trans rights now', with some waving flags and holding banners.

The Metropolitan Police today launched an appeal for information after seven statues were defaced during the day's protest.

The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced.

'F** rights' and a heart were chalked onto the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, and 'trans rights are human rights' were spray-painted on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.

The Metropolitan Police are hunting for the trans-rights activists who have defaced a number of statues in Westminister

Statues were defaced with phrases such as 'trans rights' and 'trans joy' during the protest

The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced

More graffiti on the statue of Lord Palmerston from trans activists during yesterday's protest

The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.

Millicent Fawcett was a pioneer for women's rights and led the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) and advocated for women's rights through peaceful, non-violent methods, including lobbying and public speaking.

Officers are currently searching through CCTV footage from the surrounding area to find the culprits and are appealing to anyone who may have been in attendance with information, footage or pictures to come forward by calling 101 quoting 01/7396927/25.

Chief Superintendent, Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, said: 'Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.

'While the police support the public's right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable. We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.

'Working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) plans are underway to remove the graffiti but this requires specialist equipment and we are confident this will be done shortly.

'We are keen to speak to those who saw anything on the day and urge anyone with information, pictures or footage to come forward.'

Officers said they are reviewing the footage from the protest and vowed to take action if there are signs displayed which are found to be in breach of the law.
The Metropolitan Police are hunting for the trans-rights activists who have defaced a number of statues in Westminister.

Seven statues, including the Millicent Fawcett statue, were defaced with graffiti during a protest against the Supreme Court ruling on Saturday in which they demanded 'trans liberation' and 'trans rights now'.

The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced.

'F** rights' and a heart were chalked onto the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, and 'trans rights are human rights' were spray-painted on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.

The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.

Millicent Fawcett was a pioneer for women's rights and led the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) and advocated for women's rights through peaceful, non-violent methods, including lobbying and public speaking.

Officers are currently searching through CCTV footage from the surrounding area to find the culprits and are appealing to anyone who may have been in attendance with information, footage or pictures to come forward by calling 101 quoting 01/7396927/25.

The Metropolitan Police are hunting for the trans-rights activists who have defaced a number of statues in Westminister

Seven statues, including the Millicent Fawcett statue, were defaced with graffiti during a protest against the Supreme Court ruling on Saturday (Graffiti says 'F** rights')

A protester holds a trans pride flag during the demonstration in Parliament Square

A protester holds an anti-TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) placard during the demonstration in Parliament Square

Officers are currently searching through CCTV footage from the surrounding area to find the culprits

Statues were defaced with phrases such as 'trans rights' and 'trans joy' during the protest

The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced

Supporters of trans rights sit on the statue of Viscount Palmerston with a trans flag during the protest in Parliament Square

More graffiti on the statue of Lord Palmerston from trans activists during yesterday's protest

The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi (Pictured: transgender flags around the statue of Nelson Mandela)

The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced

Statues defaced by trans activists Jan Christian Smuts Nelson Mandela Sir Robert Peel Benjamin Disraeli Millicent Fawcett Earl of Derby Viscount Palmerston Advertisement

Chief Superintendent, Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, said: 'Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.

'While the police support the public's right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable. We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.

'Working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) plans are underway to remove the graffiti but this requires specialist equipment and we are confident this will be done shortly.

'We are keen to speak to those who saw anything on the day and urge anyone with information, pictures or footage to come forward. Please call 101, quoting 01/7396927/25.'

Police have also received complaints from the public about signs and images posted to social media which were displayed at yesterday's protest.

They are investigating the pictures sent in but have so far found them to be from different past events or do not constitute a criminal offence.

Officers said they are reviewing the footage from the protest and vowed to take action if there are signs displayed which are found to be in breach of the law.

On April 16, the judges at Supreme Court ruled that when the term 'woman' is used in the Equality Act it means a biological woman, and sex means biological sex.

It also makes it clear that if a space or service is designated as women-only, a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use that space or service.
An entire town just outside of Yellowstone National Park has gone up for sale for just $2.6 million in a rare opportunity less than an hour from the park's entrance.

The town of Pray in the heart of Paradise Valley not only comes with convenient access to the national park, but also with plenty of history and charm, including a store dating back 100 years.

Pray, founded in 1907, has its own zip code and post office and already generated a rental income of over $300,000 in 2023.

Its income was also only set to increase in 2024, the property's listing agent Mike Rutkowski with eXp realty told Cowboy State Daily.

The income comes from five housing units, including three Amish cabins, situated within the town.

Rutkowski told the outlet: 'They were built by Mill Canyon Log Homes in Idaho. And theyre awesome. Everyone whos seen them is like, "These are amazing." They are, I think, like 10-inch logs, Swedish cope, so they are just like beautiful.'

'Theres a big 5-acre field out back, which has a design for eight to nine cabins, currently,' he continued.

Rutkowski hopes that the town could continue to grow, and said its new owners could begin building million dollar homes on the expanse of land.

The town of Pray in the heart of Paradise Valley comes not only with convenient access to the national park, but also with plenty of history and charm, including a store dating back 100 years

Pray, founded in 1907, has its own zip code and post office and generates a rental income of over $300,000 per year

'They used to weigh their babies on the meat scale in the General store in the early 1900s,' listing agent Mike Rutkowski said. 'So, its very historic. And it was the original post office, which is still in there'

'Its all up to them,' he added.

The town's most unique selling point is its functioning historic post office, a rarity that has helped keep Pray standing.

Unlike many other frontier towns, Pray's running post office has maintained its own post code - 59865- thanks to the government service.

You can still find locals wandering to collect their post from the long-standing building, and it remains a reminder of the town's history.

'They used to weigh their babies on the meat scale in the General store in the early 1900s,' Rutkowski said. 'So, its very historic. And it was the original post office, which is still in there.'

While in its founding it was surpassed by connecting railroads and migration, Rutkowski said the town still sees plenty of traffic as travelers make their way to Yellowstone 45 minutes away.

But Yellowstone is not all the small town has to offer in terms of proximity, as it lies not far from many attractions.

'Theres Pine Creek Lodge, theres Chico (Hot Springs), which everybody knows Chico, and theres Yellowstone Hot Springs down further,' Rutkowski told the outlet.

Pray, just outside of Yellowstone National Park, has gone up for sale for just $2.6 million in a rare opportunity less than an hour from the park's entrance

'[The old houses] are slowly getting replaced by these huge mansions everywhere, but this would be ideal to conserve this little epicenter of Old West,' Rutkowski said

The town isn't listed on the National Register of Historic Places either, so the owner could essentially build however they choose to. 'Its really up to whatever they want to do,' he added. 'Theres no zoning out there either'

'Theres Sage Lodge, which is like a five-star luxury resort that just got built a few years ago. I think Pray is more for the locals than tourists, but tourists would come here, for sure.'

It also lies not far from Yellowstone Film Ranch, where many a western movie has been filmed in front of the Montana scenery, including Murder at Yellowstone City, The Old Way, and The Gunslinger.

Inquiries thus far have brought up plans to make Pray a tourist town.

'Its a lot of work, but I mean, its epic,' Rutkowski said. 'The traffic I want to say is 400,000 people a year on Highway 89. So, if we can siphon off some of that traffic, we would be very busy.'

The town isn't listed on the National Register of Historic Places either, so the owner could essentially build however they choose to.

'Its really up to whatever they want to do,' he added. 'Theres no zoning out there either.'

But Rutkowski said that any conversations regarding the town's sale so far, have been eager to maintain its historic sites.

Buildings such as the town's historic post office are in need of repairs, including a new roof.

Yellowstone is not all the small town has to offer in terms of proximity, as it lies not far from many attractions. 'Theres Pine Creek Lodge, theres Chico (Hot Springs), which everybody knows Chico, and theres Yellowstone Hot Springs down further,' Rutkowski said

While in its founding it was surpassed by connecting railroads and migration, Rutkowski said the town still sees plenty of traffic as travelers make their way to Yellowstone

'Most of the people Ive been talking to about the property are not looking to tear this down, though,' he said.

'Most of them want to know about, like, "Whats it going to cost to fix this? How can we fix it?" The conversations never go like, "Oh, lets just tear it down and start fresh,"' he added.

The surrounding area has houses from the 'old Montana' before things 'blew up,' he said.

'There is one across the street next door,' Rutkowski said. 'And theres, across the street, some old houses that are log, original, and then theres the Pray Bar next door. So, these are all perfect for preserving.'

Rutkowski is hopeful with big plans for the small town, and expects its new ownership will help bring the small town into the light.

'[The old houses] are slowly getting replaced by these huge mansions everywhere, but this would be ideal to conserve this little epicenter of Old West,' he said.
A Florida man who proclaimed he was "Jesus and God" during a domestic incident with his parents was shot and killed in a shootout with police.

Wayne Volz, 34, was shot and killed by police on Friday at about 5:25 p.m. in the parking lot of the Atkins Building on North Broadway in Bartow. Police noted that Volz's criminal history included arrests for battery domestic violence, larceny, burglary, violation of probation and failure to appear.

In a press conference following the shooting, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd also noted that Volz was a long-time drug addict. Judd said the incident began around 11:30 a.m. when Volz "pistol whipped" his mother at their home. When Volz's father attempted to intervene, he was knocked down and asked, "Do you want to die today?" He also demanded that his father beg for his life.

According to Judd, Volz proceeded to hold his parents against their will all day and proclaimed himself to be "Jesus and God," to which his father responded that they were people of faith and that he was not God.

Eventually, Volz's father said he needed to go to work at Lowe's in Bartow, Florida, and Volz went with him. Along the way, Volz stopped and bought some drugs from an unidentified man. He also told his father, according to Judd, that he had to go to Bartow to "kill a bunch of people."

Judd said that when they arrived at Lowe's, Volz's father went inside and told coworkers what had happened. The coworkers hid the man and called police.

Eventually, police were able to track Volz down, Judd said, and when police confronted he opened fire, hitting one deputy's car "seven, eight times." The deputy was also hit in the forearm of his gun hand.

Other officers on the scene then engaged Volz, shooting him. "We shot him enough, we shot him a lot," Judd said. "We stopped the threat."

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
A non-verbal autistic boy from Texas who went missing for hours in New York City was found after he trekked four miles all by himself to get a glimpse of the Empire State Building.

Seven-year-old Ruwaid Karim walked out of Dera Restaurant in Jackson Heights, Queens around 11.45am Friday while he was having breakfast with his mother Farjana Akond.

'I went to the bathroom to wash my hands, and just in two minutes, I see he disappeared,' Akond told Daily News. 'Hes never been out on the street, so I was very worried.'

She quickly reported him missing as the NYPD posted several images of him to social media, including him in the restaurant just before he walked out.

Police were later notified after a Good Samaritan noticed the little boy walking along E. 61st Street in Manhattan - 4.2 miles from where he started.

Just as he was walking out into traffic, the woman darted after him and brought him to safety before calling 911.

'On 58th, he went across the crosswalk when it was still red, and there were cars coming,' she said at a press conference.

She said Karim, who has an obsession with NYC landmarks, then ran into 57th Street and got honked at by several cars coming in different directions before she grabbed him.

'There were two different cars going each way that stopped and they were honking their horns, and he just kept going, and I was trying to get him but I didnt want to get hit either, so he was a little more of a hero than I was running into the middle of the street,' she explained.

Seven-year-old Ruwaid Karim (middle) walked out of Dera Restaurant in Jackson Heights, Queens around 11.45am Friday and trekked nearly 4 miles so he could see the Empire State Building. The mother and son are pictured here with the woman who ran into traffic to save him, along with officers who assisted

His mother quickly reported him missing as the NYPD posted several images of him to social media, including him in the restaurant just before he walked out (pictured)

Once officers arrived at the scene, they quickly identified him as the missing boy and reunited him with his mother and sister.

They then determined that he managed to take the bustling subway train to Manhattan to get to his final destination, Akond said.

'[The police said] theres no other options. To get there, he had to take the train,' she said.

'Even on the cameras, they notice that he went down the subway,' she said, adding that she experienced a 'horrible three hours' while he was away.

'The only thing that was coming to my mind was what could happen while crossing the streets? Hes never been in the bus or train by himself. I was thinking all the bad stuff. It was tough.'

Akond said they have visited the busy city in the past but never got a chance to see the iconic skyscraper in person.

'We are just here for to visit the New York landmarks. Hes very interested in landmarks,' she said.

'[He wants to see] the Empire State Building and 1 World Trade Center. He wants to visit the [site of the] Avengers Tower.'

Once officers arrived at the scene, they quickly identified him as the missing boy and reunited him with his mother and sister (pictured)

His mother said he's already ready for his next trip, and tends to plan ahead of time to know exactly how to get there

After the frightening encounter, Akond expressed how grateful she was that her lost son was returned to her.

'He was very, very close [to getting there]. I never thought he could do that,' she told the outlet.

Karim was just 1.8 miles, or a 41 minutes walk away, from the Empire State Building.

Akond said he was OK after the scare and acted 'like there's nothing to worry about.'

On Saturday morning Karim was seen smiling alongside his mother, the woman who saved him and two NYPD officers as he held a figurine of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower in his hands, along with an NYPD patch.

His mother said he's already ready for his next trip, and tends to plan ahead of time to know exactly how to get there.

'He has a very good photographic memory of the maps,' she said. 'So whenever he is with a device, he loves to browse the maps. He wants to see how to get there.'

It is unclear of Karim finally got to see the Empire State Building.
The reason Dr. Oz's granddaughter collapsed in the Oval Office during her grandfather's swearing in speech is 'nothing serious,' her mom has revealed.

Philomena Jovanovic, 11, sparked panic when she fainted in front of the president on Friday.

It came just moments after grandfather Dr. Mehmet Oz sworn in as administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Services by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

The youngster quickly got to her feet and was embraced by her mom Daphne Oz, who has since taken to Instagram to share an update.

'We are so grateful it was nothing serious, and she bounced right back - with a trip for some delicious Navy Mess soft serve for good measure,' ' Daphne wrote.

She also added that the president, 'went out of his way to make both our children feel comfortable in a stressful situation'.

'He was exceedingly warm, caring and generous as he spent personal time with each of them at the Resolute Desk and gifted them treasures to take home.=,' Daphne added.

'A more than memorable day at the White House for all of us.'

The reason Dr. Oz's granddaughter collapsed in the Oval Office during her grandfather's swearing in speech is 'nothing serious', her mom revealed

President Donald Trump 's Oval Office erupted into chaos after Philomena collapsed on Friday

It came just moments after grandfather Dr. Mehmet Oz sworn in as administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Services by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.

Philomena is the eldest of Daphne's four children with husband John Jovanovic.

The family were in attendance to watch Dr. Oz, a longtime television personality who pivoted to politics, receive his place in the administration.

After the brief ceremony was over, Trump held a back and forth with reporters in the room.

That was hastily cut short, when the young girl collapsed - with Oz, a medical doctor, rushing to assist her.

White House aides started yelling at the press to depart the scene.

'Thank you press, get out right now,' one aide is heard yelling.

'No photos!' someone said.

Her fainting spell brought another rollicking mini press conference in the Oval to a dramatic conclusion.

Daphne Oz, far right, revealed that her daughter bounced right back and enjoyed her day at the White House

She praised the president for being, 'exceedingly warm, caring and generous' to her children in the aftermath

The president had been peppered with questions about Russia-Ukraine talks, Iran's nuclear program and he gleefully answered a conservative reporter's question about Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen's meeting in El Salvador with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration.

'Photos have emeged of Sen. Van Hollen sipping what appears to be margaritas with Abrego Garcia down in El Salvador. Do you encourage other Democrats to fly down to El Salvador to meet with this illegal alien who's an accused wife-beater?' the reporter asked.

Trump said he appreciated the question.

'I like this guy, see now this is the kind of a reporter we like, there aren't enough of them,' Trump said.

'No, look, he's a fake,' Trump said of Van Hollen, who represents Maryland where Abrego Garcia had been living. 'I know him. I know them all. They're fake. They have no interest in that prisoner.'

Trump said that Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13 and detailed allegations of abuse his wife file against him, which DailyMail.com exclusively reported.

The president then falsely claimed that there were 'no stories' about 'Angel Mom' Patty Morin, who spoke at a White House briefing earlier this week.

Her daughter Rachel Morin was raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant, with the White House holding that up as evidence of Biden's failed immigration policy.

Daphne revealed that she and her kids went to get ice cream from the Navy mess after the incident

While CNN and MSNBC didn't take the briefing live, Morin's appearance got mainstream coverage.

When a reporter switched the topic to Iran, Trump scoffed, 'No impact, see that, no impact whatsoever.'

On Russia and Ukraine, Trump said he needed to see that both sides were serious about making peace.

'My whole life has been one big negotiation and I know when people are playing us and when they are not and I have to see an enthusiasm to want to end it,' Trump responded.

'And I think I see that enthusiasm. I think I see it from both side. But you're going to know soon.

The president bristled when asked if Russia was playing him.

'No, nobody's playing me, I'm trying to help. This is Biden's war,' he answered.

Trump was talking Iran when Philomena fainted.

President Donald Trump (center) stopped his Q&A with reporters after a family member of Dr. Mehmet Oz (second from right) fainted at Oz's swearing-in ceremony Friday

Several reporters and aides can be seen watching shortly after Philomena passed out

'But with the with Iran, with Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon, and if they have a nuclear weapon, you'll all be very unhappy,' the president said.

'You all be very unhappy since your lifetime, because your life will be in great danger.'
Michael Barrymore was today spotted in Hyde Park for a cannabis protest as people lit up in front of police on Easter Sunday.

The former Strike It Lucky host, 72, wearing a 165 Heresy knitted jumper, looked on and smiled as hundreds of pot smokers gathered for the annual 420 pro drugs rally.

Hordes of cannabis lovers could be seen across the park to mark the yearly event as police confirmed it had arrested four people and seized five sound systems.

The event is held every year on April 20 and is part of an international movement that calls for the illegal drug to be decriminalised.

Barrymore posted a clip on his TikTok channel of him at the event 'despite it not really being my thing, especially as it's Easter Sunday'.

The former TV star, who attended the rally for the first time, said he 'just popped up for a quick look at what was going on'.

'There wasn't much, and it was really quiet,' he said.

The video then cut to a cannabis plant which Barrymore said 'the police weren't too bothered about'.

Michael Barrymore was today spotted in Hyde Park for a cannabis protest as people lit up in front of police on Easter Sunday

Hordes of cannabis lovers could be seen across the park to mark the yearly event which calls for the Class B drug to be decriminalised

A person is searched by police outside Hyde Park as people gathered to smoke cannabis

He said it had almost turned into an 'improvised meet and greet for me' as there were 'so many people who recognised me, and everyone was lovely'.

But he appeared to be disappointed by the rally and felt 'there needed to be a bit more going on'.

Giving some advice on how he would improve the rally, as the video cut to him laughing as he took a swipe at a boxing arcade machine, he said: 'Can you imagine how well a pop-up burger or some cookie stores would do?

'And it needed some music too. So, put a stage in and I'll be back next year.'

Barrymore previously revealed he takes medical cannabis having suffered from anxiety, depression, and PTSD in the past.

He said it also helps with his alcoholism.

Barrymore in 2014 opened up to Jeremy Kyle about his drug use in a no holds barred interview saying weed was his favourite 'because it makes you laugh and I liked laughing'.

Met Police told MailOnline that four people had been arrested.

A spokesperson for the force said: 'Officers have maintained a policing presence at the 420 Day rally, known as the cannabis day event in Hyde Park on Sunday, 20 April.

People wearing onesies, with one of them wearing a bucket hat adorned with cannabis leaves, unpack their bag

Cannabis lovers sit on the grass with some seen rolling and lighting up joints in front of police officers

'Using cannabis and other recreational drugs is illegal. Officers intervened and used enforcement options where proportionate and necessary.

'Four people were arrested for offences including possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a bladed weapon, possession of Class A and Class B drugs, failure to appear in court and assault against a police officer. Officers also issued 45 community resolutions, seized five sound systems, issued 27 dispersal notices and six penalty notices.

'Officers will remain in the area and a section 35 dispersal order in place until midnight.'

Royal Parks warned earlier this week those turning up to smoke cannabis are liable to be arrested.

A Met spokesperson said earlier this week: 'The Met is aware of the 420 Day rally, also known as the cannabis day event, in Hyde Park on Sunday, 20 April and have a policing plan for the day.

'Using cannabis and other recreational drugs is illegal. Officers will intervene and use enforcement options where proportionate and necessary.

'Our main priority is to ensure park users are safe and achieving that requires officers to make pragmatic decisions, potentially prioritising those offences that pose the most immediate risk.

'Officers will enforce legislation under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 through community resolution orders, penalty notice for disorder, postal charge requisitions and arrest, particularly if there is associated anti-social behaviour, disorder or crime.

'There will be a strong and visible police presence across Hyde Park. We encourage park users to speak to officers if they have concerns. Always call 999 in an emergency.'

A statement issued by the Royal Parks said: 'Please be aware that a '420 Day' rally, which is part of an international movement to protest against the illegality of cannabis, is expected to take place in Hyde Park on Sunday 20 April without our permission.

'Unfortunately, we anticipate that thousands of people will turn up and Hyde Park may be busier than usual.

'This is not a festival, and amplified music, gazebos or stages will not be permitted.

A woman appears to smoke on a giant doobie as people crowd around her to cheer and hold up their mobile phones to take photos and videos

Four police officers could be seen clustered together as people around them smoked cannabis

People could be seen lounging on the grass smoking the Class B drug as officers strolled through the smoke-filled crowds

'The Royal Parks has not given permission for this unauthorised assembly in Hyde Park, and it is in breach of The Royal Parks' regulations.

'The Metropolitan Police are aware that this unauthorised assembly is due to take place and have advised that people may be liable for prosecution or arrest. Enforcement of the law and of park regulations is a matter for the Metropolitan Police.

'While the park will remain open, we advise visitors to be aware that this rally is taking place and to note that both The Royal Parks Shop and boating on the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park will be closed on that day.'

April 20, or 420 as it is known, is a day where millions of weed smokers come together to mark an unofficial holiday dedicated to marijuana.

Potheads in 38 US states can enjoy the day legally while in the other states and here in the UK drug users will partake in the holiday illegally.

London's Hyde Park has become a popular destination for 420 as thousands of smokers descend on the royal park to light up a doobie often in full view of police.

The origin of the popular tradition is somewhat shrouded in mystery with many modern-day myths popping up about where it came from.

According to TIME Magazine, one of the most concrete theories about the roots of what became 420 was started by a group of students in California in the 60s.

The students, Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich, would get together by the school's statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to smoke.

They would meet at the rendezvous point at 4.20pm. But the time had no significant meaning, it was just the time when their extracurricular activities ended.

As Marijuana was still illegal in California in the 60s the group, who became known as the 'Waldos' soon started using 420 as a secret code for going for a smoke.

4.20pm is now often touted as the best time of the day to start smoking the narcotic.

Other theories about the origin of the holiday are also connected to California. Some people believe 420 was a police code in the US state for marijuana.

According to the Daily Star, others think it is the number of active chemicals in the drug.

Another theory revolves around Bob Dylan's song Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35 as the number 12 multiplied by 35 equals 420.

Mr Dylan did famously enjoy smoking weed in the 1960s and it is widely believed he was the first person to get fellow rock and roll legends the Beatles high when they met in New York in 1964.
Taxpayers are picking up a 1million bill for food and hotels for travellers stranded by the chaos on Scotlands state ferry network.

The eye-watering sum was paid out for overnight accommodation, snacks, meals and drinks by CalMac for disrupted sailings since 2021.

The Scottish Conservatives said the scale of the compensation should shame the SNP ministers responsible for the never-ending ferries scandal.

A freedom of information release from CalMac shows the state ferry operator paid 202,462 in 2021/22, 306,223 in 2022/23 and 314,494 in 2023/24, a grand sum of 823,179.

Based on previous costs, the bill for 2024/25 is likely to take the total well past 1million.

The figures do not include compensation for alternative mileage incurred or ticket refunds, which could add around 50 per cent to the final bill, based on recent years.

Tory transport spokesman Sue Webber accused ministers of betraying islanders by failing to replace ageing ferries, damaging tourism and saddling the public with the expense.

She said: This eye-watering bill for Scottish taxpayers should shame SNP ministers because it stems directly from their incompetence. SNP mismanagement has left CalMac with an ageing, unreliable fleet, which means that its a roll of the dice whether lifeline services will be late or cancelled.

CalMac has paid more than 1million to cater for passengers affected by ferry delays and cancellations

CalMac's ageing fleet desperately needs new vessels but of the two being built in Scotland, only the Glen Sannox has entered service.

These cancellations have a devastating impact on betrayed islanders, who are regularly unable to get to work or hospital appointments. Then theres the impact on the local economy, because tourists are either put off visiting our islands or delayed in getting to and from them.

If Nationalist ministers delivered a ferry network that worked, then taxpayers wouldnt be forced to shell out on meals or accommodation for passengers.

Its disgraceful that not a single SNP minister has been sacked for their unforgivable and never-ending ferries scandal.

The repair bill for the eight largest ferries in CalMacs 36-strong fleet was 100million in the past decade as ageing vessels struggled to operate past their expected lifespans. Timetable changes, route alterations and delays and cancellations are commonplace.

SNP ministers agreed to buy two flagship CalMac ferries for the Arran and Outer Hebrides routes in 2015 for a fixed price of 97million from the Ferguson Marine yard on the Clyde. But the cost spiralled to 450million and the contract over-ran seven years.

Only one ferry, the Glen Sannox, has entered service. Its sister vessel, the Glen Rosa, is set for delivery in September but there are fears of possible further delays amid late changes.

State-owned ferry procurement body CMAL has ordered four smaller ferries from Turkey, with the first due for delivery this year, but the vessels are also running late.

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: The Scottish Government is investing in six new major vessels to serve Scotlands ferry network by 2026, alleviating the need for extensive repairs on older vessels and improving reliability.

To improve service in the short term, we have also purchased the MV Loch Frisa and chartered the MV Alfred. We continue to work with operators and CMAL to improve resilience across our networks.

A CalMac spokeswoman said: When disruption does occur, we do our utmost to get customers on alternate sailings or routes. When that isnt something we can do, we have a robust passenger rights policy in place to ensure affected customers are compensated for food, drink and, when appropriate, accommodation costs they incur.

Well welcome 13 new vessels to the CalMac fleet by 2029. This will lead to a reduction in technical issues and cancellations as ageing vessels are replaced.
While many world leaders take the holy Easter holiday as an opportunity to spread messages of peace and unity, President Donald Trump took the time to fire off a scathing tirade against 'highly destructive moron' former president Joe Biden.

The 78-year-old posted his epic rant on Truth Social, slamming 'left lunatics' who are opposing his controversial mass deportation schemes.

'Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country,' Trump wrote on Sunday.

He took aim at Biden, blaming the previous president's administration for allowing 'millions' of migrants into the US under a visa scheme.

'Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America,' Trump continued.

He concluded his targeted holiday wishes, and said: 'But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!'

Trump's Easter wishes come as his deportation efforts have been criticized by many following the 'mistake' deportation of a Maryland man, whom the Trump administration has accused of being an MS-13 gang member.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who has lived in Maryland with his wife and children after arriving in the United States in 2011, was deported to a Salvadoran high-security prison in March.

The 78-year-old President posted his epic rant on Truth Social , taking the opportunity to slam 'left lunatics' who are opposing his controversial mass deportation schemes

Trump took the time out of his Easter message to slam former President Joe Biden, blaming the Biden administration for allowing 'millions' of migrants into the US under a visa scheme

While the White House initially admitted that he was deported by mistake, the Trump administration is adamant on Garcia's status as a gang member and stand firm on his deportation.

A 2019 immigration judge had placed a deportation protection ruling on Garcia, after it was found he may be subject to persecution should he return to El Salvador.

The Supreme Court told the administration that they needed to 'facilitate' Garcia's return.

Late Thursday, a three-judge panel from the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously refused to suspend a judge's decision to order sworn testimony by Trump administration officials to determine if they complied with the court's instruction to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return.

The Trump administration claims it can't do anything to free Garcia from an El Salvador prison or return him to the US 'should be shocking to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear,' the court said.

Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, who was nominated by Republican President Ronald Reagan, said: 'It is difficult in some cases to get to the very heart of the matter. But in this case, it is not hard at all.'

'The government is asserting a right to stash away residents of this country in foreign prisons without the semblance of due process that is the foundation of our constitutional order. Further, it claims in essence that because it has rid itself of custody that there is nothing that can be done,' the filing added.

Wilkinson said he and his two colleagues 'cling to the hope that it is not naive to believe our good brethren in the Executive Branch perceive the rule of law as vital to the American ethos.'

While the White House initially admitted that he was deported by mistake, the Trump administration is adamant on Garcia's status as a gang member and stand firm on his deportation

Garcia's deportation sparked Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen to journey to El Salvador with hopes of lobbying for Garcia's release

The Trump administration claims it can't do anything to free Garcia from an El Salvador prison or return him to the US 'should be shocking to the intuitive sense of liberty that Americans far removed from courthouses still hold dear,' the court said

His wife and lawyer deny his gang affiliation and have sued the administration for improperly removing him from the U.S.

Garcia's deportation sparked Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen to journey to El Salvador with hopes of lobbying for Garcia's release.

The move was criticized by Republicans heavily, who have now suggested Van Hollen be prosecuted under the Logan Act - which threatens a fine or imprisonment should any American correspond with foreign officials to 'influence... in relation to any disputes... within the United States.'

Trump has said his administration is focused first and foremost on removing 'murderers' from the United States who are in the country illegally.

He told Fox News on Tuesday that for others in the US illegally, he said, he's going to implement 'a self-deportation program.'

'We're going to give them a stipend. We're going to give them some money and a plane ticket, and then we're going to work with them - if they're good - if we want them back in, we're going to work with them to get them back in as quickly as we can,' Trump said.

Fox interviewer Rachel Campos-Duffy, who is married to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, played Trump a clip of a Mexican man who she said arrived in the US illegally more than 20 years ago and has children who are American citizens.

It is not clear if the man now has legal permission to be in the country, but Campos-Duffy said the man said that even though he cannot vote, he would have supported Trump.

She played a clip of the man saying he agrees that if someone commits a crime, they should be returned to their countries - including himself.

Trump has said his administration is focused first and foremost on removing 'murderers' from the United States who are in the country illegally. He told Fox News on Tuesday that for others in the US illegally, he said, he's going to implement 'a self-deportation program'

In a brief order made in the early hours of Saturday, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove the Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center 'until further order of this court'

'I look at this man. I say, this is a guy that we want to keep,' Trump replied. 'I'll probably take heat for saying it.'

He then asked if the man was supposed to be deported and answered his own question: 'No, he didn't say that. Good.'

'I don't think he's in any danger of it,' Trump said.

This comes as the Supreme Court blocked some of the President's deportation efforts this weekend.

In a brief order made in the early hours of Saturday, the court directed the Trump administration not to remove the Venezuelans held in the Bluebonnet Detention Center 'until further order of this court.'

Two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, dissented.

The high court acted in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) contending that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

The Supreme Court said earlier this month that deportations could proceed only if those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given 'a reasonable time' to contest their pending removals.

The last-minute order came as the alleged thugs were recently moved to the detention center in Anson, around 200 miles north of the Mexico border, sparking panic from their lawyers

Roberts, a conservative, warned Trump against threatening judges with impeachment after the president launched public attacks against James Boasberg, who ordered halts on deportation flights of Venezuelans bound for El Salvador

The Supreme Court said earlier this month that deportations could proceed only if those about to be removed had a chance to argue their case in court and were given 'a reasonable time' to contest their pending removals

The last-minute order came as the alleged thugs were recently moved to the detention center in Anson, around 200 miles north of the Mexico border, sparking panic from their lawyers.

Trump is trying to deport the alleged gangsters under the 18th century Alien Enemies Act which allows the president to deport enemies in times of war. It has only been used a few times in history and was last wielded against Japanese prisoners in WWII.

The Supreme Court's early hours order is the latest setback for Trump who was cautioned by Chief Justice John Roberts in a highly unusual intervention last month.

Roberts, a conservative, warned Trump against threatening judges with impeachment after the president launched public attacks against James Boasberg.

Judge Boasberg had ordered halts on deportation flights of Venezuelans bound for El Salvador.

The latest dispute centers on dozens of Venezuelans held in Texas.
Sir Keir Starmer was last night under mounting pressure to break his silence over the Supreme Courts landmark gender ruling.

Five days on, the Prime Minister was urged to back the judgement publicly and to promise it will not be unpicked after it emerged that two frontbenchers are plotting to defy the ruling.

But Downing Street yesterday refused to punish the ministers, claiming they were not trying to undermine the judgment despite one of them calling on fellow Labour MPs to meet this week to decide a way forwards and organise.

Sir Keirs silence sparked fresh fears that the Government may allow the ruling - that men who change gender are not legally women - to be undone, with several bodies already vowing to challenge it.

While the Government said it welcomed last Wednesdays judgement, the PM, who was holidaying at the time of the decision but is understood to have now returned home, is yet to comment.

This is despite the huge significance to public life and the thousands of organisations affected up and down the country, including major public bodies such as the NHS.

Last night there were calls for Sir Keir to give his full backing to the ruling with a statement when Parliament returns from recess tomorrow (Tues).

Marion Calder, co-founder of For Women Scotland, which won the historic court victory, said it was astonishing to see ministers discussing ways to circumvent the ruling.

Sir Keir Starmer has failed to publicly comment on the Supreme Court ruling for five days

Susan Smith (L) and Marion Calder, co-founders of For Women Scotland, celebrate after the Supreme Court ruling went their way on Wednesday

Campaigners Susan Smith (L) and Marion Calder, of For Women Scotland, celebrate by raising a glass outside the Supreme Court on Wednesday after judges sided with them

She told the Mail last night: To see government ministers discussing how they can circumvent the ruling, rather than how they can ensure their departments are actually following the rule of law, is quite astonishing

And it is disappointing that we havent heard anything from the Prime Minister yet. I understand its the holidays, but we had to give up our holidays for this case.

We look forward to actually hearing from him.

There are a lot of people looking to him for direction. This has to come from Sir Keir, it shouldnt be left to women like us or people on the front lines in the likes of the NHS to interpret this and make sure its followed.

Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at human rights charity Sex Matters, which submitted evidence in the Supreme Court case, said: If neither the Prime Minister nor the Secretary of State for Women and Equalities makes a statement to this effect on the first day back after Parliamentary recess, something is seriously wrong.

And Caroline Ffiske, from Conservatives for Women, added: The governments role now is to ensure that thousands of service providers across the country understand the law and implement it correctly, undoing years of confusion and bad guidance.

If Labour wont do this, grassroots women will have to do it themselves. But they wont forget the betrayal.

In WhatsApp messages published by The Mail on Sunday, sent on Thursday evening, Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant joined an attack on Baroness Falkner, chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which must draw up guidance for organisations to follow when enforcing the ruling.

Earlier that day she said the ruling - that a woman is defined by biological sex - clearly meant trans women could not use single-sex female facilities or compete in womens sports.

After Steve Race, the Labour MP for Exeter, said that Lady Falkners words were pretty appalling, Mr Bryant replied: Agreeed [sic].

Another MP on the WhatsApp group wrote that it was sad to see some institutions choose to ignore the Supreme Courts very strong line that trans people are protected by the Equality Act too.

Home Office Minister Dame Angela Eagle replied: They wont be feeling that way now and we need to remember that and organise.

MPs agreed with her suggestion that they should seek a meeting ASAP with [the] relevant Equality Minister when the Commons returns.

Sir Chris Bryant is one of two ministers who expressed concerns after the ruling and has been accused of plotting to defy it

Dame Angela Eagle is another minister accused of plotting to defy the ruling after urging MPs to 'organise' in leaked WhatsApp messages

Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, a parent-led campaign group concerned about the rise in young people changing gender, said: These ministers need to decide if theyre in the right job. Are they trans activists or are they members of parliament elected to represent all of their constituents?

The hypocrisy of members of the party that calls for an end to the culture wars is exposed here. This is why so many women have lost faith with Labour.

How can we expect them to uphold womens basic rights if ministers consider that the law protecting those rights is appalling?

Disclosure of the WhatsApp messages will only heighten fears that Labour could allow the courts ruling to be defied, given Sir Keirs own shaky record over the definition of a woman.

Robert Jenrick, the Tories justice spokesman, said: Where is the Prime Minister?

Why wont he publicly welcome this landmark ruling that protects the rights of women?

Its high time he displayed some leadership and made clear what a woman is.

But as he wont, its no surprise Labour ministers are secretly scheming to unpick the legal definition of a woman as a biological female.

Starmer needs to choose whether hes on the side of women or rogue ministers and radical trans activists.

Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who quit the party after Sir Keir sidelined her for saying that only women have a cervix, said: It would be nice to hear from the Prime Minister following the Supreme Courts ruling.

Those people, mostly women, who have lost their jobs because their organisations, including many Government departments, subscribed to [LGBT rights charity] Stonewalls interpretation of the law instead of the reality of the Equality Act, need to hear that the Government now expects them to abide by the judgement and adjust their practices to protect womens sex-based rights.

Therefore, he also needs to make a clear statement about his own MPs and Ministers who appear to be plotting against this judgement. Women are waiting.

In 2022, Sir Keir insisted that trans women are women and that it was wrong to say only women have a cervix.

In a newspaper interview in April 2023, he faced a backlash after claiming that 99.9 per cent of women do not have a penis - implying that one in a thousand women do.

Later that year, following a backlash, he said he agreed with Tony Blair that men have a penis and women a vagina.

Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield is one of many MPs happy at the ruling. The now independent MP was sidelined by the Sir Keir Starmer for saying that only women have cervixes

A clear message from the PM could be crucial for the rulings enforcement, campaigners believe, as several bodies have vowed to challenge it.

Over the weekend, teachers voted at a conference in Liverpool to stop schools making kneejerk changes to their trans policies until the government issues further guidance.

The NASUWT union claimed the judgment could lead schools to make rules which put transgender teachers at risk of harm.

Labour has already come under fire over its response to last Wednesdays unanimous court verdict.

On Thursday, Health Minister Karin Smyth failed four times to clarify which changing room trans women should now use.

After being given several attempts by the Mail to comment, No 10 refused to say anything on the record about the PMs view of the ruling.

A source simply said: His position is the very clear Government position as we issued this week.
A Texas supermarket has been evacuated after an active shooter barricaded himself inside.

Terrified customers fled the Super Gallo Mercado in Jacksonville after the suspect began shooting live rounds, according to police.

No hostages have been reported and all patrons were evacuated shortly after the incident began on Sunday afternoon.

A SWAT team has descended on the store and locals are being urged to stay away, CBS19 reports.

A Texas supermarket has been evacuated after an active shooter barricaded himself inside.

Terrified customers fled the Super Gallo Mercado in Jacksonville on Sunday

The family-run store is located around 115 miles southeast of Dallas and has been open since 2004.

DailyMail.com has contacted the Jacksonville Police Department for comment.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
The mother of Scottish transgender rapist Isla Bryson has called on Nicola Sturgeon to issue a public apology following the Supreme Court's landmark ruling that the definition of a woman is based purely on biological sex.

Janet Bryson, who says she is in favour of the new ruling, has backed calls for the former First Minister to apologise for her controversial gender self-ID policy.

It comes following the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling on Wednesday that 'biological sex' is the decisive factor in determining a person's rights under UK equality law, rather than gender choices or certificates.

The contentious decision followed a legal challenge brought by Scottish campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS) over a 2018 Holyrood Law passed under Ms Sturgeon.

It now means that transgender women are no longer considered women in the eyes of the law.

Isla, 32, was jailed in 2023 for eight years for the rape of two women in Clydebank and Glasgow in 2016 and 2019, while still a man known as Adam Graham.

Now, Janet, who still refers to her child as 'my son', has said she believes it is 'time Ms Sturgeon apologised' for her role in spearheading the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December 2022.

The mother of Scottish transgender rapist Isla Bryson has called on Nicola Sturgeon to issue a public apology following the Supreme Court 's landmark ruling that the definition of a woman is based purely on biological sex

Janet, who still refers to her child as 'my son', has said she believes it is 'time Ms Sturgeon apologised' for her role in spearheading the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December 2022

Isla, 32, was jailed in 2023 for eight years for the rape of two women in Clydebank and Glasgow in 2016 and 2019, while still a man known as Adam Graham (pictured)

Speaking to the Sunday Mail, the 65-year-old mother said she was 'pleased with the ruling', believing that it 'ends years of confusion over these new gender laws' and has ensured that the 'rights of biological women are clear and protected'.

She added: 'That has now been made clear but it should never have been questioned in the first place. But I think it is now time Ms Sturgeon apologised.

'You can say you are a woman all you want but I believe that is different to being biologically born a woman. With the case of my son, he was born a man. A piece of paper does not change that.

'She (Sturgeon) owes not just me but the women of Scotland an apology.'

Isla's case caused public outcry, including from Harry Potter author JK Rowling, after she was initially sent to an all-female Cornton Vale prison, outside Stirling.

Less than 24 hours after her own justice secretary Keith Brown backed the Scottish Prison Service's decision, the double rapist was transferred to a male prison in a U-turn decision by Sturgeon.

It also came amid a controversial row over Sturgeon's plans for a gender self-ID law, which would have allowed anyone aged 16 or over to obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate by signing a declaration.

Isla Bryson, then Adam Graham, pictured with estranged wife Shonna Graham on their wedding day. Ms Graham has previously said she believes Bryson is 'bulls*****g the authorities'

Janet believes that former first Minister Nicola Sturgeon 'owes not just me but the women of Scotland an apology'

For Women Scotland directors Susan Smith (left) and Marion Calder (right) celebrate the landmark ruling outside the UK Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has announced that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex in a landmark ruling. Pictured: Campaign group For Women Scotland celebrating the judgement

Previously, Janet has refuted claims that her child had wanted to be a girl from the age of four, telling the Sunday Mail: 'My son never expressed any wish that he wanted to be a girl, dressed in any other way or ever asked to be called by any other name than Adam growing up.

'Never once, at the age of four or at any other age.

'I believe you have to be born female to be female. No wigs, dresses or amount of make-up makes you female.'

Janet has also been adamant that her child's eight-year sentence was not enough and should have been extended to at least 20 years.

Meanwhile, Shonna Graham, 31, who married Isla, then Adam Graham, prior to the court case, has previously told MailOnline how she believes that the sex attacker is 'bullsh*****g the authorities'.

She added: 'His gender transition is a sham for attention and an easier life in prison. When I saw the photos of him dressed as a woman with a blonde wig and pink lycra leggings, I fell out of bed laughing.'

Janet's new insistence that Sturgeon should issue a public apology comes as critics have dubbed the Scottish politician's failure to respond to the landmark legal ruling as 'insulting'.

First Minister John Swinney has also been criticise for refusing to say what a woman is despite claiming he accepts the Supreme Court's ruling

The Supreme Court judgement was celebrated by women's rights groups who opened a bottle of champagne. Pictured: Susan Smith (centre left), Marion Calder (centre right) and Helen Joyce (right)

The former first minister has been accused of being missing in action as she remained silent, despite pushing the gender ideology that led to humiliation for SNP ministers in court.

The Scottish Tories said it was a disgrace, while the campaigners behind the historic legal decision said they doubted she had the integrity or intelligence to admit her mistakes.

FWS co-director Susan Smith said: Frankly, we are not surprised that the woman who caused such turmoil has gone into hiding. We very much doubt that Sturgeon has the integrity or intelligence to own up to her appalling mistakes.

'She made the lives of many of the most vulnerable women in Scotland intolerable: women in prison who remain incarcerated with violent men, women scared to access rape crisis centres, and women called bigots because they wanted female medics to provide intimate care.'

Meanwhile, First Minister John Swinney has also come under fire for failing to say whether he believed a trans woman was a woman when queried by the Mail on Sunday.

Ahead of a Scottish Government statement on the ruling in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, the First Minister refused to say if he believed that a trans woman was a woman, saying: Well, the Supreme Court judgment has come out on that. So weve got the answer to that.

Asked: What did the Supreme Court judgment say about that?, he responded: You dont need me to spell that out to you.

Pushed further on why he might be concerned about saying trans women were not women in the wake of the ruling, he said: I dont have any concern about that, I am simply saying the Supreme Court judgement has been made.

And asked again if he believed trans women were not women, Mr Swinney said: I will simply say that the Supreme Court judgement has come out.

Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman Tess White MSP described it as 'despicable' that Mr Swinney 'is still refusing to respect women's rights despite the Supreme Court's landmark ruling.'

She added: His reluctance to scrap the SNPs dangerous gender policies is disgraceful and a betrayal of biological women across Scotland.

John Swinney now needs to drop his self-serving ideological obsession and ensure public bodies follow the law by providing single-sex spaces for women and girls.

The SNP and Nicola Sturgeon were both contacted for comment.
Russian despot Vladimir Putin has not issued an order to extend the Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin said today.

Russia and Ukraine blamed each other on Sunday for breaking a one-day Easter ceasefire declared by President Vladimir Putin, with both sides accusing the other of hundreds of attacks and the Kremlin saying there was no order for an extension.

Putin, who sent thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022, ordered his forces to stop all military activity along the front line in the three-year-old war until 9pm UK time tonight.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was pretending to observe the Easter ceasefire, but had in fact continued hundreds of artillery attacks on Saturday night, with more assaults on Sunday.

He accused Russia of carrying out more than 2,000 violations of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Easter truce, but suggested extending a pause on aerial strikes after a day of no air raid alerts across Ukraine.

'The Russian army has violated Putin's ceasefire more than 2,000 times,' Zelensky said on social media. But he added that there had been 'no air raid alerts today' and proposed 'to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days.'

'If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war', he added.

'Either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage,' Zelensky earlier said.

Russian despot Vladimir Putin (pictured) has not issued an order to extend the Easter ceasefire in Ukraine

FPV-drone operators from the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade fighting at the frontline near Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 19 April 2025

The destruction of residential buildings in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 19 April 2025, amid the ongoing Russian invasion

Russia's Defence Ministry said Ukraine had broken the ceasefire more than 1,000 times, inflicting damage to infrastructure and causing some civilian deaths.

The ministry said Ukrainian forces had shot at Russian positions 444 times while it had counted more than 900 Ukrainian drone attacks, including attacks on Crimea and the Russian border areas of the Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod regions.

'As a result, there are deaths and injuries among the civilian population, as well as damage to civilian facilities,' the ministry said.

Ukraine's military said earlier on Sunday that activity on the front line had decreased. Some Russian military bloggers also said frontline activity had declined substantially.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify the battlefield reports from either side.

The apparent failure to observe even an Easter ceasefire shows how hard it will be for U.S. President Donald Trump to achieve his aim of clinching a lasting deal to end what he calls the 'bloodbath' of the Ukraine war.

The U.S. will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress soon, Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on Friday.

Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly warned of the escalation risk of the war - which his administration now casts as a proxy conflict between the U.S. and Russia, echoing Moscow's stance.

Last month, after Ukraine accepted Trump's proposal for a 30-day truce, Putin said crucial issues of verification had not been sorted out. Both Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to a moratorium on attacks on energy targets and at sea, which each accuses the other of breaking.

Zelensky reiterated that Kyiv was willing to extend the ceasefire for 30 days but said that if Russia kept fighting on Sunday, so would Ukraine.

Zelensky released Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi's report by 6am on Eastern Sunday which showed Putin's forces had cynically flouted their own limited ceasefire

Pictures show how a Russian drone targeted a civilian car more than an hour into Putin's truce at Urozhayne, in Kherson region

Footage showed an apartment block ablaze in the Dnipro district of Kherson - after a brutal strike on civilians minutes before the Putin truce came into effect

'The Ukrainian army is acting  and will continue to act  in a fully symmetrical manner,' he wrote on X.

Putin told his top general, Valery Gerasimov, to be ready to respond 'in full' if Kyiv broke the truce.

Russia controls just under one fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

Putin, when announcing the ceasefire before heading to an Orthodox Easter service, said the truce would show whether or not Ukraine was ready or able to implement peace. Putin thanked Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders from the BRICS group of emerging economies for attempts to mediate.

The European Union reacted cautiously to Putin's ceasefire declaration, saying Moscow could stop the war immediately if it wanted to.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric reiterated U.N. support 'for meaningful efforts towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fully upholds Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity'.

Easter falls on the same day this year for Orthodox and Western churches, and Zelensky urged Ukrainians not to give up hope that peace will one day return.

'We know what we are defending. We know what we are fighting for,' he said in a social media video, wearing a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt and standing in front of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
Hundreds of gypsies dressed up in glamorous outfits to travel into London and swarm outside of Harrods for a traditional Easter meet up.

There were chaotic scenes as travellers stood near the luxury department store in Knightsbridge on Saturday when it was already teeming with shoppers.

Met Police officers stood amongst the densely populated crowds as people were seen trying to nudge through.

TikTok was flooded with clips of the large gathering showing youngsters loitering around and chatting to each other.

Travellers had taken to the social media platform showing themselves getting glammed up in their designer gear and makeup before they made the journey to the capital.

Meanwhile, three young males were seen in one video running away as two police officers chased after them. It is not known if they were part of the group.

The large gathering left some people puzzled, but MailOnline understands the gathering takes place every year.

One local explained on Reddit 'I have had my doorbell rung quite a few times over the years on weekends by gypsies and even Hyde Park picnickers asking about public toilets'.

There were chaotic scenes yesterday as people stood near Harrods in Knightsbridge when it was already teeming with shoppers

It is understood travellers had flocked to the area for their annual Easter meet up with it suggested the event is used as a way for people to find a partner

TikTok was flooded with clips of the large gathering showing youngsters loitering around and chatting to each other

'To say I was bewildered the first time I saw them just congregating outside Harrods would be an understatement,' they wrote.

'I'm not British and I had no idea about the gypsy culture here. All I saw one fine Saturday afternoon were dozens upon dozens of young people decked out in designer clothes (almost all the guys were wearing Canada Goose and the women, identical Louboutin heels).'

One female who said she had attended explained the reason behind the meet, but felt 'there was no point going any more'.

She said on TikTok: 'So basically a group of travellers meet up outside the front of Harrods for a chat. Come from god knows where.

'Years ago people used to chat, but now people think their own s**t don't stink and will look you up and down.

'There's no point going, no one socialises any more. But yeah, I had a lovely time yesterday because I went with the right company.'

It has previously been suggested that the travellers meet up outside of Harrods to find a partner.

One traveller, named Suzy, opened up on TikTok last year that the community headed to the store and other meet ups, including at Thorpe Park Fright Night, dressed in their 'skimpiest outfit' when looking for romance.

Meanwhile, three young males were seen in one video running away as two police officers (pictured) chased after them. It is not known if they were part of the group

The large gathering left some people puzzled, but MailOnline understands the gathering takes place every year

'How to get yourself a traveller man first you've got to go to a meet,' she said.

'For example, a lot of travellers have little meeting places.

'It'll happen a few times a year Thorpe Park for Fright Night, standing outside Harrods near Christmas, Winter Wonderland.

'Those are just a few that's coming up.

'Go to one of them places and make sure you're dressed up to the nines, and I mean dressed up.

'Your furry sliders out, your fake Louboutins.'

According to The Sun, she advised women to make sure their makeup was 'heavy' and when they 'eye up the traveller boy, make sure you give him "the look"'.

Travellers descended on Winter Wonderland in December in what is also fast becoming a tradition for the community and has been dubbed their new 'Appleby Horse Fair'.

The year before hundreds of clips were uploaded online where Travellers showed themselves getting ready and inside the event, with some even alluding to it being a great place for match-making.

Influencer Mary Kate Jones uploaded a 'get ready with me' video to TikTok where she boasted a full face of makeup and showed off her glamorous outfit sporting items from outlets like Zara and Shein.

But she also bemoaned the treatment her community gets from some establishments.

Ms Jones claimed: 'They don't like us going to pubs or you can't even go into Harrods - you'll get stopped on the door. They won't let you go into Harrods but they'll let non-Travellers go in. It's just crazy. So literally we're chucked out in the cold like dogs.'

MailOnline has contacted Harrods and the Met Police for comment.
A pair of young German travelers were left shocked after they arrived in Hawaii only to be detained and deported due to their loosely planned trip.

Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu to begin their trip but were grilled extensively by Customs and Border Protection.

The pair planned to explore before traveling on to California and Costa Rica, but they hadn't booked any accommodation for their five-week stay in Hawaii.

It was the lack of planning that alerted CBP, despite the pair having obtained ESTA travel authorization, German news outlet Ostee-Zeitung originally reported.

The two were accused of potential illegal work intentions and, after hours of questioning, they were placed in handcuffs and taken to what they later found to be a deportation detention center, Beat of Hawaii reported.

Their experience was described as shocking and surreal, according to the outlet, after they were strip searched, had full body scans, and were handed green prison uniforms.

Conditions in the facility were said to have left them sleeping on moldy mattresses, rudimentary toilet facilities, and being warned by guards to avoid eating expired food.

The following morning, the young travelers were taken back to Honolulu airport and deported.

Charlotte Pohl, 19, and Maria Lepere, 18, arrived in Honolulu to begin their trip but were grilled extensively by Customs and Border Protection

Their experience was described as shocking and surreal, according to the outlet, after they were strip searched, had full body scans, and were handed green prison uniforms

The following morning, the young travelers were taken back to Honolulu airport and deported to Japan as requested

Pohl and Lepere requested deportation to Japan.

The German Foreign Office then later reminded travelers that ESTA approval does not always grant access to the United States, and that border officers may still not allow entry.

Their horror story comes as many European countries have shown a significant decrease in travel to the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement in an attempt to diminish travel fears.

He said: 'If youre not coming to the United States to join a Hamas protest, or to come here and tell us about how right Hamas is, orstir up conflict on our campuses and create riots in our streets and vandalize our universities, then you have nothing to worry about.'

However, travelers from overseas to the US fell almost 12 percent last month compared to March in 2024, according to data from the International Trade Administration.

While Trump's tariffs struck fear in international travelers and their wallets, horror stories of travelers winding up being detained has caused many to think twice before flying over.

Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney was denied entry into the country while trying to make her way from Mexico to San Diego, California after her work visa was revoked back in November while traveling from Vancouver to Los Angeles.

While Trump's tariffs struck fear in international travelers's and their wallets, horror stories of travelers winding up being detained has caused many to think twice before flying over

Jasmine Mooney, 35, landed back in Canada on Saturday after being detained for nearly two weeks by U.S. immigration officials after trying to enter the country from Mexico on March 3

She was hurled into jail on March 3 and spent 12 days in detention, claiming it felt like she had been 'kidnapped' and trapped in an experiment. She told ABC10 'what is happening is so unjust and I know that there's a better way to do this'.

Lucas Sielaff, 25, was driving into the US from Mexico with his American fiancee when he claims that Border Patrol agents accused of him violating the rules of his 90-day US tourist permit.

Sielaff, who alleges he held a valid visa and had visited the US several times before, was handcuffed, shackled and sent to a crowded immigration detention center where he spent 16 days locked up before being allowed to fly home to Germany.

'I still have nightmares and I'm not yet back to normal,' Sielaff told the Financial Times of the horrific experience. 'I'm trying to process everything properly. It'll take a while.'

Becky Burke, a Welsh backpacker traveling across North America, was stopped at the US-Canada border on February 26 and held for nearly three weeks at a detention facility in Washington state, her father Paul Burke posted on Facebook.

Her father said she was accused of traveling on the wrong visa. After being held in custody for 19 days she was allegedly transported to the airport 'in leg chains, waist chains and handcuffs'.

The tourists said it was never made clear why they were taken into custody even after they offered to go home voluntarily.

Jessica Brosche, 26, spent over six weeks locked up, including over a week in solitary confinement, after she was stopped at the Tijuana crossing on January 25.

Becky Burke, 28, was handcuffed and taken to a detention cell in Tacoma, Washington, in February

German tattoo artist Jessica Brosche, 26, says she was left in solitary confinement with over a week after being arrested while trying to legally cross the US-Mexico border

The German tattoo artist was arrested by US Customs and Border Protection while trying to walk through a checkpoint in San Diego.

Brosche was traveling with her American friend Nikita Lofving as a tourist under the ESTA visa waiver program. The two had met in Tijuana and were carrying tattooing equipment.

Immigration officials reportedly accused Brosche of working in the US the last time she entered the country with the ESTA program, an electronic system that determines whether someone is eligible to enter the US without a visa.

Many countries have issued travel warnings for the United States, including Germany which updated its warning to state that ''entry to the United States is at the sole discretion of U.S. border authorities.'

The incidents are fueling anxiety amongst travelers the Trump Administration's illegal migrant crackdown sees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents take 'more aggressive enforcement' approach at the border.
After 220 days on board the International Space Station (ISS), Don Pettit, NASA's oldest serving astronaut, has finally returned to Earth.

Mr Pettit marked his 70th birthday by hurtling towards the Earth in a spacecraft, concluding a seven-month mission.

The astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz capsule on Sunday - the day of Mr Pettit's milestone birthday.

Confirming the successful landing, NASA tweeted: 'Home sweet Houston. @NASA_Astronauts Don Pettit has officially returned home from the @Space_Station after completing his fourth spaceflight, totaling 590 days in space. A picture perfect mission.'

Pettit and his crewmates orbited the Earth 3,520 times and completed a journey of 93.3 million miles over the course of their mission.

And it appears his latest stint has taken its toll on his health, with the astronaut appearing noticeably more gaunt and frail than when he left Earth.

Taking to X, astronomer Jonathan McDowell voiced his concerns for Mr Pettit, describing him as 'less than fully well'.

'The awesome Don Pettit, who turned 70 today, appeared less than fully well on extraction from the capsule - hopefully nothing serious, but I'm looking forward to any update on his condition,' he said.

After 220 days on board the International Space Station (ISS), Don Pettit, NASA's oldest serving astronaut, has finally returned to Earth

Pettit and his crewmates orbited the Earth 3,520 times and completed a journey of 93.3 million miles over the course of their mission

The trio touched down in a remote area southeast of Kazakhstan after undocking from the space station just over three hours earlier

Over the course of his 29-year career, Mr Pettit, born in Oregan, has logged more than 18 months in orbit, with the latest spaceflight his fourth.

He is not, however, the oldest person to have ever flown in orbit - John Glenn, who died in 2016, flew on a NASA mission in 1998 at the grand old age of 77.

Following his return, several concerned space fans took to X to discuss his appearance.

'I'm pretty worried about Don. I'm not sure but I think he might have fainted while they carried him,' one user wrote.

Another added: 'I hope Don Pettit is ok, he did not look well at all when they extracted him from the capsule. It's his 70th today, veteran astronaut.'

However, NASA maintains that Mr Pettit is 'doing well and in the range of what is expected for him'.

'According to NASA officials at the landing site, is doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth,' NASA tweeted.

'What's expected for him? In his own words during an April 16 pre-departure interview, "This is a physiological thing. It affects different people different ways. Some people can go out and eat pizza and dance. When I land, it takes me about 24 hours to feel like I'm a human being again."'

NASA maintains that Mr Pettit is 'doing well and in the range of what is expected for him'

Over the course of his 29-year career, Mr Pettit, born in Oregan, has logged more than 18 months in orbit, with the latest spaceflight his fourth

Taking to X, astronomer Jonathan McDowell voiced his concerns for Mr Pettit, describing him as 'less than fully well'

'I'm pretty worried about Don. I'm not sure but I think he might have fainted while they carried him,' one user wrote

'According to NASA officials at the landing site, is doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth,' NASA tweeted

How months in space can damage the body Gaunt face Shifting fluids in the body causes the appearance to change. 'Chicken legs' and 'baby feet' As fluid moves to the head, the legs and feet appear to wither. Vision loss Increased pressure in the brain presses on eyes, causing blurry vision. Increased risk of cancer Exposure to ionising space radiation increases the cancer risk. Cognitive decline Astronauts show slower reasoning and weakened working memory. Advertisement

The trio touched down in a remote area southeast of Kazakhstan after undocking from the space station just over three hours earlier.

Picturesque images of the landing showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth with the sunrise as a backdrop.

The astronauts gave thumbs-up gestures as rescuers carried them from the spacecraft to an inflatable medical tent.

Following the landing, Mr Pettit was set to fly to the Kazakh city of Karaganda before boarding a NASA plane to the agency's Johnson Space Center in Texas.

During their time on the ISS, the astronauts conducted research into areas such as water sanitisation technology, plant growth in various conditions and fire behavior in microgravity, NASA said.

The trio's seven-month trip was just short of the nine months that NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, 62, and Suni Williams, 59, unexpectedly spent stuck on the orbital lab after the spacecraft they were testing suffered technical issues and was deemed unfit to fly them back to Earth.

Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth on March 19 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule which splashed down off the coast of Florida.

The pair had left Earth in June last year, planning to undertake an eight-day test flight of the new Boeing Starliner capsule.

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Mr Pettit returned to Earth with Russian cosmonauts Ivan Vagner (left), and Alexei Ovchinin (right)

During their time on the ISS , the astronauts conducted research into areas such as water sanitisation technology, plant growth in various conditions and fire behavior in microgravity, NASA said

The trio's seven-month trip was just short of the nine months that NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, 62, and Suni Williams, 59, (both pictured), unexpectedly spent stuck on the orbital lab after the spacecraft they were testing suffered technical issues

However, after the Starliner capsule developed numerous technical issues during the flight, the astronauts were forced to wait until the next crew rotation to return to Earth.

In total, they spent 286 days in space - 278 days more than they had initially planned, before finally returning to Earth on March 18.

Concerns were initially raised for their health, as, during time in microgravity, astronauts face a serious risk of muscle atrophy and bone loss which can then make walking on Earth more difficult.

However, the pair now say they have made an almost inconceivably rapid recovery thanks to NASA's scientific knowledge.

Space is one of the final areas of US-Russia cooperation amid an almost complete breakdown in relations between Moscow and Washington over the ongoing Ukraine conflict which began in February 2022.

The US, alongside other Western nations, have ceased other partnerships with Roscosmos as part of a number of sanctions placed upon Russia over the course of the war.
A former Conservative MP has told of how she felt 'alive' after defecting to Reform UK in the midst of her bid to become Lincolnshire's first ever mayor.

Despite the heartfelt comments, the Mail revealed on Friday that Dame Andrea Jenkyns is currently facing disqualification over claims she lied about her address.

The Reform hopeful, who defected to Nigel Farage's party after a general election defeat in her then-Leeds seat, has denied the allegations and will face a hearing on April 25.

It comes as voters are set to go to the polls six days later, with the race expected to be a close fight between the Conservatives and Reform.

A candidate is required to live in the area to stand and it is a criminal offence to make false claims on the electoral register or to make a false statement on nomination papers.

Dame Andrea told LincolnshireLive last month: 'I have got a place I rent, but I have a son with special needs, and any parent wouldn't pull their child out of school until they know they've won. If I win on 1 May, I will move here full time.'

Now, speaking to The Sunday Times on Good Friday, the candidate admitted she '[hadn't] slept much this week' and had been receiving 'vitriol from other candidates'.

Describing the claims she lived in Yorkshire rather than Lincolnshire as 'very disingenuous', Dame Andrea explained it felt 'odd at first' to come under attack from her Conservative opponent, Rob Waltham.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns could be disqualified as Reform UK's candidate for mayor of Lincolnshire following claims she has lied about her address.

Dame Andrea defected to Nigel Farage's party last year after losing her Yorkshire seat at the general election before announcing she would stand for the mayoralty

Mr Waltham had accused his rival of 'shameless opportunism', sharing a social media post that read: 'How to be a good mayor for Lincolnshire: Live here!'

But Dame Andrea insisted she was 'confident' the council would come down on her side.

This is despite her giving several interviews in which she has admitted she lives in Leeds.

The 50-year-old spent large parts of her childhood in Lincolnshire, later serving there as a country councillor, before her election to Westminster for Morley & Outwood in west Yorkshire in 2015.

North Kesteven district council confirmed a 'formal objection' was received by the electoral registration officer and that it was currently undertaking 'the statutory process'.

Dame Andrea reported being phoned by a police officer after the Conservatives had attempted to report her over the allegations.

Speaking of the attack from her former party, she suggested she was not surprised after seeing 'what they did to Boris [Johnson]' from 'the inside'.

The dame added: 'With Reform people feel like they've got a voice. I actually feel alive again.'

Rob Waltham who is the Conservative mayoral candidate for Greater Lincolnshire, currently serving as leader of North Lincolnshire Council

Dame Andrea told of how she had been courted for years by Mr Farage and his affiliates, previously claiming she was offered a 'bribe' to defect to Reform by one of its donors before the general election.

Asked if the offer had been made again, she said 'don't be so ridiculous'.

The race is set to take place in one of the most Brexit-voting parts of the country.

Reform has performed well in Lincolnshire, with Richard Tice becoming MP for Boston and Skegness at the general election and a number of former Conservative councillors having defected to the party.

However, the Tories hold eight of the 12 parliamentary constituencies and held half of the council seats across Greater Lincolnshire in last May's elections.

In her manifesto, Dame Andrea has vowed to establish a Lincolnshire 'DOGE' to control public spending, as Tesla boss Elon Musk has done in the US.

The regional mayoralty comes with an investment fund worth 720million over the next 20 years and powers over skills and transport.

Victory for Dame Andrea would see her become one of Reform UK's first mayors and hold the party's most powerful elected office to date.

A Reform UK spokesman said: 'We understand a vexatious and politically motivated complaint has been made by the relative of a candidate in the same election that Andrea Jenkyns is contesting in an attempt to deprive the people of Lincolnshire the chance to vote for Reform UK.

'We are confident that this complaint will be dismissed.'
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder following a fatal stabbing this afternoon.

Detectives in Nottinghamshire launched a murder investigation after the body of a 59-year-old man was discovered in the Cinderhill Walk area of Bulwell - a market town 4.5 miles north-west of Nottingham.

Two men, aged 30 and 43, have since been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. They are currently in custody.

Police were called to reports of a serious assault on the street, around 1.45pm on Sunday.

A 33-year-old woman also sustained injuries that are not currently believed to be life-threatening during the incident.

A police cordon is set to remain in place while investigations into the incident continue.

Detective Inspector Clare Gibson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: 'This will have been devastating news for the victim's loved ones to receive.

'Our thoughts remain with them during this incredibly difficult time. At this stage, we believe this to be an isolated incident and there to be no wider risk to the public.

A police cordon is set to remain in place while investigations into the incident continue

'Investigations are at an early stage, but we can confirm that we've arrested two men on suspicion of murder.

'While we'd remind people not to speculate online about what might have happened, anyone who has any information that could assist our inquiries should contact us immediately.'

Assistant Chief Constable Suk Verma added: 'I'd like to firstly pass on my condolences to the family of the victim following the tragic loss of their loved one.

'Two suspects were arrested shortly after the incident was reported to the police, but I appreciate news of what happened will have caused alarm to the local community.

'A murder investigation is currently in its early stages, although we're confident that this was an isolated incident.

'We will be stepping up visible patrols around Bulwell and providing more of a police presence in the area over the coming days to provide residents with some reassurance.'
Britain is set to massively increase its production of explosives in order to forgo a reliance on the US and France for ammunition.

Sites will be erected by BAE Systems across the UK to produce RDX explosives, used in ammunition for British Army guns and other weapons.

The British defence company will also be looking to build three new manufacturing sites to add 'resilience', should one come under attack.

Currently, the firm imports RDX explosives from two main sources - the US and France.

But by the summer, BAE will have increased its production rate of 155mm artillery shells, the standard ammunition used by NATO, 16-fold compared to two years ago, the Times reported.

The company is the only one in the UK to produce these rounds, much of which has been given to Ukraine to fend Russia off, leaving reserves too low given the risk of being unprepared for another war breaking out.

It is hoping to soon be in a position where it produces a surplus of RDX explosives, allowing it to sell them to other countries without contravening the US' International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which prevents arms with American components from being sold to unwanted countries.

Steve Cardew, the business development director at BAE Systems' Maritime and Land Defence Solutions, said: 'The whole challenge for our industry is around production scale up and creating enough industrial capacity to effectively match Russia and other hostile nations.

An employee manoeuvres 155mm artillery shell casings during their manufacturing process at the BAE Systems factory in Washington, near Newcastle upon Tyne in north-east England on November 8, 2023

A robot arm manoeuvres a 155mm shell casing in the forge during the manufacturing process at the BAE Systems factory in Washington, near Newcastle upon Tyne in north-east England on November 8, 2023

'One large facility is clearly a big security threat. If you have dispersed facilities, it is much more secure.'

'Making sure we have our own access to our own supply chains is really important. We clearly have enough supply chain access for what we have today but going forward, continuing to rely on that will generate risk and therefore we are keen to make sure that the UK has its own supply chain,' he said.

Asked about concerns over Trump's erratic behaviour, he said: 'What is going on in the US is clearly one facet of a general view we have got that the world is becoming increasingly unstable and therefore we need to protect ourselves and our supply chain accordingly. I don't think it is just about the US.'

He said the need for such unique technology was at an 'all time high' and had 'tremendous potential'.

While BAE's ramped up production may be good for Britain, it may end up annoying Trump, who in February urged Britain and other allies to buy more American weapons to strengthen the NATO alliance.

A Challenger 2 battle tank

A Challenger 2 MBT firing as part of the Royal Welsh Battle Group during Exercise Prairie Lightning

The President appeared to be attempting to leverage US commitment to European security against his country's economic prosperity.

His bid to increase US weapons sales by aligning them to foreign policy was repeated by aides at the NATO defence ministers' summit in Brussels, according to news organisation Bloomberg.

US national security spokesman Brian Hughes said: 'President Trump and his administration are engaging our NATO allies to ensure all members carry their share of the burden and meet their defence spending obligations.

'Getting our allies to meet those obligations strengthens NATO.'

America is expected to emphasise that if European states buy more US equipment, it will improve 'interoperability' between different NATO members.
Noel Gallagher has reportedly severed all ties with Russell Brand following his rape charge.

The Oasis star, 57, who previously had a close bond with the now disgraced actor and comedian, has now been allegedly advised by his daughter, Anais, to cut contact ahead of his upcoming world tour.

The model and entrepreneur, 25, is said to have urged her father to remove Brand from his social media accounts as the close friendship 'wasn't a good look' for Mr Gallagher's image.

The pair were so close that Mr Gallagher was best man at Brand's wedding to popstar Katy Perry in 2010. Brand then returned the favour, featuring as the best man at Mr Gallagher's wedding to his now ex-wife Sarah MacDonald in 2011.

Essex-born Brand, 50, has been charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area and the oral rape and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of London.

He was also handed charges of indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and also sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005. Both offences are alleged to have taken place in Westminster.

Brand is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on May 2.

Noel Gallagher, 57, has reportedly severed all ties with his best man Russell Brand, 50, following his rape charge, a source has told The Sun

Gallagher's model daughter Anais, 25, allegedly urged her father to remove Brand from his social media accounts as the close friendship 'wasn't a good look' for his image

Brand has been charged with rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault against four women, all of which he denies, insisting that he has 'never been a rapist'

Brand and Mr Gallagher are alleged to have initially formed a bond after Noel attended one of Brand's stand-up comedy gigs in 2005. In 2014, during an interview with Vice's music website, Noisey, Mr Gallagher declared: 'I love Russell'.

But now, Mr Gallagher, who held a close friendship with Brand for decades, has publicly cut ties with his former friend, a source has told The Sun.

The source said: 'Anais realised that her dad's close links to Brand and all the stuff they'd done together wasn't a very good look. She's very PR savvy.

'There was a discussion and Noel agree cutting ties was the best. Anais, Noel and the rest of the family are horrified at Brand's alleged behaviour and had no idea what was going on.'

Brand has previously hit out at the serious allegations against him, accusing the government of turning the law into 'a weapon', before repeating previous denials that he has ever engaged in non-consensual sex.

In a video posted to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, April 4, Brand insisted that he 'never was a rapist and had 'never engaged in non-consensual activity'.

He said: 'I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile.

In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter on April 4, Russell Brand said he has 'never engaged in non-consensual activity' and thanked fans for their support

Gallagher was best man at Brand's wedding to popstar Katy Perry in 2010 (pictured). Brand then returned the favour, featuring as the best man at Gallagher's wedding to his now ex-wife Sarah MacDonald in 2011

Brand and Mr Gallagher are alleged to have initially formed a bond after Noel attended one of Brand's stand-up comedy gigs in 2005. In 2014, during an interview with Vice's music website, Noisey, Mr Gallagher declared: 'I love Russell' (Pictured: Noel Gallagher with brother Liam)

'But what I never was, was a rapist. I have never engaged in non-consensual activity - I pray that you can see that by looking in my eyes.'

After denying his guilt of the sex offences, he added: 'I want to thank all of you for all your continuing support.

'I want to let you know that our show will be on Rumble on Monday, thanks for your support there, and of course Im now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and Im incredibly grateful for that.'

On April 4, Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said:'The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

'The Met's investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.

'Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.'
Mexican nationals were caught carrying 180,000 rounds of ammunition in their minivan after Colorado cops pulled them over during a traffic stop.

Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis, 41, and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, 24, both from Mexico, allegedly tried to move about 150 boxes of .308 ammunition and 30 boxes of 7.62 ammunition - 1,000 rounds each - from Utah to Colorado on March 26.

Fremont County Sheriffs Office (FSCO) detectives made the deadly discovery after noticing a white Chevrolet van driving by them without dimming its headlights, which violates state law, according to an affidavit obtained by the Canon City Daily Record.

Police said the vehicle also turned without its blinker and did not have a license plate lamp, leading to the men being pulled over and ultimately arrested in Canon City, Colorado.

Upon opening the back doors of the van, police found stacks of cardboard boxes labeled with explosive warnings.

Amador Gavira and Martinez Solis have been charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition by Alien Admitted Under a Nonimmigrant Visa, according to a press release from the US Attorney's Office, District of Colorado.

Both men reportedly had valid B2 nonimmigrant visas, which are meant for temporary stays in the US and are generally issued for tourism purposes.

Martinez Solis, who waived his right to an attorney and spoke with the US Department of Homeland Security, claimed he and Amador Gavira, his brother-in-law, traveled from Mexico to Denver the previous day, March 25, the affidavit states.

Caesar Ramon Martinez Solis, 41, and Humberto Ivan Amador Gavira, 24, both from Mexico, allegedly tried to move about 150 boxes of .308 ammunition and 30 boxes of 7.62 ammunition - 1,000 rounds each (pictured: boxes of ammo found in the back of the truck)

Police said the white van turned without its blinker and did not have a license plate lamp, leading to the men being pulled over - and ultimately arrested - in Canon City, Colorado (pictured: aerial shot of Canon City)

The men reportedly purchased a vehicle in Denver and headed over to Salt Lake City, Utah, to look at another vehicle they wanted to buy.

In Salt Lake City, Amador Gavira allegedly bought the abundance of ammo at a firearms store, Martinez Solis told investigators.

Martinez Solis also claimed he did not know what his brother-in-law's plans for the lethal materials were, but he assumed they were going to be brought to Pueblo, Colorado, according to the affidavit.

He said he did not know their exact destination, but reportedly referred police to his accomplice's phone for the address.

Police did not specify where the men were headed, the Canon City Daily Record reported.

The Denver Field Office of Homeland Security, the FSCO and the Denver Field Office of Homeland Security, the FSCO are investigating the concerning incident.

This case's prosecution is being handled by the Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the US Attorneys Office.

Amador Gavira and Martinez Solis' shocking arrests fall under the Donald Trump administration's Operation Take Back America.

The Mexican nationals allegedly arrived in the US the day before their arrests and purchased a car in Denver (pictured: stock image of a white Chevrolet van)

President Donald Trump (pictured) launched the Operation Take Back America initiative to fight against crime and illegal immigration to the US

Operation Take Back America is a Department of Justice initiative to 'repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations,' the US Attorney's Office said.

The efforts 'streamline' resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Program.
A former psychiatric patient styled herself on Kathy Batess obsessive character in the horror film Misery to stalk a male nurse with whom she was infatuated.

Holly White, 27, created a Facebook account under the name of the Hollywood star and sent sinister messages to Daniel McCann and his trainee nurse girlfriend.

Mr McCann initially brushed off the messages, but contacted police when White threatened to kill his girlfriend. White wrote: Hope you can run because if I ever see you, you are dead.. I hate you, you dirty little paedo. Good luck getting a fella if you ever break up with Daniel.

White also sent topless selfies to Mr McCanns mother.

The couple were so disturbed by the threats they moved away from their native Liverpool and are now living at an undisclosed address.

Sefton Magistrates Court heard that White, of Tuebrook, Liverpool, became besotted with Mr McCann in 2019 when she was a patient at the citys Clock View mental health facility  where he was a nursing assistant.

She claimed to have fallen in love with him at first sight but began using the Kathy Bates alias when he ignored her.

Holly White, 27, (pictured) created a Facebook account under the name of the Hollywood star and sent sinister messages to Daniel McCann and his trainee nurse girlfriend

Ms Bates won an Oscar for her portrayal of murderous former nurse Annie Wilkes, who holds a best-selling author captive while claiming to be his number one fan, in the 1990 film

Ms Bates won an Oscar for her portrayal of murderous former nurse Annie Wilkes, who holds a best-selling author captive while claiming to be his number one fan, in the 1990 film.

White admitted one charge of harassment against the couple between February and June last year and sending a communication threatening death or serious harm to Mr McCann's girlfriend. She was jailed for 16 weeks.

In statements read to the court, Mr McCann and his girlfriend said White had left them extremely anxious and stressed. Mr McCann's girlfriend said: She threatened to hurt me and she even stated that she hoped I would get raped.

I wouldnt stay on my own in my own home. I was constantly looking over my shoulder. At one stage, I was too afraid to walk down the street in daylight hours in case she was around. She has really changed the way we are living our lives.

Mr McCann added: I am constantly stressed and paranoid about any contact from Holly. I felt intimidated by her. Eventually I had to move away from Liverpool, a city I was born and raised in.

This was a decision he said they were forced to make for our own peace of mind and quality of life. The court heard that White, who was also banned from contacting the couple for ten years under the terms of a restraining order, had spent two months in hospital for various mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, allowing her to cross paths with Mr McCann.

She first messaged him on Facebook, claiming she wanted to thank him for his help and told him: You are a credit to the NHS.

But when Mr McCann ignored more messages saying she fancied him, Whites actions escalated to setting up Instagram pages with fake names and a Facebook profile as the Misery star.

Angela Conlan, prosecuting, said: Using the Kathy Bates account, the defendant commented on a picture of his mother being fit and messaged, Where is she going dressed like that? Not bad for an old boot.

Mr McCann's girlfriend also received messages from the Kathy Bates account saying, Does Danny being fat make you uncomfortable and No engagement ring yet sexy?

White falsely told probation officers there had been numerous sexual interactions between herself and Mr McCann at the hospital.

Steve Charters, defending, said White was having relationship issues, has since reduced her medication and is now in a better place.
JD Vance tried to mend his rocky relationship with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Easter Sunday after the leader of the Catholic church slammed the Trump administration's treatment of illegal migrants.

It came just one day after Vance, an adult Catholic convert, appeared to have been snubbed by the Pontiff and forced to meet with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Peter Gallagher.

The Vatican said the meeting between the vice president and the Holy Father was 'brief' and lasted a few minutes.

Vance and the Pope have tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administrations plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy.

The 88-year-old pope offered the Catholic vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance's three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

'I know you have not been feeling great but it's good to see you in better health,' Vance told the Pope. 'Thank you for seeing me.'

Vances motorcade entered Vatican City through a side gate while Easter Mass was being celebrated in St. Peters Square. Francis had delegated the celebration of the Mass to another cardinal.

The Vatican said they met for a few minutes at the Domus Santa Marta 'to exchange Easter greetings.'

JD Vance (pictured left) tried to mend his rocky relationship with Pope Francis (pictured right) at the Vatican on Easter Sunday after the leader of the Catholic church slammed the Trump administration's treatment of illegal migrants

Vance, center, his wife Usha and their children, Vivek, left, and Maribel, back to camera, arrive at the Basilica of Saint Paul

Vance's office said the vice president 'expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for inviting him to meet on Easter Sunday and for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.'

'I pray for you every day,' Vance said as he bid Francis farewell. 'God bless you.'

In all, Vances motorcade was on Vatican territory for 17 minutes.

The vice president later joined his family for Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four pontifical basilicas in Rome.

The Vances visited the tomb of the apostle St. Paul that is said to be located there.

Just days before he was hospitalized in February, Francis blasted the deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity.

In a letter to U.S. bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Vance has acknowledged Francis criticism but has said he will continue to defend his views.

Pope Francis meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and delegation during an audience at Casa Santa Marta

It came just one day after Vance, an adult Catholic convert, appeared to have been snubbed by the Pontiff and forced to meet with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Peter Gallagher

During a February 28 appearance at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Vance didnt address the issue specifically but called himself a 'baby Catholic' and acknowledged there are 'things about the faith that I dont know.'

Vance met Saturday with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

The vice presidents office said he and Parolin 'discussed their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace.'

The Vatican, for its part, said there was an 'exchange of opinions' including over migrants and refugees and current conflicts.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration while seeking to continue productive relations in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality.

It has expressed alarm over the administration's crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Vance has been spending Easter weekend in Rome with his family and attended Good Friday services in St Peter's Basilica on Friday after meeting with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.

The vice president, who converted in 2019, identifies with a small Catholic intellectual movement often called 'postliberal', which is viewed by some critics as having reactionary or authoritarian leanings.

US Vice President JD Vance, his wife second lady Usha Vance and their children attend Mass on Good Friday at St. Peter's Basilica on April 18

Postliberals share some longstanding Catholic conservative views, such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

They envision a counterrevolution in which they take over government bureaucracy and institutions like universities from within, replacing entrenched 'elites' with their own and acting upon their vision of the 'common good.'

Just days before he was hospitalized in February, Francis blasted the Trump administration's deportation plans, warning that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity.

In a letter to US bishops, Francis also appeared to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.

Vance had defended the administration's America-first crackdown by citing a concept from medieval Catholic theology known in Latin as 'ordo amoris.'

He has said the concept delineates a hierarchy of care - to family first, followed by neighbor, community, fellow citizens and lastly those elsewhere.

In his February 10 letter, Francis appeared to correct Vance's understanding of the concept.

'Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extends to other persons and groups,' he wrote.

Pope Francis leaves after a private visit at the 'Regina Coeli' prison where he met around 70 inmates as part of the Holy Thursday celebrations in Rome

JD Vance prays during the Good Friday Passion of the Lord service in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 18

'The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the Good Samaritan, that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.'

Those concerns were reflected in the Vatican's statement issued today which said the talks were cordial and expressed satisfaction with the Trump administration's commitment to protecting freedom of religion and conscience.

'There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees and prisoners,' the statement said.

'Finally, hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the state and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged.'

The reference to 'serene collaboration' appeared to refer to Mr Vance's accusation that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops was resettling 'illegal immigrants' in order to get federal funding. Senior US cardinals have pushed back strongly against the claim.
Britons looking for a child are turning to Mexico for cut-price surrogate babies  with one UK agency accused of cashing in by setting up a branch in the country.

Campaigners who claim poverty-stricken Mexican women are being exploited want the UK Government to ban the trade after My Surrogacy Journey became the first British agency to establish an overseas office directly to arrange surrogates.

Surrogate mothers in Mexico are paid 12,000 a time  a fraction of the cost in the US, where a deal can cost as much as 250,000.

One of the key reasons behind Mexicos increasingly popularity is that it allows pre-birth agreements that see surrogates sign away their rights to a child  meaning it is easier to bring a baby back to the UK, where commercial surrogacy deals are illegal.

It has become a go-to destination after nations such as India and Thailand cracked down on the practice and the war in Ukraine halted the lucrative trade there.

Surrogacy Concern founder Helen Gibson said: We believe My Surrogacy Journeys treatment of Mexican women is profoundly unethical.

It also goes against what British surrogacy agencies are supposed to be: not-for-profit.

Watching a British surrogacy agency set up a commercial outpost in a developing country is appalling  the Government should shut down this pipeline between Mexico and London.

My Surrogacy Journey was founded in 2021 by Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis (pictured), who have two children born through surrogacy and a third surrogate journey under way in Mexico.

A My Surrogacy Journey advertising offering Mexican women money to carry a baby to term for an overseas couple

Campaigners who claim poverty-stricken Mexican women are being exploited want the UK Government to ban the trade after My Surrogacy Journey, founded by Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis (pictured), became the first British agency to establish an overseas office directly to arrange surrogates

THE MEN BEHIND THE MSJ FIRM My Surrogacy Journey was founded in 2021 by Michael and Wes Johnson-Ellis, who have two children born through surrogacy and a third surrogate journey under way in Mexico. Alongside their children, the couple have featured in an Audi ad campaign on #futurefamilies and a campaign on modern families by baby-milk firm Cow & Gate entitled Love Dont Judge. They also starred in a Channel 4 documentary called Gay Dads Forever. Advertisement

Mexican women on average earn less than 300 equivalent per month. How is offering low-income women money to become surrogate mothers for wealthy western couples and single men safe or ethical?

Lexi Ellingsworth, co-founder of Stop Surrogacy Now said it appears that British agencies are operating international hybrid programmes and running overseas branches where women give birth under commercial, enforceable contracts.

This is far from the supposed altruistic, friendship first model pro-surrogacy lobbyists want us to believe, she said. The idea that surrogacy in the UK today is limited to helping a friend or relative become a parent is simply fiction.

Advertisements show MSJ offers Mexican women 310,000 pesos  about 12,000  to be surrogate mothers, with additional payments of 1,450 if they have a caesarean and 590 for embryo transfer.

MSJ also offers perks including a weekend getaway worth $10,000, theme park tickets, yoga classes and massages, as well as transport to appointments in Mercedes cars.

In one advert in Spanish  featuring images of Big Ben, red London buses and Union Flags  MSJ tells potential Mexican surrogates that no other agency has as many would-be parents waiting in the UK.

Commercial surrogacy arrangements are illegal in the UK but it is legal for couples to seek international surrogates before bringing a baby back. There is no suggestion that MSJ has done anything illegal.

The company is open about choosing Mexico due to the unique situation in the country, with intended parents named on the birth certificate rather than the woman who has given birth.

Mexico also allows pre-birth orders  which a surrogate signs before a baby is born that declares she is not the legal parent. MSJ says this offers aspiring parents complete guarantee that their parentage is fully settled.

In the UK, where only altruistic surrogacy is allowed, a surrogate mother is registered as the legal parent of the child and intended parents have to apply for a parental order to reassign parenthood through the courts. One British couple had a baby born this year through a surrogacy arrangement with MSJ Mexico.

The woman, who asked not to be named, has documented the process online, including in one video during a gorgeous sunny day in Mexico, in which she says: We met in a really nice little coffee shop and we actually met our potential surrogate, Aurora, and it was such a special moment for both of us.

Earlier this month, she said she had to make a mad dash to Mexico as the baby had been born six weeks early, adding: So early, in fact, that he was born while we were still in the air.

Commercial surrogacy is illegal in most countries and Italy recently banned couples from travelling abroad to find surrogate mothers, with prime minister Giorgia Meloni describing the practice as a symbol of an abominable society that confuses desire with rights and replaces God with money.

It is legal in other places, such the US state of California, where those looking for a surrogate can expect to spend more than 250,000.

In other countries  including Mexico  it is either unregulated or lightly regulated.

An MSJ spokesman said its adverts are not inducements, but rather fair compensation for surrogates, adding: This is not payment for a baby, but rather an ethical recognition of the physical and emotional undertaking.

The company said it was committed to ethical surrogacy and legal safeguards in Mexico and did not work with surrogates who are financially dependent on surrogacy.

It added that its Mexico operation was legally separate from our UK entity as while MSJ operates as a not-for-profit in the UK, this legal model is not universally applicable across all jurisdictions.

Co-chief executive Michael Johnson-Ellis said: The assumption that we should mirror our UK not-for-profit model internationally, without consideration for local laws, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how ethical surrogacy should be structured on a global scale.
One of President Trump's closest allies has suggested everyday Americans deserve to be paid reparations for the trauma they've experienced dealing with illegal migrants.

Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was incensed by a suggestion that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal migrant with suspected ties to the MS-13 gang, was entitled to reparations after he was deported to a hellish El Salvadorian prison.

Instead, Miller said it was American citizens who deserved to receive compensation after their cities, schools and communities were overrun with migrants and gangs.

'Look at Los Angeles. Once a paradise of safety, security, and prosperity, entire neighborhoods are occupied and controlled by foreign gangs,' he told Newsmax.

'Where do all the residents whove been displaced, whove been forced from Los Angeles  where do they go to get their reparations?'

Miller expressed concern for school-aged children, noting: 'We used to have a functioning public school system in this country.

'Then we had open borders. Now our schools are in chaos and disarray. We need hundreds of translators,' he said.

'Nobodys learning how to read or write. We had an entire generation of Americans - multiple generations, in fact - robbed of educational opportunities.'

One of President Trump's closest allies has suggested everyday Americans deserve to be paid reparations for the trauma they've experienced dealing with illegal migrants

Miller said it was American citizens who deserved to receive compensation after their cities, schools and communities were overrun with migrants and gangs. He said Los Angeles (pictured) was once a paradise before being overrun with gangs

Miller went on, asking whether the 'victims of fentanyl poisoning brought in by Democrats open border,' deserve reparations.

'Hundreds of thousands of moms and dads whose kids are dead and buried in the ground. Where do they go to get their reparations from the government?,' he asked.

'And then all the women who have been raped, who have been beaten, who have been murdered, all the dads who have been shot dead and arent home, all the police officers who have been slain by illegal aliens in ambush attacks in the line of duty.

'Where do any of these people go? Where do any of their families go to get reparations?'

Miller said Americans could 'spend the rest of our lives trying to document the harms' caused by illegal migration into the nation.

'There arent enough volumes that could fit into a library to calculate the carnage that has been inflicted by the Democrat partys policy of open borders,' he said.

'Where does our whole country go to get repaid for all of the wealth, all of the prosperity and security that has been stolen from us by decades of uncontrolled, illegal mass migration, because we all deserve reparations for what has been stolen from us.

'It is a tragedy that defies our ability to even describe it.'

Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old father of three who lived in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador and has sparked a political firestorm

The Trump administration has focused on reversing the 'migrant crisis' by embarking on the largest mass deportation agenda in the nation's history

Miller's impassioned speech has attracted support from MAGA loyalists who praised him for shining a light on matters directly impacting them

Miller's impassioned speech has attracted support from MAGA loyalists who praised him for shining a light on matters directly impacting them.

'Thank you Stephen Miller for highlighting the truth about mass migrations impact. Our lives change drastically and we are still owed for the damages,' one supporter wrote.

Others told him he is a 'national treasure.'

There are several examples of the United States paying reparations in the past, including to Native American tribes for land taken by the government.

Trump also floated the possibility of creating a compensation fund for January 6 rioters who were convicted - and later pardoned by the president - for their roles in the attack on the Capitol.

But the Trump administration has focused on reversing the 'migrant crisis' by embarking on the largest mass deportation agenda in the nation's history.

Alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the MS-13 gang, recently deported by the U.S. government, look on from inside a jail at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) prison, in Tecoluca, El Salvador

Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the United States more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes

Since March, El Salvador has accepted from the United States more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes.

The case which got Miller so riled up centers upon Abrego Garcia, who was reportedly deported in 'error' but has not been allowed to return to the United States.

The case has become a focal point in the national immigration debate. Democrats insist that President Donald Trump is overstepping his executive authority and disrespecting the courts, but Republicans are criticizing Democrats for defending a man Trump and White House officials claim is an MS-13 gang member, despite the fact that he has not been charged with any gang-related crimes.
Police have arrested a 56-year-old man on suspicion of murder after a woman aged 48 was found dead at a house in South Wales.

Officers were called just after 9.15pm on Friday following reports of concern for the welfare of two people in Bryn Terrace, Cefn Cribwr, near Bridgend.

Inside, they found a 48-year-old woman who was pronounced deceased at the scene.

A 56-year-old man from Pyle, a village less than two miles away, was found inside the property and detained by police.

He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Lianne Rees, of South Wales Police, said: 'We are continuing to carry out inquiries into the death, which is being treated as suspicious.

'However at this stage we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident.

'Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the woman who has died.'
Labour has admitted it could axe tax breaks for firms who employ Armed Forces veterans if it needs to re-balance the books.

The disclosure sparked accusations of a betrayal of war heroes as it would land firms who employ them with a tax bombshell.

It comes just before millions prepare to honour our veterans on the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8.

Relief on employers National Insurance contributions for firms who employ ex-personnel was introduced under the previous Tory government and expires next April. It was designed to help veterans integrate back into civilian life by encouraging firms to employ them.

But Treasury minister James Murray said in a reply to a parliamentary written question that the tax break was under review.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already landed businesses with a growth-destroying 25 billion tax bombshell after hiking employers NI contributions in her October Budget. But it did not apply to firms hiring veterans.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: This is incredibly disappointing. Scrapping tax breaks to help veterans get back into the workplace would be a hammer blow, just as Labours existing tax rise on jobs is already reducing vacancies.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves reacts as she speaks with soldiers and staff at the Stanford Training Area on October 20, 2024 near Thetford, Britain

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already landed businesses with a growth-destroying 25 billion tax bombshell after hiking employers NI contributions in her October Budget . But it did not apply to firms hiring veterans

Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer said: This is outrageous. Labour must not go ahead with this damaging hike. Helping those who put their lives on the line for us is a basic duty of any government

We delivered huge gains for veterans under the last Government  including a voice at the Cabinet table [with a dedicated minister]  but it seems like the Labour Government is intent on undermining that inheritance.

'On the cusp of the 80th anniversaries of VE and VJ Day, our veterans deserve better.

Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer added: This is outrageous. Labour must not go ahead with this damaging hike. Helping those who put their lives on the line for us is a basic duty of any government.

The tax relief is due to expire in April 2026. But it could be targeted by Ms Reeves this autumn if she needs to come back for more spending cuts to meet her strict self-imposed fiscal rules.

In the parliamentary question, Mr Cartlidge asked if Ms Reeves plans to extend the tax break after April next year or scrap it. Mr Murray replied: The Government keeps all taxes under review.

The relief for firms who employ veterans allows them to claim a zero NI rate for a veterans earnings for their first year of employment.

A Treasury spokesman said the NI relief, on salaries up to 50,270, was extended for 2025/26 but admitted that it was under review beyond April next year.

Almost 15,000 veterans have left the Forces in the past year and Tory MPs argue that they now face much worse job prospects.
For those reckoned to have a more discerning palate, a spot of Earl Grey is just their cup of tea.

But now it seems the brew is set to capture yet more fans  as the inspiration for an award-winning loaf.

The unusual brioche  also infused with limoncello-soaked candied lemon peel  took top spot in Britains Best Loaf competition as well as being crowned in the innovation category.

Its creator, Miyo Aoetsu, who started baking as a hobby at her home in Darley Dale in Derbyshire, said she was delighted with the award.

I was speechless when I won.... I was very, very happy, I was almost screaming on the stage, she added.

Judges said her loaf, pictured, which beat 200 others to the top prize, impressed them with its unique flavour profile and zesty, aromatic finish.

Ms Aoetsu, who is originally from Japan, moved to the UK to study at the University of Manchester, where she met her husband.

After the couple returned from living in France 13 years ago, the 55-year-old missed brioche so much that she set about learning how to bake it.

A brioche bread infused with lemon and Earl Grey tea has been crowned Britain's best loaf

The unusual brioche  also infused with limoncello-soaked candied lemon peel  took top spot in Britains Best Loaf competition as well as being crowned in the innovation category

Its creator, Miyo Aoetsu, who started baking as a hobby at her home in Darley Dale in Derbyshire, said she was delighted with the award

Her Kuma-San Bakehouse, still based in their home, now supplies businesses as well as loaves for customers to collect.

And it is the second time Ms Aoetsu has won the top prize in the competition run by trade magazine British Baker, after her green brioche with matcha, white chocolate and fruit wowed judges in 2023.

Ms Aoetsu admitted that perfecting this years winner, announced at the NEC Birmingham as part of the UK Food & Drink Shows, took her 45 attempts. She said: I baked and baked and baked until I was confident it would be ready for the competition.

In Japan, the combination of Earl Grey tea and citrus fruits has been really trendy, so people make a lot of cakes and cookies with these. So I started to think about making a bread, and I like the aroma of tea when used in baking.

Ms Aoetsu also revealed another secret ingredient alongside Earl Grey was a Japanese citrus fruit known as yuzu.
Pete Hegseth has again been accused of sharing details of a US foreign military attack in a Signal group chat, this time including his wife, brother and personal lawyer.

The chat contained details of a March attack on Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in one of the first strikes of Hegseth's tenure, The New York Times reported and the Associated Press confirmed.

It raises more questions about his use of an unclassified messaging system to share highly sensitive security details.

The second chat on Signal - which is a commercially available app not authorized to be used to communicate sensitive or classified national defense information - included 13 people and was dubbed 'Defense ' Team Huddle.'

The information shared 'included the flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen,' the newspaper reported.

The outlet said that unlike the accidental leak where journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly included in the group, this group chat was created by Hegseth.

Hegseth's wife Jennifer, a former producer at the Defense Secretary's ex-employer Fox News, is not an employee of the Defense Department.

His brother Phil and attorney Tim Parlatore do have jobs at the Pentagon but it is not clear if they are on a need-to-know basis regarding attacks. Phil Hegseth is a Department of Homeland Security liaison and senior adviser.

Pete Hegseth (pictured center right) has again been accused of sharing details of a US foreign military attack in a Signal group chat, this time including his wife (pictured center left), brother and personal lawyer

Hegseth's wife Jennifer (pictured left), a former producer at the Defense Secretary's ex-employers at Fox News, is not an employee of the Defense Department

Both Phil and Jennifer have been traveling with the Defense Secretary and attending high-level meetings.

'The truth is that there is an informal group chat that started before confirmation of his closest advisers,' a U.S. official told The New York Times. 'Nothing classified was ever discussed on that chat.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, the White House dismissed the story and put the blame on the recently fired staffers.

'No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same non-story, they can't change the fact that no classified information was shared,' Anna Kelly said.

'Recently-fired 'leakers' are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the President's agenda, but the administration will continue to hold them accountable.'

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell echoed that this was merely the liberal media trying to re-hash old news.

'Another day, another old storyback from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump's agenda,' he said.

He added that they 'relied only on the words of people who were fired this week and appear to have a motive to sabotage the Secretary and the President's agenda.'

The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg shared screengrabs of a chat with key administration officials he was accidentally added to in March

National Security Advisor Michael Waltz's job took significant heat for the initial leak

Parnell said that there was zero classified information in the chat and that the Pentagon 'is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump's agenda' and 'will never back down.'

DailyMail.com has also reached out to Parlatore for comment.

The story came out following a week after three top staffers under Hegseth at the Pentagon were forced to resign amid a probe into leaks at the Department of Defense.

Four sources familiar with the message group, said that second chat included details of the schedule of the air strikes.

Hegseth allegedly shared the same details of the attack that were revealed last month by The Atlantic magazine after its editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was included in a separate chat on the Signal app by mistake, in an embarrassing incident involving all of President Donald Trump's most senior national security officials.

Goldberg revealed in a March story that a 'Michael Waltz' had added him to a group chat on the encrypted app Signal, where top White House officials discussed plans for attacking the Iranian-backed Houthis earlier this month.

The initial group chat included a number of Cabinet members and came to light because Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was accidentally added to the group.

Waltz started the conversation on Signal, an encrypted messaging app, that included users identified as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Hegseth's brother Phil (pictured right) is an employee of the Pentagon

His attorney Tim Parlatore (picture) also does have a job at the Pentagon but it is not clear if they are on a need to know basis regarding attacks

A CIA representative, Trump adviser Stephen Miller and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles were also listed in the group.

'The statements by Hegseth, Gabbard, Ratcliffe, and Trump - combined with the assertions made by numerous administration officials that we are lying about the content of the Signal texts - have led us to believe that people should see the texts in order to reach their own conclusions,' wrote Goldberg and The Atlantic's Shane Harris.

'There is a clear public interest in disclosing the sort of information that Trump advisers included in non-secure communications channels, especially because senior administration figures are attempting to downplay the significance of the messages that were shared,' the journalists added.

Revelations of another use of Signal for classified information come as one of Hegseth's leading advisers, Dan Caldwell, was escorted from the Pentagon last week after being identified during an investigation into leaks at the Department of Defense.

Following Caldwell's departure, less senior officials Darin Selnick, who recently became Hegseth's deputy chief of staff, and Colin Carroll, who was chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, were put on administrative leave, officials said.

The Trump administration has aggressively pursued leaks, an effort that has been enthusiastically embraced by Hegseth at the Pentagon.

The initial leak investigation at the Pentagon began on March 21 when Hegseth's chief of staff Joe Kasper - who is also rumored to be on the outs - ordered the probe.

The probe included military operational plans for the Panama canal, a second carrier headed to the Red Sea, the pausing the collection of intelligence to Ukraine, and the leak that Elon Musk's would meet with Hegseth about the U.S. war plans for China, an official told Politico.

The news comes days after Defense aides Dan Caldwell (left) and Darin Selnick (right) were terminated after allegedly being identified during the leak investigation

Colin Carroll (pictured), chief of staff to the Deputy Defense Secretary, has also been fired as part of a leak investigation

Kasper said the probe would examine 'recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information' and said polygraphs would be used.

'The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy,' he wrote. 'This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.'

He noted that 'information identifying a party responsible for an unauthorized disclosure' would be referred for criminal prosecution.'

Kasper ordered the probe one day after the New York Times reported the Pentagon set up a briefing with Elon Musk on a potential war with China.

Caldwell played a critical role as an adviser to Hegseth.

He was the staff member designated as Hegseth's point person in the Signal messaging chat that top Trump administration national security officials, including the defense secretary, used to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Caldwell and Hegseth have a longtime friendship, going back to Hegseth's time as the head of Concerned Veterans for America, a nonprofit. Caldwell worked at CVA beginning in 2013 as policy director and later as executive director.

Additionally, Caldwell was by Hegseth's side on Capitol Hill as the former Fox News host fought to keep his nomination alive during questions about his treatment of women.

Selnick also performed the duties of the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness. He served in the White House and the Department of Veterans Affairs in the first Trump administration.

And he also has ties to Concerned Veterans for America, where he served as a senior adviser.

All three suspended aides are close in age and share the same isolationist view of foreign policy. That view is also shared by Vice President J.D. Vance and Don Trump Jr., the president's oldest son.

Caldwell, once one of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's most senior advisors, issued a joint statement on Saturday along with two other Pentagon officials casting doubt on an internal leak investigation that led to their ouster this week.

'We are incredibly disappointed by the manner in which our service at the Department of Defense ended,' Caldwell posted on X.

'Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door.'

Caldwell and the others added: 'We still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of 'leaks' to begin with.'

The comments were the first by Caldwell since it was first disclosed that he was escorted out of the Pentagon building on Tuesday.

Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot also announced he was resigning last week, unrelated to the leaks. The Pentagon said, however, that Ullyot was asked to resign.
The women behind the Supreme Court battle over the definition of a woman have been inundated with death threats and abuse since the landmark judgment.

It came as Nelson Mandela's statue on Parliament Square was among seven vandalised at the weekend after thousands of trans rights activists gathered to protest against the ruling.

Scotland Yard was last night hunting for those who defaced the statues around Westminster, including that of suffragette Millicent Fawcett, which had 'F** rights' daubed on it.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Criminal damage like this, including to statues of men and women who fought for freedom and justice like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Millicent Fawcett, is disgraceful.'

Wednesday's ruling was the culmination of a seven-year legal fight brought by gender-critical campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS) against the Scottish government.

The three women behind FWS's legal campaign revealed they have been subjected to an outpouring of hate since celebrating their victory outside the court.

Messages sent to FWS's email address included one hours after the ruling that said: 'You're a group of disgusting murderers and deserve death.

'God will rip you from your family one day and nobody will mourn you.'

Susan Smith and Marion Calder of For Women Scotland, who say they have been subjected to death threats following the Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman

Statues were vandalised, including this one of suffragist Millicent Fawcett (left), while a Pride flag was wrapped around Winston Churchill (right)

Graffiti left on the statue of South African military leader Jan Smuts in Parliament Square

Another read: 'Your inhumanity makes me vomit. You stupid women should feel deeply ashamed for being so stupid.'

Campaigner Susan Smith said: 'It would never occur to us to send messages like this or to call our opponents ugly. But we get this every day.'

Marion Calder added: 'Sadly, it is almost inevitable that women who speak up for our rights will be threatened by angry men. It's a tale as old as the hills.

'Thankfully, the nastiness is dwarfed by messages of love and support, many of which have brought us to tears.'

The women have not reported the threats to Police Scotland, who cannot investigate an offence unless it has been reported.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for Saturday's protest in Westminster, said: 'While the police support the public's right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable. We are pursuing this.'

Officers also said they were reviewing footage and vowed to take action if any protest placards displayed were in breach of the law.

Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said last night: 'The law must be enforced equally. Why have there been no arrests or charges for brazen criminal damage?

'Until there is proper punishment for criminality like this, people will continue to do it knowing they can get off scot-free.'
Easter Sunday at Windsor and a rare sighting of the Duke of York. Indeed, like big chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, Prince Andrew is becoming something of an Easter-only treat.

For this was his first public appearance alongside the rest of the family for an entire year  since the very same service in 2024.

After his withdrawal from public life in 2019, following his disastrous televised attempt to justify his friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it was agreed that he would appear only at family occasions. These would be Easter and Christmas plus any weddings or funerals (and, as it transpired, the King's Coronation).

There have been no major family milestones over the past year. Furthermore, the Duke was persuaded to absent himself from the royal Christmas celebrations following revelations of his links to a man who was later alleged to be a Chinese spy.

It is no secret, though, that he craves a return to a semblance of the life he jettisoned. So yesterday's return to the spotlight was an important moment.

He arrived for matins at St George's Chapel with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, and the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. However, the Duke then disappeared inside while the others remained outside, waiting to greet the King and Queen. Andrew then re-emerged, to be joined by his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and their husbands.

Together with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh; their son, the Earl of Wessex; plus the King's cousins, the Earl of Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto with her husband, Daniel, this large royal party lined up beside the Galilee Porch for the monarch's arrival.

Amid much curtseying, no knee went lower than that of the Duchess of York, who was almost touching the flagstones.

Today marked Prince Andrew's first public appearance since the very same service in 2024

As soon as the King and Queen had entered the chapel, the Duke of York then stepped immediately behind them in the procession, almost overtaking the man in charge, the Dean of Windsor, the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth

After his withdrawal from public life in 2019, following his disastrous televised attempt to justify his friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , it was agreed that he would appear only at family occasions

As soon as the King and Queen had entered the chapel, the Duke of York then stepped immediately behind them in the procession, almost overtaking the man in charge, the Dean of Windsor, the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth. Here was a forceful reminder that, in this company at least, the Duke was first in the line of succession.

For the King, the large family gathering will have felt reassuringly familiar. Last year was very different, following his cancer diagnosis two months earlier. That had necessitated a smaller family contingent at the castle over the Easter weekend. It was also a turning point: the first occasion when his doctors permitted the monarch to shake hands with the public again. He had been raring to go after his enforced seclusion, and it showed.

Yesterday was a more mellow, relaxed affair. After a hectic start to the year, culminating in the state visit to Italy followed by a trip to Durham for Thursday's Royal Maundy ceremony, this Easter has been an opportunity to unwind ahead of a busy programme for the rest of the year.

That may now have become even busier. Reports of an autumn meeting between President Trump and the King have been lent extra credence by the President himself, and reports emerged yesterday that President Emmanuel Macron of France could be paying a full state visit to the UK sooner than that.

The Mail has also learned that Foreign Office and Palace sources are preparing for another invitation which will be of equal importance and could arrive in a matter of days.

Canada goes to the polls on April 28 and it is now anticipated that a new prime minister, whether Liberal or Conservative, is likely to invite the King of Canada to open the new Parliament. Though that would be purely a matter between Canada and the King, there could be implications for the UK, given Canada's more combative relations with Washington.

Yesterday the Prince of Wales and his family were elsewhere, having decided to spend Easter privately at their home in Norfolk. This prompted some surprise on social media, though their absence was not unusual.

Prince Andrew ducked quietly into the Easter service at St George's Chapel in Windsor this morning

Andrew was was reportedly urged to uninvite himself from Christmas celebrations at Sandringham last year

Last year, the Princess had only just announced her own cancer diagnosis as Easter approached, and the family then spent the holiday period privately with their children. Over the past ten Easters, the Waleses have been with the extended family for exactly half of them.

For now, the Prince and Princess and their three children are happy to be out of the public gaze, particularly since they are expected to be very much back in it again in a couple of weeks when the nation comes together to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Also absent, as ever, were the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Further news emerged yesterday of a forthcoming second book on the couple by the investigative journalist, Tom Bower. Claiming that the pair are now in 'crisis', Mr Bower has promised to tell 'an eye-wateringly unique story because it's unprecedented'.

Back in Windsor, meanwhile, yesterday's service included traditional favourites, such as Thine Be The Glory, before the royal party moved through to the Deanery for tea and drinks.

The King and Queen then emerged and waved to a small crowd admitted inside the castle and shouting 'Happy Easter'. The royal couple crossed to shake hands and return the compliment before returning to the far end of the castle in the State Bentley.

The rest of the royal party then emerged, walking back up to the castle for lunch. The Duke of York looked stunned when someone shouted 'Happy Easter, sir'. Most of the well-wishers had some sort of connection with the place anyway. Carl Adekola, 18, and his mother, Claire, have enjoyed attending each year since Carl's days as a member of the St George's Chapel choir. 'I used to sing the songs that they were singing today,' he said, 'so it was very nice, very nostalgic.'
America's oldest indoor shopping mall in Rhode Island has been transformed into affordable micro-lofts.

Flipping the retail space at the Arcade Providence into homes has 'been a driver for economic recovery in Providence's Financial District', according to the architects.

The national landmark was named one of the nation's finest commercial buildings and, after closing in 2008, it became endangered before the developer proposed the $7million reuse project.

Many cities have found the flipping of buildings, such as this, have promoted a solution for economic recovery as well as satisfying the over-demand for urban housing, Congress for the New Urbanism wrote.

The location provides young professionals the opportunity to live in a central location with rents that start at $550 per month. It has been described as an 'incubator for young professionals' by the designers Northeast Collaborative Architects.

'Providence has shown that bold vision and creative planning can be an economic boon to a city. From creating more downtown housing to providing retail space for local entrepreneurs, to rehabilitating a beautiful and historic building... the project is a great example of economic development that just works,' said Mayor Jorge Elorza.

The 400 square foot spaces also promote start-up businesses. 'Many tenants are artisans, and the project functions as an incubator for young professionals,' according to Northeast Collaborative Architects.

The lofts at the Arcade Providence were completed in 2012 and have proven to demonstrate how the preservation and rehabilitation of buildings can serve a greater purpose

Many cities have found the flipping of buildings, such as this, have promoted a solution for economic recovery as well as satisfying the over-demand for urban housing

The 400 square foot spaces also promote start-up businesses. 'Many tenants are artisans, and the project functions as an incubator for young professionals,' according to the designers, Northeast Collaborative Architects

The lofts share a balcony walkway to promote socializing as well as community spaces, including a lounge, laundry room and exterior balconies

Even before opening back in 2012, the developer had 300 applicants for the building.

One resident, Amy Henion, told CNBC: 'It's cool to be part of such a historic building and knowing that every single one of these units used to be a shop of some kind.'

Henion, a 33-year-old graphic designer, had been living in the unit for two years and appreciated the easy access to amenities that it offered.

'You have access to amenities that you don't get if you're just living in a home in a suburb, like, if I want to get my hair cut, I can walk downstairs and get my hair cut,' she said.

'If I want to pick up lunch, I don't even have to leave the building, even if the weather outside is awful.'

Not only can tenants get easy access to the businesses in the building, but they also have close access to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design as well as thousands of jobs.

Its central location allows for easy walkability for residents as well as easy transit options and bicycle storage.

One resident, Amy Henion, told CNBC: 'It's cool to be part of such a historic building and knowing that every single one of these units used to be a shop of some kind'

Not only can tenants get easy access to the businesses in the building, but they also have close access to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design as well as thousands of jobs

'You have access to amenities that you don't get if you're just living in a home in a suburb, like, if I want to get my hair cut, I can walk downstairs and get my hair cut,' Henion said

Scott Sheehan, a 31-year-old tax advisor and real estate investor, decided to rent it out on Airbnb, and estimated he could make between $25,000 and $45,000 in revenue annually

The lofts share a balcony walkway to promote socializing as well as community spaces, including a lounge, laundry room and exterior balconies.

Others took the opportunity to own loft spaces in such a central location as a chance to make some money.

Scott Sheehan, a 31-year-old tax advisor and real estate investor, bought an apartment inside the mall for $250,000.

Sheehan decided to rent it out on Airbnb, and estimated he could make between $25,000 and $45,000 in revenue annually.

'At the end of the day, it's a unique experience,' Sheehan told CNBC. 'It's a great alternative to a hotel room.'
In this day and age, cyberbullying is a huge problem.

The practice involves sending, posting or sharing negative, harmful, false or mean content about someone else.

It's a key concept in the hit Netflix series Adolescence, which followed the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a female peer.

A recent report warned it is now a dominant form of peer violence among young people, and it can leave deep, emotional scars.

But how can parents find out if their child is the victim of cyberbullying?

With teenagers more protective than ever over their digital lives, stepping in without overstepping can feel impossible.

But according to education and child behaviour expert David Smith, theres a subtle way parents can keep an eye out.

And it doesnt involve invading your childs privacy by scrolling through their private chats.

Cyberbullying plays a central role in Netflix's thrilling drama Adolescence, in which a 13-year-old boy is accused of murdering a female peer after being subjected to cyberbullying

Mr Smith, CEO of Silicon Valley High School  an online institution offering AI-supported learning  is urging parents to pay attention to one overlooked feature: their childs keyboard suggestions.

By checking the predictive text suggestions or keyboard history on a childs device, parents can get a glimpse into the tone of their recent conversations  without needing to open any messages.

Its a surprisingly telling indicator, and one that doesnt require technical skills or snooping.

Most smartphones and tablets now come with predictive text and autocorrect tools that are powered by the words we use most.

Over time, your keyboard learns your common phrases and suggests them automatically as you type.

If a child frequently types or responds to emotionally loaded messages, those words, whether kind or cruel, can start to show up in their autocomplete.

Mr Smith advises parents to  when in possession of their child's phone  see what predictive text comes up when they start to type.

For example, it could be cause for concern if the predictive word 'sorry' appears when the letter 's' is typed, or if the word 'loser' appears in the predictive text panel when the letter 'l' is typed.

Data from the Cyberbullying Research Centre reveals that about 30 per cent of teens have experienced cyberbullying in their lifetime, with 13 per cent saying it occurred in just the last 30 days (stock image)

WORDS TO LOOK OUT FOR 'Loser'  A potential sign of name-calling or emotional abuse 'Hate you'  Could reflect repeated hostility from peers 'Stop' or 'Go away'  May suggest someone is being persistently targeted 'Sorry'  Might indicate your child is frequently apologising or walking on eggshells 'Leave me alone'  A strong emotional signal that something isnt right Advertisement

Parents arent always sure how to start a conversation about online safety without seeming intrusive, Mr Smith said.

This technique allows them to passively observe emotional trends without reading private messages. It offers a way to notice red flags early without crossing personal boundaries.

This kind of subtle check-in can be especially useful during adolescence, when children are less likely to disclose upsetting experiences like cyberbullying.

A few keywords that might indicate repeated exposure to hurtful or distressing online interactions include loser, hate you, stop, go away. sorry or leave me alone.

While no single word is proof of bullying, recurring patterns can justify a gentle conversation, Mr Smith said.

He said there are three ways parents can open up a dialogue without putting their child on the defensive.

This includes leading with curiosity, not accusation  for example asking: Hey, I noticed a few words popping up in your predictive text  are you doing okay?

He also suggests asking open-ended questions such as Has anything online been bothering you lately and to reassure children that they wont be in trouble for being honest.

While no single word is proof of bullying, recurring patterns can justify parents initiating a gentle conversation, Mr Smith said (stock image)

Your browser does not support iframes.

This interactive reveals a list of words, hashtags and acronyms regularly used by teenagers that should raise alarm bells.

From kidney beans to love hearts, innocuous symbols are revealed to hide a surprising code that most adults would never be able to spot.

The list, released by Nottinghamshire Police, is divided into three categories - warning flags, terms to keep an eye on, and fun.

You can scroll through the full list or search for individual terms.

Data from the Cyberbullying Research Centre reveals that about 30 per cent of teens have experienced cyberbullying in their lifetime, with 13 per cent saying it occurred in just the last 30 days.

Perhaps more alarmingly, around 15 per cent admit theyve bullied someone else online.

Small digital habits can open big conversations, Mr Smith said.

Something as simple as checking your childs keyboard suggestions might feel trivial, but it can reveal patterns that are worth paying attention to.

Its a way to quietly support your childs wellbeing, especially if theyre not ready to open up yet.

The earlier we spot signs of emotional stress or bullying, the easier it is to intervene before harm is done.

What matters most is that your child knows youre there  not to judge, but to listen. Creating that space for dialogue, even with small steps like this, can make a huge difference.
Aubrey Plaza made a rare public appearance walking her dog over the weekend, months after her husband Jeff Baena died by suicide.

The actress, 40, put on a brave face as she was joined by a female friend in the Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.

Aubrey, who was separated from Jeff at the time of his death at age 47, wore a blue tie-dye T-shirt teamed with pale blue New Balance sweat shorts and white sneakers.

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Outing: Grieving Aubrey Plaza enjoyed a stroll with her dog in Los Angeles, California

Aubrey and Jeff had been separated since September 2024, an LA County Medical Examiner's autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed.

She was living in New York when his body was discovered on January 3.

The report detailed that the director had been 'experiencing marital difficulties' in his final months, and was in therapy.

Casual: The actress opted for sporty separates for her sunshine dog walk with a pal

It was noted in the documents that Aubrey, whose name was redacted in the final report, said she had spoken with her estranged husband the night before he took his life.

The report also tragically revealed that the actress had been concerned for his wellbeing.

'In October 2024, Baena made concerning remarks to [Plaza] which prompted her to call a friend to perform a welfare check on her husband. Baena had been attending therapy since that event,' the paperwork stated.

Tragedy: Aubrey with her late husband Jeff Baena who died by suicide in January

Separated: The couple were estranged in the months leading up to his death; pictured in 2016

The medical examiner's report also determined that Jeff did not have drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.

It stated that Aubrey 'knew her husband to be alive' as of January 3 because he had sent her a text message that morning.

The report indicated that a dog walker discovered Jeff's body after hearing loud music coming from his home, which she said was 'unusual.'

After she called him and didn't get an answer, she entered the home and discovered his remains.

Shortly after his death, a representative for Aubrey said in a statement obtained by DailyMail.com: 'This is an unimaginable tragedy. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.'
Chinese leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Auto Co., Ltd. was honored at the ongoing 2025 New York International Auto Show.

The BYD Seagull / Dolphin Mini was awarded on Wednesday the 2025 World Urban Car under the World Car Awards, a program initiated by, organized by, and conducted by automotive journalists from all over the world.

"This achievement reflects our commitment to providing sustainable technologies and exceptional service to customers worldwide. At BYD, we are dedicated to accelerating green mobility and contributing to the global effort to cool the Earth by 1C," said Stella Li, executive vice president of BYD Auto.

The BYD Seagull / Dolphin Mini was chosen from an initial entry list of 12 vehicles from all over the world.

Launched in January 2004, the annual World Car Awards recognize excellence in six categories including the World Car Design, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Urban Car, World Electric Vehicle, and World Car of the Year.

In January, Li was named 2025 World Car Person of the Year, marking the first time a woman has been named with the title and also the first World Car Award win for a Chinese brand, according to an earlier release by the organizers.

The 2025 New York International Auto Show kicked off at Javits Center, New York City, on Wednesday with public days running from April 18-27.
When her beloved husband Major Iain Grahame died 18 months ago, Antiques Roadshow favourite Bunny Campione came to acknowledge that some things dont last forever.

Iain may have been 91, but his death was sudden.

He fell over and banged his head, but for four hours he was up eating, talking, everything else. And then suddenly he was unconscious, she says.

He didnt wake up again. I stayed up with him all night.

A mere 15 hours after his fall he was dead.

Her loss made Bunny realise she needed to start selling some of the immense collection of antiques that filled the home she shared with Iain.

Antiques Roadshow's Bunny Campione reveals she's selling off her own collectibles and the beloved item she turned down 10,000 for

The star has said shes selling something more personal, her huge collection of bunny rabbits amassed during her 78 years and inspired by her name.

The house will eventually go to the Daws Hall Trust, the educational nature charity Iain founded called.

First to go was a collection of ornate birdcages and corkscrews which she sold last year.

Now shes selling something more personal, her huge collection of bunny rabbits amassed during her 78 years and inspired by her name.

I want to see other people enjoy them, because Ive had a lovely time with them, says Bunny, who keeps the majority of her rabbits on a Welsh dresser in her kitchen.

I sort of feel I must downsize a bit because Ive been such a collector all my life, and Ive got too many things. Ive now got to adjust to life on my own. Its a strange feeling.

Bunny isnt her real name of course  she was born Carolyn  but ever since her parents gave her a brown rabbit fur coat with a hood and bunny ears, Bunny is the name she has gone by.

I was about two-and-a-half and I said, Im Bunny and no one was allowed to call me anything else, she recalls.

Mummy used to take me shopping and I would wind down the window  as you did in those days  and shout, Bunny loves everybody.

Bunny said: I want to see other people enjoy them, because Ive had a lovely time with them, says Bunny who keeps the majority of her rabbits on a Welsh dresser in her kitchen'

And because Bunny is a toy expert, its no wonder she started collecting toy bunnies.

The bunny expected to fetch the most money is a 1906 Peter Rabbit toy made by Steiff, the German toy company that created the worlds first factory-made teddy bear.

The rabbit was given to her by a clients wife who found it, incredibly, in a dustbin in Athens.

Its beautifully made out of wool, sheepskin and felt, and its in very good condition, says Bunny.

We know its an early one because Steiff toys have a little metal button on the ears and in 1905 (NOT 1906??) they were plain  later on they had Steiff written on them.

It actually seems to have gone down in value. About ten years ago I was offered 10,000 for it but I think were putting it up for 4,000.

I dont regret not selling it earlier though, Ive enjoyed it for a long time. It sits on the shelf in my kitchen and I look at it every day. Its one of my favourites.

Controversially, Steiff originally marketed the tiny toys not as Peter Rabbit, but as a rabbit with a blue jacket.

The bunny expected to fetch the most money is a 1906 Peter Rabbit toy made by Steiff, the German toy company that created the worlds first factory-made teddy bear

Beatrix Potter was said to be furious and after that she ensured all dolls based on her characters were licensed and used their correct name.

A second Steiff Peter Rabbit, this one from 1908 and valued at 1,000-1,500 is also part of the collection, while a tray of ten Steiff baby rabbits will be on sale starting at 300.

Another valuable rabbit is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit  who turned out to be not so lucky.

The rabbit was created in 1927 by Walt Disney and the subject of several animated films  Bunnys 1928 woollen rabbit is part of the original merchandise.

Oswalds rights were bought by Universal Pictures in 1928 and Disney created a new character to replace him - Mickey Mouse, who went on to become the most famous cartoon character in the world.

Bunny picked up Oswald at an auction for 800 15 years ago but he had an unfortunate incident when Bunnys real rabbit chewed a bit off, reducing his value. Bidding will start at 400.

Sadly, my real rabbit Percy was let loose in the kitchen and was maybe jealous of Oswald as he bit his shoe, says Bunny.

Another of the treasures in the collection is an automaton knitting rabbit by Roullet & Decamps, which nods when operated.

Bunny bought it at auction for 800 and is hoping to make a small profit from it. Altogether the collection of 50 toys should net her at least 10,000.

While shes always loved toys  and is holding on to the first bunny her parents gave her when she was two  Bunny never expected to become one of the nations best known toy experts.

Her first love was art and she was desperate to work at Sothebys. She refused to take no for an answer.

If you really want something and its within your reach you have to go on trying for it, she says.

While shes always loved toys  and is holding on to the first bunny her parents gave her when she was two  Bunny never expected to become one of the nations best known toy experts

They kept saying no but I kept on annoying the personnel director so he eventually offered me a job on the front counter.

This was in 1966 and it was wonderful as people would just come in with their goods and they would be looked at by the specialists at the counter. It was real hands-on learning.

She then got a role in the silver department not my scene, I found it rather cold, and then furniture.

At that time something only counted as antique if it was pre-Victorian.

Because I was a woman I wasnt allowed to be a specialist, but doll and automata at that point came under the furniture department and because no one else wanted to do them, I ended up working on them.

We had one client who was an amazing collector of dolls and she adopted me, basically, and would send me catalogues of doll sales in America so I could keep abreast of what things were being sold for.

One day someone from our sister company in Devon sent an image of a doll which I recognised because Id seen it in an American catalogue and I said, This has got to come to London, its of international importance!

That became my first star sale  it was a porcelain doll which made 6,000 and broke records for the sale of a doll. The next day I was photographed in all the papers and asked if I would like to help set up a doll department.

Antiques Roadshow soon came calling.

I remember having tea with the producer around the corner from Sothebys and he said, You cant just do dolls, you have to do miscellaneous and I told him, I will do my best. Then he said, And youve got to lose the plum in your voice and I thought, S**t, what am I getting into?

Bunny is the second-longest serving expert on the show, having started in 1986 a few years after Hilary Kay.

Theyve just sent me the new venues to tick the ones I can do, so hopefully theyll still want me for something, she says.

She still loves it but doesnt approve of all the changes. It has completely changed over the years.

Even ten years ago you didnt know what was coming in. You would sit there and they would queue for hours and hours but now you know whats coming in because they send photographs.

'They get tickets so theyre told what time to come and that theyre going to be filmed. Because we know whats coming, I dont think its so spontaneous and I must admit thats a pity because it shows.

'You dont get the same reaction. Theyre doing it because it saves money  and we now make three programmes out of each venue which I think is dumbing down. And not everything is antiques  some of it is from the 70s, she says disapprovingly.

Bunny retains her plummy accent and admits shes a bit too posh for the BBC.

'Now theyve got to have what they call ethnic minorities, disabled, trans. Thats the BBC. The only good thing for me is that Im female.'

Shes also charming and funny. She jokes that the producers love to keep in her most embarrassing malapropisms and cheeky sense of humour.

I was filming a woman bringing a naked male doll out of a brown paper bag and I was thinking, Family show, Sunday night. So I said, I havent seen one of those with all its, er, genitive parts. And the chap who was with me on the table looked up nonchalantly and said, Genitalia Bunny and went back to what he was doing. Anyway, they left it in.

There was another time when she asked to pose next to a giant teddy. They started filming and I said, I havent had one as big as this for 25 years. And everyone was laughing and spluttering. Teddy bear, I mean, I added. They left that in too.

Bunny enjoyed risque erotic novel 50 Shades Of Grey when it first came out  a present from Iain - with its heroine Anastasia.

So when Fiona Bruce asked on camera what her real name was she decided to play a joke. I was giggling away  I couldnt resist  so I said Anastasia.

Everyone who had read the book was guffawing but obviously Fiona hadnt and she was asking, Whats the matter with that? Its a beautiful name. That went out and the next day it was on Wikipedia that my real name was Anastasia.

Bunny remains a busy woman who runs her own antiques consultancy and loves to travel  shes planning to go and visit one of her two grown-up sons who lives in Colombia as we speak.

She admits shes going to miss her bunnies as she prepares for them to go under the hammer but appreciates its time to move on.

Collecting them has given me so much joy but now all I wish for them is to have happy new homes.

*Bunny Campiones private collection of rabbits will be sold by Special Auction Services in Newbury on Tuesday 24 June.

For information go to specialauctionservices.com or call 01635 580 595.
Advertisement

Tensions between Mike Gunner and his match Melinda came to a head in episode four this week when the former Married At First Sight star kicked the mother-of-three out of the house during a fight.

The pair have been on the rocks since Melinda called the 50-year-old a 'washed up reality star' after he confronted her in a bizarre moment of jealousy when she spoke privately with a male producer on the show.

With Melinda standing by her comments in the latest episode of the Stan series, Mike called time on their relationship and booted her out of the house - just in time for his new match to walk through the door.

The drama began when Mike and Melinda had a sit down the morning after the scandal-filled Couple's Party.

Hoping to find clarity on where everything went wrong between them, Mike said: 'Hasn't gone well has it? Is there a reason do you think it hasn't worked from your end?'

Melinda didn't hold back as she responded: 'There are several reasons it hasn't worked. Your lack of ownership to any situation is really a trait I don't admire in a person.

Tensions between Mike Gunner and his match Melinda came to a head in episode four this week when the former MAFS star kicked the mother-of-three out of the house during a fight

The pair have been on the rocks since Melinda called the 50-year-old a 'washed up reality star' after he confronted her in a bizarre moment of jealousy when she spoke privately with a male producer on the show

'You seem to be quite self-focused and completely oblivious to certain situations when you could be in the wrong.'

Clearly unimpressed with her comments, Mike asked when she first noticed these 'traits' in him, with Melinda saying she noticed it 'straight away'.

'At the beach when I met you, I noticed it straight away... My guard went straight up. I tried to overlook it but the more I tried to overlook it, the more I saw it,' she said.

'But what about when you called me a gym a***hole?' Mike hit back.

'I apologised for that,' Melinda responded, referring to the moment she called him out during their first date for having poor gym etiquette.

'Sure. Would I have spoken to you that way, though? What if I called you a 41-year-old washed up mother-of-three. How would that make you feel? I haven't intentionally hurt you,' Mike said.

He continued: 'I don't care about any of this. I don't trust your opinion. I'm going to ask you to pack your stuff and leave.

'Frankly, I wanted a nice goodbye, but I'm going to get up and walk in the kitchen and I don't want to see you again. All the best to you, darling.'

With Melinda standing by her comments in the latest episode of the Stan series, Mike called time on their relationship and booted her out of the house - just in time for his new match to walk through the door

Fuming over Mike's behaviour, Melinda told Mike 'don't call me darling' before heading straight up stairs to pack her bags.

'I'm quite a positive person... but I've got nothing now. I've got nothing positive to say about this guy. I would just rather f***ing hit my head against a brick wall to be honest,' Melinda told producers.

'Mike has a very big ego. He lacks self-awareness. He can't accept responsibility for anything. It's ridiculous and the thing is he's not going to learn from it because he's done no wrong in his eyes.

'I'm proud I've not played along in his narrative and I've stayed true to what I think is right.'

But as Melinda walked out the door and left the Love Triangle experience, gym lover Melissa walked right in to meet Mike as his 'rejected' match.

Mike put on his best shoes to make a shining first impression on Melissa just moments after his blow-up with Melinda.

And when Melissa asked about his missing first match, Mike kept things vague, saying: 'It was just best to walk away. She was a good person but just not good for me. We seemed to end up in conflict a lot.'

Watch brand new episodes of Love Triangle every Sunday, only on Stan.
Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller has revealed she is not extending her support to her cancer-stricken former castmate Kelly Hyland.

Kelly's daughters Paige and Brooke were Abby's dance students on the show, which became a sensation largely thanks to Abby's theatrical harshness as a teacher.

Abby and Kelly feuded bitterly to the point they once brawled on camera, for which Kelly was arrested on charges that were later dropped.

In 2014, Kelly sued Abby for $5 million claiming the dance teacher tried to bite her during the fight, and Paige, then 13, also sued Abby for assault. Kelly and Abby's legal battle ended in a settlement, while Paige's complaint was ultimately dismissed.

When Abby was sentenced to prison for bankruptcy fraud in 2017, Kelly and some of the other dance mothers were sitting in the back of the courtroom, exultant.

Now, Abby has said she has no intention of reaching out to the Hylands amid Kelly's cancer battle, pointing out that Kelly allegedly never contacted Abby when the latter was suffering from Burkitt lymphoma in 2018, via TMZ.

Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller, pictured last week, has revealed she is not extending her support to her cancer-stricken former castmate Kelly Hyland

Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, and this week posted an emotional video of her ringing the hospital bell after finishing her second round of treatments.

Holding a balloon that said: 'Peace out cancer,' Kelly embraced her children Paige, Brooke and Josh, as well as the staff at the hospital.

However Abby has remarked that she was unable to relate to Kelly's video, after she herself was on her deathbed from Burkitt lymphoma.

Abby accused the Hylands of never contacting her while she was suffering through her own bout of cancer, which she defeated in 2019.

She clarified though that she still harbors well wishes for Kelly in her struggle with the illness, adding that Kelly has no need of any support from her, as she gets plenty from her children, ex-husband and father.

Abby's cancer diagnosis came on the heels of her early release from prison, where she lost over 100lbs while serving eight months of a year-and-a-day sentence for bankruptcy fraud and smuggling $120,000 Australian into the United States.

The reality star was at a halfway house after her departure from jail when her health steeply declined and she headed to the hospital.

She underwent emergency spinal surgery and also endured chemotherapy, but she retained her resolve to go back to work at her Abby Lee Dance Company, where she wore a wig after going bald from her cancer treatments.

Kelly's daughters Paige and Brooke were Abby's dance students on the show, which became a sensation largely thanks to Abby's harshness; Kelly and Paige pictured on the series

Abby and Kelly feuded bitterly to the point they once brawled on camera, for which Kelly was arrested on charges that were later dropped

Apart from the lawsuits, Abby and Kelly are not known to have interacted since the brawl that prompted the Hylands' departure from Dance Moms in 2014; Abby pictured on the show

Abby has pointed out that out that Kelly allegedly never contacted her when she was suffering from Burkitt lymphoma in 2018, via TMZ; Abby pictured during her cancer battle

Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, and this week posted an emotional video of her ringing the hospital bell after finishing her second round of treatments

Abby has argued that Kelly has no need of any support from her, as she gets plenty from her children, ex-husband and father

'I need to get back to teaching, and I need to get back to screaming at children,' she said at the time. 'I need to get back to my roots.'

Apart from the lawsuits, Abby and Kelly are not known to have interacted since the brawl that prompted the Hylands' departure from Dance Moms in 2014.

However a group of ex-Dance Moms including Kelly was seated in the back of the courtroom gleefully watching as Abby received her prison sentence in 2017.

Abby confessed she felt hurt by the women's appearance in court, saying: 'They were all laughing at me,' in an interview with In Touch.

After the sentence was handed down, Kelly and the other mothers toasted the result with champagne, in a photo she posted with the caption: 'Who is happiest ???'
He recently became Lord Sugar's new business partner after winning The Apprentice 2025.

However, air conditioning business owner Dean Franklin, 34, is now reportedly at the centre of a rogue trader investigation linked to his show-winning firm.

Essex-based Dean, who runs ADL, has allegedly operated without a key industry licence for 17 months - potentially leaving him on the hook for a massive fine, which could eat into his 250,000 prize from the BBC series.

The married father-of-two has been accused of failing to obtain an F-Gas certificate for ADL during that period, though Dean denied the claims and said he has all necessary documentation.

The certificate is a legal requirement for companies handling fluorinated gases, commonly used in air-con units.

According to The Sun, the firm faces possible civil prosecution by regulator the Environment Agency which can impose fines of up to 200,000 per breach.

He recently became Lord Sugar's new business partner after winning The Apprentice 2025 (Lord Sugar left, Dean Franklin right)

However, air conditioning business owner Dean Franklin, 34, is now reportedly at the centre of a rogue trader investigation linked to his show-winning firm

Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke, 49, has also questioned how Dean's licensing issues were missed during the show's vetting process.

He told the publication: 'This is an embarrassment for the BBC.

'Their reality shows seem to be lacking in carrying out due diligence, leaving them open to scandal after scandal.'

Around 3.5million viewers tuned in to watch Dean defeat pizza entrepreneur Anisa Khan in the final.

During the series, he revealed that ADL had a 500,000 turnover and 171,000 net profit before he agreed to hand over a 50 per cent stake to Lord Sugar.

According to The Sun, Refcom and the F-Gas Register, which issue certificates on behalf of the Environment Agency, say ADL did not hold the necessary certification from its formation in May 2020 until October 2021.

Despite this, Dean appeared to continue operating as normal, sharing photos of installations for high-profile clients including former Spurs striker Lucas Moura.

During that same period, the Upminster-based firm received numerous positive reviews.

Essex-based Dean, who runs ADL, has allegedly operated without a key industry licence for 17 months - potentially leaving him on the hook for a massive fine

The married father-of-two has been accused of failing to obtain an F-Gas certificate for ADL during that period (Dean pictured with his wife Chloe and their two children Bonnie and Ted)

One customer wrote: 'Dean and the lads were very good.' while another added: 'Dean is an expert. Highly recommend.'

Graeme Fox, F-Gas Register scheme director, also told the publication: 'If a company was operating without a valid certificate, it would have been trading illegally until it was registered.'

The Sun also reports that Dean was not formally listed as a director of ADL until April 2021.

However, Companies House documents show he became a 50 per cent shareholder in May 2020 and was listed as a 'person with significant control' from the start.

However, he became a 50 per cent shareholder in May 2020 and was described from the start on Companies House documents as 'a person with significant control'.

It comes shortly after 3.5 million viewers tuned in to The Apprentice on Thursday to watch Dean defeat pizza entrepreneur Anisa Khan in the final

It's understood that a certificate from Dean's previous firm, DF Air Conditioning - held from March 2020 until its dissolution in October 2021 - would not have covered ADL's operations.

An Environment Agency spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are clear that it is against the law to work with F-gas without the correct qualifications and certification.

'We are investigating reports of a potential breach of these regulations.'

In response, Dean said he was 'not aware' of any ongoing review or investigation and claimed he has personally held F-Gas certification since 2014.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC and Dean's representative, and the Environment Agency for further comment.
Stacey Solomon has reportedly been approached by BBC bosses to star on this year's series of Strictly after she admitted she is 'obsessed' with the show.

The presenter, 35, has caught producers' eyes after she scooped a National Television Award for her BBC One series Sort Your Life Out last September.

A source told The Sun: 'Stacey is a hit with viewers thanks to her lovable personality. The BBC always want to showcase their own talent on Strictly and Stacey's show has already bagged them an NTA.'

The mother-of-five has a strong social media fanbase, with fans following every move of her family life with her husband Joe Swash and children Zachary, 17, Leighton, 12, Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, two.

They added: 'Fans will also love watching her husband Joe Swash in the audience cheering her on every week.'

MailOnline have contacted both the BBC and Stacey's representatives for comment.

Stacey Solomon has reportedly been approached for next year's series of Strictly after previously admitting to being 'obsessed' with the show

Meanwhile bosses have also signed up a new Italian dancer to replace Giovanni Pernice on the series after he quit the show prior to last year's season amid the Strictly scandal

Stacey alluded to wanting to take part in Strictly in 2022, saying: 'I would never say never but I am a terrible dancer, an absolutely terrible dancer. I don't know why but I have no rhythm when it comes to movement.

'I have rhythm with singing or listening to music but when it comes to moving my feet I am left-footed, I have two left feet!'

'But I am obsessed with it, I'm obsessed with the costumes. And also I would love to learn a new skill like that. I love learning anything to be honest,' she went on.

'I'd be one of those people who would go out in week one and they'd be like: "Well that was a waste of time!"'

Bosses have also signed up a new Italian dancer to replace Giovanni Pernice on the series after he quit the show prior to last year's season amid the Strictly scandal.

Simone Arena, 33 - whose girlfriend Michelle Tsiakkas, 29, is already on the show - is reportedly joining the cast after BBC producers revealed that two new pros would join the line-up this autumn.

Giovanni, 34, quit the scandal-hit show last summer after nine years after facing bullying allegations by his former dancing partner Amanda Abbington.

A source told The Sun that Simone blew bosses away with his audition and he is used to the Strictly set up after previously starring as a pro on the Belgian, Italian and Irish versions of the series.

A source said: 'Stacey is a hit with viewers thanks to her lovable personality. The BBC always want to showcase their own talent on Strictly and Stacey's show has already bagged them an NTA ' (pictured with her husband Joe Swash in 2023)

Simone Arena, 33, whose girlfriend Michelle Tsiakkas, 29 is already starring on the show, is reportedly joining the cast after BBC producers revealed two new pros would join the line-up

Simone's girlfriend Michelle, who he met while touring on Burn The Floor, was partnered with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick last year

They added: 'Simone is well known among the pros and his girlfriend Michelle loved her time on the series last year.

'Fans will be delighted with Simone because he is very easy on the eye and certainly charming.'

MailOnline have contacted the BBC for comment.

Simone was due to tour with Giovanni prior to Covid and won the Belgian Dancing With The Stars with Olympic gymnast Nina Derwael in 2022.

Last year, Simone's girlfriend Michelle, who he met while touring on Burn The Floor, was partnered with EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick as she made her debut with a celebrity partner.

Earlier this month, Strictly bosses announced the professional line-up for this year's show and revealed there will be two brand new dancers joining.

Dianne Buswell, who lifted the glitter ball in December with Chris McCausland, will be joining Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Jowita Przystal in returning to the dance floor this September.

Earlier this month Strictly bosses announced the professional lineup for this year's show and revealed there will be two brand new dancers joining

It comes after MailOnline revealed that Strictly professional Karen Hauer will return to the BBC show this year

They will be joined by Johannes Radebe, Aljaz Skorjanec, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola who will all take to the floor once more alongside two new stars, who will be announced closer to the time.

Amy Dowden, who pulled out in the opening weeks of last year's show due to a foot injury, will also be back on Strictly for 2025, as will Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington, who didn't have a celebrity partner last year.

Despite rumours that he might be making a return after missing out on last year's series, Giovanni Pernice will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around.

Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said: 'The excitement is already building ahead of the new series and in addition to welcoming back our fantastic returning Pros, we are looking forward to welcoming two brand new Professional Dancers to the line up who will help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance and loads more besides to viewers later in 2025.'

As well as the pros taking part in the competition itself, all of them will be taking to the floor each week in group routines.
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A major Hollywood star has returned to Australia - and he's fallen head over heels for one of our cutest locals.

Jason Momoa, 45, was spotted cuddling up to a baby koala at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital on the Gold Coast as part of a heartwarming campaign to help save the endangered Aussie icon.

The Aquaman star is lending his voice to a new initiative between premium ice cream brand Nuii and environmental charity Wild Ark, aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating koalas who have been devastated by disease, deforestation and bushfires.

'They flew me down here to meet with the amazing teams that are helping out with our koalas, so we can have them for the next generation,' the actor said in a campaign video shot during his visit.

'I had an amazing time learning about them and the critical conservation they're doing here.'

Wearing a sleeveless tee that showed off his famously muscular frame, the Hollywood heartthrob couldn't hide his joy as he gently cradled a koala joey in his arms.

Jason Momoa, 45, was spotted cuddling up to a baby koala at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital on the Gold Coast as part of a heartwarming campaign to help save the endangered Aussie icon

The Aquaman star is lending his voice to a new initiative between premium ice cream brand Nuii and environmental charity Wild Ark, aimed at rescuing and rehabilitating koalas who have been devastated by disease, deforestation and bushfires

'Oh man. That's so cute,' he beamed. '[It's] a little baby!'

The visit wasn't all just snuggles.

Momoa also got hands-on, helping wildlife carers release a mother koala and her joey back into the wild, placing them gently onto a gum tree in the lush Gold Coast hinterland after they were treated by vets.

The beloved Aussie marsupial has seen numbers plummet in recent years, with experts warning they could be extinct in parts of Australia by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.

Diseases such as chlamydia, loss of habitat due to urban development, dog attacks, car strikes and climate disasters like bushfires have all contributed to their decline.

Momoa urged fans to donate to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital to help fund lifesaving equipment and care for injured koalas.

Senior vet Dr Michael Pyne said having the actor on board was a major boost for the cause.

'The work we're doing to try and protect koalas from extinction in 2050 is so important,' he said.

Momoa also got hands-on, helping wildlife carers release a mother koala and her joey back into the wild, placing them gently onto a gum tree in the lush Gold Coast hinterland after they were treated by vets

'The koala chlamydial vaccine research we're conducting alongside Queensland University of Technology is in its fourth year, but the work is far from over, and we were thrilled to invite Mr Momoa inside the hospital to see the work we're doing and help us spread awareness,' he continued.

It's not the first time Momoa has made a splash in the Sunshine State.

The Hollywood star became a local favourite when Aquaman was filming in Queensland, with hordes of fans lining up for hours at the Gold Coast premiere just to score a selfie with him.
Lydia McLaughlin of Real Housewives of Orange County fame has released a statement about the 'unimaginable loss' of her brother Geoffrey Shyam Stirling.

Following's Stirling's shock shooting death at age 45 after a police run-in, she took to Instagram to break her silence.

'My family has experienced an unimaginable loss. My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered,' the 44-year-old grieving sister wrote on Saturday as she shared a portrait of her sibling.

Referring to Billie Eilish's 2024 ballad Birds of a Feather, she added, 'This was the song he turned to after we lost our mom. He'd cry every time.

'I can't believe we're facing this pain just 6 months after losing my best friend and mother. I know they're both with Jesus now, and He's walking with me through this darkness. One step at a time.'

According to a report from TMZ, Stirling was fatally shot by police during what should've been a routine traffic stop on Thursday.

Lydia McLaughlin of Real Housewives of Orange County fame has released a statement about the 'unimaginable loss' of her brother Geoffrey Shyam Stirling

Following's Stirling's shock shooting death at age 45 after a police run-in, she took to Instagram to break her silence

'My family has experienced an unimaginable loss. My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered,' the 44-year-old grieving sister wrote on Saturday as she shared a portrait of her sibling

Per the outlet, he was allegedly 'uncooperative' and subsequently shot by one of the cops on the scene.

He was initially pulled over by officers while riding his motorcycle along the Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.

An independent review is underway by the California Attorney General's Office.

In a statement to TMZ, Lydia expressed: 'My family and I are devastated by the loss of my brother.

'We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and the community. We kindly ask for privacy as we mourn.'

An official release by the California Attorney General's Office reads: 'The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the Newport Beach Police Department.'

Following the investigation, 'it will be turned over to DOJ's Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review.'

It comes after Lydia lost her mother, Judy Stirling, at age 76 in October 2024.

Amid her grief, Lydia used her social media platform to acknowledge Good Friday.

Amid her grief, Lydia used her social media platform to acknowledge Good Friday

Stirling was fatally shot by police during what should've been a routine traffic stop on Thursday

It comes after Lydia lost her mother, Judy Stirling, at age 76 in October 2024

The Bravo star uploaded a graphic with the message: 'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.'

She wrote in the caption, 'Because of the pain of Good Friday, we have the JOY of Easter Sunday. #JesusIsLord.'

Via Instagram Stories she also shared a poignant message pertaining to Easter. She wrote in part: 'If you're in a season of waiting, where God feels silent, if you're praying and don't see an answer, don't give up.

'What feels like a silent Saturday may just be the day before resurrection. God is still working, even when you can't see it. Hope is still alive, even when it feels far away. And if Jesus conquered the grave, there is no situation in your life too dead for Him to bring back to life.'

McLaughlin encouraged her followers, 'So hold on. Keep praying. Keep trusting. Sunday is coming.'
Roberta Williams has marked the 15th anniversary of her husband Carl Williams' death by sharing a heartfelt tribute and a never-before-seen photo from their wedding day.

The widow of the notorious Melbourne crime figure took to Instagram on Saturday to post a series of intimate throwback images, with the lead image showing a beaming Roberta in her bridal gown beside Carl, who sported his trademark blond tips and a beaming smile.

In the grainy but touching photo, the pair are captured in a candid moment of joy, frozen in time before Carl's life was tragically cut short inside Barwon Prison in 2010.

'15 years ago today I got a phone call that destroyed my world, my whole life, to never be the same again,' Roberta wrote in the caption, opening up about the enduring grief she has carried since Carl's murder.

'There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about you, that I don't miss hearing your voice.'

The wedding images show the couple in their prime - Roberta radiant in a satin halter-neck gown, her hair swept back in elegant curls, while Carl appears relaxed and proud, dressed in a dark jacket and floral waistcoat with a white rose boutonniere.

Roberta Williams has marked the 15th anniversary of her husband Carl Williams' death by sharing a heartfelt tribute and a never-before-seen photo from their wedding day (pictured)

The widow of the notorious Melbourne crime figure took to Instagram on Saturday to post a series of intimate throwback snaps, with the lead image showing a beaming Roberta in her bridal gown beside Carl, who sported his trademark blond tips and a beaming smile

Another image from the same day shows them side-by-side outdoors, smiling together beneath soft afternoon light  a rare glimpse into the private love story behind one of Australia's most infamous underworld sagas.

'The road's been rough and it feels like it's only getting rougher as time moves on without you,' Roberta continued in her tribute.

'It hurts, it's hurts so bad because grief is challenging, it's painful, hateful and some days it tears through me like a freight train.'

Carl, once dubbed the 'Baby Faced Killer,' was bludgeoned to death in his cell while serving time for multiple murders linked to Melbourne's gangland war. His violent end shocked the nation and sparked a wave of public scrutiny into Victoria's prison system.

But for Roberta, Saturday was not about crime or controversy  it was about mourning the man she built a life with.

'I don't know what to do without you, you always had the answers I miss our life, I miss our world we created together,' she wrote.

Roberta also paid tribute to their only child, Dhakota, 23, describing her as the 'best part' of Carl and the 'greatest gift' he left behind.

'The love never fades  though as the distance grows further it only grows stronger but more painful. Shine Bright Like A Diamond,' she concluded, adding the hashtags #MyLife and #OurLife.

Carl, once dubbed the 'Baby Faced Killer,' was bludgeoned to death in his cell while serving time for multiple murders linked to Melbourne's gangland war. His violent end shocked the nation and sparked a wave of public scrutiny into Victoria's prison system

It comes after Roberta revealed she is struggling to make bank from OnlyFans, despite having thousands of subscribers

It comes after Roberta revealed she is struggling to make bank from OnlyFans, despite having thousands of subscribers.

The former wife of slain underworld king told Daily Mail Australia she hasn't been able to access her earnings from the adult subscription-based platform because the police keep shutting down her bank accounts.

Williams is charging $30 a month to subscribe to her page, which is about double the rate of most Married At First Sight stars.

'I can't really be bothered working out the financials,' Roberta explained.

'I had trouble accessing the finances from there... every time I open a bank account, the police would close it down.'

For those in the shadows of the criminal underworld, these kinds of complications aren't uncommon.

But for the vast majority of creators, accessing their earnings is a straightforward process.

'The bank account would last a couple of months, and then the the police just close it,' Roberta added, insisting she had no idea why police were still on her tail.

The former wife of slain underworld king and drug lord told Daily Mail Australia she hasn't been able to access her earnings from the adult subscription-based platform because the police keep shutting down her bank accounts

Williams said she and her daughter Dhakota Williams (both pictured) both signed up for OnlyFans because their reputation 'makes it hard for them to get normal jobs'

'I've still my OnlyFans account open and still regularly posting, but it's not for financial because I can't access the money at this point.'

Since joining the platform exactly a year ago, Williams has been sharing tantalising and racy selfies to her Instagram account in a bid to attract more paying viewers to her OnlyFans account.

She shared the surprising news on Instagram alongside a provocative picture.

'Who's ready to see another side of me?' she wrote, before directing her followers to her newly created OnlyFans page.

Williams recently said she and her daughter Dhakota Williams both signed up for OnlyFans because their reputation 'makes it hard for them to get normal jobs'.

The duo starred in a live show where they delved into their life with infamous underworld figure Carl - her late husband and Dhakota's father.

The show, titled My Life Our Life, is described on the Eventbrite website as 'Roberta and Dhakota Williams talking about Life Before Carl, with Carl, and Now.'

Dhakota was nine-years-old when her father, drug kingpin Carl, was bludgeoned to death at Barwon Prison by fellow inmate Matthew Charles Johnson in 2010.

The hitman, whose life was made famous by the TV series Underbelly, had been jailed for 35 years in 2007 for ordering the murders of three rivals, and more time for conspiring to kill a fourth.

Carl wrote several long letters to his wife and others from jail in the months before he was murdered, that have since been made into the book Life Sentence.

The couple married in 2001 and were still husband and wife at the time of his death in 2010.
Ferne McCann showcased her toned physique in a green bikini as she confessed 'she is grateful for her body' in a defiant social media post on Saturday.

The former TOWIE star, 34, looked incredible in the strapless two-piece as she uploaded a candid clip to social media to discuss her recent changes to her body.

Enjoying a sun-soaked holiday abroad, Ferne posed in the swimwear as she showed her followers different angles of her figure.

As she wrote about being grateful for her body, Ferne started slipping to a colourful beach skirt.

As she started adding layers to her beach ensemble to protect her from the sun, the TV personality can be seen accessorising her look with a beach hat and sunglasses.

Adding a hint of glam to her holiday look, Ferne added a pair of large pink flower earrings and a chunky white bangle.

Ferne McCann, 34, showcased her toned physique in a green bikini as she confessed 'she is grateful for her body' in a defiant social media post on Saturday

The former TOWIE star looked incredible in the strapless two-piece as she uploaded a candid clip to social media to discuss her body changes over the years

Alongside her clip, she penned: 'Im grateful for my body and all that it does for me My boobs are sagging & two different sizes. I have cellulite. My outfit isnt on trend. My face is wonky. I have wrinkles round my eyes.

'Or My boobs provide comfort for my baby. My cellulite is just a sign of a female body that moves and lives. My outfit reflects my own style, not a passing trend. My face is uniquely mine, perfect in its own way. My wrinkles are laughter lines from years of joy and living.

'No matter who we are, whatever our age, shape, or story we all seem to find faults in ourselves that wouldnt even exist for anyone else. So why do we naturally lean toward the negative thought about ourselves?

'We get to choose how we speak to ourselves. So lets choose self-kindness and self-empowerment.'

Last month Ferne revealed she wouldn't be able to put their skates back on for the grand final of Dancing On Ice after she sustained an injury.

Ferne admitted she was 'devastated' not to be able to skate with her fellow contestants, as she revealed in an ironic twist that she had hurt herself at a rollerblading rink.

She had been partnered with Brendyn Hatfield on the show, but became the second celebrity axed from the competition.

As host Holly Willoughby caught up with the series contestants ahead of their group routine, Ferne showed her wrist was strapped into a brace, but clarified she would still take part in the performance.

Enjoying a sun-soaked holiday abroad, Ferne posed in the swimwear as she showed her followers different angles of her figure

Alongside her clip, she penned: 'Im grateful for my body and all that it does for me My boobs are sagging & two different sizes. I have cellulite. My outfit isnt on trend. My face is wonky'

Last month Ferne revealed she wouldn't be able to put their skates back on for the grand final of Dancing On Ice after she sustained an injury

She had been partnered with Brendyn Hatfield on the show, but became the second celebrity axed from the competition (pictured)

Holly asked: 'You're actually not skating but you are performing?' as Ferne explained: 'Yes. I'm involved. I'm performing. I'm devastated that I can't skate'.

She then admitted: 'I fell, can you believe it, at a children's rollerblading disco. Like, I can't believe it. Wasn't meant to be for me.'

The mother-of-two did appear in the routine later on, but wearing a pair of strappy black stilettos rather than ice skates.

Instead of skating along with her co-stars, partner Brendyn carried Ferne over the ice and over to judges Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo.

While stars Mollie Pearce, Chris Taylor, Charlie Brooks, Chelsee Healey, Josh Jones, Steve Redgrave and Dan Edgar all took to the ice rink.

Ferne had been the second to be booted off the show after receiving the fewest votes from ITV viewers.

She had landed in the bottom two with EastEnders star Charlie, but was eliminated without the opportunity to fight for a place in the skate-off.

After the decision was announced, she became teary-eyed as she admitted: 'I'm so gutted, so gutted, but... it is what it is. We were having so much fun, I'm really sad...'
Sahara Ray has now denied false claims she made against her fiance during what she described as an 'episode' that has seen her enter hospital.

The Australian model, whose father is surfing legend Tony Ray, made a series of extremely disturbing false allegations on social media over the past week, claiming physical, sexual and financial abuse against the man, Mike Dow - claims which she soon renounced.

The now-deleted Instagram Stories included graphic images of bloodied sheets and injuries she had falsely claimed she had suffered.

However the 31-year-old, who is based in the USA, this weekend again posted to Instagram Stories to clarify that the claims were wholly untrue and prompted by a mental health issue, for which she is now being treated in hospital.

'I want to thank everyone for their concern and for reaching out over the past week. I want to set the record straight - I posted things about my fiance that weren't true and were deeply hurtful to him' she wrote.

'I'm so sorry for the hurt and confusion I caused - none of it ever actually happened.'

Sahara Ray (pictured) has now denied false claims she made against her fiance during what she described as an 'episode' that has seen her enter hospital

Ray continued: 'When I made those posts, I was experiencing an episode that warped my perception of reality and led me to believe things that weren't real.

'During my episode. I truly believed things had happened that didn't - and it all felt very real. I was hospitalized and quickly realized that they didn't happen.

'That's not an excuse, just the truth' she said.

The model continued: 'I'm working hard now to heal and to make sure something like this never happens again.

'To my fiance, I am truly sorry. And to everyone who saw those posts - thank you for giving me the chance to explain and make this right.

'I'm incredibly grateful for my family, friends, and this community who have stood by me while I work through this. Your support means the world to me right now.'

Ray concluded: 'To those who personally know me and have reached out over the past week - sorry I've been slow to respond as I focus on heeling, but I promise I'll be in touch over the next few days.'

Family and friends of the blonde beauty had replied multiple times to the disturbing posts, indicating that they felt she was unwell.

The Australian model, whose father is surfing legend Tony Ray, made a series of disturbing false allegations on social media over the past week, claiming physical, sexual and financial abuse against the man, Mike Dow (pictured) - claims which she soon renounced. Dow recently tattooed Ray's name on his forearm

The now-deleted Instagram Stories included graphic images of bloodied sheets and injuries she falsely claimed to have suffered

It is unclear how long Ray and Dow have been dating or engaged, but he appeared in social media posts with her earlier this month, in which he was seen getting a tattoo of her name on his forearm.

Ray earlier sparked concern among fans after sharing a series of troubling social media posts in December.

At the time, she posted to her Instagram Stories begging for help and claiming someone was 'trying to kill' her.

In the since-deleted photos, Ray wrote: 'Somebody is trying to kill me. Please help me.

'I'm stuck on my farm in Hawaii and they poisoned me by putting puffer fish poisoning in my shoe. I'm alone and need help.'

Sahara, who briefly had a 'fling' with Justin Bieber in 2016, claimed someone was going to 'take' her.

She also claimed the police 'are all brainwashed and working for the same person'.

'They are trying to frame me for things I didn't do and take me. HELP,' she pleaded.

However the 31-year-old, who is based in the USA, this weekend again posted to Instagram Stories to clarify that the claims were wholly untrue and prompted by a mental health issue, for which she is now being treated in hospital

In another Instagram Stories post, the model made several concerning claims about her health and assured her followers she wasn't 'joking'.

'A spirit has been taking over my body for a year now and is trying to kill me and eat me this is not a joke they are going to make me disappear. HELP,' she wrote.

'This is real.This is happening to people all over the world. They are eating bodies and taking souls. Wake up,' she added.

Sahara then urged her followers to 'never do whippits' - another term for nitrous oxide or laughing gas - because 'the spirit is inside them'.

One fan shared screenshots of the posts on Reddit and expressed concerns for Sahara's mental health.

'This is rly concerning hard to tell if she's really in trouble or having a mental breakdown,' they wrote. 'I hope she's okay.'

Sahara, who went to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse in December 2021, is best known for her rumoured fling with Canadian pop star Justin Bieber in 2016.

The OnlyFans performer often shares racy photos of herself online, with a previous photo shoot showing her strike a number of suggestive poses in tight swimwear.

Ray earlier sparked concern among fans after sharing a series of troubling social media posts in December. 'I'm stuck on my farm in Hawaii and they poisoned me by putting puffer fish poisoning in my shoe. I'm alone and need help' she wrote at the time

The OnlyFans performer often shares racy photos of herself online

Sahara has sparked concern among her followers multiple times.

In March 2023, Sahara uploaded a gallery of Instagram photos in which she posed topless on a bed holding a prop assault rifle.

She dressed provocatively in a schoolgirl skirt as she writhed alongside rapper Chris Miles, 24, who has multiple face tattoos.

Sitting on a table in the background was a canister of nitrous oxide, known as a 'nang' in Australia and a 'whippit' in the United States.

The canisters are usually used as whipped-cream chargers, but can also be used to inhale nitrous oxide.

Users briefly experience dizziness, uncontrollable laughter, and hallucinations.

However, people can die from excessive inhalation as too much can cause a heart attack.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Sahara or Chris used the products.

In one photo, Chris was seen roughly squeezing Sahara's face, while in another he was pictured kissing her neck on the bed.

Many of Sahara's followers expressed concern in the comments section, with one writing: 'What happened to you?' while another added: 'Darling, we can do better.'

For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
It is Easter Sunday and some celebrities have been jetting off to hotter climates to celebrate while others have embraced the British springtime.

David Beckham took to his Instagram to share some sweet family throwback snaps and cheeky selfies, while Rochelle Humes, 36, and husband Marvin, 40, flew out to the Maldives with their kids for a sun-soaked Easter trip.

Perrie Edwards kept her feet firmly planted on UK soil as she shared stunning Easter snaps posing for a photo shoot in a beautiful bright yellow buttercup field.

JLS star Marvin had been playing a gig on the island and Rochelle revealed they decided to make a holiday out of it while their children were off school.

And their Easter Sunday was a very sunny one, with Rochelle showing off her incredible figure in a skimpy bikini as she sported bunny ears in a racy snap with her sister Lili Piper.

She was sure to treat her children Alaia-Mai, 11, Valentina, eight, and Blake, four, to a fun-filled day as she filled Easter bags full of treats and enjoyed some Easter bunny-themed water sports.

It is Easter Sunday and celebrities have been jetting off to hotter climates to celebrate with their families, with Rochelle Humes opting for a racy Easter bunny bikini look

David Beckham took to his Instagram to share some sweet family throwback snaps and cheeky selfies

Perrie Edwards kept her feet firmly planted on UK soil as she shared stunning Easter snaps posing in a beautiful bright yellow buttercup field

Rochelle also enjoyed a very Easter -appropriate breakfast as she snacked on delicious looking hot cross buns.

'Easter break 2025,' Rochelle wrote as she shared snaps. 'A wholesome week with our favourite people in our favourite place. @intercontinental_maldives Thanks for looking after us SO well .

'(Not an ad, Marv was playing here over Easter so we tagged along and had THE best time).'

Footballing legend David, 49, took to his Instagram Stories to share adorable throwback snaps of his kids Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper to celebrate Easter.

He also shared a selfie sporting a pair of pink and white bunny ears, as well as picturing Victoria relaxing on a boat also wearing the ears.

Meanwhile Little Mix star Perrie was glowing as she headed out for the day, but had to stop off for a photoshoot after driving past a buttercup field.

'When you drive past the most beautiful fields and have to seize the moment ,' she wrote. 'Happy Easter everyone.'

She looked stunning in a light pink satin midi skirt and a white floral cami blouse, as well as a pair of sunglasses.

Rochelle Humes, 36, and husband Marvin, 40, flew out to the Maldives with their kids for a sun-soaked Easter trip, while TOWIE's Ferne McCann celebrated in Mauritius

JLS star Marvin had been playing a gig on the island and Rochelle revealed they decided to make a holiday out of it while their children were off school

Rochelle was sure to treat her children Alaia-Mai, 11, Valentina, eight, and Blake, four, to a fun-filled day as she filled Easter bags full of treats

Rochelle showed off her Easter goodie bags beside the hotel's infinity pool before the family headed to the beach

Rochelle also enjoyed a very Easter -appropriate breakfast as she snacked on delicious looking hot cross buns

'Easter break 2025,' Rochelle wrote as she shared snaps. 'A wholesome week with our favourite people in our favourite place.'

Footballing legend David, 49, took to his Instagram Stories to share adorable throwback snaps of his kids Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper to celebrate Easter

He also shared a selfie sporting a pair of pink and white bunny ears, as well as picturing Victoria relaxing on a boat also wearing the ears

David later shared a sweet picture with his youngest child Harper as the pair hugged

Meanwhile Dancing On Ice star Ferne opted for Mauritius as her island of choice to enjoy the festivities at with her family

'Easter Egg Hunt - Clue trail edition,' she said as she shared a clip of her planned out Easter Egg hunt

The first clue for the kids read 'Clue 1: I make food hot quick flash' and they had to find little eggs hidden in the microwave

The clip showed Ferne speedily writing away to get the clues ready for the fun hunt planned for the kids

She then hid one of the prizes in their vacation accommodation's luxurious outdoor sauna

Dancing On Ice star Ferne meanwhile opted for Mauritius as her island of choice to enjoy the festivities on.

'Easter Egg Hunt - Clue trail edition,' she said as she shared a clip of her planned out Easter Egg hunt. 'I think I got into this way more than I kids  Happy Easter everyone.'

Ferne appeared to jet away for the week with her mum Gilly and sister Sophie, as she set about planning the hunt for her daughter Sunday and nephew Ronnie, as well as other little ones.

The first clue for the kids read 'Clue 1: I make food hot quick flash' and they had to find little eggs hidden in the microwave. Next was a prehistoric themed clue, which listed off types of dinosaurs - and toys were found to be guarding the eggs.

The clip showed Ferne speedily writing away to get the clues ready before putting one of the prizes in their vacation accommodation's luxurious outdoor sauna.

Next it jumped to clue 12 which asked where Harry Potter's first bedroom was, with the answer being under the stairs.

The final clue read: 'I twirl and I whirl and I make things clean. Where socks go missing I've been seen. Your golden prize is tucked away, look inside without delay.'

Also sharing her very health-conscious Easter Sunday was Made In Chelsea star Louise Thompson, who wrote: 'Cousin egg hunts were elite when I was growing up.

Also sharing her very health-conscious Easter Sunday was Made In Chelsea star Louise Thompson, who wrote: 'Cousin egg hunts were elite when I was growing up'

Meanwhile Megan McKenna shared the sweetest clip of her Easter breakfast as she held her baby son Landon

The wee tot looked impossibly cute as he sported a bunny rabbit onesie for the day

Meanwhile Little Mix star Perrie was glowing as she headed out for the day, but had to stop off for a photoshoot after driving past a buttercup field

Ashley Roberts headed out to the streets of London dressed in an inflatable bunny rabbit costume to hand out chocolate egg

'Look who it is,' a surprised member of the public says as she recognised the Pussycat Doll

Her radio co-host Amanda Holden also shared an Easter post, as she revealed she was out for the day on an egg hunt

Olivia Attwood had a less kid-focused Easter as she headed out for the day sporting a very Spring ensemble

Ashley Roberts headed out to the streets of London dressed in an inflatable bunny rabbit costume to hand out chocolate eggs.

Meanwhile Little Mix star Perrie was glowing as she headed out for the day, but had to stop off for a photoshoot after driving past a buttercup field

Jamie Laing spent the Easter holiday with his extended family and grandmother, who he affectionately calls 'Granny Scotland'

He shared a slew of sweet snaps of the family gathering, with his 94-year-old grandmother receiving a heartwarming hug from the youngest family members

While Jamie also indulged in a special chocolate 'Scotch egg', filming himself slicing it open and showing his delight at the gooey insides

He captioned the post: 'Easter with Granny Scotland

'Such a sweet tradition to pass down through the generations. We were sensible and limited the load to five small edible eggs each. I'm living in an era of my life where I'm keen to cut back on unnecessary consumption... and that includes chocolate too.'

Meanwhile Megan McKenna shared the sweetest clip of her Easter breakfast as she held her baby son Landon.

The wee tot looked impossibly cute as he sported a bunny rabbit onesie for the day.

'Happy Easter from me and my little bunny!' she captioned the clip. 'It's Landons first Easter Sunday he's a bit little for chocolate eggs yet BUT he's not to little for French toast let's see if he likes it? Also, the ending.. I can't. Cope.'

Ashley Roberts headed out to the streets of London dressed in an inflatable bunny rabbit costume to hand out chocolate eggs.

'Look who it is,' a surprised member of the public says as she recognised the Pussycat Doll.

'It's Easter weekend so I thought I'd hand out some eggs,' she said. 'Happy Easter,' she shouted to passers by as she asked if they'd like a sweet treat.

Her radio co-host Amanda Holden also shared an Easter post, as she revealed she was out for the day on an egg hunt.

Olivia Attwood had a less kid-focused Easter as she headed out for the day sporting a very Spring ensemble.

The reality star wore a black mini skirt with a white t-shirt and grey sweater vest, as well as striking red patent stilettos and ankle warmers.

Meanwhile, Jamie Laing spent the Easter holiday with his extended family and grandmother, who he affectionately calls 'Granny Scotland'.

He shared a slew of sweet snaps of the family gathering, with his 94-year-old grandmother receiving a heartwarming hug from the youngest family members.

While Jamie also indulged in a special chocolate 'Scotch egg', filming himself slicing it open and showing his delight at the gooey insides.
Madeleine West has welcomed her seventh child.

The 47-year-old shared a glimpse at her newborn in an Instagram post on Saturday, revealing the child was in excellent health.

Alongside a truncated image of the child, the Neighbours star wrote: 'Earthside at last and utterly perfect'.

The Australian actress did not reveal the sex or name of her new arrival at the time.

Madeleine's social media post was quickly inundated with congratulations from her famous friends.

'Congratulations!! Enjoy this precious time' wrote Alex Fevola.

Madeleine West (pictured) has welcomed her seventh child

The 47-year-old shared a glimpse at her newborn in an Instagram post on Saturday, revealing the child was in excellent health

Shelley Craft chimed in: 'Sending all my love and cuddles. Congratulations'.

'So so so wonderful!!! So happy for you and your beautiful perfect baby. So much love to you' said Jo Stanley.

'Congratulations mumma!!!!!!!!! So happy for you' added Christie Hayes.

It comes after Madeleine opened up about her seventh pregnancy at the age of 47.

The star already shares five daughters and one son with her ex-partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.

In a preview for an upcoming interview on 60 Minutes, West said she is not letting naysayers get to her and is determined to keep 'dancing to the beat of my own drum'.

She said many people were shocked to learn she was pregnant with yet another child at her age, but she was also 'surprised' by the sheer amount of support she received.

'There was a lot of shock, naturally. And then, "Are you sure? You're at this point in your life. Your career is blossoming. You've got all these kids,"' West told host Tara Brown.

Alongside a truncated image of the child, the Neighbours star wrote: 'Earthside at last and utterly perfect'

The Australian actress did not reveal the sex or name of her new arrival at the time

'But I am surprised by so many people who have reached out saying, "I've done what you're doing and I felt so alone. I felt like everyone would see me at the playground and they would think I'm grandma."'

When asked if she had ever been called a 'grandma at the playground', the actress responded: 'Oh yeah, naturally. But my argument has always been I've always danced to the beat of my own drum.

'I've always done things a little bit different. A little bit outside the norm.'

It comes after West revealed the response she received from her friends after she announced her pregnancy in January.

The TV starwho shares Phoenix, 19, Hendrix, 16, Xascha, 14, Xanthe, 12, and twins Xalia and Margaux, 10, with Shannon, 49 - said her pals' initial reaction to her pregnancy news was surprise.

'When I first reached out to my circle and revealed the big news, there was certainly a look. A bit of a stunned mullet, I would say,' she shared.

However, she added the shocked expression was soon followed by 'wow' as her friends asked if she was going to 'keep' the baby.

The controversial question also opened up a conversation about 'geriatric pregnancies' and the risks which come with them, which she expanded on in her interview with Stellar Magazine.

In a preview for an upcoming interview on 60 Minutes, West said she is not letting naysayers get to her and is determined to keep 'dancing to the beat of my own drum'

The star already shares five daughters and one son with her ex-partner, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett. Pictured together in 2016

'I strive to not see motherhood as a limitation on my capacities,' she told the publication, but rather something that 'adds to it exponentially'.

She went on to say while falling pregnant certainly wasn't something she was expecting, it was a welcome surprise nonetheless.

'I feel like this little person has come along at the best possible time when I'm so very ready,' she said.

West went on to say she now has 'more time, wisdom and experience' when it comes to parenting.

Reflecting on what is often coined as a 'geriatric pregnancy', the soon to be mum-of-seven expressed her frustration with the world's lack of conversations around later pregnancy.

West said it's not something 'society discusses at large' despite 'the very real fact that the rate of women having babies in their 40s is increasing'.

Back in January, West announced she was pregnant with her seventh child a decade on from her most recent birth.

She revealed the surprising news in an Instagram post.

In the photo, she flaunted her growing baby bump in a tight-fitting tank top which was lifted to reveal her bare tummy.

'WHOOPS!' she captioned her post. 'Thought it was #perimenopause. I thought WRONG! It's not too much Christmas pudding either. I couldn't be happier.'
Rebel Wilson has pulled out all the stops for Easter.

The Australian actress donned an retro Easter Bunny costume to host an egg hunt for her toddler daughter and her friends.

In photos shares to Instagram, the Pitch Perfect star carried a basket full of chocolate treats that she hid for Royce, 2, in the yard.

'Happy Easter everyone! I dressed as the Easter Bunny to do an egg hunt with my daughter and then may have had a dozen Cadbury Creme eggs' Rebel wrote.

The 45-year-old then explained that she'd indulged in a few too many chocolate morsels herself.

'I am planning on going OFF chocolate tomorrow to do a challenge! Anyone with me? 6 weeks NO CHOCOLATE CHALLENGE starting Monday?' she added.

Rebel Wilson has pulled out all the stops for Easter. Pictured with daughter Royce and wife Ramona Agruma

The Australian actress donned an retro Easter Bunny costume to host an egg hunt for her toddler daughter and her friends

It comes after Rebel revealed her toddler daughter Royce is living up to her high-end luxury name.

She appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show where she opened up about family life and mentioned her two-year-old, who she welcomed by surrogacy in 2022 with wife Ramona Agruma.

During the chat, the Australian actress expressed regret about naming Royce after the British luxury car brand, Rolls-Royce, and joked that she is starting to become high maintenance.

'Her name is Royce,' Rebel said.

'I probably shouldn't have named her after a British luxury car brand, she's a bit high maintenance.

'She's two and a half now. She's conned me into massaging her feet before she goes to sleep. I was doing it last night for almost an hour.

'I said, "I should have called you Volvo." I don't know why I got suckered into that.'

Rebel also went on to talk to host Jonathan about being newly married after tying the knot with her wife Ramona Agruma last year.

In photos shares to Instagram, the Pitch Perfect star carried a basket full of chocolate treats that she hid for Royce, 2, in the yard

'Happy Easter everyone! I dressed as the Easter Bunny to do an egg hunt with my daughter and then may have had a dozen Cadbury Creme eggs' Rebel wrote

'My sister has a side hustle as a wedding celebrant,' she said. 'The show wedding was in Italy and then we got legally married in Australia.

'My sister, she had a busy week, she married me and then she married my mum the next day. We didn't pay her, she's really upset about that.'

Rebel dramatically shed 36kg (80lb) after embarking on a 'year of health' in 2020.

Last year, she opened up to OK! Magazine about feeling doubtful ahead of her weight loss transformation.

'I never thought I could do it,' Rebel, who recently admitted to using the weight loss drug Ozempic, told the publication.

'Then in 2020, when I just really focused and did it, I felt sadness, because I'm like, "I'm 40. Why did I not do it 10, 20 years ago?"

'I felt like this sadness, that I'd hidden away from people and from relationships.'

The Senior Year star also recalled not being able to 'stand up' for herself at times when she was younger, saying she would would turn to food as a comfort and ended up in a vicious cycle of 'trashing' her own body.
Strictly Come Dancing bosses have found a replacement for Giovanni Pernice, and it's another Italian hunk.

Simone Arena, 33, is reportedly joining the dance competition's line up of dance professionals who are paired with the celebrity contestants.

He is already familiar to his new colleagues as he is the boyfriend of Michelle Tsiakkis, 29, a Strictly pro dancer who was last year paired with EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick.

The Italian dancer is no stranger to the Strictly format after previously starring as a pro on the Belgian, Italian and Irish versions of the show.

Born in Catania, Italy, Simone has been a professional dancer since childhood, becoming the Vice Italian Latin Champion at the age of 16.

He has also performed in the Broadway touring production of Burn the Floor and was also announced as part of the cast of Somnium: A Dancer's Dream with Strictly Come Dancing stars, Katya Jones and Neil Jones, in 2019.

Italian dancer Simone Arena is reportedly set to join the professional lineup for Strictly Come Dancing, replacing Giovanni Pernice

Simone joined the Strictly global franchise in 2021, winning the Belgian version of the show with artistic gymnast Nine Derwael.

As a professional on the Irish version of the dance competition, he was partnered with RuPaul's Drag Race winner, Blu Hydrangea, as well as Kin actress, Yasmin Seky.

A source told the Sun on Sunday: 'Simone blew the Strictly bosses away when he auditioned as a new professional on the show.

'He is no stranger to the Strictly format after previously starring as a pro on the Belgian, Italian and Irish versions of the series.

'Simone is well known among the pros and his girlfriend Michelle [Tsiakkas] loved her time on the series last year.'

Last year, Pernice, 34, departed the BBC show after his partner Amanda Abbington, 51, accused him of 'inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying' and claimed she was subjected to a 'toxic environment'.

But following a BBC investigation, the dancer was cleared of serious allegations regarding his behaviour, while six bullying complaints were upheld.

Earlier this month, the BBC revealed which professionals would be returning to battle it out for the Glitterball Trophy.

He is already familiar to his new colleagues as he is the boyfriend of Michelle Tsiakkis, 29, a Strictly pro dancer who was last year paired with EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick

Earlier this month, the BBC revealed which professionals would be returning to battle it out for the Glitterball Trophy

They included Amy Dowden, who was forced to pull out last year due to a foot injury, Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Vito Coppola and reigning champion Dianne Buswell, who won the 2024 show with blind comedian Chris McCausland.

Strictly executive producer Sarah James also revealed there would be 'two new pros' who will 'help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance.'

Giovanni walked away from his glitzy spot in the dancing competition last spring while the BBC investigated the allegations made towards him by the Sherlock actress.

But his step down did not stop him from dancing as he continued to perform in his own stage show before he appeared on the Italian version of Strictly.

When BBC bosses eventually published their report into Giovanni's behaviour it cleared him of the most serious allegations of physical aggression, but upheld verbal bullying and harassment.

At the time, Giovanni said he was 'pleased' to be cleared of 'threatening and abusive behaviour.'

The report also told how they had upheld six out of 17 allegations from Amanda. The report said that Giovanni - a perfectionist - 'was swearing and using what could be described as belittling language' which it said amounted to bullying behaviour.

The BBC apologised to the former Sherlock actress and also thanked her for coming forward to raise her grievances.
Easter brought out the glitz, glam, and plenty of skin as Hollywoods brightest stars turned up the heatand the nostalgiathis Sunday.

From painted eggs and bunny ears to jaw-dropping outfits, A-listers flooded social media with festive snaps to wish fans a Happy Easter.

But it was Salma Hayek who really delivered the goods.

The 58-year-old icon sent temperatures soaring as she posed aboard a yacht in a fire-engine red bikini, flaunting her curves and movie star poise.

In another shot from her carousel of beachy bliss, Salma rocked a bikini top and khaki pants, later trading glam for cozy as she posed in just a towel.

Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan served up a different kind of treatpure childhood nostalgia.

Easter brought out the glitz, glam, and plenty of skin as Hollywoods brightest stars turned up the heatand the nostalgiathis Sunday, with Salma Hayek delivering the goods

The 58-year-old icon sent temperatures soaring as she posed aboard a yacht in a fire-engine red bikini, flaunting her curves and movie star poise

Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan served up a different kind of treatpure childhood nostalgia

The 38-year-old actress shared a behind-the-scenes photo from her 1998 breakout role in The Parent Trap

The 38-year-old actress shared a behind-the-scenes photo from her 1998 breakout role in The Parent Trap.

In the adorable snap, a young Lindsay is seen getting her hair braided by director Nancy Meyers' daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, now 37, as they stand beside a piano.

Lily Collins melted hearts this Easter by sharing a sweet snap of a tiny bunny outfit picked out for her newborn's first holiday.

The Emily in Paris star, 35, and her husband, film director Charlie McDowell, 41, recently welcomed their first child via surrogate, announcing the joyful news on Jan. 31 with a touching post on social media.

Now, babys first holiday is already serving cuteness overload.

Christie Brinkley, 70, rang in Easter with a breathtaking selfiefeaturing not just her glowing smile, but the stunning cherry blossoms in full bloom behind her.

The supermodel gave fans a peek at her dreamy backyard just as spring burst into full bloomreminding everyone shes still as fresh as the flowers behind her.

Gwen Stefani showed off her stunning kitchen all decked out for Easter, complete with fresh flowers, painted eggs, and plenty of festive charm from the rock star herself.

In another shot from her carousel of beachy bliss, Salma rocked a bikini top and khaki pants

Later she traded glam for cozy as she posed in just a towel

Lily Collins melted hearts this Easter by sharing a sweet snap of a tiny bunny outfit picked out for her newborn's first holiday: The Emily in Paris star, 35, and her husband, film director Charlie McDowell, 41, recently welcomed their first child via surrogate; (seen in April)

Lily's babys first holiday is already serving cuteness overload

Lily was ready to give her baby a fashion makeover for Easter

Mark Wahlberg, a proud Catholic, showed off his faith this Easter by posing in front of a towering cross.

Teddi Mellencamp made sure her three kidsSlate, Cruz, and Dovehad a magical Easter, complete with festive baskets and sweet treats.

Being a mom is one of her greatest joys, and she pulled out all the stops to celebrate with them.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum shares her children with estranged husband Edwin Arroyave, from whom she filed for divorce in November 2024.

Just a few months later, in February, she revealed on Instagram that doctors had discovered multiple brain tumors after shed been suffering from severe, debilitating headaches.

Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel shared a glamorous photo of herself in a pink pastel fur-trimmed coat.

She posed in front of her NYC stoop, which was decked out with giant Easter eggs.

Heidi Klum shared a playful Easter photo of her husband Tom Kaulitz relaxing in bed surrounded by adorable bunny figurines

Christie Brinkley, 70, rang in Easter with a breathtaking selfiefeaturing not just her glowing smile, but the stunning cherry blossoms in full bloom behind her

The supermodel gave fans a peek at her dreamy backyard just as spring burst into full bloomreminding everyone shes still as fresh as the flowers behind her

Mark Wahlberg, a proud Catholic, showed off his faith this Easter by posing in front of a towering cross.

Teddi Mellencamp made sure her three kidsSlate, Cruz, and Dovehad a magical Easter, complete with festive baskets and sweet treats

Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel shared a glamorous photo of herself in a pink pastel fur-trimmed coat

Gwen Stefani showed off her stunning kitchen all decked out for Easter, complete with fresh flowers, painted eggs, and plenty of festive charm from the rock star herself

Heidi Klum shared a playful Easter photo of her husband Tom Kaulitz relaxing in bed surrounded by adorable bunny figurines

Meanwhile, the Kardashian crew went all out for Easter with their signature over-the-top flairgiving fans a glimpse into this years extravagant family bash.

Kris Jenner, 69, played hostess for the festivities, joined by daughters Khloe, 40, and Kylie, 27, along with a handful of her grandkids for the Saturday celebration.

Notably missing from the party? Kim, Kendall, and Kourtney were nowhere to be seen over the weekend.

Those in attendance took to Instagram to share highlights from the lavish affair, including a kid-friendly station where the little ones made their own stuffed animals and decorated eggs, plus shots of the mouthwatering treats on offer.

Kris even got in on the fun, posting a selfie in white-rimmed glasses topped with bunny ears as she posed on the patio.

Another sweet moment showed her grandkids seated at a long craft table, fully immersed in their Easter creations.

The party, which appeared to be held at Khloes mansion, featured outdoor tables lined with tiny outfits and shelves full of plush animals for the kids to customize.

Khloe also shared a close-up of the craft table, along with a massive charcuterie spread and festive touches like bunny-shaped napkins.

The Kardashian family gathers together each year when spring rolls around to celebrate Easter with an extravagant bash - and the stars gave a special look into this year's gathering

And those who did attend the celebrations jumped to their Instagram stories to show special moments, such as the little ones having the chance to make their own stuffed animals to the scrumptious food they all indulged in

Kylie Jenner was in attendance at the daytime celebration and uploaded a video to her Instagram stories to film her mother showing the desserts to her son Aire, three

Kris Jenner was joined by her daughters Khloe and Kylie as well as some of her grandchildren during the lavish festivities on Saturday

Khloe Kardashian celebrated Easter by sharing adorable snaps of her two beautiful kids, True and Tatum

The siblings looked picture-perfect in their Sunday best as they hugged and enjoyed the holiday together

After the snacks, guests were treated to an array of sugary desserts to top off the celebration.

Kourtney, who turned 46 on Friday, celebrated with a low-key birthday bash, and received sweet tributes from loved ones.

Her husband, Travis Barker, shared a reel on Instagram showing their baby boy, Rocky, 1, strumming a toy guitar at the party.

Despite not attending the weekends festivities, Kourtney sent ornate Easter gingerbread houses to her family. Kim proudly shared a glimpse of the festive house, which was covered in glittering icing and had her childrens names written on one side.

The house was surrounded by fake trees, bunnies, and pastel decorations. Kims child humorously interrupted her video, placing a half-eaten cookie in front of the camera.

Along with the gift, Kourtney included a note that read: 'Happy Easter! Love Kourtney, Travis, Atiana, Landon, Alabama, Mason, Penelope, Reign & Rocky.'

Kourtney shares Rocky with Travis, while she also has Mason, 15, Penelope, 12, and Reign, 10, with ex Scott Disick.

Travis shares Landon, 21, and Alabama, 19, with ex Shanna Moakler, and is a father figure to Atiana De La Hoya, 26, from Shannas previous relationship.

Madonna, 66, spent the special occasion with her 13-year-old twin daughters Estere and Stella

She was also with her toy boy Akeem Morris, 28

The legendary songstress enjoyed the weekend in the United Kingdom, where in addition to the twin girls, she was also joined by 24-year-old son Rocco Ritchie

In an Instagram caption to her nearly 20 million followers, she wrote, 'Easter weekend looked like.. Spending time with friends and family'

Madonna, 66, spent the special occasion with her 13-year-old twin daughters Estere and Stella, as well as her toy boy Akeem Morris, 28.

In an Instagram caption to her nearly 20 million followers, she wrote, 'Easter weekend looked like..

'Spending time with friends and family, Watching Chelsea lose to Legia Warszawa. and seeing an Incredible Artist named @selfesteemselfesteem.'

The legendary songstress enjoyed the weekend in the United Kingdom, where in addition to the twin girls, she was also joined by 24-year-old son Rocco Ritchie.

A snapshot with the budding actor, whom she shares with ex-husband Guy Ritchie, showed the Justify My Love artist in a sexy lace corset, pinstriped blazer, shorts, and black fishnet tights.

Another celebrity soaking up family time was Hilary Duff, 37, who was pictured with her four children in an Instagram Stories post.

She shares 13-year-old son Luca with ex-husband Mike Comrie. She is also mom to three daughters  Banks, six, Mae, four, and Townes, one in May  with husband Matthew Koma.

Cindy Crawford, 59, and longtie husband Rande Gerber, 62, spent the day on the water, as evidenced by a smiley selfie shared online.

Another celebrity soaking up family time was Hilary Duff, 37, who was pictured with her four children in an Instagram Stories post

Cindy Crawford, 59, and longtie husband Rande Gerber, 62, spent the day on the water, as evidenced by a smiley selfie shared online

Jennifer Aniston, 56, dropped in on Instagram to wish her 44.5 million followers a Happy Easter as well.

Using the social media app's Stories feature, the Friends sensation uploaded photos of her two dogs sitting in lush grass.

A small gray and white pup and a larger sized white canine were photographed with bunny ears placed on their heads.

Aniston wrote 'Happy Easter you beautiful people!' across one post and plastered a smiley face hug emoji over another.

The ageless beauty also gave a shoutout to her Greek heritage, posting a photo of a carton of brown and white eggs. She wrote, 'And to all my fellow Greeks! Christos Anesti!'

Jennifer Aniston, 56, dropped in on Instagram to wish her 44.5 million followers a Happy Easter as well

Using the social media app's Stories feature, the Friends sensation uploaded photos of her two dogs sitting in lush grass. Aniston wrote 'Happy Easter you beautiful people!' across one post and plastered a smiley face hug emoji over another

The ageless beauty also gave a shoutout to her Greek heritage, posting a photo of a carton of brown and white eggs. She wrote, 'And to all my fellow Greeks! Christos Anesti!'

Gwen Stefani checked in online, sharing a photo of husband Blake Shelton in a pink bunny onesie

Gwen Stefani checked in online, sharing a photo of husband Blake Shelton in a pink bunny onesie.

The two  Gwen, 55, and Blake, 48  have been married since July 2021.

They met while working as coaches on The Voice in in 2014. They went through divorces at a similar time, and began dating in 2015.

Gwen was previously married to Gavin Rossdale while the country crooner was wed to Miranda Lambert.

Stefani and Rossdale are co-parents to three boys: Kingston, 18, Zuma, 16, and Apollo, 11.

Carrie Underwood, 42, used her Instagram platform to wish her 13.3 million followers well.

She shared the bible passage John 16:33 and wrote in the caption, 'Happy EasterHe is risen! Praise the Lord! I hope you all are having a wonderful day reflecting and spending time with the ones you love!'

Carrie Underwood, 42, used her Instagram platform to wish her 13.3 million followers well

Hilaria Baldwin posted a photo of her and husband Alec Baldwin's brood of seven children, who were huddled on a spiral staircase.

The 41-year-old Boston-bred star wrote, 'Happy Easter! Sending love #easter #family #love'

Hilaria Baldwin posted a photo of her and husband Alec Baldwin's brood of seven children, who were huddled on a spiral staircase.

The 41-year-old Boston-bred star wrote, 'Happy Easter! Sending love #easter #family #love.'

Hilaria and Baldwin married in 2012 and currently star on TLC's The Baldwins, which showcases the large family in their day-to-day life living in New York City.

The yogi and 67-year-old actor are mom and dad to Carmen, 11, Rafael, nine, Leonardo, eight, Romeo, six, Eduardo and Maria, four, and Ilaria, two.

Alec also shares 29-year-old daughter Ireland Baldwin with ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Ferne McCann celebrated Easter in style with an egg hunt during her lavish family holiday in Mauritius.

The Dancing On Ice star, 34, has jetted off for the week with her mum Gilly, sister Sophie and nephew Ronnie, as well as her own daughter Sunday, seven.

She shared a video of the fun-filled activity as she emerged from a wooden hut and gave the 'shhh' sign to camera.

She showed off her incredible figure in a cropped beige bralet and brown gym shorts as she got to work hiding the Easter eggs.

'Easter Egg Hunt - Clue trail edition,' she captioned the footage.

'I think I got into this way more than I kids. Happy Easter everyone.'

Ferne McCann, 34, celebrated Easter in style with a stunning themed egg hunt during her lavish family holiday in Mauritius

The Dancing On Ice star whisked away for the week with her mum Gilly and sister Sophie, as she set about planning the hunt for her daughter Sunday and nephew Ronnie, as well as other little ones

The first clue for the kids read 'I make food hot quick flash' and they had to find little eggs hidden in the microwave.

Next was a prehistoric themed clue, which listed off types of dinosaurs - and toys were found to be guarding the eggs.

The clip showed Ferne speedily writing away to get the clues ready before putting one of the prizes in their vacation accommodation's luxurious outdoor sauna.

Another clue asked the kids where Harry Potter's first bedroom was, with the answer being under the stairs.

The final clue read: 'I twirl and I whirl and I make things clean. Where socks go missing I've been seen. Your golden prize is tucked away, look inside without delay,' leading them to the washing machine.

Ferne has been soaking up the sun in Mauritius and shared a body positive message alongside a bikini snap on Saturday.

Ferne looked incredible in the strapless two-piece as she uploaded a candid clip to social media to discuss her recent changes to her body.

Alongside her clip, she penned: 'Im grateful for my body and all that it does for me My boobs are sagging & two different sizes. I have cellulite. My outfit isnt on trend. My face is wonky. I have wrinkles round my eyes.

The first clue for the kids read 'Clue 1: I make food hot quick flash' and they had to find little eggs hidden in the microwave

The clip showed Ferne speedily writing away to get the clues ready for the fun hunt planned for the kids

She then hid one of the prizes in their vacation accommodation's luxurious outdoor sauna

Ferne has been soaking up the sun in Mauritius and shared a body positive message alongside a bikini snap on Saturday

'Or My boobs provide comfort for my baby. My cellulite is just a sign of a female body that moves and lives.

'My outfit reflects my own style, not a passing trend. My face is uniquely mine, perfect in its own way. My wrinkles are laughter lines from years of joy and living.

'No matter who we are, whatever our age, shape, or story we all seem to find faults in ourselves that wouldnt even exist for anyone else.

'So why do we naturally lean toward the negative thought about ourselves?'
Shocking new details have come to light following the fatal police shooting of Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlins brother, Geoffrey Shyam Stirling  with law enforcement now claiming the 45-year-old assaulted an officer and tried to use his taser before being gunned down.

According to the Newport Beach Police Department, Stirling was pulled over during a traffic stop along Pacific Coast Highway on Thursday when things allegedly turned violent.

Officials say he 'managed to remove the department-issued taser from the officers duty belt and attempted to deploy it multiple times against the officer,' prompting what they described as an 'officer-involved shooting,' per TMZ.

Sources told the outlet that Stirling had been riding a motorcycle at the time and was uncooperative during the stop.

He was shot at the scene, later died at a nearby hospital, and no officers were injured.

Lydia, who has yet to publicly address the circumstances of the shooting, told TMZ in a statement: 'My family and I are devastated by the loss of my brother.'

Shocking new details have come to light following the fatal police shooting of Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lydia McLaughlins brother , Geoffrey Shyam Stirling  with law enforcement now claiming the 45-year-old assaulted an officer and tried to use his taser before being gunned down

According to the Newport Beach Police Department, Stirling was pulled over during a traffic stop along Pacific Coast Highway on Thursday when things allegedly turned violent

Officials say he 'managed to remove the department-issued taser from the officers duty belt and attempted to deploy it multiple times against the officer,' prompting what they described as an 'officer-involved shooting,' per TMZ

'We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and the community. We kindly ask for privacy as we mourn.'

She also took to Instagram writing, 'My family has experienced an unimaginable loss. My brother, Geoff, was tragically taken and our hearts are shattered.

'I cant believe were facing this pain just 6 months after losing my best friend and mother.

'I know theyre both with Jesus now, and Hes walking with me through this darkness. One step at a time.'

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us.

According to an official release by the California Attorney General's Office, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating the officer-involved-shooting (OIS).

'The OIS incident resulted in the death of one individual and involved personnel from the Newport Beach Police Department,' the release read.

Following the investigation, 'it will be turned over to DOJ's Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review.'

Stirling was born in San Diego and at the age of 16, he was scouted by a modeling agency, according to the bio on his official IMDB page.

Along with a career in modeling, he also moved on to acting and appeared in projects such as the TV miniseries 30 Days Of Night: Blood Trails (2007) and also Vanquisher (2011).

He studied Communications while attending the University of San Diego where he also graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Geoffrey pursued other endeavors over the years such as being a personal trainer, karate instructor, television producer, baker and stuntman.

Sources told the outlet that Stirling had been riding a motorcycle at the time and was uncooperative during the stop

In a statement to TMZ, Lydia expressed: 'My family and I are devastated by the loss of my brother'; seen on RHOC in 2013

Stirling was born in San Diego and at the age of 16, he was scouted by a modeling agency, according to his bio on his official IMDB page

Geoffrey pursued other endeavors over the years such as being a personal trainer, karate instructor, television producer, baker and stuntman

Stirling had also ran a production company called Shyam Bird Productions LLC.

The tragic death of her brother comes shortly after Lydia honored her late mother Judy earlier this month on the sixth month anniversary of her passing.

She uploaded throwback clips and photos of her mom alongside a caption that read: 'Today marks 6 months since my mom passed away.

'I have gone to a beautiful group called Grief Share which has helped me in my healing and processing my grief. It's a nationwide group if anyone needs support, I recommend them.'

McLaughlin then opened up about grief and wrote, 'Grief can make you better or bitter.

'I am putting in my whole heart to turn my sorrow into thanksgiving, for having the privilege to have such a beautiful mom. She will always be my hero, and my favorite.'

Late last year in October, Lydia announced the death of her mother Judy - who had also made appearances on RHOC with her daughter.

She starred on the Bravo reality series in 2013 for one season and then later returned for another one season stint in 2017.

The tragic death of her brother comes shortly after Lydia honored her late mother Judy earlier this month on the sixth month anniversary of her passing

She uploaded throwback clips and photos of her mom alongside a caption that read: 'Today marks 6 months since my mom passed away'

McLaughlin had taken to Instagram to share a photo of both her and her late mother flashing big smiles.

'My mom passed away last night,' the TV personality began. 'We are heart broken but we know she's dancing with Jesus.

'Fairdust, confetti bombs and crowns like heaven has never seen before. What's in the cat is in the kitten and I promise to continue to make you proud.'

Later that same month, a celebration of life was held for Judy - who passed away following a battle with breast cancer.

Along with sharing special moments from the memorial service, Lydia had added in the caption, 'I find it difficult to put into words my broken heart.

'I am thankful for the outpouring of love and support. I am grateful to not grieve alone. I am honored to be her daughter and will forever carry her in my spirit. .'

After her return to RHOC in 2017, she announced her exit from the show the next year by sharing a statement on her blog OC Lydia; seen in RHOC far right

After her return to RHOC in 2017, she announced her exit from the show the next year by sharing a statement on her blog OC Lydia.

'RHOC has given me a great platform and I'm grateful for that. However, I feel like I can only handle this show one season at a time. I need a break!'

She also added, 'There is a lot of good that comes from the show, but also a lot of negativity. After a family vote, it was unanimous that I should take a break. Sometimes the people who love us the most see things even we don't see...'

The star tied the knot with Doug McLaughlin back in 2006 and the couple share three children together.
Miranda Kerr celebrated Easter Sunday and her 42nd birthday by taking a plunge during a very lavish tropical holiday.

The Aussie supermodel took to her Instagram to share a radiant snap of herself swimming in the crystal clear waters.

She showed off her incredible figure in a black two-piece and sported a pair of round shades while relaxing in the sun.

Miranda appeared to be having the trip of a lifetime as she flashed a huge smile while celebrating her 42nd birthday, which fell on Easter Sunday this year, in style.

She captioned the post: 'Feeling extra grateful this year  not only to be celebrating another trip around the sun, but to be sharing my birthday on Easter Sunday.

'It's such a beautiful reminder of renewal, love, and new beginnings and I can't help but feel that extra sparkle of magic in the air.'

Miranda Kerr celebrated Easter Sunday and her 42nd birthday while taking a plunge during a very lavish tropical holiday

The Aussie supermodel captioned: 'Feeling extra grateful this year  not only to be celebrating another trip around the sun, but to be sharing my birthday on Easter Sunday'

'Thank you for all the love  my heart is so full,' she added.

The catwalk icon recently revealed the secret behind her successful marriage to Snapchat billionaire husband Evan Spiegel.

The businesswoman and mother-of-four told Stellar magazine how she and Evan 'balance and learn' from each other.

'I learn from him and he learns from me. We really do balance each other. We've been together [for] 11 years and he's my favourite person,' she said.

She went on to say the couple 'prioritise each other and family time' which has been very important in their relationship.

'He's such a family man. We prioritise each other and family time,' Miranda continued.

'That's why when you see us on the red carpet, everyone was like, 'Wow, Miranda, you're out?'

'Honestly, Evan and I prefer to stay in. But every now and then, Mum and Dad have to get out, too.'

The catwalk icon recently revealed the secret behind her successful marriage to Snapchat billionaire husband Evan Spiegel (pictured together in March)

Miranda and Evan tied the knot in 2017 in an intimate wedding - with just 45 friends and family in attendance.

They share three sons together - Hart, six, Myles, five, and Pierre, nine months.

Miranda also has a 13-year-old son, Flynn, from her previous marriage to Orlando Bloom.

She is close to Orlando and his fiancee Katy Perry, and described their relationship dynamic as a 'big, blended family'.

'We have so much love and respect for each other. I'm so grateful for the relationship I have with Orlando and Katy,' she said.

'We're going to be in each other's lives for the rest of our lives. We have a child together. So let's be as kind as we can to each other.'
Joey Essex has reportedly been left 'apprehensive' after his Baby Reindeer-style stalker was deemed 'unfit to stand trial'.

The obsessed online fan allegedly bombarded the reality star, 34, with 100,000 messages, including some which contained apparent death threats towards his then girlfriend Jessy Potts, whom he met during 2024's Love Island.

But according to The Sun, police have now agreed criminal prosecution would not be the most appropriate cause of action, with Joey instead being protected through safeguarding interventions.

A source told the publication: 'Naturally, he feels a little apprehensive over the news she won't face trial, but has full trust in the process.'

MailOnline have contacted Joey's representatives for comment.

The former TOWIE star, who split from Jessy in September just seven weeks after leaving the ITV villa, contacted Cheshire Police in August of last year after becoming concerned about the violent nature of some of the sinister messages.

Joey Essex has reportedly been left 'apprehensive' after his Baby Reindeer-style stalker was deemed 'unfit to stand trial'

Last year it was revealed the obsessed online fan had bombarded the reality star, 34, with 100,000 messages, including some which contained apparent death threats towards his then girlfriend Jessy Potts (pictured together 2024)

It was reported these included apparent threats to 'shoot the s**t' out of Jessy, while others brand his girlfriend a 'fat s**g' and a 'b***h'.

A source close to Joey claimed the messages he had received from one person in particular have become 'increasingly frightening'.

Officers seized electronic devices, which included a mobile phone and a laptop, from the woman who is from the Stockport area.

She was bailed and ordered not to contact Joey and his family or to travel to London and Essex.

In August, Joey told The Sun that he had been forced to 'report the stalker to the police because the messages have started to become more threatening'.

He said: 'I love my fans and want to be able to talk to them online but there has to be a line somewhere and sadly this is it.'

It was reported that the person in question had also posted public messages ranting underneath his social media posts, including barbs calling him 'insecure'.

A source close to Joey told the publication that he is used to being 'trolled' and enjoys engaging with his fans online.

Police have now agreed criminal prosecution would not be the most appropriate cause of action, with Joey instead being protected through safeguarding interventions

The former TOWIE star, who split from Jessy in September just seven weeks after leaving the ITV villa, contacted Cheshire Police in August (pictured together August 2024)

Joey's stalking hell raises the spectre of the hit Netflix show Baby Reindeer, which chronicled the woes of a struggling comedian who was stalked by a woman called Martha (pictured)

They said: 'But when he was in the Love Island villa his team noticed a real uptick in messages from one user in particular and most of it is nonsense.

'Since he met Jessy, though, they have grown increasingly frightening with some targeted, physical threats and it's become cause for concern.'

Announcing their split last year, Joey and Jessy said they 'tried to make their relationship work' but after leaving the Love Island villa it 'just wasn't meant to be'.

Joey told The Sun at the time: 'Unfortunately, we have decided to call an end to the relationship but I hope we can continue to be friends. I truly wish Jessy the very best with whatever she does in the future.'

Jessy added: 'I appreciate the Love Island experience I had with Joey, we tried to make it work but it wasn't to be.

The pair fell in love on Love Island and made it all the way to the final, but less than two months on, it was rumoured that the pair were 'hardly speaking' amid their busy schedules.
Costco has delighted fans with its latest Kirkland product and they're flying off the shelves.

The warehouse retailer is known for delivering value to its members with its much-loved own-brand products.

Now the $13.99 Kirkland 12-pack of Helles-Style Lager is the latest item fans are raving about.

Made by the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon the German-style lager was released exclusively in Costco in November.

'It's incredible, the cost-to-value is insane on this beer,' Costco shopper Taylor Vavra told the Wall Street Journal.

Costco's previous attempts at delivering a low-cost own brand beer never 'quite hit the mark' Russ York, Costco's corporate buyer for wine, beer and spirits admitted to the publication.

The latest beer is the product of a new partnership with Deschutes that began last year.

'We wanted to show everybody that Kirkland can do beer just as well as wine and spirits,' York said.

Fans love the $13.99 Kirkland 12-pack of Helles-Style Lager at Costco

Reddit users praised the Kirkland 12-pack of Helles-Style Lager

Costco customers praised the beer on a Reddit thread after a review that called it: 'Exceptionally crisp.'

A shopper added: 'Very crispy, super crushable. Super cool that Deschutes brews this for them. Also, it makes a hell of a michelada.'

The beer is based on a recipe that won a gold medal at 2023's Great American Beer Festival.

It is now sold in every state except Texas, and a new version will be released annually.

'If we tried to tilt this up on our own, it would have taken us 20 years,' Peter Skrbek, CEO of Deschutes said, referring to Costco's unrivalled scale and brand loyalty.

The brewery did get a significant concession from Costco too.

For the first time Costco shared its Kirkland packaging with the brewery, putting its location on the label.

'We thought that the recognition of where it came from would help validate [the beer],' Skrbek said.

Costco shared its Kirkland branding with the brewery, putting its location on the package

Russ York worked on the deal as Costco's corporate buyer for wine, beer and spirits

Kirkland Signature Coastal Cheddar Cheese recently won gold at the British Cheese Awards

'With beer, there's a more personal connection to brands,' alcohol brand consultant Dave Williams told the Journal.

Private label partnership can provide 'an affordable option for consumers that may be feeling some economic squeeze,' Williams said.

They can also help breweries that would struggle to release their beers at such a scale on their own.

Other Costco products that have received expert approval include the award-winning Kirkland Signature Coastal Cheddar Cheese.

The 15-month-aged cheese, made at a farm on the UK's Dorset coast, costs just $10 for a two-pound block.

Recently Slice Soda, a lemon-lime soda originally described as 'Pepsi's answer to Sprite' was found on Costco shelves again for the first time in fifteen years.

Despite its enduring popularity Costco lost its crown as the nation's favorite grocery store to southern grocery chain H-E-B.

The Texas-based chain took the top spot in the annual ranking of the 72 largest grocery stores in the US by customer data science company dunnhumby.
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk arrived at Jogighopa in Assamas Bongaigaon district on Saturday to inspect Indiaas first International Multimodal Logistics Park (MMLP), a state minister said.

He arrived by a royal helicopter and landed inside the MMLP, where the King was received by Assam Minister for Public Health and Engineering Department Jayanta Malla Baruah.

aThis morning, as per the directives of Honable CM Dr @himantabiswa dangoriya (respected senior), I had the honour of welcoming His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk ji, the King of Bhutan, to Assam for his visit to inspect Indiaas first-ever International Multi-Model Logistics Park (MMLP), currently in its final stages of construction under the Bharatmala Project (sic),a Baruah said in a post on X.

Besides the MMLP, the King also visited the Inland Water Transport (IWT), which is under construction on the Brahmaputra river, he said.

aI am truly overwhelmed by His Majestyas affection towards Assam and extend my heartfelt gratitude to him for this gracious visit to our state,a Baruah said.

Constructed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), the park will seamlessly integrate road, rail, air and waterways upon completion, the minister said.

aSpread across 317 acres on the banks of Brahmaputra, this project will unlock immense economic potential for our state by facilitating trade with neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh,a the minister said. aThe strategic proximity of Bhutanas visionary urban development initiative a The Gelephu Mindfulness City, will also undoubtedly contribute to the success of the MMLP,a Baruah added.

Security has been tightened in and around the MMLP, with the local police and personnel from Bhutan deployed in the area, officials said.

The Kingas visit took place amid strict diplomatic protocol and mediapersons were barred from entering the park.
Fifteen years after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Gulf Coast, killing 11 and sending 507.2 million litres of crude gushing into the ocean, the effects of the nationas worst offshore oil spill are still being felt.

Oil company BP paid billions of dollars in damages, propelling ambitious coastal restoration projects across five states. Yet cleanup workers and local residents who suffered health impacts they attribute to the oil spill have struggled to have their cases heard in court and few have received significant compensation.

Conservation groups say the spill catalysed innovative restoration work across the Gulf Coast, but are alarmed at the recent halt of a flagship land-creation project in Louisiana. As the Trump administration expands offshore oil and gas, they are concerned the best opportunities for rebuilding the Gulf Coast are slipping away. In the coastal community of Lafitte in southeast Louisiana, Tammy Gremillion is celebrating Easter Sunday, the anniversary of the April 20 spill, without her daughter. She remembers warning Jennifer against joining a cleanup crew tasked with containing the spill for BP.

aBut I couldnat stop her - they were offering these kids lots of money,a Gremillion said. aThey didnat know the dangers. They didnat do what they should have to protect these young people.a

Jennifer worked knee-deep in oil for months, returning home reeking of fumes, covered in black splotches and breaking out in rashes and suffering headaches. She also was exposed to Corexit, an EPA-approved chemical applied on and below the water to disperse oil, which has been linked to health problems.

In 2020, Jennifer died of leukemia, a blood cancer that can be caused by exposure to oil.

Gremillion, who broke down in tears as she recounted her daughteras death, is a1,000per cent confidenta that exposure to toxins during the cleanup caused the cancer. She filed a lawsuit against BP in 2022, although the allegations have been difficult to establish in court. Gremillionas suit is one of a small number of cases still pending.

An investigation by The Associated Press previously found all but a handful of roughly 4,800 lawsuits seeking compensation for health problems linked to the oil spill have been dismissed and only one has been settled.

In a 2012 settlement, BP paid ill workers and coastal residents $67 million, but this amounted to no more than $1,300 each for nearly 80per cent of those seeking compensation.

Attorneys from the Downs Law Group, representing Gremillion and around 100 others in cases against BP, say the company leveraged procedural technicalities to block victims from getting their day in court. BP declined to comment on pending litigation. In court filings, BP denied allegations that oil exposure caused health problems and attacked the credibility of medical experts brought by plaintiffs.

The environmental impact was devastating, recalled PJ Hahn, who served on the frontlines as a southeast Louisiana coastal management official. He watched the oil eat away at barrier islands and marsh around his community in Plaquemines Parish until ait would just crumble like a cookie in hot coffee, just break apart.a

Oyster beds suffocated, reefs were blanketed in chemicals and the fishing industry tanked. Pelicans diving for dead fish emerged from the contaminated waters smeared in a black sheen. Tens of thousands of seabirds and sea turtles were killed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A pair of white hands blinding a Black face. A smiling colonizer with a Bible, crushing the skull of a screaming native with his boot. Chained men in gold mines, and a pregnant woman.

These stone sculptures from Zimbabwe will take center stage at an upcoming exhibition at Oxford University in Britain, aiming to acontextualisea the legacy of British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes with depictions of religious deception, forced labor and sexual abuse.

Rhodes conquered large parts of southern Africa in the late 19th century. He made a fortune in gold and diamond mining and grabbed land from the local population. His grave lies under a slab of stone atop a hill in Zimbabwe.

Oxfordas Oriel College, where the exhibition will be held in September, is a symbolic setting. A statue of Rhodes stands there despite protests against it since 2015. Rhodes, who died in 1902, was an Oriel student who left 100,000 pounds (now valued at about 10.5 million pounds, or $13.5 million) to the school. His influence endures through a scholarship for students from southern African countries.

For Zimbabwean stone carvers at Chitungwiza Arts Center near the capital, Harare, the exhibition is more than an opportunity for Western audiences to glimpse a dark history. It is also a chance to revive an ancient but struggling art form.

Stone sculpture, once a thriving local industry, has suffered due to vast economic challenges and declining tourism.

aThis will boost business. Buyers abroad will now see our work and buy directly from the artists,a said sculptor Wallace Mkanka. His piece, depicting the blinded Black face, was selected as the best of 110 entries and will be one of four winning sculptures on display at Oxford.

Zimbabwe, meaning aHouse of Stone,a derives its identity from the Great Zimbabwe ruins, a 1,800-acre Iron Age city built with precision-cut stones delicately stacked without mortar. It is a UNESCO World heritage site.

The southern African country has long used stone sculpture as a form of storytelling to immortalise history. The craft survived close to a century of colonial rule that sought to erase local traditions, religion and art forms.

It thrived internationally instead. Thousands of pieces were plundered from Africa. Some later became subjects of repatriation campaigns. Others became prized by tourists and collectors.

A permanent collection of 20 Zimbabwean stone sculptures is displayed in a pedestrian tunnel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the worldas busiest.

At its peak following independence, Zimbabweas stone sculpture industry thrived, with local white farmers purchasing pieces for their homes and facilitating international sales.

aCustomers were everywhere. They would pay up front, and I always had a queue of clients,a recalled Tafadzwa Tandi, a 45-year-old sculptor whose work will feature in the Oxford exhibition.

However, the industry has struggled over the past two decades.

Zimbabweas global image suffered after controversial land reforms more than two decades ago displaced over 4,000 white farmers to redistribute land to about 300,000 Black families, according to government figures. Late ruler Robert Mugabe defended the reforms as necessary to address colonial-era inequities, but they had unintended economic consequences.

aMany of our customers were friends of the farmers. That is where the problem originated from,a said Tendai Gwaravaza, chairman of Chitungwiza Arts Center.

At the center, the sound of grinders filled the air as sculptors carved. Hundreds of finished pieces, ranging from small carvings to life-sized sculptures, waited for buyers. aThe only solution now is to get out there to the markets ourselves. If we donat, no one will,a Gwaravaza said.

The Oxford exhibition represents such an opportunity for exposure, he said.

It is the brainchild of the Oxford Zimbabwe Arts Partnership, formed in response to the aRhodes Must Falla campaign during the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S.

The group, consisting of Zimbabwean artists, an Oxford alumnus and a professor of African history, initially envisioned a larger project titled aOxford and Rhodes: Past, Present, and Future.a
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council welcomed representatives from the Marshall Scholarship when she hosted a reception for them in the Guildhall during a visit to Derry as part of a wider Devolved Government Trip for 2025.

The Marshall Scholarship is a prestigious postgraduate scholarship that finances talented young Americans to study at a UK university of their choice. Established in 1953 by the British government as a gesture of gratitude for the Marshall Plan, it aims to strengthen the relationship between the British and American people.

The scholarship provides comprehensive financial support, typically covering tuition fees, living expenses, travel costs to and from the US, and grants for books, research, and thesis preparation.

"Beyond financial assistance, the Marshall Scholarship offers a unique opportunity for scholars to immerse themselves in British academic and cultural life, fostering a deeper understanding of British society and values. As future leaders in their respective fields, Marshall Scholars are expected to contribute to the enduring relationship between the two nations, acting as ambassadors and promoting mutual understanding throughout their career.

The visit to Derry is an opportunity for the Scholars to learn more about the government in Northern Ireland and get a better understanding of the political and justice system, the peace and conflict transformation process as well as wider opportunities the city region has to offer.

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During their visit to Derry the group will also take a tour of the Walled City and meet with Dr Esther McGuinness and Dr Maire Braniff from Ulster University.

Mayor of Derry and Strabane Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr welcoming the Scholars to the city said it was a great honour to host them and to showcase the city and region.

She said: It is a fantastic honour for me to host the 2025 Marshall Scholars to the Guildhall today and to forge important links with the organisation. It was fantastic to meet such a diverse group of future leaders excelling in a vast range of fields.

"The Scholars will have fostered a good understanding and appreciation of this city and district.

US STUDENTS VISIT GUILDHALL. . . . .Marshall Scholarship students from the United States pictured in the Guildhall on Friday morning last where they took part in a Q&A with the Mayor, Lilian Seenoi-Barr, Dr. Malachy O'Neill, Ulster University, Dr. Esther McGuinness, Ulster University and Dr. Maire Braniff, Women of Peace. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

"We are committed to investing in education and fostering ambition within the local community and look forward to working with the Association of Marshall Scholars to explore new opportunities.

Prof. Malachy O'Neill from the University of Ulster said: "It is our pleasure to welcome the Marshall Scholarship representatives to Derry today and to share with them the work of the university in social justice, outreach and regional impact. These future young leaders will experience and hear about the many opportunities the university, city and wider region has to offer and will hopefully leave us further inspired in their learning and career paths ahead.
The appearance of award-winning actor and musician Daman Lewis on the Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE has been hailed as 'remarkable' and 'stunning' by fans of the show.

The British actor, who is best known for his roles in the hit TV series Band of Brothers, Wolf Hall, Homeland, and Billions, was among the guests on Saturday's show.

"You are the read deal," Tommy Tiernan suggested to his guest after he was introduced before embarking on a deep and, sometimes, emotional conversation.

During Saturday's show, the pair discussed the death of Damian Lewis' wife Helen McCrory from cancer and the impact it has had on him and his family..

She was the best. She was incredible, he said, describing how he has developed a "lust for life" since and that thinking about his children's futures keeps him awake at night.

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While he still acts, Damian Lewis says he is conscious about time management commenting that "you can't live your life in 30-minutes increments."

The actor, who won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of U.S. Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody in Homeland, told Tommy Tiernan that he has delved into music over the past two years and has written two records.

He closed out the show with a performance of She Comes alongside the RTE Concert Orchestra, describing it as a great joy.

"Playing in front of an orchestra is one of the great joys - to sing one of your own songs with a 46-piece orchestra behind you." he said.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RTE One (@rteone)

Damian Lewis told Tommy he will return to Ireland later this year to perform in Dublin, Limerick and Cork.

Fans and viewers of Saturday night's show have taken to their droves to praise the interview.

"Wow incredible performance," wrote one person on X while another said: "Really fantastic ! Very Peter Townsend Quadrophenia / Richard Harris . Well done Damian , you have a fine voice".

Other social media users described Saturday's conversation as 'stunning, 'remarkable', 'so poignant' and 'quality'.

Watch the Tommy Tiernan Show on RTE One Television or on the RTE Player.
The Freemasons of Ireland has apologised to its members for facilitating an interview between Conor McGregor and the American TV presenter Tucker Carlson.

The interview, which has been posted on the former Fox News host's online platforms, has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

It was recorded during Easter Week at the historic Freemasons Hall in Dublin after the right-wing media personality travelled to Ireland from the United States.

During the hour-long interview, the former martial arts fighter was asked about his intentions to contest the presidential election later this year.

"We believe the election will take place on November 11 so it's a 60-day run-up prior to that so I'm just going to keep requesting that the democratic process (is allowed to) play out and allow the people to decide and see where it falls," Conor McGregor stated.

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He pointed out that candidates must secure nominations from local authorities or from members of the Oireachtas, which he claimed were either "controlled" by the Government or party affiliates.

The Crumlin native added that he believes the era of politicians needs to come to an end, because it has proven "unfruitful" and the system lacks common sense.

The interview has attracted considerable debate online and some of the discussion had been strongly criticised.

Responding to the criticism, the Freemasons of Ireland said it regrets hosting the interview and has apologised to its members.

In a statement, Grand Secretary Philip A.J. Daley said: "The Historic Freemasons Hall venue is available for private event hire. The Freemasons of Ireland accepted a booking from a media company and if the participants and content had been known the booking would not have been accepted.

"The Freemasons of Ireland categorically denies any association with the interviewer or interviewee and regrets that such an interview took place on our premises. We apologise to our members and confirm that steps have been taken to avoid a reoccurrence."

Speaking on This Week on RTE Radio 1 this Sunday afternoon, Mr Daley said the decision to allow the interview to go ahead was a 'mistake' and that the fee for use of the room will be donated to a suitable charity.

"In hindsight we're not happy with that decision, I mean, look, we made a mistake, put my hands up, fully admit that," he said. adding that under no circumstances would his organisation have taken the booking if they had known who was involved from the outset

"I would not be a fan of Mr McGregor under any circumstances," he said.
President Michael D Higgins has laid a wreath during the annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.

It marks the last time Mr Higgins will lead the event as the sitting president.

Mr Higgins laid a wreath to commemorate those who died in the Rising, for the 109th anniversary of the armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

Proceedings began before midday as a large crowd gathered on Dublins main thoroughfare, OConnell Street, as the parade began to form from 11am.

The national tricolour flag above the General Post Office (GPO) was lowered to half-mast at noon for the ceremony before a prayer service, the laying of the wreath by Mr Higgins and a minutes silence.

Defence Forces personnel, including a brass band, a pipe band and representatives of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service participated in the ceremony.

The GPO is the most famous location associated with the Rising having been designated the headquarters of the Provisional Government, and Sundays commemoration also included a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic by Captain Conor Gibbins from Barna, Go Galway.

The proceedings ended with a return of the flag to full-mast, the national anthem and a flypast conducted by the Air Corps.

The event was also attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Simon Harris and outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy.

First Minister of Northern Ireland and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill, former Irish president Mary Robinson, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain and some members of Cabinet were also among attendees.
One hundred and twenty-five transition year girls from across the North-East region recently visited Dundalk Institute of Technology to experience the wonders of STEM in a day of activity in conjunction with iWish.

iWish is a national community committed to showcasing the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths to teenage girls. In a 2024 iWish survey of over 1,700 girls about barriers to STEM, 60% said there was a lack of information about careers in STEM, 53% cited lack of self-confidence in their ability to pursue a career in STEM and 56% said there was a lack of information about STEM college courses. 45% also pointed towards the absence of role models or representation in the area. Through its collaboration with iWish, DkIT is committed to addressing these challenges and making a change in the North East Region and beyond.

The day kicked off with a welcome address from Dr. Breda Brennan, Head of the School of Engineering at DkIT, followed by inspirational talks from Sharon Lombard, Director of iWish and leading Irish science communicator and STEAM specialist Dr Niamh Shaw.

Throughout the day, the students participated in interactive workshops on a variety of STEM topics, including engineering, microbiology, programming, coding, film and media, health and physical activity and more. The event provided a unique opportunity for hands-on learning and a deeper understanding of the variety of career paths within STEM fields.

Students from Breifne College, Cavan; Our Ladys, Greenhills; Inver College, Carrickmacross; St Louis, Carrickmacross and St Vincents, Secondary School Dundalk took part in this years event.

This event was a follow-up to the DkIT Loves STEM team visits to the secondary schools in January to empower over 400 Transition Year girls to explore the dynamic world of STEM. This year, the roadshow introduced a range of innovative, exciting, hands-on STEM activities specifically designed to capture the interest of female students. Participating students also had the chance to compete for STEM roles in the fictional Totally Yours Cosmetics company, designed by DkITs Dr. Orla Sherlock and Maryellen Kelledy allowing participants to explore STEM careers in an engaging and relevant way.

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Dr Orla Sherlock, Lecturer in the Department of Life & Health Sciences at DkIT said:

At DkIT, we believe the future belongs to those who are inspired to innovate. Through our DkIT Loves STEM outreach programme, we're empowering young female minds to see themselves as the engineers, scientists, and changemakers of tomorrow. As a woman in STEM, I know how powerful it is to see someone like you doing what you dream of. We want to help young girls see the possibilities in science, engineering, and innovation. It's about opening doors, sparking excitement, and building confidence.

To round off the day, participating students were entered in to a draw for some prizes. The DkIT Loves STEM team would like to thank the following for their very generous spot prizes, Walls Construction who provided 3Arena Tickets, Microbiology Ireland who provided Air Pods and Engineers Ireland North East Region who provided Lego Sets.
Calling all food and drink producers in Louth  entries are now open for Blas na hEireann 2025, the Irish Food Awards.

Now in their 18th year, Blas na hEireann is the largest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland, created to recognise and celebrate the very best of Irish food and drink. Entries are now open for producers across all categories and the deadline for entries is the 15th May.

Its an exciting time when we begin our annual process again, says Artie Clifford, Blas na hEireann Chairman. Every year for the past 18 years we have gone into the competition looking forward to discovering new products and welcoming new producers participating, right across the island, and every year our expectations have been exceeded. With over 3,000 entries in 2024, this years bar has been set very high, but we have every confidence in the innovation, talents and commitment of our food producers, and no doubt there will be much to excite and delight in Blas na hEireann 2025.

Sarah Mallon, Head of Enterprise, LEO Louth said: "Louth Local Enterprise Office are delighted to once again sponsor Best in County Louth at the Blas na hEireann awards."

"Renowned for quality, the awards are a fantastic way to highlight the producers and products of county Louth. Applications are now open for 2025 and I would encourage all eligible Louth producers to apply."

The Blas awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce in the country, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas na hEireann with the Food Science Dept of UCC, is now recognised as an industry gold standard worldwide. The tasting takes place throughout June and July, building towards the biggest celebration of Irish food and its producers when the awards are presented in the Blas Village in Dingle in October.

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Last year over 3,000 products from every county in Ireland were entered to win bronze, silver or gold awards in over 170 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer. Winning at Blas makes a significant business difference to winners, with research showing that the Blas accreditation has the highest recognition amongst Irish consumers. Seeing the award logo on packs guarantees shoppers a top quality Irish product.

For full rates and further details, please visit www.irishfoodawards.com
329,643 in funding to protect four archaeological monuments in Louth has been announced today by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the 2025 Community Monuments Fund.

The funding is part of a 7.5 million package for 122 projects nationwide, to help owners and custodians of archaeological monuments to safeguard them into the future.

In Louth, 100,000 has been allocated each to Taaffe's Castle, Bellew's Castle, and Glaspistol Towerhouse through Stream 1 of the fund, which is aimed at essential repairs and capital works for the conservation and repair of archaeological monuments.

A further 29,643 has been allocated to Hatch's Castle in Ardee through Stream 2, which is aimed at development of Conservation Management Plans/Reports that are aimed at identifying measures for conservation of archaeological monuments and improving public access.

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Announcing the funding, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD said that "the importance of our archaeological heritage cannot be overstated and this fund has a very real and profound impact on the custodians and communities in our cities, villages, towns and countryside.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher OSullivan TD, added that this scheme helps to build robustness in our heritage against the extremes of weather, addressing key actions in our Climate Adaptation Plan as well as under Heritage Ireland 2030.

"These awards also deliver jobs for the heritage sector and traditional skills craftspeople, providing thousands of hours of employment every year.
Cork TD Ken OFlynn has offered 500 as a reward to anyone providing information on a missing antique fountain which once stood at the bottom of Shandon St.

Cast in the George Smith & Company Sun Foundry in Glasgow, the Dunscombe Testimonial Fountain was given to the city by the family of the same name in the late 19th century.

However, eight years ago Cork City Council officials admitted that they had no idea of the whereabouts of the antique fountain and gas light.

The fountain once stood at the end of Shandon St in Browns Square, adjacent to the North Gate Bridge, serving as a working drinking water fountain for the entire northside for the years that it was situated there.

The Dunscombe family was a merchant prince family who lived in the Lee Road area of the city.

Gifted

The fountain was gifted to the then Cork Corporation in April 1883 in the name of Reverend Nicholas C Dunscombe  a leading Protestant clergyman and a founder member, along with the Apostle of Temperance, Fr Theobald Mathew, of the temperance movement in Cork.

In 2017, the councils then head of roads, Gerry OBeirne, confirmed that the current location of the Dunscombe fountain and gas light was unknown.

The historical records suggest that the structure was removed from the street sometime before the 1980s, Mr OBeirne said.

Another fountain was installed in Browns Square as part of the Cork 800 celebrations.

This structure was subsequently removed in 2003 as part of the Shandon Street Renewal Project, he added.

At the time, the council said there were currently no plans to add another fountain to the area.

Questioned

Ken OFlynn, then a Fianna Fail city councillor, questioned whether the fountain was in storage, sold, or possibly even destroyed.

It would be laughable if it wasnt so serious, Mr OFlynn said.

The fact that there is no record available of the whereabouts of this fountain begs serious questions about the management of this city.

It is absolutely unacceptable that management has taken such a flippant attitude towards it.

Calling for a full list of the whereabouts of other gifts, antiques, and items belonging to the city, Mr OFlynn said he was considering reporting the matter to An Garda Siochana in a bid to find the missing fountain.

Reward

He offered 100 as a reward for anyone that can provide information that leads to the discovery of the fountain.

That sum was then matched by Neil Prendeville on RedFM.

Eight years on, Mr OFlynn, now an Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, said he had received no takers on his offer and was upping the stakes, putting up 500 as a reward for information leading to the recovery of the antique piece of street furniture.

Id love to give the money away because Id love to get the fountain back in Cork City Council ownership, he told The Echo.

So not only do I renew my offer, I renew my request to city council that they prepare a full Excel file of all public street furniture and things of interest in the city that are either on public display or are in storage, and that they know at all times where it is being stored, and that it is being stored correctly.

Cork City Council was asked for comment.
Party-coloured, like the people, red and white stands Shandon steeple, the famous 18th century Capuchin friar Fr Arthur OLeary is reputed to have written to Richard Woodward, Cloyne Church of Ireland bishop.

Forgiving the poetry, the tower of St Annes, in Shandon, as everyone in Cork knows, is indeed built with red sandstone  drawn from the original Shandon Castle  on its North and East sides; and built from white ashlar limestone  from the former Franciscan abbey on the North Mall  on its South and West.

Legend, of course, says the tower inspired the red and white of Corks sporting colours.

Shandon was described earlier this month by the lord mayor, Dan Boyle, as the most important beating heart of our city.

That has been an apt description of Shandon for centuries, even if the area has seen better times, and the rest of that quote from Mr Boyle described a new plan by Cork City Council as, the latest, I think the strongest, attempt to breathe life back in to that beating heart.

Optimism

There would be few who would not wish the Shandon integrated urban strategy well, and there seems to be a renewed optimism and hope in a beautiful area that has been neglected for too long.

On a gentle hill above the bank of the River Lees northern channel, the Shandon area gets its name from sean dun, the Irish for old fort.

In his book That Place We Call Home, Cork broadcaster John Creedon talks about how a knowledge of our native language can turn a map of Irish placenames in to a multi-dimensional memoir, adding layers of history and meaning to our understanding of our own geography, geology, and even genealogy.

Sunshine at Bells Field, Cork city, as people enjoy the fine weather, with Shandon and the North Cathedral and the Northside as a backdrop. Picture: Larry Cummins

So it is with Shandon, and its name suggests there was once a fort on the site, predating the settlement of the Normans toward the end of the 12th century, probably in the 1170s. That fort, built by the McCarthy kings of Desmond, was probably located on the future site of Shandon Castle, just west of where today stands the Firkin Crane.

That old fortification  or sean dun  on the lands north of what was then the town of Cork appears to predate the arrival here of the Vikings.

Medieval politics saw Henry II granting the McCarthy kingdom of Desmond to Robert FitzStephen, who passed it to his nephew, Philip DeBarry, who later granted Shandon and the surrounding district to Philip de Prendergast.

In time, Shandon would develop as an area of significant strategic importance overlooking the walled city, to which it was connected by the North Gate Bridge, and it would serve as the crossroads of routes to Youghal, in East Cork, and Mallow, in North Cork.

Castle

Some time around the 1180s, Philip DeBarry built a castle that would later become known as Lord Barrys castle or the Castle of Shandon.

St Mary of the Mountain, a church built near to the sean dun fortification, was mentioned in 1199 by Pope Innocent III in his decretals, or papal rulings on canon law.

Shandon grew in importance after the construction of Lord Barrys castle, and although it was outside the walled city of Cork, the community of Shandon grew in size around Shandon Castle and came to rival the city below it.

The castle, the official residence of the presidents of Munster during the reign of Elizabeth I, served as the centre of English civil and military administration in Munster. As such, it was the backdrop for several events of historical importance.

Edmund ODonnell, the first Jesuit priest to be executed by the English government, was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Shandon Castle in 1575 for refusing to convert to Protestantism.

Sir Walter Raleigh presided in the council chambers at the castle, as did the notorious Murrogh OBrien, the first Lord Inchquin, known as Murchadh na dToitean (Murrough the Burner) for his atrocities during the Sack of Cashel, the Irish rebellion of 1641, and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

In 1603, following the death of Elizabeth I, when the mayor of Cork and the council refused to proclaim James I the new king, Lord Roche made the proclamation at Shandon Castle.

In the wake of the Desmond rebellions, inquisitions were held at the castle, and it was from there that the armies that defeated Hugh ONeill at Kinsale were directed.

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell spent Christmas of 1649 at Shandon Castle, and James II held court there in 1688. The castle remained the centre of English administration in Munster until the Siege of Cork, in 1690, when it was destroyed in a fire that also ruined St Marys Church and much of the city. At that time it was described as a large round tower, with 16 guns and a good entrenchment.

In 1693, a new St Marys Church was built at the bottom of Mallow Lane, which would become the modern Shandon St, but that church was replaced in 1722 by a new church on the old site at the top of Shandon, the present Church of St Anne. The bells of Shandon first rang out on Thursday, December 7, 1752. Twenty years later saw the appointment of its first rector, Arthur Hyde, great-great-grandfather of Dubhghlas de hIde, Irelands first president.

Four-faced liar

Shandons clock mechanism was installed in 1847 by the then Cork Corporation, and soon earned the nickname the four-faced liar.

In 1770, the site of the ruined castle was sold by Richard, Earl of Barrymore, to Samuel Jervois, of West Cork, and the Dominican order bought it in 1784, constructing a monastery, which they later abandoned during the 1840s.

The former monastery was bought in 1852 by the Cork committee of merchants and they constructed the Firkin Cranes distinctive circular building on the former castle grounds.

The Cork Butter Market building dates from 1849, when Shandon was the largest shambles  open-air butcheries  in Ireland, and at the Exchanges 19th century peak, Cork was the worlds largest exporter of butter, serving markets in Australia and India.

With a renewed focus on regenerating the area, the local community is hoping that, this time, Shandons future will be as bright as its past is storied.
Concern about the vulnerability of data against the backdrop of the escalating trade war between the US and Europe has prompted a Cork software engineer and Green Party councillor to move his IT infrastructure from America to European providers.

Oliver Moran, who is a councillor for the citys north east ward, told The Echo that he has now transferred the hosting of his various websites with which hes involved to servers operating in a Cork city firm in Hollyhill.

"I was watching the changing political and business environment in the US and I decided to look into how difficult or otherwise it would be to transfer my IT infrastructure to European providers."

Different factors

"The decision was driven by different key factors, including data privacy and security and uncertainty around the US trade war, said Mr Moran.

"As well as Trump's trade wars, JD Vance has put a target on European data privacy and online safety regulations.

"This week he's linking a trade deal with the UK to changes in their civil rights framework. The whole issue caused me to reconsider the importance of supporting local and European businesses and values.

"The sort of things I host are my personal website, which provides contact and information relating to my political activities.

"Ive also a few sites that would at least transaction more sensitive data. One allows members of the public to log incidents of discoloured water in their homes and inform Uisce Eireann of this, for example.

"Another is a website that allows people to add to and view a map of vacant and underused buildings in Cork.

The company which now hosts Olivers websites is Cloud CIX in Hollyhill, whose managing director and founder is Jerry Sweeney.

Critical

Mr Sweeney told The Echo that matters such as data an IT sovereignty were "critical".

I think given whats happening globally, Oliver is correct, we need to have control of our sovereign data.

Mr Moran has also moved his "AI and automated email to services in France".

I haven't moved my social media but I'd already decided to step away from Twitter and concentrate on others, including Bluesky.

Before now, as a software developer, US options would simply be the go-to choices for services like these. They are the brand names we all know.

Here in Cork, choosing a European provider supports local businesses like Cloud CIX. It makes sense to first look at whats down the street from you.

"I could never walk into my previous data centre and just chat with someone if I have a question.

"Now, Ive a name and a face at literally half the price. Thats priceless."
A special screening of a documentary exploring the life of former Irish president and activist Mary Robinson takes place on Tuesday  Earth Day  at Nano Nagle Place.

Directed by Aoife Kelleher, Mrs Robinson charts the career of Irelands first female president; former UN high commissioner for human rights; former chair of The Elders; and a passionate advocate for gender equality, womens participation in peace-building, human dignity, and climate justice.

Told in her own voice, the film is both personal and political, and is described as a compelling portrait of a woman whose lifelong pursuit of peace, equity, and environmental justice continues to shape our world.

The Environmental Forum, in partnership with Project Dandelion and Natural Capital Ireland, will screen the film at Nano Nagle Place, Douglas St, on Tuesday evening.

Welcome

The event commences with refreshments from 6.45pm, followed by a welcome and the screening at 7.15pm.

After a break, there will be a panel discussion.

The film complements this Earth Day theme of Our Power, Our Planet and will set the backdrop to our panel discussion, The Environmental Forum said.

Guest speakers will include Project Dandelions special projects communicator Laura Cook; Deirdre Lane, co-ordinator at Natural Capital Ireland; and Theo Dillon, project development officer at The Environmental Forum.

In this interactive session with our guest panel, there will be time for discourse and to explore how can we better connect, amplify, and mobilise around our climate emergency, which is also a nature emergency, the organisation said.

Concluding the event, there will be a special video message from Mary Robinson.

Tickets for the event cost 10 and can be purchased from Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.ie.
A man has admitted producing a hammer while stealing a motorbike last June.

Daniel Murphy, with an address at 10 Brookwood, Ballyvolane, Cork, entered a signed plea of guilty to four counts.

The charges against the 21-year-old consist of causing criminal damage to a motorbike lock and to a front door, producing a hammer to intimidate a person, and stealing a motorbike at Castlewhite Apartments, Western Rd, Cork, on June 19, 2014.

On the application of Sergeant Aisling Murphy, Judge Philip OLeary sent the case forward from Cork District Court for sentencing at the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court, commencing on April 28.
Cork County Council has said it will examine the feasibility of piloting car parking spaces for people with hidden disabilities across Cork in the coming months.

The comments come as calls have been made for the implementation of these spaces by Sinn Fein Cork East TD, Pat Buckley, who highlighted the successful installation of these spaces by other local authorities across the country.

Across Ireland, one in five people are currently living with some form of a disability, 80% of which are non-visible, such as autism, acquired brain injury, sight or hearing impairment, or learning difficulties, said Mr Buckley.

Those with hidden disabilities, their families, or carers, may need a little extra time or assistance getting in and out of their cars safely [and] some of these individuals would not qualify for a disabled parking badge.

This is why Cork County Council and all local authorities across the county should take the essential step towards greater accessibility and inclusion by installing [these] designated parking spaces.

These car parking spaces are easily identified with a bright yellow sunflower on a green background, he added. The sunflower has become internationally recognised as the symbol of hidden disabilities.

Initiative

Mr Buckley further highlighted how these spaces would be installed in a safe location, not immediately located beside the road, and would be the same dimensions as a wheelchair accessible space. The public, he said, would also need to back the initiative leaving the spaces for the sole use of those with hidden disabilities.

A spokesperson for the council told The Echo that the matter has since been referred to the councils roads and transportation strategic policy committee for consideration.

These spaces are not provided for in legislation and are therefore non-statutory, the spokesperson said.

They are similar in ways to the parent and toddler spaces, and age-friendly spaces, that have become prevalent across the county.

Their use is based on courtesy and awareness, they added. The council will examine the feasibility of piloting the initiative in a number of locations in the months ahead.
Many films have captured the charm of penguins.

The gorgeous Oscar-winning animated film Happy Feet follows the journey of a young emperor penguin who loves to dance. The Madagascar franchise includes memorable adventuring penguins, and the beloved Wallace & Gromit series introduced a mischievous penguin named Feathers McGraw.

Each of these offered a delightful glimpse into the world of penguins, blending humour, adventure, and heartwarming moments. However, we rarely see live-action penguin stories.

The Penguin Lessons is based on a true story loosely inspired by Tom Michells 2015 memoir.

The film begins in 1976 when an English teacher, Tom (Steve Coogan), arrives in Argentina to commence teaching at an expensive, all-boys private boarding school.

Tom left England to escape the pain of a tragedy, but despite working and living in various South American countries, he has yet to escape his grief.

It is unclear if he is idle or fatigued by grief, but Tom isnt too fussed by his students inattention. He puts minimal effort into his lessons.

The schools principal, played by Jonathan Pryce, reminds Tom that these are the children of wealthy parents. He says it is imperative that they pass their exams. He also tells Tom to refrain from political commentary in front of the students,

Before Tom arrived in Argentina, the country was on the verge of being taken over by a military dictatorship, and when the coup happens, the school shuts down for a week while tensions are high.

While most people are staying at home, Tom decides to travel to Uruguay to enjoy some drinks on the beach and perhaps meet a female companion. At a bar, he meets a woman, and they take a stroll along the beach together. During their walk, they come across a penguin covered in oil.

The woman insists that they help clean him up, and Tom agrees, hoping it might lead to a one-night stand. Instead, it leads to a relationship - but not between Tom and the woman, but between Tom and the penguin.

After the wash-up session, the penguin bonds with Tom and wont leave his side. It leads to a rather humourous trip back to Argentina, where Tom reluctantly sneaks the penguin into his rooms at the school.

Through the penguin, Tom becomes friends with Sofia (Alfonsina Carrocio) and her grandmother Maria (Vivian El Jaber), who work as cleaners at the school. Tom brings the penguin to his classes and bribes his students to do their studies in exchange for playtime with the animal, who he names Juan Salvador.

Soon, the penguin isnt just an annoying animal but a friend. Tom talks to him all the time.

When the military arrests Sofia, the penguin brings some solace, but can a little penguin do more than just that?

I have to admit that when I started watching a film about a man and his penguin friend, I didnt expect a military coup to be part of the story. However, the combination of buddy comedy and drama works well together.

Coogan brings his usual mix of deadpan humour and melancholy, while Bjorn Gustafsson, who plays a hapless but well-intentioned teacher, delivers a lovely performance. Nevertheless, Juan Salvador is the real star of the show.

Charming and moving, this penguin tale truly takes flight. Lovely stuff!

The Penguin Lessons, in cinemas now, cert 12a, ****
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

President Michael D Higgins has laid a wreath during the annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin.

It marks the last time Mr Higgins will lead the event as the sitting president.

Mr Higgins laid a wreath to commemorate those who died in the Rising, for the 109th anniversary of the armed rebellion against British rule in Ireland.

It is the last time Michael D Higgins will lead the event as the sitting president. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

Proceedings began before midday as a large crowd gathered on Dublins OConnell Street, as the parade began to form from 11am.

The Tricolour above the General Post Office (GPO) was lowered to half-mast at noon for the ceremony before a prayer service, the laying of the wreath by Mr Higgins and a minutes silence.

Defence Forces personnel, including a brass band, a pipe band and representatives of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service participated in the ceremony.

The GPO is the most famous location associated with the Rising having been designated the headquarters of the Provisional Government. Sundays commemoration also included a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic by Captain Conor Gibbins from Barna, Go Galway.

Former president Mary Robinson was among the attendees. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

The proceedings ended with a return of the flag to full-mast, the national anthem and a flypast conducted by the Air Corps.

The event was also attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin, Tanaiste Simon Harris and outgoing Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy.

The North's First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill, former president Mary Robinson, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain and some members of Cabinet were also among attendees.
Chaplain Volodymyr was in the middle of his Easter prayer near the front in Ukraine's Donetsk region when another explosion blasted out, piercing the air despite a 30-hour truce announced by Russia for the holiday.

"Christ died and rose again... this is their truce" Volodymyr told AFP journalists after the blast, before continuing: "He gave his life for each of us".

Putin on Saturday announced he had ordered his troops to halt all combat activity until 2100 GMT on Sunday in what raised hopes of the most significant pause in fighting since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

But on Easter Sunday fighting continued between Russian and Ukrainian troops, Ukrainian officials and soldiers said -- though some told AFP the intensity of combat had temporarily decreased in some areas.

Undisturbed by the explosions, a fact of daily life over the last three years, Volodymyr was going around houses used by the Ukrainian military, bringing Easter wishes to servicemen unable to celebrate at home.

A dozen soldiers from Ukraine's 100th Separate Mechanized Brigade had gathered outside their house, forming a circle around the chaplain, sparking up their lighters as they tried to reignite candles being blown out by the wind.

Oleksandr was unable to withhold his tears as he thought of celebrating Easter -- the most important religious holiday for Orthodox Christians -- away from his family.

He held no faith in any promises of a pause in fighting issued by the Russians. We "haven't yet invented a word to describe such people", he said of them.

- 'No reason to trust' -

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were continuing their shelling and assaults along the front line.

Russia's defence ministry in turn said it had repelled attempted assaults by Ukraine.

A drone unit commander told AFP that Russia's activity had decreased both in the southern Zaporizhzhia and northeastern Kharkiv regions.

A junior lieutenant fighting in the Sumy border region said Russian artillery was not at work on Sunday.

AFP journalists standing on a high vantage point in Kostyantynivka, a dozen kilometres (seven miles) from the front, saw unusually little smoke in the bright blue skies, though explosions were ringing out every few minutes.

"It's a bit quieter where we are," 49-year-old platoon commander Anatoliy told AFP.

"But you can hear it yourself that from time to time there are explosions."

Vasyl, celebrating Easter in another house near the front, was more dismissive.

"You can hear the guns now. There is no truce. There is no reason to trust the enemy," he said.

At the Easter service, chaplain Volodymyr blessed Vasyl and his comrades with holy water.

A grey cat crossed the crowd and meowed, eyeing the shiny plastic wraps holding the "paska" cakes, a sweet Easter bread traditionally blessed by priests.

- War 'won't stop' -

Vasyl struggled with the idea of spending yet another Easter without his loved ones, but felt no resentment towards families who would be united for the holiday.

"I'm happy for them," he told AFP, "I'm glad they don't feel what is happening here."

Civilians in the capital Kyiv, hundreds of kilometres away, shared the soldiers' suspicion towards Putin's announcement of a truce.

"Our enemy is so unning that we cannot trust them," said Olga Grachova, 38, who works in marketing.

She was speaking outside St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in central Kyiv, where Orthodox believers had come to worship on a bright sunny morning.

"I heard about this news, but knowing our enemy, I would not trust these words," said Volodymyr Yaroslavsky, a 39-year-old manager wearing an embroidered shirt for the holiday.

Putin's order to halt all combat over the Easter weekend came after months of efforts by US President Donald Trump to get Moscow and Kyiv to agree to a ceasefire.

On Friday, Washington even threatened to withdraw from talks if no progress was made.

Yaroslavsky also said that he did not expect a breakthrough.

"The war probably won't stop, some combat actions may stop for a while. But I don't think the war will end so quickly. This is my personal opinion."

brw-bur/jc/sbk
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. High 76F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.




The shooting of Pawan Kalyans upcoming film Hari Hara Veera Mallu is presently progressing in Mumbai. The unit is filming patchwork scenes with the support cast and is expected to complete within a few days. The period drama is nearly done with shooting, and the unit is simultaneously working on post-production work. Directed by Jyothi Krisna, the film is slated for release on May 9, 2025, according to the official announcement.However, recently rumours are rife that the filmmakers have postponed Hari Hara Veera Mallu's release due to a delay in post-production work. Further, rumour mongers had it saying that Pawan Kalyan has to still allot two-three days of shooting, and that he is occupied with political assignments, prompting a postponement in the films release.The reports had certainly sent fans into a tizzy because they have been waiting with bated breath to see their favourite star in action. Moreover, the fact that Hari Hara Veera Mallu has been in the making for over five years is adding to their worry.Even while the rumours of the film being pushed back are doing the rounds, the filmmakers havent responded or dropped any clarification. This has further shocked the fans who are assuming that there could be another delay. A source close to the unit reveals, May 9 is the release date, and the team is working relentlessly to meet the deadline. Multiple teams are being deployed in various departments to wrap up the work. The reason any official announcement hasnt been made with regard to delay in release is because filmmakers are still hoping that they would complete the work and release the film as scheduled, so it's a race against time for them, informs a source in the know. Meanwhile, adding to the curiosity, small films like Single, and Subham (produced by Samantha Ruth Prabhu) have announced that they are arriving in cinemas on May 9, 2025.
SHANGHAI, April 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 23, 2025, in Shanghai, Auto Shanghai 2025 will officially open its doors. On the opening day, HONGQI will hold a globalization business press conference at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC Shanghai) at Booth 6.1, where it will unveil its latest international development strategy.

As one of the world's premier automotive exhibitions, choosing Auto Shanghai as the venue to announce its new international strategy highlights HONGQI's strong commitment to global expansion. This year's theme, "Embracing Innovation, Empowering the Future," underscores the evolving trajectory of Chinese automotive brands. HONGQI's vision and actions are set to reveal a more open, innovative, and forward-looking identity.

In 2024, after years of focused development, HONGQI's internationalization entered a phase of rapid, high-quality growth marked by a series of major milestones. With outstanding products and cutting-edge technologies, HONGQI made a strong debut at global events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Paris Motor Show, leaving a lasting impression on the global audience. HONGQI also achieved breakthroughs in key markets such as Europe and the Middle East, further solidifying its global presence. To date, HONGQI has expanded into 43 countries and regions, achieving four consecutive years of double-digit sales, reaching over 1.6 million users worldwide. HONGQI is rapidly transitioning from 'Oriental Luxury' to 'the World's New Luxury,' establishing an increasingly solid reputation among a vast and diverse customer base across different regions, countries, and cultures.

At Auto Shanghai 2025, HONGQI will unveil an impressive lineup of new models, technologies, and partnerships, marking a bold step into its next chapter of innovation. Key exhibits will include two all-new business luxury sedans, the brand's first off-road model, and even a futuristic flying car. HONGQI will also showcase cutting-edge platforms such as the TianGong electric platform, HongHu Hybrid Platform and JiuZhang Intelligent System. HONGQI will also announce its new international development strategy, including the debut of two new energy vehicles and the HONGQI Guoya in overseas markets. One of the most anticipated aspects of this release will be HONGQI's plans for localization and global production capacity expansion in cooperation with local partners, offering more openness and innovation for the Chinese automotive industry.

Auto Shanghai 2025 is a key event for the global automotive industry, offering Chinese brands a platform to showcase their achievements and strengthen their global presence. As China's premier luxury automotive brand, HONGQI will seize this opportunity to make a strong statement, contributing to the global automotive landscape and promoting a vision of win-win cooperation.

On April 23, 2025, at Booth 6.1 of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), HONGQI warmly welcomes friends and partners from around the world to witness this new chapter together!

Website: https://www.hongqi-auto.com

EHS7: https://www.hongqi-auto.com/go/EFRv5UQy

EH7: https://www.hongqi-auto.com/go/UoPMng9t

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2668661/image_5028817_21325268.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hongqis-global-vision-a-new-chapter-at-auto-shanghai-2025-302432996.html
MMJ's DEA lawsuit continues moving through the federal courts. The 8 organizations who have been issued DEA federal cannabis registrations since 2021, all are incapable of growing pharmaceutical-grade marijuana and 7 are now either inactive or bankrupt.

As the nation marks April 20 or "4/20," the unofficial cannabis holiday long associated with marijuana reform, cultural awareness, and patient advocacy, new revelations expose a scandal at the heart of America's DEA federal cannabis research policy.

The 8 companies granted marijuana registrations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) since 2021, the only one, MMJ BioPharma Cultivation is actively pursuing FDA-compliant, pharmaceutical-grade marijuana development. The others are either inactive, bankrupt or never began cultivation at all.

Despite being the only registrant aligned with federal pharmaceutical drug development standards, MMJ BioPharma's application has been delayed since 2018 - a staggering violation of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act (MCREA), which requires the DEA to act within 60 days.

"This is not a backlog - this is a blockade. The DEA's inaction has destroyed scientific opportunities and patient hope. Seven years is not a delay - it's deliberate DEA obstruction" said Duane Boise, CEO of MMJ BioPharma Cultivation.

4/20: From Celebration to DEA Epitome Of Ineptitude

April 20 has long been a symbol of cannabis progress and patient empowerment. But in 2025, it also marks the failure of America's regulatory framework due to bureaucrats at the DEA that have not delivered. Meet Thomas Prevoznik, Deputy Administrator, Matthew Strait, Deputy Administrator Policy and Aarathi Haig, DEA attorney now under investigation for ethical violations.

While the DEA continues to posture about promoting research, the facts tell a different story:

7 of 8 registrants are non-operational or irrelevant to medical science

The only viable pharmaceutical applicant MMJ remains blocked

MCREA's 60-day deadline has been ignored for over 2,300 days

MMJ BioPharma Cultivation: Still Waiting While Others Vanish

MMJ BioPharma is the only registrant to:

Submit FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) applications

Receive FDA Orphan Drug Designation for Huntington's Disease

Develop a THC/CBD softgel for Huntington's Disease and MS

Build a federally compliant cultivation facility

Complete and pass DEA pre-registration inspections

DEA Issued Schedule 1 registration to MMJ Labs

Despite these accomplishments, the DEA has yet to issue MMJ's bulk manufacturing registration.

DEA's Marijuana Research Program: A Roster of Failure

Company Status Notes MMJ BioPharma Cultivation ? Active Still waiting for DEA to issue registration; only company pursuing FDA clinical trials with softgel capsule Maridose (Maine) ? Inactive Not growing, only 1,100 sq ft of space Scottsdale Research Institute ? Inactive No marijuana being cultivated Bright Green Corp ?Surrendered Never grew; relinquished registration Royal Emerald Pharmaceuticals ? Inactive Rumored bankruptcy Groff NA Hemplex ? Inactive Ceased operations University of Mississippi ?? Poor Quality Substandard marijuana, decades-old monopoly BRC (Biopharmaceutical Research Co.) ?? Limited Activity Growing a small number of plants, not FDA-focused Irvine Labs ?? Limited Activity Minimal cultivation, no pharmaceutical output

Calls for Action on 4/20

In light of the program's implosion, MMJ BioPharma and patient advocates are calling for:

Immediate approval of MMJ BioPharma Cultivation's stalled application

A DOJ Office of Inspector General investigation

Full congressional oversight hearings

A formal audit of all DEA marijuana registrants since 2021

"On this 4/20, Americans should not be celebrating cannabis reform - they should be demanding accountability, Boise added. "The DEA's marijuana program isn't just broken. It's a scam - and suffering patients are paying the price."

MMJ is represented by attorney Megan Sheehan.

CONTACT:

Madison Hisey

mhisey@mmjih.com

203-231-8583

SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings
Pembroke Pines, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - April 20, 2025) - As businesses look to increase efficiency and improve sales performance, new data suggests that AI-driven CRM automation is a critical factor in accelerating deal closure rates. A recent study by BluePaperclip found that companies leveraging automation and AI-assisted lead management reduced their sales cycles by 31% on average, highlighting the transformative impact of smarter CRM strategies.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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CRM adoption continues to grow, yet many businesses struggle with manual data entry, inconsistent follow-ups, and inefficient lead tracking-factors that contribute to missed revenue opportunities. Cristobal Valero Vernet, Founder and CEO of BluePaperclip, believes that businesses are still underutilizing AI's potential in their sales process.

"A CRM should be an engine for growth, but for many companies, it has become just another administrative burden," says Valero Vernet. "AI-powered automation is changing that by allowing businesses to prioritize the right leads, automate tedious tasks, and ensure every opportunity is maximized."

The Growing Role of AI in CRM Optimization

Research from industry leaders has found that companies incorporating AI into their CRM workflows experience:

Faster Lead Follow-Ups - AI-driven systems can identify high-priority leads and trigger immediate outreach.

- AI-driven systems can identify high-priority leads and trigger immediate outreach. Reduced Administrative Work - Automated CRM processes eliminate redundant manual data entry, giving sales reps more time to close deals.

- Automated CRM processes eliminate redundant manual data entry, giving sales reps more time to close deals. More Accurate Forecasting - AI-based analytics help businesses understand which deals are most likely to close and when.

One organization that restructured its CRM using AI and automation saw a 45% increase in revenue year-over-year, primarily by eliminating bottlenecks in lead distribution and automating follow-up sequences.

Breaking Down the 31% Faster Sales Cycle

BluePaperclip has released a new industry report outlining how AI-driven CRM automation can dramatically improve sales efficiency. The report details:

How AI helps sales teams focus on high-value prospects while automating engagement with lower-priority leads.

while automating engagement with lower-priority leads. The most common bottlenecks in CRM workflows and how automation eliminates them.

and how automation eliminates them. Key metrics businesses should track to measure the impact of AI on their sales performance.

Real-World Impact: A Case Study in AI-Powered Sales Automation

A mid-sized e-learning company struggling with inconsistent lead follow-ups and lengthy sales cycles implemented AI-driven automation to streamline its process. By using automated lead scoring and smart follow-up reminders, the company saw a 31% reduction in the time it took to close deals, as well as a significant improvement in sales forecasting accuracy.

"This isn't about replacing sales reps-it's about enabling them to do what they do best," adds Valero Vernet. "With AI handling the repetitive tasks, sales teams can focus on relationship-building and closing deals."

Industry Leaders Weigh In

Industry analysts predict that by 2026, 75% of B2B sales organizations will use AI-driven insights to improve sales performance. As more companies recognize the value of CRM automation, the focus is shifting from traditional CRM setups to fully integrated AI-powered systems that improve efficiency, reduce workload, and drive revenue growth.

For those looking to explore how AI-powered CRM automation can transform their sales process, BluePaperclip's latest industry report is available for review.

For more information, visit: https://www.bluepaperclip.com/free-guide/

About BluePaperclip

BluePaperclip specializes in CRM optimization and sales automation, helping businesses streamline their sales process, eliminate inefficiencies, and increase revenue through smart CRM strategies. Led by Cristobal Valero Vernet, the company has worked with organizations across industries to implement AI-driven automation that accelerates sales cycles and improves overall business efficiency.

Media Contact:

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/249123

SOURCE: Jeremy McGilvrey
"Dog Bite King" Kenneth M. Phillips Explains National Impact of Flanders v. Goodfellow

In a landmark decision, the New York Court of Appeals has ruled that dog owners can now be held legally responsible for negligence when their dogs injure someone. The ruling in Flanders v. Goodfellow corrects a 2006 decision (Bard v. Jahnke) that denied victims the right to sue for careless handling of a dangerous dog. For the first time in nearly 20 years, dog bite victims in New York can pursue compensation based on negligence - a legal right that residents of all other states have always had.

Dog Bite News

A vicious dog snarls at the words "Dog Bite News" and the website title, "dogbitelaw.com."

Despite this progress, New York remains behind the majority of U.S. states, which provide dog bite victims with a third legal option: statutory liability. This form of "almost strict" liability allows victims to recover compensation without needing to prove the dog's past behavior or the owner's negligence - making it especially vital in cases where the owner is a friend, neighbor, or family member.

The Flanders case has national significance because it also holds that negligence and the one bite rule are entirely separate grounds of liability. Many state courts and legislatures have mistakenly treated them as one and the same. The New York Court of Appeals' ruling has the potential to influence reforms in other states and improve dog bite law throughout the country.

Attorney Kenneth M. Phillips, the nation's leading authority on dog bite law, has long advocated for reform. In 2019, he worked with State Senator Robert G. Ortt, the author of Senate Bill 122, to enact a comprehensive dog bite statute based on Phillips' Model Dog Bite Law. The bill stalled in committee, but Phillips continues to press lawmakers in New York and other states to adopt laws that protect victims and reflect modern expectations of personal responsibility.

"Dog bite laws must evolve with the times. Most Americans have three legal paths to justice. New Yorkers now have two. That's progress - but not enough," said Phillips. "A dog owner is guilty of negligence when he or she ignores a significant risk from a pet, whether or not anyone was harmed by it in the past."

SOURCE: Law Offices of Kenneth M. Phillips
Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer Raees was banned in Pakistan because of its portrayal of Muslims read more

Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaas film Phule was all set for a theatrical release on April 11 but now the release has been postponed. Anand Dave, Brahmin Federation President, saw the trailer and alleged it promotes casteism.

The former state minister Chhagan Bhujbal had a meeting with director Anant Mahadevan and the producers to discuss the matter further. The film is based on the life of Mahatma Phule. Mahadevan said, Cinematic liberty is taken in every film, each director takes only as much of the fact is shown in the film.

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But this is not the first time a film has been banned and surely not the last time. Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer Raees was banned in Pakistan because of its portrayal of Muslims. When Salman Khan and Katrina Kaifs _Ek Tha Tige_r was banned as well, director Kabir Khan expressed his disappointment.

Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das Fire faced a massive backlash for its portrayal of queer love. Anurag Kashyaps masterpiece Black Friday also faced a massive hurdle and roadblock that only ended after three staggering years as it was objected by the families of the 1993 Bombay Blasts victims.

On Phule

This is a Hindi film based on the life of Mahatma Phule. It seems that the director and the rest of the group have put in a lot of hard work, hence this film should be seen by all, Mahatma is a great work, not only in the country but it should reach all over the world, former minister Chhagan Bhujbal said.

Talking to News18, Mahadevan said, We dont get into a film with these kinds of doubts and fears in mind. When youre talking about a fearless couple like Jyotiba and Savitribai, if youre going to harbour those kinds of fear, then you dont deserve to make the film.

The director added, What you can do is make it honestly, stick to the facts, research, dont exaggerate and dont make it look unrealistic in anyway because their lives have been so dramatic that you dont even need to take any cinematic liberties. In fact, youve to underplay a lot of things because its so dramatic!

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Elon Musk has 14 children and he wants more. Wonder why. It is reportedly his big plan to stop the collapse of the civilisation with a legion of genetically gifted offspring. We talk about this, Trumps fight with Harvard, and tariffs (of course) in our weekly wrap read more

Elon Musk and his son as he disembarks Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, Florida, on, April 11. The billionaire has fathered 14 children with four women and he wants to increase his brood. Reuters

Every week, Donald Trump finds himself in a fresh duel. This time, he is going after Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the US.

The US administration has frozen $2.2 billion in grants to the elite varsity. It has threatened to revoke Harvards tax-exempt status and strip the college of its ability to host international students. But whats the beef? The institute has refused to toe the line  eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, ban masks at campus protests, implement merit-based hiring and admission reforms and reduce the power of faculty and administrators. We have been following the story closely.

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Trump remains defiant on tariffs. He has increased levies on Chinese goods imported to the US to 245 per cent. But what prompted this move? Possibly Beijings decision to restrict the exports of rare earths and pause the import of US-made Boeing jets.

The US president met Italys Giorgia Meloni on Thursday (April 17), who was visiting Washington. The two talked about tariffs and the chances of a trade deal between the US and Europe.

Moving on to the UK In a landmark verdict, the countrys Supreme Court said that the legal definition of women refers to biological sex. This means that transwomen are not legally women under the Equality Act. What impact does this have?

Talking about women, a star-studded all-female crew went to the edge of space on a Blue Origin flight. It lasted for all of 10 minutes. This mission put the spotlight on space tourism, its exorbitant cost and its impact on Earth.

We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers.

1. Its Donald Trump vs Harvard. The US administration has frozen $2.2 billion in grants to the elite university. It has not stopped at that. As the varsity stands up to the president, the government has now threatened to revoke the institutes tax-exempt status and stop it from enrolling foreign students. But does he have the power to do so? And what does he expect from Harvard? Our explainers answer the questions.

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2. Harvard is not Trumps only target. He is going after several American universities, including the Ivy League schools  Columbia, Cornell, and Princeton. The crackdown against foreign students also continues, with hundreds of visas revoked. Amid this uncertainty, is it worth going to the US to pursue your studies and big dreams? This is something you could spend time mulling over.

A motorist holds a sign in Harvard Square after a protest against the US President Donald Trumps administration and against student visas being revoked, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 17. Reuters

3. The trade war between China and the US escalates. While both sides have hinted that they are open to talks, neither has made a move. On Wednesday (April 16), Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods imported to the US to 245 per cent. Was Beijings retaliation the reason for the latest hike? The Asian giant has halted the exports of rare earths and paused the imports of US-made Boeing aircraft and Hollywood films.

A newspaper with a picture of Donald Trump is seen at a shop in San Franciscos Chinatown as trade tensions escalate over US tariffs with China. Trump has increased the levies on goods imported from China into the US to 245 per cent. Reuters

4. Whats the definition of a woman? Thats a big question the UK Supreme Court ruled on. The judges at the top court unanimously decided that a woman is defined by biological sex under the equalities law. Transgender women then do not fall under this category. In this story, we look at the historic ruling and its implications for trans people and single-sex spaces.

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People celebrate as the Supreme Court rules on an appeal by For Women Scotland about whether a person with a full gender recognition certificate, which recognises that their gender is female, is a woman under British equality laws, outside the Supreme Court in London. Reuters

5. There seems to be no end to the Israel-Gaza war. Amid the chaos unleashed by Trumps foreign policies, talks of a ceasefire have taken a backseat. However, anti-Israel sentiment is growing, especially in Southeast Asias Muslim nations. Bangladesh and Pakistan witnessed protests turn violent, as mobs vandalised businesses like KFC and Pizza Hut. The Maldives banned entry to those with Israeli passports. Heres all that has been going on.

Massive crowd of Muslims carries flags during a protest rally called March for Gaza, to express solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, on April 12. Reuters

6. Pop star Katy Perry sang Louis Armstrongs What a Wonderful World. But what was most interesting was where she sang this classic. It was on a journey to the edge of space aboard Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin rocket. Perry was accompanied by five other women, including Bezoss fiancee Lauren Sanchez and TV presenter Gayle King. The flight, which lasted for 10 minutes, has put the spotlight on space tourism. How much would such a trip cost? And why is the mission receiving so much flak?

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7. The Brits love a good Indian curry. The UKs oldest Indian restaurant, Veerswamy, has been serving patrons for close to a century. The Michelin-star diner has served famous people like Mahatma Gandhi and King Charles. However, there is a likelihood of it shutting down. Heres why.

Established in 1926, Londons Veeraswamy is facing closure. The Crown Estate, which owns the building that houses the restaurant, has declined to renew its lease. Image courtesy: Veeraswamy

8. Our last story is about Elon Musk. He has fathered at least 14 children with at least four women. He does not want to stop at that. The worlds richest man has grand plans to build a legion of babies, for which he goes to great lengths, according to an explosive report by The Wall Street Journal. This includes signing non-disclosure agreements and soliciting women on X. Here are more shocking details.

Elon Musk walks with children at Blair House in Washington, DC. File photo/Reuters

Thats all from us this week. Happy Easter.

If you like how we take a deep dive into the news, you can come back to this page for more.
A new study has suggested that extreme heat could cause mental disorders, including schizophrenia and depression. The research, published in Nature Climate Change, said the number of people at risk for mental and behavioural disorders (MBD) could drastically increase by 2050 due to rising temperatures from climate change read more

The study says high temperatures are already putting thousands of people at risk for mental health issues already. PTI

Climate change means humans are going to have to contend with increasingly hotter temperatures.

While this will no doubt be a physical burden, a new study has suggested that extreme heat could also result in mental disorders.

The study, from Australia, warns that high temperatures are already putting thousands of people at risk for mental health issues already.

It says the number of people at risk for mental and behavioural disorders (MBD) could drastically increase by 2050.

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The study comes in the backdrop of Australia experiencing more frequent and stronger heatwaves.

But what does the study say exactly? What do experts think?

Lets take a closer look:

What do we know?

As per The Independent, the research was published in Nature Climate Change on Monday.

It was conducted by scientists from University of Adelaides school of public health.

The study utilised disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to represent years of life lost and years lived with illness to calculate the mental health toll of high temperatures.

The study said heat currently results in over 8,450 healthy life years in Australia being lost every year.

That figure comprises around 1.8 per cent of the countrys total mental and behavioural disorder burden.

Researchers say this figure could soar by 50 per cent as a result of rising temperatures.

MBDs comprise anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, alcohol and drug use disorders, and other mental and substance use disorders, as per Science Alert.

The data was taken from across Australia between 2003 and 2018.

As per NDTV, the study found regions closer to the Equator face higher risks.

As per the website, if global warming is kept below the three degrees Celsius mark by 2100 (compared to pre-industrial levels), MBDs may rise 11 per cent in the 2030s and 27.5 per cent in the 2050s.

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The study says the number of people at risk for mental and behavioural disorders (MBD) could drastically increase by 2050. PTI

As per The Independent, if the world does not manage to keep emissions under control, the MBDs from extreme heat could rise by 49 per cent. Keeping population growth in mind, that figure could touch 141 per cent.

However, the study also states better housing, early warning systems, access to cooling, and green spaces could make an impact  reducing MBDs from 141 per cent to 65 per cent by 2050.

Scientists say changes in blood temperature can affect how much oxygen goes to the central nervous system. High temperatures may also affect sleep patterns and stress responses  all of which can impact mental health.

From mild distress to serious conditions like schizophrenia, rising temperatures are making things harder for millions," Dr Peng Bi, lead author of the study, said.

The detrimental impacts of climate change on good mental health and emotional states have been increasingly recognised worldwide, and its only going to get worse unless we act, Bi added.

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Young people especially at risk

As per Scienceblog.org, Australians between the ages of 15 and 44 are especially vulnerable.

Our findings show that climate change will drive up mental health challenges beyond what population growth alone would cause, first author Dr Jingwen Liu was quoted as saying by MedicalXpress.

Young people, who often face these issues early in life, are especially at risk as the climate crisis worsens.

Considering the early onset of MBDs among the current younger people, coupled with the additional mental burden arising from climate crises, it is imperative to foster resilience, Liu added.

This necessitates a deeper understanding of how high temperature might affect mental health, empowering public health professionals and healthcare practitioners with the necessary knowledge and tools to safeguard communities especially as global warming is projected to persist and accelerate.

The study says young people are particularly vulnerable. AP

The researchers asked the government to take several steps to address these issues.

These included formulating heat-health action plans to set up health care systems to meet rising mental health needs, localised solutions such as community programs and green spaces to build resilience and support for the vulnerable.

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These results underscore the crucial role of policymakers in developing focused public health interventions to minimise the emergence of mental health impacts of climate change, given its significant human, social and financial consequences," Bi said.

About 8.6 million Australians aged 16 to 85 will experience an MBD within their lifetime. Factors like income, access to health care, and local conditions shape how heat affects mental health, with some areas hit harder than others.

This isnt just about healthits about building stronger, more resilient communities for the future, Bi concluded.

With inputs from agencies
Apathy is found in almost 80 per cent of late-stage cancer patients. A new study, conducted on mice reveals that apathy is not a byproduct of physical decline in patients caused due to cancer but actually an integral part of the disease. Doctors and experts have also found a way to tackle it read more

Cancer ignores the boundary between physical and psychological symptoms, using inflammation to commandeer the very circuits that drive a patients will to act. File image/AP

A cruel consequence of advanced cancer is the profound apathy many patients experience as they lose interest in once-cherished activities. This symptom is part of a syndrome called cachexia, which affects about 80 per cent of late-stage cancer patients, leading to severe muscle wasting and weight loss that leave patients bone thin despite adequate nutrition.

This loss of motivation doesnt just deepen patients suffering, it isolates them from family and friends. Because patients struggle to engage with demanding therapies that require effort and persistence, it also strains families and complicates treatment.

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Doctors typically assume that when late-stage cancer patients withdraw from life, it is an inevitable psychological response to physical deterioration. But what if apathy isnt just a byproduct of physical decline but an integral part of the disease itself?

In our newly published research, my colleagues and I have discovered something remarkable: Cancer doesnt simply waste the body  it hijacks a specific brain circuit that controls motivation. Our findings, published in the journal Science, challenge decades of assumptions and suggest it might be possible to restore what many cancer patients describe as most devastating to lose  their will to engage with life.

Untangling fatigue from physical decline

To unravel the puzzle of apathy in cancer cachexia, we needed to trace the exact path inflammation takes in the body and peer inside a living brain while the disease is progressing  something impossible in people. However, neuroscientists have advanced technologies that make this possible in mice.

Modern neuroscience equips us with a powerful to probe how disease changes brain activity in mice. Scientists can map entire brains at the cellular level, during behaviour, and precisely switch neurons on or off. We used these neuroscience tools in a mouse model of cancer cachexia to study the effects of the disease on the brain and motivation.

We identified a small brain region called the area postrema that acts as the brains inflammation detector. As a tumor grows, it releases cytokines  molecules that trigger inflammation  into the bloodstream. The area postrema lacks the typical blood-brain barrier that keeps out toxins, pathogens and other molecules from the body, allowing it to directly sample circulating inflammatory signals.

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When the area postrema detects a rise in inflammatory molecules, it triggers a neural cascade across multiple brain regions, ultimately suppressing dopamine release in the brains motivation centre  the nucleus accumbens. While commonly misconstrued as a pleasure chemical, dopamine is actually associated with drive, or the willingness to put in effort to gain rewards: It tips the internal cost-benefit scale toward action.

As cancer progressed, mice still pursued easy rewards but quickly abandoned tasks requiring greater effort. Pixabay

We directly observed this shift using two quantitative tests designed with behavioural economics principles to measure effort. In the first, mice repeatedly poked their noses into a food port, with progressively more pokes required to earn each food pellet. In the second task, mice repeatedly crossed a bridge between two water ports, each gradually depleting with use and forcing the mice to switch sides to replenish the supply, similar to picking berries until a bush is empty.

As cancer progressed, mice still pursued easy rewards but quickly abandoned tasks requiring greater effort. Meanwhile, we watched dopamine levels fall in real-time, precisely mirroring the mices decreasing willingness to work for rewards.

Our findings suggest that cancer isnt just generally wearing out the brain  it sends targeted inflammatory signals that the brain detects. The brain then responds by rapidly reducing dopamine levels to dial down motivation. This matches what patients describe: Everything feels too hard.

Restoring motivation in late-stage disease

Perhaps most exciting, we found several ways to restore motivation in mice suffering from cancer cachexia  even when the cancer itself continued progressing.

First, by genetically switching off the inflammation-sensing neurons in the area postrema, or by directly stimulating neurons to release dopamine, we were able to restore normal motivation in mice.

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Second, we found that giving mice a drug that blocks a particular cytokine  working similarly to existing FDA-approved arthritis treatments  also proved effective. While the drug did not reverse physical wasting, it restored the mices willingness to work for rewards.

While these results are based on mouse models, they suggest a treatment possibility for people: Targeting this specific inflammation-dopamine circuit could improve the quality of life for cancer patients, even when the disease remains incurable.

The boundary between physical and psychological symptoms is an artificially drawn line. Cancer ignores this division, using inflammation to commandeer the very circuits that drive a patients will to act. However our findings suggest these messages can be intercepted and the circuits restored.

Rethinking apathy in disease

Our discovery has implications far beyond cancer. The inflammatory molecule driving loss of motivation in cancer is also involved in numerous other conditions  from autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis to chronic infections and depression. This same brain circuit might explain the debilitating apathy that millions of people suffering from various chronic diseases experience.

Apathy triggered by inflammation may have originally evolved as a protective mechanism. When early humans faced acute infections, dialling down motivation made sense  it conserved energy and directed resources toward recovery. But what once helped people survive short-term illnesses turns harmful when inflammation persists chronically, as it does in cancer and other diseases. Rather than aiding survival, prolonged apathy deepens suffering, worsening health outcomes and quality of life.

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While translating these findings into therapies for people requires more research, our discovery reveals a promising target for treatment. By intercepting inflammatory signals or modulating brain circuits, researchers may be able to restore a patients drive. For patients and families watching motivation slip away, that possibility offers something powerful: hope that even as the disease progresses, the essence of who we are might be reclaimed.

Adam Kepecs, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit the US and Peru for 11 days, attending IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, G20 meetings, and bilateral talks, and engaging with CEOs and the Indian diaspora. read more

During an 11-day official tour to the United States and Peru, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the Spring Meetings of the IMF-World Bank and take part in G20 meetings, among other bilateral engagements, the ministry announced on Saturday.

The finance minister will also meet with top CEOs from renowned fund management companies during a Roundtable conference with investors, as well as undertake bilateral talks with CEOs from key information technology (IT) enterprises in San Francisco.

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As part of her trip to the United States, she planned to visit San Francisco and give a keynote talk at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution on April 20. Sitharaman will also participate in an event featuring Indian diaspora in San Francisco and interact with the Indian community settled there, the finance ministry said in a statement.

During her visit to Washington, USA, from April 22-25, Sitharaman will participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) Meetings, Development Committee Plenary, IMFC Plenary, and Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meeting.

On the sidelines, she will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts from several countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, and USA; besides meeting EU Commissioner for Financial Services; President, Asian Development Bank (ADB); President, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); and First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

During her maiden visit to Peru from April 26 to 30, it said, the Finance Minister will lead an Indian delegation of officials from the Ministry of Finance and business leaders, highlighting the strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations between the two nations.

Beginning her visit in Lima, Sitharaman is expected to call on the President of Peru, Dina Boluarte, and Prime Minister of Peru, Gustavo AdrianzAn, besides holding bilateral meetings with the Peruvian Ministers of Finance and Economy; Defence; Energy and Mines; and also holding interaction with local public representatives, it said.

In the course of her visit to Peru, the Finance Minister will chair the India-Peru Business Forum meeting with prominent business representatives in attendance from both India and the Latin American nation.

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Given Perus importance in the global supply chain of critical minerals and precious metals, discussions during these engagements are also expected to explore avenues for greater collaboration in the mining sector, particularly to strengthen Indias resource security and facilitate value-chain linkages between the two economies, it said.

The Finance Minister will also participate in a community event at Lima, where she will interact with the Indian diaspora living in Peru, it added.
Delhi Polices Operation Clean Sweep led to the seizure of 1667 grammes of superfine-quality Afghan-origin heroin and 130 grammes of a suspected chemical substance read more

Delhi Police has busted a major drug trafficking cartel operational across nations in South Asia under the Operation Clean Sweep. According to the officials, the cartel was operating in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and parts of Delhi-National Capital Region.

The police revealed that one of the accused actually used the online game PUBG to connect with a heroin supplier.

The operation also led to the seizure of 1667 grammes of superfine-quality Afghan-origin heroin and 130 grammes of a suspected chemical substance.

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How the operation began

The cartel came to be revealed when a 37-year-old resident of Jammu-Kashmir, named Faheem Farooq, was intercepted by authorities. Further investigation led to the arrest of Shazia Peer, a key player in the network. Peer then revealed she had connections in Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Punjab, including individuals identified as Sohrab, Hafiz, and Harry.

The woman said the illegal drugs came from Afghanistan, passed through Pakistan and Jammu & Kashmir, and were sent to Delhi. Her helper, Javed, helped spread the drugs in Delhi. He was also caught later in a police raid.

The drug groups link to Punjab was found when police arrested Parminder Singh Deol, also known as Harry. He lives in Prakash Nagar, Ludhiana. CCTV footage from a restaurant in Murthal showed him giving heroin to a man named Faheem.

PUBG used by accused

Subsequent raids and investigation then led to the arrest of Jashanpreet Singh, who was traced in Narli village, hiding at a relatives residence. Authorities seized 372 grammes of heroin from his home.

Shockingly, he disclosed to police how he used PUBG gaming app to connect to a drug supplier. He used the PUBG method to evade surveillance and tracking by authorities.

During the operation, police found 15 mobile phones. These phones had chats, videos, and contact lists that showed the gang was part of a well-organised international network.

They also took away two motorcycles used to deliver the drugs.

The group was not just smuggling heroin  they are also suspected of helping move weapons and explosive materials.
Indias robust response to terrifying natural disasters across the world is an important example of its emergence on the world stageand New Delhi will do well to allocate even more resources to this effort read more

Indias humanitarian diplomacy is a symphony of soft power, where each notefrom disaster relief to vaccine outreachresonates compassion and exemplifies strategic outreach. Even as Indian Air Force C130J and C17 transport aircraft raced to deliver aid to earthquakestricken Myanmar, they encountered sophisticated GPSspoofing attacks that sought to mislead their navigation systems. Pilots switched seamlessly to backup inertial navigation, ensuring that relief supplies reached those in need despite cyber interference. This was as much about a helping hand as a signal to the world of operational readiness.

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India remains front and centre in global disaster response. In November 2023, following a jolt that claimed over 150 lives in western Nepal, New Delhi was the first responderairlifting 11 tonnes of medical equipment and essential supplies into Kathmandu within days of the quake. When twin 7.8magnitude shocks ravaged Turkey and Syria in February 2023, India launched Operation Dostairlifting NDRF searchandrescue squads, a field hospital and over 7 crore worth of medical supplies on seven C17 flights within days of the disaster.

This sameday execution of disaster aid underlines Indias preparedness and operational excellence. It also tells the world about Indias large-heartedness, which does not take political considerations into account when reaching out to a disaster or an emergency.

Beyond emergencies, during the COVID era, Indias Vaccine Maitri programme exemplified a logistical marvel. Between January 2021 and March 2021, India supplied 6.5 crore doses of COVID19 vaccine to 93 countries across Asia, Latin America and Africaeven as it simultaneously conducted the worlds largest domestic inoculation drive for its 1.3 billion citizens.

From once being a recipient of disaster aid, India has now become a net provider, turning its growing economic capabilities into a platform for global solidarity.

Indias robust response to terrifying natural disasters across the world is an important example of its emergence on the world stageand New Delhi will do well to allocate even more resources to this effort, ensuring that its symphony of soft power continues to soothe lives across continents.

The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.

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The upcoming visit of PM Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia is coming at a time of great regional turmoil and uncertainty owing to the Gaza War, US-Iran nuclear talks, Israels aggressive military strategy in Lebanon and Syria, and the tariff war unleashed by US President Donald Trump read more

(File) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, right, shakes hand with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before the start of their meeting in New Delhi on February 20, 2019. AP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on April 22-23, 2025, on a bilateral visit. This would be PM Modis third visit to Saudi Arabia, the previous two being in 2016 and 2019. It was during his last visit in 2019 that the two countries had decided to elevate the bilateral ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Several big-ticket and high-value initiatives have been undertaken since then, as a result of which Saudi Arabia has not only emerged as one of Indias largest trading partners but has also become a close partner in deepening defence and security ties with India.

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The visit also comes at a critical inflection point in the West Asian region. The region has been battling with uncertainty and conflict for almost two years, since the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023. Saudi Arabia has found itself in the middle of the conflict, having to rally support for the Palestinians and make critical decisions as the de facto leader of the region. The Gaza war has also upset several geopolitical equations for Saudi Arabia, with the normalisation of ties with Israel and the defence deal with the US being the two important ones.

India has emerged as one of the most significant global players in recent times. Its leadership role during the Covid-19 pandemic, the strategic autonomy exercised by it during the Russia-Ukraine war overcoming huge pressure from the West, the unprecedented success of the G20 Presidency in 2023 and its rise as the fifth largest economy in the world have catapulted it to a pole position in the world, where India is being courted to mediate peace and deliver leadership decisions on many global concerns.

As Modi gets ready to meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) in Riyadh, India and Saudi Arabia have a lot to share, discuss, and deliver, which could not only strengthen bilateral ties but also have a positive impact on the region.

A Brief Recap of Strengthening Ties

India-Saudi ties have been on the upswing over the past two decades. Although the bilateral relations were elevated to a strategic partnership during PM Manmohan Singhs visit to Riyadh in 2010 when the Riyadh Declaration was signed, the bilateral ties got the real impetus when PM Modi undertook his first visit to Riyadh in April 2016, leading to enhanced cooperation in the political, economic, security and defence realms. During the visit, King Salman also conferred the Kingdoms highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Sash, on PM Modi.

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This period also coincided with Saudi Arabias major thrust towards political and economic reorientation. In June 2017, the appointment of MbS as the Crown Prince and the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia was the most significant.

Coupled with this, the drive to diversify the economy away from fossil fuel-based revenue was also a major shift, as it opened the doors for partner countries like India to establish a presence in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Vision 2030, launched in April 2016, marked a significant step towards it. Notably, India was named one of the eight strategic partners in Vision 2030, which coincided well with Indias Look West policy, a key foreign policy thrust area of Modi 1.0.

The visit of MbS to India in February 2019 further consolidated the ties, and the announcement that Saudi Arabia would invest $100 billion in India was a significant boost. Modis second visit to Riyadh, in October 2019, marked a significant milestone, during which the ties were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This led to the establishment of a high-level council to steer the India-Saudi Arabia relationship.

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Later, Saudi Crown Prince MbS visited India in September 2023 to participate in the G20 Leaders Summit, as well as to co-chair the inaugural Leaders Meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council alongside Prime Minister Modi. The signing of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project during the G20 Summit, with Saudi Arabia as one of the eight signatories, was a significant outcome not only for the region but also for India-Saudi Arabia cooperation.

The IMEC promises to unleash new avenues to enhance trade, investment, and connectivity across the continents. India as the main anchor and Saudi Arabia with the longest length of transit route look to benefit hugely from it.

On the economic front, India and Saudi Arabia have taken huge strides in enhancing engagement. Bilateral trade has grown significantly. India is currently the second-largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia, whereas Saudi Arabia is the fifth-largest trading partner of India. In FY 2023-24, bilateral trade stood at $42.98 billion. Saudi Arabia remained Indias third-largest crude oil sourcing destination for FY 2023-24 with imports of 33.35 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil. Saudi Arabia was also the third-largest LPG sourcing destination for India for FY 2023-24.

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Another significant milestone was Saudi Arabias largest energy company, Saudi Aramco, opening an office in Gurgaon in October 2017. It signed a deal in April 2018 to build the worlds largest greenfield refinery with West Coast Refinery & Petrochemicals worth $44 billion in a joint venture with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and an Indian consortium. Later, in August 2019, Reliance announced that Saudi Aramco had agreed to take a 20 per cent stake in the companys oil refinery and chemical business at an enterprise value of $75 billion.

Realising the potential of the Indian economy, Saudi companies are investing aggressively in India. The Saudi investment in India, including that of PIF, other Saudi companies, and the Saudi-backed Vision Fund, has already touched US$ 10 billion. To further explore opportunities, the first meeting of the Joint High Level Task Force on Investment (HLTFI) was held in July 2024, where opportunities for investments in diverse areas in the public and private sectors, including refining and petrochemical plants, new and renewable energy, and power, were discussed. Here too, Saudi Arabia reiterated its commitment towards investment of $100 billion in India.

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On the security front, after a slow start, defence and security cooperation have emerged as a new area of close cooperation. Following up on the MoU on defence cooperation, signed during the visit of the then Crown Prince and Defence Minister, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, to India in February 2014, India is seeking close cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Options are being explored to engage Saudi Arabia under the Make in India initiative in the field of defence production. There were some media reports in 2019 that indicated that Kalyani Strategic Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge, may have closed an offer to sell its Bharat 52, a 155 mm/52-calibre artillery gun, to Saudi Arabia. There have also been reports that Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in the BrahMos missile system.

Joint military exercises have picked up pace too. In February 2022, Saudi Arabia was one of the 46 countries that were invited to the Indian Navys Milan Exercise. Earlier, in August 2021, the first-ever bilateral naval exercise Al-Mohed Al-Hindi 2021 was conducted in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and the first edition of the India-Saudi Arabia joint military exercise Sada Tanseeq was held in the deserts of Rajasthan in January-February 2024. The first-ever visit by Admiral Fahd Abdullah Al-Gufaili, chief of Royal Saudi Naval Forces, to India, in January 2024, too, is a testimony to growing bilateral defence relations.

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Expectations from the Visit

The upcoming visit is essential not only from a bilateral perspective but also from a regional one. IMEC, which has struggled to gain traction, primarily due to the Gaza war, is likely to be a key point of discussion. It may be noted that Saudi Arabia is the only country which has pledged $20 billion for the project so far but has not progressed any work on its part of IMEC yet.

Meanwhile, India and the UAE have already undertaken bilateral measures to advance work in the eastern leg of IMEC. If India and Saudi Arabia can forge a bilateral understanding, many threads of the project could develop further. With the Gaza conflict unlikely to see an early resolution, discussions may also take place regarding the possibility of temporarily altering the routes alignment through Egypt.

Defence cooperation is likely to get a boost. There could be agreements on intelligence sharing as well as cybersecurity. Counter-terror cooperation, which is already taking place, is likely to get codified in an agreement too. Increased joint military exercises, Operational Turn Round (OTR) of naval ships, as well as logistical basing rights at crucial ports, could be discussed. Sale of military equipment and ammunition under the Make in India, for the World too is on the table.

Fintech, a field where India has emerged as a global leader, could be another area of cooperation. Indias Rupay cards are already accepted in the UAE, Oman and some other countries, while UPI payments are accepted even in France. This visit could result in its expansion to Saudi Arabia too, which would be a good outcome given the 2.7 million Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia.

In terms of soft power, Saudi Arabia can gain significantly from India. Like the UAE, Saudi Arabia could also invite Indian hospital chains, engineering and management institutes, such as the IIT and IIM, in the future. While the construction of a Hindu temple in Saudi Arabia may look far-fetched now, given the rapid pace of social changes currently underway in Saudi Arabia, especially with regard to womens liberties and moderation in religious practices, it cannot be ruled out in the future.

For India, energy security is of vital importance. With Saudi Arabia being one of Indias top suppliers of crude oil, its offering to store strategic oil reserves in India could be a significant outcome of the visit. Additionally, cooperation in the field of renewable and green energy could be expanded. Saudi Arabia already joined the India-led International Solar Alliance. It also signed an MoU with India on cooperation in green energy and hydrogen during the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week in Riyadh in October 2023, which establishes a framework for collaboration in several key areas.

Within it, facets like Electrical Interconnections explore the feasibility of interconnecting their national power grids, while aspects in Green/Clean Hydrogen and Renewable Energy intend to foster collaboration in the co-development and co-production of green and clean hydrogen, as well as renewable energy projects. The MoU also emphasises the establishment of secure, reliable, and resilient supply chains for materials used in the green/clean hydrogen and renewable energy sectors. These aspects could get a renewed and more focused push during the visit.

Conclusion

The upcoming visit of PM Modi to Saudi Arabia is coming at a time of great regional turmoil and uncertainty owing to the Gaza War, US-Iran nuclear talks, Israels aggressive military strategy in Lebanon and Syria, and the tariff war unleashed by President Trump. It also comes weeks before President Trumps projected visit to Saudi Arabia in May, which would be his first foreign visit in his new presidency.

With PM Modi and India advocating peace and reiterating to the warring nations that this is not the time for war, this visit could push for peace and stability in the region in addition to laying the foundation of Indias strategic outreach in West Asia for the next decade. Progress on IMEC, energy cooperation and security ties could pave the way for mutually beneficial growth, forcing the region to think beyond the never-ending spiral of conflict. Most importantly, this visit promises to build bridges across the Gulf, bringing people and the two nations closer than ever.

Col Rajeev Agarwal is a West Asia expert and a Senior Research Consultant at Chintan Research Foundation, New Delhi. His X Handle is @rajeev1421. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The CPEC initiative is way behind schedule. At least 31 projects, valued at more than $22 billion, have yet to begin. While Islamabad pitches a CPEC 2.0 to its citizens, Beijing has not committed to any major new investments in the country read more

'All-weather' allies Pakistan, China have sworn by the CPEC initiative. But the reality seems to be starkly different. File image

Ten years after it was hailed as a transformative moment in Pakistans economic history, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is languishing in uncertainty, with key projects stalled, security threats mounting, and once-ambitious visions for regional connectivity left unrealised.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Islamabad on 20 April 2015, he signed a raft of agreements marking the start of CPEC Pakistans $50 billion flagship component of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The venture was supposed to overhaul infrastructure, supercharge growth, and reforge Sino-Pakistani ties in steel. Today, analysts describe it as a shadow of those original aspirations.

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Nikkei, citing official figures, reported that 38 CPEC projects worth $25.4 billion have been completed and another 23 are in progress. But at least 31 projects, valued at more than $22 billion, have yet to begin. Behind the delays lie a mix of economic distress, internal mismanagement, and increasingly, a deteriorating security environment that has targeted Chinese nationals.

The project, which was started with great optimism, has almost halted, said Ghulam Ali, deputy director at the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies.

Gwadar dream fades into dust

Nowhere has the dissonance between promise and progress been more stark than in Gwadar, the port city in southwestern Balochistan province that was pitched as the crown jewel of CPECa future Singapore of South Asia. But a decade later, Gwadar still suffers from chronic electricity shortages, a promised coal power plant has not materialised, and only $890 million in CPEC funding has been spent there.

Even the citys most high-profile successits new international airporthas failed to spark wider development. One former government official, speaking anonymously, described the vision for Gwadar as fundamentally flawed from the outset.

All the forecasts regarding the Gwadar port and related to industrial development in Gwadar were also misplaced, the official said. This is not entirely Chinas fault. Its mostly due to Pakistans own inefficiencies and bad governance.

Beijing has never been blind to those risks. But the situation has worsened in recent years. At least 20 Chinese nationals have been killed and 34 injured in targeted attacks since 2021, according to Pakistani records. Balochistan has been the epicentre of this violence, where Baloch insurgents have repeatedly attacked Chinese workers, projects and interests.

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More Chinese have lost their lives in Pakistan than in any other country, said Ali.

China has been caught in this lethal confrontation between the Pakistani military and Baloch militants  If Pakistan fails to improve its internal security, the future of CPEC remains bleak.

CPEC 2.0: Real revival or empty talk?

Despite its stuttering record, both Beijing and Islamabad insist CPEC remains a success story. Pakistani leaders are now pushing the narrative of a CPEC 2.0, which promises a pivot to industrialisation, clean energy, agriculture and special economic zones.

The flagship of this proposed second phase is Main Line 1 (ML-1), a $6.8 billion project to upgrade Pakistans colonial-era railway network from Karachi to Peshawar. But despite being on the agenda since 2015, ML-1 remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo, with no progress on financing or implementation.

It seems like Beijing and Islamabad have been announcing the next phase of CPEC for years, and thats not a good sign about the projects broader direction, said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst.

If the next phase is to succeed, it will need to emphasise relatively modest loans with reasonable debt repayment timelines and activities that dont entail large security risks.

China, for its part, has not committed to any major new investments under CPEC 2.0. Analysts say Beijing is increasingly hesitant, particularly amid Pakistans economic woes and rising insecurity.

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China has not made any promises for the second phase, no major new projects have been added and China is gradually pulling its support, said Ali.

As part of its diplomacy, China maintains formalities and does not want to openly say break up.

In private, however, some suggest that Beijings interest is cooling.
The Womens Affairs Reform Commission of Bangladesh proposed increasing parliamentary seats to 600, with one general and one reserved for women per constituency. read more

The Womens Affairs Reform Commission of Bangladesh has suggested expanding the number of seats in the parliament to 600, with one general seat for each parliamentary constituency and one allocated for women, according to a media source on Saturday.

There are 350 seats in Bangladeshs current parliament, 50 of which are set aside for women.

Earlier in the day, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus received the Commissions report, which was created by the Interim government in November of last year, according to bdnews24.com.

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The panel stressed the need to fortify the foundation of equality and protection in its three main recommendations on womens rights, the law, and the Constitution, out of its fifteen recommendations.

In its report, the panel has asked to focus on decentralisation and local-level development to establish womens interests and rights.

It recommended increasing the total number of seats in the parliament to 600, with one general seat for each parliamentary constituency and one reserved for women.

Upon receiving the report, Yunus directed authorities to implement those recommendations that can be carried out immediately.

The recommendations that can be implemented quickly should be executed through us. We can set an example for other countries in the world through this work. Women around the world are looking at this. They will review it and be inspired. Women in other countries are also serious about this," Yunus was quoted as saying by the news portal.

The Chief Adviser said the recommendations of the panel will also be presented to the political parties through the National Consensus Commission.

After submitting the report to Yunus, the Commission head, Shirin Parveen Haque, explained the reason for proposing 600 seats at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy.

If we think about the population, 300 seats are no longer sufficient. So 600 seats seem logical enough. Whether in a discussion or a debate, we believe 600 seats is not too many for this population.

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We must accept it if we want women to be a part of the legislature and make laws. We think it will create a fair and good process in politics, she said.
Dudus remarks come amid heightened tensions between the interim Bangladeshi government and India, following the reported killing of a prominent Hindu leader in Dinajpur district, about 330 kilometers northwest of Dhaka read more

A senior leader of Bangladeshs main opposition party has launched a scathing attack on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, claiming she would have merged the country with India had she remained in power.

Shamsuzzaman Dudu, vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), made the comments during a civic rally on Saturday (April 19) organised to protest what he described as the persecution and killing of Muslims in India.

She not only fled to India to save her life, her real address is India, said Dudu, a former lawmaker and close aide of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. Maybe if she had had a little more time, she would have also integrated Bangladesh with India, he said, according to a report by The Week.

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Dudu also criticized India, accusing it of backing Hasina and calling the neighboring country fascist.

India says they gave her shelter to protect Hasina. It is not protection Sheikh Hasinas ideal is India and her address is India, Dudu said. A fascist can only live with fascists.

The BNP leader accused Hasina of weakening Bangladeshs sovereignty and undermining democracy. Hasina made Bangladesh a slave of India in every sense by destroying the electoral system and democracy, he alleged.

Dudus remarks come amid heightened tensions between the interim Bangladeshi government and India, following the reported killing of a prominent Hindu leader in Dinajpur district, about 330 kilometers northwest of Dhaka.

According to local media, Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was allegedly abducted from his home and beaten to death. He was a well-known figure in the local Hindu community.

India officially protested the killing, but Bangladeshs interim government rejected claims that Roy was targeted for his religious identity.

It is unfortunate that the death of Mr Bhabesh Chandra Roy has been described as part of a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government, said Shafiul Alam, press secretary for the interim administration.

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Dudu maintained that his party views India as a neighbour and a friendly country, but said recent developments raise questions about the nature of the bilateral relationship.
Britain urges Russia to commit to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, beyond Putins 30-hour Easter pause, emphasizing the need for lasting peace. read more

A woman carries her belongings during an evacuation, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, Ukraine. File image/ Reuters

Britain has urged Russia to commit to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, not just a one-day pause, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day declared a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, after Washington said it might abandon peace talks within days unless Moscow and Kyiv show they are ready to stop the war.

Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same, a British foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding that a pause would enable negotiations for a just and enduring peace.

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Now is the moment for Putin to show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in its statement.
China is thought to be especially concerned about instability in South Kivu, where many Chinese-linked mining operations including illegal ones are reported to operate. read more

China has publicly called on Rwanda to withdraw its troops and end support for the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Beijings statement, delivered twice this year by its ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, asked Rwanda to heed international calls and halt its military backing of M23  a group blamed for seizing territory in eastern DRC and fuelling a humanitarian crisis.

China also voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution condemning Rwandas role in the conflict  a rare move for Beijing, which often abstains in such votes when close partners are involved and has long insisted on a policy of non-interference in African conflicts.

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However, the call for withdrawal of forces is not so much about principles as it is about protecting billions of dollars in mineral investments, South China Morning Post reported.

Minerals and motives

While Chinas vote was noted as a shift, observers remain sceptical about any deeper change in Beijings diplomatic posture. Analysts say the primary driver behind the move is economic: China relies heavily on the DRC for key minerals used in electronics and electric vehicles, including tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold.

Eastern DRC is home to Chinese-run mining operations, many of which are located near conflict hotspots such as Goma and Bukavu, towns that have come under M23 control. Rwanda, which borders the region, is accused by Kinshasa of profiting from smuggled minerals and fuelling unrest to maintain influence.

Had it been any other actor than Rwanda, and particularly a Western actor, the tone of the wording would have been undoubtedly stronger and more dismissive, said Benjamin Barton, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia. Beijing clearly wants to remain in both Kigalis and Kinshasas good graces.

Despite the direct naming of Rwanda, the language used by China was notably restrained. Zhou Yuyuan, a professor at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said the statement does not condemn Rwanda, but hopes that it will withdraw and stop supporting M23.

That restraint has raised questions about how serious Beijing is in confronting the conflicts underlying issues. Chris Alden, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, called it a break with the past application of Chinas long-standing non-interference principle  but not a full policy shift.

Rather it demonstrates how serious and worried Chinese authorities are as to the impact of M23 military gains to its economic interests that it would name Rwanda specifically, Alden said.

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China is thought to be especially concerned about instability in South Kivu, where many Chinese-linked mining operations including illegal ones are reported to operate.

Global stakes in a regional war

The DRC crisis, which began in earnest in 2022, has displaced millions and resulted in thousands of deaths. The M23s offensives have destabilised the region and drawn in foreign actors. In recent months, the US imposed sanctions on a Rwandan minister accused of backing the group and has begun negotiating a minerals and security partnership with the Congolese government.

Washington has sought to restore operations in areas affected by the conflict. On Thursday, US presidential adviser Massad Boulos confirmed that the M23 had pulled out of the town of Walikale, allowing Alphamin Resources  a Canadian mining firm with American links  to resume work.

This is a significant step, and these kinds of measures are critical to building confidence, Boulos said.

For Beijing, the conflict presents a dilemma: whether to stick to a hands-off diplomatic approach or act more assertively to protect its assets. So far, its actions have been cautious and calculated, avoiding direct confrontation while aligning just enough with the international consensus to maintain credibility.
The chain reaction reportedly produced a fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius lasting more than two seconds. The device can be deployed when situation demands covering a large area with intense heat and focusing its power on high-value targets to destroy them read more

Chinese scientists may have tested a hydrogen-based explosive device, triggering massive chemical chain reactions without using any nuclear materials, SCMP reported, citing a study published last month. According to the research paper, the chain reaction produced a fireball exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius lasting more than two seconds.

The device was reportedly built by China State Shipbuilding Corporations (CSSC) 705 Research Institute. The SCMP report said that the device used a magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage material.

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Magnesium-based hydrogen storage material

The material is actually a silvery powder, which can hold a much higher volume of hydrogen in a compact form. In the paper, scientists described how, when triggered by standard explosives, the material rapidly breaks down and releases hydrogen gas. This gas then ignites, creating an intense and sustained flame.

Such a mechanism could potentially be used in high-energy propulsion systems or advanced weapons due to its compactness and energy density.

The researchers wrote, Hydrogen gas explosions ignite with minimal ignition energy, have a broad explosion range, and unleash flames that race outward rapidly while spreading widely.

This combination allows precise control over blast intensity, easily achieving uniform destruction of targets across vast areas, they added.

Potential military use

The researchers are also believed to have explored the military use of the device, especially when situation demands covering a large area with intense heat and focusing its power on high-value targets to destroy them.

This was not clear where the large amount of magnesium hydride used in the test came from. The paper also skipped mentioning the potential scenarios where Chinas Peoples Liberation Army may actually deploy these weapons.

Why producing magnesium hydride is a big deal

Before, scientists could only make a few grams of magnesium hydride each day in labs. Thats because making it needs very high heat and pressure. If it touches air by accident, it can explode.

Now, China has built a big factory in Shaanxi that can make 150 tonnes of this material each year. The factory uses a special method called one-pot synthesis that makes production cheaper and safer, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Scientists are also exploring other uses of the device, including powering submarine fuel cells and long-endurance drone power systems.
The 2025 Asian Forum on Human Rights opens in Chongqing, southwest China, April 19, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Institute of the Southwest University of Political Science and Law]



The 2025 Asian Forum on Human Rights opened in Chongqing, southwest China, on April 19, bringing together scholars to explore the relationship between technological advancements and human rights.

The forum, hosted by the Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL), was organized under the theme "Science & Technology and Human Rights."

Jiang Jianguo, executive vice president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said at the opening ceremony that Asian countries' shared history, development realities and cultural traditions provide a foundation for human rights discussions. He emphasized continued efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind, placing human survival and development at the center of technological innovation.

He urged greater application of technological advances in climate, food security and health care, ensuring that innovation benefits all of humanity.

SWUPL President Lin Wei, who also serves as dean of its Human Rights Institute, spoke about how technology redefines the human experience. Lin said that if human rights are understood as "the conditions that make one human," then technology is significantly expanding those conditions.

However, Lin warned that technological innovation poses new challenges to human rights protection. He highlighted emerging technologies such as gene editing and brain-computer interfaces, which, if misused, could create a "biological class divide," undermining equality and human dignity.

Lin stressed the need to harmonize technological progress with human rights, affirming that the non-transferable bottom line of human values must be upheld to ensure technology liberates humanity rather than dehumanizes it.

In his keynote address, Jayanath Colombage, director general of the Institute of National Security Studies of Sri Lanka, discussed artificial intelligence's influence on human rights, particularly autonomous weapon systems.

Colombage expressed concerns about the risks of autonomous weapon systems, which could lead to wrongful killings and indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fundamental right to life. He stressed that without the right to life, no other rights can be enjoyed.

He called for international governance and regulation to establish legal and ethical standards for autonomous weapons deployment.

Zamir Ahmed Awan, founding chair of the Global Silk Road Research Alliance think tank, examined the relationship between technological competition and justice.

Awan said access to advanced technologies is a key component of human rights and criticized the United States for limiting opportunities for international students. He condemned the U.S. government's recent cancellation of visas or legal status for more than 1,000 international students, calling it a human rights violation.

In contrast, Awan praised the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative for promoting international cooperation, sharing economic development experiences and cultivating high-tech talent through partnerships.

A key highlight of the forum was the participants' consensus that technology must be fundamentally oriented toward the protection of human rights.

Participants said Asia needs to lead regional collaboration on human rights issues in emerging technologies. They called for efforts to build an equitable and inclusive global science and technology framework that advances the fulfillment of human rights.

The forum also included three parallel sessions on emerging human rights issues in Asia, technology for good and other topics.

This year's forum builds on the inaugural Asian Forum on Human Rights held at Renmin University of China in 2022. The first forum centered on the theme of "Environment & Climate Change and Human Rights," underscoring the vital link between environmental challenges and human rights.
Democratic Republic of Congo suspended former President Joseph Kabilas political party and ordered his assets seized over accusations of supporting Rwandanbacked rebels in the east, the government said. read more

People displaced by fighting with M23 rebels make their way to the centre of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. File Photo-AP

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended former President Joseph Kabilas political party and ordered the seizure of his assets, accusing him of supporting Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the countrys eastern region, the government announced.

Kabila, 53, who led the nation from 2001 until 2019 and left office after widespread and often deadly protests, has recently expressed interest in returning to help resolve the ongoing conflict.

However, in separate statements issued late Saturday, the interior ministry declared the suspension of his party for allegedly aiding the M23 rebel group, while the justice ministry announced that Kabila and other senior party members would face asset seizures on charges amounting to high treason.

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Both ministries confirmed that prosecutors had been instructed to launch legal proceedings against Kabila, though specific details of the accusations were not disclosed.

Ferdinand Kambere, secretary of his Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, called the suspension a flagrant violation of Congos constitution and laws in a statement to Reuters.

The M23 have taken two major cities in the mineral-rich east since the start of the year. The region has suffered decades of conflict rooted in the spillover from Rwandas 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of minerals.

Kabila came to power after his fathers assassination and refused to go when his final term expired in 2016.

He eventually agreed to step down and has lived in different African nations since.

The decades-long conflict between Congo and the M23 rebels escalated in January, when the rebels made an unprecedented advance and seized the strategic eastern Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February. The latest fighting has killed some 3,000 people and worsened what was already one of the worlds largest humanitarian crises, with around 7 million people displaced.
As global tensions rise, experts warn that cyberattacks could disrupt critical systems and escalate into conflict. Despite the growing threat, President Trump has cut cybersecurity staff and funding, raising concerns about Americas digital defences. Meanwhile, US adversaries  including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea  are stepping up cyber cooperation, adding fears of a broader digital arms race. read more

Hackers linked to the Russian government carried out a cyberattack last spring targeting municipal water facilities in rural Texas. One of the affected plants, located in Muleshoe  a town of 5,000 residents  experienced a water overflow, forcing officials to disconnect the automated system and operate the plant manually.

The hackers did not attempt to contaminate the water or demand a ransom. Authorities concluded the breach was aimed at probing the weaknesses of US public infrastructure  a calculated warning that in the modern era, national security depends on more than geographic barriers and military might.

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A year after the attack, global tensions and the prospect of a trade war have raised the risk of cyberattacks that could disrupt public systems, leak sensitive information, cause financial harm, or even spark military escalation.

National security and cyber experts are raising alarms over an increase in cyberthreats, warning of an accelerating digital arms race as nations bolster their defenses.

At the same time, President Donald Trump has disrupted Americas cybersecurity posture by dismissing the four-star general who headed the National Security Agency, downsizing cybersecurity agencies, and cutting back on election-related cyber protections.

Amid these developments, businesses are becoming more alert to the risk of cyberattacks, while governments are shifting into a war-like readiness, according to a report released this month by the British cybersecurity firm NCC Group.

The geopolitical dust is still settling, Verona Johnstone-Hulse, a London-based expert on government cybersecurity polices and the reports co-author told Reuters. What the new normal looks like is still not yet set.

Many in the US are already calling for a more muscular approach to protecting the digital frontier.

Hybrid war is here to stay, said Tom Kellermann, senior vice president of cyberstrategy at Contrast Security. We need to stop playing defense  its time to make them play defense.

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Vulnerabilities have grown as people and businesses use connected devices to count steps, manage finances and operate facilities such as water plants and ports. Each network and connection is a potential target for foreign governments or the hacking groups that sometimes do their bidding.

Espionage is one motive, demonstrated in a recent incursion linked to hackers in China. The campaign known as Salt Typhoon sought to crack the phones of officials, including Trump, before the 2024 election.

These operations seek entry to sensitive corporate or government systems to steal secrets or monitor personal communications. Such information can be hugely valuable by providing advantages in trade negotiations or military planning. These hackers try to remain hidden for as long as possible.

More obvious intrusions can serve as a warning or deterrent, such as the cyberattacks targeting the Texas water plants. Iran also has shown a willingness to use cyberattacks to make political points.

The cyberattacks that frighten experts the most burrow deeply into telephone or computer networks, inserting backdoors or malware for later use.

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National security experts say this was the motivation behind a recent attack from China called Volt Typhoon that compromised telephone networks in the U.S. in an effort to gain access to an unknown number of critical systems.

China could potentially use these connections to disable key infrastructure  power plants, communication networks, pipelines, hospitals, financial systems  as part of a larger conflict or before an invasion of Taiwan, national security experts said.

They can position their implants to be activated at a date and time in the future, said Sonu Shankar, a former researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory who is now chief strategy officer at Phosphorus Cybersecurity.

National security officials will not discuss details, but experts interviewed by The Associated Press said the U.S. no doubt has developed similar offensive capabilities.

China has rejected US allegations of hacking, accusing America of trying to  smear  Beijing while conducting its own cyberattacks.

Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. Trade disputes. Shifting alliances. The risk of cyberattacks goes up in times of global tension, and experts say that risk is now at a high.

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U.S. adversaries China, Russia, Iran and North Korea also have shown signs of cybercooperation as they forge tighter economic, military and political relationships.

Speaking to Congress, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard noted that Iran has supplied drones in exchange for Russian intelligence and cybercapabilities.

Russia has been the catalyst for much of this expanded cooperation, driven heavily by the support it has needed for its war effort against Ukraine, Gabbard told lawmakers.

Amid global fears of a trade war after the tariffs that Trump has imposed, supply chains could be targeted in retaliation. While larger companies may have a robust cyberteam, small suppliers that lack those resources can give intruders easy access.

And any tit-for-tat cycles of cyberconflict, in which one country hacks into a sensitive system as retaliation for an earlier attack, come with great risk for all involved, Shankar said. It would put them on the path to military conflict.

At a time when national security and cybersecurity experts say the U.S. should be bolstering its defenses, Trump has called for reductions in staffing and other changes to the agencies that protect American interests in cyberspace.

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For example, Trump recently fired Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversaw the NSA and the Pentagons Cyber Command.

The U.S. faces unprecedented cyber threats, said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He has asked the White House to explain Haughs departure. How does firing him make Americans any safer? Warner said.

Also under Trump, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency placed on leave staffers who worked on election security and cut millions of dollars in funding for cybersecurity programs for local and state elections. His administration eliminated the State Departments Global Engagement Center, which tracked and exposed foreign disinformation online.

The CIA, NSA and other intelligence agencies also have seen reductions in staffing.

The administration faced more questions over how seriously it takes cybersecurity after senior officials used the popular messaging app Signal to discuss sensitive information about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. Gabbard later called the episode a mistake.

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The officials in charge of Americas cybersecurity insist Trumps changes will make the U.S. safer, while getting rid of wasteful spending and confusing regulations.

The Pentagon, for instance, has invested in efforts to harness artificial intelligence to improve cyberdefenses, according to a report provided to Congress by Lt. Gen. William J. Hartman, acting commander of the NSA and Cyber Command.

The changes at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency come as its leaders consider how best to execute their mission in alignment with the administrations priorities, a CISA statement said.

As Americas Cyber Defense Agency, we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard the nations critical infrastructure against all cyber and physical threats, the statement read. We will continue to collaborate with our partners across government, industry, and with international allies to strengthen global cybersecurity efforts and protect the American people from foreign adversaries, cybercriminals, and other emerging threats.

Representatives for Gabbards office and the NSA didnt respond to questions about how Trumps changes will affect cybersecurity.

Despite shifting alliances, a growing consensus about cyberthreats could prompt greater global cooperation.

More than 20 nations recently signed on to an international framework on the use of commercial spyware. The U.S. has signaled it will join the nonbinding agreement.

Theres also broad bipartisan agreement in the U.S. about the need to help private industry bolster defenses.

Federal estimates say the cybersecurity industry needs to hire an additional 500,000 professionals to meet the challenge, said Dean Gefen, former chief of cybertraining for Israels Defense Intelligence Technological Unit. Hes now the CEO of NukuDo, a cybersecurity training company.

Companies need effective guidance from the government  a playbook, Gefen said. What to do, what not to do.

With inputs from agencies
The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended Joseph Kabilas political party, PPRD, accusing him of backing the M23 armed group. Kabilas properties were raided, and legal action is being pursued. read more

The Democratic Republic of Congo government said it has suspended the political party of former president Joseph Kabila, days after his properties were raided by security services.

This decision follows the overt activism of Kabila, who was president for 18 years up to 2019 and who remains head of his Peoples Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), the interior ministry said in a statement dated Saturday.

PPRD activities are suspended across all the national territory, the statement said.

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There was no immediate reaction from the party.

Current leader President Felix Tshisekedi has accused Kabila of preparing an insurrection and backing an alliance that includes the M23 armed group that is fighting government forces in eastern DR Congo.

Kabila, 53, left the country before the last presidential election in 2023, according to a spokesman for his family.

But early April, in a message relayed by his staff, he said he would return at an unspecified date because the country was in peril. There are unconfirmed suggestions that he will arrive, or is already in, the eastern city of Goma.

The family spokesman said on Thursday that security services mounted raids on Kabilas main property, a farm east of the Kinshasa, and on a compound belonging to the family in the capital.

The interior ministry statement accused Kabilas party of keeping a guilty, or even complicit, silence over the Rwandan war of aggression.

Kinshasa, UN experts and several international powers have said M23 is backed by Rwanda, which denies the charge.

The armed group is at the centre of a new surge in conflict in eastern DR Congo, having taken the key cities of Goma and Bukavu.

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The DR Congo ministry statement said Kabila has maintained an ambiguous attitude on the M23 rebellion, which he has never condemned.

It criticised the deliberate choice of Kabila to enter the country through the city of Goma, under the control of the enemy.

A separate statement from the countrys justice ministry said the chief prosecutor had been asked to start legal action against Kabila for his direction participation in M23.
Noboa won the race in an April 13 runoff vote, but his main rival Luisa Gonzalez has accused him of committing grotesque electoral fraud read more

Ecuador's reelected President Daniel Noboa (C) waves to supporters accompanied by his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi (L) and the chief of the Presidential Military House, Milton Rodriguez, from a balcony of the Carondelet Presidential Palace during the changing of the guard ceremony in Quito on April 15, 2025. AFP

Ecuador is on maximum alert over an alleged assassination plot against recently reelected President Daniel Noboa, the government said on Saturday.

Noboa won the race in an April 13 runoff vote, but his main rival Luisa Gonzalez has accused him of committing grotesque electoral fraud.

A military intelligence report saying that assassins entering Ecuador from Mexico and other countries planned to carry out terrorist attacks against Noboa was leaked on social media this week.

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We strongly condemn and repudiate any intention against the life of the president of the Republic, state authorities or public officials, Ecuadors Ministry of Government said in a statement early Saturday.

The state is on maximum alert, it added.

The government accused criminal structures in complicity with political sectors defeated at the polls of hatching the plot, though it did not offer any specific names.

Ecuadors electoral council and international observers have dismissed claims of fraud in the runoff vote, but Mexico and Colombia have yet to officially recognize Noboas win.

The release of the report widens a rift between Ecuador and Mexico.

Mexico severed ties with the South American nation a year ago after security forces stormed its embassy in Quito to arrest a former vice president who had been granted asylum.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed support for leftist Gonzalez, who has said she will seek a recount.

After the report on the alleged plot against Noboa came out, the Mexican foreign ministry issued a statement denying any suggestion that Mexico was the source of alleged criminal acts or internal situations in Ecuador.

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Ou country is and always will be guided by the principle of non-intervention, the statement said.

Noboa, who is expected to be sworn in on May 24, faces the herculean task of uniting his violence-plagued nation, which averaged a killing every hour at the start of the year as cartels vied for control over drug smuggling routes.
The IDF probe found that the deputy commander mistakenly believed the convoy of ambulances belonged to Hamas militants due to poor night visibility read more

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday (April 20) dismissed the deputy commander of the Golani Brigades reconnaissance unit over the killing of 15 rescue workers in Gazas Rafah on March 23. This comes after an Israeli probe found professional failures in the incident where the Israeli forces opened fire on a convoy of ambulances and emergency vehicles.

The probe found that the deputy commander mistakenly believed the convoy belonged to Hamas militants due to poor night visibility.

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A video footage of the incident showed other ambulances, which had their lights flashing and logo visible, pulling up to help another ambulance which was earlier caught in the gunfire.

According to media reports, eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers and a UN staffer were killed in the tragic shooting incident. The IDF troops then reportedly bulldozed the bodies and buried them in a mass grave, which was discovered by UN workers only a week ago.

In its investigation, the Israeli military found that the incident happened due to an operational misunderstanding by the forces. Another incident which happened just few minutes later and involved Israeli soldiers open fire at a UN vehicle was also in breach of the orders, the investigation found.

The military said the commander of the brigade was also being removed for his partial and inaccurate report of the incident during a preliminary investigation.

The IDF added that the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade  the unit leading the operation in Rafah when the killing of the medics took place  was also being formally censured for his overall responsibility for the incident.

Notably, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Har-Even, head of the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, found in his investigation that there were no violations of the IDF Code of Ethics in the incident but he identified several professional errors which undermined the military protocol.

The IDF saids it expresses regret for harming uninvolved [civilians], and said the investigation was intended to prevent such incidents from recurring.

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The existing guidelines on the special caution required with regard to rescue forces and medical workers, even in areas of intense combat, were sharpened and clarified, the military added.

(With inputs from agencies)
A concrete progress in the US-Iran talks is unlikely until Tehran is given solid assurances from external parties, especially after the 2018 setback when Washington withdrew from the 2015 nuclear pact unilaterally during Trumps first term read more

Russia is set to emerge as a key player in the ongoing Iran-US talks over the nuclear programme. According to reports, Russia is being touted as a potential destination for highly enriched uranium that Iran possesses if a deal is struck between Washington and Tehran.

This comes after negotiators from Iran and the US met in Rome on Saturday (April 19) and their four-hour talks yielded significant progress, as per American officials. The two sides will again share table in Geneva this week, and then a high-level diplomatic engagement is expected next weekend in Oman.

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Why Moscows role is important?

There is a high level of distrust between the two sides. While US President Donald Trumps special envoy Steve Witkoff wants to wrap up talks in 60 days, he may encounter resistance from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. This means a concrete progress in the talks is unlikely until Iran is given solid assurances, especially after the 2018 setback when the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear pact unilaterally under Trumps first term.

The US-Iran talks face two most significant challenging issues.

The first is what will be the future of Iranian highly enriched uranium. Tehran insists on keeping the uranium within the country but thats a red line for Trump officials. US is now exploring the possibility of transferring this stockpile to a third country, such as Russia. This would keep a window open for Tehran to repossess its uranium if the deal collapses in future.

The second issue is about assurances and guarantees regarding USAs commitment to the deal. Iran wants a guarantee of consequences for the US if it pulls out of or breaches another deal.

For assurances, Iran is pushing for a Congress-approved treaty from Washington but that is highly unlikely.

A potential solution for this could be in Moscow. The two sides can empower Russia to transfer the highly enriched uranium to Iran if the US reneges on the deal.

All in all, such a scenario would put Russia in a pivotal role in the potential deal, leaving Americas European partners in the wilderness. Germany, France and the UK; all were members of the 2015 pact, who now face the prospect of their position being usurped by Moscow.
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, had earlier mediated a truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas that took effect on January 19, largely halting over a year of conflict. That deal is no longer in place as hostilities have resumed read more

A boy covers his face as he plays by throwing paper onto a burning pile of garbage in the streets in Gaza City. Buildings have been flattened, thousands have died since Israel began its war in Gaza against Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attack. AP

It has been over a month since Israel has renewed its strikes on the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Yet another round of negotiations has ended in failure, with no deal having been signed.

Amid this, Qatars lead negotiator expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of truce talks in Gaza, according to AFP.

Were definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation. This is an urgent matter. There are lives at stake here if this military operation continues day by day, stated Mohammed Al-Khulaifi on Friday (April 18).

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Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, mediated a truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas that took effect on January 19, largely halting over a year of conflict triggered by the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militants led by Hamas.

The initial truce phase concluded in early March with both sides failing to come to agreement on subsequent steps.

Hamas has demanded negotiations for a second phase of the truce, aiming for a permanent end to the conflict as laid out in the January agreement.

Israel, seeking an extension of the initial phase, resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip on March 18 after previously having paused aid entry.

Late Thursday (April 16), Hamas indicated it would reject Israels latest proposal for a 45-day ceasefire, which included the release of 10 living hostages held by the Palestinian group.

Weve been working continuously in the last days to try to bring the parties together and revive the agreement that has been endorsed by the two sides, the Qatari minister of state mentioned.

And we will remain committed to this, in spite of the difficulties, he added.

The war in Gaza broke out following Hamas October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,281 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

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Israels military offensive since then has killed at least 51,157 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the health ministry. The UN considers these figures reliable.

With inputs from AFP
Pakistans defence ministry told the countrys Supreme Court that Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav was not given the right to appeal against his death sentence since the 2019 International Court of Justice verdict only demanded Islamabad grant India consular access to Jadhav read more

Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan on charges of spying and sentenced to death in April 2017. File Image

Pakistans defence ministry told the countrys Supreme Court that Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been held in Pakistan over espionage charges, was not allowed the right to appeal. The statement from the Pakistani government came in response to the earlier argument that claimed the right to appeal was provided to Jadhav, but the same facility was not extended to Pakistani citizens convicted by military courts in the May 9 violence.

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The ministry clarified that in light of the 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict, Jadhav was only provided consular access and not the right to appeal. The counsel of the defence ministry put forward the statement to the seven-judge Constitutional Bench on Wednesday, Dawn reported.

In 2019, the ICJ told Pakistan that the country was in breach of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 for not providing the facility of consular access to foreign nationals accused of spying. In response, Pakistan enacted the International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Act 2021, adding the law to review and reconsider military court orders, including those related to foreign nationals. According to Dawn, lawyer Khawaja Haris Ahmed was representing the defence ministry during the hearing.

What is the case about?

Jadhav was a former Navy officer who had taken early retirement and was running a business in Chabahar, Iran. He was allegedly abducted and detained in Pakistan on fabricated charges. Jadhav was eventually apprehended in the Chaman region near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on March 3, 2016.

In April 2017, a Pakistani military court sentenced him to death, accusing him of espionage and sabotage. At that time, India strongly condemned the judgement, referring to it as premeditated murder. Eventually, the ICJ intervened and halted the execution. The international tribunal went on to direct Pakistan to review the trial process and grant India consular access.

The question of Jadhav getting the right to appeal against his death sentence has been heavily debated in Pakistan as well. In March 2022, the Islamabad High Court observed that an Indian national can not be denied the right to a fair trial.

At that time, the court also asked the Indian government to ask an official of its mission in Pakistan to attend the hearings of the review petition filed against Jadhavs conviction.

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Not only this, the Pakistani National Assembly adopted a bill in June giving Kulbhushan Jadhav the right to appeal against the death sentence awarded by the military court. Hence, the recent statement from the Pakistani defence ministry appeared to be backtracking on the countrys previous stance after the ICJ verdict.
French President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly be given a state visit to the UK before Donald Trumps expected trip in September. While this will be Marcons first state visit to the UK, it will be Trumps second after he received an invitation from King Charles III in February read more

French President Emmanuel Macron will reportedly be given a state visit to the UK before US President Donald Trump, whose trip is scheduled for September. According to The Sunday Times, Macron received an invitation from King Charles III to travel to the UK at the end of May.

The British newspaper reported that few government and royal officials are aware of the visit. It is pertinent to note that this will be Macrons first state visit to the UK and the invitation came eight years after he took office.

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Neither No.10 nor the French government has confirmed the state visit as of now. Earlier this year, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer charmed Trump after he extended the kings invitation for a state visit. Trump will be the first head of a state to be honoured with a British state visit twice.

Trump to visit the UK in September

The report of Macrons visit started to circulate, shortly after Trump suggested that Buckingham Palace was setting a date for September for him to meet the British monarch.

Theyre going to do a second, as you know, a second fest  thats what it is: a fest, and its beautiful, and its the first time its ever happened to one person, he said, gushing about why the visit would be monumental.

While meeting Trump in February, Starmer handed Trump what he described as a truly historic personal invitation from the King for a second state visit. Reports suggest that the venue of the meeting between Trump and Charles is expected to be Windsor Castle, rather than Balmoral or Dumfries House, as previously thought.

Macrons visit is also reportedly expected to take place at Windsor due to refurbishment at Buckingham Palace. The reports are swirling at a time when Starmer has repeatedly insisted that he does not need to choose between pursuing a closer relationship with Europe and strengthening US-UK trade.

Meanwhile, the UKs Chancellor Exchequer Rachel Reeves is expected to hold talks with her American counterparts next week, about the prospect of a wider economic agreement to alleviate the impact of Mr Trumps 10 per cent tariffs on all goods entering America.
North Korea accused the US of using the wars as an opportunity to expand its influence and ramp up weapons exports, alleging that much of the equipment was ending up in the hands of war maniacs across Europe and the West Asia region read more

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shake hands during a meeting at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. File image/ Reuters

North Korea has sharply criticised US President Donald Trumps decision to loosen restrictions on arms exports, accusing Washington of fuelling global conflicts and using weapons sales to pursue hegemonic ambitions.

In a statement issued on Sunday (April 202) through the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang denounced the 9 April executive order signed by Trump, which mandates a review of existing regulations in order to facilitate the overseas sale of American defence equipment.

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N. Korea slams aggressive foreign policy

For the United States, arms sale is not only merely a money-making space to meet monetary desire but also a major means of supporting the realisation of aggressive foreign policy, the hegemony-seeking one, the statement read, according to South Korea-based Yonhap news agency.

The criticism comes amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, where the US has faced scrutiny over its continued military support for allies. North Korea accused the US of using the wars as an opportunity to expand its influence and ramp up weapons exports, alleging that much of the equipment was ending up in the hands of war maniacs across Europe and the West Asia region.

The US measure to ease arms export regulations precisely means the one to expand wars, KCNA said.

The statement went on to accuse Washington of hypocrisy claiming to support peace negotiations while supplying lethal arms to parties involved in proxy wars. It argued that recent regulatory changes would only worsen global instability and allow the US to extend conflicts under the guise of diplomacy.

While Pyongyang has long condemned US foreign policy, the unusually direct focus on President Trumps arms policy marks a renewed warning from North Korea about what it sees as the militarisation of diplomacy. The remarks come as tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula and broader East Asian region.
Home > 2025 > Informal Employment In India Remains Close To 90 Per Cent Since 2014 | Gyan (...)

Saturday, April 19, 2025

by Dr. Gyan Pathak

Informal employment in the total employment in India remains almost stagnant at around 90 per cent since 2014, according to a latest ILO report. It was worse in 2024 than the global average of 58 per cent, Asia Pacific average of 66 per cent, and worse than neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

The ILO report titled Innovative approaches to formalization in Asia and the Pacific shows informality in India at 88.8 per cent, in Pakistan 84.3 per cent, in Bangladesh 84.9 per cent, and in Sri Lanka 67 per cent.

Though the report mentioned many Indian schemes to improve schemes for formalization of employment in India while praising them as innovative approaches, but said nothing about the failures of the schemes in significantly reducing informality in the last one decade. For example, the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme was praised by the report but it does not mention that the budget year 2024-25 was just lost without even launch of this scheme.

If we go through the Indias innovative approaches mentioned in the ILO report to formalization of employment or creation of decent jobs, it reads well, but informal employment remaining at about 90 per cent is clear indication that Indias strategy for formalization of jobs or creation of formal jobs have failed, a fact which ILO report avoided to put on record in clear terms.

Nevertheless, the report read, In terms of the overall global distribution of informality, the majority  nearly two thirds  of workers in the informal economy are in Asia and the Pacific. This is due in part to the size of the population of the region, notably in China and India, and persistently high levels of informality. In fact, while there has been progress in reducing the incidence of informality over the past two decades, which has fallen from nearly 73 per cent of total employment in 2004 to just under 66 per cent in 2024, the rate of progress has slowed considerably since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the incidence of informality in the region remains second only to Africa (83 per cent) and nearly 8 percentage points higher than the global average (58 per cent).

Within the region, there is noticeable variation in the incidence of informal employment, ranging from nearly 87 per cent in Southern Asia to as low as 35 per cent in the Pacific Islands (East Asia is also considerably low, at around 27 per cent if China is excluded). In terms of patterns over the past two decades, like the region overall, gains in the Pacific Islands have been slow and are relatively unchanged in the past five years.

In contrast, in Southern Asia where rates are already elevated, there has been an increase in the overall share of informal employment in total employment in the past decade. Whereas South-Eastern Asia and Eastern Asia  pandemic increases aside  have seen significant and steady improvements since 2004.

A number of sub regional trends merit highlighting. First, the share of informal employment in Southern Asia is as high as what is found in Sub-Saharan Africa (89.2 per cent). Second, within Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia experienced the most significant decreases in the share of informal employment over the last two decades, with both subregions seeing declines of nearly 14 percentage points (significantly more the region as a whole).

Underlying these, the report mentions country specific variations and says that the rate of informality remains close to 90 per cent or more in India and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic. By contrast, a number of countries from South-Eastern Asia experienced a significant decline in the share of informal employment. For instance, there has been approximately a 10 percentage point decrease in the rate of informality in Thailand and Viet Nam over the past decade. While in Mongolia (East Asia), a decrease of nearly 8 percentage points in the share of informality was achieved between 2010 and 2022.

The informal economy presents significant challenges to workers rights, social protection, decent working conditions and inclusive economic growth. Globally, over two billion people work informally, with the Asia and Pacific region accounting for nearly two-thirds of this total, the report emphasized. The persistence of informality undermines sustainable enterprises, hinders access to labour rights and social protection, erodes public revenues and exacerbates inequality and poverty.

Informality is persisting despite the ILOs recommendation adopted in 2015, which provides guidelines for transitioning from informal to formal economy. Nevertheless, the ILO report says that Asia-Pacific region has made some progress, about 7 per cent decline in informality in the last two decades to 66 per cent. However, this decline has been offset by the overall growth in the total number of workers, leading to an increase in the absolute number of informal workers.

Part of the challenge in the region is the notable absence of dedicated and integrated approaches that acknowledge the complex interrelations and synergies required to effectively and persistently tackle informality. Currently, tripartite structures engaged in the governance and coordination of formalization efforts are largely lacking across the region, with only a few notable exceptions. Large segments of the workforce are trapped in low-productivity sectors. Efforts to reduce informality are most effective when focus is on increasing incomes and improving working conditions, which strongly influence workers capacity to move between the informal and formal economies, and hence, the report says, more efforts are needed. (IPA Service)
Activists called the case baseless and politically motivated. Tunisian President Kais Saied has rolled back many freedoms the North African country gained after spawning the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings in 2011 read more

People take part in a protest against president Kais Saied policies, in Tunis, Tunisia, Sunday, March 5, 2023. AP

A court in Tunisia has sentenced leading opposition figures to between 13 and 66 years in prison in the climax of a major trial accusing 40 people of conspiring against state security, according to Tunisian media reports.

Activists called the case baseless and politically motivated. Tunisian President Kais Saied has rolled back many freedoms the North African country gained after spawning the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings in 2011.

Those accused in the trial include former diplomats, business leaders, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders, and some have spent more than two years in pre-trial detention. Others have fled abroad.

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The trial began in March and wrapped up late Friday and early Saturday with the court handing down sentences of between 13 and 66 years to prominent opposition leaders, according to official news agency TAP and local radio Jawahra FM.

TAP quoted a substitute prosecutor as saying they were found guilty of conspiracy against state security and belonging to a terror group. The trial was held in a special criminal court for terrorism cases.

Lawyers in the huge and high-profile case told Tunisian media that it was unclear how many of the 40 defendants were given prison terms.

Former Tunisian legislator Said Ferjani was convicted to 13 years in prison, his daughter Kaouther Ferjani posted on X. Describing it as yet another fabricated conspiracy case, she said that other figures from Islamist party Ennahdha were also among those sentenced.

Tunisias president, re-elected for a second term last year, says the defendants are traitors and terrorists because they accuse him of staging a coup in 2021.

Several critics, including the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, have accused Saieds government of using the judiciary to stifle dissent since 2021, when he dissolved parliament and expanded executive authority.

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Human Rights Watch released a report this week outlining how Tunisia has expanded the use of politically motivated arrests and prosecutions to intimidate and silence critics. It said authorities in recent years have targeted lawyers, judges, journalists and activists in a crackdown on Saieds critics.
Pope Francis reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in an Easter Sunday message read aloud by an aide as the pontiff, still recovering from pneumonia, looked on during a brief appearance on the main balcony of St. Peters Basilica. read more

Pope Francis stands on the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica during the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on April 20, 2025. Photo- AFP

Pope Francis on Sunday expressed concern over what he described as a worrying rise in anti-Semitism across the globe, while also denouncing the ongoing conflict in Gaza and once again urging for a ceasefire.

At 88, and following medical advice to scale back his activities, the pontiff did not lead the Vaticans traditional Easter Mass but made an appearance at the end of the ceremony to deliver his Urbi et Orbi blessing  his address to the city of Rome and the world.

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I am thinking of the people of Gaza, especially its Christians, where the devastating conflict continues to bring loss of life, destruction, and a deeply distressing humanitarian emergency, read the popes traditional Easter address, delivered by a collaborator as Francis sat in his wheelchair at the balcony of St Peters Basilica.

The address also highlighted the popes long-standing view that genuine peace cannot exist without fundamental rights and mutual respect. Peace requires freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and regard for differing opinions, he said in his message.

Before a recent five-week hospitalization for pneumonia, a condition that nearly claimed his life, Francis had increasingly criticized Israels military offensive in Gaza, calling the humanitarian conditions in the enclave very serious and shameful during remarks earlier in January.

In the Easter message, the pontiff said the situation in Gaza was dramatic and deplorable. The pope also called on Palestinian terrorist group Hamas to release its remaining hostages and condemned what he said was a worrisome trend of antisemitism in the world.

I express my closeness to the sufferings  of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, said the message.

I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace, it said.

Hamas last week rejected an Israeli proposal for another temporary truce, instead demanding a deal to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday he had instructed the Israeli military to intensify pressure on Hamas.

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The war was triggered by the Hamas-led October 7 attack on southern Israel in 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health authorities. The Gaza health ministry says 1,600 people have been killed in the past month.

Earlier on Sunday, Francis held a meeting at the Vatican with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has been visiting Italy over the weekend.

The Vatican said the meeting with Vance was brief, lasting a few minutes, in order to exchange Easter greetings.

With inputs from agencies
According to Thai Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, the Chinese executives arrest was ordered by a court for breaching the Foreign Business Act read more

Rescuers use heavy machinery to clear the huge slabs of concrete from the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, April 1, 2025. AP

Thai authorities have arrested the Chinese executive of the firm responsible for constructing the high-rise building that collapsed in Bangkok during a deadly earthquake last month. The quake that struck Myanmar on March 28 resulted in the collapse, killing dozens of workers. The under-construction 33-storey high-rise building, which was part of a project for Thailands State Audit Office (SAO), was a joint venture between a major Thai construction firm and a Chinese state-owned companys local subsidiary.

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Following the collapse, Thailands Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident.

Bangkok Post reported that a team of seasoned engineers from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, along with trustworthy specialists, were assembled to conduct the inquiry.

Thailand will quickly find out why the building collapsed. It was just built and should have been designed to withstand earthquakes, the interior minister said, adding, The earthquake caused a seismic magnitude of 7.8 but more than 95 per cent of buildings withstood it. Collapse happened only to the State Audit building. This building was newly constructed. So, it should have endured an earthquake."

Why Chinese executive has been arrested?

According to Thai Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, the Chinese executives arrest was ordered by a court for breaching the Foreign Business Act.

The Chinese national has been identified as Zhang Chuanling, and he was arrested along with three Thai nationals.

Zhang is listed as a 49 per cent shareholder in the firm which partnered with the Thai firm to construct the building.

According to Tawee, the three Thai nationals were held for holding shares for other foreign independents.

We have evidence that the three Thais were holding shares for other foreign independents, the justice minister said.

According to the Foreign Business Act, foreigners are barred from holding more than 49 per cent stakes in a company.

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Tawee added that several other investigations related to the collapse of the building were still going on. There is a possibility that bid rigging and forging of engineers signature may also have been done.
Trumps 25 per cent duties, and Ottawas promised retaliatory levies, land squarely on an economy already punished by record house prices. Amid this, the snap election that was expected to favour Conservatives Pierre Poilievre seems to be leaning towards current PM Mark Carney read more

Canadas snap election, once expected to hand Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre the keys to 24 Sussex Drive, has been upended by Donald Trumps tariff barrage on steel, aluminium, autos and even lumber.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney warns of tough days ahead while courting European allies; on the stump, Poilievre scrambles to distance himself from the US presidents threats to turn Canada into the 51st state.

These tariffs are fundamentally damaging to the American economy and, by extension, to the global economy, Carney told reporters after Trumps announcement, according to a report by CNN.

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Tariffs meet an overheated housing market

Trumps 25 per cent duties, and Ottawas promised retaliatory levies, land squarely on an economy already punished by record house prices. Ontarios builders lobby says costlier steel and aluminium will make new homes dearer still, deepening a crisis that has priced a generation out of ownership.

Economist Randall Morck noted share prices have sagged on recession fears: Stock prices have gone down, so everybody is poorer, he says. I expect that [voters] are going to vote for the candidate that they think will minimize the cost of the trade war with the US  I havent seen anything like it since the Vietnam war.

Finance technocrat vs career populist

Carney, a rookie MP but a veteran of the Bank of England and Bank of Canada, presents himself as the steady pilot Canada needs. On his first foreign trip, he bypassed Washington and flew to Europe, securing pledges of tighter military and commercial links.

I have seen this movie before. I know exactly whats going to happen to them; the Americans are going to get weaker, he told supporters in Ontario.

In a crisis, its important to come together, and its essential to act with purpose and with force. And thats what we will do.

Poilievre, once the clear frontrunner, touts a Canada First vision and vows to slash red tape, yet now stresses he is not MAGA. His decades in Parliament and modest upbringing child of two schoolteacherscontrast with the financierturnedpolitician in power. But as antiAmerican sentiment rises, voters appear to be rallying to the man who has already steered nations through global turbulence.
UKs Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said it would be foolish to disengage with China amid concerns that the US could pressure the Starmer administration to limit its trade with Beijing read more

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. File Image / AP

UKs Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves dismissed the idea of economically disengaging with China amid tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. The remarks from Reeves came amid concerns that the US might pressure the UK to limit its trade with China. The British chancellor will be heading to Washington to discuss a trade deal with the Trump administration this week.

Reeves insisted that it would be very foolish for Britain to have less involvement with the Xi Jinping administration based on the current circumstances. Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials would attempt to use trade deals and tariff discussions to economically isolate China.

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On Friday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Trump about the ongoing and productive discussions over a trade deal. This was the first conversation between the two leaders since the imposition of 10 per cent tariffs on British goods after Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs worldwide. However, several nations were relieved after the president installed a 90-day pause on these tariffs.

Foolish not to engage: Reeves on trade with China

During a conversation with the Daily Telegraph, Reeves emphasised that one can not disengage with the second-largest economy in the world. Well, China is the second biggest economy in the world, and it would be, I think, very foolish not to engage. Thats the approach of this government," the chancellor told the British news outlet.

She also expressed her support for the fast-fashion company Shein floating on the London Stock Exchange. Shein was founded in China, but is now based in Singapore. In the past, the company has faced allegations of supply chain and labour abuses.

Reeves remarks over the matter came a week after the government was granted emergency powers by parliament to continue operations at the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, owned by the Chinese company Jingye. Jingye was accused of not ordering enough supplies to keep the blast furnaces at the site in North Lincolnshire running. This led to a race against time to stop the furnaces from cooling.

Amid the chaos, several MPs questioned links between Jingye and the Chinese government, with the rise in debate on whether Chinese companies should be allowed to invest in the critical infrastructure of the United Kingdom. While responding to the backlash, the Chinese embassy in London criticised some MPs for anti-China rhetoric, and an arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset towards the country.

While commenting on the matter, Reeves told the Daily Telegraph that Chinese investment would be blocked from sensitive areas of critical national infrastructure. She said she was open to Shein being listed on the London Stock Exchange, as it and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had very strict standards.

We have lost business and we have lost companies in recent years, and were working closely with the London Stock Exchange to make the UK a more vibrant place to list," she added.

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During her trip to Washington, Reeves will hold talks with US officials, including the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent and will be attending the International Monetary Funds spring meetings with other finance ministers. It is hoped that tariff reductions for the UK could be agreed within weeks or months.
Aditya Wahyu Harsono, an Indonesian man was detained by ICE agents after his visa was secretly revoked due to some past misdemeanours read more

An Indonesian student, who was detained by agents from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the authorities secretly revoked his visa, will remain in custody as the immigration judge has allowed the case to proceed. The father of an infant with special needs was detained by federal agents while he was working at a hospital in Minnesota.

On Saturday, Judge Sarah Mazzie denied a motion to dismiss the case against Aditya Wahyu Harsono on humanitarian grounds. The 33-year-old was arrested four days after his visa was revoked without notice. He is scheduled for another hearing on May 1. His wife has been in a state of shock and exhaustion, Sarah Gad, Harsonos lawyer, said. The Department of Homeland Security has weaponised the immigration system to serve just an entirely different purpose, which is to instil fear.

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Harsono is a supply chain manager at a hospital in Marshall, Minnesota. He is married to an American citizen and was surprised when authorities arrested him on March 27. Gad noted that the Indonesian man was detained without a clear explanation and interrogated for hours.

Visa revoked for past misdemeanour

Harsonos wife, Peyton, called Gad in a panic after she received a call from human resources at the hospital. She learned that two ICE agents, dressed in plain clothes, had shown up and instructed the staff to stage a fake meeting in the basement so they could apprehend him, according to Gad.

The lawyer said the hospital staff was distraught by the whole exchange and forced to comply. He unsuspectedly walks in, smiling, and then they just pull out their handcuffs and forcibly detain him, pushing against the wall, start frisking him and stripping all of his belongings, Gad said.

Harsono was then brought to the Kandiyohi County Jail, where he is still detained, according to the ICE detainee locator. During the interrogation, the Indonesian man told authorities that his F-1 student visa was valid through June 2026 and he had a pending green card application based on his marriage to a citizen.

Meanwhile, his attorney said that as of March 28, the day after his arrest, his F-1 visa was still active. Gad said the government revoked it without any notice and claimed he had overstayed. The court learned that the revocation was backdated to March 23 and was allegedly based on his 2022 misdemeanour conviction for graffitiing a semi-truck trailer.

Gad argued that it is not a deportable offence under the Immigration and Nationality Act. She mentioned that since then, Harsono has travelled internationally and returned multiple times without any issues.

The day before Harsonos bond hearing, DHS disclosed their evidence against him. Besides stating that his visa was revoked for the misdemeanour graffiti conviction, for which he paid $100 in restitution, they also mentioned an arrest from 2021 during a protest over the murder of George Floyd.

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That charge was dismissed. It is pertinent to note that Harsono is a Muslim man and has often posted in support of Gaza on his social media. He also runs a small non-profit, which sells art and merchandise, with proceeds going to organizations aiding Gaza.

With inputs from agencies.
Prominent economists, lawmakers and two Nobel laureates signed a letter condemning US President Donald Trumps tariff policy, calling it misguided read more

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. Reuters

Dozens of economists, including two Nobel laureates, have signed a letter criticising US President Donald Trumps tariff policy, calling it misguided and insisting that it has no basis in economic reality. In the letter, titled  Anti-tariff declaration, the economists raised several concerns, including how the tariffs could cause  self-inflicted recession.

As of Sunday afternoon, over 1,000 people have signed the letter. The writers warned that the timeline to undo the Trump administrations incoherent and damaging policies on trade is narrowing. The proponents of tariffs portray these measures as acts of economic liberation. Instead, tariffs invert the principles of liberty that ushered in an American-led age of human freedom and prosperity, the letter reads.

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The current administrations tariffs are motivated by a mistaken understanding of the economic conditions faced by ordinary Americans, it continues. We anticipate that American workers will incur the brunt of these misguided policies in the form of increased prices and the risk of a self-inflicted recession.

The signatories include high-profile economists

While announcing the reciprocal tariffs, Trump said that they are meant to reverse Americas persistent overall trade deficit. He has also argued that the tariffs will boost the countrys manufacturing industry, which has seen many jobs shift overseas. Earlier this month, Trump warned that there might be some transitional problem but emphasised that the measure is good for the country.

Some of the high-profile signatories of the anti-tariff declaration include Nobel laureates James Heckman and Vernon Smith, the economist and former Republican Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, and N. Gregory Mankiw, the chair of the Council of Economic Advisors under President George W. Bush.

The signatories specifically called out Trumps reciprocal tariff policy. The reciprocal tariff rates being threatened and imposed by the United States upon other countries are calculated using an erroneous and improvised formula with no basis in economic reality, the letter reads.

We remain hopeful, however, that sound economic principles, empirical evidence, and the warnings of history will prevail over the protectionist mythologies of the moment, the letter furthered. It is pertinent to note that the Trump tariffs have also met with increased resistance from within, including seven GOP lawmakers who signed on to support a bill that would remove tariffs after 60 days if a president imposes them without approval from the US Congress.

The policy has also caused volatility in the stock markets, with stocks crashing to new lows. The White House is yet to respond to the letter and it is unclear what will happen after 90-day pause on tariffs come to an end.
The draft order, already in circulation among diplomats stationed abroad, calls for the dismantling of entire bureaus those overseeing climate policy, refugee coordination, international organisations, global womens issues and democracy promotion read more

The Trump administration is circulating a draft executive order that would gut the US State Department, eliminate major diplomatic arms, and shut down missions in large parts of the worldincluding Africa and Canada.

If signed, the proposal would amount to the most sweeping reorganisation of the State Department since its founding in 1789, dramatically slashing Americas diplomatic footprint and signalling an even deeper retreat from the multilateral order Washington helped build in the 20th century, Bloomberg reported citing the copy of a 16-page document it obtained.

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The draft order, already in circulation among diplomats stationed abroad, calls for the dismantling of entire bureaus those overseeing climate policy, refugee coordination, international organisations, global womens issues and democracy promotion. The Bureau of African Affairs and the office liaising with the United Nations are among those marked for elimination.

The document sets an aggressive timeline: the changes would take effect by October 1.

Canada downgraded, embassies in Africa shuttered

In a move that has startled foreign policy observers, the proposal calls for the effective downgrading of diplomatic relations with Canada. Oversight would fall under a significantly reduced team within a newly proposed North American Affairs Office reporting directly to the Secretary of State. The US embassy in Ottawa would see a substantial reduction in staffing.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, an unspecified number of embassies and consulates deemed non-essential would be closed entirely. The plan would collapse the current structure into four broad regional bureausIndo-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Eurasia streamlining what officials described as an overly diffuse and inconsistent network of international operations.

Foreign service officers would be assigned to regions for the duration of their careers, ending the traditional model of global rotations. Those unwilling to join the new regional system have until September 30 to opt for a buyout.

Fulbright restricted, DEI programs axed

The overhaul extends far beyond staffing. One of Americas most prestigious soft-power tools, the Fulbright Program, would be transformed into a tightly focused scholarship for masters-level students in national security studies. Priority would be given to critical languages including Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Farsi.

Meanwhile, fellowships at Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, would be eliminated, as part of what officials describe as a broader rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the State Department.

The order also outlines the final stages of dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), whose responsibilities would now be folded into a newly created Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs. No mission, it says, could proceed without explicit written approval from the President of the United States.

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Loyalty test for future diplomats

A new foreign service examination would be introduced, according to the draft, to ensure that prospective diplomats are aligned with the Presidents foreign policy vision: a dramatic politicisation of the traditionally non-partisan diplomatic corps.

Currently, the State Departments global workforce includes over 13,000 Foreign Service officers, 11,000 Civil Service employees, and more than 45,000 locally employed staff. With over 270 US diplomatic missions around the world, the proposed cuts would mark a seismic shift in how Washington engages with the world.
The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it would welcome the extension beyond Sunday of a oneday Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin even as the Kremlin said earlier there was no order for an extension. read more

This handout picture taken and released by press-service of the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade shows Ukrainian servicemen taking part in Easter service lead by Chaplain Father Sergiy in Zaporizhzhya region on April 20, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP Photo

The US State Department on Sunday said it would welcome any decision to extend a one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin even though the Kremlin earlier indicated no such extension had been ordered.

We have noted President Putins statement regarding a temporary Easter ceasefire. The United States remains committed to securing a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities, a State Department spokesperson said.

We would view an extension beyond Sunday as a positive step, should it materialise.

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Despite the truce announced by Putin, both Moscow and Kyiv on Sunday accused each other of breaking the Easter pause in fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Russian forces had continued their shelling and assaults along the front lines, despite the Kremlins declaration of a holiday ceasefire.

Ukraines air force reported no overnight missile strikes or drone launches. However, Zelenskyy maintained that Russian attacks persisted on the front after the ceasefire officially began.

Meanwhile, Russias defense ministry claimed its forces had repelled attempted Ukrainian assaults during the same period and accused Kyiv of launching numerous drones and artillery shells, which it said caused civilian casualties.

Despite the announcement of the Easter truce, Ukrainian units at night made attempts to attack Russias positions in the Donetsk region, the ministry added.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of the escalation risk of the three-year-old war launched by Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbor and said he wants to end the war. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress soon.

After the US and Ukraine reached a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, Trump said he expected to sign a minerals deal with Kyiv in a week. An attempt in February fell apart following Zelenskiyys Oval Office clash with Trump.

With inputs from agencies
Trump, on his Truth Social platform, slammed the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! read more

Protestors hold signs as they march towards the White House during a Free Kilmar Abrego and an Anti-Trump protest, in Washington, DC, April 19, 2025. AFP Photo

The rift over President Donald Trumps push to wield unprecedented authority in deporting migrants escalated on Sunday as he once again lashed out at the judiciary. While a senior Democrat cautioned that the country was edging closer and closer to a constitutional crisis.

Tensions flared after the US Supreme Court stepped in during the early hours of Saturday, issuing a temporary block on the Trump administrations plan to deport a group of Venezuelan migrants. The migrants had been accused of gang ties under a seldom-invoked wartime statute, though the government swiftly urged the court to lift the suspension.

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The Supreme Courts decision came in response to an emergency appeal from American Civil Liberties Union lawyers, who argued that dozens of Venezuelan migrants were at risk of immediate deportation without the judicial oversight the court had previously mandated.

Trump lashed out Sunday on his Truth Social platform, not specifically naming the high court but slamming the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten!

Samuel Alito, one of two conservative high-court justices to vote against the halt, called the emergency ruling by the courts majority legally questionable.

Literally in the middle of the night, the Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief without hearing from the opposing party, Alito wrote in his dissent.

The courts order at least temporarily halted what rights groups warned were imminent deportations of Venezuelan migrants being held in Texas, who have been accused of being gang members.

More broadly, the decision temporarily prevents the government from continuing to expel migrants under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act  last used to round up Japanese-American citizens during World War II.

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The Trump administration has been butting heads with federal judges, rights groups and Democrats who say he has trampled or ignored constitutionally enshrined rights in rushing to deport migrants, sometimes without the right to a hearing.

Were getting closer and closer to a constitutional crisis, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar told CNN.

Donald Trump is trying to pull us down into the sewer of a crisis.

The Republican president has insisted that he is protecting American citizens against a wave of undocumented migration  including, he says, murderers, terrorists and rapists  while carrying out the will of the voters who returned him to the White House.
Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of violating an Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The 30-hour truce had been meant to start Saturday to mark the religious holiday, but Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of keeping up its attacks on the front line. read more

An armoured Ukrainian military vehicle drives on a road in a village not far from the frontline in the Dnipropetrovsk region, on April 19, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP Photo

Ukraine proposes that Russia abandon drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

As of this hour, since the beginning of the day, the Russian army has violated Putins ceasefire more than two thousand times. There have already been 67 Russian assaults against our positions across various directions, with the highest number in the Pokrovsk direction. There were a total of 1,355 cases of Russian shelling, 713 of which involved heavy weaponry. If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war, Zelenskyy said on X.

A report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi as of 8:00 p.m. on Easter Day.



As of this hour, since the beginning of the day, the Russian army has violated Putins ceasefire more than two thousand times. There have already been 67 Russian assaults against our positions across various  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 20, 2025

Zelenskyy accused Russia on Sunday of creating a false appearance of honoring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce. In later updates, Zelenskyy said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues. He said, however, that it was a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens.

The Russian defence ministry said its troops had strictly observed the ceasefire.

Moscow said it had repelled assaults by Ukraine and accused Kyiv of launching hundreds of drones and shells, causing civilian casualties.

Despite the announcement of the Easter truce, Ukrainian units at night made attempts to attack Russias positions in the Donetsk region, its defence ministry added.

Putins order to halt all combat over the Easter weekend came after months of efforts by US President Donald Trump to get the war rivals to agree to a ceasefire. However, on Friday, Trump threatened to withdraw from talks if no progress was made.

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With inputs from agencies
Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to a surprise Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, but accused Russia of breaking it. Both nations exchanged over 240 prisoners. read more

Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday his forces would observe a surprise Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin set to last until midnight on Sunday, even as air-raid sirens sounded in Kyiv.

The 30-hour truce would be the most significant pause in the fighting throughout the three-year conflict.

But just hours after the order was meant to have come into effect, air-raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital, and Zelenskyy accused Russia of having maintained its artillery fire and assaults on the frontline.

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Also on Saturday, Russia and Ukraine held a large exchange of prisoners, each side saying they had handed back more than 240 captured fighters.

The order to halt all combat over the Easter weekend came after months of efforts by US President Donald Trump to get Moscow and Kyiv to agree a ceasefire. On Friday, Washington even threatened to withdraw from talks if no progress was made.

Today from 1800 (1500 GMT Saturday) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce, Putin said in televised comments during a meeting with the Russian chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov.

Zelenskyy responded by saying Ukraine would follow suit, and proposed extending the truce beyond Sunday. But the Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of having already broken its promises.

Give peace a chance

Air-raid sirens sounded in Kyiv and several other regions on Saturday evening.

Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided, Zelenskyy said.

Putin had said the truce for the Easter holiday celebrated on Sunday was motivated by humanitarian reasons.

While he expected Ukraine to comply, he said that Russian troops must be ready to resist possible breaches of the truce and provocations by the enemy.

Zelenskyy in a social media post wrote: If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly  mirroring Russias actions.

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He added: If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20.

He proposed that 30 days could give peace a chance, while pointing out that Putin had earlier rejected a proposed 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire.

Attacks continue

The fighting is ongoing, and Russian attacks continue, Ukraines military command, the Chief of Staff, reported Saturday evening.

In some areas on the frontline, Russian artillery continues to be heard, despite the promise of silence from the Russian leader. Russian drones are being used. It is quieter in some areas.

Soldiers in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk close to the front line earlier greeted the truce announcement with scepticism.

Putin might do it to give some hope or to show his humanity, said Dmitry, a 40-year-old soldier. But either way, of course, we dont trust (Russia).

Putin said the latest truce proposal would show how sincere is the Kyivs regimes readiness, its desire and ability to observe agreements and participate in a process of peace talks.

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Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.

Previous attempts at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were not implemented after both sides failed to agree on them.

Captives swapped

For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most important holidays. And millions of Ukrainians will go to church, said Zelenskyy in his evening address.

Over the years of this full-scale war, Russian attacks have destroyed or damaged more than 600 churches, prayer houses and places of worship.

In Kramatorsk, one soldier, Vladislav, 22, said: I feel like its going to start again after a while, and its going to go on and on.

On the streets of Moscow, Yevgeny Pavlov, 58, said he did not think Russia should give Ukraine a breather.

There is no need to give them respite. If we press, it means we should press to the end, he told AFP.

Earlier Saturday, Ukraine and Russia said they had each returned 246 soldiers being held as prisoners of war in a swap mediated by the United Arab Emirates.

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Zelenskyy said the total number of returned POWs now stood at 4,552.

The UAEs foreign ministry said 31 wounded Ukrainians and 15 wounded Russians were also exchanged.

The UAE said it was committed to finding a peaceful solution to the conflict and mitigating the humanitarian impacts.

Russia said it had retaken the penultimate village still under Ukrainian control in its Kursk frontier region.

Kyiv had hoped to use its hold on the region as a bargaining chip in the talks.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
'A complete meltdown in Pentagon': Top aides fired amid ongoing leak probe

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 10:25 AM

Three Pentagon aides were terminated on Friday following investigations into leaks of classified and sensitive information amid a week of turmoil for the department, Politico reported, citing anonymous sources.

The three people whose services were terminated include Senior advisor Dan Caldwell, Darin Selnick, the deputy chief of staff under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Colin Carroll, who is the chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg.

The developments at Pentagon come amid a probe into two serious lapses.

One of them was the sharing of sensitive information in the group chat (where the officials inadvertently added a journalist) on the Signal app.

The other was the leak to the New York Times where unnamed officials revealed details of Elon Musk's visit to the Pentagon where the billionaire was briefed about the US planning for any potential war with China.

Both US President Donald Trump and Hegseth had dismissed the report.

Joe Kasper, Hegseth's chief of staff will also leave his role in the coming days for a new position at the agency, according to a senior administration official.

"There is a complete meltdown in the building, and this is really reflecting on the secretary's leadership," official sources were quoted as saying. "Pete Hegseth has surrounded himself with some people who don't have his interests at heart."

The changes will leave Hegseth without a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, or senior adviser in his front office.

Kasper had requested an investigation into Pentagon leaks last month, which included military operational plans for the Panama Canal, a second carrier headed to the Red Sea, Musk's visit, and a pause in the collection of intelligence for Ukraine.

Some at the Pentagon also started to notice a rivalry between Kasper and the fired advisers.

"Joe didn't like those guys," said one defense official. "They all have different styles. They just didn't get along. It was a personality clash."

Carroll and Selnick plan to sue for wrongful termination, sources told Politico.

Democrats have referred to the firings as another example of Hegseth's inability to lead the agency.

"Everyone knew that Pete Hegseth did not possess the leadership qualities, background, or experience to be Secretary of Defense," said Chris Meagher, who served as assistant Defense Secretary for Public Affairs during the Biden administration.

"Everything we've seen since then  the firing of several American heroes because of a perceived lack of loyalty, the sloppiness of Signalgate, the complete lack of transparency, and now several political staff being shown the door  has only confirmed he doesn't have what it takes to lead."

The terminations follow a purge of top military officers in February, including former Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. C.Q. Brown and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti.

"There probably will be more chaos," another unnamed official was quoted as saying. "It certainly reinforces the fear factor, and awareness that no one's job is safe."

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Wyoming Air National Guard base chosen for C-130H to C-130J upgrade

Published April 18, 2025

By Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The Department of the Air Force selected Wyoming Air National Guard Base in Cheyenne as the next location to host C-130Js.

A total of eight C-130J aircraft will be used to recapitalize the aging C-130H fleet, where older C-130H models will be fleet managed out of service and replaced by C-130H models from converting units.

This significant series upgrade will require new flight qualification for pilots and loadmasters transitioning airframes, while removing the navigators and flight engineers from the aircrew.

An excess of 19 manpower positions due to this shift will be repurposed through the Air National Guard corporate process. The first aircraft are scheduled to arrive in early 2028.

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Chinese satellite company refutes US accusation of supporting Houthi attack on US interests as 'completely fabricated'

Global Times

By Fan Wei and Liu Xin Published: Apr 19, 2025 05:41 PM

The US accusations are completely groundless and Chang Guang Satellite Technology has no business dealings with Iran or the Houthi groups, Chang Guang Satellite Technology told the Global Times on Saturday in response to a recent US accusation of supporting Yemen's Houthis in attacking US interests in the region.

The US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce claimed that Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd was involved in "directly aiding Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen by providing satellite imagery used to target US and international vessels in the Red Sea," according to a report from Fox News on Friday.

In response to an inquiry from the Global Times on the US accusation, Chang Guang Satellite Technology said that the company firmly opposed the US groundless accusation and such claims are completely fabricated and maliciously slanderous.

Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd has no business dealings with Iran or the Houthi force. The company said that it strives to harness remote sensing data to drive high-quality development across key sectors such as agriculture, forestry, environmental protection, and finance.

"In our global operations, we strictly comply with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards both in China and internationally. With a mature business model and high-quality services, we are committed to contributing Chinese expertise and solutions to the advancement of the global remote sensing industry," said the company.

The core US accusation is that Chang Guang Satellite tracked US warships and commercial vessels using commercial remote sensing satellites to guide the Houthis strikes, which is technically unfeasible, Hu Bo, director of South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), told the Global Times.

Hu said that according to current public information, it is technically difficult for any global commercial remote sensing satellite constellation  including that of Chang Guang Satellite  to achieve such a capability. The limitations in ephemeris, revisit cycles of the remote sensing satellite, and the ability of existing remote sensing technologies to track moving targets mean that these satellites cannot provide real-time coordinate information to strike mobile targets such as warships and commercial vessels.

Even Planet Labs, the US-based company with the largest number of commercial remote sensing satellites in the world, can only achieve an average once-daily revisit cycle for any given location on Earth. While orbital adjustments and resource concentration on hotspot areas may slightly reduce the revisit interval, this still makes it meaningless for real-time tracking and targeting of moving objects to guide weapon strikes, according to Hu.

The Houthis have their own drone capabilities, which serve as the most practical and effective means of real-time surveillance and reconnaissance against moving targets in narrow waters like the Red Sea. In contrast, reconnaissance satellites offer very limited utility in such scenarios, said Hu.

In response to a media inquiry on the US accusation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Friday said that "I'm not familiar with the specifics you mentioned. Since the situation in the Red Sea escalated, China has been playing a positive role to ease tensions."

"Who is promoting talks for peace and cooling down the situation, and who is heightening tensions with sanction and pressure? The answer is rather clear to the world. China urges relevant countries to do what is conducive to regional peace and stability, not otherwise," Lin said.

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Yemeni forces shoot down another U.S. MQ-9 drone

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Yemen's Armed Forces have say they have downed two American MQ-9 drones over Sana'a, amid escalating confrontations with the United States and Israel during.

In a statement on Saturday, Yemen's armed forces announced that the drone was intercepted using indigenously-developed air defense systems and missiles.

This brings the number of drones shot down this month to six and 21 since Yemen launched operations dubbed the "Battle of the Promised Victory and Holy Jihad."

The continued airstrikes targeting civilians, their property, and public infrastructures will not break the will of the faithful, struggling Yemeni people, it noted.

The statement emphasized that the aggression against Yemen "will only lead to greater steadfastness and unwavering support for the oppressed Palestinian people in confronting the war crimes being perpetrated by the Zionist enemy in Gaza.

The U.S. drone activity in Yemeni airspace has increased in recent months, with some drones being on surveillance missions or targeting the country's military sites, according to the Yemeni sources.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Transport Minister Muhammad Ayyash Qahim denounced the U.S. airstrikes targeting the Ras Isa oil port in Hudaydah

He described the attacks on civilian infrastructure a futile attempt to undermine Yemen's support for Gaza. He reiterated that Yemen will not stay silent amid civilian casualties and the destruction of critical facilities in the U.S. aggression.

Similarly, Hudaydah Governor Abdullah Atifi labeled the U.S. strikes on the Ras Isa oil port a war crime, affirming Yemen's unwavering backing for Palestine.

Yemen's oil minister also condemned the destruction of the Ras Isa port as a deliberate U.S. move to put pressure on the Yemeni people, saying that these crimes would not weaken Yemen's resolve to stand with Gaza.

The U.S. airstrikes on Ras Isa late Thursday killed at least 74 people, including five medical personnel. Yemeni officials declared the attacks proof of the failure of U.S. strategies against Yemen's resistance movement.

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Dozens more Palestinians are killed as Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have claimed more than 90 lives over the past two days, as the regime's military ramp up attacks across the Gaza Strip.

The victims include 15 people who were killed overnight strikes on an area designated humanitarian zone, a hospital staff was quoted by news sources on Saturday.

He said that at least 11 people were killed in the southern city of Khan Yunis, several of them sheltering in a tent in the Mawasi area where hundreds of thousands of displaced people are living.

Four others, including a mother and her daughter, were reportedly killed in separate assaults on Rafah city.

Israel resumed its military offensive against Gaza on March 18 in violation of a ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in January this year.

Israel, with the backing of the U.S., launched a genocidal war on Gaza back in October 2023. It has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The actual death toll is believed to be much higher, as Gaza officials say thousands missing are presumed dead.

The bombing and shelling campaign has displaced around 90% of the population, with hundreds of thousands now living in tent camps and bombed-out buildings.

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Hezbollah chief says resistance movement will not allow anyone to disarm it

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

The Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, Sheikh Naim Qassem, says the movement will not allow anyone to disarm as it is determined to continue resistance against Israeli aggression.

Sheikh Qassem made the remarks in a televised speech on Friday as Israel and the United States have been calling for disarming Hezbollah, a move backed by some Lebanese factions.

He rejected the calls for Hezbollah's disarmament, saying that the movement's "weapons are exclusively tied to confronting the Israeli enemy."

"The primary issue in Lebanon is not the Resistance's weapons but the expulsion of the Israeli occupation," Lebanon's Al Mayadeen news network quoted the Hezbollah chief.

Sheikh Qassem also said that Israel is pushing for disarming Hezbollah because the regime aims to "weaken Lebanon" and is pursuing its expansionist plans.

"Israel is expansionist and is not satisfied with occupied Palestine. It also wants to take Lebanon. Israel wants to occupy the largest part of Lebanon to annex it to occupied Palestine, and build settlements on Lebanese land," the Hezbollah chief said.

He also said that there is no conflict between Hezbollah and the Lebanese army and government, emphasizing that the resistance movement is not afraid of U.S. and Israeli threats, and will continue to defend Lebanon.

As long as the resistance stands by the Lebanese army and people, the Israeli regime will not achieve its goals, Sheikh Qassem said, adding that the Israeli regime has never been able to disarm Hezbollah despite enjoying full support of the U.S.

Sheikh Qassem also reaffirmed Hezbollah's commitment to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, and said the regime has launched over 2,700 attacks against Lebanon since the agreement took effect in late November last year.

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Yemeni forces shoot down second American MQ-9 spy drone within 24 hours

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 4:58 PM

The Yemeni Armed Forces have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, the second such aircraft targeted in the last 24 hours, and the 21st downed since the start of retaliatory operations against US interests and Israeli-affiliated vessels in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, said the country's forces had downed the unmanned aerial vehicle, while it was conducting hostile activities in the skies over the country's northwestern Sa'ada province.

"This marks the second drone of its kind downed in the last 24 hours, bringing to 21 the total [number of] drones intercepted during the Promised Conquest and Holy Jihad battle in support of Gaza," he announced in a statement on Saturday.

Saree noted that an American spy drone was brought down with a homegrown Yemeni surface-to-air missile, and its downing constitutes the sixth of its type during the current month of April.

The aircraft, which is estimated to cost $33 million, reportedly has a range of 1,850 kilometers (1,150 miles) and an operational altitude of 7,600 meters (25,000 feet). It has been utilized by the US military and intelligence units over Yemen for several years.

"Continued US airstrikes and targeting of civilians as well as public and private facilities will not undermine the willpower of faithful Yemeni people, and will not dissuade them from continuing their struggle.

"This will further consolidate their steadfastness and unwavering support for oppressed Palestinians in the face of the genocidal war being waged by the Zionist enemy against our brethren and sisters in Gaza," Saree pointed out.

He underlined that it is the Yemeni nation's religious, moral, and humanitarian duty to demonstrate solidarity with Palestinians.

Yemenis have been hitting Israeli and American targets in support of Palestinians in Gaza since the regime launched its devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, and in response to the American-British aggression on their homeland.

The operations have effectively shut down the Eilat port south of the occupied territories, causing significant economic setbacks for the Israelis.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said they will not stop their attacks until Israel's ground and aerial offensives in Gaza end, and the crippling siege against the Palestinian coastal territory is completely lifted.

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Armed illegal Israeli settlers storm West Bank village, damage private property

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 3:47 PM

Dozens of armed illegal Israeli settlers have stormed a village on the eastern side of the West Bank, attacking Palestinian-owned property, as incidents of settler violence, carried out under the protection of Israeli soldiers, are increasing across the occupied territory.

Hassan Mleihat, coordinator of the al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, said Jewish extremists barged into Ras 'Ein al-'Auja village with herds of sheep on Saturday, grazing the livestock near Palestinian homes.

They damaged private property and tried to stop residents from reaching their lands.

"Settler attacks on Bedouin communities have sharply escalated and now target every aspect of Bedouin life," Mleihat stated.

Elsewhere in Khirbet ed-Deir village, located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) southwest of Bethlehem, Israeli settlers stole water pumps used to irrigate crops belonging to Palestinian farmers.

The northern Jordan Valley has been for years a regular target of attacks committed by illegal settlers, along with Israeli occupation forces.

Since the formation of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet in late 2022, there has been a marked increase in assaults by illegal Israeli settlers on Palestinians, especially in the northern flank of the West Bank.

Various attacks on Palestinian property, including arson and graffiti, have become a daily occurrence throughout the occupied territories, particularly in the West Bank.

However, Israeli authorities rarely prosecute the Israeli settler assaults on Palestinians and their property and the vast majority of the files are closed due to deliberate police failure to investigate properly.

The Israeli military initiated its assault on the occupied West Bank on January 21, stating that the objective was to target the resistance fighters linked to the Jenin Battalion.

Since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023, at least 952 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers, and more than 7,000 others injured in the West Bank.

Last July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

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Israeli bombings kill at least 70 in Gaza, targeting homes, tent camps

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 10:15 AM

Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 70 Palestinians in Gaza since Friday morning, with the number of casualties increasing as attacks continue across the besieged territory.

The strikes killed civilians across multiple regions, with Gaza City and northern Gaza accounting for over 50% of the fatalities. However, the bombardment extended throughout the territory, with lethal attacks also reported in southern cities like Khan Younis and Rafah.

On Friday morning, a family of 10 was reported killed in an Israeli attack on a Khan Younis home.

In northern Gaza's as-Saftawi area, at least four individuals, including two children, were killed in an airstrike.

Palestinian Christians in Gaza continued to hold temperate gatherings leading up to Easter, amid the attacks.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces and settlers launched an attack against Palestinians in the town of Biddya in the Salfit governorate on Friday, casting a shadow over local celebrations.

The Palestine Red Crescent reported that at least one Palestinian was wounded in the assault.

Moreover, reports, citing local sources, said that dozens of settlers, escorted by Israeli military forces, raided Jabal al-Urma in Beita town, a hill in the town of Beita in the Nablus governorate.

In recent weeks, the Israeli military has intensified its devastating assaults on Gaza. The airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians while reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble.

Gaza's Health Ministry says at least 51,065 Palestinians have been confirmed dead and 116,505 wounded in Israel's war on Gaza since it began 18 months ago.

Israel launched the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, but it failed to achieve its declared objectives.

The regime eventually accepted Hamas' longstanding ceasefire terms on January 19. However, on March 18, Israel violated the agreement, restarting its indiscriminate bombardment of the besieged territory.

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US military to reduce Syria troops to under 1,000: Pentagon

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 9:42 AM

The US military intends to reduce its military presence in Syria to less than 1,000 troops in the coming months, according to Pentagon officials.

"This deliberate and conditions-based process will bring the US footprint in Syria down to less than a thousand US forces in the coming months," chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement on Friday.

The US military has about 2,000 US troops in Syria across several bases, mostly in the northeast.

The Pentagon did not specify in the release how many troops will be pulled out, but The New York Times reported on Thursday that the number is 600.

The release also did not provide a specific timeline for the withdrawal.

US President Donald Trump said in late January that the US "will make a determination" on troops in Syria following a report that said he intends to withdraw American forces.

"I don't know who said that, but we'll make a determination on that," Trump told reporters at the White House at the time. "We're not involved in Syria. Syria is in its own mess. They've got enough messes over there. They don't need us involved."

The US military has since 2014 deployed its forces and equipment in northeastern Syria with no authorization from the Arab country's government, with the Pentagon claiming that the deployment is aimed at preventing the oilfields in the area from falling into the hands of Daesh terrorists.

Damascus, however, maintained the deployment was meant to plunder the country's natural resources.

Over the past years, multiple footage has emerged revealing that the US occupation forces have used tankers to smuggle Syrian crude oil from the country's northern provinces to their bases in northern Iraq, as part of Washington's systematic plundering of Syria's basic commodities.

Trump has also admitted on several occasions that American forces were in the Arab country for its oil wealth.

Moreover, there have been several reports showing Washington's direct or indirect support through its regional allies for the Daesh terrorist group over the past years.

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US military conducts 13 airstrikes north of Yemen's capital overnight: Report

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 7:56 AM

Thirteen US airstrikes targeted locations north of Yemen's capital Sana'a during the early hours of Saturday, local news agencies reported.

Saba news agency, citing local sources, reported that the US airstrikes included seven raids on Saada and Al Jawf governorates north of Sana'a.

Four of the raids targeted Al Jawf's Bart Al-Anan and Khab Washa'af districts, and three struck Saada, the report added.

Additionally, six airstrikes were launched against Arhab district north of Sana'a, two of which hit the Al-Sama'a area.

On Friday, US military raids on Yemen's Ras Isa oil port killed at least 80 civilians and wounded 150 others.

According to the Hodeidah Health Office, the attack on Ras Isa oil port has been one of the deadliest attacks on the Arab country by US forces.

Since March 15, the US has started a large-scale military operation against Yemen and in support of the Israeli regime.

The US and UK forces have repeatedly targeted citizens and civilian infrastructure, including government buildings and hospitals, across Yemen to stop Yemeni armed forces solidarity operations in support of Palestinians facing Israeli genocide since October 2023.

Since November 2023, Yemeni armed forces have targeted Israeli-occupied lands and ships affiliated with the regime in the Red Sea and other territorial waters in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

The Yemeni government has said repeatedly that won't cease their retaliatory operation until the devastating war on Gaza stops, where the Israeli regime has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

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Hezbollah Warns Israel: 'Time Is Not Infinite'

Sputnik News

20250419

Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah reserves the right to respond to the potential Israeli attack, Hezbollah's secretary general said.

Hezbollah has given the Lebanese government time to resolve the conflict with Israel through diplomacy, but it reserves the right to choose how to respond if the Israeli army continues to attack Lebanon, the movement's secretary general said.

"We have several options to choose from, if the attacks continue ... We are giving diplomacy a chance, but time is not infinite," he said on Friday, in a speech aired by Lebanon's Al-Manar TV channel.

Naim Qassem

Secretary general of Hezbollah

Speaking on the issue of disarmament, Qassem said that the weapons of the Lebanese resistance fighters would be used exclusively against Israel. The secretary general emphasized that Hezbollah and the Lebanese military share a common enemy - Israel.

Qassem said that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was primarily responsible for defining the framework for an intra-Lebanese dialogue on the country's defense strategy. Hezbollah is ready to participate, but this will not happen under US pressure, the secretary general said, adding that Israel must leave Lebanese territory first and must stop carrying out strikes, then the movement's leadership could discuss defense strategy, but Hezbollah's disarmament would not be discussed.

 Sputnik

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Haiti's independence debt to France focus of debate at UN

19 April 2025 - Two centuries to the day after France imposed a crippling debt on Haiti in exchange for its independence, a UN forum heard calls for the restitution of what has long been described as a "ransom" extorted under the threat of force from the Caribbean nation that still bears the scars of colonialism and slavery.

The first country ever to free itself from slavery through a successful uprising, Haiti gained independence from France in 1804. But the price for defying the colonial order was steep. On April 17, 1825, besieged by French warships, Haiti agreed to pay an indemnity of 150 million gold francs to the European power.

Officially, the payment was meant to compensate French plantation owners for "lost property" following independence, but the amount far exceeded actual losses.

"France forced the winners of Haiti's independence - the former slaves - to compensate the losers, their former masters," said Monique Clesca, a journalist and activist of Haitian descent, said on Thursday at a meeting on the country's independence debt. The meeting was held during UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent.

The price of freedom: A double debt

This tax on liberty soon plunged world's first Black republic into a spiral of debt. When Haiti was no longer able to pay, France pushed its banks to lend it money, what we call a "double debt," Ms. Clesca explained.

By 1914, over three-quarters of the country's national budget was still being drained to repay French banks. It was not until 1947 - more than 140 years after independence - that Haiti finally settled its debt.

"France committed an enormous injustice that still resonates today," Ms. Clesca said.

An in-depth 2022 investigation by The New York Times found that Haiti's payments to France amounted to the modern equivalent of roughly $560 million. Had that money been retained in Haiti and invested domestically, it could have added more than $20 billion to the country's economy over time, according to some economists.

Haiti today: The legacy of debt

Though Haiti stands a milestone in the global fight for emancipation, today it today is mired in instability, with armed gangs controlling 85 per cent of the capital, Port-au-Prince. According to the World Bank, it remains the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean.

From institutional paralysis to arms trafficking and corruption, the country's challenges are immense. Yet, to the members of UN Permanent Forum, the roots of Haiti's crises are clear: they lie in history.

"The entrenched human rights crises in the Republic of Haiti [are] rooted in legacies of enslavement, colonialism, debt payments, military threats and interventions," said the advisory body to the UN Human Rights Council in a position paper last month.

A belated recognition

Responding to mounting calls for justice, French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday announced the creation of a joint commission of Haitian and French historians to examine the impact of the 1825 indemnity.

While welcoming the move, Martin Kimani, a member of the Permanent Forum, stressed that the commission's effectiveness would depend on its willingness to fully acknowledge the harm caused.

"We call for restitution of the financial sums extracted through this cost arrangement along with broader reparative measures to address Haiti's structural underdevelopment and international neglect," Mr. Kimani said during the meeting, held on the final day of the Forum's fourth session this week.

According to media reports, so far the French president has stopped short of committing to financial reparations.

Calls for restitution

"The colonial past creates responsibilities that must be assumed collectively by France and the international community," said Pierre Ericq Pierre, Haiti's Permanent Representative to the UN, who took part in the discussion.

According to the Haitian ambassador, the country's enduring inequalities are rooted in its colonial past and the burden of the "ransom."

In his view, restitution would only be far. "This isn't about revenge," he said. "It's about truth and justice."

Restorative justice

The Haitian people deserve a future free from violence - one that meets basic standards of development, said Gaynel Curry, another member of the Permanent Forum.

In addition to returning the colonial debt, Ms. Curry called for the creation of an international reparations fund for Haiti and establishing an independent inquiry, under the Human Rights Council, to explore avenues of into restorative justice.

For Verene Albertha Shepherd, Vice Chair of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, such steps would also honour another debt - the moral one owed by people of African descent to Haiti's revolutionaries.

"These freedom fighters struck fear into the hearts of all slaveholders," she said.

More than two centuries after Haiti's independence, she added, the time has come to deliver justice.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 19 April 2025 - Day 1151

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 since the beginning of the day, 107 combat clashes were recorded. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are resolutely restraining the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, inflicting him significant losses.

The Russian opponent made 95 air strikes using 155 controlled aviation bombs. Also, the Russian occupiers used 1096 kamikaze drones and carried out 4627 shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces twice attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of vovchansk and small shapkivka.

In the Kupians komu direction, seven offensive actions took place near Zagrizovoye, Kindrashivka, New Kruglyakivka and Petropavlivka.

14 Russian attacks near Novomikhailivka, Novoy, Yampolivka, and in the direction of Torsky, Grekivka, Glushchenkovka, Olgivka, Green Valley were recorded.

In the Sivers komu direction, Russian forces twice stormed the positions of Ukrainian troops near Verkhnyokamians kogo.

The Kramators komu direction recorded seven attacks in the areas of the temporary yar, stupocok and kurdumivki.

In the Toretsky direction there were 18 combat clashes in the areas of Toretsky, Friendship, Dachny and in the direction of Diliyivka.

In the Pokrovsky direction, Russian troops carried out 36 attacks in the areas of settlements of Sukha Balka, Tarasivka, Vodyane Second, Elizabeth, Ray, Lisivka, Novooleksandrivka, Preobrazhenka, Sribne, Bogdanivka, Troyitske, Novotoretske, Svyrydonivka, Malinivka, Shevchenko, Zvirove, Uspenivka, Kotlyarivka, Andriyivka and in the direction of Old Nikolaivka.

According to preliminary data, 165 Russian occupants were destroyed in this direction, 91 of them - irrevocably. Also the Ukrainian military destroyed three satellite terminals, ten units of automotive equipment, three motorcycles, two generators and one UAV control point. Another satellite terminal and one Russian car was damaged.

Ukrainian defenders repelled ten attacks in the areas of Privilny, Novosilka and Konstantinopol.

In the direction of Gulyaipil, Russian forces carried out air strikes on the settlements of Gulyajpole, Zaliznychne, Green Field and Novodarivka.

In the Orihivs komu direction, three attacks in the direction of small tokmacka and near novoandriivka. Air strikes were suffered by Lukyanivsk, Pavlivka, Stepnogirsk, Kamianske and Novoyakovlivka.

In the Pridniprovsk direction, the Russian opponent did not commit offensive actions.

In the Kursk region, the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled 18 Russian attacks. The Russian enemy also launched 15 air strikes using 25 controlled air bombs, and carried out 328 artillery shells, including eight from jet-fire systems.





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Xi Jinping Returns to Beijing After Wrapping up State Visits to Viet Nam, Malaysia and Cambodia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: April 18, 2025 18:45

On the afternoon of April 18, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing after wrapping up his state visits to Viet Nam, Malaysia and Cambodia.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee Cai Qi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, and other members of the entourage returned on the same plane.



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Xi Jinping Successfully Concludes His State Visit to Cambodia

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: April 18, 2025 17:05

On the morning of April 18, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping concluded his state visit to Cambodia and returned to Beijing.

Upon departing from Phnom Penh, Xi Jinping was seen off at the airport by President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Senate Samdech Techo Hun Sen, First Vice President of the Senate Ouch Borith, First Vice President of the National Assembly Cheam Yeap, five Deputy Prime Ministers including Kuy Sophal, Prak Sokhonn, Hang Chuon Naron, Sar Sokha and Hun Many, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Hun Manith, and other senior officials.

Hun Sen held a grand farewell ceremony for President Xi Jinping. Accompanied by Hun Sen, Xi Jinping reviewed the guard of honor. Xi Jinping waved to the farewell crowd.

On the way to the airport, tens of thousands of Cambodian people, personnel from Chinese-funded enterprises in Cambodia, Chinese students, and overseas Chinese gathered on both sides of the road, waved the national flags of China and Cambodia and held red banners reading "Long Live China-Cambodia Friendship", extending warm congratulations on the complete success of Xi Jinping's visit to Cambodia.

On the morning of the same day, Hun Sen, together with Prime Minister Hun Manet, Hun Many and Hun Manith, made a special trip to the hotel where Xi Jinping was staying to bid him farewell.





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China halts liquefied natural gas imports from US amid tariff war

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 2:27 PM

China has suspended all imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States since early February, amid an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies, sparked by US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods.

According to shipping data cited by British daily business newspaper the Financial Times, the last recorded LNG shipment from the US was a tanker from the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, which arrived in the southern Chinese province of Fujian on 6 February.

The current purchase freeze came after Trump imposed an additional 10% tariff on all Chinese imports on February 2. In response, China imposed 15% tariffs on US LNG imports and a lower tariff on crude oil imports.

Analysts have warned that the stoppage could impact the viability of large LNG infrastructure projects in the US, particularly those relying on Chinese investment and long-term contracts.

Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a gas specialist at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, told FT that "There will be long-term consequences," adding that "I do not think Chinese LNG importers will ever contract any new US LNG."

The new tariffs have forced major Chinese LNG buyers to stop imports from the United States and resell the cargoes they have already bought or contracted, as tit-for-tat tariffs are raising the costs of imports.

Bloomberg, citing trading sources, reported that major Chinese LNG buyers with long-term supply contracts with US producers have started reselling the cargoes they have already bought or contracted to Europe following the Chinese tariffs on US goods, including energy products.

According to the latest estimates from BloombergNEF, Chinese LNG imports are expected to drop this year, and Beijing is set to see the first annual decline in LNG imports since 2022.

The Trump administration has imposed sweeping new tariffs on both allies and rivals, but its toughest measures have targeted China, hitting many Chinese imports with 145% duties. Beijing has countered with its own 125% tariffs on American goods, escalating the trade conflict.

Trump first introduced tariffs targeting Chinese imports, citing Beijing's purported involvement in the fentanyl trade. The administration has since dramatically increased these duties, now reaching 145% on numerous Chinese goods over trade practices that Washington deems unfair.

China has also expressed its determination to "fight until the end" if the United States continues to intensify the trade conflict, calling on the European Union to join Beijing in opposing the United States' "bullying" practices.

On April 4, Beijing announced retaliatory tariffs of 34% on US imports, taking effect from April 10, signaling a sharp escalation of a major trade war that could lead to a global recession.

China is the world's largest buyer of liquefied natural gas. The US is the top global LNG shipper but was the fourth supplier to China in 2024, following Australia, Qatar and Russia.

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In a sign of progress, Iran says negotiations with the United States will enter the 'technical' phase

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Tehran IRNA (news analysis) -- Spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei says negotiations with the United States will resume next week "on the technical level."

That the negotiations will be advancing into the technical phase, and that they will be advancing into that phase only after two exploratory rounds, signify that the negotiating parties have reached solid understanding on the ground rules.

Iranian officials had said that preliminary negotiations would enable the Islamic Republic to gauge the seriousness of the United States and offer a quick window into whether Washington would seek to make "excessive demands"  calls in relation to Iran's defensive military power and ties to regional groups, which are Tehran's stated red lines. The officials had said any negotiations would have to be limited to the Iranian nuclear program.

With Baqaei announcing that the negotiations would now center on technical matters, it could be assumed that that early dealbreaker has been avoided.

"Helpful indirect negotiations were held today between Iran and America, mediated by Oman's foreign minister, in a constructive atmosphere," he wrote on his X account shortly after the talks wrapped up. "The two sides agreed to resume indirect talks within the next few days on the technical level and subsequently continue next Saturday on the level of the two top negotiators."

Araqchi himself, who later appeared among reporters, confirmed progress had been made.

He said: "I can tell that the negotiations are moving forward. We were able to reach better understanding about a series of fundamentals and objectives."

"The subject of the negotiations from our standpoint is the nuclear program and we will be committed to that subject. Obviously, as far as we are concerned, nothing other than building trust toward Iran's peaceful nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions will be the subject of the negotiations. The Americans have been adhering [to that framework] so far," Araqchi said.

The foreign minister said expert-level talks would begin on Wednesday, April 23.

"It's only natural that experts would have more time to enter into the details and design the framework for an agreement," he said, without specifying where the technical negotiations would be held.

The top negotiators would meet in Oman next Saturday (April 26) to review the work carried out by the experts, he added.

Araqchi also said that it was too early for experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.) to take part in the negotiations.

The negotiations, the second between the two sides, started and finished in Rome on Saturday. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. president's special envoy to the Middle East, were the top negotiators. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi mediated by shuffling between the two sides.

A preliminary round was held in Oman's capital, Muscat, on April 12.

The talks are aimed at reaching an agreement over Iran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. They came after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, requesting that negotiations be opened into a deal between Tehran and Washington. Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from a previous agreement with Iran in 2018. Ayatollah Khamenei authorized indirect negotiations.

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Iran and the U.S. conclude indirect talks in Rome, agree to hold third round next week

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The second round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States has come to an end in the Italian capital, Rome, with both sides agreeing to meet again next week to continue the talks.

The Islamic Republic's civilian nuclear program and the termination of American sanctions against the country were on the agenda of discussion in Rome on Saturday.

The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and the U.S. by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on his X account announced the end of the talks in Rome, saying that the Iran-U.S. talks were "useful" and mediated in a "constructive atmosphere" by Oman's foreign minister.

Baqaei said that the two sides agreed to resume indirect talks at the technical level in the next few days and subsequently continue them at the level of chief negotiators next Saturday.

The talks were a follow-up of negotiations held last weekend in Muscat, Oman.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, mediated the talks again, repeatedly shuffling between the two delegations to convey messages in Rome.

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Iranian negotiators are given 'full discretion' in talks with U.S.: Adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Ali Shamkhani, a political advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, says Iranian negotiators in talks with the United States have been given "full discretion."

Shamkhani said in post on X on Saturday and ahead of talks between Iranian and American negotiators in Rome that the Iranian negotiators have been dispatched to the Italian capital with full discretion to pursue a "comprehensive" deal based on nine principles.

The nine principles, he said, are "seriousness, assurance, balance, the removal of sanctions, the rejection of the Libya/Emirates model, avoidance of threats, speed, the containment of nuisances (such as Israel), and the facilitation of investment."

"Iran is there for a balanced agreement, not to surrender," he added.

The indirect negotiations in Rome are co-chaired by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. president's special envoy to the Middle East. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi mediated.

A preliminary round was held on April 12 in Oman's capital, Muscat.

The talks are aimed at reaching an agreement over Iran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. They came after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to Ayatollah Khamenei, requesting that negotiations be opened into a deal between Tehran and Washington. Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from a previous agreement with Iran in 2018. Ayatollah Khamenei authorized indirect negotiations.

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Iran and the U.S. hold second round of indirect negotiations

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran and the United States have held a second round of negotiations in the Italian capital, Rome, where they discussed the Islamic Republic's civilian nuclear program and the termination of American sanctions against the country.

The Iranian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and the U.S. by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

The talks were a follow-up of negotiations held last weekend in Muscat, Oman.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the talks continued to be conducted indirectly, as in Muscat, and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, who mediated, was having a busy day, repeatedly shuffling between the two delegations to convey messages.

Talking to IRNA's correspondent on the sideline of the talks, Baqaei said that Iran was ready to continue the negotiations "with full seriousness and in good faith" in order to have the cruel sanctions on Iran lifted.

Araqchi arrived in Rome for the talks earlier on Saturday.

The talks are aimed at reaching an agreement over Iran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. They came after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to Ayatollah Khamenei, requesting that negotiations be opened into a deal between Tehran and Washington. Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from a previous agreement with Iran in 2018. Ayatollah Khamenei authorized indirect negotiations.

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Araqchi hails long-standing diplomatic ties with Russia

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 19, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has hailed the 500-year-old relationship between Iran and Russia.

"Fruitful discussions in Russia, where I traveled to deliver a letter by Iran's Supreme Leader to President Putin," wrote Araqchi on his X account late on Friday.

He said that Iran and Russia were strategic partners in this critical juncture and would continue to be so in pursuit of shared interests and for the good of the two countries and the world.

"We are at the apex of collaboration with Russia in the history of our 500-year-old relationship," he said.

Araqchi arrived in Moscow on April 17, 2025 at the invitation of his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, for a two-day visit.

According to a statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry, the meeting came after the signing of a new intergovernmental agreement between the two countries. The treaty, signed during President Masoud Pezeshkian's official visit to the Russian Federation in January 2025, was ratified by the Federation Council on April 16, 2025. The agreement elevated Tehran-Moscow relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

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Iran to turn Qeshm into Persian Gulf's bunkering hub: Report

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 6:39 PM

Iran is planning to turn its Qeshm island into a major bunkering hub in the Persian Gulf to rival the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah, according to a report published in the local media.

The Saturday report by Fars news agency said Iran has been investing heavily in the Salakh port of Qeshm, which is only 5 miles (8 kilometers) from major shipping routes in the Persian Gulf, to encourage more ships to bunker at the port instead of sailing to the distant port of Fujairah.

The report said four major refineries are being constructed in Qeshm, each with a capacity of processing 140,000 barrels of oil per day, to increase the supply of bunker fuel, gasoline, and asphalt in the island.

It said that the island has also introduced a long-term project for the storage of 100 million barrels of oil.

The Salakh port, located to the south of Qeshm, is currently supplying 50,000 metric tons per month of bunker fuel to ships.

However, the report said authorities seek to increase the capacity to 750,000 per month.

Estimates suggest Iran has a tiny share of the bunkering revenues in the Persian Gulf, where the industry is believed to be worth more than $30 billion. That comes as more than 50,000 ships travel to the area each year for trade or energy transport purposes.

Measuring nearly 1,500 square kilometers in surface area, Qeshm is one of the largest islands in the world. It is located in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic transit route which is responsible for nearly 20% of the global oil trade.

Iran has introduced development plans for its southern islands in recent years as part of efforts to increase economic activity in a relatively impoverished region, which is home to some of the world's largest energy reserves.

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Exclusive: Iran-US indirect nuclear talks in Rome take place in 'positive atmosphere'

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 1:36 PM

The second round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the United States took place in the Italian capital, Rome, on Saturday in a "positive atmosphere," according to a Press TV reporter.

Reporting from outside the venue, Gisoo Misha Ahmadi, who accompanied the Iranian delegation, provided live updates on the talks that came a week after the first round of talks in Muscat.

Following what have been described as constructive talks in Rome, the Iranian, American and Omani delegations are likely to hold a third round of the negotiations within the next few days, IRIB reported.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, the US president's special envoy for West Asia affairs, on Saturday, led the high-level talks mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi. The talks lasted for more than four hours.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the indirect talks were held at the residence of the Omani ambassador in Rome and in two separate halls.

He added that Iran participated in the sanctions-removal talks "with complete seriousness and readiness" and would continue its cooperation as long as the talks proceed in a constructive way.

"Iran's nuclear program is completely peaceful, and Iran is ready to dispel any doubts in this regard," Baghaei asserted.

Iran's "fixed and principled" stance during the talks with the US, he said, is the removal of the "unlawful" sanctions in a reliable manner with all the necessary guarantees.

The spokesman noted that the Iranian foreign minister held a meeting with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, ahead of the beginning of indirect talks with the US. The two sides discussed mutual relations as well as leading regional and international developments.

Araghchi hailed efforts by Italy to host the second round of the talks.

Baghaei said the Omani foreign minister had a hectic day, constantly shuttling between the Iranian and US delegations to convey messages.

At the end of the first round of the talks on April 12, Araghchi and Witkoff said the process was constructive.

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow on Friday, Araghchi said an agreement with the United States is possible as long as Washington does not put forward "unrealistic" demands.

"I believe there is a possibility of reaching an agreement if they [Americans] demonstrate seriousness of intent and make no unrealistic and unreasonable demands," he said.

Iran, US seek to seal fair, enduring, binding nuclear deal: Oman's Foreign Ministry

In a statement on Saturday, Oman's Foreign Ministry confirmed the indirect talks between Araghchi and Witkoff in Rome through the mediation of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi and said the Iranian and American delegations seek to reach a fair and binding deal on the nuclear issue.

It said the sides "agreed to enter into the next phase of their discussions that aim to seal a fair, enduring and binding deal which will ensure Iran is completely free of nuclear weapons and sanctions, and maintaining its ability to develop peaceful nuclear energy."

"It is only in dialogue and clear communication that we will be able to achieve a mutually credible agreement and understanding for the benefit of all concerned regionally and internationally," the ministry emphasized.

It noted that the next round of the talks will take place in Muscat in the next few days.

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Israel is the sole obstacle to nuke-free West Asia, says Iran's FM

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 9:54 AM

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Israel is the only obstacle to the realization of a nuclear weapons-free West Asia, warning that the occupying regime is fomenting Iranophobia while committing genocide in the region.

Araghchi made the remarks on Saturday in Rome during a meeting with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani. The two met ahead of the second round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States, mediated by Oman at its embassy in the Italian capital.

Reaffirming Iran's commitment to diplomacy, Araghchi urged all parties to seize the opportunity for a "logical and reasonable understanding" that would recognize Iran's legitimate rights and lift "unjust and illegal sanctions."

He emphasized Iran's peaceful nuclear intentions, reiterating the country's rejection of weapons of mass destruction based on its religious and national values and defensive doctrine.

The Iranian minister also thanked Tajani for Italy's coordination in facilitating the talks and conveyed Easter greetings to the Italian people.

Tajani welcomed Araghchi and expressed Italy's strong interest in deepening ties with Iran. He said hosting the talks was of great value to Rome and stressed Italy's readiness to assist the negotiations in any possible way.

Araghchi arrived in Rome earlier in the day for talks on Tehran's civilian nuclear program and termination of Washington's unlawful sanctions against the country.

Iran had ruled out direct negotiations with the US under pressure or threats of war but stated that it remains open to indirect talks.

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As Araqchi arrives in Rome, Iran urges US to be realistic, pursue constructive approach

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 8:50 AM

Iran has urged the US to refrain from unrealistic demands and adopt a constructive approach to reach an agreement, as Foreign Minister Araghchi arrives in the Italian capital of Rome for the second round of indirect talks.

The second round the talks is slated to be held on Saturday in Rome between Araghchi, who arrived there earlier in the day, and Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy for West Asia affairs.

The talks will be conducted indirectly and through Badr al-Busaidi, the minister of foreign affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, like the first round which was held last Saturday in Muscat.

Upon departing for Italy on Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, alongside a delegation headed by Araghchi, urged the US to refrain from repeating past methods and resist the influence of the war-mongering Zionist regime.

"Repeating past methods will not yield benefits and a 'step forward' can only be achieved if the US adopts a realistic and impartial approach, free from war-mongering extremist influences, including those of the Zionist regime," Baghaei said.

He added that the US must "avoid making unrealistic and unreasonable demands that contradict accepted international norms and practices, and adopt a constructive and reasonable approach."

Baghaei said the framework of the Islamic Republic's positions and demands regarding the removal of illegal sanctions and its nuclear issue is completely clear and had been communicated to the other side in the first round of negotiations.

"Given the contradictory statements from various US officials in recent days, the Iranian delegation expects the American side to clarify its position in the first step and address the serious ambiguities surrounding its intentions and sincerity," the spokesman added.

Baghaei reiterated that Iran's peaceful nuclear program is fully under the relevant international standards and documents, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The Islamic Republic of Iran, he added, within the internationally accepted framework, is determined to uphold and exercise its legitimate rights in the peaceful use of nuclear energy while fulfilling its commitments.

Both Tehran and Washington described last Saturday's meeting as "positive and constructive", however, on Tuesday Witkoff said that Iran must "stop and eliminate" its enrichment of uranium as part of any nuclear deal.

Witkoff had previously demanded that Iran return to the 3.67 percent enrichment ceiling set by the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached between Iran and major powers, which US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018.

'Not a smooth path'

Early on Saturday, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, Baghaei highlighted Iran's good faith and commitment to diplomatic efforts to address outstanding issues in its nuclear dossier, while also pointing to the uneven path in talks with the American side.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always demonstrated, with good faith and a sense of responsibility, its commitment to diplomacy as a civilized way to resolve issues, in full respect of the high interests of the Iranian nation," the spokesman wrote.

"We are aware that it is not a smooth path but we take every step with open eyes, relying also on the past experiences."

After Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran deal during his first term in office, he launched a maximum pressure campaign against the country.

Upon returning to the White House for a second term in January, Trump restored the policy of maximum pressure towards Iran. However, he has since sent mixed signals, expressing interest in starting talks regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program, while simultaneously threatening Tehran with military action.

On March 12, Trump sent a letter to Iran's leadership, asking for negotiations to reach a new deal and threatening military action if Tehran refused.

Iran has ruled out direct negotiations with the US under pressure or threats of war, but stated that indirect talks remain a viable option.

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Iranian, US Negotiators Agree On Third Round Of Nuclear Talks

By RFE/RL April 19, 2025

Iranian and US negotiators agreed to hold a third round of high-stakes talks on Iran's nuclear ambitions, a positive signal amid mixed White House messages about potential military action and new demands on Tehran.

The April 19 meetings, held in Rome, were the second time that top-level negotiators from Washington and Tehran had met this month.

There was no immediate comment on the outcome of the Rome talks from the US delegation, which was headed by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff.

But news agencies quoted senior US officials as saying the sides "made very good progress" in the Rome discussions.

"Today, in Rome over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions," said an unidentified US official -- who also confirmed a statement by Iran that the two sides agreed to meet again next week.

AP also quoted a US official as confirming that Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi had spoken face to face.

Iran's foreign minister said the two sides had agreed to meet again on April 26 in Oman, where the first round took place.

"I believe technical negotiations at the expert level will begin in Oman on Wednesday [April 23)] and next Saturday we will meet in Oman and review the results of the experts' work to see how close it is to the principles of an agreement," Araqchi told Iranian state TV.

"It was a good meeting, and I can say that the negotiations are moving forward. This time we managed to reach a better understanding on a series of principles and goals," he said.

The United States and other Western countries have long accused Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons.

Tehran has consistently denied the allegations, insisting that its efforts are aimed at civilian purposes, such as electricity generation.

Conflicting Messages

Following his return to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump, who had previously withdrawn from a 2015 accord known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), revived a "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions against Iran.

Last month, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader urging renewed talks while warning of military action if diplomacy failed.

In the past week, Trump and other White House officials have sent sometimes conflicting messages about the US approach to the talks. The White House has ordered heavy, long-range bombers to the region, along with a second aircraft carrier.

"I'm not in a rush" to use the military option, Trump told reporters on April 17. "I think Iran wants to talk."

On April 18, he told reporters: "I'm for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. They can't have a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific."

In an interview days earlier on Fox News, Witkoff said that the United States was open to Iran having some sort of limited nuclear program.

But he then walked back that position in a social media post, suggesting that the entire program needed to be dismantled.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said he hoped the Iranian talks would be "fruitful."

"We would all prefer a peaceful resolution and a lasting one," he said after meetings in Paris.

But, he added, "It has to be something that not just prevents Iran from having a nuclear weapon now, but in the future as well."

Israel's Role

Israel's role in the debate over Iran's nuclear ambitions is also critical. Israeli officials have vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and Israel has not ruled out an attack on its nuclear facilities in the coming months, according to multiple news reports.

Trump has reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington did not support such a move.

Former officials and experts have long said that Israel would need significant US military support -- and weapons -- to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities and stockpiles, some of which are in underground facilities.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, AP, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-nuclear- talks-rome/33389991.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Home > 2025 > My Lords, Beware of delay tactics | Faraz Ahmad

My Lords, please dont trust this untrustworthy Government of liars and fibbers.

Please remember how the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta had assured this apex court that statehood would be restored in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, minus Ladakh soon asking the court not to pass an order binding the Government. Jammu and Kashmir the only state in the history of independent India whose statehood was snatched and reduced to a Union Territory (UT) with one stroke of pen of this Government, continues to be ruled by the Centre from Delhi through the office of the Lieutenant Governor. To date the elected government of J&K remains crippled and powerless because despite its best efforts the BJP Government at the centre failed in its objective of politically undermining the demographically larger Kashmir valley and installing a BJP or BJP-led government in J&K. There is still no word from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Miniter Amit Shah on when, if at all, statehood will be restored to Jammu and Kashmir. My hunch is, never under this regime. And the probability of the BJP-RSS regime going out of power ever in the foreseeable future looks virtually impossible. So, we can say goodbye to the only Muslim majority state in India ever being allowed to govern itself. And the role of the Lt. Governor under this Government is in any case, partisan and suspect. See how the Lt. Governor of Delhi, himself accused of leading in March, 2002, a mob of BJP men against social activist Medha Patkars peace initiative in Ahmedabad post mayhem and carnage of Muslims post-Godhra train burning of February, 2002, under Modis Gujarat regime was given a free rein to subvert and sabotage the AAP government in Delhi. V.K. Saxena was therefore consciously chosen to sabotage the AAP government in Delhi.

On May 11, 2023 the AAP government of Delhi sought the Supreme Court intervention over the LGs constant interference in Delhi affairs. Law and Order and Land has all along been under the authority of the LG as representative of the state. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud ruled unanimously that The legislative power of NCT Delhi under Entry 41 would extend to IAS and it shall control them even if they are not recruited by the NCT Delhi. However, it would not extend to the services which comes under land, law and order and police. Lieutenant Governor (LG) shall be bound by the decision of NCT Delhi over services apart from land, police and law and order.

Within days, on May 19 the Modi government enforced an Ordinance which later became an Act in August that year, overriding the apex court order that only Delhis elected government has authority over civil servants. The court also ruled that except for issues linked to land, police and public order, the lieutenant governor has no independent decision-making powers under the Constitution.

Appropriating all the powers from the elected government and depositing these with the LG, the Act stated, Delhi being the capital of India has a unique status and certain distinguished features and there is need to promote the national interests without compromising the aspirations of the residents of Delhi. Article 1 of the Constitution defines the territory of India, comprising of States and Union territories and article 1 read with article 239 provides that the Union territories are to be governed solely by the President.

Next, in the case of choosing the Election Commissioners again the Modi government defied the Supreme Court which had specifically directed that the committee to select the prospective election commissioner comprise of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India or his nominee as the case may be. Immediately thereafter the Government passed the The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, to replace the existing Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991 and overturning the Supreme Court verdict.

That is why when this Government through the Solicitor General pressed upon the apex court bench to delay the passing of an order staying the Waqf Act till the final disposal of the case and sought some time to submit an affidavit to counter the arguments challenging the Act, it appeared as a deliberate, conscious delay tactic, while in the meantime discreetly have at least BJP ruled states implement its provisions concerning the government appropriation of Waqf by User properties. Much before this Act came, in 2023 the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) pasted a notice on the Sunehri Bagh Masjid on the roundabout across Udyog Bhawan to demolish it. When the Masjid management approached the Delhi High Court, the NDMC denied any such intention, but a dargah right opposite it called the Sunehri Bagh dargah was demolished and a urinal now stands over it, used mainly by the security staff and other policemen on duty there. But while the Masjid has not yet been demolished, offering prayers there is prohibited and after sometime the government may go to court saying it is a mere traffic nuisance, the original argument for removing this 17th century mosque. Another masjid right across the gate of Parliament on Red Cross Road and Parliament Street roundabout where former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed is buried has also become out of bounds for those wanting to pray since no traffic is allowed to turn from Rafi Marg on to Red cross Road. Former NDA Minister Shahnawaz Husain used to regularly offer his prayers there. Another masjid right inside Krishi Bhawan is also out of bounds for the namazis after office hours, disclosed my driver who has to rush all the way to Janpath to offer his prayers when I spend my evenings at the Press Club.

The crux of the matter is that Justice Sanjeev Khanna is due to retire on May 13. His prospective successor Justice B.R. Gavai too has a small tenure of a few months due for retirement in November this year. By this time who will remember Waqf issue. All will be forgotten and this Government will then happily steamroll this Act.
Russia, China to Discuss Guarantees on Iran Deal with US - Iranian Lawmaker

Sputnik News

20250419

The United States will not be the only one providing guarantees for a potential Tehran-Washington agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi said ahead of the second round of US-Iran talks in Rome.

Russia and China will discuss with the US the issue of "more reliable guarantees" for Tehran, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the Iranian parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said.

"During the negotiations between Tehran and Washington, guarantees will not only be provided by the US. Countries such as Russia and China will enter into negotiations with the United States on more reliable guarantees," Boroujerdi said, as quoted by the Iranian state agency SNN.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi

Iranian lawmaker

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was on an official visit to Moscow on Thursday and Friday, and in the next few days, according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA, Araghchi will visit China.

During his visit to Russia, the Iranian diplomat held a meeting and talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, conveying to him a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Araghchi also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The parties discussed regional and international cooperation, as well as the situation around the US-Iran talks, the first round of which took place on April 12 in Oman.

Indirect talks between US Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Araghchi took place in the Omani capital on April 12. According to the US special envoy, they were positive and constructive. Araghchi also described the atmosphere of these talks as constructive and calm, and announced that the second round of talks between the Islamic Republic and the United States would be held on April 19.

 Sputnik

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/04/19

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1. Date

6 a.m. Apr. 18 (Fri.) to 6 a.m. Apr. 19 (Sat.) (UTC+8)

2. PLA activities

14 sorties of PLA aircraft, 5 PLAN ships and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 13 out of 14 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

1140419_PLA activities

1140419_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan

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Starmer, Trump discuss trade, security over phone

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:48, April 19, 2025

LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed his commitment to free and open trade while emphasizing the protection of national interests during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon, according to a statement from Downing Street.

The two leaders began by discussing the ongoing trade negotiations between Britain and the United States. Both sides signaled optimism about reaching an agreement.

They also exchanged views on the key international issues, including the situations in Ukraine and Iran, as well as recent military action taken against the Houthis in Yemen.

Their phone talk follows the U.S. administration's decision earlier this month to impose sweeping tariffs on countries across the world. Though Trump later introduced a 90-day pause on some of the tariffs while keeping a baseline of 10 percent tariffs on imports to America, including on British goods, the British car industry, as well as steel and aluminum exports, still faces a 25 percent tariff if relevant products are sold to the United States.

In an interview on Monday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said there was a "good chance" a trade deal with Britain could be reached, adding that Washington is working closely with the British government.

On Thursday, Trump also hinted during remarks at the White House that a state visit to Britain is being planned for September.

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Meeting with Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov

During the meeting, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief heard a report by Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defence Valery Gerasimov on the situation along the line of contact and announced that Russia will stop all combat action from 6 pm of April 19 until 12 am, April 21.

April 19, 2025

17:00

The Kremlin, Moscow

Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defence Valery Gerasimov: Supreme Commander-in-Chief,

The combined forces have remained proactive in their effort to achieve the special military operation's objectives. All six army groups are currently on the offensive along 11 theatres of action.

Army group North has been on the offensive to liberate districts in the Kursk Region which were invaded by the Ukrainian armed forces. Most of the invaded territory has been liberated. As of today, the liberated area is 1,260 square kilometres, which amounts to 99.5 percent of the invaded territory. There are two sections left where combat action carries on: one is near Oleshnya, the other is Gornal. They are located near the Ukrainian border.

Yesterday, the 106th Assault Division's 51st and 137th Airborne Infantry Regiments liberated Oleshnya. A mop-up operation is currently underway in the wooded areas to the south of this community. These sections are relatively small and cover a total area of up to three square kilometres. The mop-up operation at the Gornal Male Monastery near Gornal is nearing its end.

The assault crews from the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade have been fighting to defeat the enemy's units in Gornal and its adjacent forests covering a total area of 4.5 square kilometres. This is a relatively small area, but the enemy has concentrated its main assets there for holding on to this territory and has been making active use of drones and cluster munitions. However, the Russian troops and counter-battery assets have been overpowering the enemy artillery and countering the enemy's drone attacks.

Having failed in the Kursk Region's border districts, the enemy tried penetrating the Belgorod Region near Demidovka and Popovka, which are close to the Kursk Region. But we prevented a massive enemy force from penetrating the Russian territory. There are no enemy troops near Demidovka today and we have completed a mop-up operation there. There are isolated small crews of up to 12 people in the woods to the south of Popovka. They have been blocked and are about to be destroyed. Our military has sealed off these territories. The distance separating them from the border is about three kilometres.

The effort to completely liberate these wooded areas and Gornal carries on. This ends my report.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Gerasimov, thank you for your report.

The situation along the line of contact is clear, it is progressing favourably for us and the Russian forces are steadily advancing their positions. Please report separately on the border area, the Kursk and the Belgorod regions as soon as combat action to clean up these territories is completed.

Today is the eve of Easter and I would like to congratulate on this bright holiday, first and foremost, servicemen who are Orthodox Christians and who have been fighting for Russia. I would like to wish a happy Easter to everyone in our country and around the world who celebrates, observes and respects this holiday.

Guided by humanitarian motives, the Russian side announces an Easter ceasefire from 6 pm today to 12 am Monday. I hereby order all military operations ceased for this period. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to repel possible ceasefire violations and provocations by the enemy, as well as any aggressive acts on their part.

We are well aware of the fact the Kiev regime, as you reported to me, violated agreements on refraining from targeting energy infrastructure facilities more than a hundred times. Therefore, I ask you to be extremely attentive and focused to be ready to strike back in full.

Our decision on the Easter truce will demonstrate whether the Kiev regime is sincere, ready, willing and able to comply with the agreements, to participate in peace negotiations aimed at addressing the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. For our part, we have always been ready to move in this direction and strongly welcome the aspirations of the United States, President [of the United States] Trump, our Chinese friends, the President of the People's Republic of China, the BRICS countries and all supporters of a just and peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.

Mr Gerasimov, I would like to ask you, once again, to convey my best greetings and gratitude to our soldiers for their service to the Fatherland, their commitment and heroism.

Valery Gerasimov: Affirmative.

Vladimir Putin: You and I agreed on this earlier: our troops, group commanders needed to receive my final instructions to proceed with the execution of what we agreed upon. They now have them.

Valery Gerasimov: Affirmative.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

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Trump threatens to abandon Ukraine negotiations amid stalled peace talks

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 19 April 2025 7:37 AM

US President Donald Trump has said that the United States would disengage from negotiations aimed at ending the Ukraine-Russia war within a matter of days if the two sides do not make substantial progress.

Trump said on Thursday that Washington would "take a pass" on brokering a peace agreement between the parties.

Trump warned both sides that a decision to abandon the talks could come "very shortly."

"Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'You're foolish. You're fools. You're horrible people' - and we're going to just take a pass," Trump told reporters in Washington. "But hopefully we won't have to do that."

"No specific number of days, but quickly. We want to get it done," he added.

Trump promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office but has little to show for his efforts so far.

His comments came hours after Kiev announced it has signed a memorandum with the US over a minerals deal.

However, significant details of the minerals deal remain unclear, including whether Kiev has agreed to a White House demand that it "pays back" the cost of earlier military assistance.

Ukraine is set to sign a deal next week in Washington that would give the United States sweeping access to its mineral resources.

Having failed to arrange a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington needed to figure out soon whether a ceasefire was "doable in the short term."

"Because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on," he told reporters.

Rubio's remarks were made after he met European officials in Paris on Thursday to discuss a ceasefire. European powers have been seeking a seat at the table in the negotiations.

He said the talks had launched a "positive process."

The US administration's rapprochement quest with Russia has alarmed Kiev and its allies, and driven a wedge between the United States and its European allies.

Asked if he was being "played" by Russia, Trump said, "My whole life has been one big negotiation, and I know when people are playing us and I know when they're not."

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a joint proposal by the US and Ukraine for a full and unconditional ceasefire and has placed a number of conditions on any potential ceasefire.

Moscow has made a truce in the Black Sea conditional on the West lifting certain sanctions.

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Zelenskyy Says Will Observe Easter Truce But Accuses Russia Of Immediate Violations

By RFE/RL April 19, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will abide by a 30-hour Easter cease-fire called by Moscow, but he accused Russia of already violating the truce by launching drone and artillery attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Separately, Kyiv and Moscow announced a major swap of prisoners-of-war on April 19, with more than 200 men being exchanged by each side

On the battlefield, Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had pushed Ukrainian troops from one of the last remaining villages they held in the Kursk region, which Ukraine had invaded more than eight months ago.

Kyiv had no immediate comment on the claim about retaking the Kursk region village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine.

If confirmed, however, it would move Russian troops closer to fully expelling Ukrainian troops from Kursk, which has been a persistent embarrassment for the Kremlin.

With Orthodox and Western Easter falling on the same day -- April 20 -- this year, Putin used a televised meeting with his top military commander to announce he was calling a two-day truce.

The cease-fire, Putin said, would begin at 5 p.m. Prague time and run until midnight on Eastern Sunday, April 20.

"We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," he said while meeting General Valery Gerasimov.

"At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel any possible violations of the truce or provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions."

Zelenskyy quickly labeled the call "yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives."

Attack "drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life," Zelenskyy said in a post to X.

Zelenskyy said the short timeframe for the truce indicated Putin was not serious about ending the fighting and suggested the cease-fire be extended for 30 days instead.

"If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly  mirroring Russia's actions," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

"If the complete cease-fire truly holds, Ukraine proposes an extension beyond April 20," Zelensky wrote.

"That is what will reveal Russia's true intentions  because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance," the Ukrainian leader added.

Anitta Hipper, the European Commission's lead spokesperson for foreign affairs and security, said that "Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting cease-fire."

"Russia could stop this war at any moment if it really wanted to...We continue to support Ukraine for a long, just and comprehensive peace," she added.

Putin's proposal follows signals from US President Donald Trump and other US officials complaining about the slow progress in talks to resolve the Ukraine war, now in its fourth year.

Trump on April 18 said the Ukraine and Russia talks are "coming to a head" and he insisted that neither side is "playing" him in his push to end the conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, warned that the United States may "move on" from trying to secure a peace deal if there is no progress in coming days.

Putin has made holiday cease-fire proposals in the past. In January 2023, Putin ordered a 36-hour cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas. Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian call as playing for time to regroup its forces.

While Russian troops claimed painstaking progress against Ukrainian troops in Kursk, further to the east, Ukrainian troops continued to hold small slices of territory in Belgorod, another Russian border region.

Zelenskyy and his top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, announced the incursion into Belgorod last week.

With the weather turning, and sodden battlefield soil firming up, both Russia and Ukraine have launched small scale spring offensives.

Russia's Defense Ministry also said on April 19 that its troops were trying to push Ukrainian forces out of Gornal, another Kursk region village some 11 kilometers to the south of Oleshnya.

Despite tentative agreement on a limited cease-fire, Kyiv and Moscow have continued to pound one another with missiles and drones. Over the past week, Russian ballistic missiles have hit several civilian targets, killing or wounding scores of civilians.

In Kupyansk, a city east of Kharkiv that Russian troops have been struggling to advance on, Russian jets reportedly dropped more than a half-dozen "glide" bombs on targets in and around the city. The city's military administrator said at least five people were wounded.

Glide bombs are heavy bombs that are retrofitted with guidance systems, allowing them to be dropped by aircraft well out of range of Ukrainian air defense systems. Russian forces have used the weapons to devastating effect on Ukrainian defenses.

Ukraine's air force said Russia launched nearly eight dozen drones overnight on April 19. More were either intercepted or jammed electronically, the military claimed.

Russia's Defense Ministry said air defense systems shot down two Ukrainian drones overnight.

Ukrainian and Russian officials also announced a major prisoner swap, with each side handing back more than 240 men, according to Russian authorities.

Zelenskyy said 277 Ukrainian "warriors" were returned from Russian captivity.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-pushes-ukraine- from-kursk-village-oleshnya/33390054.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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After Putin's Easter Truce Announcement, The Ball is in Ukraine's Court

Sputnik News

20250419

President Vladimir Putin's Easter truce clearly demonstrates Russia's DESIRE TO END THE UKRAINE CRISIS, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, tells Sputnik.

"I think Mr. Trump also wants to move ahead. This enhances Trump's desire to renew the diplomatic relationship between Russia and the US and finally recognize Russia as an equal strategic partner," Maloof says.

Now, all eyes are on Volodymyr Zelensky's response. Previously, Zelensky has shown he cannot uphold agreements, particularly the ceasefire on energy facilities, Maloof notes. "

That's going to be telling. It will signal to Trump whether he can really deal with Zelensky or not," the pundit concludes.

 Sputnik

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Russia Returns 246 Soldiers From Ukrainian Captivity - Defense Ministry

Sputnik News

20250419

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has returned 246 servicemen from Ukrainian captivity in exchange for 246 Ukrainian prisoners of war, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"As a result of the negotiation process, 246 Russian soldiers were returned from the territory, controlled by the Kiev regime. In return, 246 POWs from the Ukrainian armed forces were handed over [to Kiev]," the ministry said in a statement.

As a gesture of goodwill Russia also handed 31 wounded POWs over to Ukraine in exchange for 15 Russian soldiers, who needed urgent assistance, the ministry said.

The ministry added that during the exchange, humanitarian mediation efforts had been provided by the United Arab Emirates.

 Sputnik

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Ukraine Loses Up to 350 Soldiers in Battles With Russia's Tsentr Group - Russian Military

Sputnik News

20250419

MOSCOW(Sputnik) - Russia's Tsentr group of forces has eliminated up to 350 Ukrainian soldiers over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"The enemy has lost up to 350 servicepeople, six armored vehicles, including the HMMWV and the US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, one German-made Marder armored personnel carrier and a French-made VAB armored personnel carrier. Five motor vehicles, two field artillery guns and a US-made AN/TPQ-48 station of counter-battery warfare," the statement read.

Russia's Yug group of forces has eliminated over 365 Ukrainian soldiers, two tanks, eight armored fighting vehicles, one M113 armored personnel carrier and a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher and two ammunition depots over the past day.

Russia's Zapad group of forces has eliminated up to 265 Ukrainian servicepeople, while Vostok group of forces moved deeper behind enemy lines, with Ukraine losing over 130 soldiers over the past day, the statement read.

Kiev lost up to 80 soldiers in clashes with Russia's Dnepr battle group in the past day, the ministry said in a statement.

Russia's Sever (North) group of forces has eliminated up to 45 Ukrainian soldiers over the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

Ukraine continues conducting attacks on the Russian energy infrastructure and has conducted 10 attacks over the past 24 hours in Russia's Belgorod, Bryansk, Kherson Regions and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"The Kiev regime continues its unilateral attacks against the Russian energy infrastructure. In the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian armed forces have attacked Russian energy facilities 10 times," the ministry said in a statement.

In the Belgorod Region, the attack of the Ukrainian drone has damaged the high-voltage line Belgorod - Rudnik, which led to its outage. The shelling of the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Shebekinsky district has damaged the aboveground steel distribution pipeline, the ministry said.

A high-voltage line has gone down in Russia's Bryansk Region as a result of the shelling by the Ukrainian armed forces, the ministry added.

The Ilyich - Nasosnaya high-voltage line in the DPR went down as a result of the attack of the Ukrainian military during daytime on April 18, the ministry also said.

The Ukrainian armed forces conducted artillery shelling on the Kakhovskaya power substation of the Rosseti branch - the Tavrichesky enterprise of main electric networks in the Kherson Region, the ministry said.

 Sputnik

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Russian Forces Regain Control of Oleshnya in Kursk Region - Defense Ministry

Sputnik News

20250419

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Troops of Russia's Sever group of forces have regained control of the settlement of Oleshnya in Russia's Kursk Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"In the course of active offensive operations, units of the Sever Group of Forces liberated Oleshnya in Kursk region," the ministry said in a statement.

Moreover, the Russian troops defeated the units of a tank, mechanized, assault and territorial defense brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces near the settlement of Gornal in the Kursk Region, the ministry said.

Russian aviation, drones and artillery conducted strikes on the military personnel and vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces in the area of the settlements of Vodolagi, Krovnoye, Sadki, Yunakovka and Yablonovka in the Sumy region, the statement read.

The Russian forces continue defeating units of the Ukrainian military on the territory of the Kursk Region, the ministry said.

 Sputnik

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DUBAI, UAE, April 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to growing demand for smart automation in commodity markets, Avenix Fzco has launched Litepips, a specialized AI tool for trading the XAU/USD pair. Gold trading continues to evolve, and artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly central role in how traders read the markets and make decisions. Litepips, developed by Avenix Fzco, is at the forefront of this shift, combining traditional market principles with adaptive AI tools to support smarter, more timely trades.

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Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In Ibotta To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or otherwise acquired stock of Ibotta pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Ibotta's April 18, 2024 initial public offering (the "IPO") and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]





NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Ibotta, Inc. (Ibotta or the Company) (NYSE: IBTA) and reminds investors of the June 16, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose risks concerning Ibotta's contract with The Kroger Co. ("Kroger"). Kroger's contract was at-will, and Ibotta failed to warn investors that a large client could cancel their contract with Ibotta without warning. Despite providing a detailed explanation of the terms of Ibotta's contract with another large customer, there was not a single warning of the at-will nature of Kroger's contract. Rather than disclosing the very real risk of a major client walking away at any time, Ibotta provided boilerplate warnings concerning the importance of maintaining ongoing relationships with their clients. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

On or around April 13, 2024, Ibotta conducted its initial public offering of 6.6 million shares priced at $88.00 per share.

Then, on August 13, 2024, Ibotta issued a press release reporting its financial results for the second quarter of 2024. In the results, Ibotta reported, among other items, a net loss of $34.0 million, attributable to operating expenses that more than doubled year-over-year. Ibotta also provided a third quarter revenue forecast in the range of $91 million to $96 million, below consensus estimates.

Following this news, Ibotta stock dropped $15.53 per share, or 26%, to close at $42.66 on August 14, 2024.

On February 26, 2025, after market hours, Investing.com published an article entitled "Ibotta shares plunge 30% as Q4 earnings miss, Q1 guidance disappoints." This article stated, in pertinent part, that Ibotta "saw its shares tumble [. . .] after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of expectations and providing weak guidance for the first quarter of 2025."

Following this news, Ibotta stock dropped $29.08 per share, or 46%, to close at $34.01 on February 27, 2025.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Ibottas conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the Ibotta class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/IBTA or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a84a685f-75cf-4fa0-96fb-36d460e70e1a
Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In e.l.f. Beauty To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in e.l.f. Beauty between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]





NEW YORK, April 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (e.l.f. Beauty or the Company) (NYSE: ELF) and reminds investors of the May 5, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) contrary to its representations to investors, the Company was experiencing rising inventory levels as a consequence of flagging sales; (2) Elf falsely attributed the rising inventory levels to, among other things, changes in its sourcing practices; (3) to maintain investor confidence, Elf reported inflated revenue, profits, and inventory over several quarters; (4) accordingly. the Companys business and/or financial prospects were overstated; (5) all of the foregoing, once revealed, would likely have a material negative impact on the Company; and (6) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant time

On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research (Muddy Waters) published a report entitled e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. A Revenue and Inventory Mystery (the Muddy Waters Report), alleging that Elf had materially overstated revenue over the past three quarters, and that in Q2 FY24, ELF management realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built. It appears that ELF then began reporting inflated revenue and profits. Its reported inventory also appears materially inflated as a result - i.e., to account for cash that has not really come in. Further, Muddy Waters accused the Company of concealing its inventory challenges from investors by falsely attributing its rising inventory levels to supposed changes in its sourcing practices rather than the true causeinsufficient sales.



After the Class Period ended, on February 6, 2025, Elf released its fiscal Q3 2024 results and provided its fiscal 2025 outlook. Specifically, Elf revealed that it expected full-year fiscal 2025 net sales growth to be 27%-28%, down from the previous guidance of 28-30%, and also revised its adjusted EBITDA guidance to $289-293 million, down from $304-308 million, resulting in part from the updated sales outlook and a $7 million foreign currency loss. Further, the Company stated that it anticipated net sales growth was lowered to -1% to +2%, with management explaining that this reflected prudence amid softer consumption trends, challenging category conditions, and slower-than-expected new product performance

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding e.l.f. Beautys conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the e.l.f. Beauty class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/ELF or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c47d3945-81b3-40c2-9696-b30c6d4f0f1d
SYDNEY, Australia, April 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- XenDex is set to Launch as the Strategic Hidden Road Acquisition by Ripple founders signals XRP price surge.

The recent news of Hidden Road being acquired by the Ripples founding stakeholder has sent a wave of renewed excitement and hope to the Ripple community.

A new all-in-one Dex being developed on XRP is ready to harness this momentum and transform how users engage with decentralized finance on the XRP Ledger.





Introducing XenDex, the first all-in-one decentralized exchange (DEX) built on XRP to offer not only high-speed asset trading, but also non-custodial lending and borrowing options along with AI copy trading, all within a secure, community-driven ecosystem.

Visit XenDex Website & Join Telegram Community

XenDex introduces features which XRP has never seen before; seamlessly combining the power of automation, lending protocols, AI powered copy trading, staking, and cross-chain potential.

Key features of XenDex include:

Lending and Borrowing : Use your assets as collateral to access liquidity or lend to earn passive yield.

: Use your assets as collateral to access liquidity or lend to earn passive yield. AI-Powered Copy Trading : Let smart systems automatically mimic the trades of successful investors in real time.

: Let smart systems automatically mimic the trades of successful investors in real time. Spot and Perpetual Trading : Fast, frictionless token swaps via a built-in AMM model.

: Fast, frictionless token swaps via a built-in AMM model. Liquidity Farming & Staking : Earn rewards by providing liquidity or locking up $XDX.

: Earn rewards by providing liquidity or locking up $XDX. DAO Governance : Every $XDX holder gets a say in platform upgrades, funding proposals, and ecosystem development.

: Every $XDX holder gets a say in platform upgrades, funding proposals, and ecosystem development. Future Interoperability: Cross-chain compatibility for Cardano, Ethereum, BNB Chain, and more in the pipeline.

Token Details and Tokenomics

The XenDex token sale will begin soon, giving early supporters the chance to acquire the native utility token $XDX before public exchange listings begin right after token sale.

Token Information:

Token Ticker: $XDX

$XDX Total Supply: 1,000,000,000 XDX

1,000,000,000 XDX Presale Allocation: 300,000,000 XDX



Holders of $XDX will enjoy governance rights, staking rewards, reduced platform fees, airdrops, and other premium benefits.

Ripples recent acquisition of Hidden Road is a powerful signal to the broader market: XRP is entering its next evolutionary phase, with increased institutional involvement, liquidity expansion, and enterprise-focused infrastructure.

Join XenDex Telegram And Follow On X For More Updates

We built XenDex because the XRP Ledger needed more than just speed, it needed a full ecosystem, said a core team member. He continued, From AI trading to community governance and lending, XenDex is the DeFi engine XRP deserves.

XenDex smart contracts are undergoing extensive auditing to ensure safety and transparency. The XenDex platform is fully non-custodial and will integrate community governance via on-chain voting. Early adopters will benefit from airdrops, staking bonuses, etc.

With a roadmap that includes cross-chain token bridges, Launchpad, etc. XenDex is built not just for today, but for the XRP future.

Join the presale on April 22nd and secure your spot in one of the most forward-thinking ecosystems on the XRP Ledger.

For more information, please visit:

Website | Telegram | X (Formerly Twitter)

Contact:

Frank Richards

Frank@xendex.net

Disclaimer: This is a paid post provided by XenDex. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sectorincluding cryptocurrency, NFTs, and miningcomplete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an "as-is" basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. 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.

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Lawson a little sad after Red Bull nightmare

Liam Lawson was "a little sad" after his Red Bull Racing nightmare.

Liam Lawson, Saudi Arabian GP 2025

 Red Bull

That's the revelation of Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, despite New Zealander Lawson insisting this weekend that nothing has changed in his confidence since struggling so much to drive the 2025 Red Bull.

The energy drink company's CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, at Jeddah this weekend, defended the decision to axe Lawson, 23, and send him back to the junior F1 team.

That is despite the fact that the brutality of the demotion was heavily criticised in the paddock.

I understand that and think it's justified, Mintzlaff told Bild newspaper. "Nevertheless, it was the right step.

"Formula 1 is a high-performance sport, and his performance wasn't up to scratch. Leaving Liam in the car would have been wrong. We wouldn't have done him any favours with the ever-increasing pressure.

He ultimately understood and accepted that, too. We're happy to have him back with the Racing Bulls, the German CEO added.

Racing Bulls CEO Bayer, however, admitted that Lawson's nightmare did leave him a little battered.

I think it took him a while to digest, he said in Saudi Arabia.

"The first time I saw him when he arrived back in Italy, he seemed a little sad. Honestly, that's how I perceived him to be.

"He was a little upset by everything that had happened very quickly. But at the same time, he knew the people, the tools, the organisation. And I really felt that very quickly, he became the old Liam again.

He's a great driver, someone with a great sense of humour, and that's what we're seeing now again, Bayer added.

(GMM)
Marko names his ideal successor for Red Bull role

Sebastian Vettel would make an "ideal successor", Red Bull team advisor Dr Helmut Marko has declared.

Sebastian Vettel, Italian GP 2022

 Aston Martin Racing

Although now retired, and having briefly flirted with the idea of returning to the cockpit, quadruple world champion Vettel has stayed in touch with Formula 1 - and is even in Saudi Arabia this week and weekend.

At the same time, rumours Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull are swirling - and 81-year-old Marko indicated recently that could be the perfect time to step away from the sport for good.

It's quite clear that at some point it won't work anymore - also due to my age, the Austrian told Sky Deutschland at Jeddah.

It would of course be great if a man like Sebastian would take over, Marko added.

Marko said 37-year-old Vettel would therefore be in charge of Red Bull's infamous junior driver program. The other function, of course, is the overall strategic direction of such a Formula 1 team, he explained.

I think he knows enough about that too.

Since Vettel retired at the end of 2022, Marko has hinted on several occasions that the German expressed interest in racing again.

Marko said on Saturday: "I think Sebastian has found himself now. He knows what he wants to do in the future. Motorsport is the first priority.

He is also a forest owner in Austria now with a private hunting ground, but he can combine all that, the Austrian smiled.

Marko even thinks Vettel would adapt very quickly to the role.

He doesn't need a year - just two races and he'll have it under control, he said.

When asked about Marko's bombshell remarks, Vettel laughed: I think there is only one Helmut. His role is really his alone.

However, the former Red Bull and Ferrari driver doesn't rule it out entirely.

Today, Formula 1 is about the same things as it was years ago. Whether it is something for the future, we'll see, he said.

I asked him about it a few years ago too, Vettel revealed, when asked about Marko's eventual retirement. "Then, he said he wouldn't do this for much longer. But I think he's still here!

As long as he's still enjoying it and can handle it, this is a unique role for him, Vettel said. "Sometimes we might wonder 'How did this or that have to happen?' But he just has a completely different approach and different experiences.

It would be a shame if he ever drops out or loses his position, but then of course it would have to develop in a new, different direction.

(GMM)
Red Bull could stick with Honda in 2026?

A fascinating rumour is swirling in the Jeddah paddock - and it could stop all the speculation about Max Verstappen potentially leaving Red Bull.

Max Verstappen, Saudi Arabian GP 2025

 Red Bull

The 2025 troubles are one thing, but Verstappen and his management are also reportedly very concerned that Red Bull's powertrains project for the all-new 2026 regulations could make the team even less competitive.

There is talk of potential moves to Aston Martin, Mercedes, or elsewhere - but the quadruple world champion insisted in Saudi Arabia that everyone is talking about the rumours except me .

Dutch commentator Olav Mol told Ziggo Sport: "I don't think a departure is on the table.

He has a contract, and I think he wants to see how that goes with Red Bull Powertrains.

However, Mol admitted that he has heard the big rumour in the paddock.

I heard something about Red Bull not doing so well with the electrical side, and that they might want to continue with Honda for another season next year to further develop it, he revealed.

A related rumour is that only Racing Bulls might use the Red Bull-Ford engine in 2026.

Red Bull can just rent a customer (Honda) engine, Mol added.

A related theory is that Honda itself may even be pushing for the move, concerned about its exclusive 2026 works partner Aston Martin's current performance crisis.

The truth is that we are perhaps the last team in Formula 1 now, Fernando Alonso said on Saturday.

"We have to put on three sets of tyres in Q1 to try to make it to Q2, and if by some miracle you make it to Q2, then you only have used tyres after that.

We need to find some way to solve the problem at the factory because the team in the pits can't do it anymore. I think we've run out of ideas, he added.

(GMM)
Wolff no longer flirting with Verstappen

Toto Wolff has moved to stamp out re-emerging rumours that he will try to lure Max Verstappen to Mercedes for 2026.

Max Verstappen, Saudi Arabian GP 2025

 Red Bull

As Red Bull's earlier dominance fades, some think Mercedes would be the ideal place for the quadruple world champion next year, given the German team's reputation for beginning a new regulatory period with an engine advantage.

Red Bull, in contrast, is developing its very own 2026 power unit with Ford.

Mercedes has already declared itself the favourite, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko told Kleine Zeitung.

There won't be much difference with the internal combustion engine - the big factor is the battery. It's all about the software, and it's possible for someone to be way ahead in this area, he admitted.

Mercedes team boss Wolff made a major push to sign Verstappen last year, but has now promoted his own protege Kimi Antonelli as the experienced George Russell consistently shines.

He has taken over the role of the senior driver from Lewis (Hamilton) perfectly, Wolff said, also defending 18-year-old Antonelli who has consistently trailed Russell so far.

"It would be strange if he already had George's pace, because that would have meant that George might not be at Max (Verstappen)'s level, and I believe he is.

That is why it takes Kimi some time.

Therefore, Wolff denies that he has had any conversations at all with either Verstappen or his management team about 2026.

At the moment, where it is with George and Kimi, there's no doubt to question that set up for the future, he said.

There has even been talk that Wolff has privately told Russell not to worry about his forthcoming contract talks. We will pick those talks up once we're in the European season, said the team boss. "There's no stress.

We have this summer window, Wolff added. We have no reason to challenge or question anything as it is now.

Dutch commentator Olav Mol says he believes Wolff that he is not particularly interested in disturbing the Russell-Antonelli lineup, even if Verstappen is theoretically available.

I think Toto has been positively surprised by how things are going, he told Ziggo Sport. Kimi Antonelli is performing above average and George is doing well. So I think he is quite satisfied, and he thinks 'I have no trouble now, I'm not changing that'.

Wolff concurs: "I always say that I don't flirt in the street when I'm happy in a relationship.

I am super happy with the lineup we have - I couldn't wish for anything better. Max is at Red Bull and at Mercedes we are continuing our journey.

(GMM)
African news : breaking news, features, analysis

Previous article: Militants kill at least 23 in Nigeria attack, security sources say

Gunmen kill at least 56 people in central Nigeria

France24 Africa Apr - 20 - 2025 , 10:16 2 minutes read

Gunmen killed at least 56 people earlier this week in central Nigeria's Benue state, the governor's office said Saturday, sharply revising a previous toll of 17.

Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria. Governor Hyacinth Alia had earlier blamed the attacks in the Ukum and Logo local government areas on "suspected herdsmen".

With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension. Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier this month in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.

"The death toll has jumped to 56 from the attacks as at the last count," Solomon Iorpev, the governor's media advisor, told AFP following Alia's visit to the scene.

That figure could rise as search-and-rescue operations continue, he added.

The attacks happened Thursday night into Friday, sparking the deployment of security forces.

The government-owned News Agency of Nigeria reported over the weekend that the country's defence minister was visiting Plateau state.

Back-to-back massacres  more than 50 people killed in two districts  in Plateau state this month have marked a serious escalation in the state, with authorities scrambling to contain the attacks in a region where ethnic tensions have long simmered.

Plateau state authorities have claimed the killings were part of a "genocide" that was "sponsored by terrorists".

Critics say that rhetoric masks the true causes of the conflict  disputes over land and a failure by authorities and police to govern the countryside.

Since 2019, the clashes have claimed more than 500 lives in the region and forced 2.2 million people to leave their homes, according to research firm SBM Intelligence.

A local herder group denounced the Plateau state killings while also noting that its own members have been under attack by farmers.

Land grabbing, political and economic tensions between local "indigenes" and those considered outsiders, as well as an influx of hard-line Muslim and Christian preachers, have heightened divisions in Plateau state in recent decades.

When violence flares, weak policing all but guarantees indiscriminate reprisal attacks.

Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.

Noting that "Benue is strategic for Nigerian food security," Iorpev called on the federal government to step in.
Previous article: See the targets of the US student visa revocations

Anxiety at US colleges as foreign students are detained and visas revoked

bbc.com International News Apr - 20 - 2025 , 13:10 7 minutes read

For the last few weeks, many foreign students living in the US have watched as a sequence of events has repeated itself on their social media feeds: plain-clothes agents appearing unannounced and hauling students off in unmarked cars to detention centres.

Those taken into custody in a string of high-profile student detentions captured on video have not faced any criminal charges and instead appear to have been targeted for involvement in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.

The Trump administration has said repeatedly that visas are a "privilege" and can be revoked at any time for a wide variety of reasons.

But the crackdown appears to be far wider than initially thought, with more than 1,000 international students or recent graduates at colleges across the US now having had their visas revoked or legal statuses changed, according to a tracker from Inside Higher Ed, an online news site covering the sector.

For many, the precise reasons are unknown, and universities have often only learned of the changes when checking a government-run database that logs the visa status of international students.

The combination of targeted detentions and reports of wide-scale visa revocations have left campuses on edge, from the biggest public universities to elite Ivy League institutions, students and faculty told the BBC.

"I could be next," said one student visa-holder attending Georgetown University, who has written articles about Israel and the war in Gaza.

He's begun carrying around a card in his pocket that lists his constitutional rights, in case he is ever stopped by law enforcement.

Another student in Texas said he's afraid to leave his apartment, even to buy groceries.

And at some colleges, departments are being hit as researchers abroad refuse to return to the US.

Most students the BBC spoke to requested anonymity out of fear that having their names in the media could make them a target.

The BBC has contacted the Department of Education for comment.

The reasons for visa cancellations vary. In some cases, criminal records appear to be a factor. Other instances have reportedly included minor legal infractions like driving over the speed limit. But "a lot" of those targeted have been involved in pro-Palestinian protests, Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself has said.

It is part of a wider White House push to crack down on protesters whom officials say created an unsafe environment for Jewish students on many campuses. They also accuse demonstrators of having expressed support for Hamas, an officially designated terrorist group.

"Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas," Rubio told reporters in late March. "We do it every day."

Civil liberties groups have protested against the detentions and moves to deport student demonstrators as a violation of constitutional rights. And the students themselves reject associations with Hamas, saying that they are being targeted for political speech about the war in Gaza and US support for Israel.

At Georgetown, signs that read "protect our students" have been taped to the doors of bathroom stalls, adding a sense of gloom to the cherry blossom trees and tulips that typically mark the arrival of spring on campus.

A postdoctoral fellow from the university, Badar Khan Suri, was grabbed by federal agents outside his Virginia home in March. The Department of Homeland Security accused the conflict resolution researcher of "promoting antisemitism on social media" and having links to a "known or suspected terrorist".

This was an apparent reference to the Palestinian father of his US-born wife, a former adviser to killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Mr Suri's lawyers say he has only met his father-in-law a handful of times and is being targeted due to his wife's identity.

His detention followed that of Columbia University student protest organiser Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent resident arrested at home in New York but now awaiting deportation from a facility in Louisiana.

Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, who co-authored a student newspaper op-ed about Gaza and was detained in Massachusetts, is also being held in Louisiana.

Last Monday, Mohsen Mahdawi, another Columbia student protester, was detained in Vermont as he attended an interview to obtain US citizenship. Like Mr Khalil, he holds a green card, rather than a student visa.

"Based on the detentions that we're seeing, I think there is a possibility anyone who has been outspoken about Palestine can be detained," said the Georgetown student, who knew Mr Suri.

The White House says it is going after those who have been involved in activities that "run counter" to US national interests. In Mr Khalil's case, officials have cited a 1952 law that empowers the government to order someone deported if their presence in the country could pose unfavourable consequences for US foreign policy.

In a post on X, the Columbia Jewish Alumni Association celebrated Mr Khalil's arrest, calling him the "ringleader of chaos" at the university.

Polling suggests that immigration is an issue where President Trump enjoys some of his highest approval ratings, with recent Reuters and AP-NORC surveys suggesting about half of US adults approve of action in that area, several points higher than his overall rating.

Universities are also being targeted at an institutional level. This week, the White House's task force on combating antisemitism froze over $2bn in funding for Harvard University, after the university refused to agree to a list of demands that it said would amount to "surrendering its independence".

Trump officials have said that if Harvard doesn't comply with a request for information on certain student visaholders, it will stop granting visas to international students who want to study there.

Georgetown professor Nader Hashemi said he believes the government's main goal is "silencing dissent" by intimidating would-be protesters.

The Georgetown student says he has asked his parents not to fly from India to the US to see him graduate with a master's degree in just a few weeks. He is still unsure if he will even attend the ceremony.

In addition to checking his email daily to see if he is among the hundreds that have had their visas revoked recently, he has also prepared for the possibility of sudden arrest.

"I have cleared my chats across messaging apps, and I have learned how to quickly lock my phone in SOS mode," he said.

Georgetown professors have even begun offering spare rooms to students who worry about being visited by immigration agents at their residences, said Prof Hashemi.

"This is part of the trauma that I think students are facing," he said.

At Tufts University, outside of Boston, Massachusetts, students are waiting to see what happens to Ms Ozturk, who was detained outside her home.

Video shows her confused and shaking in fear as she is intercepted by agents while headed to a Ramadan dinner celebration. Last year, she had co-authored an op-ed supporting the boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) movement against Israel.

Tufts PhD student Anteri Mejr told the BBC that the actions have had a "chilling effect", and that international students she knows who have left the country to visit home or attend conferences are now afraid to return.

"There are students working remotely because they're afraid they can't get back in the country," he said.

At the University of Texas, rumours about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on campus have some students terrified.

"I'm scared to be out. I'm scared to come to school. I'm scared to go grocery shopping," a master's student there said.

"I'm afraid that if I'm walking, I will be approached by agents in incognito clothes and plain disguise," he continued.

Despite being a green card holder and having not played a role in pro-Palestinian protests on campus, he says he is still in "crippling anxiety" because he has written things that are critical of the president.

"How far does this administration dig through, like, an immigrant's history?" he asked. "What if I did say something and I'm not aware."
Next article: Anxiety at US colleges as foreign students are detained and visas revoked

See the targets of the US student visa revocations

www.aljazeera.com International News Apr - 20 - 2025 , 13:50 13 minutes read

Hundreds of students and recent graduates have seen their visas revoked by immigration officials since United States President Donald Trump took office for a second time on January 20, 2025, with several also arrested.

Many of the targets of the visa revocations and arrests are students who participated in pro-Palestine protests which erupted on campuses across the country in 2024 amid Israels war on Gaza. Others are individuals with more indirect links to Palestine  or those who have shown support for Gaza on social media.

The Trump administration alleges that these students spread anti-Semitism and pro-Hamas sentiment on campus  a claim students, lawyers and activists have all rebutted. Jewish activists and groups have been at the forefront of many of the most prominent protests in the US against the Gaza war.

Others have had visas removed after minor legal infractions  a speeding ticket or other traffic violations, for instance.

Heres what we know about the scale of visa revocations, the number of universities they span and some of the students who have been targeted:

How many students have had their visas revoked?

In late March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration had revoked an estimated 300 student visas.

But the real number is higher  much higher.

Estimates vary. At the higher end is the American Immigration Lawyers Associations count, according to which more than 4,700 students have been removed from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement-maintained database known as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS).

Yet even more conservative tabulations point to a number comfortably more than 1,000. The National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA) estimates that as of April 17, there are reports of about 1,400 students who now face deportation.

According to Inside Higher Ed, the US-based higher education publication, 1,489 students had lost their visas as of April 17.

How many universities have been affected?

According to Inside Higher Eds count, more than 240 universities and colleges across the US have had student visas revoked.

Colleges affected include private universities such as Harvard and Stanford, large public colleges and institutions such as Ohio State University and the University of Maryland, as well as some small liberal arts colleges.

Why are the visas being revoked and what are the options?

The Trump administration claims it is trying to stop activists from taking over campuses.

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, Rubio said on March 28.

But many students have reported that they have had their legal status in the US terminated without any notice.

Several among them, like Mahmoud Khalil, Mohsen Mahdawi and Momodou Taal, were active on social media in pro-Palestine protests on campuses.

However, according to Mohammad Ali Syed, who leads an immigration practice group in Washington, DC, others have had visas revoked for past traffic violations or, in some cases, with no clear explanation.

This widespread action has led to legal challenges and raised concerns about due process and the impact on US higher education institutions, said Syed, who emphasised that international students ought to consult with immigration lawyers promptly to explore legal remedies and protect their rights.

Students can file lawsuits in federal courts, asserting violations of due process and seeking to restore their legal status. For instance, students at Michigan universities have initiated legal actions against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging that their F-1 statuses were terminated without sufficient notice or explanation, he said.

In urgent situations, he added, students may request temporary restraining orders (TROs) to prevent deportation and reinstate their status while legal proceedings are ongoing. Federal judges in states like Montana have granted such orders to protect students from immediate removal, he said.

Many universities are actively assisting affected students by providing legal resources, liaising with federal authorities, and offering academic accommodations, Syed said. For example, George Mason University has engaged with federal officials to understand the rationale behind visa terminations and is exploring legal options to support its international students.

How are visa cancellations affecting campuses?

Hafsa Kanjwal, an associate professor at Lafayette College, a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, says there is a large amount of fear and uncertainty on college campuses for both students and faculty. People are having to rethink travel plans in case they are not allowed back into the country.

Some students and faculty dont have a place to go back to, given the political turmoil in their respective places of origin, she told Al Jazeera. While some colleges and universities are taking a more proactive approach, they are in the minority. It seems most campuses have not really provided reassurances to international students and faculty to address their concerns, especially around what kinds of accommodations will be made for them to address these changing developments.

Another faculty member, a naturalised citizen at a state college who wished to remain anonymous due to any issues that may arise from him speaking freely, said international students are afraid.

Many of them  even those who have not staked out political positions publicly  are deleting their social media profiles and are terrified that some small mistake, anything they posted or said, might get them abducted and deported, ruining their education, he said.

I remember being a green card holder and engaging in politics. We understood that as long as we remained within the bounds of the law, we had the right to express our opinions and engage in politics, he recalled.

I actively took part in [protests against] both the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and spoke openly against War on Terror policies like drone strikes, he said. What the Trump administration wants to do is communicate to immigrants and international students that their rights here are in fact privileges and contingent on them staying in line, and more broadly they want to shut down pathways to immigration by targeting green card holders.

At the same time, they see universities and colleges as bastions of liberal and left-wing politics and they want to leverage the politics around Palestine to discipline universities and force them to crack down on liberal and left content in classrooms, he added.

Which students and graduates have been affected?



Mahmoud Khalil, 30

 Date of arrest: March 8

 Nationality: Algerian Palestinian

 Institution: Columbia University graduate

 Legal status in the US: Green card holder

 How was he arrested? Last month, ICE agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate who was the lead negotiator for Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) during the campus protests last year. He was taken from his university-owned New York City apartment while his US citizen wife, Noor Abdalla, who is pregnant, recorded the arrest on her phone. This marked the first publicly known student deportation effort of its kind under the Trump administration.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, alleged Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation, but no evidence for this was provided. Abdalla said the agents did not show a warrant while making the arrest. Khalil was transferred to an ICE processing facility in Jena, Louisiana.

At the time of arrest, Khalil was a permanent resident with a green card. When the ICE agents were told that Khalil had a green card, they said this would be revoked.

 Charges: He is not known to have been charged with any crime.

However, Rubio posted the link to a news article about Khalils arrest, captioning it: We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported. Khalils case has drawn widespread scrutiny as rights advocates accuse President Donald Trumps administration of cracking down on free speech and pro-Palestine activism under the guise of fighting anti-Semitism.

The administration is trying to deport Khalil under a rarely used provision of an immigration law that gives the secretary of state the power to remove any non-citizen whose presence in the US is deemed to have adverse foreign policy consequences.

Khalil is being held at LaSalle Detention Center in Jena, Louisiana.

Rumeysa Ozturk, 30

 Date of arrest: March 26

 Nationality: Turkish

 Institution: Tufts University

 Legal status in the US: Student visa

 How was she arrested? Security camera footage shows six individuals in plainclothes taking Ozturk into custody in late March near her apartment in Somerville, Massachusetts. Some of these officers were partially covering their faces. Ozturk had headed out alone to meet her friends for Iftar, the evening meal to break her Ramadan fast.

 Charges: She is not known to have been charged with any crime.

On March 26, 2024, Ozturk co-wrote an opinion piece for her universitys student news website, the Tufts Daily, with four other students. In this piece, the authors criticised the institutes president, Sunil Kumar, who sent an email dismissing resolutions passed by the Tufts Community Union Senate, which called for the university to divest from companies linked to Israel and acknowledge the Palestinian genocide.

Ozturks lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabai, filed a petition in a Boston federal court, arguing that Ozturk had been unlawfully detained. As a result, US District Judge Indira Talwani ordered US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) not to move Ozturk out of Massachusetts without 48 hours notice.

Despite this, Ozturk was moved to Louisiana within a day, according to her lawyer.

US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote in an X post on March 26: DHS + ICE investigations found Ozturk engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans. McLaughlin did not specify what these activities were.

On Saturday, April 19, a federal judge in the United States ordered the government to transfer her to Vermont for the court to assess legal challenges to her detention.

Badar Khan Suri, 42

 Date of arrest: March 17

 Nationality: Indian

 Institution: Georgetown University

 Legal status in the US: Student visa

 How was he arrested? He was arrested in the evening at his home in northern Virginia.

 Charges: He is not known to have been charged with any crime.

Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin attributed Suris arrest to his spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting anti-Semitism. She wrote on X: Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

Suris wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a US citizen, she confirmed to Al Jazeera. In a post on X on February 13, the Israeli embassy in the US said that Saleh was the daughter of a senior Hamas adviser. Ahmed Yousef, a former adviser to assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, confirmed to The New York Times that he is Suris father-in-law.

On March 20, Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles of the Eastern District of Virginia Court halted Suris deportation.

According to the ICE website, Suri is currently being held in the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.

Yunseo Chung, 21

 Date of arrest: March 5

 Nationality: South Korean

 Institution: Barnard, a Columbia-affiliated undergraduate college

 Legal status in the US: Permanent resident

 How was she arrested? Chung was one of several students arrested by police officers for participating in a pro-Palestine protest.

 Charges: She is not known to have been charged with any crime.

She has sued the Trump administration in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York to avoid being deported. Her deportation was halted by US district judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.

Momodou Taal, 31

 Nationality: Dual citizen of the United Kingdom and The Gambia

 Institution: Was a doctoral candidate in Africana Studies at Cornell University

 Legal status in the US: Student visa

 Charges: He is not known to have been charged with any crime.

He participated in pro-Palestine protests last year, during which he called on Cornell to divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. Taal was suspended from Cornell twice last year for his participation in protest activities and encampment. He has not been arrested but believes the US government had attempted to arrest him.

Taal told Al Jazeera that he filed a lawsuit on March 8 alongside two other plaintiffs  a doctoral candidate and a Cornell professor who are both US citizens  after Khalil was arrested, against two Trump executive orders, including the one focused on university campuses.

On the morning of March 19, a day after a federal judge scheduled a hearing for Taals lawsuit, Taal posted a written statement on X that unidentified law enforcement had come to his home in Ithaca, New York. He added that later in the day, Cornell students saw additional law enforcement cars positioned at different spots near his residence, including on campus.

Taal left the US once his visa was revoked on March 14.

Alireza Doroudi, 32

 Date of arrest: March 25, 2025

 Nationality: Iranian

 Institution: University of Alabama

 Legal status in the US: Student visa

 How was he arrested? Taken into custody from his home

 Charges: He is not known to have been charged with any crime.

The Department of Homeland Security stated the student visa was revoked and he was then arrested because he posed significant national security concerns.

Ranjani Srinivasan, 37

 Nationality: Indian

 Institution: Columbia University

 Legal status in the US: Student visa which has been revoked

 Charges: She is not known to have been charged with any crime.

On March 7, individuals claiming to be immigration agents came knocking on Srinivasans university residential housing flat that she had lived in since 2021. The individuals said they planned to put Srinivasan through proceedings to remove her from the US, before eventually leaving.

On March 9, Columbia unenrolled Srinivasan as a student.

By March 11, Srinivasan had flown out of New York to Canada on a visitor visa to stay with her family and friends. Her lawyers informed ICE that Srinivasan had departed from the US.

Leqaa Kordia, 21

 Date of arrest: March 13, 2025

 Nationality: Palestinian

 Institution: unknown

 Legal status in the US: Overstayed a student visa

 Charges: The DHS stated Kordia had overstayed her student visa, which had been terminated in 2022 for lack of attendance. In April 2024 she was arrested for her involvement in protests for Gaza at Columbia University.

Xiaotian Liu, 26

 Nationality: Chinese

 Institution: Dartmouth College, New Hampshire

 Legal status in the US: Student visa which was revoked

 Charges: No known charges have been made.

On April 3, Lius college ran a routine check on his legal status and discovered that his student visa had been revoked without notice.

The next day, the university informed him he could not continue with his computer science doctorate.

Liu says he has not been charged with any crime and did not take part in any protests.

He sued the US government along with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, alleging his visa had been revoked without any notice and sufficient explanation.

On April 9, a federal judge in New Hampshire halted the decision temporarily, saying she would block the Trump administrations apparent revocation of Lius status.

Mohsen Mahdawi, 30

 Date of arrest: April 14, 2025

 Nationality: Palestinian

 Institution: Columbia University

 Legal status in the US: Green card holder

 How was he arrested: Mohsen Mahdawi was detained on Monday as he attended an interview at an immigration office regarding his application for citizenship, according to his lawyers.

 Charges: He is not known to have been charged with any crime.

Shortly after Mahdawis detention, District Judge William Sessions ordered that he must not be taken from the state of Vermont or the US. Mahdawi is the co-founder of a Palestinian student group at Columbia University, alongside Khalil.

It is unclear where he is being held.
GAEC-BNARI signs MoU with Hungarys Ministry of Agriculture to train agric extension officers

Daniel Kenu Apr - 20 - 2025 , 15:08 2 minutes read

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hungarys Ministry of Agriculture to train Ghanas agricultural extension officers to boost food security and promote sustainable farming practices.

The pact, signed last Thursday, will run until September 2025, beginning with a five-week pilot phase as a precursor to broader implementation.

The training programme aims to equip agricultural extension officers (AEOs) with the knowledge, practical skills, and essential resources necessary to support farmers, improve agricultural practices and productivity, and ensure sustainable farming in Ghana.

The Director of BNARI, Prof. Michael Osae, and the FAO Project Coordinator at Hungarys Ministry of Agriculture, Ms Gabriella Gruner, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Prof. Osae described the collaboration as a critical milestone in the transformation of Ghanas agricultural extension services. This partnership marks the beginning of a vital learning journey aimed at strengthening the capacities of our agric extension officers who are key to the transformation of Ghanas agricultural sector, he said.

He emphasised that extension officers play a pivotal role in linking research institutions, policymakers, and farmers, ensuring that innovations and best practices are effectively communicated and adopted at the grassroots level.

Their responsibilities go beyond providing advice. They empower farmers with the skills and knowledge to increase productivity, enhance food safety, adapt to climate change, and improve livelihoods. That is why this training is so important for Ghanas agricultural development agenda, Prof. Osae added.

He indicated that participants would be trained in several key areas, including extension methodology, agricultural knowledge and information systems, business planning, cooperative models for small-scale farmers, and post-harvest management techniques.

For her part, Ms Gruner expressed optimism about the partnership and its potential long-term benefits.

We are proud to collaborate with Ghana through BNARI to share Hungarys expertise in agricultural innovation. Strengthening extension services is crucial to building resilient food systems, and we are confident that this programme will have a lasting impact, she stated.

Ms Gruner also cited Hungarys experience in Uganda, where a similar training model led to significant improvements in the countrys agricultural landscape.

She emphasised that Hungary remains committed to knowledge-sharing and collaborative development initiatives that drive economic growth.

Ghana is among 48 countries currently benefiting from Hungarys scholarship programme, with over 400 Ghanaian citizens already participating.
Government to use chassis numbers to trace suspected financiers and owners of galamsey excavators

Mohammed Ali Apr - 20 - 2025 , 08:40 2 minutes read

The Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has disclosed that the government is tracing the owners of excavators seized from illegal mining sites by tracking their chassis numbers.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Dr. Boamah said the identification of the machinery is part of ongoing efforts to address the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

He described the galamsey operations as an environmental sin against humanity and God, and revealed that some chassis numbers have already been secured.

These chassis numbers will aid President Mahamas determined and sustained fight against galamsey, Dr. Boamah wrote.

He added that security agencies, working with the Ghana Police Service, are using the information to trace the individuals responsible for importing and purchasing the equipment.

Who imported the excavators? Who bought them? For what purpose? Why are they being used for galamsey? Dr. Boamah questioned, suggesting that the answers may help expose the individuals behind the illegal mining trade.

He explained that the government is pursuing what he described as a root and branch approach, which involves going beyond arrests at mining sites to uncover those who finance or facilitate the activities.

Dr. Boamah stated that the initiative is consistent with the position of President John Dramani Mahama, who, as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, has made tackling illegal mining a major priority.

He commended the Ghana Police Service for its cooperation and urged continued support from relevant institutions as the government works to address the impact of galamsey on water bodies, farmlands, and affected communities.
Next article: We are turning the corner toward economic recovery  Mahama

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Gov't committed to sea defense for Volta Region  Alex Segbefia

Diana Mensah Apr - 19 - 2025 , 21:07 1 minute read

The Chief of Staff at the office of the Vice President, Alex Segbefia has said the government was committed to implementing a sea defense system along the coast of the Volta Region, describing it as a top priority in the administrations development agenda.

Speaking during the Dzita Easter Homecoming festival in Keta, Mr Alex Segbefia on behalf of the Vice President, Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang acknowledged the persistent challenges caused by tidal waves and coastal erosion.

We have already heard about government involvement in addressing some of the pressing challenges, particularly the need for a robust sea defense system not just here but along the entire coast of the Volta Region, he said.

The Chief of Staff was accompanied by the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu.

'Thank you for your support over the years'  Vice President to Volta Region
Kwahu Aduamoa: Ghana Immigration Service gets new office

www.mint.gov.gh Apr - 20 - 2025 , 14:14 2 minutes read

The Deputy Minister of the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi has inaugurated a new office for the Ghana Immigration Service at Kwahu Aduamoa in the Eastern Region.

In his address, Ebenezer kletey Terlabi expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of Aduamoah, particularly Nana Ahea Tutu Brempong, the Chief of Aduamoa, for partnering with the Ghana Immigration Service to construct the office building.

He described the gesture as a demonstration of the communitys commitment to development and willingness to collaborate with government agencies to improve the lives of their subjects and ensure maximum security.

The Deputy Minister noted that the new office accommodation will enable the Ghana Immigration Service to better serve the people of Aduamoa and its environs and facilitate migration processes in the area.

He also commended the chiefs and people of Aduamoa for their proactive approach to supporting government institutions, citing it as an example of the impact that individuals and communities can have on security services.

He called on individuals, businessmen and philanthropists in Kwahu to support security services and other government institutions in delivering on their mandate.

Terlabi assured the people of Kwahu that Government will prioritise security and development across the country and work with traditional leaders, individuals, and organisations to address security challenges facing communities.

The Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. Samuel Basintale Amadu thanked the Chiefs and people of Kwahu Aduamoa for their partnership and support to the Ghana Immigration Service.

Mr Basintale Amadu urged the officers to maintain highest level of discipline, integrity and professionalism in the discharging of their duties.
Next article: Agric Ministry to support farmers in 12 northern districts with US$1 million fund

Previous article: Young Ghanaians must succeed in business without political ties  Mahama calls for end to who you know culture

Politicisation of business threatens Ghanas growth and private sector  Afenyo-Markin

Mohammed Ali Apr - 20 - 2025 , 09:10 2 minutes read

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has cautioned that persistent political interference in Ghanas business environment is weakening investor confidence and posing a serious challenge to the countrys economic prospects.

Addressing the 2025 Kwahu Business Forum in Mpraeso on April 19, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the increasing tendency for partisan considerations to influence access to state contracts and business opportunities was eroding merit and distorting fair competition.

The biggest problem we have as a country is our political interference in everything. And its killing initiative, he told a gathering of entrepreneurs, government officials, private sector actors, and development partners.

According to the Effutu MP, such interference discourages honest effort and stifles innovation, especially among young Ghanaians who are trying to succeed without political ties.

When everything is politicised from cocoa purchasing to road contracts to even small loans, you push away people who just want to work hard and succeed, Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

He called on both political leaders and state institutions to act more responsibly and uphold fairness in public economic affairs. In his view, Ghana cannot nurture a thriving private sector if success is determined by connections rather than competence.

We need to get to a point where your political background doesnt determine your success in business. Thats the only way we can truly grow as a nation, he added.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also advised the youth to avoid relying on political favouritism as a shortcut to wealth, warning that it only breeds inequality and resentment.

The Kwahu Business Forum, which began as a campaign initiative and has now become an annual platform, brings together stakeholders across party lines to discuss economic development in practical terms.
Next article: Young Ghanaians must succeed in business without political ties  Mahama calls for end to who you know culture

Weija Leprosarium receives GH60,000 donation during Easter outreach

Mohammed Ali Apr - 20 - 2025 , 09:39 2 minutes read

The Myhelp-Yourhelp Foundation, in partnership with PayAngel, has donated items and cash worth about GH60,000 to the Weija Leprosarium in Accra during an outreach exercise held over the Easter weekend.

The donation, made on Easter Saturday, April 19, included food items, clothing, medicines, books to stock the library, stationery, and a cash contribution of GH10,000. It was carried out under the theme Easter Compassion: From Isolation to Inclusion.

Rev. Father Andrew Nii Lante Campbell, who received the items on behalf of the Leprosarium, described the gesture as timely. He commended the Foundation for not only providing material support but also spending time with the residents.

He said such interaction helped restore a sense of connection and dignity among the cured lepers.

Mr. Nicholas Cofie, President of the Myhelp-Yourhelp Foundation, encouraged individuals, businesses, and philanthropic groups to support the work of the Foundation. He said it had a track record of delivering impactful social projects and had built public trust over the years through transparency and responsible stewardship of donations.

Mr. Delali Kotoka, Manager of PayAngel, added that supporting the Foundation was a way for organisations to extend help to people living in deprived conditions.

He said such partnerships could make a real difference in the lives of many.

Children living at the Leprosarium, including those rescued from nearby underserved communities, also participated in the Easter celebration. Activities such as Bible quizzes, musical chairs, and dance competitions were held to mark the occasion.

One of the residents, speaking during the programme, appealed for continued visits. Let this not be a one-time visit. Come again. You have made us feel seen, the resident said.

The Myhelp-Yourhelp Foundation was founded in 2018 by a group of professionals, including doctors, nurses, engineers, lecturers, lawyers, bankers, and entrepreneurs. Since then, it has undertaken 23 outreach projects to support poor and marginalised communities across the country.
Young Ghanaians must succeed in business without political ties  Mahama calls for end to who you know culture

Mohammed Ali Apr - 20 - 2025 , 09:28 1 minute read

President John Dramani Mahama has called for an economic system where young Ghanaians can build successful businesses based on their skills and ideas, rather than political connections.

Speaking at the 2025 Kwahu Business Forum on Saturday, April 19, Mr Mahama emphasised the need to remove barriers that prevent young people from turning their ideas into successful businesses.

A young graduate can turn his tech idea into a thriving business without political connections, Mr Mahama said. The future must be one where success is based on ability, ideas, and resilience, not who you know.

Mr Mahama also discussed efforts to improve the business environment, such as increasing access to finance for start-ups, reducing bureaucratic delays, and supporting skills training across the country.

To our young entrepreneurs here today, this is your time, Mr Mahama told the forum. While others see challenges, I see opportunities.

He noted that sectors like green energy and digital technology offer young Ghanaians the chance to make a real impact with fresh ideas and solutions.

Our goal is to create a space where all young Ghanaians, regardless of background or political affiliation, can start and grow businesses with confidence, Mr Mahama added.
WhatsApp has been working on chat messages and channel updates translation feature since last year, which is now available to some Android users enrolled in the beta program.

According to WABetaInfo, this translation feature is available to some users having beta version 2.25.12.25 of WhatsApp for Android, with the rollout expected to expand to more beta users over the coming weeks.

This feature supports translation of Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Hindi, and Russian languages. And since the translation is done on-device without requiring an active internet connection, users must download a language pack corresponding to the language they want to translate. Alternatively, users can also download a pack that can automatically detect the language of incoming messages and translate them.

The toggle to enable translation can be found in the chat info screen, where users can choose which language they want the messages to be automatically translated from. This can be done on a per-chat basis for private and group chats. And if users don't want to translate messages automatically, they can do so manually by opening the message option and tapping "Translate."

However, don't expect WhatsApp's translation to be as accurate as the translations done by cloud-based services since WhatsApp's translation happens on-device using lightweight language packs. Hence, WhatsApp will let users provide feedback to improve translation without sharing the original and translated messages with Meta.

If you are using WhatsApp for Android's beta version and got this translation feature, let us know how your experience has been so far.

Source
The Guam Department of Education may continue to decommission more schools as it confronts continued funding shortfalls, shifting student populations, and aging infrastructure.

Education officials say any new closures will build on the consolidation efforts already planned for the upcoming school year and will be driven by data, facility capacity, and future projections.

Were going to have to go back and take another look at the research weve already done, Superintendent Erik Swanson said during a media briefing Thursday. The closures for this coming school year lie within our capacity to do so without any extra cost.

For the past few years, shrinking enrollment has led to empty classrooms and smaller class sizes at some campuses, creating staffing inefficiencies.

We had schools that had undersized classes. By compressing schools, we get to more depth in the negotiating class size, but still not overcrowding, Swanson said.

He said vacancies dropped drastically when employees were reassigned.

While no new closures are confirmed for the 20252026 school year, GDOE officials say additional consolidation is likely, pending further review of zoning, enrollment trends, and the completion of major projects.

We need to get a couple of other major things donenot the least of the Simon Sanchez [High School] projectand then take a look at, OK, how are we zoned? What are the population shifts at the middle school level, on the high school across the island, Swanson said.

He said he didnt intend to try and make a big cut in one year.

Officials have said they understand that school closures are difficult for families, especially those where campuses have served multiple generations. They say demographic shifts are leaving some areas without enough students to justify keeping certain schools open.

Alternate school models

Swanson said that alternative school models may be necessary, especially in areas where geography and infrastructure make traditional campuses unfeasible.

GDOE is considering community-based models similar to those in Southern California, while also factoring in safety concerns like the lack of sidewalks that prevent students from walking to school.

The education department is also managing construction delays, sanitation inspections, and an urgent need for capital funding.

Vendors working on renovations at F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School agreed to the 45-day temporary halt in work due to budget constraints.

Deputy Superintendent of Finance and Administrative Services Wade Paul confirmed that while some critical refurbishments will be completed, such as installing doors and toilets, remaining construction must pause until funding is available.

We cant leave a classroom without a door. Naturally, we cant leave the bathroom without a toilet. So were flexible to allow portends to complete builds, he said. But once they complete that room or that restroom, then we need to pause.

The department said contractors have agreed to the temporary halt and remain in close contact.

The vendors are already committed to that, Paul said.

Deputy Superintendent Barbara Adamos said vendors have been kept in the loop and understand the challenges tied to the temporary construction pause.

Of course, its not easy, because we have to mobilize all the equipment. Thats harder. And of course, its also going to cost money, Adamos said.

Local funding

GDOE is requesting $15 million to $17 million in local funds from the Legislature to keep projects and operations moving. Meanwhile, it still has $6.7 million in remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act, ARPA, funds.

Despite the financial uncertainty, GDOE leaders are assuring the public that schools are ready for students this fall. Officials say sanitary permits have been secured for all schools, with ongoing re-inspections already underway for the 20252026 year.

We have all of our schools certified by the Department of Health, and were in the cycle of re-inspection, Swanson said. Weve developed a system with three or four schools a month, every month, year-round, so that theyll always have current certificates. So were out of those times that we had expired health certificates.

Nick Cruz with GDOEs Capital Improvement Program said there are ahead of schedule in inspections for the upcoming school year and are seeing improvement in sanitation scores.

Were actually nine schools ahead of inspection for this upcoming school year. Were noticing a trend in inspection reports actually getting better, Cruz said.

He said Chalan Pago Elementary School had a C grade in school year 2023-2024 and has improved to a B grade as well as Juan M. Guerrero Elementary School.

To keep the public informed, GDOE announced weekly briefings will now be held every Thursday at noon.

[Thursday] was just the start of this new set of briefings. And I believe were going to be doing this every Thursday at 12 noon, Guam Education Board Chair Angel Sablan said. So that we can continue weekly giving the public and everyone the latest information that we have.
A $4.4 million lawsuit over a leaking water line near the Ordot dump continued Friday morning, with still no settlement in the suit brought by the receiver running the dump against the Guam Waterworks Authority.

Attorneys for GWA asserted that the case should be thrown out because the dump receiver sued on behalf of the Guam Solid Waste Authority, without the agencys permission.

Counsel for receiver Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc., GBB, asserted the suit was brought properly, and meant to avoid a sweetheart deal being cut over issues at the dump.

GBB sued the waterworks authority and its insurance company for $4.4 million in November, alleging a leaking GWA line caused years of increased contaminated runoff, leachate, at Ordot.

The leak was fixed in November 2022, but GWA has asserted it was not the main driver of increased leachate levels at the dump.

Receiver GBB, Solid Waste, and the waterworks authority have been in settlement talks since the start of the year, but no settlement has been announced as of Friday.

Attorneys for the government and the receiver appeared before Superior of Guam Judge Arthur Barcinas on Friday morning, to argue a motion to dismiss filed by GWA.

No authority

Special Assistant Attorney General John Gilmour, for the government, told Barcinas that GovGuam did not want the receiver suing on Solid Wastes behalf.

Any money won in the case would go to Solid Waste.

GBB never consulted the board about the suit before bringing it forward and the board never approved it, Gilmour said.

GBB ran Solid Waste in the past, but an April 29, 2019 federal court order limited its powers to the closeout of Ordot, Gilmour said. He asserted that since that time, GBB has not had the authority to sue without permission from GBB.

No one in the government wanted the lawsuit, Gilmour told the court.

Besides that, GBB had also failed to comply with the requirements in the Government Claims Act, the attorney said.

The act requires any entity to file a claim with the government before filing a lawsuit in court, Gilmour told the court, and GBB never did so.

Sweetheart deal

Attorney Pat Civille, for GBB, argued that Gilmour and his law firm had a fatal conflict of interest in arguing the case.

Gilmour and his partners at international law firm Kelley Drye & Warren LLP have been hired out by the Office of the Attorney General to litigate matters related to the Ordot dump.

Civille told the court Friday that the firm was now also suing a number of contractors involved in the closeout of the Ordot dump, and is also trying to sue the receiver.

GovGuam, represented by Gilmour and his firm, is asking the District Court of Guam to sue the receiver over alleged faulty design work at Ordot. Errors could cost millions to fix, according to the proposed lawsuit.

Civille said Gilmour was now defending GWA against $4.4 million lawsuit over increased leachate levels, while also trying to sue multiple entities and the receiver over the same issue, at the same time.

Meanwhile, the federal court had ordered the receiver to take the lead on settling a claim with GWA, Civille said, contrary to arguments that GBB had no authority.

Waterworks and Solid Waste leadership were trying to work out a sweetheart deal to settle the matter with a credit from GWA, prior to the receivers lawsuit, he added.

The receivers attorney also argued that GBB had followed all requirements when filing its suit against GWA, and asserted that the Government Claims Act did not apply when one agency took another to court.

Judge Barcinas told the parties he would take the matter under advisement.

Legal web

As the receivership that has governed the Ordot dump since 2008 inches closer to end, runoff levels at the dump have caused a series of legal battles.

GovGuam last May filed a lawsuit against several contractors involved in the closeout of the dump, arguing the system designed to catch runoff was flawed, leading to increased leachate levels and discharge into the Lonfit River.

Attorneys for the government want to name the receiver in the suit, but need permission from District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood.

GBB representatives have asserted the dump works properly, and pointed to a leak at Dero Road as driving increased leachate.

The GWA line leaked over 100 million gallons near the dump, the receiver alleges in its suit.

Late last month, receiver attorney Joyce Tang told the Solid Waste board that an offer and counteroffer have been traded in settlement talks with GWA, but no agreement was finalized.

Solid Waste leadership in January resolved to seek at least $1 million in damages from GWA.
While many associate Easter with rabbits, candy, and children racing to fill their baskets with colorful eggs, for those of the Christian faith, it is a sacred holiday commemorating the resurrection of their God, Jesus Christ.

Christianityparticularly Catholicismremains the dominant religion on Guam, where the faith holds deep spiritual meaning and is woven into the islands cultural identity.

Dozens of Christian congregations from across Guam gathered at Governor Joseph Flores Beach Park, commonly known as Ypao Beach, in Tumon on Easter Sunday.

Among them was Guam Vineyard, a non-denominational Christian congregation joining in the islandwide celebration.

This is the day that Jesus came out of the grave, said John King, a leader with the Guam Vineyard congregation, one of seven churches gathered under the main pavilion at Ypao Beach. He wasnt there anymore, he rose and thats what were celebratingits not just the Easter Bunny and the eggs and everything like that. Were celebrating that he is risen. Hes coming out of the ground. And thats, you know, nobody else has ever done that before. And thats what really sets the Bible, makes it come to lifethat he is risen.

In the Christian faith, Jesus Christ, believed to be the Son of God, died for the sins of mankind in order to offer salvation and a path to heaven. After three days, according to scripture, he rose from the dead. Christians believe he was crucified on a Fridayobserved as Good Fridayand resurrected on Sunday, celebrated as Easter.

With some congregations beginning at 6 a.m. for sunrise services, the day continued with worship, baptisms, music, games, food, face painting, and egg hunts. Across all tents and pavilions, the message remained the same: Jesus is risen.

Its a special day because its Easter and its the resurrection day of Jesus Christ, said Francisco Lazaga, interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church and a Guam Department of Education teacher. As you can see, theres a lot of people here, and most of them are churches occupying the pavilions, and we are one of them.

For Lazaga, the day began with a traditional sunrise service.

Because, based on the Bible, the women who went to Jesuss tomb went there early in the morning, he said. We have that sunrise service, and after that, in some churches, we do have our baptism.

Baptism remained a significant part of the day for many. Children, adults, and families walked down to the waters of the beach to declare their faith publicly.

Among those baptized on Easter Sunday were 9-year-old Emman Dalisay and 10-year-old Gabriel Berba, both members of Guam Calvary Baptist Church.

Because thats when Jesus was a sacrifice for us. Easter, Gabriel said.

When asked what that sacrifice meant to him, Dalisay replied, Good and happy. Then he clarified: He sacrificed for our sin.

He was the one who fulfilled Gods spirit, so he sacrificed our sins, Berba added. Because he sacrificed himself for our sins because hes a caring father.

Berba also spoke about the consequences of sin, according to his faith.

Or else well be burning in hell, he said. So he did it for us so we can have a room for theto go to heaven.

Despite their age, both boys showed a clear understanding of the theology at the center of Easter Sunday. Dalisay acknowledged the emotional impact the story of Jesus death had on him.

Its kind of sad because he died for us, he said.

Delisay described his baptism experience simply: It felt nice, he said. Yeah, it was cold. But after I got out of the water, it wasnt cold.

Following the service, the boys joined in the festivities with other children participating in an Easter egg hunt. Berba proudly shared his find: A purple, shiny egg.

When asked what they looked forward to most during Easter, both had the same answer: Games and reading the Bible.
Bryan J. Cruz, who won his job back at the Office of the Attorney General, is suing AG Douglas Moylan in the Superior Court of Guam for ignoring some reinstatement orders from the Civil Service Commission.

In a complaint filed Thursday by attorney Jacqueline T. Terlaje, Cruz alleges that although he was reinstated at the office, he was transferred to a different division, given work outside of his job duties as an investigator III, not issued nor allowed to carry a firearm that he is licensed for, and has not been paid for at least the first four days of his re-employment starting April 1.

Cruz was terminated from his job as an investigator III on Sept. 25, 2024. He appealed his termination to the Civil Service Commission, which in January voted in favor of nullifying the OAG managements decision to terminate the employee. A decision and judgement was issued by the CSC on March 25, stating that Cruz was to be reinstated immediately with accrued seniority, back pay and benefits.

Guam law also authorizes the penalty of a 10% reduction in salary for the responsible agency head and his deputy  in this case Moylan and Deputy Attorney General Joseph Guthrie  from the date of Cruzs reinstatement to the date of full compliance.

Cruz reported to work on April 1 as instructed by the human resources department of the OAG. He was transferred from his prior assignment in the Civil Division and General Crimes Division to the Child Support Enforcement Division, and immediately assigned to non-investigative duties in his new role, according to the complaint.

That wasnt the only thing different from when he was last employed there in 2024. For 18 years, Cruz had carried his personal concealed and lawful firearm, and thus reported to work April 1 with his personal firearm. Two days later, the acting supervisor for investigators informed Cruz that not only would he not be given a department firearm, Cruz was no longer allowed to use, carry or conceal his personal firearm while on duty or in the OAG premises.

Cruz then met with his immediate supervisor to alert him of his firearms restrictions. His supervisor said he was unaware of such restrictions, according to the complaint.

Cruz requests special damages under the Guam Whistle Blower Statue, which states that an employee who is discriminated against because of lawful acts, is entitled to all relief necessary. Guam law also authorizes a claim for retaliation to be brought in the Judiciary of Guam at two times the back play lost, plus interest, plus compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discriminatory acts.

Cruz listed several allegations of employer retaliation, and said that Moylan continues to retaliate against Cruz by transferring him to a non-investigator role, and revoked his authorization to carry a firearm within the OAG premises upon his reinstatement.

Cruz also seeks injunctive relief that prohibits the attorney general from further retaliation. He also wants to ensure his benefits such as his retirement benefits have been restored, but he is unaware at this time, according to the report.

Cruz seeks relief by: a judgment against Moylan for retaliation, an award of twice the amount of back pay and benefits as provided for under Guam law, an order for Moylan to comply with the CSCs decision ad order, attorneys fees and costs, and any special damages or other relief in equity as the court deems proper.
Authorities are still on the lookout for two missing individuals, sailor Gabriel D. Holt and boater Jeffery Hattori off the coast of Guam.

Unfortunately. Both searches are still ongoing, Michelle Tucker, public affairs officer for Joint Region Marianas and Joint Task Force Micronesia told the Pacific Daily News on Sunday.

The Guam Police Department, which is leading the search for Holt, also confirmed that the operation remains active.

Information received is they are actively searching, GPD spokesperson Norman Analista confirmed with the PDN.

Sunday marked day three in the search for Holt and day nine in the ongoing efforts to locate Hattori.

The U.S. Coast Guard, working alongside Guam Fire Rescue, the Navy, and other local agencies, has been conducting coordinated air and sea operations in both cases.

Holt, a sailor assigned to the USS Nimitz, was last seen at 11:57 p.m. Friday between Hotel Nikko Guam and Gun Beach.

He is described as 6 feet tall, weighing 192 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time he went missing, he was wearing a white tank top, green shorts, and gray shoes, according to GPD.

Hattori also remains missing west of Guam.

Hattori departed Hagatna Boat Basin at 5:30 a.m. April 12 and was expected back by 4 p.m. that day.

The search for Hattori has spanned a wide area in open water.

The extensive operation to find Hattori covered over 75,000 square nautical miles across more than 42 search patterns, Sara Muir, Chief Warrant Officer 2 and Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Coast Guard said.

As of Sunday, the Coast Guard continued to work closely with Hattoris family.

So far, we are in close communication with Mr. Hattoris family. Out of respect for their wishes, we are deferring a comprehensive update on the search status until Monday, April 21, when we can meet with them to discuss next steps, Muir said. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this sensitive time.

Officials advised media seeking further information on Holt to contact Navy representatives, who are leading that portion of the search.

We have had our station and the USCGC Oliver Henry crew underway participating in the search, Muir said

The USS Nimitz, along with its carrier air wing and two destroyers, arrived in Guam for a scheduled port visit last Friday.

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group left Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, on March 21 for a deployment to the Western Pacific. The strike group includes the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing 17, and Destroyer Squadron 9.

Anyone with information about Holt, Hattori or his vessel is urged to contact JRSC Guam at 671-355-4826 or 1-877-418-0168 and the Guam Police Department.
The Sakishima Islands, a portion of the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan, are located between Okinawa and Taiwan with a population of 120,000. The government of Japan has recently completed an evacuation plan in the event of a war in the region, like between China and the United States.

In the plan the residents and visitors would be evacuated to the main islands of Japan in six days. In addition, the plan calls for the construction of underground shelters to withstand bomb blasts with resources to survive for two weeks. In peacetime, these facilities serve alternative uses.

Japan recognizes the primary function of a government is to safeguard the people of the country. Apparently, the United States has forgotten this basic obligation of our government. Perhaps the thinking is that the yet to be installed missile defense system, which is untested against a massive Chinese missile assault, will completely protect our islands. Even if the missile defense was successful, severe shipping disruptions will result in food, fuel, and medical shortages.

On Guam there is virtually no shelters or plans to protect the islands residents and no plan or funding are even contemplated by the governor of Guam or the federal government. Apparently during the recent visit of Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth, there was no discussion regarding civil defense for the people of Guam. The current plans for civil defense on Guam are only for typhoons and earthquakes and not military attacks.

A plan for the safety of the people of Guam in wartime needs to have several components. These include evacuation, shelters, storage and rationing of essential supplies including food, medical items, clothing, public safety, medical care, an effective warning system, transportation, backup communications, alternative power sources, stockpiled water, and information provided in advance to all residents.

Many of these government components should be integrated into current planning for the island such as hardening of a new hospital which should be located a considerable distance away from obvious targets such as a missile defense site and power plants. Apparently, it is too late to have a hardened new Simon Sanchez High School.

Therefore, our safety in the event of a war will fall on our individual and family planning since obviously the government will not provide civil defense for us.

Considered essential for your family safety to be considered are the following:

Prepare your family Stockpile food, water, and other goods Have a hardened secure place for shelter Stick together Learn basic survival and sustainment skills Have a means of transport Learn basic self-defense Learn first aid Radio communications are essential Stay away from danger areas

With our experiences surviving typhoons, we should have confidence to apply those skills to a new wartime challenge. Plan for the worst and pray for the best.




Haiti - USA : Haitian-American pleads guilty to firearms trafficking to Haiti





U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin announced that Jean Wiltene Eugene, 57, arrested during a traffic stop on May 4th, 2024, in Key West, Florida, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Washington to one count of smuggling firearms that enabled the illegal export of firearms to Haiti.



Under U.S. law, anyone exporting a firearm without a permit is subject to a fine of up to $1 million and a prison sentence of up to 20 years. Sentencing will be announced on July 22, 2025.



According to court documents, Eugene is a U.S. citizen born in Haiti and residing in Key West, Florida. On or about September 23, 2021, Eugene exported several firearms from the United States to Haiti without first obtaining the required permit from the Bureau of Industry and Security, located in the District of Columbia. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Eugene admitted to shipping two vehicles to Haiti in 2020 and 2021, containing nine concealed firearms purchased in Key West under his name.



During a subsequent interview with federal agents, Eugene admitted knowing it was illegal to ship firearms to Haiti.



This case was investigated by the FBI's Miami Field Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Commerce's Office of Export Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall and Attorney Beau Barnes of the National Security Division.



HL/ HaitiLibre